of their branches, and one end of each flattened on each side for some distance, so as to have a bladed form and to be pliable. Toolabar now cut through the bark round the tree about two to three feet from the ground; cut the bark in a straight line upwards for about ten feet—ascending by notches cut into the divided line—and then cut the bark round the tree as he had already cut it down below. Descending from the tree, he carefully inserted the blade of his tomahawk under the cut edge of the bark, thus separating it for some distance up from the tree. Then, inserting the thin blade of one sapling, he ran it upwards between the bark and the tree, leaving it thus partially spreading open the bark. The second sapling was inserted in the same way on the other side, and by working first one, and then the other, cautiously upwards and backwards, the whole sheet of bark was finally separated, all but a small portion on the upper run. It then presented something of this aspect—(Fig. 239).
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| FIG. 239. |
We both of us now carefully detached it by taking hold of it from behind by the lower edge, and 'easing' it down to the ground. The next process was, as it lay smooth side downwards—nearly flat on the ground—to strip off the old outer rough fuzzy bark until we had the sheet cleaned; there being then only remaining the brown under bark, and the light-colored inner fibrous layer. The next process was to chip off the brown inner bark from about two feet at each end, leaving there only the thin tough inner layer. We now threw together the chipped-off bark with such dead leaves and rubbish as lay at hand into a heap, and, setting fire to it, placed our sheet of bark over the flames, so as to form a kind of horizontal flue, from each end of which issued volumes of smoke and heated vapour. Thus in a very short time we had our bark well steamed and pliable. Taking it now off the fire, we rapidly, but with care, turned it inside out, doubled up the sides, and secured them together at the distance we required for the canoe, by passing cords through holes previously made near each edge—the cords being twisted strands of the inner fibrous bark pulled from the edge of the sheet. I think three of these ligatures were made. One end of the canoe was now again warmed, and Toolabar folded it together, much as a sheet of paper is folded to make a fan, squeezing the folds together, biting them together
