101

95.

An Indian Wigwam.

Mr. Marks having acquainted me that some
Indians Indigenous had established themselves in the vicinity
of his farm a few miles off for the purpose of hunting
the muskrat that burrows in numbers at this season
on the banks of the Cataraqui, Doctor Macleroy and
myself started in company for the purpose of paying
them a visit. After an hour's walk, a lad at the door of a
Shanty directed us to go down about a mile further in
the Bush and then listen for the crowing of their rooster.
Sure enough we had not proceeded far when their roosters
proclaimed the direction where lay the hunters habitation.

This erection consisted of a few slender poles droven
into the ground on the fork end of which rested the
corresponding transverse ones. On these slender rafters
lay in diagonal direction a lean-to-roof composed
of long pieces of bark stripped from the neighbouring
trees, and peeled off with the greatest nicety in considerable
lengths, having the concave side of the bark placed
upwards so as to answer the purpose of a tile roof, receiving
the rain and conducting it into a sort of a trench
from whence it was conveyed perfectly clear of the
Wig wam on each side down the declivity of the small
rising ground against which the ends of the bark
rested the peelings of bark were fastened to the rafters
in a most injenious and simple manner with
strips of tough rind obtained from young [sapplings?].

This constituted the sleeping apartment

95.

An Indian Wigwam.

Mr. Marks having acquainted me that some
Indians Indigenous had established themselves in the vicinity
of his farm a few miles off for the purpose of hunting
the muskrat that burrows in numbers at this season
on the banks of the Cataraqui, Doctor Macleroy and
myself started in company for the purpose of paying
them a visit. After an hour's walk, a lad at the door of a
Shanty directed us to go down about a mile further in
the Bush and then listen for the crowing of their rooster.
Sure enough we had not proceeded far when their roosters
proclaimed the direction where lay the hunters habitation.

This erection consisted of a few slender poles droven
into the ground on the fork end of which rested the
corresponding transverse ones. On these slender rafters
lay in diagonal direction a lean-to-roof composed
of long pieces of bark stripped from the neighbouring
trees, and peeled off with the greatest nicety in considerable
lengths, having the concave side of the bark placed
upwards so as to answer the purpose of a tile roof, receiving
the rain and conducting it into a sort of a trench
from whence it was conveyed perfectly clear of the
Wig wam on each side down the declivity of the small
rising ground against which the ends of the bark
rested the peelings of bark were fastened to the rafters
in a most injenious and simple manner with
strips of tough rind obtained from young [sapplings?].

This constituted the sleeping apartment