54 INDIANS OF THE PLAINS. 



the woman leans over and with a sidewise movement 



removes the surface in chips or shavings, the action 

 of the tool resembling that of a hand plane. After the 

 flesh side has received this treatment, the hide is 

 turned and the hair scraped away in the same manner. 

 This completes the rawhide process and the subse- 

 quent treatment is determined by the use to be made 

 of it, 



The soft-tan finish as given to buffalo and deer hides 

 for robes, soft bags, etc., is the same in its initial stages 

 as the preceding. After fleshing and scraping, the 

 rawhide is laid upon the ground and the surface rubbed 

 over with an oily compound composed of brains and 

 fat often mixed w r ith liver. This is usually rubbed on 

 with the hands. Any kind of fat may be used for 

 this purpose though the preferred substance is as 

 stated above. The writer observed several instances 

 in which mixtures of packing house lard, baking flour, 

 and warm water were rubbed over the rawhide as a 

 substitute. The rawhide is placed in the sun, after 

 the fatty compound has been thoroughly worked into 

 the texture by rubbing with a smooth stone that the 

 heat may aid in its further distribution. When quite 

 dry, the hide is saturated with warm water and for a 

 time kept rolled up in a bundle. In this state, it 

 usually shrinks and requires a great deal of stretching 

 to get it back to its approximate former size. This 

 is accomplished by pulling with the hands and feet, 

 two persons being required to handle a large skin. 

 After this, come the rubbing and drying processes. 



