Put Up the Wigwam
for shelter. Draw an eight-inch diameter circle on the grass near one end of the ground. Fold a strip of paper lengthwise, stick a pin through one end of the paper and drive it down into the board where you wish the centre of the circle, push the point of a lead pencil through the other end of the paper four inches from the pin; keep the pin steady while you move the pencil around many times until a circle appears plainly on the grass ([Fig. 167]).
Fig. [168].—Pole sharpened to flat point.
Cut twelve slender sticks eleven inches long and sharpen the heavy end of each into a flat point ([Fig. 168]). The sticks must be straight, for they are wigwam-poles. Tie three poles together two inches from their tops and spread out the sharpened ends at nearly equal distances apart on the circle line; mark the spots where they rest and bore gimlet-holes in each place through the cloth into the wood. Enlarge each hole with a penknife and insert the poles, pushing the sharpened points down firmly into the holes ([Fig. 169]). Add seven more poles around the circle, keeping the spaces between all about even. Sink these last poles in the ground as you did the first three; then tie the tops together around the first three poles, and you will have the wigwam framework of ten poles standing strong and firm.
Fig. [169].—First three poles planted firmly in edge of circle for wigwam.
Fig. [170].—Cover for wigwam.
Make the cover of unbleached or brown-tinted cotton cloth cut like [Fig. 170]. Mark the curved lower edge with the home-made compass used for the grass circle. Fasten the pin and pencil in the paper strip nine and one-half inches apart; draw almost a half circle, then an inch and a half from the spot A ([Fig. 170]), where the pin is stationed, begin to cut the opening for the top of the wigwam poles, B ([Fig. 170]). Slash the point C in as far as D, sew pieces of cloth over the points E and E, leaving the opening at dotted lines to form pockets for the smoke-poles. Cut two rows of little holes on each side of the upper part of the wigwam to run the pinsticks through when fastening the wigwam together ([Fig. 171]).