8 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Uvu.. 09 



T\n^ ])c.o\)\vt arc mostly a^riciilturistB, and very primitive tillers of 

 the soil, and turn to fishing; and to what little huntinjj: there is still 

 to be done as the seasons and the white man's law allows! They live 

 as a rule in 1-room log cabins, covered with hewn boards, although 

 fiv(i or six families live in frame houses built by natives or half 

 bloods that have learned the art in the Government schools. The 

 (Cabins are scattered about the two slopes of the cove, at least 500 to 

 ()()() yards, often a mile and more, from each other. This does not 

 ])revent the inmates from knowing all that happens in the valley. 

 lOven if Cherok(H^ eyes are no longer trained on the warpath, they are 

 still Mimoyingly keen! 



There is ((uit(^ a remarkable spirit of tribal and social solidarity 

 reigning among the people (cf. pp. 80-81); against a white intruder, 

 whetiier he be a CJovernment oflicial or not, a glacial reserve is ob- 

 served, Mti<l it takes weeks and months in some cases to break down 

 this inhibition against the whites. Tiiese people have known abom- 

 inable treatment and tyrannic oppression at our hands, and they 

 know how to remember. Their only word by which they can refer 

 to a white nuin is identical with their expression for " (ho is) a moan 

 fellow." 



It was quite didicult to coax the only num who had a spare room — 

 a dilapidated attic, used as a storeroom for all nondescript scraps 

 and heaps of filth and rubbish — into allowing us to live in it. Finally, 

 the almighty dolhu" scored a victory over his ])atriotic tribal feelings, 

 and wo wore indid'erently, if not reluctantly, admitted to share Ms 

 leaky roof. This attic was the best post of observation one could 

 have wislunl for: not only did it from three sides command a view of 

 tlie most im])ortant section of the valley, but also the "ball ground" 

 ncMir the river, and the five main trails of the cove could be leisurely 

 obs(>rv(Ml without any one suspecting it. But the facilities these 

 ({uarters ailorded us for studying the home life of the fajiiily we lived 

 with were an even greater advantage; the floor of rough-hewn rafters 

 had ci-acks in diU'erent ])laces; this exposed our landlord underneath 

 us to a shower of boiling colFee whenever our primitive stove toppled 

 over, but also afl'orded us the immense pleasure of listening at nights 

 to the conversation, (he songs, and the other manifestations of family 

 life going on round the hearth lire. 



The very fact that we had come from so far, and from the east 

 (the dir(H*tion of favor, luck, and fortimo), "to learn their language, 

 and to listen to their beautiful stories," that we lived with one of 

 their own people in his house, that we cut our own wood, carried our 

 own supplies, etc., gradually smoothed the frown from numy faces 

 and softened the scowling look in numy eyes. Soon we had pro- 

 gressed so far that we knew the joy of being looked upon, if not as 

 one of them, at least as congenial noighboi"s. 



