A boat from fire

I had always read about boats made using fire, but have never been able to picture it. I went to Plimouth Plantation.  The Wampanoags(http://www.plimoth.org/what-see-do/wampanoag-homesite) put wet clay 6 feet up and burn underneath. The clay protects the part above it. It was an efficient way to cut it down especially because when the Pilgrims first came it took 5 Englishmen to get their arms around the trees.The trees they used were white pine, chestnut and oak. They could make a boat that could carry 40 men and measured 60 feet long and 6 feet wide. After they had burnt down the tree they burned the top side to the right length. Then they built fire in the middle.  In the pictures there is only a small fire because they want to prolong the burning but the Wampanoag would do it the whole length leaving a hollowed out canoe.  They controlled the fire with water and would scrape the burnt part with clam shells. The shells made ot smooth and hard. They would go down to the widest part (the middle).  This would balance the canoe. One advantage to burning out the middle is that it would drive the sap to the edges making it more wayertight. I love to go to hands on historical places because It always helps me to better understand what I have read. I have included pictures of the winter houses because it was interesting how they use the bark almost as shingles. Finally, for my students I have the answer to your questions about what their football game was like.