532 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1899. 



The framework consists of four longitudinal rods, to which are lashed a 

 series of ribs b}^ means of bark strips. Outside of this frame and next 

 to the bark are a series of false ribs or slats to hold the bark in place. 

 The canoe is straight along the bottom and pointed at bow and stern. 

 The gunwale consists of three long pieces, one, the inwale, laid along 

 the inner margin of the bark; one, the outwale, laid parallel to this 

 along the outer margin of the bark; and the third, the gunwale, which 

 is broader and semicircular in section, is laid on top of all, so as to 

 cover in the upper edge of the bark and the other two strips of the 

 gunwale. The whole are lashed together with bark. This triple 

 arrangement is also found on the upper margin of the bow and stern 

 where the two edges of the bark are joined. The gunwale is held in 

 shape and place by thwarts lashed at their ends. (Plate 2.) 



From the descriptions elicited by Mr. Hill concerning full-sized 

 boats, it appears that the model is correctly made, and it is safe to 

 conclude that — 



1. The Salishan and Kitunahan tribes that occupy the area included 

 in the Kutenai drainage, make a canoe dilfering from any other craft 

 known to American tribes. 



2. These canoes are made chiefly of the tough leathery pine-bark, 

 on cedar frames and sewed with tough roots, such as the Indians employ 

 for basketry all over this northwestern region. 



3. The bark is stripped off in lengths equal to those of the desired 

 canoes, about 15 feet, and in order to increase its gliding qualit}^ is 

 turned inside out. 



4. At a convenient distance from the ends the margins of the bark 

 are firmly tied together. Between these two points of union the edges 

 are forced apart and held in place by thwarts varying in length. Out- 

 side the two points of union the ends of the bark are pinched togethei 

 and triangular pieces cut from the corners, so that when the sloping- 

 edges are joined a sloping or incurved line extends from the points 

 of union on top to the extremities of the l)ottom, in fact causing the 

 canoe to look at each end something like a modern " ram" or monitor. 



5. The bark is strengthened by ribs and by horizontal slats, and the 

 parts are sewed together by means of vinemaple, pine, cedar, or spruce 

 root, or with strips of bark. 



6. A gunwale is built up by splitting a cedar pole into three parts, 

 one of them the segment of a circle in section for top wale; the other 

 two, inwale and outwale, are quarters of circles in section, so that they 

 will fit neatly on top and along the outer and inner margin of the 

 upper border of the bark. In this part of the construction the Kute- 

 nai craft is in contrast with other northern bark canoes. 



Bj'^ reference to Major Powell's map ^ of the linguistic stocks of 



^ J. W. Powell, Seventh Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology, Washington, 

 1891. 



