BUSHNELL] NATIVE VILLAGES AND VILLAGE SITES 49 
as they can. They cover their houses, laying the smooth side in- 
wards, leaving an open space of about a foot wide in the crown, to 
let out the smoke. They lap the side edges and ends over each other, 
having regard to the shrinking of the bark, securing the covering with 
withes to the lathings. A crack or rent they shut up, and in this 
manner they make their houses proof against wind and rain. They 
have one door in the center of the house. When the bark of the ash 
and chestnut trees is not loose, they have recourse to the timber trees, 
which grow along the brooks, the bark of which can be taken off during 
the whole summer season. Durability is a primary object in their 
houses. In short, their houses are tight and tolerably warm, but 
they know nothing of chambers, halls, and closetings. They kindle 
and keep their fires in the middle of their houses, from one end to the 
other, and the opening in the crown of the roof lets out the smoke. 
From sixteen to eighteen families frequently dwell in one house, 
according to its size. The fire being. kept in the middle, the people 
lay on either side thereof, and each family has its own place. 
In their villages and their castles they always build strong, firm works, 
adapted to the places. For the erection of these castles, or strong 
holds, they usually select a situation on the side of a steep high hill, 
near a stream or river, which is difficult of access, except from the 
water, and imaccessible on every other side, with a level plain on the 
crown of the hill, which they enclose with a strong stockade work in 
asingular manner. First they lay along on the ground large logs of 
wood, and frequently smaller logs upon the lower logs, which serve 
for the foundation of the work. Then they place strong oak pali- 
sades in the ground on both sides of the foundation, the upper ends 
of which cross each other and are joined together. In the upper cross 
of the palisades they then place the bodies of trees, which makes the 
work strong and firm. . . . Intheircastles, ee frequently have 
twenty or thirty houses. . . . Besides theirstrong holds, they have . 
villages and towns which are eaelced Those jae ieee wood- . 
land on the one side, and corn lands on the other sides. They also 
frequently have villages near the water sides, at fishing places, where 
they plant some vegetables; but they leave these places every year on 
the approach of winter, and retire to their strong places, or into the 
thick woods, where they are protected from the winds, and where fuel is 
plenty, and where there is game and venison. Thus they subsist by 
hunting and fishmg throughout the year. Their castles and large 
towns they seldom leave altogether. From other situations they re- 
move frequently, and they seldom remain long at other places. In 
the summer, and in the fishing seasons, many come to the water sides 
and rivers. In the fall and winter, when venison is best, they retire 
to the woods and hunting grounds. Sometimes towards the spring of 
the year, they come in multitudes to the sea shores and bays, to take 
108851°—19—_4. 
