

Umiaks Near Cape Prince of Wales, Alaska, showing walrus-hide cover and 

 lacing. Frame lashings are walrus-hide thongs. {Photo by Henry B. Collins.) 



ings. In building, the gunwales are shaped and 

 secured by lashing them to those side frames selected 

 to shape the hull. The lashings that secure the side 

 frames to both gunwale and chine are passed through 

 holes in each member and are hove taut by means 

 of a short lever with a hole bored in it to take the end 

 of the lashing, which is also vsrapped around the 

 lever to give temporary purchase. The side frames 

 have saddle notches to bear on the chine and gunwale. 

 All lashings in the frame, it will be noted, pass 

 through holes bored in the members and in some 

 cases the lashings are let in, so that the sinew is flush 

 with the surfaces of the members, to prevent the 

 lashing from being damaged by chafing. 



With the gunwales faired, the remaining frames are 

 then put in position and lashed to the gunwales and 

 chines. An outside batten is run along each side 

 and lashed by turns of sinew over the batten and 

 around the side frames, with the lashings let into each 

 member to prevent slipping and chafing. The 

 batten is lashed at bow and stern in some umiaks, but 



in many it is stopped just short of coming home on 

 the posts. Ne.xt, the short frames at bow and stern 

 are put in place and the risers secured inside the side 

 frames, then, with the thwarts fitted and lashed to 

 the risers, and the ends of the gunwales are lashed 

 together at bow and stern, the boat is ready to be 

 covered. When ready to cover, the frame is stiffened 

 by diagonal thong ties, each of which has one end 

 secured by turns around the gunwale, with the other 

 end passed through holes in the keelson and secured. 

 These are commonly found in western umiaks; 

 the small umiak has but one pair placed amidships. 

 The timber used in such craft is fir, spruce, and willow, 

 and is usually driftwood obtained at river-mouth. 

 When this umiak was examined, the skin cover 

 was in such a condition that the number of hides 

 used could not be determined, but it probably is com- 

 prised of three sea-lion skins sewn together. New 

 skin covers are made by removing the hair and fat 

 from the skins and then sewing them together by the 

 method illustrated on page 186, to obtain proper 



185 



