Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . ble planing. If theexcess material is too little to be split off it is scraped away with aknife. Those pieces which are too thick throughout their enth-elength are soaked for a few minutes in hot water, which softens themmore effectually, and a layer is then split off, but if they are merelytoo thick in spots they also are smoothed by scraping or by insertinga thin knife blade, the finger nail, or a very sharp awl into the woodat one end of the excess layer, which is then stripped off with a dow
Annual report of the Bureau of American Ethnology to the Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution . ble planing. If theexcess material is too little to be split off it is scraped away with aknife. Those pieces which are too thick throughout their enth-elength are soaked for a few minutes in hot water, which softens themmore effectually, and a layer is then split off, but if they are merelytoo thick in spots they also are smoothed by scraping or by insertinga thin knife blade, the finger nail, or a very sharp awl into the woodat one end of the excess layer, which is then stripped off with a down-ward motion. When each splint has been reduced to the desiredsize one end is sharpened to a point with knife or scissors so that itmay easily pass into the hole made by the awl, for no needles orbodkins are used. If it is not to be used immediately it is doubledup, usually twice, and tied in the center in a simple knot and throwninto a basket to dry. Since dampness imparts to the splint the pliability necessary fortight sewing, and cold water is not readily absorbed, when it is53666°—28 11. 152 COILED BASKETRY IN BRITISH COLUMBIA [eth. necessary to moisten material quickly, hot or even boiling water ispoured over it and then the soakuig requires only a very brief the splints are merely drawn through it once or twice, for ifthey are permitted to become too wet and spongy it is almost asdiihcult to sew with them as it would be if they were dry. Further-more, when soaked and swollen during sewing they are apt to shrinkafterwards, leaving spaces between the stitches; and, since all basketmakers prefer a practically water-tight product, precautions aretaken to avoid all unnecessary shrinkage. By holding the splintsin the teeth and working them back and forth with the hands, orby pulling them over the edge of a sharpened piece of a deer antlerseveral times, much of the stiffness may be eradicated. Those who are called careless by their neighbors do not preparet
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, booksubjectindians, bookyear1895
