202 G. A. J. VAN DER SANDE. 



Of the four paddles obtained at Tobâdi (N os . 673—676), only N°. 673 (PL XXII, 

 fig. 5) can be relied upon, as far as the correctness of its origin is concerned. It has the 

 blade at the lower end continued by a blunt, somevvhat thickened point, which is certainly 

 intended to protect the blade from being damaged when, in fishing on the banks, the paddle 

 is used as a pôle to push with ; probably for the same reason the paddles are made so long. 

 This and the narrowness of the craft, where this is still increased by side-boards inclining 

 inward, De CLERCQ and SCHMELTZ [1893, 92] attribute to the paddlers standing. With the 

 same or more right, the contrary may be supposed, viz. that the space between the boards is 

 reduced in order that they may be able to sit down. I remind the reader of the tsja of Lake Sentâni, 

 which is equally narrow or narrower and in which, on account of the unstable equilibrium, 

 it is quite impossible to stand upright, whilst the Tugèri in their more roomy dug-outs, paddle 

 standing (SCHMELTZ [1904, 204]). The N°\ 674 — 676, obtained through the intermediation of 

 the headman of Tobâdi, probably corne from somewhere else ; — the ornament of the 

 handle end and especially the blade, being very like those, which on the island Tumleo are 

 used on rudders, (ERDWEG [1902, 370, 371, figs. 256, 257]). The leaden bail on N°. 6y6, 

 about which they did not feel inclined to give any exact information, is also very suspicious, 

 whilst the name wàrepû of N° s . 674 and 675 is the same as given to the mysteriously orna- 

 mented pôle, met with in the village of Waba (fig. 193), and provisionally considered as the 

 ornament over a grave. The most interesting part of thèse paddles, the ornament, is until 

 now almost unintelligible. 



Part of the outfit of a Papuan boat is the f i r e place, for which, along the entire coast 

 of K. W. Land (FlNSCH [1888 — 93, 199] a pot sherd is used, placed on the platform (fig. 130, 

 in the middle, near the fore part). In one single instance, I saw a small carapax used for this 

 purpose; sometimes a wooden box with a layer of ashes in it (VAN DER GOES [1S58, 173]), or 

 a sheath of a leaf, bent open and covered with sand and ashes (ERDWEG [1902, 371]) is seen. 



The opinions respecting the wàche, as a rowing and sailing craft, vary a good deal with 

 the différent authors. BlNK [1897, 164] calls them misérable boats, which hâve a small loading 

 capacity, answer the rudder badly, sail badly and with hard rowing advance only slowly. 

 MOOLENBURGH [1904, i/o], who, in May 1903, with two members of the expédition, near 

 Cape Bonpland, was caught in a heavy squall, thankfully praises the ivdclie as an excellent 

 sea-going craft. Very gloomy, on the other hand, is the judgment of FlNSCH [1888, 351]: 

 "Indeed, it is stated in most books, that the outrigger prevents capsizing, but whoever saw, 

 as I did, many a canoë tumbling over, knows better" and therefore Finsch decided to 

 make no experiments with the zcàc/ie, which was a pity. Most Europeans are too much 

 afraid of being capsized on the side opposite the outrigger. But I more than once satisfied 

 myself, that a person weighing 80 K. G. can safely go to the extrême sides of the platform, 

 without being able to capsize the boat. The loading capacity of the craft may be judged 

 from fig. 129, -- with a load of seven persons, a large freeboard still remaining. When there 

 is a sea on, no doubt, the case differs; for the seams and the holes of the lashings often 

 admit water, and the narrow craft, heavily laden, does not rise quickly enough with the 

 head seas, and more water enters than can be bailed out. On such an occasion my paddlers 

 had to get outside to lighten the boat and bail the water out; another time, with a compa- 

 ratively small zuâc/ie, the shore could barely be reached. 



