CANOE-BUILDING 295 



open while the wood is steaming hot. This is an opera- 

 tion requiring to be done rapidly yet carefully. Strong 

 pieces of wood of different lengths having been placed 

 between the sides of the dug-out in an oblique direction 

 are struck by a heavy log until they are forced straight 

 across. Then with longer pieces the operation is repeated 

 until the boat is sufficiently opened out. Bars of hard- 

 wood are then let in and fixed firmly between the sidesr 

 and these, while they serve as seats, keep the canoe 

 permanently open. 



First operation after firing 



After the pieces of wood have been forced straight across 



Method of Opening Dug-out 



Isidor agreed to assist me in collecting orchids up to 

 one or two o'clock every day : he devoted the rest of 

 the afternoon to preparing the ground and planting his 

 portion of the clearing. Among these Indians agriculture 

 is carried on in the most primitive manner. When a 

 family or several families have hit upon some spot in the 

 forest as suitable for a clearing, the men proceed to cut 

 down the trees and undergrowth, using axes for the former 

 and their cutlasses for the latter. (I may mention here 

 that any traveller visiting the Indian tribes of Guiana 

 would do well to remember when bringing articles for 

 barter vdth him that heavy axes or cutlasses are difficult 



