DENSMORD] MANDAN AND HIDATSA MUSIG 13 
cine practices was meager and of little value. About 40 years before 
the present research was conducted E. H. Alden, Indian agent at 
Fort Berthold, reported that “the confidence in their medicine men 
is slowly disappearing.” ** In 1918 Wounded Face said, “ Everyone 
knows that wild mint crushed and mixed with water will reduce a 
fever ; no conjuring is required in the use of it.” This indicates that 
- the native illusions have passed away. Inquiry also failed to discover 
any existent ethical teachings corresponding to those of the Chippewa 
Midé or the leaders in the Sioux sun dance. 
As already indicated, it is the custom of the writer to follow rather 
than force the trend of Indian thought. This often leads to unfore- 
seen and interesting results. For instance, Ben Benson, a reliable in- 
formant, asked if anything had been “ written down” concerning the 
custom of eagle catching and offered to record the Mandan songs, 
which he alone has the hereditary right to sing. He was allowed to 
select the place where he wished to record them, and designated a 
place where he thought he wouid be safe from interruption. He 
brought with him a prominent Mandan chief to act as witness, 
according to the native custom. At intervals during his narration 
he consulted this witness, who had the right to offer corrections if 
he considered them to be necessary. (See p. 61.) 
The poetry and dignity of the Mandan character is shown in the 
words of the songs. Aside from the songs and information relative 
to the Stone Hammer Society, the Hidatsa are less clearly repre- 
sented than the Mandan in the present work. They are, however, a 
somewhat less distinctive tribe and are better preserved for future 
study. The Mandan have almost disappeared, and when a small 
group of old men and women pass away there will no longer be an 
opportunity to study that tribe. It is to be regretted that more has 
not been written concerning these people, who were among the first 
to till the fertile northern plains. ) 
The songs herewith presented were recorded at two points on the 
reservation—the agency at Elbowoods and a place on the western 
side of the Missouri known as “ Crow’s Heart’s Landing ” (pl. 6, a), 
near which the writer camped for a time. By living among the 
people in this manner it was possible to secure material which they 
would have been reluctant to discuss at the agency. Field work, as 
already stated, was begun in 1912 under the auspices of the State 
Historical Society of North Dakota and continued in 1915 and 1918 
under the Bureau of American Ethnology. 
The Mandan and Hidatsa are different in temperament from their 
neighbors, the Sioux, and also from the Chippewa and Ute. Each 
8%} Report of Secretary of the Interior for 1877, vol. 1, p. 455. 
2118°—23 3 
