The Nenenot are in the habit of taking steam baths, for which purpose
they use a sudatory or sweat house, constructed as follows: A number of
flexible poles of small size, usually willow or alder, which grow to
sufficient size along the banks of the streams, are bent to form a
hemispherical or dome-shaped structure, which is covered with tent
skins. A sandy locality is selected or one free from snow in winter, and
a fierce fire is built. When it is well under way a number of stones are
thrown into the fire to heat. When the heat is sufficient the fire is
removed and the structure is quickly erected over the hot stones and
some one from the outside fastens down the edges of the tenting with
stones to prevent the loss of heat. A kettle of water previously placed
within the bath house is used to pour over the stones, when heat rises
to a suffocating degree and produces the desired perspiration. Water is
not used to bathe in, though sometimes a slight quantity is poured upon
the head only. The bather remains within the hut until the heat has
nearly exhausted him.
These baths are frequently taken, and often when he has just started on
a journey the head of the family will be seized with a desire to have a
bath. Everything must await this operation before the journey is
resumed.
An amusing incident occurred at Fort Chimo in the spring of 1882. That
season the reindeer were extremely numerous at that place, as they were
crossing to go to the northeast to drop the fawns. Often when the herds
or bands were panic stricken they rushed among the Indian tents, the
houses of the station, and, in fact, everywhere, with yelping dogs and
screaming women and children at their heels. An old man and wife were in
the sweat house at a time when a very large drove of the deer, in their
frantic endeavors to escape their pursuers, headed directly for the
bath. Some one screamed to the occupants to look out for the deer. The
man and wife made their exit just as a score or more of the animals
reached the spot. The man tore up the tenting of the bath house and
whirled it in the air, while the old woman cut the most astonishing
antics. The whole population witnessed the occurrence and did not fail
to help increase the tumult. Signs of former sudatories are quite common
along the paths where the Indians have traveled for many years.