They sewed the skins with edged awls, and that cut the holes rather big, so when the hides dried and shrunk, the threads didn't fill the holes any more.
"The Young Alaskans on the Missouri"
Emerson Hough
"Now the women showed their paint and awls and things.
"The Young Alaskans on the Missouri"
Emerson Hough
One pack contained all that remained of the tea, currants, and raisins, which were saved from the fire, and two pairs of boots, the only ones the Brothers had; and the other was filled with oddments, such as files, gimlets, ragstone, steel, weighing machine, awls, tomahawks, American axes, shoeing tools, and a number of things "that they could not do without," but perhaps the most important loss was that of the spade, to which they had many times been indebted for water.
"The Overland Expedition of The Messrs. Jardine"
Frank Jardine and Alexander Jardine