The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America 51

The Bark Canoes and Skin Boats of North America 51

KODIAK ISLAND KAYAK, 1885, in U.S. National Museum (USNM 76285). The

identification of this kayak has been questioned by Henry B. Collins

and John Heath, but it may represent an old form out of use in the

twentieth century.]

 

[Illustration: Figure 178

 

ALEUTIAN KAYAK, Unalaska, 1894, in U.S. National Museum (USNM 76282).]

 

The Unalaska kayak of 1894 (below) is a better known type. This design

is used throughout the Aleutians and on the adjacent mainland as far

east as Prince William Sound. It was also employed in the Pribilof

Islands and at St. Matthew, having been used by Aleuts engaged in

sealing expeditions there. All kayaks of this type do not have the same

bow and stern profiles as the example; some have the bifid bow built

with the portion above the slit arched upward higher than the outer

stem-piece and so more prominent; there are also minor variations in

the stern. The shape of the hull, however, is consistently maintained

throughout the area in which this type is used. Though the deck is

ridged, it is relatively low compared to that of the Kodiak kayak, and

the thwarts supporting the manhole are heavily arched and in one piece

from gunwale to gunwale. The construction is like that of the Kodiak

kayak, but the gunwales and upper longitudinal battens, instead of

meeting the stern post, end on a crosspiece well inside the stern to

give the effect of a transom stern. However, some Aleut kayaks have the

normal sharp stern after the fashion of the Kodiak kayak, but without

the projecting tail or handgrip, and nearly all have two thwarts

between the after manhole thwart and the stern and three forward of

the fore manhole thwart. The skin cover passes over the manhole rim

as in the Kodiak type. The bow block is sometimes built up of two

blocks sewn or laced together. Strengthening pieces of light plank are

sometimes fitted from the bow block aft; these are laced to the top

inside edge of the gunwales and pinned to the stem block to form long

breast-hooks. In some kayaks with the square stern, only the gunwale is

supported by the crosspiece on the stern, the two battens on each side

being supported by the last frame only, about 6 inches inboard of the

crosspiece.

 

[Illustration: Figure 179

 

KAYAK FROM RUSSIAN SIBERIA, 2-hole Aleutian type, in Washington State

Historical Society and Museum. Taken off by John Heath, 1962.]

 

This type of kayak is the only one known to have been built with more

than one manhole. The two-hole kayak is an Aleut development used in

whaling and sea-otter hunting, so far as is known; the paddler sits

in the after manhole. Measurements of a two-hole kayak in the United

States National Museum show it to be 20 feet 7¼ inches long, 23 inches

beam, and 9½ inches deep to top of gunwale. The manholes are about 46

inches apart edge to edge and the foremost is about 8 feet from the bow.

 

The three-holer, commonly believed to have been introduced by the

Russians, was used by Russian officers, inspectors, and traders in

their explorations and travels on the Alaskan coast. One of these boats

measures 24 feet 8⅜ inches long, 30 inches beam, and 10½ inches deep

to top of gunwale. The center manhole is commonly larger in diameter

than the other two and is used for either a passenger or cargo. The

fore edge of the fore manhole is 8 feet to 8½ feet from the bow and

the other manholes are from 4 to 4½ feet apart edge to edge. A large

example of this class of kayak measures 28 feet 1½ inches long, 38½

inches beam and 12 inches deep to top of gunwale. Probably none exceed

30 feet in length. Both the single-and the double-blade paddle are used

by the Aleuts, but the double blade is preferred in hunting. The paddle

blades are rather narrow and leaf-shaped, with pointed tips.

 

[Illustration: Figure 180

 

NUNIVAK ISLAND KAYAK, ALASKA, 1889, in U.S. National Museum (USNM

160345), showing painted decoration of the mythological water monster

Palriayuk.]

 

[Illustration: Figure 181

 

KING ISLAND KAYAK, Alaska, 1888, in U.S. National Museum (USNM 160326),

collected by Capt. M. A. Healy, U.S. Revenue Steamer _Bear_.]

 

[Illustration: Figure 182

 

NORTON SOUND KAYAK, Alaska, 1889, U.S. National Museum (USNM 160175).]

