An old Canoe ffoni the Irivell Valley. 245 



measurements are as follow: — At one end 17^ inches 

 deep, becoming deeper to the centre to 19 inches, and then 

 gradually decreasing to the other end to 1 5 ^ inches. The 

 width where it is deepest is 2 feet 9 inches, gradually 

 decreasing to 2 feet wide. The thickness at the sides is 

 lYz inches, gradually thickening to the bottom to 2^ 

 inches. The thickness of the stem and stern is 6 inches. 

 It is 12 feet 4 inches inside measurement. (See Figs. 5 

 and 6.) 



It is a matter of opinion as to which is the bow and 

 which is the stern, because both ends are so much alike, 

 except that one is shallower than the other, and that may 

 have been by design or by reason of the shape of the 

 timber. It seems to be the general opinion that the 

 material is oak. There is a peculiar strengthening piece 

 fastened on with four wooden pegs at one end of the boat, 

 and the projecting wooden nose or staple at the other end 

 is cut out of the solid timber, and has a hole 1 5<( inches in 

 diameter. This is supposed to have been for the passage of 

 a rope, no doubt for mooring purposes. 



There is an interesting bit of patchwork at one end (see 

 Fig. 4 at A), showing a place which might have been for a 

 rudder, or it is possible it might have been a repair, for two 

 holes exist into which wooden pegs have been driven to 

 secure a small bit of timber, in the same manner as the 

 strengthening piece is fastened at the top of the boat at the 

 deep end. There is no metal of any sort on the boat. 

 There are tool marks distinctly visible all over the boat 

 inside, but whether these marks were made by iron, steel, 

 or bronze tools it is impossible to say. 



Mr. Knott, a relative of Mr. Walker, the contractor for 

 the Manchester Ship Canal, who has charge of the Salford 

 docks' section of the canal, informs me that many similar 

 boats have been dug out by Mr. Walker's men in the 

 excavations for improving the Ribble at Preston. 

 R 



