The Brattleboro reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1907-1912, 1909-10-08
A sHIPYARD FOR CANOES.
Where the Canadian Indians Built vneir
Birch Bark Vessels.

| "A party of New Workers hunting in the
far Canadian wilds came upon an Indian
shipyard where had been built and
launched such craft as the voyagers use
in travelling the rivers and lakes Of that
region even as far AS Hudson Bay, Noise
of hammer and hiss of white hot bolt had
never been heard in that shipyard, and it
had neither dry dock nor high slanted and
greasy ways. Hidden in the deep grass
were long and wide rolls of birchbark,
treasured against future need, and all
about were shavings of the cedar, while
the charred remnants of the fires used to
melt and purify some of the shipbuilding
material still shone black in little pile.
Here the season before and perhaps for
many seasons in succession the Indians
| had built their birch bark canoes. Bits OF
| the long and plant but tough root which
the Indians pull from its shallow burial to
make binding thongs were found here and
there. This root when split has about the
| thickness of the cane used in weaving
chair bottoms, and the deft needlemen of
the Indians make it serve to a nicely for
sewing the seams of the birch bark with
which their canoes are covered. From
| strips of cedar two inches wide and hardly
more than a quarter of an inch thick are
made the ribs. Over this frame is laid
with nice fit the birch bark in pieces of
suitable size and the joints are secured
with long strips of the plant root.
All this, however, is not sufficient to
make a canoe seaworthy; the seams must
be made water-tight. This is accomplished
with mixture of spruce gum and bears
grease, though lard will serve nearly as
well as the latter. The spruce gum is
melted in a pot over an open fire and
cleansed of its impurities by skimming.
Then sufficient quantity of bears grease
is added to make the mixture at moder
ate temperature of about the consistency
of shoemakers wax
The whole craft remains measurably PHI
ant yet sufficiently rigid to be handled
and carried without danger of collapse
One thing, however, the Indian looks to,
that his canoe shall not CRATE upon sand
or shingle when he lands. In fact, he
stops short of the shore and in shallow
water leaps into lake or stream and I'M
loads his canoe before carrying it ashore |
the damaging effects of the midsummer
sun.
Small canoes are built in this fashion
for the use of one or two oarsmen, and
with proper strengthening of materials big |
canoes 30 feet long or more are built to
De padded by ten or fifteen oarsmen and
o carry great loads all about the region
lpon the errands of business that keep
hese. hunters and trappers afoat much of
nc liiHe 81 lOnS DIS lneIe Is open water III
hat far North.
Trose who came upon the Indian ship
ard had the pleasure also of encountering
company of the voyagers under pleasant
ondtions. As the white men were at
reakfast one morning they suddenly
card from far up the stream noise as
some one were throwing every other
econd gallon or so of water into the
lver Then around bend came one of
he great birch bark canoes. riding high
ecause it was lightly loaded It's ten or
we've oarsmen at the height at which
hey sat could not dip their paddles deep
ut they dug, away with. energy and
ehind them at each stroke a shower of
'amy water that fell with the noise of a
oxen little cataracts into the bosom of the
ream They passed with friendly halls
nd grunts, looking like a sudden vision
ON the sixteenth century.-New York