178 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [BULL 77. 
in plate 54, 6 (U.S.N.M. 6326). Written on it is this legend: “ Ree 
Indians. Ft Berthold Dacotah Ter. Drg Gray and Matthews.” 
The length of the scapula, that of a buffalo, is about 14 inches. Both 
handle and blade are worn smooth from use. The specimen is one of 
much importance. 
It will be recalled that Bradbury in 1811 referred to the “ medicine 
lodge,” then standing in the center of the large Arikara village. 
Matthews, more than 60 years later, mentioned a similar structure 
then standing at the village near Fort Berthold, and said concerning 
it: “ The medicine-lodge of the Arickarees is larger than that of the 
Mandans, and is used for a greater variety of ceremonies. Some of 
these performances, consisting of ingenious tricks of jugglery and 
dances, representative of various hunts, we might be inclined to call 
theatrical rather than religious. Probably these Indians consider 
them both worshipful and entertaining. It is often hard to tell how 
- much of a religious ceremony is intended to propitiate the unknown 
powers, and how much to please the spectators.” (Matthews, (1), 
p. 10.) 
From the various quotations given on the preceding pages it is 
possible to form a good idea of the appearance of an ancient Arikara 
village. A large number of earth-covered lodges, of varying sizes, 
were placed without order but rather close together, often with a 
“medicine lodge” in the center of the group. All were surrounded 
by a palisade, often reared in connection with a ditch and embank- 
ment. The village at Fort Berthold was thus protected until the 
winter of 1865, at which time the stockade was cut down and used 
as fuel, and it was never replaced. 
As late as 1872 there were 43 earth-covered lodges standing at the 
Arikara village near Fort Berthold, together with 28 log cabins. 
In addition to the earth-covered lodges found in the permanent 
villages, they had skin tents which were occupied when away from 
their towns on war or hunting expeditions. Like the great majority 
of the native tribes, the Arikara would move about during certain 
seasons of the year. Hayden, writing about the year 1855, referred 
to this custom: “ At the commencement of the winter the Arikaras 
Jeave their village in quest of buffalo, which seldom approach near 
enough to be killed in the vicinity of their cabins. They then encamp 
in skin tents, in various directions from the Missouri or along its 
banks, wherever the buffalo may chance to range. They pass the 
winter in hunting, and return to their permanent village early in 
the spring, bringing with them their skins in an unprepared state, 
with a great supply of meat.” (Hayden, (1), p. 354.) Such were 
the hunting parties often met by the traders and explorers, as that 
mentioned by Sergeant Gass on October 15, 1804. That they were 
