In fact, there is evidence that this type of boat originated with them. The Nootka and Clayoquot, near Nootka Sound, use imposing specimens made along this model. The use of this canoe characterizes the whole coast of Washington, and a large part of the west coast of Vancouver Island. I am not familiar with the exact limits of the area, but the Columbia River is included in it. The use of this model is characteristic of the whole of Puget Sound, and of a region stretching some distance to the north and south along the coast. The particular model which is popularly spoken of as the "Chinook" canoe, is illustrated in Figure 2, b. This type of canoe is a dugout, hewn, except for a superimposed bow and stern piece, from one cedar log. The Makah use only one type of craft, the so-called "Chinook" canoe. I learn also that their boats deserve the very highest place for staunch seaworthiness, coupled with great manageableness and speed. Better canoemen than the Makah have probably never existed. Under these circumstances, specialization in matters connected with the canoe takes on the very highest importance. The halibut banks, also, which are the mainstay of their existence, and more important from the point of view of their food economy than is the killing of whales, lie from five to thirty miles off shore. The hunting grounds for whales lie along the shore, and the great animals, especially certain species, sometimes come quite close in, but on the other hand the hunt often takes the Indians entirely out of sight of land. In the latitude of Cape Flattery the Pacific Ocean is very boisterous, and good boats coupled with good seamanship are essential for a seafaring life. They procure their food supplies for the most part from the open sea. Probably the most important factor in the whaling industry of the Makah is the canoe. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.įrom The Whaling Equipment of the Makah Indians by Mr. Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value.
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