AINU HOUSES AND THEIR FURNISHING. 499 



as tlie weight of snow, which often lies three and four feet deep, is 

 considerable ; while the force of the ocean-gales which speed in 

 from the Pacific must subject it to very heavy strain. The eaves 

 reach to within about four feet of the ground. 



When the roof is quite finished it is raised by main strength 

 and stupidity, and the corner posts, which are substantial sticks 

 roughly squared, are placed in position. Then the wall-frames of 

 smaller sticks, oftentimes with the bark left on, are lashed to the 

 plates and to cross-pieces, to which are fastened the rushes of the 

 wall. These are not laid on in a heavy thatch, as they are on the 

 roof, but in one or two flat courses ; very often they are so thin in 

 places that it is possible to see between them. The median line of 

 the house is always in an east and west direction. A sacred win- 

 dow is left in the middle of the eastern wall, through which the 

 sun-god is worshiped, and before this an inao is placed. Another 

 window, perhaps two, will be cut in the south wall just under the 

 eaves. All the windows are closed by shutters opening outward 

 and swinging from the top, being caught up and held by a lanyard 

 secured to the eaves on the outside. 



In the house which we are describing there will be an addition 

 on the west of about fifteen feet square, but much lower than the 

 main building. The roof of this is also made first, raised to its 

 proper position, and the thatch joined to that of the main house. 

 This roof slopes toward the north, west, and south. The walls are 

 the same as those of the main building, the entrance-door being 

 in the southern wall and protected by a small porch with thatch 

 roof and rush walls ; opposite the entrance-door a small window 

 is cut in the north wall, and beneath it is placed a rude sink for 

 culinary purposes. As the occupations of the inmates do not re- 

 quire much light, the windows are quite sufficient, while ample 

 ventilation is secured through them and the thin walls. There 

 are no partitions inside the hut, though the western extension is 

 sometimes separated from the main room by a light wicker frame- 

 work, about three feet high, with openings at the sides of the fire- 

 place, which is always directly under the ridge-pole, but rather 

 nearer the western end. The fireplace is oblong in shape, the 

 ashes being kept at about the level of the floor on either side. 

 Sometimes the whole floor of the main apartment is boarded over 

 on the north, east, and south sides of the fireplace, but usually 

 this flooring only extends along the eastern end under the sacred 

 window, the entrance-door always being in the western end of the 

 single building, or in the southern wall of the western extension. 

 The northern side of the fireplace is sacred to the family, a small 

 sleeping-box being usually built under the eaves ; the head of the 

 house, or eastern end, is reserved for permanent or distinguished 

 visitors, and the southern side is for occasional callers. 



