70 



Bay cargo boats, and may have been suggested by them. They 

 equal two-thirds of the length of the umiak. They are placed 

 on opposite sides of the boat in pairs, or one three-fourths of the 

 way to the stem, and the other three-fourths of the way to the 

 stern on the opposite side to keep the proper proportion. The 

 rowlocks are formed of two thongs of sealskin, into which the 

 oar fits, giving a leverage in each direction. The thongs can be 

 tightened by wooden pegs, which are thrust between the rail 

 and the skin cover when not in use. The Chesterfield Inlet 

 boats, like the Alaskan, are equipped with a mast set into the 

 keel and a square sail, which is drawn up by a pulley in the top 

 of the mast. This may be an adaptation of white methods, 

 although records show that it is met with quite early. The 

 Labrador Eskimo boats do not use the sail, under ordinary 

 conditions. When it is used, the helmsman keeps his direction 

 with the sail, as well as the rudder, by means of two lines attached 

 to the ends of the bottom of the sail, which he holds in his hands. 

 The sail can be used only in a fair wind, as the umiak with its 

 flat bottom cannot beat to windward. 



The covering of the umiak is made of big seal {wdjuk) 

 skins. The skins are put on green, and stretched to their utmost 

 capacity by the consequent drying. In sewing the skins to- 

 gether, the women employ the double waterproof seam used in 

 the boot. Holes are slashed in the margin of the covering and 

 it is lashed down to the gunwales by a heavy line which is 

 run under the second rail and pulled taut with all the possible 

 strength of the operator. This tightening is continued whenever 

 the boat cover becomes moistened through and stretches. 



Great care must be exerted in launching the umiak from 

 the rocky shores, as the skin cover is easily cut. A dozen men 

 will pick it up at the rails and half-carry, half-drag it down to 

 the water. The umiak is not heavy considering its size. I was 

 unable to find out whether the peculiar custom of landing the 

 umiak broadside with a stem and stern line, which obtains in 

 Bering strait, is followed in Labrador. In winter the umiaks 

 are put up on standards and the skin covering stored away from 

 the dogs and other animals. In spring the cover is oiled to 

 keep it from cracking when it is put on the frame again. 



