The Waginia are in every respect a peculiar race. Though they are all free men they have no slaves, and in most of their characteristics they are curiously contradictory. They never walk. yet — water-people as they are — those with whom I came in contact were very bad swimmers. All the ferrying and up and down transport, both for us and for the Arabs, was done by them, without any other payment than their food during the time they worked.

Their villages are made of grass only, and change position almost daily. All the Waginia know each other. When any member of the tribe happens to want a canoe, he helps himself to any he chances to come across, and returns it perhaps months afterwards. These canoes are dug out of the trunks of trees, and hold from one to fifty men; but, though always used by the Waginia, they