with his vice-like jaws, and lashing the folded end securely with more stringy-bark cord. The lashing extended about a foot back from the point. The other end was sewed in the same way. A stick, pointed at each end, and of the exact length of the width of the canoe, was now jammed alongside each 'tie,' the stick points holding fast in the string holes. Thus the strings held the canoe from spreading, and the sticks prevented it from coming together. In addition, pliable branches were forced in under the 'ties' as ribs, and the canoe was complete. A section taken at a tie would be thus (Fig. 240):—
|
| a "tie." b "stretcher." c "rib." d "canoe." |
|
| Side view of Canoe. |
| FIG. 240. |
"Speaking from memory, this canoe was about ten feet long, and carried Toolabar, myself, and our saddles and effects over the 'Snowy;' but there was not much to spare between the edge of the canoe and the water. At the other side Toolabar pulled it up on the bank, and said, half seriously, 'Leave him here, I b'lieve mraat (dead blackfellow—ghost) might want him.'
|
| FIG. 241. |
"The second kind of canoe I have seen used on the Darling and elsewhere in Riverina. It is usually cut from an inclined tree—a red-gum, according to my recollection. At Pammumaroo, near Menindie, having to cross some things, the blackfellow I had there made a canoe. A bent red gum-tree was chosen, and a sheet taken off from the bend; as the two ends were not enough out of the water, a big lump of the tenacious mud of the Darling River was kneaded into each end and smeared over a crack or two in the bottom. This kept out the water, and I crossed myself and a bag of flour (200 lbs.). If my memory serves me, there was only just room for the flour and myself—the canoe was probably not much over eight feet in length; but somewhat wider than the one I have last described. Such a tree I rudely figure above (Fig. 241).
