DUGOUTS 



Therefore smouldering branches were kept always burning, 

 as they are to-day amongst the Fuegians and some other 

 savages. It was a sacred duty to watch this fire, and the 

 woman (usually old) who was entrusted with the task was 

 very probably put to death if she failed. From this very 

 ancient savage custom probably arose the cult of the Vestal 

 Virgins in Ancient Rome.i 



Another very important factor in savage life was the canoe 

 or piroque necessary for fishing or to cross lakes and rivers. 

 The first chantey of Rudyard Kipling has a probable theory, 

 and is a beautiful account of how man first thought of 

 using a floating log. 2 They hollowed out the log and " dug 

 out "" the canoe, by first lighting a fire on it and then scrap- 

 ing away the cinders ; then the sides were pressed out, and it 

 was trimmed and straightened to the right shape. All this 

 was the idea of some paleoHthic genius far more persevering 

 and ingenious than any marine architect of our own days. 



" Birchbark " canoes are not so common as Dugouts. The 

 tree, the White or Paper Birch, is found in Canada and the 

 Northern United States ; those Indians who discovered that 

 the light, waterproof cork-bark could be fashioned into a 

 canoe made a very great discovery, and indeed it was their 

 canoes that made travel or exploration possible in North 

 America. 



When man began to long for a settled permanent home, 

 it was absolutely necessary to find a way of living in safety. 

 Wolves, bears, hyenas and other animals were abundant; 

 neighbours of his own or other tribes were more ferocious 



* It will be remembered that they were obhged to keep the sacred fire 

 always burning, and were put to death if they misbehaved. The fire was 

 never allowed to go out during the whole of Roman history, and the 

 custom has been even preserved in some Roman Catholic convents and 

 chapels. 2 Seven Seas. 



51 



