Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/269

 Bassas, the Kroos south of the Sinu River, and the Grebos near Cupe Palmas. The peaceful and industrious Bassas, numbering fifty thousand, supply a great part of the republic with rice, poultry, and other provisions, A southern branch of the Bassas, together. with the Fishermen, the Nifus, Grebos, and Krus, numbering collectively about forty thousand, are grouped under the general designation of Kroomen, or Krooboys, either a corruption of "crew-men," "crew-boys," or else derived from Kraoh, the primitive name of one of their tribes living near Settra-Kroo. They are traditionally from the interior, the kindred Grebos having apparently reached the Cape Palmas district since the Portuguese discoveries. But they

have now become skilful fishermen and excellent sailors, displaying uncommon daring, coolness, and dexterity.

The Kroos, properly so called, form a compact body only in the narrow strip of coast between the Sinu River and Cape Palmas, where are situated their five chief villages, Kroober, Little Kroo, Settra-Kroo, Nana Kroo, and King Williamstown. But beyond this territory they occupy numerous hamlets on the coast, where every town has also its Kroo quarter (Krootown), exclusively inhabited by these seafaring Negroes. They are a stout, muscular, broad-chested race, probably the most vigorous and robust of all African peoples. The head, joined by a bull's neck to their broad shoulders, presents the ordinary Negro type — flat nose, prominent checkbones, thick lips, slightly projecting incisors, yellow, bloodshot eyes; in fact, "the