26 



The Canadian Field-Naturalist 



[Vol. XXXIII. 



Thin strips of cedar (Thuja occidentalis) for the 

 ribs, and the sheeting used between the ribs and bark 

 to prevent injury to the latter, are obtained, split 

 into approximate sizes and placed in water to render 

 them more flexible. Another important requisite is 

 the birch-bark, which peels off most easily late in 

 June or early in July. This is rolled up and laid 

 away in the shade. Towards evening, or at any 

 time, if the day is cloudy, stakes (nine or more to a 

 side) are driven into the ground at intervals to 

 appro.ximate the length and width of the canoe. 

 These are made to flare outward slightly. The 

 bottom pieces of bark are now placed in position, 

 overlapping a few inches in the middle where they 

 are to be joined. A single length of bark is pre- 

 ferred for the bottom. This, however, is not always 

 obtainable, so that two pieces, or even three, may be 

 used. Stones are laid on the bark to hold it down, 

 aind a bottom frame, approximating the width of the 

 canoe at the bottom and pointed at both ends, is 

 applied. The work so far is done by the men. 

 The next operation, that of shaping the bottom by 

 making slashes or gores on each side and sewing 

 these with spruce root, is done by the women. The 

 gores are made towards the ends, where the canoe 

 begins to narrow. The upper edges of the bark 

 are also trimmed evenly. The spruce root for 

 sewing has been split by the women to a suitable 

 size and rendered flexible by steeping in fish broth. 

 The men next lay the upper lengths of bark along- 

 side, measure them by trial, then place them in 

 position. The bottom pieces are now scored along 

 the bottom with an axe where they are to be 

 creased for the taper to bow and stern, after which 

 both upper and lower barks are pinched together 

 by stakes driven closely and tied at the top. An 

 inner frame (or "inside gunwale") giving shape to 

 the upper edge of the canoe, and having exactly 

 the right taper and curve, has been prepared be- 

 forehand and is now placed between the upper barks 

 and sewn closely and firmly to them. Pieces of 

 cedar, bent to the approved shape of bow and stern, 

 are placed between the barks at the ends of the 

 canoe, the bark trimmed to conform to these in out- 

 line, then sewn to them with spruce root. The 

 sewnng, as before, is performed by the women, to 

 whom this part of the work is always assigned. 

 Stitches of uneven length are often employed, par- 

 ticularly around the ends, to prevent the bark from 

 splitting.' The gores and laps have in each case 

 been well cemented or stuck together with clear 

 gum boiled a little to thicken it. 



■■.Oili<-r ilcviocs for iiri'Vi-ritinff the edges from 

 .s|)littliiK ;iloiiK .scams, arr-: 'i'lii- sewing of an extni 

 .strip of bark arouriil Hk; rmicr r-dRf of the canoi- 

 bcn<-ath thf JiunwaN-; also thi> inclusion under tlie 

 stitches of a strand of spruce root foften used aloriK 

 longitudinal seams where barks are joined). Hotli 

 of ttiese schemes are employed by the Uotj-ribs, 

 Slaves and riiipewyan.s. 



The bottom frame, which is merely temporary, is 

 now removed, the ribs taken from the water, bent to 

 shape around the knee, cut to length and driven 

 into place with a mallet. Other thin strips of cedar, 

 three or four inches wide, are driven between the 

 ribs and bark as the work proceeds. The purpose 

 of these is to form a protective flooring and siding. 

 The canoe, particularly at this stage, is kept well 

 moistened both inside and out. The placing of the 

 ribs and sheeting proceeds, generally speaking, from 

 each end to the centre. Cross-pieces, to keep the 

 top spread, are hammered in at every second rib. The 

 ribs are a couple of inches wide and about the 

 some width apart. When the insertion of ribs and 

 sheeting is completed, the canoe may require a gen- 

 eral correction in shape, which is given by tying it 

 between stakes and exposing it for a while to the 

 sun. 



The next process, also a woman's job, is to get 

 ready, or rather, to have ready, the spruce gum and 

 to gum the seains. All laps have their outer edges 

 running backwards or towards the stern, so as not 

 to obstruct the motion of the canoe. The spruce 

 gum is obtained from trees which have been gashed 

 the year before, is boiled a while to thicken it and 

 mixed with powdered charcoal — some say, to make 

 it look nice. The bottom seam is coated with clear 

 gum and pegged, not sewn. 



A little grease is said to be added to the gum 

 by most tribes to render it more elastic. The ad- 

 dition of the powdered charcoal is not universal. 



Among the Micmac of Nova Scotia and Cape 

 Breton the women and girls are said to have pre- 

 pared the gum by chewing it. 



The last step in Saulteaux canoe-making is to 

 attach a top gunwale strip. This is nailed on at 

 present, but may have formerly been fastened on by 

 tying or binding with spruce root. 



The Malecite, according to information supplied 

 by Mr. William Mclnnes, Director of the Geological 

 Survey, Ottawa, construct temporary or emergency 

 canoes of spruce bark which are used for bringing 

 out furs from the hunting camps in the spring. The 

 ribs and frame are roughly constructed of withes 

 or saplings, flattened slightly and rather widely 

 spaced, the bow and stern being chinked with clay. 



Mr. Mclnnes also furnishes an interesting de- 

 scription of the manner in which the Malecite protect 

 the bottoms of birch-bark canoes in shallow streams: 

 Lengths of spruce bark, with the smooth inner sur- 

 face placed outward, are wrapped around the bot- 

 toms of the canoes from end to end and held in 

 position by tying their edges to the thwarts with 

 cedar inner bark. Another material, which is pre- 

 ferred to the spruce bark on account of its lightness, 

 consists of strips of cedar about two inches wide and 

 three-quarters of an inch thick. The strips run 



