Yak

Archive org Aboriginal Use of Wood in New York

Archive.org has another online book which features some paddle & canoe related sketches. Aboriginal Use of Wood in New York by W.M. Beauchamp was published in 1905. Plate 5, sketch 22 shows another illustration of the paddle first documented in  The voyages and explorations of Samuel de Champlain, 1604-1616. This is one of the  earliest recorded images of a North American paddle although the original artist never likely saw the paddle directly.  Note the absence of any grip.



A previous post from 2010 showcased this paddle in its original illustrated context as part of map of Champlain's explorations. A native woman (obviously drawn with European bias) holding onto a child with one hand while grasping chevron decorated paddle with the other.




Beauchamp 's Aboriginal Use of Wood in New York also contains another re-sketched historic paddle image.



This one originally comes from Baron de Lahontan's book, Nouveaux Voyages de Mr. Le Baron de Lahontan dans l'Amérique Septentrionale first published in 1703 (see previous post here). The english translation dated to 1905 is also available on Archive.org. During Lahontan's journeys in New France between 1683 - 1695, he managed to record a brief description of typical paddles which included some dimensional info...

"The paddles they make use of are made from Maplewood, and their form is represented in the annex'd Cutt. The Blade of the Paddle is twenty inches long, six inches broad, and four Lines [1/3 inch] thick. The Handle [shaft] is about three Foot long, and as big [thick] as a Pigeons Egg"