Note 215 — Chapter XXV · ACCOUNT OF THE MANDAN INDIANS

La Vérendrye (Canadian Archives, 1889, p. 21) says, "This nation is mixed white and black. The women are fairly good-looking, especially the white, many with blond and fair hair." All later travellers, also, note the presence of grey eyes and hair among the Mandan. If this arose from admixture with Caucasians, it probably was due to French coureurs des bois, who ranged far among the Western tribes. See, however, on this subject, Matthews, Hidatsa, pp. 43-45, who thinks fairness of skin but a variation of the usual Indian type.—Ed.