396 TSIMSHIAN MYTHOLOGY [eth. ann. 31 



In the roof was the smoke hole (N 116); and under it, in the center 

 of the house, the fire. The seat of honor was in the rear of the house, 

 behind the fire; whde guests were placed at the side of the fire, prob- 

 ably most frequently on the right-hand side (see p. 437). Old people 

 would enjoy sitting near the fire, warming their backs (162, 234). 

 In one tale the Southwest Wind is described as sitting near the fire 

 with the back to the door of the house (80) ; but this arrangement is 

 probably due only to the particular plot of the story, which required 

 this position. In N 146 we hear of a princess sleeping in the rear of 

 the house, while a poor boy sleeps near the fire. 



Firewood. — Getting of firewood was one of the occupations that 

 required a great deal of time and attention. This work was done 

 by the men. The material used for firewood was pitch wood (299), 

 spruce (119), or driftwood (299). Rotten cedar was considered a very 

 poor kind of fuel (119), which was collected only by inexperienced 

 men. In one tale we learn that the Bear's wife collected fuel and 

 started the fire in the house (1.153). This is undoubtedly contrary 

 to the custom. Bad fuel produces disagreeable smoke in the house 

 (299). When food was to be boiled, a very large fire was built in 

 the middle of the house, and stones were put on; these were thrown 

 into steaming-boxes as soon as they were red-hot (N 131), and used 

 also for steaming meat in pits (1.103). 



Torches. — For any work to be done outside of the house during the 

 night, torches made of pitch wood, maple bark, or of olachen were 

 used (193-194, 208, 323). 



Underground House. — There is a peculiar reference in 1.181, in 

 which it is said that a slave of the Killer Whales falls down from 

 a ladder with his bucket. He throws the water into the fire, and 

 thus creates thick steam in the house, which enables a visitor to 

 escape. It is quite obvious that this incident can not refer to the 

 ordinary square houses of the Indians, but that here the underground 

 lodges of the interior are referred to, in which a ladder leads from the 

 roof right down to the fireplace. It is remarkable that this incident 

 has been preserved wherever the story is told on the coast. In this 

 connection may be mentioned the visit of a man to the house of sea 

 lions, into which he descends along a ladder (1.129). 



Storehouses. — When provisions were plentiful, special storehouses 

 were built. Thus we hear in N 158 of four houses full of provisions — 

 one for salmon; one for bullheads; one for seals, porpoises, sea lions; 

 and one for whales. In the same way we learn (242, N 176) of 

 • houses filled with provisions — one for porpoise meat, one in which 

 seal blubber was kept in boxes. A storage-hut behind the house is 

 mentioned on 175. 



Smolce-Houses. — Fish was prepared in smoke-houses (77, 159, 251). 

 Rotten hemlock was considered the best wood for smoking salmon (89). 



