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FRITZ AND HIS CAJACK 241 |
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put it in the water, although heavily laden, it scarcely drew two inches. We were engaged upon our new work more than a month; but it succeeded so well that my sons were delighted with it.
When the skeleton was finished, and the interior covered with a coat of gum and moss, we began to make an envelope. For this I took the two entire skins of sea-calves, fastened one at each end of the canoe, and then drew them down under it, where they were strongly sewed together, and covered with a gum elastic coat, to render them impervious to water. Next I made oars of bamboo, and fastened bladders to one end, so that they might be useful in case of accident. I also constructed in the bow a place to receive a sail.
Fritz, whose idea it was, was pronounced owner of the cajack, Jack and Ernest being but little tempted by so seemingly dangerous a construction.
My wife, in order to take her part, made a complete swimming costume for Fritz.
A jacket of the skin of the whale's entrails, hermetically sealed and sewed round the borders, so that the air could not possibly escape, was furnished with a flexible pipe, closed with a valve, so that it could be inflated or exhausted at the pleasure of |
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