Synopses & Reviews
The bark canoes of the North American Indians, particularly those of birchbark, were among the most highly developed manually propelled primitive watercraft. Built with Stone Age tools from available materials, their design, size, and appearance were varied to suit the many requirements of their users. Even today, canoes are based on these ancient designs, and this fascinating guide combines historical background with instructions for constructing one. Author Edwin Tappan Adney, born in 1868, devoted his life to studying canoes and was practically the sole scholar in his field. His papers and research have been assembled by a curator at the Smithsonian Institution.
Synopsis
"The definitive book on the subject."—John McPhee
About the Author
Howard I. Chapelle (1901-1975) was an American naval architect, and curator of maritime history at the Smithsonian Institution. In addition, he authored many books and articles books on maritime history and marine architecture, including Yacht Designing and Planning, Boatbuilding: A Complete Handbook of Wooden Boat Construction, The History of American Sailing Ships,The History of the American Sailing Navy: The Ships and Their Development, American Small Sailing Craft, and many more.