Having no nails to rivet the planks with, we threw aside the ordinary fashion of boat building and adopted one of our own.

The planks were therefore placed on each other's edges, and sewed together with the tough cordage already mentioned.

They were also thus sewed to the stem, the stern, and the keel.

Each stitch or tie was six inches apart, and was formed thus: Three holes were bored in the upper plank and three in the lower,--the holes being above each other, that is, in a vertical line.

Through these holes the cord was passed, and, when tied, formed a powerful stitch of three ply.