Volume 1

;
340 MANDAN LARES AND PENATES.
by threads of
their own manufacture, passed through each
stick about a foot apart. These mats are about ten feet
long and four broad ; the two ends for about 2>^ feet are
raised slanting from the ground, supported by a kind of
sofa. Over the mat is spread a kind of buffalo skin. Some
of these couches are raised a foot off the ground.
Upon this a Mandane sits all day, receives his friends,
smokes, and chats the time away with the greatest dignity
he sometimes passes the night there also, when not inclined
to lie with any of his wives. On the left side of the host
begins their range of beds. The master and his favorite
wife always occupy the first bed, and his other wives each a
separate one in succession ; next to them come the young
people. All are constructed in the same manner, and
adjoin each other lengthways. At the bottom of the hut,
fronting the master's seat, stands his medicine-stage, which
may be called his chief treasure, as it contains everything
he values most. The article of most consequence is a pair
of bull's heads, which seem to be a great Manitou and
protection ; they are well daubed over with earth, and particular
care is taken of them. There are also laid, or rather
hung up, his arms, shield, ammunition, scalps, and everything
else he most values. Next this stage stand the
mortar and pestle, fixed firmly in the ground. The rest of
the hut, from this place to the door,.is vacant during the
the day, but occupied at night by the horses. There still
remains a large clear space in
the center, round about the
fire, for the use of the family ; this is generally swept once a
day. Seldom more than one family occupies the same hut.
Fronting the porch stands a stage about eight feet high,
20 feet long and 10 feet broad, for the purpose of hanging
up corn to dry in the fall, and to dry meat. These stages
have a tolerably good flooring, which in the fall is covered
with beans to dry ; and posts are erected upon them, on the
tops of which are laid poles or rafters, to which corn and
sliced squashes are suspended in tresses to dry.
When the
harvest is over this certainly must have a very pretty effect,