100 NATIVE CRAFT. 



'' Dundi, which is flat-bottomed, with a sliglit 

 convex incHnation for the additional facility of 

 getting off sand-banks, as when aground it is 

 made to spin round on its centre by the force 

 of the current, whilst a completely flat-bot- 

 tomed boat would hold to the ground, and it 

 would be next to impossible to remove a heavy- 

 laden boat once thoroughly embedded in a soft 

 sand-bank of the Indus. The stern and fore- 

 part of the Dundi are flat and slope inwards, the 

 former being at a considerable angle to the 

 surface of the water, and somewhat higher than 

 the surface of the boat : there is also a slight 

 decrease in the breadth of its extremities ; one 

 of the advantages of a sloping front is the fa- 

 cility afforded for running in on the banks, 

 when required to luggao [or fasten to the shore], 

 or for parrying the shock when forcibly driven 

 on it. The rudder is very large, and shipped 

 as usual, or often in heavy boats by a compli- 

 cated system of ropes and poles, which work 

 outside the stern, the steersman holding both 

 ends of the pole, increasing his labour to a great 

 extent. The mast is stepped very far forward 

 on strong cross beams and is removable at plea- 

 sure : the sail is of the lightest material and 



