DOMESTICATED REINDEER INTO ALASKA. 107 



The oomiak is a curiously constructed affair, and when standing on 

 the beach looks lumbering- and awkward and as if it would not carry 

 much of a load or ride much of a sea; yet as many as 30 or 40 persons 

 often get in one, and when thus loaded it will ride in rough water with 

 remarkable buoyancy. The usual size of the oomiak is about 35 feet 

 long, feet beam, about 4 feet deep in the middle, and comes almost to 

 a point at both ends. It is built something alter the shape of a dory. 

 The frame work is made of pieces of timber, the heaviest of which is 

 about 3 inches square. These are placed crosswise in the bottom of 

 the boat, and across them are lashed small strips by means of seal 

 thongs, each joint being made to tit closely. 



It must be remembered that in all this region there is not a stick of 

 growing timber, save the willow and alder, and these seldom reach a 

 height of over 8 or 10 feet and not more than 2 or 3 inches in diameter, 

 and are only useful to the Eskimo for tent poles and for framework 

 for snow shoes. 



When the timbers are firmly lashed together, they are very firm, and 

 a heavy sea striking the side of the boat will not cause it to yield at a 

 single joint. When the framework is finally ready, walrus or sealskin 

 is stretched over it, the pieces sewed together and pulled as tightly as 

 possible and then lashed to the top rail. When the skin is in place, 

 scarcely a drop of water can penetrate through the seams. 



Over the top rail about 2 feet of the skin is allowed to hang loosely 

 on the inside, the whole length of the boat, and when sailing in rough 

 weather slats are raised between the skin and frame, the loose skin 

 pulled up, thus giving about 2 feet more of surface above the sea, 

 and if carefully managed scarcely a drop of water can reach the inside 

 in the roughest water. 



The oomiak has no keel and therefore can not beat or tack against 

 the wind, and the only thing to do, if it blows too hard, is to seek tho 

 first landing that can be made. 



There is generally but one mast to the oomiak, and this standsabout 

 one- third of the way from the bow to the stern. When there is no wind 

 it is taken down and laid in the boat. Sometimes, when the wind is 

 fair, a second but smaller mast is placed about the same distance from 

 the stern of the boat, but they are only used in the largest oomiaks. 

 The lower end of the mast is inserted in a slot between timbers in the 

 bottom of the boat, and guys extend from near the top to both sides 

 and also to both bow and stern. 



One not used to the oomiak is in constant dread of moving about, for 

 fear that if he should step between the framework he will make a hole 

 in the skin, for the water is plainly seen through it. The natives pay 

 little attention to where thej r step in going from one part of the boat to 

 another, and although their feet will depress the skin 2 or 3 inches, 

 there is no danger of its giving way, and the very spot they are stand- 

 ing on would doubtless hold up a ton. 



