254 PURCHASE OF YAMS. 



o'clock,* we found it dead low water, and so shoal that 

 we could not get in at the usual landing place at 

 Keriam, but had to go about a hundred yards farther 

 on. Here Mammoos at once came down and got into 

 the boat, but begged we would stay a little and get 

 some ketai, of which several parties of women came 

 successively with bundles, and bartered it at a regular 

 rate, under Mammoos's inspection, the price being 

 four roots for a wine bottle or a fig of tobacco. The 

 roots were better than any we had previously got, 

 many of them as large as two fists, and some much 

 bigger but not of so good a quality. In this way 

 we purchased a much larger quantity than we had 

 ever got before at one time, and it appeared as if the 

 yam season was just coming in. They brought also 

 a few roots, which both looked and tasted like 

 ginger, and which they called " keraker." Having 

 nearly exhausted their stock, I was just calling to 

 Mammoos, who stood in the bow of the boat, to 

 come and sit down by me, and go off to the ship, 

 when a boy, called Babouck, came running along 

 the beach with some intelligence apparently of im- 

 portance. On hearing it, Mammoos sprung out of 

 the boat, and began pushing her off, pointing to the 

 ship, and waving us to go, saying "sarreg! sarreg!' 

 Thinking we were going to be attacked, I seized 

 my gun, and told the men to shove off. 



* Last night the water was equally low at five in the after- 

 noon, so that the tides are very irregular in their times here. 



