ESKIMOS 155 
terminating in a knob about a foot long, which projects slightly 
above the water. The front of the well is situated about the 
middle of the length, so that the opening is in the fore part of 
the after-half of the deck. It is roughly oval in shape, and is 
surrounded by a wooden combing about six inches deep, so 
placed as to slope upwards towards the bow. The boat is pro- 
pelled by a narrow double paddle. The frame is made of thin 
strips of wood forming the gunwales, and of five or seven addi- 
tional strips, one of which is the keelson. These are kept in 
place by light ribs placed about a foot apart, with corresponding 
deck beams. Considerable mechanical skill is displayed in the 
making of this frame, which is all fitted together without the 
use of a single nail, wooden pegs and sinew lashings being alone 
used. 
The natives about Cumberland gulf and along the west side 
of Hudson bay, who are employed by the whalers, are gradually 
giving up the use of the kyak, and now do their hunting and 
travelling with whaleboats, which are supplied to them by the 
whaling vessels. Each vessel at the end of her voyage generally 
leaves all spare boats behind. These are distributed among the 
natives, and the result is that nearly every family possesses a 
boat. The Aivilliks and Kenipitus, of the west coast of Hudson 
bay, still make use of the kyak for inland hunting, but the 
Cumberland people take their whaleboats into the interior. 
The Kenipitu kyak is extraordinary in shape. It is long and 
narrow and quite deep, so that the midship section is almost 
semicircular. The ends terminate in long narrow points, of 
which the bow end slopes downward towards the water and the 
stern end is inclined upwards. This kyak is so narrow that the 
combing of the well sometimes projects beyond the sides. Being 
narrow and cranky, a good deal of skill is required to handle 
these craft with safety, and accidents caused by upsetting are 
not uncommon. These kyaks are covered with parchment deer- 
skin, and are the only ones painted, various colours being 
  
