NATIVE TERMS FOR THE PARTS OF THE CANOE
Reading edition
1. Bow, cεdst.
2. Stern, i´laaq.
3. Side, sila´lgwil.
A steam vessel is called u´dalgwil, “burning sides.”
4. Gunwale, sbΔtctca´lgwil.
5. Additional piece or section, hewn out separately, set on the bow, and fastened in place with pegs and lashing of twisted cedar, stL’a´lu.
It is fastened in place with dowels or pegs of cedar (No. 6), and lashings of twisted cedar-twigs (No. 7).
6. Dowels or pegs used as above, st’Δ´stΔd.
This word is now used for iron nails.
7. Cedar withes, sti´dagwΔt.
Used in fastening on the bow and stern sections, and in closing up cracks.
8. Stern-piece, stL’a´lalΔp.
Seated in place like the bow-piece, mentioned above.
On the Exterior of the Hull
9. Narrow piece projecting forward at the tip of the prow, bΔ´qsιd.
The shape of the forward part of the bow-piece strongly suggests the head of some living creature. The projection would correspond to a snout or beak. The Indians say the resemblance is accidental.
10. A knob or projection on the neck of the canoe, about two feet below the preceding feature, bla´lgwa’.
This word means “navel.” The Makah call this projection the boa1’s uvula.
11. Ornamentation consisting of parallel lines, incised with a special tool, like a reamer, on the side of the neck, astcι´1’absub.
This is incised with a special tool, in the old days made of flint, resembling a reamer. This ornamentation is found also on the top surface of the bow-piece.
12. Curved line of the prow, cli´bus.
13. Cutwater, tL’kwa´psΔb.
14. A bulge or raised strip at the gunwale, stLaa´gwΔp.
A corresponding excavation on the inside of the hull is mentioned below (No. 23).
15. Bottom, 1’a´tsΔp.
16. Where the bottom turns up toward the gunwale to form the sides, cΔxdt1’a´ladi.
17. Sharp blade or half-keel, under the cano1’s forefoot, st’ιtci´bιt.
This acts as a “muffler.” It cuts into the waves as the canoe forges ahead, without splashing. The canoe moves silently.
18. Forward extremity of the half-keel, 1’ilqs.
On the Interior of the Hull
19. Interior of the canoe, xuxta´ts.
20. Where the bottom turns up to form the sides, wila´ladiL.
21. Offset where the canoe widens at the gunwale, stpu´tsid.
This corresponds to the stLaa´gwΔp (No. 14 above).
22. Side of the canoe, i´lalgwιL.
23. Trench leading sternward from the tip of the prow, sxwο´qbus.
24. Vertical line of the hull at the stern, stLkwa´·lap.
Additional Fittings
25. Thwarts, cxalwi´ld.
These are round poles instead of flat benches, as in the canoes of Alaska and in our own boats. When on a trip the Indians pad them with an old mat, folded.
26. Withes of twisted cedar limbs, which fasten the thwarts, cli´dclidgΔs.
They are rove through a perforation in the thwart, and then through perforations in the side of the boat. Similar withes are used for mending cracks and in fastening the bow and stern sections in place (see No. 7 above). The present word refers to the way in which they are manipulated in fastening thwarts in place.
27. Strip of wood along the gunwale, stL’a´lalgwιL.
This is pegged to the top surface of the gunwale, to where the paddles rub, to prevent the sides of the canoe from being worn.
28. Painter, or boat rope, LΔdgwi´lad.
Used for mooring the boat, or anchoring it.
29. Crack in the hull, actcΔ´x.
30. Knot-hole, st1’a´ctalus (knot, stcact).
31. “Patched place,” stΔka´lgwιL.
When the side of a canoe is broken, a section is cut out bodily, a piece of plank being carefully shaped to fit in the space. This plank is fastened in place with cedar pegs and by “sewing” with cedar withes.
32. A “long patch,” sΔp1’a´tsgwιL.
This term refers to a place where a longitudinal crack in the bottom of the hull has been closed by stitching it up with cedar withes.
33. Holes bored in making the canoe, to test the thickness of the sides, udtc’ι´stΔd.
These holes are later closed by plugging them with round pegs of maple, which swells greatly on being wet.
34. Mast, xputdale (cf. pu´tιd, sail).
Informants insist that masts and sails are aboriginal. Vancouver, writing in 1792, says they are not.
35. Step or socket for the mast, tcugwacα´gwΔp.
36. Sail, pu´tιd.
This was a “square” sail, of checker-work matting, and was hoisted only when the breeze happened to come directly over the stern.
37. Upper yard, taLa´Lqud.
38. Lower yard, tLi´dΔp.
39. Paddle, xobt.
Terms of Direction
40. Ahead, tudzi´qw.
41. Astern, tuxula´qw.
42. Starboard, or right side, dzaha´lgwisapΔp.
43. Port, or left side, kala´lgwisapΔp.
44. Forward, tuca´dst (cf. cεdst, bow).
45. Aft, tue´laq (cf. i´laaq, stern).
46. Amidships, o´dugwιL.
Linguistically there is evident similarly between certain of the words in this list, as shown by the following groups:
(5) Bow-piece, stL’a´lu.
(8) Stern-piece, stL’a´lalΔp.
(13) Cutwater, tL’kwa´psΔb (cf. especially No. 26 below).
(14) Raised strip along gunwale, stLaa´gwΔp.
(24) Vertical line at stern, stLkwa´·lap.
(27) Strip pegged to gunwale, stL’a´lalgwιL.
(6) Dowels, or pegs, st’Δ´stΔd.
(33) Holes bored to test the thickness of the hull, udtc’ι´stΔd.
One is inclined to suspect the presence of a common suffix in the following cases:
(12) Curved line of the prow, cli´bus.
(23) Trench leading backward from the prow, sxwο´qbus.
The presence of a suffix is obvious in the following cases:
(3) Side, sila´lgwil.
(4) Gunwale, sbΔtctca´lgwil.
(22) Side of the canoe (interior), i´lalgwιL.
(31) Section of plank used as a patch, stΔka´lgwιL.
(32) Closing of a crack by sewing, sΔp1’a´tsgwιL.
(11) Ornamental lines, astcι´1’absub.
(13) Cutwater, tL’kwa´psΔb.
(15) Bottom, 1’a´tsΔp.
Analysis of these expressions is not possible at the present time.
The terms in the above list apply especially to the sea-going canoe. Similar words are applied to the other types of canoes, except where the corresponding parts are missing.
The notch at the bow of the trolling canoe is simply called qa´dxu, “notch.”