182 



tasted, and then a bowl full of it was presented to 

 the dead man. He was then taken up by four 

 men and carried outside of the village, just into 

 the edge of the woods, and placed on a stage 

 which had been previously erected, about ten 

 feet high. The bowl of food was brought and 

 set by his head, and his arms and accoutrements 

 ?aid by his side. In this manner their dead are 

 deposited, and are never buried. The wife and 

 relations of the deceased made the most violent 

 and dreadful howlings, tearing their hair, and ap- 

 pearing to be in the deepest anguish, under the 

 loss they had sustained. 



The Mandans and Gross-Ventres are of the 

 lightest complexion, and largest Indians on the 

 Missouri. Their hair inclines to a chesnut col- 

 our, and in some instances has a slight curl f it 

 is never so lank and coarse as most other Indians. 

 Their eyes are full and lively, their cheek bones 

 rather high, and their countenances open and 

 agreeable. The Gross-Ventres have more of a 

 fierce, savage look, than the Mandans who are 

 courteous and sociable in their behaviour. They 

 are neat in their dress, which is similar to that of 

 the Rus, excepting that they decorate it with 

 white rabbit, and white ermine skins. Many of 

 their lodges, or huts, are decorated in a beautiful 

 manner; having the inside lined with the richest 

 furs, such as the lynx, beaver, otter, white rabbit, 

 martin, fox, mountain cat, and white ermine, sewed 

 together like patch work, which gives them a rich, 



