68 . PITTONIA. 
THUYA GIGANTEA (Red Cedar), Tsimsian, Kunr-rLAH-00B, 
comes next to the spruce in point of size, is sometimes used 
as fuel, and is put to many more uses by the natives than 
that tree, being universally employed for making canoesin : 
southeastern Alaska (one canoe which I examined being 52 
feet long, 6 feet 61 inches beam, and 33 inches deep); it is 
also in requisition for totem poles, house-building (in which 
case it is split into slabs about 3 inches thick), and various 
other domestic uses. The bark is extensively used for making 
mats, baskets, etc. In early spring, during the herring run, 
the smaller branches of this tree, also those of Chamsecyparis 
and sometimes of Pinus, are set in the sand at low tide (the 
tides here being about 24 feet) by the natives. During the . 
flood tide the herring deposit their spawn on the branches, 
which are subsequently removed at low tide and hung upon 
lines to dry, either in their huts or preferably in the open 
air, if the weather be clear. When dry the roe-covered - 
branchlets are removed from the branch and rolled up in | 
bark mats for future use. This is considered a great deli- — 
cacy by the natives, and is one of their few salt foods in use — 
among them. The branches of Picea and Tsuga are not 
suitable for this purpose, the foliage dropping off too readily | 
when dry. 
TsucA Merrenstana (Hemlock), in Tsimsian KYEE-UE, | 
is probably next to spruce in quantity, and exceeds it in | 
altitude on the mountain sides where it reaches snow-line. 
When freshly cut it is almost worthless as fuel, owing to its : 
excessive moisture; but when cut and kept under cover for - 
a year it is preferable to spruce. It is one of the valued — 
sources of vegetable food of the natives, the inner bark being | 
made into cakes about eleven inches square, which, when - 
baked and smoked properly, are not unpalatable and will | 
keep indefinitely. In Tsimsian this bread is called K’SHEEO. _ 
TsucA PATTONIANA (Alpine Hemlock), Tsimsian, Loo-yoH, — 
although known as the Alpine hemlock, I have occasionally 
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