ACROSS THE ROCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 257 



house of an Indian in my life, in any part of the country, with- 

 out being most cordially received and welcomed. 



The chief's house is built in the usual way, of logs and hewn 

 boards, with a roof of cedar bark, and lined inside with mats. 

 The floor is boarded and matted, and there is a depression in the 

 ground, about a foot in depth and four feet in width, extending 

 the whole length of the building in the middle, where the fires 

 are made. 



In this, as in almost every house, there is a large figure, or 

 idol, rudely carved and painted upon a board, and occupying a 

 conspicuous place. To this figure many of the Indians ascribe 

 supernatural powers. Chinamus says that if he is in any kind 

 of danger, and particulai-ly, if he is under the influence of an evil 

 spell, he has only to place himself against the image, and the 

 difficulty, of whatever kind, vanishes at once. This certainly 

 savors of idolatry, although I believe they never address the 

 uncouth figure as a deity. Like all other Indians, they acknow- 

 ledge a great and invisible spirit, who governs and controls, and 

 to whom all adoration is due. 



Attached to this establishment, are three other houses, simi- 

 larly constructed, inhabited by about thirty Indians, and at least 

 that number of dogs. These, although very useful animals in 

 their place, are here a great nuisance. They are of no possible 

 service to the Indians, except to eat their provisions, and fill their 

 houses with fleas, and a stranger approaching the lodges, is in 

 constant danger of being throttled by a legion of fierce brutes, 

 who are not half as hospitable as their masters. 



I remained here several days, making excursions through the 



neighborhood, and each time when I returned to the lodge, the 



dogs growled and darted at me. I had no notion of being bitten, 



so I gave the Indians warning, that unless the snarling beasts 



were tied up when I came near, I would shoot every one of 



them. The threat had the eflTect desired, and afler this, when- 



33 



