THE GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 263 



But a few miles from " Floyd's Bluff" we lauded our canoe and spent a day in the 

 vicinity of the " Blackbird's grave." This is a celebrated point on the Missouri, and 

 a sort of telegraphic place, which all the travelers in these realms, both white and 

 red, are in the habit of visiting ; the one to pay respect to the bones of one of their 

 distinguished leaders, and the other to indulge their eyes on the lovely landscape 

 that spreads out to an almost illimitable extent in every direction about it. This 

 elevated bluff, which may be distinguished for several leagues in distance (No. 364), 

 has received the'name of the " Blackbird's grave," from the fact, that a famous chief of 

 the O-ma-haws, by the name of the Blackbird, was buried on its top at his own pecu- 

 liar request, over whose grave a cedar post was erected b if his tribe some thirty years 

 ago, which is still standing. The O-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 towering 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 Frenchmen 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 the 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 replenished 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 the war-eagle's plumes. In this plight, and the last funeral 

 honors having been performed by the medicine men, every warrior of his bard 

 painted the palm and fingers of his right hand with vermilion, which was stamped 

 and # perfectly 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 gradually lai'd up to its sides, and at last over the back and head of the un- 

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

 valiant rider, where all together have smoldered and remained undisturbed to the 

 present day. 



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 landmark. 



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 other animal, 

 the skull of a horse, and by a little pains also came at the skull of the chief, w T hich 

 I carried to the river side, and secreted till my return in my canoe, when I took 

 it in, and brought with me to this place, where I now have it, with others which 

 I have collected on my route.* 



There have been some very surprising tales told of this man, which will render 

 him famous in history, whether they be truth or matters of fiction. Of the many, 

 one of the most current is, that he gained his celebrity and authority by the most 

 diabolical series of murders in his own tribe ; by administering arsenic (with which 

 he had been supplied by the fur traders) to such of his enemies as he wished to 

 get rid of, and even to others in his tribe whom he w T as willing to sacrifice, merely 

 to establish his superhuman powers and the most servile dread of the tribe, from 



*See skull of Blackbird now in the National Museum. — T. D. 



