THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 87 



A l a little distance below the village, also, is the place where the inen and boys 



go to bathe and learn to swim. After this morning ablution, they return to their vil- 

 lage, wipe their limbs dry, and use a profusion of bear's grease through their hair and 

 over their bodies. • 



The art of swimming is known to all the American Indians ; and perhaps no people 

 on earth have taken moro pains to learn it, nor any who turn it to better account. 

 Pages 93-96, 121-123, vol. 1, Catlin's Eight Years. Seo also, Itinerary for 1832. 



DAKOTA-MANDANS. 



Tho Mandans, or Mi-ah'-ta-nees, " people on the bank," have resided on the Upper 

 Missouri for a long time, occupying successively several different places along the 

 river. In 1772 resided 1,500 miles above the mouth of the Missouri, in nine villages 

 located on both sides of the river. Lewis and Clarke found them, in 1804, 100 miles 

 farther up in only two villages, one on each side of tho river. Near them were three 

 other villages belonging to the Minnitarees and Ahnahaways. 



In tho year 1833 these Indians were in their most prosperous state industrious, 

 well armed, good hunters and good warriors, in the midst of herds of buffalo mostly 

 within sight of tho village, with largo cornfields, and a trading-post from which 

 they could at all times obtain supplies, and consequently at that time they might 

 have been considered a happy people. In their personal appearance, prior to the 

 ravages of the small-pox, they were not surpassed by any nation in the Northwest. 

 Tho men were tall and well made, with regular features and a mild expression of 

 countenance not usually seen among Indians. The complexion, also, was a shade 

 lighter than that of other tribes, often approaching very near to some European 

 nations, as the Spaniards. Another peculiarity was that some of them had fair hair, 

 and some gray or blue eyes, which are very rarely met with among other tribes. A 

 majority of the women, particularly the young, were quite handsome, with fair com- 

 plexions, and modest, in their deportment. They were -also noted for their virtue. 

 This was regarded as an honorable and most valuable quality among the young 

 women, and each year a ceremony was performed, in tho presence of the whole vil- 

 lage, at which time all the females who had preserved their virginity came forward, 

 struck a post, and challenged the world to say aught derogatory of their character. 



In these palmy days of their prosperity much time and attention was given to 

 dress, upon which they lavished much of their wealth. They were also very fond of 

 dances, games, races, and other manly and athletic exercises. They were also a very 

 devotional people, having many rites and ceremonies for propitiating the Great 

 Spirit, practicing upon themselves a self-torture but little less severe than that of 

 Hindoo devotees. 



In tho spring of 1838 that dreaded scourge of the Indians, small-pox, made its ap- 

 pearance among the Mandans, brought among them by the employ6s of the fur com- 

 pany. All the tribes along the river suffered more or less, but none approached so 

 near extinction as the Mandans. When the disease had abated, and when the rem- 

 nant of this once powerful nation had recovered sufficiently to remove tho decaying 

 bodies from their cabins, the total number of grown men was twenty-three, of women 

 forty, and of young persons sixty or seventy. These were all that were left of the 

 eighteen hundred souls that composed the nation prior to the advent of that terrific 

 disease. 



The survivors took refuge with the Arickarces, w r ho occupied one of their deserted 

 villages, but retained their former tribal laws and customs, preserving their nation- 

 ality intact, refusing any alliances with surrounding tribes. The two tribes have 

 lived together since then upon terms of excellent friendship. They now number 420, 

 living in dome-shaped earthen houses, like the Pawnees, which are, however, being 

 gradually replaced by log houses. — "W. IT. Jackson, 1877. 



