Ch^p. XXXI. THE YE'dINA', OR BU'DDUMA. 
327 
placed beyond the reach of the inundation, and, after 
about three miles, reached the deeply-indented and 
well-protected creek called u Ngomaren." Here I was 
most agreeably surprised by the sight of eleven boats 
of the Yedina. Large, indeed, they were considering 
the ship-building of these islanders ; but otherwise 
they looked very small and awkward, and, resting quite 
flat on the water, strikingly reminded me of theatrical 
exhibitions in which boats are introduced on the 
stage. They were not more than about twenty feet 
long *, but seemed tolerably broad ; and one of them 
contained as many as eleven people, besides a good 
quantity of natron and other things. They had a 
very low waist, but rather a high and pointed prow. 
They are made of the narrow boards of the fogo-tree, 
which are fastened together with ropes from thedum- 
palm, the holes being stopped with bast. 
The Kanembii inhabitants of many neighbouring 
villages carry on trade with the islanders almost un- 
interruptedly, while elsewhere the latter are treated 
as most deadly enemies. Two parties of Kanembii 
happened to be here with argiim or millet, which 
they exchange for the natron. They were rather 
frightened when they saw us, the Budduma being 
generally regarded as enemies ; but the sheikh and 
his counsellors are well aware of this intercourse, and, 
* This certainly did not belong to the largest craft of the 
islanders ; for one of the boats which accompanied Mr. Overweg 
afterwards on his voyage on the lake was almost fifty feet long, 
and six and a half wide. 
y 4 
