The evening times., 1898-07-16
n MOMENTS STUDY
OF INDIANS
Accompanies Her Husband on
His Official Expeditions.
Morcnsin Makink and Basket Weav-
ing the Prihcipil Indoor Oecu-
patton of the squaws.

"When my husband announced that he
to continue his Investigations among the
Indians living there. l insisted upon ac-
companying him." writes Mrs. Harlan I.
Smith. of Saginaw. Mich. 'As I had
been with him during his Investigations
of the Ojibwa Indians. and had always
enjoyed camp life. he knew 1 would be
no hindrance to the work of the expedi-
ton. and SO consented.
my entire outfit consisted of less than
1t some of the materials to be used on
the expedition. We have a small tent.
two rubber and two heavy woolen blan-
kets, a few changes Of old clothes and
extra heavy shoes. for protection against
the rocks and bushes. have a pair of
indian moccasins. to serve as slippers
about camp, a piece of green mosquito
netting to keep off the insects. and a
soft hat, that cannot be injured by rain,
but which will not look too barbaric on
the cars. My heavy cloak can also be
used as an extra blanket. Sewing mate
rails for repairing and my notebooks
camera.
1.-The trip across the continent was un-
eventfuL In the interior are conical
lodges. somewhat resembling the tepee
in shape while on the coast large rect
angular houses are built of heavy tim
bers. These are occupied as communal
dwellings. and frequently three or four
families live In each. The cracks be-
tween the timbers are not plastered. and
hos s.
cape of the smoke from the fire. which
is built in the center of the lodge. This
fire is also used in common. all the fam
lilies doing their cooking there.
"Our first stop was in the region of the
circular lodges at Kamloops- This Is in
the grazing and mining region of the
mountains. The high ranges between
here and the coast cut of the moist winds
of the Japan current. and make the region
one of almost desert dryness. The noun
tain torrents are used for irrigating the
small farms, or ranches, as they are call
ed, in this region. Of the line of the Ca
madam Pacific Railroad travel is by stage,
and the four-horse wagon used for this
purpose Is almost as picturesque as the
renowned Deadwood stage coach. Many
of the Indians are now living in comfort
able log cabins while few of them
build houses Of bark. somewhat resem-
bling In shape the tepee of the plains.
Outside Of these houses are built scaf-
folds, upon which are stored all kinds OF
provisions, dried fish. venison, etc The
necessity for this kind of elevated store
house is easily understood after one has
been in the village a few days and no
ticed the great number OF dogs belonging
to each family.
Formerly the houses of this region
We're made by digging hole from Il to
30 feet in diameter and from 10 feet
deep. from the edges of which a conical
framework of timbers was erected This
was covered. first, with poles, then with
fir boughs, and finally with dirt. In this
extremely dry region the dirt roof serves
well. and is a great protection from cold
in the Winter The only entrance to such
dwellings was through hole left in the
center of the roof. through which they de-
scended by means OF ladder. This lad
der was made by cutting notches for steps
into the trunk of a tree. and also groove
in the back. as a hold for the fingers
This doorway served also as window and
chimney. the fire being built almost direct
ly underneath the opening. The Indians
told me that in olden times the enemy
often covered this doorway in the roof
and set fire to the lodge, smothering all
the inmates
81 was much interested in the life or
the Indian women of this dry interior
region. The Indian mother cradles her
baby closely wrapped in little canoe
shaped box made of birch bark or bas-
keting. This she ties TO the side of her
saddle when travelling or swings at her
side from the shoulder while walking.
When the child is older the mother Of
ten carries 1t on her back, held in place
by a shawl or blanket. jus. as do the
Ojibwa Indians that l saw in Michigan.
While the Siwashes here. vino are not as
lazy as the proverbial Indian. engage in
irrigatlng and tilling their ranches. fish
ing for salmon, etc. the Klutchmans
are industrious in digging edible roots.
making baskets. tanning deerskins and
making them into moccacsins-
lone old Klutchman. whose entire
work is the making of moccasins. eX-
planned TO me the method of tanning
skins. After the skin is taken from the
deer it is placed in a large vessel, and
put in the river to soak for several
hours. When it Is taken out it is placed
over a beam. and by the aid of a bone
or iron scraper all the hair and fat are
removed. Then II is again soaked. this
time. in strong soapsuds. to make It
tough and white she said. After this it
is ready for the rubbing or pounding
For this 1t is laced tightly into a strong
frame and then rubbed and scraped
with a stone tool mounted in a wooden
handle until it is perfectly dry. The
more it is rubbed while drying the softer