and being that of the grand chief, it serves as a council house for the
nation. The roof is supported by two series of pillars, or rough
vertical posts, forked at top for the reception of the transverse
connecting pieces of each series; twelve of these pillars form the outer
series, placed in a circle; and eight longer ones, the inner series,
also describing a circle; the outer wall, of rude frame work, placed at
a proper distance from the exterior series of pillars, is five or six
feet high. Poles, as thick as the leg at base, rest with their butts
upon the wall, extending on the cross pieces, which are upheld by the
pillars of the two series, and are of sufficient length to reach nearly
to the summit. These poles are very numerous, and, agreeable to the
position which we have indicated, they are placed all around in a
radiating manner, and support the roof like rafters. Across these are
laid long and slender sticks or twigs, attached parallel to each other
by means of bark cord; these are covered by mats made of long grass, or
reeds, or with the bark of trees; the whole is then covered completely
over with earth, which, near the ground, is banked up to the eaves. A
hole is permitted to remain in the middle of the roof to give exit to
the smoke. Around the walls of the interior, a continuous series of mats
are suspended; these are of neat workmanship, composed of a soft reed,
united by bark cord, in straight or undulated lines, between which,
lines of black paint sometimes occur. The bedsteads are elevated to the
height of a common seat from the ground, and are about six feet wide;
they extend in an uninterrupted line around three-fourths of the
circumference of the apartment, and are formed in the simplest manner of
numerous sticks, or slender pieces of wood resting at their ends on
cross pieces, which are supported by short notched or forked posts,
driven into the ground; bison skins supply them with a comfortable
bedding. Several medicine or mystic bags are carefully attached to the
mats of the wall, these are cylindrical, and neatly bound up; several
reeds are usually placed upon them, and a human scalp serves for the
fringe and tassels. Of their contents we know nothing. The fireplace is
a simple shallow cavity, in the center of the apartment, with an upright
and a projecting arm for the support of the culinary apparatus." (Op.
cit., pp. 120-121.)
Say and his associates left the Kansa village to rejoin the main party
aboard the steamboat _Western Engineer_, then waiting near Isle au
Vache, but soon after starting on the journey were attacked by some
wandering Pawnee and forced to return to seek refuge among those whom
they had just left. And as told in the narrative, they were, as a
consequence, able to witness an interesting ceremony in one of the large
earth lodges. This was August 23, 1819. "Mr. Say's party were kindly
received at the village they had left on the preceding day. In the
evening they had retired to rest in the lodge set apart for their
accommodation, when they were alarmed by a party of savages, rushing in
armed with bows, arrows and lances, shouting and yelling in a most
frightful manner. The gentlemen of the party had immediate recourse to
their arms, but observing that some squaws, who were in the lodge,
appeared unmoved, they began to suspect that no molestation to them was
intended. The Indians collected around the fire in the centre of the
lodge, yelling incessantly; at length their howlings assumed something
of a measured tone, and they began to accompany their voices with a sort
of drum and rattles. After singing for some time, one who appeared to be
their leader, struck the post over the fire with his lance, and they all
began to dance, keeping very exact time with the music. Each warrior
had, besides his arms, and rattles made of strings of deer's hoof, some
part of the intestines of an animal inflated, and inclosing a few small
stones, which produced a sound like pebbles in a gourd shell. After
dancing round the fire for some time, without appearing to notice the
strangers, they departed, raising the same wolfish howl, with which they
had entered; but their music and their yelling continued to be heard
about the village during the night.
"This ceremony, called the _dog dance_, was performed by the Konzas for
the entertainment of their guests. Mr. Seymour took an opportunity to
sketch the attitudes and dresses of the principal figures." (Op. cit.,
p. 135.) The sketch made by Seymour was engraved and served as an
illustration in the narrative of the expedition prepared by James. It is
here reproduced as plate 30, _b_. The interior of the large earth lodge
is clearly shown. The "continuous series of mats" are suspended around
the wall, and the "bedsteads," as described, serve as seats for the
guests. Mats are also represented as spread over the floor in the
foreground.
