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I have Seen the nativs near the Coast rideing waves in these Canoes in Safty and appearantly without Concern when I Should it impossible for any vessel of the Same Size to have lived or kept above water a minute. they are built of Arborvitia or white Cedar generally, but Sometimes of fir. they are cut out of a solid Stick of timber, the gunnals at the upper edge fold over outwards and are about 5/8 of an inch thick and 4 or 5 broad, and Stand out nearly Horizontially forming a kind of rim to the Canoe to prevent the water beating into it. they are all furnished with more or less Cross bars agreeably to thier sizes of the Canoe, those bars are round Sticks about 1 inch and 1/2 diameter which are atached to the iner Side of the canoes a little below the rim on either Side with throngs of Cedar bark which is incerted through holes and made fast to the ends of the Stick, which is made Smaller than the other part of the Stick to prevent the cord Slipping off these cross bears Serve to Strengthen the canoe, and by which they lift and manage her on land. when the nativs land they invariably take their Canoes on Shore unless they are heavily ladined, and then even, if they remain all night, they discharge their loads and take the Canoe on Shore.
The Clatsops Chinnooks &c. construct their Houses of timber altogether. they are from 14 to 20 feet wide, and from 20 to 60 feet in length, and accomodate one or more families Sometimes three or four families reside in the Same room. this house is also devided by petitions of Boards, but this happens only in the largest houses, as the rooms are always large Compared with the number of inhabitents. those houses are Constructed in the following manner; two or more posts of Split timber agreeably to the number of devisions or partitions are first provided, these are Sunk in the ground at one end and raised pirpindicular to the hight of 12 or 14 feet, the top of them are hollowed So as to recive the end of a round beem of timber which reaches from one to the other or the entire length of the house; and forming the ridge pole; two other Sets of posts and poles are then placed at proper distancies on either Side of the first, formed in a Similar manner and parrelal to it; those last rise to the intended hight of the eves, which is usially about 5 feet, Smaller Sticks of timber is then previded and are placed by pears in the form of rafters, resting on, and reaching from the lower to the upper horizontial beam, to both of which they are atached at either end with the Cedar bark; two or 3 ranges of Small poles are then placed Horizontially on these rafters on each Side of the roof & are Secured likewise with Cedar bark. the ends, Sides, and partitions are then formed, with one range of wide boards of about 2 inches thick, which are Sunk in the ground a Small distance at their lower ends & Stands erect with their upper ends lapping on the out Side of the eve poles and end rafters to which they are Secured by a outer pole lyeing parrelal with the eve pole and rafters being Secured to them by Cords of Cedar bark which pass through wholes made in the bods at Certain distances for that purpose; the rough roof is then Covered with a double range of thin boards, and an aperture of 2 by 3 feet left in the Center of the roof to admit the Smoke to pass.
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