ment or a stick, whittled to the shape
of a paper-cutter or dull chisel, under the edge of the bark and carefully
peeling it back. If it is necessary to "tote" the bark any distance over
the trail, Fig. 38 shows how to roll it up and how to bind the roll with
cord or rope so that it may be slung on the back as the man is "toting" it
in Fig. 36.

Building the Pontiac

To build a Pontiac, first erect the uprights _E_ and _E_, Fig. 37, then
the other two similar uprights at the rear and lay the side-plates _G_ in
the forks of the uprights; next erect the upright _H_ and one in the rear
to correspond, and across this lay the ridge-pole. Next take a couple of
logs and put them at the foot of the _E_ poles, or, if you want more room,
further back toward where the roof poles _F_ will come. Place one of these
logs on top of the other as shown in Figs. 36 and 39. Keep them in place
by driving sticks on each side of them. Put two more logs upon the other
side of the Pontiac and then lay your roof poles or rafters up against the
side-plates and over the logs as shown in diagrams 36, 37, and 39. Fig. 36
shows the roof partially shingled and the sides partially covered, so that
you may better understand how it is done.

Shingling with Bark

Commence at the bottom and lay the first row with the edges overlapping
for walls; for the roof you may lay one row of shingles from the bottom up
to the ridge and hold them in place by resting a pole on them; then lay
the next row of shingles alongside by slipping the edges under the first.
When you have the two sides covered, put bark over the ridge as shown in
Fig. 36. This will make a beautiful and comfortable little camp.

Fig. 36. Fig. 37. Fig. 38. Fig. 39.

[Illustration: The Pontiac of birch bark.]

To Keep Out Cold

Built as here described, the cold wind might come through in the
winter-time, but if you can gather a lot of Sphagnum moss from the nearest
swamp and cover your roof with it and then shingle that over with another
layer of birch bark, the cold wind will not come through your roof. If you
treat your side walls in the same manner and heap dirt up around the edges
of them, you will have a comfortable winter camp.

In the winter-time you will find it very difficult to peel the birch bark
or any other kind of bark, but when the sap is flowing it is not so
difficult to secure bark slabs from many varieties of trees.

VIII

INDIAN COMMUNAL HOUSES

WHEN t