296 REPORT OF NATIONAL MUSEUM, 1888. 



secured. An admirable illustration of this adaptation is seen in the 

 enormous Haida canoe in the U. S. Natonal Museum (No. 26785), which 

 is very much like Fig. 171, Plate xxxiv, in appearance. Its dimensions 

 are as follows: Length, 59 feet; beam, 8 feet; height of stem, 7 feet 3 

 inches; height of stern, 5 feet 3 inches; height amidships, 3 feet 7 inches. 

 However much the larger canoes may differ in shape and character, the 

 light, portable hunting canoes (Fig. 169, Plate xxxiii) are much the 

 same throughout the coast. 



Before the sea-otter became extinct they were hunted well out at sea, 

 the Haida being particularly venturesome and successful, and hence 

 rich, and respected accordingly^ One of their chief sources of revenue 

 to-day is in the building and sale of canoes, which they tow to Port 

 Simpson or up into Alaska and sell or trade to their neighbors. The 

 tendency of the day is in the direction of smaller sizes for the canoes 

 than formerly.. This is but the natural result of peaceful times, when it 

 is not necessary to travel in such large parties for mutual protection. 

 However, the Yakutat and Sitka canoes were never as large as those of 

 the Haida, as from earliest times the latter have possessed the largest 

 canoes on the coast. The post of honor in a canoe is at the steering 

 paddle aft. Usually this position is occupied by a woman or an elderly 

 man, the steering being accomplished by a few adroit side strokes inter- 

 jected into the regular process of paddling. In the family canoe there 

 are few idlers, even the young children wielding paddles and " working 

 their passage." 



Canoe Outfit. — This consists of masts, sails, paddles, bailers, and mats. 

 Ballast of stone is sometimes, though rarely, carried. The masts and 

 sails hav^e been added since the advent of the whites, the rig being 

 sprit-sail, and the number of masts varying from one to three. Masts 

 and sprits are of light cedar wood, and sails, originally of mats, are 

 now invariably of white cotton sheeting. These canoes will not sail on 

 the wind, but with a flowing sheet the speed made is astonishing. The 

 northern type of paddle is that shown in Fig. 165 a, b, and c, Plate 

 xxxii; the southern, that in Fig. 166. As may be expected, the north- 

 ern paddle is ornamented with the design of the owner's totem. Fig. 

 167 is a New Zealand paddle, introduced by way of showing the simi- 

 larity of this in connection with the many other objects common to 

 these two remote regions. A bailer is imperfectly shown in Plate xxxii. 

 It is simply a scoop of wood with a short straight handle. Mats are 

 sometimes carried in the canoes to cover them when hauled up and to 

 throw over the cargo or household or camping effects in transit. The 

 Indian is exceedingly careful of his canoe and all that pertains to it. 

 In landing, a gravel beach is selected, where possible, and the canoe 

 hauled well up beyond high tide. When it is to remain any time ex- 

 posed to the weather, it is protected from warping and cracking from 

 the sun's heat by a cover of mats or boughs of trees. 



