330 ANNUAL REPORT SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION, 19 39 



An annual rainfall of 100 to 140 inches concentrated largely be- 

 tween the middle of May and August causes great variations in the 

 volume of run-off. Seasonal variations of as much as 30 feet were 

 measured quite far inland, and rises of 4 feet in a day were not un- 

 common. During the rainy season the rivers became rushing tor- 

 rents carrying all before them and flooding the bush on either bank. 

 At the end of the dry season, on the other hand, navigation is difficult 

 and slow owing to lack of water. The keels and bottom planking of 

 the boats soon wear out or become stove-in by frequent groundings, 

 and propellers are often damaged. 



Stores and personnel were brought to Hepsiba by a schooner which 

 once a month beat down the coast against the trade winds and sailed 

 up the river. Here the cargo was transhipped to bateaux driven by 

 10-horsepower outboard motors and manned by a crew of paddlers 

 for emergency. Constructed of gTeenheart with mora frames, the 

 bateau is remarkable for its stability, handiness, and toughness. Not 

 having a deck, it is very resilient and can absorb an enormous fore- 

 and-aft twist. It is steered by a large paddle lashed to the stem 

 and another manipulated by the bowman. This double leverage act- 

 ing on the hull of small keel depth and long overhanging prow pro- 

 duces a very quick turn, necessary when descending swift and 

 tortuous rapids. 



In ascending the river, the bateau is laboriously hauled over the 

 rapids by warps. This requires a crew of anything up to 20, depend- 

 ing on the state of the river. First the cargo is off-loaded and 

 portaged to the top of the fall, then the bow and stern line and the 

 warp are run out, and the boat is hauled up inch by inch against the 

 rushing water. At the top it is reloaded, always a lengthy process, 

 and the journey proceeds to the next rapid, probably less than an 

 hour's steaming distant. At low water a day may be taken to nego- 

 tiate one rapid less than 2 miles long, the crew camping exhausted 

 at the top at nightfall. Thus transportation is not only precarious, 

 but exasperatingly slow. 



Descending; the river the labored slowness of the upward journey 

 is replaced by a swift journey of thrills and exhilaration. The 

 rapids are run with engines full ahead to give steerage way, and 

 paddlers keep blades poised ready for the command of the captain. 

 The bowman streams with perspiration as he struggles with his large 

 paddle, first one side, then the other, at the same time trying to main- 

 tain his balance on his precarious foothold. Submerged rocks are 

 indicated by the whirl of water below them. The captain must pick 

 his line and think and act quickly, much as the rider following 

 hounds does, or the skier making a difficult descent ; but unlike these 



