MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. 



235 



MKANS OK TRANSPOUTATroN. 



BY WATEB. 



Tlie principal means of conveyance by water witli the Eskimo of 

 Hudson strait, is the umiak, referred to by most writers as the woman's 

 boat. This appellation is not more applicable than would be the term 

 family boat. Tlie women use the boat alone only on rare o<!casions, and 

 then in quiet water and i'or short distances. Men are nearly always in 

 it, and under the suitlii"*^'* of one of these, the boat is used for long 

 journeys. 



The form of the umiak, in the region under consideration, (lifters 

 greatly from tliat of the Eskimo of ISering sea. (See Pig. 59, from a 

 model.) 



The size of the boat is variable according to tlio means of the builder 

 aiul the size of the fainily to be conveyed in it. The length of the keel 

 is from 10 to 25 feet. Over all tlie length is 1 or 2 feet greater than on 

 the keel. It will be thus seen that the ends are nearly perpendicular. 

 It is diilicult to determine at tlie first glance which is the bow and which 

 the stern, so nearly alike are tliey. Tliey only differ in the former be- 

 iug somewhat wider at the upper edge or rail. 



FiQ. 59. Eskimo umiak. 



The keel is a straight ])iece of wood hewed from a single stick, nearly 

 4 inclies sqiuire. The stem and stern posts are nearly alike, the latter 

 having but little slope, and are cut from curved or crooked stems of 

 trees. A tree may be found, which, when hewed, will form the stern- 

 post and keel in one length. Otherwise tlie fore and aft posts have 

 places cut out for tlie insertion of the res])ective ends of the keel, and 

 are fastened firmly by stout thongs of sc^alslcin thrust through holes 

 bored in the wood and ingeniously lashed. As the bottom of the 

 umiak is Hat the sides of the bottom are formed of square rails of suffi- 

 cient length and given the desired spread. They are held at tlie ends 

 by being joined to the keel. Crosspieces notched at the ends separate 

 the bottom rails and are steadied in position by being notched so as 

 to sit on the square keel. On the ends of the crosspieces is laid a sec- 

 ond rail which prevents them from rising and serves -to strengthen the 

 ends of the ribs, which are set alternately with th(^ crosspieces of the 



