Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-06-21

wall are implanted into the ground stand
ing vertically, their upper ends being tied
to the beam forming the top of the frame
work. The roof is made of boards running
from the gable to the side beams, and
Tapped like tiles. The house front is often
ornamcntod with a molding Three steps
arc made at the door of blocks of wood.
These steps lead up to tho platform or
bank of earth. Inside there are three
steps leading from this platform down to
the floor. There is no chimney, but
some of the boards of the roof are left
loose so that they can he pushed aside TO
let smoke escape. a stationary ladder
made OF Il trunk of II tree. into which
steps are cut, is leaned against the sid
OF the house TO give access TO the roof.
Generally such II house is occupied by
Tour families, each occupying corner and
having its own fireplace. The corner be-
longing to each family is divided of from
the main room by Il rough framework of
poles. The bedrooms are miniature
houses, erected along the platform or bank
OF earth, each having gabled roof. This
is the general plan of such a house, though
1t is varied somewhat among the different
gcntcs. These Indians accomplish Il
great deal Of work with their rude wedges
and chiscs. They get only one board
from tree, splitting off from each side
of ii punchcon. All of the art of the
Indian is employed i'll decorating his
house The upright parts are deliberately
carved with the hcraltlic emblems OF
totems Of the gems of the horsepower.
The liupa Indians OF. California con-
struct rude tcnt-shapcd houses of banks
and slabs. They are carpenters of less
skill than their northern neighbors. Liv-
ing in Il less inclcment climate, all they
seek for i'll these constructions is pro-
lection from the winds. In Southern
California, where there is still less need of
protection from cold, the only house
erected is a roof made by tying stringers
or poles from tree to tree and laying
branches over them, or by setting up four
poles to support Il primitive roof. Most
OF the plains Indians being nomadic in
their primitive state lived in tents, or tc-
pccs, made of skins of animals stretched
upon poles. When an Indian wanted To
move lie took his house with him. lie
rolled up his tcpec and placed it with his
other household goods on Il trlvcau and
hauled it to his new place Of residence.
IN the southwest are the ruins left by In
dians, who had, independently of white
men, reached Il somewhat advanced stage
OF civilization. In Arizona and New
Mexico a:e the crumbling walls of stately
ediiiccs erected by these half civilized
Indians, and the curious dwellings con
structcd in the side of rocky heights by
the cliff jewellers. Ruined pueblos are
scattered throughout that country, and
there are some that are still inhabited.
The most noted one is the pueblo OF Zuni,
III New Mexico. A model of this about
twelve feet long and ten feet wide is
Shown i'll the hall of anthropology at the
National Museum. In this can be seen
the construction of the little square adobe
houses, all clustered together, with ALLEYS
or narrow roads running between The
houses are so clustered that one can 90
from one part of the town to another
through covered passages. In the center
is an old adobe church built by the early