River Transport, Magdalena River, Colombia, 1826
Captioned, Champan sur la Magdalena, this engraving shows several types of river transportation on the Magdalena river, particularly the champan [i.e., champana or sampan], the large flat boats which were the major means of carrying goods in the interior; in the foreground, a raft made of balsa logs lashed with vines (both vessels described on p. 81). The boatmen in the large straw hats are bogas, free men of color, who played prominent roles in transport on Colombiaís main rivers (for details, see Aline Helg, Liberty & Equality in Caribbean Colombia, 1770-1835 [Univ. of North Carolina Press, 2004], pp. 67-70).
Image Title
River Transport, Magdalena River, Colombia, 1826
RegID
SI-OB-247
Date
1826
Title
River Transport, Magdalena River, Colombia, 1826
Source
Alcide Dessalines d'Orbigny, Voyage pittoresque dans les deux Amériques...(Paris, 1836), facing p. 62, fig. 3. (Copy in Special Collections Department, University of Virginia Library)
Language
French
Item sets
Miscellaneous Occupations & Economic Activities
Reproduced In
Alcide Dessalines d'Orbigny, Voyage pittoresque dans les deux Amériques...(Paris, 1836), facing p. 62, fig. 3
Researchers
Handler, Jerome; Tuite, Michael; Randall Ericson; Henry B. Lovejoy; Tiffany Beebe; Travis May
Identifier
NW0316