264 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Boll. 176 



feet wide, and ranged in length from 11 to 22.5 feet. The northern 

 end of the northernmost trench, Feature 21, made a short right- 

 angle turn to the west. These three trenches were nearly devoid of 

 artifacts or other remains, although Feature 21 contained clay-pipe 

 fragments and a portion of an inlaid catlinite pipe bowl. A few 

 pieces of animal bone were found in each of the trenches. Few infer- 

 ences can be made as to their function though it is just possible that 

 these three shallow trenches represent the start of a series of build- 

 ings or enclosures that were never completed. They definitely were 

 not latrine trenches, though their forms and locations indicated this. 

 It is possible that they had served as borrow pits, perhaps even 

 provided earth for the cabin roofs. 



SMALL TRENCHES 



Two small curtain trenches extended into the post enclosure from 

 the palisade line, at right angles. One of these. Feature 53, was in 

 the southeastern corner of the enclosure and contained eight cotton- 

 wood posts 0.4 foot in diameter. This feature was 4.7 feet long, 0.7 

 foot wide, and 1.2 feet deep. It seems possible that a wall of posts 

 was erected here to serve as an enclosure and shelter for a horse corral. 



Feature 54 was situated on the western side of the enclosure. It 

 consisted of a trench that was 3.6 feet long, 0.7 to 0.8 foot wide, and 1 

 foot deep. No evidence of posts was found and the function of this 

 feature is imknown. 



Two small trenches (F-22 and F-51), oriented north and south, 

 were south of the buildings on the north side of the enclosure. Fea- 

 ture 22 was 10.2 feet long, 0.7 foot wide, and 1.4 feet deep. It con- 

 tained three cottonwood posts 0.4 foot in diameter and may have serv^ed 

 as a screen for the western cabin, Feature 62. Associated with it 

 were two shallow pits (F-18 and F-23) which had probably been 

 used for the smoke tanning of hides. 



Feature 51 was located immediately in front of the middle of the 

 shed. Feature 65. This small trench was 3.8 feet long, 0.5 foot wide, 

 and 1.6 feet deep. Wood dust found in the fill suggested that posts 

 had been in the trench at one time. The location of this feature sug- 

 gests that it was perhaps once used as a hitching rack for horses that 

 were kept in the adjacent shed (F-65). 



LARGE PITS 



Eight large pits (Features 4, 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 60, and 61) were 

 found within the post enclosure; five of them were grouped around 

 the front of the range of buildings in the northern half of the enclo- 

 sure. Five of these pits (Features 4, 6, 7, 13, and 15) were oriented 



