TCENER] TRANSPORTATION BY WATER. 305 



valley of the Koksoak. The canoe of eacli individual differs from otliers 

 according to the i)ersouaI taste or need of the maker. The requirements 

 are that the canoe shall be able to transport himself and family, together 

 with the household property, whenever it is desired to change camps. 

 Some of the canoes are small, others large, often possessed by two or 

 more individuals in common. 



These cauoes are constructed in the following manner: Trees are 

 selected which when split will afford a number of straight-grained 

 slats free from knots. These slats are shaved to the required thick- 

 ness and laid aside to season. They are .'5 or 4 inches wide and less 

 than one-third of an inch in thickness. The exterior or longitudinal 

 strips are placed so that their edges will touch each other. The inside 

 strips or ribs are placed about their own width apart, and of course are 

 placed at right angles to the longitudinal slats. They are thinner than 

 the side strips and become almost like shavings at the bow and stern. 

 The two layers of slats form a kind of shell upon which the skin of 

 bark fits tightly. The first process with the bark is to free it from the 

 outside scaling layers; the next is to soak it for several days m fresh 

 water to soften it; otherwise, when dry it would crack like an eggshell. 

 When it has macerated a sufficient time it is taken out and laid over a 

 form of clay or other earth, which has previously been roughly molded 

 to the shape of the interior of the canoe. The bark is now sewed along 

 the edges of the strips with roots of the spruce tree. These are long 

 and tough, and resemble splits of rattan when properly prepared for 

 the purpose by splitting and shaviug with a knife. Various sizes of 

 these roots are used for the different ijortions. The threads are also 

 soaked in water until they become so flexible that they may be tied into 

 a knot without breaking. 



When the bark skin rudely conforms to the shape of the mold of 

 earth, the rails or round strips of wood along the inner edge of the 

 canoe are placed in position and the ends of the bark strijis laid over 

 it and sewed. A second rail is now laid upon the first and drawn 

 down to it by means of the root thongs. A piece of wood is shaped for 

 the bow and one for the stern and inserted in position, and the end 

 seams of the canoe are sewed over these pieces. 



The interior is then ready for the longitudinal strips, which are placed 

 at the bottom first and gradually bixilt up on each side until the rails 

 ai-e reached. The ribs or transverse strips are next placed in position. 

 Five or more crosspieces, or thwarts, are fastened to the side rails to 

 give stiffness to the sides and to prevent collapsing, and they may be 

 set either below or above the rail. The greatest care must be exercised 

 to give to both sides of the canoe the same shape and to have the keel 

 evenly balanced. This is rudely regulated by the eye during the process 

 of construction. After all the strips are put in, the boat is allowed 

 to season and dry. This causes the bark to shrink, and while drying 

 the whole is frequently inspected to discover any splits or cracks in 



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