MUKIXJCH.J 



UMIAKS. 



337 



34M) that those amidships slant considerably outward while the others 

 become gradually more and more erect fore and aft, thus producing the 

 sheer in the lines. To these ribs, inside, a little below the middle of each, 

 is fastened a streak on each side, of about the dimensions of the bilge 

 streak, running from stem to stern, and the gunwales are fitted into the 

 notched ends of the ribs, where they are secured by lashings of whale 

 bone. These on Nikawaalu s umiak were each a single round pole about 

 2 inches in diameter. Such long pieces of wood as this were proba 

 bly obtained by trade from the Ximatanmeun. These extend about 2 

 or 3 feet beyond the stem, to which they are fastened on each side by 

 whalebone lashings, and meet at a sharp angle, being lashed together 

 with whalebone. On the model, this lashing passes through holes in 

 both gunwales and round underneath. The gunwales are fastened to 

 the sternpost in the same way as to the stem, in both cases resting on 

 the upper surface of the block so 

 as to form a low rail, but project 

 only 5 or inches. 



Between the post and the last 

 pair of long ribs at each end are 

 two pairs of short ribs running 

 only from the gunwale to the in 

 side streak. The frame is still 

 further strengthened by an out 

 side streak between the bilge 

 streak and the inside streak, and 

 Nikawaalu s canoe had an extra 

 streak of &quot;half- round&quot; willow out 

 side of the latter. The thwarts rest on the inside streak and are secured 

 by whalebone lashings. The block or head of the stern-post serves as 

 a high seat for the steersman. ( rautz s description and diagram show 

 that the frame of the Greenland umiak consists of essentially the same 

 timbers, lacking only the two outside streaks. 



The cover is made of the skins of the larger marine animals. Walrus 

 hide is often used and sometimes the skin of the polar bear, which 

 makes a beautifully white cover, but the skin of the bearded seal is 

 preferred, the people from Point Barrow sometimes making journeys 

 to Wainwright Inlet in search of such skins, which are dressed with 

 their oil in them in the manner already referred to. We were informed 

 that six of these skins were required to cover one umiak. They are put 

 together in the same way as the skins for the kaiak and sewed with the 

 same seam. The edges of the cover are stretched over the gunwale, 

 and laced to the inside; streak with a stout thong, which passes through 

 holes in the edge of the cover. At stem and stern the cover is laced 

 with a separate thong to a stout transverse lashing of thong running 

 from gunwale to gunwale close to the edge of the postliead. 



Fro. 343. Construction of umiak: (a) method of 

 fastening liilfrf stn-uk.s to Htem; (6) method of 

 framing rib to gunwale, ete. 



9 ETH- 



Ilistory of (Jivenlaud, vol. 1, p. 148. and pi. vi. 



