94 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL. 77 
Creek, and a little above the creek, on the right bank of the Missouri, 
was “the site of an old Konza town, called formerly the village of 
the Twenty Four.” This was evidently the same site as mentioned by 
Lewis and Clark, July 5, 1804. Ruins of the earth lodges had un- 
doubtedly remained quite distinct, being overgrown with the grass 
of the prairie. 
Isle au Vache, in the Missouri, faces Oak Mills, Atchison County, 
Kansas, and Iatan, Platte County, Missouri. A brief history of the 
island was prepared a few years ago. (Remsburg, (1), pp. 436-443.) 
Interesting notes on the habitations of the Kansa Indians are con- 
tained in a narrative prepared by one who passed through their 
country during the month of May, 1834. 
On the night of May 1 the party encamped on a small branch of 
the Kansas River, where they were joined by some members of the 
Kansa tribe who occupied six lodges in a near-by woods. “This 
party is a small division of a portion of this tribe, who are constantly 
wandering; but although their journeys are sometimes pretty ex- 
tensive, they seldom approach nearer to the settlements than they 
are at present.” Later they arrived at’ the banks of the Kansas 
River, and as it was approached, so the narrative continues, ‘‘ we saw 
a number of Indian lodges, made of saplings driven into the ground, 
bent over and tied at top, and covered with bark and buffalo skins. 
These lodges, or wigwams, are numerous on both sides of the river. 
As we passed them, the inhabitants, men, women, and children, 
flocked out to see us, and almost prevented our progress by their 
eager greetings. Our party stopped on the bank of the river, and 
the horses were unloaded and driven into the water.” They crossed 
the river by means of a large flat-bottomed boat, and reaching the 
opposite bank saw many Indian lodges with some frame houses occu- 
pied by whites. “The canoes used by the Indians are mostly made 
of buffalo skins, stretched, while recent, over a light frame work of 
wood, the seams sewed with sinews, and so closely, as to be wholly 
impervious to water. These light vessels are remarkably buoyant, 
and capable of sustaining very heavy burthens.” That evening they 
were visited by the Kansa chief who lived near by, a “ young man 
about twenty-five years of age, straight as a poplar, and with a 
noble countenance and bearing . . . The Kaws living here appear to 
be much more wealthy than those who joined our camp on the prairie 
below ... Their dress consists, universally of deer skin leggings, 
belted around the loins, and over the upper part of the body a buffalo 
robe or blanket.” (Townsend, (1), pp. 30-33.) 
During the morning of May 20, 1834, the party departed from 
the Kansa settlement on or near the banks of the Kansas River, 
“leaving the river immediately, and making a N. W. by W. course— 
