The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-08-20
A Canoe RACE.

after finding a suitable w!ndfali In the
forest or q drifted log OF suitable size and
condition Upon the beach. II was dattened
upon top and roughly shaped. either with
an AK or an adx. Before the advent
Of the white man and his superior uten-
by splittinW the log by means Of stone
maui and wedge fashioned from tough
elk horn, eT else OF stone, and all OF the
subaeOuent work of rough shaping and
finer fnishng was accomplished by means
Of the small ''pee-yah-kud." or hand ADJ,
10 be mentioned and described further on.
Then tho work OF following or cutting
away the interior began. In earlier days
much Of this work was accomplished by
means OF slow Ares butt upon the top OF
the log and kept constantly and carefully
under watch and control. SO as to cause
them TO burn down into the substance OF
the log with slownees and uniformity.
Now. however. the az or ada roughly and
certainly more surely and speedily effects
the same end. When the burning had pro-
ceeded sufficiently the fres were extin-
Euished and the interior scraped, or rather
'.pecked." for the latter word is much
more truly descriptive Of the actual pro-
cess used This work was and stu is
done by means Of what il practically a
small hand ADJ. called by the Snohomish
INDIANS a ''pee-yah-kud' II was made
by flashing sharpened piece OF elk horn.
or OF nins. ebsidian or other hard stone.
suitably shaped. TO a small wooden ham
die made from the fork Of q sapling. The
flashing was effected either by means OF
wrappings Of withes of Wild cherry bark
wound tightly and evenly. sometimes over
a slight layer Of pitch ar halsanl, or else
By means az deer thongs bound on while
fresh or wet and allowed 30 dry ard har-
den In place. Sometimes strips OF buck
ekin were used. but the. prove much
more unsatisfactory form Of fastening than
either OF the other two. The use of wild
cherry bark wsthes wss much more COM
mon amcng the tribes bordering UPON salt
water. while The fastenInxs Of deer thongs
were used almost exclusively by the tribes
dwelling mere inland than the former
Nowadays the ues ef elk horn or Of stone
Tor the cutting or chlseling blade has been
discarded and old dies tshset-stun, or cid
hroaa-Atadsd knives are sharpeaed l. Ike
eaissis and then dashed to similar handles
as Of yure. Is ths case with the iussru-
ment shown in the illustration herewith
This is the chiefess and ,acst szTpora aug
instrument In the whole OF the canoe-
builders srmensar.um and with IL he. the
canov-baiiier sius-rT yukl. goes careful
iy. slowly aud laSerionsiy over the wasls
surface % the canoe. with each blow Of
the pee ah -knd removing oniy TIM ana
tiny nake. % weed not rnuch larger than
A mans Inm5 nail THIS process .s ccss-
tinuea unstt the Whole surface OF tae ca
rec. internal ard external. has received
his tender mint~fFat0 ns and passes sails
faetoT3iy asn@sts ats careful ard critical
scrutiny. Tken ares are sg&la nusit la-
vide and outside ~ TIRE canoe and allowed
10 shoulder ard En- char she wood sight
~ The n%e.yh-kua Is assla called into
rsAastis. slezr. ard tire sane routine followed
unsis satisfactory degree Of thinn.Ss ard
nnish Is secured The firing In aiitan
10 aiding in clearing away aud fssso@tnx
east shc center. is SUPPRESSED TO season the
tiEsasser thoroughly and 70 sct az a safe
guard aeAinsf subsequent san-crAcs. sng o.
warranx Frequently a n-as ssassa n civ
ca Nth .he curved ka&fv. ansi Tits ~ ssfyY.e-
tsrsss followed hv a sara ring TIE curved
katie ~ fses an aboriginal Instrument. b.
sas ~ comparatively recent origin. ext
tssaly subsequent - the sssfe when ts~
rzh stud sctussVA white rsesas nrussssst
sfee1 srG Tres 70 tas ken 90 she natives.
Trey scsnd taess metals &c BE 50 weii
aaaFts@ sr tassr asse@s that tSey sage
ever ssFass discarded ne stone NJ elk hsvn
81 saes~ faE-assr sa3 Grader implements,
Tire SHARE. fssras ard s~emstrucsiasa sst ne
carved A.afe ~ SAewa fTs tire Illustration.
After the cosnrsessea az The canoe IL -