Observations on their Language. 61 



detected in a false statement, the female lost her standing forever 

 afterward among the young of both sexes. In ordeals of this 

 kind it was remarked that more than two thirds of the Mandan 

 females came off victorious which is regarded as a great propor- 

 tion, when the early training and the influences that surround 

 them are taken into consideration. The fact that a ceremony 

 of this kind exists among savages, tending to promote virtue 

 and discourage vice, is, of itself, sufficient evidence of their mental 

 as well as moral superiority. 



Much more might be said in regard to the habits and charac- 

 teristics of this tribe, which is one of the most interesting in the 

 West, but we prefer to occupy the space allotted in some illustra- 

 tions of the grammatical structure of their language. At this 

 time the Mandans cultivate the soil and hunt buffalo when these 

 animals are near their homes. The destructive influences of the 

 small-pox which has, at different times, raged fearfully among 

 them, have never crushed their indomitable spirit of pride and 

 independence. They will not join with other nations near whom 

 they reside, neither will they connect themselves with them by 

 marriage, nor allow or practice any customs but those of their an- 

 cestors. Their religious rites are preserved entire, and the system 

 of self-inflicting tortures is practiced at the present day. Being too 

 few in number to form war-parties against neighboring tribes, they 

 remain at home and defend themselves. The Dakotas frequently 

 attack them, at or near their village, and in almost every engage- 

 ment some Mandans are killed. In these skirmishes they exhibit 

 an entire recklessness and contempt of death, which leads to acta 

 of individual daring, generally fatal, though feared and respected 

 oy the surrounding tribes. Owing to this fact and the periodical 

 visitation of some contagious disease, they are on the decrease, 

 and will doubtless before many years become extinct, or fall a 

 prey to some superior force of Dakotas at an unguarded moment. 



Their principal chiefs are now dead, but in former times they 

 ^eld a most beneficent sway over this tribe. Their rule was 

 seldom interrupted by claims or pretensions of other aspirants 

 to public notice. They were respected for their judgment, and 

 ^oved for the patriarchal care they felt in the general welfare, 

 ^lot feared on account of their personal bravery or extensive 

 relationship as is the case with migratory bands. Old age also 

 in both sexes was held in veneration, made comfortable and not 

 ^eglected, as is the case with many of the savage tribes. They 

 deposit their dead on scaffolds near their village and in warm 

 weather their decomposition has a tendency to render the atmo- 

 sphere unhealthy and engender disease, but no persuasion can 

 induce them to 'bury in the ground according to the custom of 

 ^He whites. ^ 



From the above brief sketch of the Mandans, the inference is 