On August 25, 1819, the steamboat _Western Engineer_ steamed away from
Isle au Vache, and that night, after having advanced about 23 miles up
the Missouri, stopped at the mouth of Independence Creek, and a little
above the creek, on the right bank of the Missouri, was "the site of an
old Konza town, called formerly the village of the Twenty Four." This
was evidently the same site as mentioned by Lewis and Clark, July 5,
1804. Ruins of the earth lodges had undoubtedly remained quite distinct,
being overgrown with the grass of the prairie.
Isle au Vache, in the Missouri, faces Oak Mills, Atchison County,
Kansas, and Iatan, Platte County, Missouri. A brief history of the
island was prepared a few years ago. (Remsburg, (1), pp. 436-443.)
Interesting notes on the habitations of the Kansa Indians are contained
in a narrative prepared by one who passed through their country during
the month of May, 1834.
On the night of May 1 the party encamped on a small branch of the Kansas
River, where they were joined by some members of the Kansa tribe who
occupied six lodges in a near-by woods. "This party is a small division
of a portion of this tribe, who are constantly wandering; but although
their journeys are sometimes pretty extensive, they seldom approach
nearer to the settlements than they are at present." Later they arrived
at the banks of the Kansas River, and as it was approached, so the
narrative continues, "we saw a number of Indian lodges, made of saplings
driven into the ground, bent over and tied at top, and covered with bark
and buffalo skins. These lodges, or wigwams, are numerous on both sides
of the river. As we passed them, the inhabitants, men, women, and
children, flocked out to see us, and almost prevented our progress by
their eager greetings. Our party stopped on the bank of the river, and
the horses were unloaded and driven into the water." They crossed the
river by means of a large flat-bottomed boat, and reaching the opposite
bank saw many Indian lodges with some frame houses occupied by whites.
"The canoes used by the Indians are mostly made of buffalo skins,
stretched, while recent, over a light frame work of wood, the seams
sewed with sinews, and so closely, as to be wholly impervious to water.
These light vessels are remarkably buoyant, and capable of sustaining
very heavy burthens." That evening they were visited by the Kansa chief
who lived near by, a "young man about twenty-five years of age, straight
as a poplar, and with a noble countenance and bearing.... The Kaws
living here appear to be much more wealthy than those who joined our
camp on the prairie below.... Their dress consists, universally of deer
skin leggings, belted around the loins, and over the upper part of the
body a buffalo robe or blanket." (Townsend, (1), pp. 30-33.)
During the morning of May 20, 1834, the party departed from the Kansa
settlement on or near the banks of the Kansas River, "leaving the river
immediately, and making a N. W. by W. course--and the next day came to
another village of the same tribe, consisting of about thirty lodges,
and situated in the midst of a beautiful level prairie.... The lodges
here are constructed very differently from those of the lower village.
They are made of large and strong timbers, a ridge Pole runs along the
top, and the different pieces are fastened together by leathern thongs.
The roofs, which are single, make but one angle, are of stout poplar
bark, and forms an excellent defence, both against rain and the rays of
the sun, which must be intense during midsummer in this region. These
prairies are often visited by heavy gales of wind, which would probably
demolish the huts, were they built of frail materials like those below.
We encamped in the evening on a small stream called Little Vermillion
creek...." (Op. cit., pp. 33-34.)
The sketch by Seymour conveys a very good idea of the general appearance
of the interior of a Kansa lodge, and an equally interesting picture of
the village, as it was just 22 years later, is to be found in one of
Father de Smet's works. He arrived at the first of the villages May 19,
1841, and in describing it said: "At the first sight of their wigwams,
we were struck at the resemblance they bore to the large stacks of wheat
which cover our fields in harvest-time. There were of these in all no
more than about twenty, grouped together without order, but each
covering a space about one hundred and twenty feet in circumference, and
sufficient to shelter from thirty to forty persons. The entire village
appeared to us to consist of from seven to eight hundred souls,--an
approximation which is justified by the fact that the total population
of the tribe is confined to two villages, together numbering 1900
inhabitants. These cabins, however humble they may appear, are solidly
built and convenient. From the top of the wall, which is about six feet
in height, rise inclined poles, which terminate round an opening above,
serving at once for a chimney and window. The door of the edifice
consists of an undressed hide on the most sheltered side, the hearth
occupies the centre and is in the midst of four upright posts destined
to support the _rotunda_; the beds are ranged round the wall and the
space between the beds and the hearth is occupied by the members of the
family, some standing, others sitting or lying on skins, or yellow
colored mats. It would seem that this last named article is regarded as
a piece of extra finery, for the lodge assigned to us had one of them."
