swANTONl INDIAN TKIBKS OF T 1 1 K I.OWKK M ISSISSLI'IM VAI.LKV Gl 



sprcMil citlit'i' a woolen cox criii.:^ wliicli lias lircii olilaiiinl Irom I lie l''rciicli or, 

 failiiiu that, a bison skin. 'I'wo of tlii'sc skins are enousli ooverinK for one 

 savau'o. 1I(> lies Ijetween tlicin. In winter between the hairy sides and in sum- 

 mer hclwccii the sides witliont hair." 



These Iteds are raised a foot and a half from the earth. Six small forked 

 sticks planted in tlie soil hear two poles crossed by three i)iecos of wood, on 

 W'hidj they place canes so near eacli other lluil this kind of lloorinu' whicli 

 forms tile straw mattress is very smooth and well honiul to the three itieces 

 of wood that cross the two pedes. The fnrnishings. of these beds consist of 

 some l)earskins. A skin filled witli dry S|tanish heard takes the place of a 

 bolster. A bison robe is sntlicieiit covering in a place as close as are their 

 cal)ins, in the nnddle of which the lire is made, and the smoke goes ont partly 

 by the door, partly tlirotij:h the roof, though with ditticulty. The beds are 

 arranged end to end all aronnd the wall of the cabin.'' 



In the account of the Natchez <iiv(Mi I)v Lo Petit one or two addi- 

 tional items of information are contained. In speaking of the cabin 

 of the ofcat cliicf. he says: 



There are in this cabin a nnndier of beds on the left hand at entering, but 

 on the right is only the bed of the great chief, ornamented with different iiainted 

 figures. This bed consists of nothing more than a very liard mattress of canes 

 and reeds with a square log of wood, w-hich serves as a pillow.^ 



AMien out on a hunt or travel ing, the ordinary Natchez bed con- 

 sisted of nothinc: more than a deerskin and a bison robe.'' 

 Another article of furniture is thus referred to: 



The natives have small seats or stools on which they sit. I do not know 

 whether they made use of them before having our axes. I much doubt it when 

 I consider their small inclination to sit on them. These seats are only 6 or 7 

 inches high. The feet and the seat are of the same piece.*^ 



Nevertheless the manufacture of a peculiar chair of this kind by 

 Indians in imitation of the French seems rather uidikely. especially 

 when we remember that one of them formed the throne of the Great 

 Chief. 



Mats are ordinarily 6 feet long by 4 broad and are worked in designs. 

 The gloss of the cane'^ yellows in aging. There are those the designs of which 

 besides being indicated by difference in workmanship are marlved by splints 

 colored some in retl. some in blacli. making three different colors in these mats.^ 



These were used to sit or lie upon, and the beds were covered with 

 them. AMien the chief of the Taensa came to visit La Salle a servant 

 broiiirht a l)eautifu]ly woven niiit in advance for him to sit upon 

 durino- the interview.'' 



" Dumont, M^m. Hist, sur La Louisiane, i, 144-145. 



"Du Pratz. Hist, de La Louisiane, ii, 181-182. 



"^ Jes. Rcl., Lxviii, 127. 



<> Dii Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, i, 235, 236. 



<• Ibid., II, 182. 



f For the kind of cane used see p. 58, under Knives. 



" Du Pratz, Hist, de La Louisiane, ii, 182-183. 



*Maigry, Decouvertes, ii, 210. 



