PAP.Nalsf' FORT PIERRE II — SMITH 123 



ous with the platform, by charred fragments of timber sills, from 

 which accurate measurements could not be obtamed. These archi- 

 tectural details marked the alinement of the south elevation, and the 

 east and west corners of a small building approximately 18 feet wide, 

 overall, undoubtedly of timber. No further architectural detail was 

 obtainable, the northerly portion of the structure having been com- 

 pletely destroyed, probably during cultivation, leaving only the scant- 

 iest scattered debris. Even charcoal bits and ash were sparse in this 

 area. There were, however, hard-packed areas, probably remnants 

 of the original earth floor of the building, within the area partly out- 

 lined by the sills, and some of these packed areas were slightly 

 scorched and reddened. 



The building that had stood here had been destroyed by fire, and 

 the very sills of the building had been burnt. That the adobe-brick 

 platform, immediately beyond the wall, was not accidentally fired 

 in the process may be explained by supposing that it was protected 

 from the fire by other material from a collapsed chimney, subse- 

 quently removed by cultivation. The few kiln-fired red brick found, 

 midoubtedly brought to the site by steamboat, had probably been 

 used in this chimney as well. The adobe bricks of the platform were 

 not sufficiently well preserved to permit isolating complete individual 

 specimens. The bricks measured 5 to 6 inches in width, and ap- 

 proximately 1 foot in length, and appeared to be approximately 3 to 4 

 inches in thickness. They showed no evidence of having been made 

 with a bmder such as straw, and had probably been specially made for 

 use in the chimney base. 



The building in question (House-site A) has been referred to as 

 a dwelling. This conclusion seems inescapable in view of the small 

 size of the original, the fact that it had been provided with a rather 

 substantial chimney (apparently used with a stove), and that it had 

 had only earth floors. In the disturbed fill covering this building 

 site, some few further clues to original construction were obtained 

 upon excavation, including three fragments of lime plaster (perhaps 

 from upper portions of the chimney), a quantity of small fragments 

 of window glass (some of which were scorched or melted, probably 

 during the burning of the building) , numerous nails, and some minor 

 building hardware. 



Other specimens obtained here illustrate original furnishings and 

 reveal the essentially domestic character of the building. Among 

 these are the blade of a spade, a fragment of cast-iron stove, num- 

 erous sherds and broken objects of stoneware and white and colored 

 earthenware, a table fork with wooden handle (fragmentary), frag- 

 ments of glass tumblers, a group of animal and bird bones (probably 

 food refuse), and small personal possessions that support the identifi- 

 cation of the building as a dwelling. Among the latter is a group 



