ABORIGINAL LIFE OF THE SITKANS. 63 



tude of the Indian's mind. He keeps the canoe covered with mats 

 and brush whenever it is hauled out, even for a few days, to avoid 

 this danger, for whenever a canoe is heavily laden, and working, as 

 it will do, in a rough channel, it is in constant danger of splitting 

 at the cleavage lines of its grain, and thus jeopardizing its living as 

 well as dead freight. 



With an exception of the bow and stern-pieces, each canoe, no 

 matter how large or how small, is made in the same manner and 

 from a single log, which is roughed out in the forest, then towed 

 around to the permanent village, where it is hauled up in front of 

 the architect's house. Here he works upon it during winter months, 

 usually in odd hours, employing nothing but his little adze-like hat- 

 chet and fire to assist in giving it shape and fine lines. The requi- 

 site expansion amidships, to afford that beam required, is effected 

 by steaming with water and hot stones and the insertion of several 

 thwart sticks. Canoes are smoothed outside and painted black, with 

 a red or white streak under the gunwale in most cases ; inside 

 they bear the regular fine tooth-marks of the excavating adze, and 

 are smeared with red-ochre. The paddles are usually made of yel- 

 low cypress, and a great variety of small wooden baling dippers are 

 also provided, one or two for each canoe, because the water often 

 slops over the gunwales in bad weather. The canoe itself is never 

 suffered to leak. The average size is one of fifteen to twenty feet 

 in length, which will carry from eight to ten savages, with baggage. 

 One having a length of from thirty to thirty-five feet carries as 

 many men. The smaller canoes of from twelve to thirteen feet are 

 usually used by one or two savages in their quick, irregular trips to 

 and from the village, and are easily launched and hauled out by one 

 man. 



It is very doubtful, indeed, whether the Sitkan ever took or takes 

 any real enjoyment in hunting or fishing. If he does, it is never 

 exhibited on his countenance or evidenced by his language. It is, 

 in fact, the serious business of his life, and the steady routine of 

 its prosecution has robbed him of every enjoyable sporting sensa- 

 tion which we love to experience when after fish or game. Per- 

 haps, however, he may recall the thrill of that feeling which he felt 

 when, as a boy, he was first taken out in his father's canoe to the 

 halibut banks, and there permitted to bait a huge wooden hook 

 and haul away upon the taut kelp-line when the "kambala" had 

 swallowed it ; but the necessity of going out to this shoal in all 



