WHO WERE THE MOUND-BUILDERS? 665 



able size. Featherstonhaugh states that the Osages erected a mound over the 

 corpse of one of their chiefs, called by the French, Jean Defoe, " enlarging it at 

 intervals for a long period until it reached its present height." Catlin states that 

 the Mandans erected mounds over their dead; and he gives the .following ac- 

 count of the burial of Black Bird, a noted chief of the Omahas, about the year 

 1800, on the top of the Missouri bluffs, sixty miles from the present city of 

 Omaha: " The 0-ma-haw village was about sixty miles above this place; and 

 this very noted chief, who had been on a visit to Washington City, in company 

 with the Indian agent, died of the small-pox, near this spot on his return home; 

 and, whilst dying, enjoined on his warriors who were about him, this singular 

 request, which was literally complied with. He requested them to take his body 

 down the river to this, his favorite haunt, and on the pinnacle of this tower- 

 ing bluff, to bury him on the back of his favorite war-horse, which was to 

 be buried alive under him, from whence he could see, as he said, 'the French- 

 men passing up and down the river in their boats.' He owned, amongst many 

 horses, a noble white steed that was led to the top of the grass-covered hill, and 

 with great pomp and ceremony, in presence of the whole nation and several of 

 the fur-traders and the Indian agent, he was placed astride of his horse's back, 

 with his bow in his hand, and his shield and quiver slung — with his pipe and 

 his medicine bag — with his supply of dried meat, and his tobacco-pouch replen- 

 ished to last him through his journey to the 'beautiful hunting-grounds of the 

 shades of his fathers' — with his flint and steel, and his tinder, to light his pipe by 

 the way. The scalps that he had taken from his enemies' heads could be trophies 

 for nobody else, and were hung to the bridle of his horse ; he was in full dress 

 and fully equipped, and on his head waved, to the last moment, his beautiful 

 head-dress of war-eagles' plumes. In this plight, and the last funeral honors hav- 

 ing been performed by the ' medicine-men,' every warrior of his band painted the 

 palm and fingers of his right hand with vermilion, which was stamped, and per- 

 fectly impressed on the milk-white sides of his devoted horse. This all done, 

 turfs were brought and placed around the feet and legs of the horse, and grad- 

 ually laid up to his sides, and at last over the back and head of the unsuspecting 

 animal; and last of all, over the head and even the eagle plumes of its valiant 

 rider, where altogether have smouldered and remained undisturbed to the present 

 day (1836). This mound, which is covered with green turf and spotted with 

 wild flowers, with its cedar post in its center, can easily be seen at the distance of 

 fifteen miles, by the voyageur, and forms for him a familiar and useful land-mark. 

 Whilst visiting this mound in company with Major Sanford, on our way up the 

 river, I discovered in a hole made in the mound, by a ' ground-hog ' or some 

 other animal, the skull of the horse ; and by a little pains also came at the skull 

 of the chief, which I carried to the riverside and secreted till my return in my 

 canoe, when I took it in, and brought it with me to this place, where I now have 

 it." I have quoted this interesting account at length because it fully authenti- 

 cates the building of a sepulchral mound, by nomadic savages, so late as the be- 

 ginning of the present century; and also because, the horse excepted, it no doub 



