There can be a lot of different ways that this can be done. Rowing is definitely a possibility, this was quite common. However they may also use sails if the wind is frequently going in the right direction in this part of the world. Another option would be to have a towpath running along the side of the river where a team of animals (or sometimes even humans) can pull the boat along.
In terms of speed, stormwrack for 3.5 suggests 1/2 mile per hour or 5' per round in combat time for a barge.
Per RAW they move 1/2 mile per hour rowing against avg current. Rowing INTO an avg current adds +3 MPH. That's the RAW of it.
Here are some suggestions of other means of moving a barge against current:
- Being towed: this is common practice in RL using beasts of burden or slaves. Ropes are pulled/bound to the towers on shore and they walk ahead of the ship and tow it
- Summon a water elemental or other aquatic servant: the mechanism here should be obvious
- Cast levitate on the ship: with enough power on a levitate effect the boat becomes weightless and can then be propelled by a number of alternate methods
Now I'm sure smarter folks than me will come up w/better methods of propulsion, but those are what I've got right now.
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In shallow waters, boats (especially barges) are often poled rather that rowed. Some even have a walkway on both sides for the polers to walk on. Hence the term "Barge Pole" applied to long poles used to push things.
Barges are; towed from a footpath, poled, towed by another craft, sailed, rowed, or otjerwise self-propelled.
eriecanal.org/boats/canalboat_sizes-1899.jpg
Barges can carry tremendous loads, a 5x30 barge with a two foot draft will carry about 6 tons of stuff, and about 4 tons more per additional foot of draft. Even a dinky little rowboat (about 8x5) will carty a half ton or more of stuff.
Edit: link kept defaulting to Paizo.com
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In shallow waters, boats (especially barges) are often poled rather that rowed. Some even have a walkway on both sides for the polers to walk on. Hence the term "Barge Pole" applied to long poles used to push things.
This is how I would go with it. Should be a bit faster than rowing, and will get them some good cardio if there is the walkway for the polers. It isn't as hard as it sounds once the barge is moving at speed or close to speed.
thanks for the additional thoughts. the poling makes sense as well. i'm not sure what folks mean by "walkways on the side" though. does that just mean a deck of sorts that the polers stand on?
For some poling, such at that used by fishermen and canoeists, the poler stands stationary relative to the boat (sometimes on a small platform) and poles. Video of a canoeist poling upriver
Other times, the boat is large enough and the gunwales wide enough (or walkways are present) that the poler starts by standing near the bow on the gunwale or walkway, leans towards the stern, then sets his pole against the bottom of the river, and walks towards the stern of the boat. He doesn't move relative to the pole (that is itself stationary against the bottom of the river) but the boat moves under him at his walking speed. When he reaches the stern of the boat, he withdraws the pole and moves back to the bow to repeat the process.
The advantage of River trade is the ease which goods can be moved down the river. If terrain permits roads tend to run along rivers to help facilitate up river trade by more traditional methods. Boats and barges need to get back up river, so some goods do get transported on them up river. Since, you need some form on force, usually in the form of a towing animal to move goods up river, the more you are towing the slower you will go.
If the terrain makes roads impractical the barge will probably be poled as terrain unsuitable of roads is also probably unsuitable for a path that an animal can tow your barge. Assuming the river is even navigable.
Just a little note.
In the colonial period for barge traffic on the Mississippi River , Barges where often sold for Lumber when they reached New Orleans and the River traders would then go up river on foot.
Might also want to read up on the Erie Canal for Barge traffic.