720 PICTURE-WRITING OF THE AMERICAN INDIANS. 
Omaha make theirs gay and fanciful with undulating bands of red 
and yellow or with dressed and painted buffalo skins. 
The left-hand upper characters of Fig. 1203 represents Dakota lodges 
as drawn by the Hidatsa. These characters when carelessly or rudely 
drawn can only be distinguished from personal marks by their position 
and their relation to other characters. 
Fic. 1202.—Talk. Guatemala. 
The right-hand upper characters of the same figure signify, among 
the Hidatsa, earth lodges. The circles represent the ground plan of 
the lodges, while the central markings are 
Xx x intended to represent the upright poles, 
©) which support the roof on the interior. 
© Some of these are similar to the Kadiak 
drawing for island, Fig. 439. 
The left-hand lower character of the figure | 
a] ae represents buildings erected by civilized 
— men; the character is generally used by the 
Hidatsa to designate government buildings 
Fia, 1203.—Dwellings. and traders’ stores. 
The remaining character is the Hidatsati, the home of the Hidatsa; 
an inclosure having earth lodges within it. 