(De Smet, (1), pp. 65-66.) Following this description of a lodge is an
account of its occupants. He refers to the women busily engaged at
various occupations, and the men, some eating or smoking, and others
plucking the hair from their brows and beard. The brief description of
the interior of the lodge conforms with those of the earlier writers,
but it is to be regretted that more was not said about the outside of
the structure. Were they covered with earth or thatch? The village
visited by Say in 1819 was composed of earth-covered lodges, clearly
described, but the drawing made by one of Father de Smet's associates
(it is marked _Geo. Lehman, del._) represents the large circular houses
with overhanging roofs, more closely resembling thatch than the usual
covering of earth and sod. This drawing, which was reproduced in the
work cited, is here shown in plate 30, _a_. The structures standing in
the village visited by Father de Smet may have resembled the
bark-covered house illustrated in plate 31. This most interesting
photograph was probably made about 40 years ago, and at once suggests
the frame, covered with bark, and ready for the final covering of earth;
in other words, an unfinished earth lodge. However, it was probably a
complete and finished structure.
Regarding the large village visited by De Smet as mentioned above, one
historian of the tribe has written: "An important village, and the
largest of the tribe at that time, was that of old Kah-he-gah-wa-ti-an-gah,
known as Fool Chief, which from about 1830 to 1846 was located on the north
side of the Kansas river, just north of the present Union Pacific station
of Menoken.... Until recent years the lodge-circle marks were visible and
its exact location easy to be found." (Morehouse, (1), p. 348.)
A year passed between the visit of Father de Smet to the Kansa towns and
the arrival of Fremont in the same locality, but it had been a period of
trouble for the tribe and they had suffered greatly. On June 18, 1842,
Fremont wrote in his journal: "We left our camp seven, journeying along
the foot of the hills which border the Kansas valley.... I rode off some
miles to the left, attracted by the appearance of a cluster of huts near
the mouth of the Vermillion. It was a large but deserted Kansas village,
scattered in an open wood, along the margin of the stream, chosen with
the customary Indian fondness for beauty of scenery. The Pawnees had
attacked it in the early spring. Some of the houses were burnt, and
others blackened with smoke, and weeds were already getting possession
of the cleared places." (Fremont, (1), pp. 12-13.)
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 77 PLATE 30
[Illustration: _a._ Kansa village, 1841. George Lehman]
[Illustration: _b._ Dog dance within a Kansa lodge, August 23, 1819.
Samuel Seymour]
BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY BULLETIN 77 PLATE 31
[Illustration: KANSA HABITATION]
It is quite probable that during their journeys away from the permanent
villages the Kansa, like other tribes of the Missouri Valley, made use
of skin tipis as being easily transported from one place to another. It
would also appear that in later years the earth and bark covered lodge
ceased to be used, and that skin tipis were constructed to the exclusion
of other forms of dwellings. A missionary who resided at the Kansa
agency from 1865 to 1868 wrote: "The tribe at that time was divided into
three bands, or villages, as they were generally called. Ish-tal-a-sa's
village occupied the northern part of the reserve. He was not only
village chief, but head chief of the whole tribe also. Fool Chief's
village occupied the central part of the reserve, and Al-le-ga-wa-ho's
the southern portion. The latter became head chief after Ish-tal-a-sa's
death. There were probably about 300 in each band. Their custom was for
the entire band to camp together in some desirable locality, where wood,
water and grass for their ponies were accessible, and remain until the
pasture was eaten down, and then move to another site. Another reason
for moving was to get away from the filth that always accumulated in an
Indian village. Their tents, or tepees, were made of buffalo skins....
The lodge, as they usually designated their tepees, was easily taken
down and removed to another place." (Spencer, (1), p. 373.)
Of the numerous tribes mentioned at the present time no one appears to
have erected a greater variety of dwellings than did the Kansa, whose
habitations were of several distinct forms and were constructed of
various materials.
