SOME years ago in the north country the Indians built themselves log tents
like the one shown in Fig. 187. These were the winter houses in the north
country. A ridge-pole was set up on two forked sticks and the logs slanted
up against each other and rested upon that pole. Smaller poles were then
laid up against this frame, both front and rear, all of which could then
be covered with sod or browse and made into a warm winter house. My boy
readers may build a similar house by using small poles instead of big
logs, or they may make a "northland tilt" (Fig. 189), which is a
modification of the Indian's log tent and has two side-plates (Fig. 188)
instead of one ridge-pole. The log chimney is also added, and when this is
connected with a generous fireplace the fire will brighten and warm the
interior of the tilt and make things comfortable. The chimney may be made
by first building a fireplace of sod or stone, as shown in Figs. 269 and
270, on top of which a chimney can be erected in the same manner that you
build a log house.
Fig. 187. Fig. 188. Fig. 189.
[Illustration: Log tilts of the North.]
The front of the northland tilt is faced in with small logs set on end, as
shown in the unfinished one (Fig. 189); this makes a substantial, warm
winter camp. If the logs fit close together on the roof they may be calked
with moss and dry grass. If the cracks are too wide on account of the
unevenness of the log, cover them first with grass, fine brush, or browse
and over all place a coating of sod or mud and you will have a house fit
for a king to live in. To tell the truth, it is much too good for a mere
king and almost good enough for a real American boy--that is, if anything
is good enough for such a lad.