[Illustration: FIG. 114.--Nenenot Indian tent.]
The Nenenot live, both in summer and in winter, in deerskin tent, (see
Fig. 114), which are constructed in the following manner: A sufficient
number of small poles cut from the woods are deprived of their branches
and brought to the camp site. A location is selected and the poles are
erected in a circle, with tops leaning toward the center so as to form a
cone 10 to 14 feet in height, having a diameter at its base of from 10
to 18 feet. The skins forming the cover are those of the reindeer,
and those selected for this purpose are usually of an inferior grade.
A sufficient number are sewed together to form a strip long enough to
reach around the poles when set up. As the tents differ in size
according to the number of people who occupy them, the skins sewed
together may be from eight to twelve. The first strip is made for the
lower part of the poles and is attached to them by means of strings
fastened within. A second strip is made to go around the upper part of
the poles, and is, of course, correspondingly shorter. It is placed last
so as to overlap the lower breadth and thus prevent rain and snow from
blowing in. The door is usually made of one large skin or two smaller
ones. It is tied to the poles at the upper corners and at the lower has
a small log of wood as a weight to prevent it from flapping. The poles
at the apex are not covered and through them the smoke from the fire
built in the center within ascends and finds exit.
The interior of the tent is arranged to suit the occupants. The floor is
usually covered with the branches of young spruce, and when carefully
laid these form an admirable protection from the cold ground and a soft
carpeting.
The women who lay this flooring display great taste, and certain of them
are noted for their skill in disposing the branches. The center of the
tent is reserved for the fire which is built there among a few stones.
The occupants arrange themselves according to the importance of the
place they occupy in the family. The owner or head man is always to be
found on the side opposite the fire. This is considered a place of
honor, to which all guests who are to be complimented are invited to a
seat.
The other members of the group arrange themselves along the sides of the
tent, and those who have been adopted into the family occupy positions
next the doorway.
Over the fire may be poles reaching across the tent, and on these will
be suspended kettles and pots obtained from the traders. The cooking
utensils are few in number, one vessel serving various purposes.
The hunting gear and the skins of animals, together with the articles
belonging to the females may be seen suspended from various portions of
the interior. Around the edges are the blankets of deerskin, and those
bought from the traders, lying in disorder. The outer edge of the
interior is slightly raised above the center, and affords a convenient
slope for those who desire to sleep. The occupants always sleep with
their feet toward the fireplace, around which there is no brush, lest it
be set on fire during sleep and destroy the tent.
They have regular hours for sleeping, but as these are only for a period
of short duration, it is not unusual to find half the inmates asleep at
any time a tent is visited.
The preparation of the food appears to go on at all times, and there are
no regular hours for partaking of their meals, as each person eats when
convenient. The food is taken directly from the pot or kettle, and each
one helps himself. Forks are not used, and the food is divided with a
knife or torn with the fingers.