Navigable Rivers of HowardianPrePleistoceneEuroafroasiatica

[Von K]

The word 'navigable' is a bit of a mouthful.

I'd say it was:

Great Rivers of the Hyborian Age (if you're referring to the world).
Great Rivers of the Hyborian Kingdoms (if you're referring specifically to the kingdoms dominated by Hyborian culture.

Just my 2c.

[mingerganthecat]

Large rivers aren't necessarily navigable though, not if they have lot of rapids or falls or ice.

Though I suppose anything can be portaged if the demand for it is great enough. Cortes disassembled his own brigantines and carried them overland to Lake Texcoco to fight the Aztecs. He had a reputation for doing weird things to his boats.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Portage#History 

Hour of the Dragon:

'How these boats ride those falls we hear roaring ahead of us is more than I can see,' he grunted. 'Hadrathus said they did—but here's where we halt. He said a man would be waiting for us with horses, but I don't see anyone. How word of our coming could have preceded us I don't know anyway.'

He drove inshore and bound the prow to an arching root in the low bank, and then, plunging into the water, washed the brown paint from his skin and emerged dripping, and in his natural color. From the cabin he brought forth a suit of Aquilonian ring-mail which Hadrathus had procured for him, and his sword. These he donned while Albiona put on garments suitable for mountain travel. And when Conan was fully armed, and turned to look toward the shore, he started and his hand went to his sword. For on the shore, under the trees, stood a black-cloaked figure holding the reins of a white palfrey and a bay war-horse.

'Who are you?' demanded the king.

The other bowed low.

'A follower of Asura. A command came. I obeyed.'

'How, "came"?' inquired Conan, but the other merely bowed again.

'I have come to guide you through the mountains to the first Poitanian stronghold.'

'I don't need a guide,' answered Conan. 'I know these hills well. I thank you for the horses, but the countess and I will attract less attention alone than if we were accompanied by an acolyte of Asura.'

The man bowed profoundly, and giving the reins into Conan's hands, stepped into the boat. Casting off, he floated down the swift current, toward the distant roar of the unseen rapids. With a baffled shake of his head, Conan lifted the countess into the palfrey's saddle, and then mounted the war-horse and reined toward the summits that castellated the sky.

Though, considering that I'm including canals in this query, I suppose "inland waterways" might be a better word choice than either navigable rivers or great rivers.

[boot]

Jun 22, 2022 11:31:33 GMT -5 mingerganthecat said:

There's the Styx and Zarkheba obviously, then there's the Khorotas of Argos, and probably some analogues to the Ganges and the Yangtze whose names I've forgotten. 

There's, really, relatively few features on most Conan maps.  I've been looking for details on Argos, and there's just a lot of conflicting information or no information.  The Khorotas moves, swinging east and west, depending on the map.  Messantia moves along the coast.

What I've come to think is what in any particular spot on the map is whatever you think should be there.

[boot]

Jun 22, 2022 11:31:33 GMT -5 mingerganthecat said:

How far up the Khorotas or its tributaries can merchant barges travel? For that matter, is there any serious speculation on how many navigable rivers exist in the Hyborian Kingdoms? I'm looking specifically for material from Howard himself rather than latter pastiche writers, though I am open to their suggestions as well. I remember one series of children's cartoons that had barges going as far inland as Brythunia.

According to the Hour of the Dragon, the Khorotas flows from Tarantia some 200 miles down through Aquilonia to Pointain, but evidently, there's a waterfall between Pointain and the southern part of the river. Conan is told that some bargemen know how to navigate the falls (so it must not be a huge falls), but the barbarian wasn't going to attempt it. He took the rest of the route by land to Argos.

Interesting that he got off on the north side of the river and traveled through the wild lands of Zingara. Is the route south to Argos on the south side of the river not navigable? Possibly mountainous? The country is too rough.

Plus, what happened to the Road of Kings? Some speculate that the Road of Kings does not really exist, starting from Messantia--that it was added later by pastiche writers.

With all the trade that comes out of Messantia's port, there's got to be a caravan route from Argos to Aquilonia, but Conan didn't go that way, either.

The way THofD is written, it seems that the area where Aquilonia, Argos, and Zingara meet is a very mountains area of badlands and wilds, with very little trade able to get through the falls.

[themirrorthief]

sorry I wouldnt be much help I think it was Leonard Carpenter who wrote a sequel to the Black River story by Howard...It took place almost entirely during a trip down various hyborian rivers...that might be a good read for you

[mingerganthecat]

Jul 20, 2022 19:51:08 GMT -5 themirrorthief said:

sorry I wouldnt be much help I think it was Leonard Carpenter who wrote a sequel to the Black River story by Howard...It took place almost entirely during a trip down various hyborian rivers...that might be a good read for you

I haven't read that one yet, but I rather liked other books by him. I'll have to take a look at it.

[themirrorthief]

of his, it was my least favorite...I enjoyed all the others I read, once he even posted something nice about one of my stories, I think...after furthur thought, I think he liked a review I did of one of his books

[mingerganthecat]

Jul 19, 2022 21:26:30 GMT -5 boot said:

Jun 22, 2022 11:31:33 GMT -5 mingerganthecat said:

There's the Styx and Zarkheba obviously, then there's the Khorotas of Argos, and probably some analogues to the Ganges and the Yangtze whose names I've forgotten. 

There's, really, relatively few features on most Conan maps.  I've been looking for details on Argos, and there's just a lot of conflicting information or no information.  The Khorotas moves, swinging east and west, depending on the map.  Messantia moves along the coast.

What I've come to think is what in any particular spot on the map is whatever you think should be there.

That's pretty much what I'm doing for my fanfic. I needed a river for my character to use to get back to his demesne, so I pretty much invented one. I realized that I might have put Shadizar in the wrong place, but then I decided "meh" and kept it where I wanted it to be.