.MTM1OA.MTE0ODMw

75 of buffalo hide was relatively a ? abode in the severest winters. The hair and thick skin forming an effectual wind break, but since the extinction of the buffalo, duck and cotton goods have been used and it has become necessary to erect a wind break around the outside of the lodge this is done by building a frame work about three sides north, east & west, and tying to this brush or piles with the teepee leaning to the center. The south side is usually open. this auxilliary wind break in a ? source the purpose of hair as the hides let even so made and sheltered the modern teepee is colder and were it not for the fact that the squaw like the bear grows very fat in winter she must inevitable die of cold from her exposed position and scanty dress.

  The size of the teepee varies somewhat the average being about fifteen to eighteen feet in diameter and twelve of fourteen feet high. and as shown it is of a conical form:  It would seem like an impossible task to erect a teepee without machinery as they are very heavy and the hight of twelve feet precludes the possibility reaching the apex from the ground nevertheless a brace of squaws will put up a teepee in a short time.  They spread out the cover on the ground, tie three lodge poles together to form a tripod. and lifting up the sides thrust the apex of the tripod through the opening in the cover of the teepee a thong of leather is then made fast to the apex of the cover and end carried over the apex of the tripod. over this thong one squaw pulls to raise the cover while the other spreads out the legs of the tripod.  when they are fully spread the other poles are put in.  they may number from fifteen to twenty and the house or teepee after pegging the edge to the ground is complete.   The pegs are driven in the ground through holes n the edge teepee ? and the ? for it usually to have a seam along one sides of the teepee is secured by a peg thrust through the stuff by which the edges are brought together.  To take down the teepee the loose poles are removed and the operations reversed   At the top of the teepee is arranged a pair of wing like flaps that in most cases are kept distended by poles to the center end.  then are placed in such position that the opening is narrowed or widen as occasion required. and their position is changed according to the position of the wind  This bottom is spread out so that the sides or outline is an equilateral triangle.  In the mountain districts the latter is still more spread.  In the center is built a fire which is a ring meager and at all times smoky affair  fuel is scarce and in the absence of wood the dried dung of the buffalo