﻿NO. I SMITHSONIAN EXPLORATIONS, I925 IO7 



circle of cacti in such a way as quite effectually to keep away in- 

 truders. 



At the Rincon, ]\Ir. Harrington discovered the ruins of a medicine 

 house formerly used by the island wizards for secret ceremonies. 

 This remarkable structure consists of a natural cave chamber, black- 

 ened with the smoke of former fires. On the east side is a circular 

 enclosure i8 feet in diameter, the walls of which, made bv piling 

 up rocks to a height of about three feet, are still partly standing. 

 Pine trees were formerly laid across from the top of this wall to the 

 roof of the cave, and on these thatch was placed. An extended study 

 was made of this temple, and the cave floor was excavated. There 

 was a tradition that if a common Indian came on this place by mistake 

 lie would be struck dead and that if an innocent person happened 

 to stroll near, thunder, lightning and rain would immediately result, 



Since little is known of the California Indian house of this section, 

 it was thought desirable to construct a replica of a native wigwam 

 and to photograph step by step the Iniilding of it (fig. lO/). In all 

 more than 40 exposures were made as the work progressed, thus 

 securing a record for future description. The wigwam is circular and 

 about 13 feet in diameter and 7 feet high. The site for the house 

 was selected and the ground cleared and leveled. Using a short bar 

 of willow for digging the post holes and the hand for scooping out 

 the earth, eight slender willow poles, 15 to 20 feet high, were erected 

 in the form of a Greek cross. The pairs of poles opposite each other 

 were then lashed together to form arches 7 feet high. Other up- 

 rights were then added until the poles formed a complete wall and 

 were only " a short step apart." Smaller poles, called " latas " in 

 Spanish, were then lashed on the outside of the uprights at intervals 

 of about a foot (fig. 108). The thatching material — tule, carrizo. 

 brakes, or grass — was laid on in tiers, the lowest tier standing 

 u])right with the butt end in the ground to form a firm base for 

 the wall and subsequent tiers upside down, as the inverted leaves 

 shed water better. The material used for lashing this house was 

 mescal fiber. Outer " latas," opposite the inner ones, hold the 

 thatch firm, and it is sewed in place l)v means of a great needle 

 of willow wood which is poked through the thatch, two workers 

 being required at this stage of the construction. The thatching, 

 when compressed, is only four inches thick, and is impervious 

 to wind and rain. At the top of the house an ample hole is left 

 for the exit of smoke. A fire place with pot-resting stone occupies 

 the center of the earth floor. 



