BUSHNELL] VILLAGES WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 29 
A painting of a Piegan camp was made at that time by Bodmer, 
who accompanied Maximilian, and served as an illustration in the 
latter’s work. It is here reproduced as plate 15. It shows clearly 
the many skin lodges forming the encampment, the numerous dogs 
and horses, with some of the Indians wrapped in highly decorated 
buffalo robes. Some of the lodges are decorated, but the great 
majority are plain, thus conforming with the description. 
Maximilian again wrote while at Fort McKenzie, in August, 1833: 
“Having made our arrangements on the first day of our arrival, 
and viewed the Indian camp, with its many dogs, and old dirty 
leather tents, we were invited, on the following day, together with 
Mr Mitchell, to a feast, given by the Blackfoot chief, Mehkskehme- 
Sukahs (the iron shirt). We proceeded to a large circle in the 
“middle of the camp, enclosed with a kind of fence of boughs of 
trees, which contained part of the tents, and was designed to confine 
the horses during the night, for the Indians are so addicted to horse 
stealing that they do not trust each other. The hut of the chief 
was spacious; we had never before seen so handsome a one; it was 
full fifteen paces in diameter, and was very clean and tastefully 
decorated. We took our seats, without ceremony, on buffalo skins, 
spread out on the left hand of the chief, round the fire, in the 
centre of the tent, which was enclosed in a circle of stones, and 
a dead silence prevailed. Our host was a tall, robust man, who at 
this time had no other clothes than his breechcloth; neither women 
nor children were visible. A tin dish was set before us, which con- 
tained dry grated meat, mixed with sweet berries, which we ate 
with our fingers, and found very palatable. After we had finished, 
the chief ate what was left in the dish, and took out of a bag a 
chief’s scarlet uniform, with blue facings and yellow lace, which he 
had received from the English, six red and black plumes of feathers, 
a dagger with its sheath, a coloured pocket-handkerchief, and two 
beaver skins, all of which he laid before Mr Mitchell as a present, 
who was obliged to accept these things whether he lked or not, 
thereby laying himself under the obligation of making presents in 
return, and especially a new uniform. When the chief began to 
fill his pipe, made of green talc, we rose and retired (quite in Indian 
fashion) in silence, and without making any salutations.” (Op. cit., 
pp- 261-262.) 
_ As Maximilian had already visited and seen many skin lodges 
as he ascended the Missouri, his remarks concerning this one which 
belonged to the Blackfeet chief are most interesting. It was be- 
tween 40 and 50 feet in diameter, very clean and well decorated, 
probably a remarkable example. 
