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monly the largefc. I know no nation but the Iro- 

 quois, which have any of this fort. The others are 

 of the bark of the birch tree, of a breadth lefs pro- 

 portioned to their length, and much better and 

 neater built. It is thefe latter I am going to de- 

 fcribe to you, as all the French, and almoft all the 

 Indians ufe no other. 



They extend the pieces of bark, which are very 

 thick on flat and extremely thin timbers of Cedar- 

 wood. All thefe timbers from head to flern are 

 kept in form by little crofs bars, which form the dif- 

 ferent feats in the canoe. Two girders of the fame 

 materials, to which thefe bars are fattened or fewed* 

 bind the whole fabric. Between the timbers and 

 the bark are inferted fmall pieces of cedar, (till more 

 {lender than the timbers, and which for all that con- 

 tribute to ftrengthen the canoe, the two extremities 

 of which rife gently, and terminate in two fharp 

 points bending inwards. Thefe two extremities are 

 perfectly alike ; fo that in order to go backward, 

 the canoe-men have only to change offices. He 

 whp happens to be behind fleers with his oar, ftill 

 rowing at the fame time ; and the chief employ- 

 ment of he who is forwards, is to take care that the 

 canoe touch nothing that may break it. They all 

 fit low down, or on their knees, and their oars are 

 a fort of paddles from five to fix feet long, com- 

 monly of maple. But when they are to ilem any 

 ftrong current, they are obliged to make life of a 

 pole, and to fland upright, and this is called picquer 

 U find, or piercing the bottom. They muft be' 

 well experienced to be able to preferve their balance 

 in this work, for nothing can be lighter, and confe- 

 quently eafier to overfet, than thefe vehicles, the 

 Iargeft of which, with their whole loading, do not 

 draw above half a foot water. 



. ■ The 

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