192 
THE MAINE WOODS. 
not much sheltered; but just as I jumped we took in 
two or three gallons of water. I remarked to the Indian, 
“You managed that well,” to which he replied: K Yer 
few men do that. Great many waves ; when I look out 
for one, another come quick.” 
While the Indian went to get cedar-bark, &c., to carry 
his canoe with, we cooked the dinner on the shore, at 
this end of the carry, in the midst of a sprinkling rain. 
He prepared his canoe for carrying in this wise. He 
took a cedar shingle or splint eighteen inches long and 
four or five wide, rounded at one end, that the corners 
might not be in the way, and tied it with cedar-bark by 
two holes made midway, near the edge on each side, to 
the middle crossbar of the canoe. When the canoe was 
lifted upon his head bottom up, this shingle, with its 
rounded end uppermost, distributed the weight over his 
shoulders and head, while a band of cedar-bark, tied to 
the cross-bar on each side of the shingle, passed round, 
his breast, and another longer one, outside of the last, 
round his forehead; also a hand on each side rail served 
to steer the canoe and keep it from rocking. He thus 
carried it with his shoulders, head, breast, forehead, and 
both hands, as if the upper part of his body were all one 
hand to clasp and hold it. If you know of a better way, 
I should like to hear of it. A cedar-tree furnished all 
the gear in this case, as it had the woodwork of the 
canoe. One of the paddles rested on the crossbars in 
the bows. I took the canoe upon my head and found 
that I could carry it with ease, though the straps were 
not fitted to my shoulders; but I let him carry it, not 
caring to establish a different precedent, though he said 
that if I would carry the canoe, he would take all the 
rest of the baggage, except my companion’s. This shin- 
