16 MODE OF CONSTRUCTING 



leng-th. Even the Kowrareg-as have much finer 

 canoes than then* neig'lihours on the mamland j one 

 which I measured along-side the ship was fort3^-five 

 feet long" and three and a half in greatest ^^idth^ and 

 could cany with ease twent3^-five people. The con- 

 struction of a canoe in the neig'hbourhood of Cape 

 York is still looked upon as a g-reat undertaking-^ 

 althoug-h the labour has been much lessened b}^ the 

 introduction of iron axes^ which have completely 

 superseded those of stone formerly hi use. A tree 

 of sufficient size free from limbs — usuall}^ a species 

 of Bomhax (silk-cotton tree) or Erytlirina — is 

 selected in the scrub^ cut down^ hollowed out where 

 it falls^ and drag-g-ed to the beach by means of long- 

 climbers used as ropes. The remaining- requisites 

 are now added ; two stout poleS; fom^teen to twenty 

 feet in leng-th^ are laid across the g-unwale^ and 

 secured there from six to ten feet apart^ and the pro- 

 jecting- ends are secured b}^ lashing- and wooden peg's 

 to a long* float of lig-ht wood on each side, pointed, 

 and slig-htly turned up at the ends. A platform or 

 stag*e of small sticks laid across occupies the centre 

 of the canoe, extending- on each side several feet 

 beyond the g-unwale, and having- on the outside a sort 

 of double fence of uprig-ht sticks used for stowing* 

 away weapons and other g-ear. The paddles are five 

 feet lonof, with a narrow rounded blade, and are 

 very clumsily made. The cable is made of twisted 

 climbers —often the Flagellaria Indica—Qiid alarg-e 

 stone serves for an anchor. 



