54 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 7 
The village of skin-covered tipis standing on the shore of the lake, 
as seen by members of the expedition on that July day nearly a cen- 
tury ago, must have resembled the painting later made by Capt. 
Eastman, which is reproduced in plate 22, 6, taken from Schoolcraft. 
In the painting the tipis are undoubtedly too closely placed, but 
otherwise they are quite accurately shown. This illustration as used 
in Schoolcraft bears the legend “ Dakotah Encampment.” 
YANKTONAI, 
Like other divisions of the Dakota, the Yanktonai formerly lived 
in the thickly timbered region surrounding the headwaters of the 
Mississippi, in the central portion of the present State of Minnesota, 
and, like them, moved southward and westward until they reached 
the plains and the habitat of the buffalo. Although in their earlier 
home they undoubtedly reared the mat-covered structures, neverthe- 
less when they reached the open country they constructed the conical 
skin lodge. 
During the latter part of July, 1823, the Long expedition reached 
a village of this tribe then standing in the vicinity of Lake Traverse, 
in the present Traverse County, Minnesota. In the narrative of the 
expedition very little is said regarding the appearance of the encamp- 
ment, which may not have offered any peculiar features, but much 
was said concerning the dress and ways of the inhabitants. In part 
the narrative states: “ The principal interest which we experienced in 
the neighbourhood of Lake Traverse, was from an acquaintance with 
Wanotan, (the Charger,) the most distinguished chief of the Yank- 
toanan tribe, which, as we were informed, is subdivided into six 
bands. He is one of the greatest men of the Dacota nation, and 
although but twenty-eight years of age, he has already acquired 
great renown as a warrior.” As the party neared the establishment 
of the Columbia Fur Company, on the border of the lake; “a salute 
was fired from a number of Indian tents which were pitched in the 
vicinity, from the largest of which the American colours were flying. 
And as soon as we had dismounted from our horses, we received an 
invitation to a feast which Wanotan had prepared for us.” Three 
dogs had been killed and prepared for the great occasion. ‘“ We re- 
paired to a sort of pavilion which they had erected by the union of 
several large skin lodges. Fine Buffalo robes were spread all around, 
and the air was perfumed by the odour of sweet scenting grass which 
had been burned in it. On entering the lodge we saw the chief 
seated near the further end of it, and one of his principal men pointed 
out to us the place which was destined for our accommodation; it 
was at the upper end of the lodge.” (Keating, (1), 1, pp. 429-432.) 
