94 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



and are cruelly treated by their masters, who starve and 

 beat them. The Budumas' custom is to form a station on 

 some island in favourable fishing-grounds, where they stay 



THE EUDTTMA KACHBLLA 



till they have made their catch and dried the fish. Nets are 

 used for the most part, but the larger fish are speared. Per- 

 haps a week is spent in drying the fish and filling their canoes. 

 Then, for safety they join forces with other canoes and all 

 proceed to one of the bagas on the Lake -side where they 

 trade with the people of the neighbouring towns. 



In the morning, the Kachella with several of his headmen 

 came over to the boats and told me that he would take me 

 to his island home, called Karra-ragga. Karra-ragga ! 

 that blessed word which I am sure is the Buduma for 

 "open Sesame." At the magic of the name all the struggles 



