While most of the Tarahumares live permanently on the highlands, a great many of them move for the winter down into the barranca, on account of its warmer temperature, and, if they have no house, they live wherever they find a convenient shelter, preferably a cave; but for want of better accommodations they content themselves with a rock shelter, or even a spreading tree, This would suit them well enough were it not that, at least in recent years, there has not been rain enough in the barrancas to enable the people to raise there the corn they need.  They therefore go back to the highlands in March, because in the higher altitudes rainfall can be depended upon with more certainty.  The general custom among the Indians living near to a barranca is to plant two crops of corn; one in early March on the crest, and the other one in June, at the beginning of the rainy season, down in the barranca, and after having harvested at both places they retire to their winter quarters to enjoy themselves.  Sometimes the cave of a family is not more than half a mile from their house, and they live alternately in one or the other abode, because the Tarahumares still retain their nomadic instincts, and even those living permanently on the highlands change their domicile very frequently.  One reason is that they follow their cattle; another that they improve the land by living on it for a while; but there are still other reasons for moving so much about, which are known only to themselves.  In summer many people leave their caves on account of the scorpions, tarantulas, and other pests that infest them.

In front of the entrance to the cave there is generally a wall of stone, or of stone and mud, raised to the height of a man’s chest, as a protection against wind and weather, wild beasts, etc.  The cave is fitted up just like the houses, with grinding stone, earthen jars and bowls, baskets, gourds, etc, The fire is always in the middle, without hearth or chimney, and the jars in which the food is cooked rest on three stones.  A portion of the ground is levelled and made smooth for the family to sleep on.  As often as not there are skins spread out on the floor.  Sometimes the floor space is extended by an artificial terrace in front of the cave.  In a few cases the floor is plastered with adobe, and I have seen one cave in which the sides, too, were dressed in the same way.  Generally there are one or two store-houses in the caves, and these constitute the chief improvement.  Of course, there are a good many caves where there are no storehouses; still they are the striking feature of the cave.  A few times I found walls of stone and mud erected inside of the cave, breast high, to partition off one or two rooms for the use of the family, as well as for the goats and sheep.  Often, inclosures are built of wooden fences for the domesticated animals and occupy the greater part of the cave.