CATALOGUE OF THE WATERCRAFT COLLECTION. 219 



" AVith an exception of the bow and stern pieces, each canoe, no 

 matter how large or how small, is made in the same manner and from 

 a single log, which is roughed out in the forest^ then towed around 

 to the permanent village, where it is hauled up in front of the 

 architect's house. Here he works upon it during winter months, 

 usuall}^ in odd hours, employing nothing but his little adz-like 

 hatchet and fire to assist in giving it shape and fine lines. The 

 requisite expansion amidships, to afford that beam required, is 

 effected by steaming with water and hot stones and the insertion 

 of several thwart sticks. Canoes are smoothed outside and painted 

 black, with a red or white streak under the gunwale in most cases; 

 inside they bear the regular fine tooth marks of the excavating adz 

 and are smeared with red ocher. The paddles are usually made of 

 yellow cypress, and a great variety of small wooden baling dippers 

 are also provided, one or two for each canoe, because the water often 

 slops over the gunwales in bad weather. The canoe itself is never 

 suffered to leak. The average size is one of 15 to 20 feet in length, 

 which will carry from 8 to 10 savages with baggage. One having a 

 length of from 30 to 35 feet carries as many men. The smaller 

 canoes, of from 12 to 13 feet, are usually used by one or two sav- 

 ages in their quick, irregular trips to and from the village, and are 

 easily launched and hauled by one man." ^^ 

 Collected by F. W. Clark. Cat. No. 76,315 U.S.N.M. 



Alaskan dugout canoe. 



The Indians of Alaska use this type of canoe for traveling, fishing, 

 and hunting. It is dug out of a single log of yellow cedar {Thuya 

 gigantea) . It has a long, sharp, overhanging bow, with nearly ver- 

 tical cutwater, or stem, below; narrow, flat bottom; round bilge; 

 flaring sides ; sharp, strongly raking stern ; fair sheer ; open. 



Diniensions of canoe. — Length over all, 27 feet 1 inch ; beam, 3 feet 

 10 inches ; depth, 17 inches. Cat. No. 160,335 U.S.N.M. 



Model of dugout canoe. 



Used by the Indians at Sitka, Alaska, and vicinity. It is the 

 same type as the canoes of British Columbia. An open, round- 

 bottom, keelless dugout canoe; flaring sides; long, sharp, overhang- 

 ing, flaring bow, with hollow water lines; upper part of bow nearly 

 V-shaped in cross section; cutwater almost vertical; long, sharp, 

 strongly raking stern; much sheer; four thwarts; also supple- 

 mentary crosspiece, flush with gunwales, directly above the forward 

 thwart. Ornamented with painted totems. 



'''•' Our Arctic Province, pp. 62-63. 



