Page:The History of the American Indians.djvu/429

 the North American Indians.

I iliall now dcfcribe their method of building houfes to fecure themfelves and their food from injury They are a very dilatory people, and noted for procraftinating every thing that admits of the lead delay : but they are the readied, and quickeft of all people in going to fhed blood, and return ing home ; whence the traders fay, " that an Indian is never in hafte, only when the devil is at his arfe." This proverb is fully verified by their method of building ; for while the memory of the bleak pinching, winds lafts, and they are covered with their winter-blackened (kins, they turn out early in the fpring, to ftrip clap- boards and cyprefs-bark, for the co vering of their houfes : but in proportion as the fun advances, they ufually defift from their undertaking during that favourable feafon ; fay ing, " that in the time of warm weather, they generally plant in the fields, or go to war ; and that building houfes in the troublefome hot fum- mer, is a needlefs and foolim affair, as it occafions much fweating," which is the moft offenfive thing in life to every red warrior of manly principles. On this account, if we except the women chopping fire- wood for daily ufe, it is as rare to hear the found of an ax in their countries, as if they lived under the unhofpitable torrid zone ; or were nearly related to the South-American animal Pigritia, that makes two or three days journey in going up a tree, and is as long in returning. When the cold weather ap proaches, they return to their work, and neceffity forces them then to per form what a timely precaution might have executed with much more eafe. When they build, the whole town, and frequently the neareft of their tribe in neighbouring towns, afllft one another, well knowing that many hands make fpeedy work of that, which would have difcouraged any of them from ever attempting by himfelf. In one day, they build, daub with their tough mortar mixed with dry grafs, and thoroughly finift, a good com modious houfe.

They firft trace the dimenfions of the intended fabric, and every one has his talk prefcribed him after the exa&eft manner. In a few hours they get the timber ready from the ftump : every piece being marked, it is readily applied to the proper place, in a great hurry, and fo very fecure, as if it were to fcreen them from an approaching hurricane. Not- \vithftanding they build in this hafty manner, their houfes are commonly genteel and convenient. For their fummer houfes, they generally fix ftrong pofts of pitch-pine deep in the ground, which will latt for feveral agesThe ttees of dried locuil, and faffafras, are likewife very durable.

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