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stitute expedients, under any such circumstances.A framing of split bamboo, combines toughnessand strength, with lightness, in a great degree.A covering of hides is less liable to injury fromsun-heat, or from strains, whether in transport orfloatation, than planks, and much more easilyrepaired than these, or metal. These qualitiesof the materials of which common basket boatsare formed, are, obviously, such as may be ap-plied to make any given form of vessel, retain-ing the advantages of convenience in portability,whether by hand or by beasts of burthen. No-thing more appears to be necessary to effect this,than to work these materials into boat-like shape.The canoes of the North American Indians, andwhich are used, on a large scale, by the Canadianvoyageurs employed in the service of the furcompanies of Canada , to penetrate into itsremotest regions, and which is effected partlyby portage and partly by navigation, is an abun-dant proof of the practicability of making ves-sels of great capacity, with such light materials,that they may easily be carried by the menwhom, in turn, they transport. These vessels,though formed of slight ribs, or strips of toughwood, and covered only with bark of the birchtree, are sometimes made large enough to carry12 or 14 men, and a considerable quantity of