ABSTRACT
The Gambia River forms a convenient border from a military point of view between the savannah region of northern Upper Guinea and the areas further south. Geographically, the region was centred in the Futa Jallon, an upland area that was the origin of the Niger, Senegal and Gambia rivers, as well as most of the rivers that flowed along the coast right through Sierra Leone. North and east of Futa Jallon was the land of the western Sudan, flat and available for cavalry, cut by rivers that attracted dense settlements that were connected by watercraft. South and west of Futa Jallon the often watery environment and thick vegetation made the keeping of horses impractical, and the wooded countryside made cavalry warfare less attractive. Here infantry armies shared the military culture with marine forces that could exploit the network of water routes for mobility and surprise.
