160 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [ BULL. 77 
of the party walked about among the lodges, and at that time, so 
wrote Irving: “The warriors were collected in small knots of five 
or six, and by their vehement gestures, were apparently engaged in 
earnest conversation. The children were rolling and tumbling in 
the dirt; the squaws were busily engaged. Some were bringing from 
their lodges large leather sacks of shelled corn; others were spread- 
ing it out to dry, upon the leather of their buffalo-skin tents, which 
had been stretched out upon the ground. Others were cleansing 
from it the decayed kernels and packing it up in small sacks of 
whitish undressed leather, resembling parchment. These were then 
deposited in cache-holes for a winter’s store. 
“At a distance from the village, a band of females were slowly 
wending along the top of the low prairie ridges, to their daily 
labour in the small plantations of corn. These are scattered in every 
direction round the village, wherever a spot of rich, black soil, gives 
promise of a bountiful harvest. Some of them are as much as eight 
miles distant from the town.” (Irving, J. T., (1), [1, pp. 44-45.) 
Later the same day a council was heid at the lodge of the chief, 
attended by the principal men of the village, and it is interesting 
to read the description of the gathering of those who were to par- 
ticipate: “ The lodge had been swept clean; a large cheery fire was _ 
crackling in the centre. The rabble crowd of loungers and hangers- 
on had been routed; and besides the family of the chief, we were 
the only occupants of the spacious building. 
“At mid-day the chiefs and braves began to assemble. They were 
full dressed; many of the young warriors had spent the whole morn- 
ing in preparation, and now presented themselves, fully ornamented 
for the meeting. 
“As the hour for the opening of the council grew nearer, the tall, 
muffled warriors poured in, in one continuous stream. They moved 
quietly to the places allotted them, and seating themselves in silence 
round the chief, according to their rank ... The crowd continued 
flowing in until the lodge was filled almost to suffocation. As they 
came in, they seated themselves, until five or six circles were formed, 
one beyond the other, the last ranging against the wall of the build- 
ing. In the ring nearest the chiefs, sat the principal braves, or those 
warriors whose deeds of blood entitled them to a high rank in the - 
councils of the nation. The more distant circles were filled by such 
young men of the village as were admitted to its councils. The pas- 
sage leading to the open air, was completely blocked up with a tight 
wedged mass of women and children, who dared venture no nearer 
to the deliberations of the tribe.” (Op. cit., pp. 48-50.) When all 
had gathered the chief filled a large stone pipe, took a few puffs, 
then handed it to the members of the commissioner’s party, who in 
