Rocky Mountains. 105 



base of the lodge, in such a manner as effectually to exclude 

 the sunshine. We were sorry to find afterwards that this 

 had been done not more from motives of hospitality, than to 

 aid them in their design of pilfering from our baggage. 



These skin lodges, are the only habitations of the wan- 

 dering savages, during all seasons of the year. Those 

 of the Kaskaias differ in no respect from those we have 

 already described, as used by the Otoes and others of 

 the Missouri Indians. The poles, which are six or eight to 

 each lodge, are from twenty to thirty feet in length, and are 

 dragged constantly about in all their movements, so that the 

 trace of a party with lodges is easily distinguished from that 

 of a war party. When they halt to encamp, the women im- 

 mediately set up these poles, four of them being tied toge- 

 ther by the smaller ends, the larger resting on the ground, 

 are placed so far apart as to include as much space as the 

 covering will surround. The remaining poles are added to 

 strengthen the work and give it a circular form. 



The covering is then made fast by one corner to the end 

 of the last pole, which is to be raised, by which means it is 

 spread upon the frame with little difficulty. The structure 

 when completed is in the form of a sharp cone. At the sum- 

 mit is a small opening for window, chimney, &c., out of 

 which the lodge poles project some distance, crossing each 

 other at the point where the four shortest are tied together. 

 The skin lodge, of which a drawing by Mr. Peale is annex- 

 ed, is greatly inferior in point of comfort, particularly in win- 

 ter season, to the spacious mud cabins of the settled In- 

 dians. 



The poles, necessary for the construction of these move- 

 able dwellings, are not to be found in any part of the coun- 

 try of the Kaskaias, but are purchased from the Indians ot 

 the Missouri, or others inhabiting countries more plentifully 

 supplied with timber. We were informed by Bijeau, that 



VOL. II. 14 



