latter.  There were two kinds of canoes.  Large white-pine logs were scooped or hollowed out, and wrought into suitable shape, about two and a half feet in breadth and twenty in length.  These were often quite convenient and serviceable, but not to be compared with the Indian canoes, which were made of the bark of trees, wrought with great skill into a beautiful shape.  The birch canoe was an admirable structure, combining elements and principles which modern naval architecture may well study to imitate.  In lightness, rapidity, freedom and ease of motion, it has not been, and cannot be, surpassed.  Its draft, even when bearing a considerable burden, was so slight, that it would glide over the shallowest bars.  It was strong, durable, and easily kept in repair.  Although dangerous to the highest degree under an inexperienced and unskilful hand, no vessel has ever been safer when managed by persons trained to its use.  The cool and quick-sighted Indian could guide it, with his exquisitely moulded paddle, in perfect security, through whirling rapids and over heavy seas, around headlands and across bays.  The settlers early supplied themselves with canoes, by which to thread the interior streams, and cross from shore to shore in the harbors.  One great advantage of the light canoe, before roads were opened through the woods, was, that it could be unloaded, and borne on the shoulders across the land, at any point, to another stream or lake, thus cutting off long curves, and getting from river to river.  The lading would be transported in convenient parcels, the canoe launched, loaded, and again be floated on its way.  Canoes soon came into universal use, particularly in this neighborhood.  Wood, in his “New-England’s Prospect,” speaking of Salem, says, “There be more canowes in this town than in all the whole Patent, every household having a water horse or two.”  It was so important for the public safety to have them kept in good condition, that the town took the matter in hand.  The quarterly court records have the following entry under the date of June 27, 1636:—­

“It was ordered and agreed, that all the canoes of the north side of the town shall be brought the next second day, being the 4th day of the 5th month, about 9 o’clock, A.M., unto the cove of the common landing place of the North River, by George Harris his house—­And that all the canoes of the south side are to be brought before the port-house in the South River, at the same time, then and there to be viewed by J. Holgrave, P. Palfrey, R. Waterman, R. Conant, P. Veren, or the greater number of them.  And that there shall be no canoe used (upon penalty, of forty shillings, to the owner thereof) than such as the said surveyors shall allow of and set their mark upon; and if any shall refuse or neglect to bring their canoes to the said places at the time appointed, they shall pay for said fault 10 shillings.”

The names of the men associated with Waterman prove