THE -GEORGE CATLIN INDIAN GALLERY. 379 



of bis " O-kee-pa " (Mandau Beligious Ceremonies, just then published) 

 to distribute to the libraries, institutions, or individuals who had re- 

 ceived Mr. Schoolcraft's volumes. Mr. Catlin was intensely denuncia- 

 tory of Colonel Mitchell, whom he had known as an Indian trader in 

 the Northwest in 1832. Congress did not act on the petition. 



VARIOUS ACCOUNTS OF MANDAN RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. 



Various accounts of theMandan religious ceremonies have been pub- 

 lished since Mr. Catlin's, but none more graphic than the following. As 

 it is, in a measure, confirmatory of Mr. Catlin, it is given in full: 



CAPTAIN MAYNADIER'S DESCRIPTION OF THE MANDAN RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES DUR- 

 ING THREE DAYS OF AUGUST, 1860. 



In the summer of 1860 an Army expedition was fitted out to explore 

 "the headwaters of the Yellowstone and Missouri Eivers, and of the 

 mountains in which they rise." It was commanded by Capt. W. F. Rey- 

 nolds, Corps of Topographical Engineers. The expedition was in pur- 

 suance of a clause of the military appropriation act of 1858-'59 authorizing 

 such surveys. The instructions for the expedition were prepared by 

 Capt. A. A. Humphreys, captain corps of topographical engineers, and 

 in charge of War Department explorations and surveys. It consisted of 

 a corps of Army officers, privates, and scientific assistants. It moved 

 from Saint Louis May 28, 1860, and returned to Omaha October 3, 1860, 

 where it was disbanded. It explored the then almost unknown upper 

 waters of the Yellowstone Eiver, studying the country and its inhabit- 

 ants. Many side expeditions were sent out, amongst others one com- 

 manded by Lieut. H. E. Maynadier, Tenth United States Infantry, 

 who made a reconnaissance of the route between the Yellowstone and 

 Platte Rivers. On the 15th of August, 1860, he began his journey down 

 the Missouri River in boats. On the 20th of August he was at Fort 

 Berthold, adjoining the Mandan and Gros Ventre village. 



During three days of August, 1860, (viz, the 20th, 22d, and 23d,) Cap- 

 tain Maynadier, and witnessed the Mandan religious ceremonies. In 

 his journal he gives a description of them. This journal was not pub- 

 lished until 1868-'69, and is in Senate Ex. Doc. No. 77, 40th Congress, 

 1st session. He says: 



I was able during the three days I passed at Fort Berthold to witness a peculiar 

 ceremony of the Mandans, which I believe has never been described. By way of pre- 

 liminary I must remark that I had made a present of my epaulettes to the chief Four 

 Bears, and in this way had obtained the run of the village and access to the most sa- 

 cred places. 



In the center of the village is a circular space some one hundred and fifty feet in 

 diameter, with commodious scaffolds ranged about it, which answer the double pur- 

 pose of seats for spectators and places to dry corn and squashes. In the center of the 

 open space is a circular inclosure of slabs 10 or 12 feet high and about 4 feet in di- 

 ameter. This is called the " big cauoe," and has a very decided reference to the flood, 

 as the tradition which I will relate further on will show. On the first day of the cere- 