The long mat-covered lodges described by Sibley in 1811, as at that time
standing in the village at the mouth of the Republican, on the left bank
of the Kansas River, may be accepted as being the typical or primitive
form of structure erected by the tribe. Eight years later Say and his
companions reached another village, a few miles eastward from the one
preceding, and there found the circular earth lodges. Evidently the
ruined towns mentioned by Lewis and Clark as being visible from the
Missouri River were once groups of similar earth lodges. But all
circular lodges were not covered with earth and sod; in some instances
the walls and roofs were formed of sheets of bark.
During the month of May, 1834, many small dwellings were standing on
both banks of the Kansas River which were formed by covering a frame
composed "of saplings driven into the ground, bent over and tied at
top," with sheets of bark and buffalo skins. And not far away was
another village of the same tribe but presenting a very different
appearance. The structures were described as being "made of large and
strong timbers, a ridge pole runs along the top, and the different
pieces are fastened together by leathern thongs. The roofs, which are
single, make but one angle, are of stout poplar bark." Whether this was
of circular or quadrangular base is difficult to determine, but probably
the latter, resembling the example shown in plate 19. And in addition to
the various structures already noted, the conical skin tipis were
extensively used by the Kansa, probably serving in early days when the
people were away from their more permanent villages, but later they were
more generally utilized.
OSAGE.
From the earliest historical times the habitat of the Osage was among
the hills and valleys of the Ozarks, south of the Missouri, in the
present State of Missouri, and here they continued to dwell until their
removal during the early part of the last century.
When Pere Marquette passed down the Mississippi, late in the month of
June, 1673, he learned of the Osage, and on his map, prepared soon
afterwards, indicated the villages of that tribe near a stream which was
evidently the river bearing their tribal name. They continued to occupy
rather permanent villages until the beginning of the nineteenth century.
The tribe included three bands, two of which may be rather old; the
third more recently created. These are: (1) Pahatsi or Great Osage, (2)
Utsehta or Little Osage, (3) Santsukhdhi or Arkansas band. The latter
dates from the year 1802 or thereabouts, when a large part of the Great
Osage, under the leadership of the chief Big Track, removed to the
vicinity of the Arkansas.
The Osage, unlike certain other members of the Siouan group to which
they belong, continued to erect and occupy the mat or bark covered
habitations so characteristic of the forest tribes. Their villages which
stood among the Ozarks were probably similar in appearance to the
ancient settlements of their ancestors which once occupied a part of the
upper valley of the Ohio, whence they migrated to the region beyond the
Mississippi. But the country which served as their new home was one well
suited to the wants and requirements of the tribe. Game was plentiful,
the streams teemed with fish, and wild fruits were to be had in vast
quantities. Thus food was easily obtained.
The expedition under the command of Captains Lewis and Clark began
ascending the Missouri May 14, 1804, and just one month later, on June
15, arrived at the site of an earlier settlement of the Little Osage. In
the journal the entry for that day states that: "We passed several
islands and one creek on the south side, and encamped on the north
opposite a beautiful plain, which extends as far back as the Osage
river, and some miles up the Missouri. In front of our encampment are
the remains of an old village of the Little Osage, situated at some
distance from the river, and at the foot of a small hill. About three
miles above them, in view of our camp is the situation of the old
village of the Missouris after they fled from the Sauks. The inroads of
the same tribe compelled the Little Osage to retire from the Missouri a
few years ago, and establish themselves near the Great Osages." And two
days later, at a place about 20 miles above their camp, on the 15th,
they reached "the crossing place for the Sauks, Ayauways, and Sioux, in
their excursions against the Osage." (Lewis and Clark, (1), I, p. 15.)
The ruined or deserted village of the Little Osage seen by the party
stood on the right or south bank of the Missouri, in the western part of
the present Saline County, Missouri, not far from the village of Malta.
The structures which had stood at this old site were probably similar to
those later erected by the people in their new village near the town of
the Great Osage, both of which were visited two years later. They were
situated far south of the Missouri, in the northern part of the present
Vernon County, in the valley of the Little Osage River.
