s will cause the bottom line to sink downwards at
about the proper curve. We are now ready for the gunwale. Lay it
in the proper position, fitting the edges of the bark between the
two strips on each side, and sewing around the whole with a winding
stitch, exactly after the manner of the edge of an ordinary palm-leaf
fan. The inside of the canoe should now be lined with long strips
of cedar running through the entire length of the boat if possible,
but if not, should be so cut as to neatly overlap at the ends.
These pieces should be an inch or two in width, and from a quarter
to half an inch-in thickness. The ribs are then to be put in. These
are generally made from ash, one or two inches in width, and
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a quarter of an inch in thickness. Any light flexible wood will
answer the purpose, and even barrel hoops when attainable will do
very well. These ribs should be bent to fit the interior of the
canoe crosswise, either close together, or with equal distances
between them and the ends should then be firmly secured beneath the
gunwales by a continuous loop-stitch through the bark. For a canoe
of twelve feet in length, the width should be about two feet, and in
order to keep the gunwales firm, two or more cross-pieces should
be inserted, and lashed firmly at their ends as our illustration
shows. The centre third of the length of the canoe should be parallel
at the sides, and if two braces, two feet in length are placed at
each end of this third, the shape will be about perfect. We now
have a bark canoe of considerable strength and durability, and
it only awaits to be made water-proof for final use. In order to
accomplish this all the seams outside, and the entire interior of
the canoe should, be smeared with pitch, after which its floating
qualities may be tested with confidence. Should any leaks occur their
where-abouts are easily detected, and an additional application
of pitch will remedy the difficulty. The Indians in sewing their
bark canoes use tamarack roots, fibrous plants, and grasses, in
lieu of thread, and even with these inferior materials often attain
to such perfection in compact sewing, as to render the use of pitch
unnecessary for water-proof purposes. Such skill is rarely attained
by the white man, and the art of making a water-proof canoe, even
out of a single piece of bark, is by no means an easy task without
the aid of tar or pitch.

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For the trapper we strongly recommend the birch