STEVENSON. ] SWEAT HOUSES. 239 
with a second ring, and so did Hostjobokon and Hostjoboard alter- 
nately, until the twelve rings were disposed of. Three of the rings 
were afterward taken to the east, three to the south, three to the west, 
and three to the north, and deposited at the base of pinon trees. The 
rings were placed over the invalid’s mouth to give him strength, cause 
him to talk with one tongue, and to have a good mind and heart. The 
other portious of the body were touched with them for physical benefit. 
When the rings had all been rolled out of the lodge Hasjelti entered, 
followed by Hostjoghon. He passed the square (the concentrated winds) 
four times over the head of the invalid during his hoots. Hostjoghon 
then waved his turkey wands about the head and body of the invalid, and 
the first day’s ceremony was at an end. 
SECOND DAY. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE SWEAT HOUSES. 
The construction of the first sweat house, or tachi, was begun at 
dawn. Four of these houses were built on four consecutive mornings, 
each one located about 400 feet distant from the great central medi- 
cine lodge, toward the four cardinal points, and all facing to the east. 
The first one built was east of the lodge. A description of the con- 
struction of this particular one will answer for all, but the ceremonies 
differ in detail. 
Four upright poles, forked at the upper ends, were placed at the four 
cardinal points within an area designated as the base of the house, the 
forked ends resting against each other, a circular excavation some 6 
feet in diameter and 1 foot in depth having first been made. Between 
the uprights smaller poles were laid; on the poles pion boughs, sage and 
Bigelovia Douglasii (a kind of sage brush) were placed as a thatch; all 
being laid sufficiently compact to prevent the sand placed over the top 
from sifting through. The doorway, on the east side of the house, 
was about 24 feet high and 20 inches wide. Highly polished sticks (the 
same as those employed in blanket weaving) were used to render the 
sand covering of the structure smooth. The sweat houses to the east 
and west had the rainbow painted over them. Those to the north and 
south were devoid of such decoration, because the song priest seldom 
completes his medicine in one ceremonial; and he chose to omit the 
songs which would be required if the bow ornamented the north and 
south sweat houses. Under the direction of the priest of the sweat 
house, who received instruction from the song priest, three young men 
painted the rainbow, one the head and body, another the skirt and legs, 
while the third painted the bow. The head of this goddess was to the 
north, the bow extending over the structure. The colors used were 
made from ground pigments sprinkled on with the thumb and forefinger. 
Whenever a pinch of the dry paint was taken from the pieces of bark 
which served as paint cups, the artist breathed upon the hand before 