 

The plan of a kayak from Nunivak Island (about due north of Unalaska

and roughly halfway to St. Lawrence Island) is shown on page 198

(fig. 180). This type of kayak is obviously related to that of Kodiak

Island, for it has approximately the same lines and proportions. Only

the profiles of bow and stern exhibit marked differences. Perhaps the

most striking feature of the Nunivak kayak is its bow, which might

represent a seal's head; a hole through the whole bow structure forms

the eyes and also serves functionally as a lifting handle. The stern

profile is simpler than that used in the Kodiak kayaks. The example

shows the mythological water monster Palriayuk, a painted totem that

once distinguished the Nunivak kayaks; missionary influence has long

since erased such decorations from Alaskan kayaks. Whereas the Kodiak

kayak has eleven battens (including the keelson) in its frame, the

Nunivak kayak has nine, and all the longitudinals in it are rectangular

in section. Differences in dimensions of Nunivak and Kodiak kayaks are

remarkably slight, the greatest length reported for either type is

about 15 feet 9 inches and the greatest beam is about 32 inches. Both

types have a large manhole and carry a passenger back-to-back with

the paddler. The single-bladed paddle is used. The kayak is sometimes

transported over ice by means of a short sledge, by one man, but it is

otherwise rather heavy to portage. Highly regarded by all who have had

contact with it, this is generally considered one of the safest and

most useful of the Alaskan kayaks.

 

[Illustration: Figure 183

 

NUNIVAK ISLAND KAYAK with picture of mythological water monster

Palriayuk painted along gunwale. (Photo by Henry B. Collins.)]

 

[Illustration: Figure 184

 

NUNIVAK ISLAND KAYAK in U.S. National Museum (USNM 76283) with cover

partly removed to show framework. Collected by Ivan Petroff, March 30,

1894.]

 

King Island, at the entrance to Bering Strait, is the home of the

kayak shown on page 198 (fig. 181). The King Islanders are noted

as skillful kayakers and their kayak generally follows the Nunivak

pattern, but is narrower and more ~V~-shaped in cross section, and

the stem and stern are also distinctly different. The King Island

craft has a bold upturned stem ending in a small birdlike head, with

a small hole through it to represent eyes and to serve for a lifting

grip; the stern is low and without the projections seen in the Nunivak

type. The fitting of the cockpit rim of the U.S. National Museum kayak

is unusual; the rim is not supported by thwarts but rather is made

part of the skin cover and therefore can be moved. This seemed to be

intentional, for there is no evidence of broken or missing members,

but John Heath considers this not typical. A watertight jacket with

the skirt laced to the manhole rim is worn by the kayaker to prevent

swamping. This practice was common among Eskimo working in stormy

waters. A warm-weather alternate was a wide waistband, with its top

supported by straps over the shoulders and the bottom laced to the

manhole.

 

[Illustration: Figure 185

 

WESTERN ALASKAN KAYAK, Cape Prince of Wales, 1936. (_Photo by Henry B.

Collins._)]

 

A somewhat similar but slightly smaller kayak was used at Cape

Espenberg; in these the upturned bow ended in a simple point. The

sterns were alike in both types. The Cape Espenberg kayak had a fixed

cockpit rim however, as in the Nunivak type. Both types employed the

single-bladed paddle.

 

A little to the South, in Norton Sound, the long narrow kayak shown on

page 198 (fig. 182) is popular. These are somewhat like the Nunivak

kayaks in cross section but with far less beam. They have a slight

reverse, or humped, sheer and are very sharp ended. The peculiar

handgrips at bow and stern are characteristic, though the shape and

size of the grips vary among the villages; the style shown is that of

St. Michaels. A single-bladed paddle is used. This type is very fast

under paddle, but requires a skillful user in rough water. The Norton

Sound kayaks are very well finished and strongly built.

 

From Kotzebue Sound, at Cape Krusenstern, along the north coast

of Alaska to near the Mackenzie Delta, the kayaks are very low in

the water, long, narrow, and spindle-shaped at the ends. They are

distinguished by a very strong rake in the manhole rim, with an

accompanying prominent swell in the deck forward of the manhole. They

are built with seven longitudinal battens (including the keelson) in

addition to the gunwales. In several examples seen, the latter are

sometimes slightly channelled on the inside, but this may have been the

result of shrinkage in the pith of the timber used and not intentional.

These kayaks are very light and easily carried. Both single-and

double-blade paddles are employed; the single blade is usually used in

travelling.

 

On page 201 are shown a kayak from Cape Krusenstern (fig. 186) and one

from Point Barrow (fig. 187). It is reported that these types have

now gone out of use. In these boats no stem or stern posts exist,

these usually being replaced by small end blocks. The only important

difference in the two types shown is in the style of crowning the

deck, which is ridged in the Cape Krusenstern kayak but more rounded

in the Point Barrow kayak. In spite of their narrow beam and obviously

unstable form, these kayaks are said to have been used by rather

unskillful paddlers. In general, they were not employed in rough weather but were seaworthy in skillful hands.