92 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [ BULL. 77 
followed by great numbers on foot . . . the village was in con- 
fusion, the hunters having lately returned, and being then engaged 
in preparations for the journey to Isle au Vache.” The journey was 
that mentioned above, when the Indians arrived at Isle au Vache 
to hold council with Long. Continuing the narrative: “The ap- 
proach to the village is over a fine level prairie of considerable ex- — 
tent; passing which, you ascend an abrupt bank of the height of ten 
feet, to a second level, on which the village is situate in the distance, 
within about } of a mile of the river. It consists of about 120 lodges, 
placed as closely together as convenient, and destitute of any regu- 
larity of arrangement. The ground area of each lodge is circular, 
and is excavated to the depth of from one to three feet, and the 
general form of the exterior may be denominated hemispheric. 
“The lodge, in which we reside, is larger than any other in the 
town, and being that of the grand chief, it serves as a council house 
for the nation. The roof is supported by two series of pillars, or 
rough vertical posts, forked at top for the reception of the transverse 
connecting pieces of each series; twelve of these pillars form the outer 
series, placed in a circle; and eight longer ones, the inner series, also 
describing a circle; the outer wall, of rude frame work, placed at a 
proper distance from the exterior series of pillars, is five or six feet 
high. Poles, as thick as the leg at base, rest with their butts upon the 
wall, extending on the cross pieces, which are upheld by the pillars 
of the two series, and are of sufficient length to reach nearly to the 
summit. These poles are very numerous, and, agreeable to the posi- 
tion which we have indicated, they are placed all around in a radiat- 
ing manner, and support the roof like rafters. Across these are laid 
long and slender sticks or twigs, attached parallel to each other by 
means of bark cord; these are covered by mats made of long grass, or 
reeds, or with the bark of trees; the whole is then covered completely 
over with earth, which, near the ground, is banked up to the eaves. A 
hole is permitted to remain in the middle of the roof to give exit to 
the smoke. Around the walls of the interior, a continuous series of 
mats are suspended; these are of neat workmanship, composed of a 
soft reed, united by bark cord, in straight or undulated lines, between 
which, lines of black paint sometimes occur. The bedsteads are ele- 
vated to the height of a common seat from the ground, and are about 
six feet wide; they extend in an uninterrupted line around three- 
fourths of the circumference of the apartment, and are formed in the 
simplest manner of numerous sticks, or slender pieces of wood resting 
at their ends on cross pieces, which are supported by short notched 
or forked posts, driven into the ground; bison skins supply them 
with a comfortable bedding. Several medicine or mystic bags are 
carefully attached to the mats of the wall, these are cylindrical, and 
neatly bound up; several reeds are usually placed upon them, and a 
