NAVIGATION. 203 



The people of Tobâdi proved to be indefatigable paddlers, of which they are 

 not a little proud, often blaming the Sentâni people for their poor paddling, and illustrating 

 with a few strong strokes, how well the people of "ëinbolbai" paddle. With the usual stroke of 

 50 — 60 per minute, a speed of ±4 knots is obtained. With the lower hand the paddle is 

 taken hold of close to the blade, and this hand consequently reaches, when paddling, far 

 below the gunwale of the boat and close to the surface of the water. The other hand reaches 

 up to, or above the head, and does not properly seize hold of the handle, as this is placed 

 between the index and the 31'd finger; but the thumb and the 4* and 5* finger are some- 

 what bent towards each other. This peculiar grasp can frequently be noticed ; see for instance 

 AlEVER and PARKINSON [1894, PI. 34], where the two m en to the right, hold their spears in 

 a similar manner. After the paddle, with the body bent forward, has been placed far ahead 

 into the water, the lower hand pulls, with the body inclining a little towards this side, 

 strongly backwards. At the end of the stroke the upper hand, hyper extensioned in the 

 wrist joint, the palm of the hand placed against the handle, pushes it forward, the oar levered 

 powerfully, the left hand serving as a fulcrum. The paddle never touches the edges of the boat or 

 scrapes against the outside, as the surface would thereby soon wear off and get damaged. 

 With a festive procession, or when spurting, the hindmost paddler, who steers at the same 

 time, throws with each stroke the foaming water backwards, far and high. 



The stages of the pile-dwellings are always approached with the side of the craft, 

 which has no outrigger. In beaching on a coast with breakers, the craft is first turned, 

 outside thèse breakers, with its stern towards the shore, in which way the advantage is ob- 

 tained, that during the further maneuvring, the bow is turned towards the approaching breakers 

 and less water is taken in in conséquence. The paddlers also turn round inside the boat, 

 thus facing the shore and now await, standing and looking backwards, a favorable moment. 

 At once paddling with very quick, short, but powerful strokes, they generally succeed in landing 

 between two breakers; then, jumping out of the boat, with the same speed, they carry and 

 haul up the wôche by the cross pôles, high and dry. Therefore, where a craft is found lying 

 on a shore with breakers, the bow is turned towards the sea. To get off a beach, is also 

 done with great skill, by préférence in the early morning, when the breakers are less heavy 

 than when later on the day the sea breeze sets in. During the east monsoon voyages of 

 several days are undertaken along the coast, from Humboldt Bay westward till to Jamna, 

 eastward till to Berlin Harbour, as well for paying visits as for trading purposes. Should the 

 weather become bad, a more favorable opportunity is awaited on shore, but with a fair wind 

 they are fond of sailing. I doubt whether they make a harbour every evening (see SELIGMANN 

 [1906, 239]), unless in want of provisions. BlRO [1901, 73] reports that with a calm they 

 whistle and blow on a Triton shell, in order to call the wind. 



The outfit for sailing consists of a mast and a sail. 



The pole-mast, âbiâi, ± 15 feet high, is made of a sapling, the top bifurcated, to receive 

 the halliard, and usually ornamented with cassowary feathers. In différent families (PARKINSON 

 [1900, 30]) or villages (ERDWEG [1902, 368]) this ornament differs; and thus it may be considered 

 as a distinctive signal. As analogous, and again characteristic of the state of affairs amongst 

 the Jôtéfa tribe, the fact may be mentioned, that the people of Ingrâs and Ingrau are not 

 allowed to carry more than one plume, whilst Tobâdi asserts its right to 2, 3 and 4 plumes. 



