Makuubi Barge
The most common form of Makuubi vessel is the simple flat-bottomed barge. Though unsuitable for crossing the lake or traveling to islands not close to the shores, the simplicity of the barge's construction and its ability to haul massive amounts of cargo have made it a mainstay of any Makuubi harbor. As all major Makuubi settlements are built either on the coast or around rivers, and the pastoral Makuubi of the plains always come to these towns to sell their goods, the barge is primary way goods get from one city to another.
Barges are constructed of various woods, from Gafahraz juniper to local baobab. The simplest forms of barge are lashed and doweled together lengthwise and sealed with resin. Longer barges require more complex joins for the planks, as more than one length of a tree is required to make up the length of the barge design.
Though at its most basic the barge is simply a wooden platform upon which goods or people can be loaded, many have "barge-boxes" built atop them, usually made of stakes placed atop the barge and connected by fabric or hide in order to keep goods from falling off the barge. These boxes can also be be covered with hide to create a makeshift tent atop the barge.
Propulsion
Though most barges are propelled by the muscles of the Makuubi via oars and bargepoles, many do also sport sails. On occasion, the Makuubi have even been known to use animals to draw the barge, lashing the barge to a pair of oxen on the riverbank and driving the oxen forward. As the elephants of the Makuubi shores are uncommonly good swimmers, the Makuubi have even experimented with having trained elephants pull their barges. However, the great expense of keeping elephants has relegated this method of barging to a curiosity and a luxury affordable only to the princes and other urban nobility.
Comments