CHAPTER XVIII

THROUGH   THE   HINTERLAND

CHIEFS AND  TREATIES

I NOW propose to leave the Sherbro coast line and
devote a few chapters to my up-country tours.

I have already said that the internecine wars of the
Mendi Hinterland chiefs, which had been of constant
recurrence, had greatly hindered the prosperity of the
Colony and seriously affected the revenue. It had
therefore been resolved, during the administration of Sir
J. Shaw-Hay, K.C.M.G., 1888-91, to adopt a firm and
greatly extended policy for the interior. The first steps
taken were the appointing of two Travelling Commissioners
and the establishment of a Frontier Police Force.

I was one of the Commissioners. In my official capacity
I took over the south-eastern or Sherbro side, and at once
arranged to penetrate into the remote parts where no
white man had ever then been seen. My mission w^as to
become acquainted with the country and the people, and to
extend to the paramount chiefs who then ruled, an
invitation to accept the privilege of entering into friendly
treaties with the British Government.