MANDAN. It is in a coal-mining section, and carries on a trade in live stock, wool, and grain. There are railroad machine shops here, the city being a division point on the Northern Pacific. Mandan has the State Reform School and school for In- dians. In the vicinity are prehistoric mounds of considerable interest. Population, in 1890, 1328; in 1900, 1658. MANDAN". A noted and interesting tribe of Siouan stock (q.v. ), now settled on Port Ber- thold Reservation, at the junction of the Little Missouri with the Missouri River, Xorth Dakota, in alliance with the Arikara (Ree) and Minita- ree (Hidatsa or Gros Ventre, q.v.). They former- ly lived much farther down the Missouri and were then a numerous and influential people, but their decline has been almost without parallel for its rapidity. About 1773 they occupied nine villages on both sides of the Jlissouri about the entrance of Heart River. Pressed by the Sioux and wasted by smallpox, they soon afterwards moved up the river, combining now into si.x vil- lages. By 1804 they had again removed up the river, reduced now- to two villages, and settled a few miles below the entrance of Knife River, in close neighborhood to their friends, the Ari- kara and Jlinitaree. Here they were found by the explorers Lewis and Clark, who wintered among them and have much to say of their friendly character. Here it was also that they were nearly exterminated in 1837 by the small- pox, which, brought first to their villages by a trading steamer, rapidly swept the whole plains, destroying thousands of victims and spreading death and terror among all the tribes from Canada to the Gulf. It is estimated to have killed from 6000 to 8000 of the great tribe of Blackfeet, and at least 2000 of the Pawnee, while the Mandan themselves were reduced in a few weeks from a tribe of about 1600 to a mere hand- ful, reported, on what seems good authority, at 145 souls. Whatever maj- have been the true number, it was so small that they were lost sight of. The Arikara, who had lost about half their own number, moved into the un- tenanted Mandan villages, and for some years the ilandan tribe was thought by the traders to have become extinct. A few were still left, how- ever, among the Arikara and Minitaree. and with rare determination they set about building up again thieir shattered tribal structure. They re- fused to adopt the language or customs of those with whom they lived, and made and strictly en- forced a law forbidding all intermarriages with other tribes except upon condition that the for- eign partner should become a member of a Man- dan household and agree to rear his children in the Mandan language and rites. The result was that within ten years they were again a tribe, small but respected. In 1845 the Minitaree moved up the river to the present location at Fort Berthold. where the Mandan soon after- wards joined them, to be followed still later by the Arikara. The three allied tribes now number together 1100 souls, of whom the ilandan are 2,50. In spite of their migrations, the Mandan were not properly a nomadic people, but lived in stockaded villages of large and substantial circu- lar log houses with earth-covered roofs, similar to those of the Pawnee and other sedentary tribes along the Missouri River. They were agricul- tural, raising com, tobacco, and sunflowers, be- 787 MANDARIN DUCK. sides going out upon the plains to hunt buffalo, at regular seasons. They tattooed upon the face and breast, and were usually designated as 'tat- tooed people' in the sign language. They used a peculiar circular boat, known as a bull-boat and much resembling a tub in shape, made of butl'alo skins stretched over a willow frame. Among all the tribes they were noted for their elaborate ceremonials and particularly for the terrible .self-imposed tortures of the great Okeepa rite, described by Catlin. The light complexion and hair frequently seen among them, the prin- cipal ground on which Catlin and others have tried to establish a theory of Welsh origin, is due partly to a species of albinism by no means rare in some tribes, but more to admixture of white blood. MANDARA, man-da'ra, or WANDALA, wan-dil'la. A small negro kingdom in Central Sudan, Africa, south of Lake Chad and tributary to Bornu (q.v.). It is a wild and densely forested mountain region. Its population numbers about 250.000 and consists of negioes professing Islam and advanced industrially to some extent. The chief to i. Doloo. is fortified. Its population is 30.000. Since 1893 Mandara has belonged partly to the German and partly to the Britisli sphere of influence. MANDARIN (Port, mandarim. from Malay, Hind, iitantri, councilor, from Skt. mantihi. coun- cilor, from tiirnitra, council, from man, to think). Any Chinese official, civil or military, who is entitled to wear a 'button' on his official hat. The term is entirely unknown to the Chinese, who speak of them officially as kwan. There are nine ranks, each distinguished by a different- colored ball or 'l)utton' placed on the apex of the cap or Iiat, by a peculiar emblazonry on the breast (a bird in the ca.se of a civil officer, and a wild beast in the case of military men), and a different clasp on the girdle. A mandarin is not allowed to hold office in his native province; he is not allowed to marry in "the jurisdiction under his control, nor own land in it. nor have a near relative holding office under him: and he is seldom continued in office in a station or province for more than three years. It is incumbent on every provincial officer to report on the char- acter and qualifications of all under him. The Mandarin Dialect is properly the language of the Court. During the present dmasty, it has been Pekingese; in some preceding dvnasties it was the dialect spoken at Xanking. With slight variations, mandarin or Kuan Bica is spoken over three-fourths of the country, as well as in ^lanchuria. MANDARIN DUCK. The mandarin duck (Aix (lalericiilata) is one of the most exquisitely colored of birds. It is a comparatively small species, about the size of a teal, and is very closely related to the common wood duck (Six spons'a) of the United States. A native of China, it has been introduced as a semi-domesticated bird, for ornament, into Europe and the United States. It is beautifully variegated with green, chestnut, purple, and white, and fine black markings. In addition to the gorgeous colora- tion, certain peculiarities of plumage on the head, neck, and wings add greatly to the beauty. Tlie mandarin duck is said to be remarkable for being monogamous, and for remaining paired throughout life; it is an object of veneration to the Chinese, as an example of conjugal fidelity.