During the latter part of August, 1806, Pike arrived at the two villages
of the Osage, having departed from Fort Bellefontain a short time before
on his journey to the far west. But, unfortunately, his accounts of the
native tribes and their villages which he encountered during his travels
are neither full nor clear, and so it is with the description of the
habitations of the Osage. To quote from the narrative: "The Osage lodges
are generally constructed with upright posts, put firmly in the ground,
of about 20 feet in height, with a crotch at the top; they are generally
about 12 feet distant from each other; in the crotch of those posts, are
put the ridge poles, over which are bent small poles, the ends of which
are brought down and fastened to a row of stakes of about 5 feet in
height; these stakes are fastened together with three horizontal bars,
and form the flank walls of the lodge. The gable ends are generally
broad slabs and rounded off to the ridge pole. The whole of the building
and sides are covered with matting made of rushes, of two or three feet
in length, and four feet in width, which are joined together, and
entirely exclude the rain. The doors are in the side of the building,
and generally are one on each side. The fires are made in holes in the
centre of the lodge; the smoke ascending through apertures left in the
roof for the purpose; at one end of the dwelling is a raised platform,
about three feet from the ground, which is covered with bear skins, and
generally holds all the little choice furniture of the master, and on
which repose his honorable guests.... They vary in length from 36 to 100
feet." (Pike, (1), App., pp. 11-12.)
Fort Osage, soon to be named Fort Clark, stood on the right bank of the
Missouri, a short distance northeast of Independence, in Jackson County,
Missouri. During the early years of the last century it was a gathering
place for the Osage and neighboring tribes, and several interesting
accounts are preserved of the appearance of the Indian lodges clustered
about the post. Both Bradbury and Brackenridge made mention of the fort
in their journals. The former wrote on April 8, 1811, and told of his
arrival: "About ten o'clock we came in sight of the fort, about six
miles distant. We had not been long in sight before we saw the flag was
hoisted, and at noon we arrived, saluting with a volley as we passed on
to the landing place, where we met Mr. Crooks, who had come down from
the wintering station at the mouth of the river Naduet to meet us. There
were also collected at the landing place about 200 Indians, men, women,
and children, of the Petit Osage nation, whose village was then about
300 yards from the fort." And continuing: "At evening Dr. Murray
proposed that we should walk into the village, and I found it to consist
of about one hundred lodges of an oblong form, the frame of timber, and
the covering mats, made of the leaves of flag, or _Typha palustris_. On
our return through the town, we called at the lodge belonging to a chief
named Waubuschon, with whom Dr. Murray was particularly acquainted. The
floor was covered with mats, on which they sat; but as I was a stranger,
I was offered a cushion. A wooden bowl was now handed round, containing
square pieces of cake, in taste resembling ginger-bread. On enquiry I
found it was made of the pulp of the persimon, mixed with pounded corn.
This bread they called staninca." (Bradbury, (1), pp. 35-37.)
Less than three weeks elapsed before Brackenridge reached the fort in
the company of Manuel Lisa. April 25, 1811, "About eleven, came in sight
of Fort Osage, situate on a bluff, three miles off, on a commanding
eminence.... A number of Indians of the Osage nation, of all ages, and
sexes, were scattered along the bank, attracted by curiosity, some with
old buffalo robes thrown over their shoulders, others dressed out in the
gayest manner.... On landing at the fort, on a very rocky shore, a
soldier under arms, who waited for us at the water's side, escorted Mr.
Lisa and myself to the fort, where we were politely received by the
commanding officer. While Mr. Lisa was transacting some business,
accompanied by Mr. Sibley, the factor, and an interpreter, I went to
deliver a pipe to _Sans Oreille_, (a warrior, and head man of this
tribe) sent to him by gen. Clark....
"The lodges of the Little Osage, are sixty in number, and within gun
shot of the fort; but they are about to remove their village to a
prairie, three miles off. Their lodges are of a circular form, not more
than ten or fifteen feet in diameter, constructed by placing mats, made
of coarse rushes, over forks and poles.
"All three of the Osage bands, together with some Kansas, were lately
encamped here for the purpose of trading, to the number of fifteen
hundred warriors." (Brackenridge, (1), pp. 216-217.)
It is more than probable the Little Osage were then returning to their
distant villages. Within less than three weeks the group of dwellings in
the vicinity of the post had been reduced in number from about 100 to
60, and undoubtedly before the lapse of many days all would have begun
their homeward journey. But the structures as described would have
resembled the dwellings in their permanent villages, differing from the
more temporary lodges discovered by Schoolcraft a few years later.