Page:Africa by Élisée Reclus, Volume 3.djvu/461

THE CAMER00N3. 383 Elephant Mountain, and the Ba-Xokos in the Criby district and farther south to the mouth of the Rio del Campo, The long-standing blood-feud between these two tribes was recently brought to an end by the intervention of the European traders. This group of tribes are the most skilful boat-builders in the whole of Africa. They launch on the Moanya large war galleys impelled by about sixteen rowers, with a speed unrivalled by any European craft. Amongst the Southern or Great Ba-Tongas these boats have been replaced by skiffs of amazingly light build, about 7 feet long, 12 inches broad, 6 inches deep, weighing but from 10 to 20 pounds, with which they skim over the crests of the waves, fearlessly crossing the dangerous surf -beaten bars which Europeans scarcely venture to approach in open boats. The factories in the Great Ba-Tanga territory are at present the most important depots for the ivory trade, brought from the interior by the Ibeas (Ma- Bea), or " Brush People," who speak a very different idiom from that of the coast tribes. Like the Fans farther south, these Ibeas are constantly moving seawards, and have already reached the coast at two points north and south of the Lobe River. Beyond the coast plateaux and the hypothetical Sierra Guerreira range, east of their domain, lie the regions stretching towards the Upper IJ-Banghi and Shari basins, where is found the Liba, or " Lake," frequently mentioned by the natives. But whether it is really a great sheet of water, or a large river, perhaps the U-Banghi itself, is still unknown. Of all the unexplored Central African regions these have hitherto best preserved their secret.