MURDOCH. 1 



KAIAKS. 



329 



ing at the stein and stern, gradually tapered up on the lower edge at 

 each end. The ribs, of which there are at least forty-three, are bent into 

 nearly a half-circle, thus making a U-shaped midship section, and are 

 j-inch wide by J-inch thick, flat 071 the outer side and round on the inner. 

 Their ends are mortised into the lower edge of the gunwale and fas 

 tened with wooden treenails. They are set in about 3 inches apart and 

 decrease gradually in si/e fore and aft. Outside of these are seven 

 equidistant streaks running fore and aft, ^ inch to 1 inch wide and J inch 



FIG. Ktg.~ Kaiak. 



thick, of which the upper on each side reaches neither stem nor stern. 

 These are lashed to the ribs witli a strip of whalebone, which makes a 

 round turn about one rib, above the streak, going under the rib first, 

 and a similar turn round the next rib below the streak (Fig. 380). 



There is a stout keelson, hemi-elliptical in section, under the cockpit 

 only. This is 4 feet long, about 2 inches deep, and li inches wide, and 



is fastened in the middle and about 1 foot ____ 



from each end by a strip of whalebone, which 

 passes through a transverse hole in the keel 

 son, round the rib on one side, back through 

 the keelson, and round the rib on the other 

 side twice. The end is wrapped spirally 

 round the turns on one side and tucked into 

 the hole in the keelson. The deck beams 

 are not quite so stout as the ribs and are mortised into the upper edge 

 of the gunwales a little below the level of the deck. The ends are 

 secured by lashings or stitches of some material which are concealed 

 by the skin cover. They are about as far apart as the ribs, but neither 

 exactly correspond nor break joints with the latter. 



At the after end of the cockpit is an extra stout beam or thwart to 

 support the back, 1J inches wide and three-quarters inch thick, with 

 rounded edges, the ends of which are apparently lashed with thong. 

 The first beam forward of the cockpit is rounded, and appears to be 

 a natural crook forming a U- sna l&amp;gt;^d arch, and is followed by seven 

 V-shaped knees, thickest in the middle and enlarged a little at the 

 ends, successively decreasing in height to the seventh, which is almost 

 straight. This makes the rise in the deck forward of the cockpit. 



Kio. 339. Method of fatinj, to- 

 m-tlirr frawr of kaiak. 



