414 A YEAR OF COSTA RICAN NATURAL HISTORY 



que proper as from 400 to 450 meters. The channel was 

 very narrow, however, even for our small steamboat, as we 

 learned near Puerto Humo. This was a collection of twelve 

 or fifteen huts with high-pitched thatch roofs, on the west 

 bank of the river. As we approached, the steamer suddenly 

 lurched to one side, causing some consternation, but quickly 

 righted again; we had run on a mud bank but soon slid off. 

 Some passengers and freight were landed at Puerto Humo 

 by a boat putting off from shore for the purpose. Like the 

 smaller boat accompanying the steamer, it was pointed at 

 both ends and hollowed out of a single log. From Puerto 

 Humo we crossed again to the east bank but ran on another 

 mud bank about 11.30 and it was nearly two hours before 

 we proceeded farther upstream. To clear this bank, or 

 rather banks, upon which we grounded, a rope was taken 

 from the steamboat and tied to a root or trunk at the shore 

 and by alternately backing and going forward, the boat 

 being warped shoreward by hauling on the rope from on 

 board, we were eventually freed, but the operation had to 

 be performed repeatedly. Several times as we ran close 

 to the shore the projecting branches of trees armed with 

 thorns reached into the boat, catching on clothing or other 

 objects and onceswept out a blanket; it was rescued, however, 

 with no worse result than a partial wetting. About an hour 

 after leaving the mud bank we turned westward from the 

 Tempisque into an arm known as the Estero de Bolson, 

 much narrower but deep enough to allow the steamboat 

 to run fairly swiftly. We passed a sister ship going in the 

 opposite direction, the only craft we met on the river except 

 a sailing vessel called a "bongo," anchored opposite Puerto 

 Humo. About 3 P. M. we reached our destination so far 

 as navigation was concerned, Puerto Ballena (whale-port — 

 but why "whale" no one seemed to know). The steamboat 

 landed us at a little wharf. On shore, beneath the trees. 



