

Fort Anne. 301 



each other. Thefe bands are commonly 

 made of hiccory, on account of its tough- 

 nefs and flexibility, and have a good 

 length. Their extremities are put through 

 the bark on both fides, juft below the 

 poles, which make the edges; they are 

 bent up above thofe poles, and twifted 

 round the middle part of the bands, where 

 they are carefully tied by ropes. As the 

 bark at the two ends of the boat cannot be 

 put fo clofe together as to keep the water 

 out, the crevices are flopped up with the 

 cruflied or pounded bark of the red elm, 

 which in that ftate looks like oakum. 

 Some pieces of bark are put upon the ribs 

 in the boat, without which the foot would 

 eafily pierce the thin and weak bark below, 

 which forms the bottom of the boat, for 

 the better fecurity of which, fome thin 

 boards are commonly laid at the bottom, 

 which may be trod upon with more fafety. 

 The fide of the bark which has been upon 

 the wood, thus becomes the outfide of the 

 boat, becaufe it is fmooth and flippy, and 

 cuts the water with lefs difficulty than the 

 other. The building of thefe boats is not 

 always quick; for fometimes it happens 

 that after peeling the bark off an elm, and 

 carefully examining it, it is found pierced 

 with holes and fplits, or it is too thin to 



venture 



