to North- America. 27 



fteddy, when they are made of the Bark of the * 

 Birch-tree, which comes off with hot Water in the 

 Winter time. The greateft Trees afford the beft 

 Barks for Canows ; but oftentimes the Bark of one 

 Tree is not fufficient, The bottom x>f the Boat is 

 all of one piece, to which the fides are fo artfully 

 few'd by the Savages, that the whole Boat appears 

 as one continued Bark. They are trimm'd and 

 ftrengthn'd with wicker Wreaths, and ribs of Cedar- 

 Wood, which are almoS as light as Corkj th? 

 Wreaths are as thick as a Crown-piece j but the 

 Bark has the thicknefs of two Crowns, and the 

 Ribs are as thick as three. On the two fides of the 

 Boat, there runs from one end to the other two 

 principal Head bars, in which the ends cf the Ribs 

 are inchas'd, and in which the Spars are made faft, 

 that run a-crofs the Boat and keep it compact. Thefe 

 Boats have twenty Inches in depth, that is, from 

 the upper edge to the Platform of the Ribs ; their 

 length extends to twenty eight Foot, and the width 

 at the middle Rib is computed to be four Foot and 

 a half. They are very convenient upon the ac- 

 count of their extrearn lightnefs, and the drawing 

 of very little Water ; but at the fame time their brit- 

 tle and tender Fabrick, is an Argument of an e- 

 quivalent inconveniency ; for if they do but touch 

 or grate upon Stone or Sand, the cracks of the Bark 

 fly open, upon which the Water gets in, and fpoils 

 the Provifions and Merchandize : Every day there 

 is fome new chink or feam to begumm'd over. At 

 JSJight they are always unloaded, and carried on (hoar 

 where they are made faft with Pegs, left the Wind 

 fhould blow 'em away : For they are fo Sigh:,that two 

 Men carry 'em upon their fhoulders with eafe. This 

 conveniency of lightnefs and eafie carriage, renders 

 *em very ferviceable in the Rivers of 'Canada, which 

 are full of Cataradls, Water-falls , and Currents : 

 for in thefe Riyers we are obliged either to tranfpqrt 



