Page:A Topographical Description of the State of Ohio, Indiana Territory, and Louisiana.djvu/126

118 hair is long, and neatly tied up, forming a club behind. Broad silver clasps are worn on their arms, wrists and ankles. They also, like the men, wear a buffaloe robe.

Their villages are built along the banks of the river. The houses stand in two rows, on a straight line, with a wide street between them. They build their houses with split logs, laid up in a neat manner, and cover them with split boards. They are generally about ten or twelve feet wide, and from twenty to forty feet long; and some of the chiefs have them sixty feet in length. The height is from eight to ten feet; and having no window or chimney, they have an aperture at the top for the light to come in, and the smoke to go out. They have only one door, which is usually closed with a buffaloe skin. These people live in a more neat and cleanly manner than is common among these western tribes.

The Osage nation claim an extensive country for their hunting ground, and do not admit the other nations to make encroachments upon it. It abounds with all the wild game common to this country; such as the elk, buffaloe, dear,bear, wolf, cabree, or antelope, ground hog, beaver, otter, and mink.

The title of their chiefs is hereditary. The great chief assumes authority over those of an inferior grade; and his power in many respects is dispoticdespotic [sic]. But he dare not engage in any great enterprize, nor make war or peace, without calling