38 'January 1749. 



a thick ftrong tree, they could not make 

 ufe of their hatchets, but for want of proper 

 infcruments employed fire. They fet fire to 

 a great quantity of wood at the roots of the 

 tree, and made it fall by that means. But 

 that the fire might not reach higher than 

 they would have it, they fattened fome 

 rags to a pole, dipped them into water, and 

 kept continually warning the tree, a little 

 above the fire. Whenever they intended 

 to hollow cut a thick tree for a canoe, they 

 laid dry branches all along the ftem of the 

 tree, as far as it muft be hollowed out. 

 They then put fire to thofe dry branches, 

 and as foon as they were burnt, they were 

 replaced by others. Whilft thefe branches 

 were burning, the Indians were very bufy 

 with wet ragSj and pouring water upon 

 the tree, to prevent the fire from fpreading 

 too far on the fides and at the ends. The 

 tree being burnt hollow as far as they found 

 it fufficient, or as far as it could without 

 damaging the canoe, they took the above 

 defcribed ilone-hatchets, or fharp flints, 

 and quartzes, or marp fhells, and fcraped 

 oif the burnt part of the wood, and 

 fmoothened the boats within. By this means 

 they likewife gave it what fhape they pleafed. 

 Inftead of cutting with a hatchet fuch a 

 piece of wood as was neceilary for making 



a canoe, 



