MURDOCH. ] UMIAKS. 337 
343b) that those amidships slant considerably outward while the others 
become gradually more and more erect fore and aft, thus producing the 
sheer in the lines. To these ribs, inside, a little below the middle of each, 
is fastened a streak on each side, of about the dimensions of the bilge 
streak, running from stem to stern, and the gunwales are fitted into the 
notched ends of the ribs, where they are secured by lashings of whale- 
bone. These on Nikawd4alu’s umiak were each a single round pole about 
2 inches in diameter. Such long pieces of wood as this were proba- 
bly obtained by trade from the Nunataimeun. These extend about 24 
or 3 feet beyond the stem, to which they are fastened on each side by 
whalebone lashings, and meet at a sharp angle, being lashed together 
with whalebone. On the model, this lashing passes through holes in 
both gunwales and round underneath. The gunwales are fastened to 
the sternpost in the same way as to the stem, in both cases resting on 
the upper surface of the block so 
as to form a low rail, but project 
only 5 or 6 inches. 
Between the post and the last 
pair of long ribs at each end are 
two pairs of short ribs running 
only from the gunwale to the in- 
side streak. The frame is still 
further strengthened by an out- 
side streak between the bilge 
streak and the inside streak, and ,,,, 415 Construction of umiak: (a) method of 
Nikawaalw’s canoe had an extra fastening bilge streaks to stem; (b) method of 
streak of “half-round” willow out- ing rib to gunwale, ete. ; 
side of the latter. The thwarts rest on the inside streak and are secured 
by whalebone lashings. The block or head of the stern-post serves as 
a high seat for the steersman. Crantz’s! description and diagram show 
that the frame of the Greenland umiak consists of essentially the same 
timbers, lacking only the two outside streaks. 
The cover is made of the skins of the larger marine animals. Walrus 
hide is often used and sometimes the skin of the polar bear, which 
makes a beautifully white cover, but the skin of the bearded seal is 
preferred, the people from Point Barrow sometimes making journeys 
to Wainwright Inlet in search of such skins, which are dressed with 
their oil in them inthe manner already referred to. We were informed 
that six of these skins were required to cover one umiak. They are put 
together in the saine way as the skins for the kaiak and sewed with the 
same seam. The edges of the cover are stretched over the gunwale, 
and laced to theinside streak with a stout thong, which passes through 
holes in the edge of the cover. At stem and stern the cover is laced 
with a separate thong to a stout transverse lashing of thong running 
from gunwale to gunwale close to the edge of the posthead. 
'! History of Greenland, vol. 1, p. 148, and pl. vi. 
9 ETH——22 
