THE KWAKIUTL INDIANS. 369 



platform is made running along the front of the house. Later on this 

 is continued all around the house. The framework of the front is the 

 next to be erected. The poles (C) stand in the dirt forming the plat- 

 form. The upper edges of the front boards which were implanted into 

 the ground are grooved, and in this groove the boards forming the 

 front wall stand. They are tied or nailed to the crossbar (E) and to the 

 foremost rafter, which is connected with the framework of the front. 

 The next thing to be done is to make the rear wall and the sides. The 

 former exactly corresponds to the front, the door only being wanting. 

 The boards forming the side walls are implanted in the ground, stand- 

 ing vertically, their ui^per ends being tied to the beam forming the top 

 of the framework. The platform running along the inner sides of the 

 walls is iinished by stamping the earth against the side walls. The 

 roof consists of a peculiar kind of boards, which run from the gable to 

 the sides of the house. They lap on their edges like Chinese tiles. 

 This arrangement has the effect that the rain runs from the roof with- 

 out penetrating into the house. The house front is generally finished 

 by cutting the boards off along the roof and by finishing them off with 

 a molding. A few logs are placed in front of the door, forming steps 

 (T) that lead to the platform. Steps of the same kind lead from the 

 platform to the floor of the house. The board forming the inner side 

 of the platform slopes slightly inward. The house has no smoke 

 escape, but several of the boards forming the roof can be pushed aside. 

 During the night these openings are closed, but in the morning one 

 board over every fireplace is pushed aside by means of a long pole. 

 As it is necessary to look after the roof from time to time, a stationary 

 ladder is leaned against the side of the house. It consists of one-half 

 of the trunk of a tree or of a heavy board, into the upper side of which 

 steps are cut. 



The house is inhabited by several families, each of whom has a fire- 

 place of its own. The corners belonging to each family are divided off 

 from the main room by a rough framework of poles, the top of which 

 is used for drying fish or other sorts of food. On each side of the fire 

 stands the immense settee (fig. 11), which is large enough for the whole 

 fiimily. It has no feet, is about 7 feet long and 4 feet deep, and its sides 

 slope slightly backward, so as to form a convenient support for the 

 back. Boards are laid along the base of the rear and front platform and 

 on the side of the fire opposite the settee. The arrangement is some- 

 times made a little different, the settee being wanting, or in some 

 instances standing on the rear side. Often long boards are placed 

 edgewise near the fire, serving as a back support. They are supported 

 by plugs which are rammed into the floor and lean slightly backward, 

 thus forming a convenient back support. The bedrooms have the form 

 of small houses which are built on the platform running around the 

 house. Most of these bedrooms have gable roofs, and their fronts 

 are finished off with moldings. The section c-d (fig. 8) explains the 

 NAT MUS 95 lil 



