GUINEA, the name assigned to a large tract of country on the west coast of Africa, commencing at Cape Mesurado, in 10° 45' west longitude, and terminating with the river Lagos, in about 5° east longitude. Limits different from these are occasionally assigned to Guinea, but the above are those adopted by the best geographers. This immense territory has been divided into four portions, namely, the Grain Coast, the Ivory Coast, the Gold Coast, and the Slave Coast. We shall briefly describe the characteristic features of each of these divisions, without any allusion to the slave trade, which will be treated of in the article Slave Trade.

The Grain or Malaghetta Coast extends from the Mesurado to Cape Palmas, a distance of about two hundred and fifty miles. This coast owes its name to a small parasitical plant, the fruit of which, resembling a fig, is found to contain aromatic grains of pepper. Upon its introduction into Europe, this spice received the dignified appellation of grains of paradise. When the finer species of India, however, became known, the production of Guinea fell into disrepute; and as the coast afforded no other article worth being exported, it has been less frequented than any other part of Guinea. It possesses two rivers, the Sestro and Sangwin, which are rather of considerable size. They are situated near the middle of the coast, and their banks are said to be fertile and populous. The Portuguese had formerly settlements in this part of Africa, which they do not now possess; but many of their posterity still reside there mixed with the natives.

The Ivory Coast, commencing at Cape Palmas, stretches as far as Cape Apollonia, a distance of about three hundred and fifty miles. This part of Africa is named from the quantities of ivory obtained there. The tusks are of good quality, and so large as sometimes to weigh two hundred pounds. Gold is also found here in considerable quantities; it is brought down from the countries behind the Gold Coast. There are no European settlements on this part of the shore, excepting an English fort at Apollonia, which perhaps more properly belongs to the Gold Coast. The Ivory Coast is populous and thickly set with villages, but it does not contain any town of much consideration. Navigation here is very dangerous, on account of a heavy surf which breaks continually upon a beach, flat, and destitute of any conspicuous land-mark.

The Gold Coast commences at Cape Apollonia, and extends to the Rio Volta, a distance of about two hundred and fifty miles. For a long period this coast was frequented by European traders, particularly English and Dutch, both to obtain the precious metal from which it derives its name, and to procure slaves as long as human beings were a marketable commodity. A forest of immense thickness, only partially cleared and cultivated, presents itself on the coast. Near the sea the soil is arenaceous, and, unfit for raising any important tropical product except cotton. Some miles inland, however, it becomes richer, and were it carefully cultivated, it might be made to produce sugar, and the other products of the West Indies. The gold, which forms the staple commodity, is brought down from mountainous districts situated·far in the interior. The vegetable productions are chiefly maize, millet, some rice, yams, pulse, plantains, bananas, and other tropical fruits. A variety of excellent timber is produced, of which the palm-tree is most highly prized by the natives, as they distil from it their favourite beverage. The capital of the British settlements is at Cape Coast Castle, which is built upon a rock, and defended by a strong wall mounted with cannon. See Coast Castle, Cape.

The country round has been cleared to some extent, and laid out in pleasure grounds by the British, to whose health, however, the climate is exceedingly unpropitious. Other British settlements lie to the east, but Fort James at Aera, together with Cape Coast, are now the only places where garrisons are maintained. The capital of the Dutch settlements is El-Mina, or the Castle, which was taken from the Portuguese, the founders of it, in 1637. It is situated in an open country, about fifteen miles west of Cape Coast. The fort is well built, on a high situation, and is regularly garrisoned. Besides this establishment, they have a number of others scattered along the coast; and the Danes also have two. For an account of the country which lies behind the Gold Coast, and the people who inhabit it, see Ashantee.

The Slave Coast commences at Rio Volta, and stretches as far as the river Lagos, a distance of about two hundred and thirty miles. It was so named because the slaves obtained here were of a docile and tractable temper. This country is traversed by two considerable rivers,. called the Jakin and the Euphrates, which run parallel with each other to the sea, and preserve everywhere a convenient water communication. This part of the coast had been cleared of forests by the natives, and carefully cultivated. A luxuriant and almost perpetual vegetation sprung up under the busy hand of industry, and the country became crowded with a dense population. Amid this abundance the Whidans, such was the name of [7:11:30]the people, having become luxurious and effeminate, were attacked by the warlike power of Dahomey, which subdued the people, and reduced their country almost to a desert. For an account of Dahomey, which predominates over both the coast and the interior, see the article Dahomey.

Whidah, now commonly called Griwhee, has been designated the port of Dahomey, from which a route of about an hundred miles reaches through Favies and Foro, to Abomey, the capital. The country around Griwhee is fertile and well cultivated, and is abundantly supplied with the necessaries of African life. The inhabitants have been estimated by Captain Adams at about 7000. Ardrah is a larger and more flourishing place. (See the article Ardrah.) Beyond Lagos lies a large tract of country, of a peculiar character, which has been named Benin, after the principal state. See the article Benin. New Guinea, or Papua. See Australasia. Guinea, a gold coin, struck and current in Britain. The value or rate of guineas has varied. It was first struck on the footing of twenty shillings; from the scarcity of gold it afterwards advanced to twenty-one shillings and sixpence, but it subsequently sunk to twenty-one shillings. The pound weight troy of gold is cut into forty-four partsand a half, and each part makes a guinea. This coin took its denomination of guinea, because the gold of which the first was struck had been brought from that part of Africa called Guinea; and for the same reason it likewise bore the impression of an elephant.