An opening was also left
at the top for the escape of the smoke, a fire being kindled in
the center inside.

[Illustration: _Drawing by Jorgensen_.
INDIAN O'-CHUM.
This style of house, made of cedar poles covered with bark, is
more easily heated than any other form of dwelling known.]

One of these huts would hold a family of a half-dozen persons,
with all their household property, dogs included; and there is
no other form of a single-room dwelling that can be kept warm
and comfortable in cold weather with so little fire, as this
Indian _o'-chum._

Their under-bedding usually consisted of the skins of bears,
deer, antelope or elk, and the top covering was a blanket or robe
made of the skins of small fur-bearing animals, such as rabbits,
hares, wildcats and foxes. The skins were cut in narrow strips,
which were loosely twisted so as to bring the fur entirely around
on the outside, and then woven into a warp of strong twine made
of the fine, tough, fibrous bark of a variety of milkweed
(_Asclepias speciosa_). These fur robes were very warm, and were
also used as wraps when traveling in cold weather.

During the warm summer season they generally lived outside in
brush arbors, and used their _o'-chums_ as storage places.

CLOTHING.

Their clothing was very simple and scant, before being initiated
into the use of a more ample and complete style of covering while
living at the reservations. The ordinary full complement of dress
for a man (_Nung'-ah_) was simply a breech-clout, or short
hip-skirt made of skins; that for a woman (_O'-hoh_) was a
skirt reaching from the waist to the knees, made of dressed
deerskin finished at the bottom with a slit fringe, and sometimes
decorated with various fancy ornaments. Both men and women
frequently wore moccasins made of dressed deer or elk skin. Young
children generally went entirely nude.

[Illustration: _Drawing by Jorgensen_.
YOSEMITE MAIDEN IN NATIVE DRESS.
This buckskin costume has now been replaced by the unpicturesque
calico of civilization.]

CHARACTERISTICS.

The Indians of the various tribes in this part of the Sierras
vary somewhat in physical characteristics, but in general are of
medium height, strong, lean and agile, and the men are usually
fine specimens of manhood. They are rather light in color, but
frequently rub their bodies with some kind of oil, which gives
the flesh a much redder and more glossy appearance. The hair is
black and straight, and t