The Niger River runs from its source in the Fouta-Djalon to the Gulf of Guinea for a total of about 4,000 kilometers through the Sahel, where it brings fertility. Most people journey on the Niger by means of a barge, a flat-bottomed boat, which is often equipped with a deckhouse. The "laptots", who are in charge of maneuvering the boats, exert considerable effort to keep the boats moving and are men of extraordinary physical strength. Such is the heat, that the temperature aboard the barge can reach 80 degrees. The head laptot supervises while the pilot is responsible for the direction of travel. When the wind is strong, they hoist the sail; when the water is deep, they use paddles to navigate. The "kitchen" is set up at the rear-end of the boat. The laptots' meal.