144: WILD SPORTS IN THE FAR A7EST. 



other on the ground at the proper distance, two others 

 are laid across their ends to form the square, and fitted 

 into each other with notches, which makes the build- 

 ing all the firmer, and closes the crevices. In this 

 way the walls are run up, but without any entrance. 

 Ours being an old house rebuilt, the logs all fitted each 

 other, and door and chimney were already cut, which, in 

 other cases, has to be done with the axe after the walls 

 are up. The roof is then laid, and, Swiss fashion, has 

 to be secured with weights, to prevent its being blown 

 away ; but wood being more plentiful here than stone, 

 heavy poles, called weight-poles, or young trees are 

 used instead. 



Although the heat was oppressive, our work went on 

 rapidly, and we soon had the house up all but the 

 chimney, which, it being summer, was not so necessary. 

 Besides, dabbling with moist clay being dirty and dis- 

 agreeable work, the chimney is generally left until it is 

 too cold to do without it. June 10th, we began our 

 fence, so that the cattle might not walk into the house, 

 and also to secure the calves, that the cows might come 

 to be milked. 



The fences are formed of split logs of black or red 

 oak, or liickory, ten or eleven feet long, and four or five 

 inches thick, these Avoods splitting easily ; the fences 

 are laid zigzag, and carried to a height that no 

 horse, much less a cow, can jump over. This was hard 

 work, and the heat oppressive ; I felt very feverish, and 

 had a severe headache, but as the work could not go on 

 without me, I would not hang back. On a sudden 

 eveiy thing began to dance before my eyes, then all was 

 dark, and I fell fainting to the ground. I soon re- 



