PAWNEES. 7 



selves hal)ituated to dust and ashes, and now it is no evi- 

 dence of humility. Pride dwells in such an aT)ode as this. 

 On each side of the fire a pole is set in the ground, which 

 inclines over the lire to permit kettles to be hung upon 

 them. Some of these they have obtained from their inter- 

 course with civilization. Perhaps now a brass kettle of the 

 capacity of some eight or ten gallons, is hanging over the 

 fire, filled with sweet corn or beans or the dried meat of the 

 Ijuffalo. If it is in the fore part of the day, we need not 

 expect to l)e treated to the contents of the kettles ; these 

 are not served till near night, until they have been cooked 

 some four or five hours. This is for the evening feast. 

 Besides this large brass kettle there are probably small 

 ones of sheet iron or tin used for the. same purpose. 

 Here by the fire are unfinished bows seasoning for 

 use. These are more usually made of hickory wood, or if 

 they have been fortunate enough to obtain one, they prefer 

 the hois (Vare. We now look about for other articles, 

 useful and ornamental. We see no bureau or chest of 

 drawers ; no cup1)oard with a costly set of china or glass 

 ware. We may perhaps see on one side of the room some 

 tin cups, with a supply of spoons made of the horns of the 

 ])uffalo. We may see some muskets with the powder horn 

 and the IjuUet or shot pouch hung up in one place, and 

 there is the inevitable well-strung bow and the quiver full 

 of arrows. These are made of round reeds or small sticks 

 headed with sharpened iron, and well heeled with feathers 

 of the hawk or the eagle. 



We may be weary and wish to retire ; we look for an- 

 other room, ])ut there is none. With them this would be 

 supei-fluons. To rest they lie on the rush mat near the 

 fire, or sometimes there is a couch against the outer wall 

 raised some foot and a half from the ground, and supported 

 by willow sticks running from a forked stake to the ])ack 

 side of the lodge, made up with a buffalo robe or two 

 spread over the sticks, and if a covering is desirable there 

 may be an additional robe or a deer skin or two, or 

 dearly bought blanket, and sometimes they have a, 



