Villages of the Algonquian, Siouan, and Caddoan Tribes West of the MississippiBushnell, David I. (David Ives)
History
Villages of the Algonquian, Siouan, and Caddoan Tribes West of the Mississippi
Bushnell, David I. (David Ives)
Algonquian Indians; Caddoan Indians; Indians of North America -- Dwellings; Siouan Indians
"The Cottages that are inhabited, are not each of them for a private
Family, for in some of them are fifteen or twenty, each of which has its
Nook or Corner, Bed and other Utensils to its self: but without any
Partition to separate it from the rest: However, they have Nothing in
Common besides the Fire, which is in the Midst of the Hut, and never
goes out. It is made of great Trees, the Ends whereof are laid together,
so that when once lighted, it lasts a long Time, and the first Comer
takes Care to keep it up." Here follows a brief description of the
appearance of the structures of the village, the dwellings resembling
those later mentioned as being typical of the Wichita. "The Cottages are
round at the Top, after the manner of a Bee-Hive, or a Reek of Hay. Some
of them are sixty Foot Diameter." There follows a brief account of the
method of constructing such a house. "In order to build them, they plant
Trees as thick as a Man's thigh, tall and strait, and placing them in a
Circle, and joyning the Tops together, from the Dome, or round Top, then
they lash and cover them with Weeds. When they remove their Dwellings,
they generally burn the Cottages they leave, and build new on the Ground
they design to inhabit. Their Moveables are some Bullocks Hides and
Goats Skins well cur'd, some Mats close wove, wherewith they adorn their
Huts, and some Earthen Vessels, which they are very skilful at making,
and wherein they boil their Flesh or Roots, or _Sagamite_, which, as has
been said, is their Pottage. They have also some small Baskets made of
Canes, serving to put in their Fruit and other Provisions. Their Beds
are made of Canes, rais'd two or three Foot above the Ground, handsomely
fitted with Mats and Bullocks Hides, or Goats Skins well cur'd, which
serve them for Feather Beds, or Quilts and Blankets; and those Beds are
parted one from another by Mats hung up." (Joutel, (1), pp. 106-109.)
The preceding is probably the clearest description of the furnishings of
a native structure standing beyond the Mississippi during the last
quarter of the seventeenth century that has been preserved. The large
circular structures served as the dwelling place of many individuals.
The beds were placed, so it may be assumed, in a line around the wall,
each separated from its neighbor by a mat. A large fire burned in the
center of the space. In many respects the large dwellings of the Caddo
must have closely resembled the great round structures which stood north
of St. Augustine, Florida, about the year 1700. (Bushnell, (1), pp.
84-86.)
Brief accounts of the many small tribes living south of the Arkansas
River soon after the transfer of Louisiana contain references to the
numerous villages, but fail, unfortunately, to describe the structures
in detail. (Sibley, (1), pp. 721-725.) The dwellings probably resembled
those already mentioned as standing a century and more before.
CONCLUSION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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