572 PREHISTORIC VILLAGES IN TENNESSEE (ETH. ANN. 41 
some are built of clay mixed with cut straw, which seemed to me to be tolerably 
strong, and which were covered within and without with very thin mats. That 
of the great chief is very neatly plastered on the inside. It is also larger and 
higher than the rest, placed on a somewhat elevated spot, and stands alone, no 
other building adjoining it on any side. It fronts the north and has a large 
open space in front, not of the most regular outline. 
* * * * * * * 
The natives go into the young woods in search of young walnut (hickory) 
trees 4 inches in diameter by 18 to 20 feet long. They plant the largest at the 
four corners to determine the dimensions and the size of the dome. But before 
planting the others they prepare the scaffold (rafters). This is composed of 
four poles fastened together above, the ends below resting at the four corners. 
On these four poles they fasten others crosswise 1 foot apart, all making a four- 
sided ladder or four ladders joined together. 
That done they plant the other poles in the earth in straight lines between those 
at the corners. When they are thus planted they are bound firmly to a cross pole 
on the inside of each face (or side). For this purpose they use great cane splints 
to bind them, at the height of 5 or 6 feet, according to the size of the cabin. 
This is what forms the walls. These erect poles are not more than 15 inches 
apart. A young man then mounts to the top of a corner post with a cord between 
his teeth. He fastens the cord to the pole, and as he mounts inward the pole 
bends because those who are below draw the cord to make the pole curve as much 
as is needed. At the same time another young man does the same to the pole 
forming the angle opposite. Then the two poles, bent to a suitable height, are 
firmly and smoothly bound together. The same is done to the poles of the two 
remaining corners which are made to cross the first. Finally all the other poles 
are joined to the top, giving the whole the appearance of a bower in a greenhouse 
such as we have in France. After this work canes are fastened to the lower sides 
or walls crosswise about 8 inches apart, as high up as the pole which I have 
spoken of as determining the height of the walls. 
These canes being fastened in this manner, they make mud walls of earth 
mortar (mortier de terre) in which they put a certain amount of Spanish beard. 
These walls are not more than 4 inches thick. No opening is left except the 
door, which is but 2 feet wide at most by 4 in height, and some are very much 
smaller. Finally they cover the framework I have just described with cane 
mats, placing the smoothest on the inside of the cabin, and they fasten them to 
each other carefully so that they join well. 
After this they make many bundles of grass, of the tallest they can find in the 
low grounds, which are 4 or 5 feet long. It is laid down in the same manner as 
the straw with which cottages are covered. They fasten this grass by means of 
large canes and splints also made of cane. After the cabin has been covered with 
grass they cover all with cane mats well bound together, and below they make a 
circle of lianas all the way around the cabin. Then the grass is clipped uniformly, 
and in this way, however high the wind may be, it can do nothing against the 
cabin. These coverings last 20 years without repairing. 
METATE AND MULLER 
Near the line of four postholes which probably constituted a portion 
of the northwest corner of this Building A or House of the Mysteries 
were found at 34, Figure 159, a metate, and near it a muller, now in 
the National Museum (pl. 128, c). The metate immediately ad- 
joined a bed of mingled ashes, charcoal, and earth. It was 15 by 16 
inches, by 31% inches in thickness. The muller was found at 341%, 
4 feet south of the metate. The soil under the bed of ashes did not 
