50 
for such a resort? It is explained when I say that these 
tribes once formed part of the old kingdom of Dahomey, 
which was in the past split up by inter-tribal wars, and the 
weak were not driven to the wall, but literally into the 
water, where protection was sought from their more power- 
ful fellow-countrymen—viz., from the ancestors of the present 
occupants of the Dahomean kingdom —the protection being 
ensured from a knowledge of the fact that it has been for 
some time conveniently contrary to the Dahomean fetish 
to cross water, at least in canoes. 
Such towns or villages have each a floating population, 
varying, I may estimate, from two or three hundred souls 
to as many thousands. 
The people are fine and healthy, and, as a rule, are very 
free from disease. I may say they suffer from “craw- 
craw” and guinea worm. 
Their houses are built upon piles or stout straight branches 
of hard wood, of some 3 to 6 inches diameter, which are 
secured as supports by being worked under manual labour 
from canoes into the bottom some 3 or 4 feet. The upper 
ends are then secured by crosspieces of like nature, on 
which is worked a bamboo flooring two-thirds or a half 
of which is covered in by a house, the uprights of which 
are fixed first, and secured below the platform to the sup- 
porting piles. The roof frame is next made on the plat- 
form, then covered with grass or bamboo leaves and raised 
to its position, when it is secured by the tie. The remain- 
ing portion of flooring is used as a verandah, or rest aloft 
and is sometimes covered in or not, according to the wish 
of the owner. In the construction no nails are used. 
Houses are in shape rectangular, sometimes conical, 
having in the latter case the appearance of floating bee- 
hives of large proportions 
