BUSHNELL] VILLAGES WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI 135 
The people of Mih-tutta-hang-kusch having removed to their 
winter settlement, prepared to have “a great medicine feast,” and 
Maximilian was invited to be present, and so, as he recorded in his 
narrative, “we proceeded thither, on the 3rd of December, in the 
afternoon. Mr. Kipp took his family with him, and Mato-Topé 
and several other Indians accompanied us. We were all well armed, 
because it was asserted that a band of hostile Indians had been seen 
among the prairie hills on the preceding day. Our beds, blankets, 
and buffalo skins were laid on a horse, on which Mr Kipp’s wife, a 
Mandan Indian, rode. Thus we passed, at a rapid pace, through the 
prairie, along the Missouri, then below the hills, which are pretty 
high. . . . After proceeding h 
about an hour and a half we 
reached the village in the 
wood, which is the winter 
residence of the inhabitants 
of Mih - Tutta - Hang - Kush. 
We stopped at the hut of 
Mr. Kipp’s father-in-law, 
Mandeek - Suck - Choppenik 
(the medicine bird), who ac- 
commodated us with a night’s 
lodging. The description of 
this hut may serve for all the 
winter huts of these Indians. 
It was about twenty paces in 
diameter, and circular; A is 
the fence or wall of the hut, 
supported inside by strong, 
low posts, on which rests the Fic, 8.—Plan of the interior of a Mandan lodge. 
vaulted roof, which has a ; 
square hole to let the smoke escape; g is the entrance, protected 
by two projecting walls covered above. At 7 is the door, consist- 
ing of a piece of leather stretched on a frame. At d d there is a 
cross wall of considerable height, made of reeds and osier twigs 
woven together, to keep off the draught of air. At e e e there is 
another cross wall, only three feet high, behind which the horses 
stand; a is the fireplace, round which, at ¢ ¢ ¢ ¢, are the seats of 
the inmates, consisting of benches formed of basket-work, covered 
with skins; 6 } 6 6 are four strong pillars which bear the roof, 
and are very well united above by cross beams. At 7 there was a 
large leather case for the beds in which the family slept. A chain, 
with a large kettle, was suspended from the roof over the fire, to 
cook our supper, consisting of very pleasant flavoured sweet maize.” 
719384°—22——10 
