1S1 



lage, which is above the great bend of the Mis- 

 souri, is situated on a pleasant interval, cov- 

 ered with cotton wood and cedar. Is built 

 and fortified in the same manner as those of the 

 Rus. 



Here a sight, new to me, and exceedingly dis- 

 agreeable, arrested my attention as soon as I 

 came in view of the village. This was their 

 manner of depositing the bodies of the dead. 

 Immediately after my arrival I had an opportunity 

 of witnessing the funeral ceremonies practised by 

 these people, which was in the following manner. 

 A dead body was brought out of a hut, and laid 

 on the ground before it, dressed in its best ap- 

 parel, and wrapped in a buffaloe robe. The rela- 

 tions and principal part of the people in the vil- 

 lage, assembled around it. A fire was then made, 

 and the sacred stem, or pipe, was brought and 

 lighted. The deceased having been a warrior, 

 an eulogy of considerable length was pronounced 

 b}^ his brother, in which he impressed on their 

 minds, the great importance which the deceased 

 man had been to their nation ; rehearsed his war 

 exploits, and concluded by urging all to follow his 

 example, and to become of equal usefulness to 

 their tribe. Then they would be sure of follow- 

 ing and becoming companions of him, and all the 

 \6ther great warriors, which had died before, in 

 the world of spirits. After this address was 

 closed, provisions were brought out, consisting of 

 boiled dog's fleshy of which the company just 

 16 



