Rensselaer Union, Volume 8, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 August 1876 — An Indian “Dug Out.” [ARTICLE]

An Indian “Dug Out.”

In the United States Government Building at tl»e mammoth Exposition, a curiosity in the way of a boat lias been placed oh exhibition by the National Museum. It is a huge Indian* dug-out canpe, measuring sixty feet in length, and having an eight feet breadth of beam. It is made entirely from one log, and is, as its name implies, a dug-out. The boat is painted all over, a variety of colors, and adorned with queer looking figures and hieroglyph ics, resembling quite closely those found on modern gods made and worshiped by idolatrous nations. It was built (it to cut down a tree and dig out the trunk of it may be- called building a boat) by the natives of Vancouver’s Island, away up in the British American possessions, where the gentle savages have no “ reservations,” are neither fed nor clothed by the Government under which they live, and are compelled to find other means of gaining subsistence than stealing horses, cattle, ammunition and scalps from white people. The precise age of this monster dug-out is not known, but it is evidently quite a venerable craft. When manned by a crew of about forty oarsmen, skilled and muscular, it would be susceptible of moving tlirough the water at a rapid rate. However, it will not be entered for the forthcoming Centennial regatta on the Schuylkill River, the time for which has been postponed till the middle of August.— Philadelphia Cor. Chicago Journal.