120 Expedition to the 



flogged by the orders of captain Martin, yet they did not 

 consider themselves secure from the vengeance of the whites. 

 Many believed that at the time of the anticipated council, 

 barrels of gunpowder were to be placed in the earth to de- 

 stroy them at once. The two runners, who had been despatch- 

 ed, quarrelled before they had gone far ; one saying all the 

 things that had been told them by the interpreters were lies, 

 for which assertion he was struck to the ground by his com- 

 panion. In this situation they were found by the advancing 

 chiefs. Finally a dispute happened between the chiefs them- 

 selves, respecting rank, in consequence of which ten or 

 twelve of them returned to the village. 



Mr. Say, who spent some time among the Konzas, gives, 

 in his notes, the following account of that nation. 



" The approach to the village is over a fine level prairie 

 of considerable extent ; passing which, you ascend an abrupt 

 bank of the height of ten feet, to a second level, on which 

 the village is situate in the distance, within about 1-4 of a 

 mile of the river. It consists of about VlO lodges, placed as 

 closely together as convenient, and destitute of any regularity 

 of arrangement. The ground area of each lodge is circular, 

 and is excavated to the depth of from one to three feet, and 

 the general form of the exterior may be denominated hem- 

 ispheric. 



" The lodge, in which we reside, is larger than any other 

 in the town, and being that of the grand chief, it serves as 

 a council house for the nation. The roof is supported by 

 two series of pillars, or rough vertical posts, forked at top 

 for the reception of the transverse connecting pieces of each 

 series ; twelve of these pillars form the outer series, placed in 

 a circle ; and eight longer ones, the inner series, also describ- 

 ing a circle ; the outer wall, of rude frame work, placed at a 

 proper distance from the exterior series of pillars, is five or 

 six feet high. Poles, as thick as the leg at bastr, rest wi'h their 

 butts upon the wall, extending on the cross pieces, which are 



