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This　ingenuous　confession　did　not　make　us　the　less　desirous　of　negotiating　a　peace　for　them；　but　no　Indians　have　as　yet　been　attracted　by　our　fire。　The　evening　was　closed　by　a　dance；　and　the　next　day；　the　chiefs　and　warriors　being　assembled　at　ten　o'clock；　we　explained　the　speech　we　had　already　sent　from　the　Council　Bluffs；　and　renewed　our　advice。　They　all　replied　in　turn；　and　the　presents　were　then　distributed。　We　exchanged　the　small　medal　we　had　formerly　given　to　the　Big　Horse　for　one　of　the　same　size　with　that　of　Little　Thief：　　we　also　gave　a　small　medal　to　a　third　chief；　and　a　kind　of　certificate　or　letter　of　acknowledgment　to　five　of　the　warriors　expressive　of　our　favor　and　their　good　intentions。　One　of　them；　dissatisfied；　returned　us　the　certificate；　but　the　chief；　fearful　of　our　being　offended；　begged　that　it　might　be　restored　to　him；　this　we　declined；　and　rebuked　them　severely　for　having　in　view　mere　traffic　instead　of　peace　with　their　neighbors。　　This　displeased　them　at　first；　but　they　at　length　all　petitioned　that　it　should　be　given　to　the　warrior；　who　then　came　forward　and　made　an　apology　to　us；　we　then　delivered　it　to　the　chief　to　be　given　to　the　most　worthy；　and　he　bestowed　it　on　the　same　warrior；　whose　name　was　Great　Blue　Eyes。　　After　a　more　substantial　present　of　small　articles　and　tobacco；　the　council　was　ended　with　a　dram　to　the　Indians。　　In　the　evening　we　exhibited　different　objects　of　curiosity；　and　particularly　the　air…gun；　which　gave　them　great　surprise。　　Those　people　are　almost　naked；　having　no　covering　except　a　sort　of　breech…cloth　round　the　middle；　with　a　loose　blanket　or　buffalo　robe；　painted；　thrown　over　them。　The　names　of　these　warriors；　besides　those　already　mentioned；　were　Karkapaha；　or　Crow's　Head；　and　Nenasawa；　or　Black　Cat；　Missouris；　and　Sananona；　or　Iron　Eyes；　Neswaunja；　or　Big　Ox；　Stageaunja；　or　Big　Blue　Eyes；　and　Wasashaco；　or　Brave　Man；　all　Ottoes。〃



Chapter　IV

Novel　Experiences　among　the　Indians

About　this　time　（the　nineteenth　and　twentieth　of　August）；　the　explorers　lost　by　death　the　only　member　of　their　party　who　did　not　survive　the　journey。　Floyd　River；　which　flows　into　the　Upper　Missouri；　in　the　northwest　corner　of　Iowa；　still　marks　the　last　resting…place　of　Sergeant　Charles　Floyd；　who　died　there　of　bilious　colic　and　was　buried　by　his　comrades　near　the　mouth　of　the　stream。　　Near　here　was　a　quarry　of　red　pipestone；　dear　to　the　Indian　fancy　as　a　mine　of　material　for　their　pipes；　traces　of　this　deposit　still　remain。　　So　fond　of　this　red　rock　were　the　Indians　that　when　they　went　there　to　get　the　stuff；　even　lifelong　and　vindictive　enemies　declared　a　truce　while　they　gathered　the　material；　and　savage　hostile　tribes　suspended　their　wars　for　a　time。

On　the　north　side　of　the　Missouri；　at　a　point　in　what　is　now　known　as　Clay　County；　South　Dakota；　Captains　Lewis　and　Clark；　with　ten　men；　turned　aside　to　see　a　great　natural　curiosity；　known　to　the　Indians　as　the　Hill　of　Little　Devils。　　The　hill　is　a　singular　mound　in　the　midst　of　a　flat　prairie；　three　hundred　yards　long；　sixty　or　seventy　yards　wide；　and　about　seventy　feet　high。　　The　top　is　a　smooth　level　plain。　The　journal　says：

〃The　Indians　have　made　it　a　great　article　of　their　superstition：　it　is　called　the　Mountain　of　Little　People；　or　Little　Spirits；　and　they　believe　that　it　is　the　abode　of　little　devils；　in　the　human　form；　of　about　eighteen　inches　high；　and　with　remarkably　large　heads；　they　are　armed　with　sharp　arrows；　with　which　they　are　very　skilful；　and　are　always　on　the　watch　to　kill　those　who　should　have　the　hardihood　to　approach　their　residence。　　The　tradition　is；　that　many　have　suffered　from　these　little　evil　spirits；　and；　among　others；　three　Maha　Indians　fell　a　sacrifice　to　them　a　few　years　since。　This　has　inspired　all　the　neighboring　nations；　Sioux；　Mahas；　and　Ottoes；　with　such　terror；　that　no　consideration　could　tempt　them　to　visit　the　hill。　We　saw　none　of　these　wicked　little　spirits；　nor　any　place　for　them；　except　some　small　holes　scattered　over　the　top；　we　were　happy　enough　to　escape　their　vengeance；　though　we　remained　some　time　on　the　mound　to　enjoy　the　delightful　prospect　of　the　plain；　which　spreads　itself　out　till　the　eye　rests　upon　the　northwest　hills　at　a　great　distance；　and　those　of　the　northeast；　still　farther　off；　enlivened　by　large　herds　of　buffalo　feeding　at　a　distance。〃

The　present　residents　of　the　region；　South　Dakota；　have　preserved　the　Indian　tradition；　and　Spirit　Mound　may　be　seen　on　modern　maps　of　that　country。

Passing　on　their　way　up　the　Missouri；　the　explorers　found　several　kinds　of　delicious　wild　plums　and　vast　quantities　of　grapes；　and　here；　too；　they　passed　the　mouth　of　the　Yankton　River；　now　known　as　the　Dakota；　at　the　mouth　of　which　is　the　modern　city　of　Yankton；　South　Dakota。　　The　Yankton…Sioux　Indians；　numbering　about　one　thousand　people；　inhabited　this　part　of　the　country；　and　near　here　the　white　men　were　met　by　a　large　band　of　these　Sioux　who　had　come　in　at　the　invitation　of　Lewis　and　Clark。　　The　messengers　from　the　white　men　reported　that　they　had　been　well　received　by　the　Indians；　who；　as　a　mark　of　respect；　presented　their　visitors　with　〃a　fat　dog；　already　cooked；　of　which　they　partook　heartily　and　found　it　well…flavored。〃　From　this　time；　according　to　the　journal；　the　explorers　tasted　occasionally　of　roast　dog；　and　later　on　they　adopted　this　dish　as　a　regular　feature　of　their　bill…of…fare。　They　do　tell　us；　however；　that　they　had　some　difficulty　in　getting　used　to　so　novel　an　article　of　food。

The　Sioux　and　the　white　men　held　a　grand　council　under　an　oak…tree；　from　the　top　of　which　was　flying　the　American　flag。　The　head　chief　was　presented　with　a　gold…laced　uniform　of　the　United　States　artillery；　a　cocked　hat　and　red　feather。　The　lesser　chiefs　were　also　presented　with　suitable　gifts　of　lesser　value。　　Various　festivities　followed　the　conference。　Next　day　another　powwow　was　held　at　which　the　head　chief；　Weucha；　or　Shake　Hand；　said：

〃　‘I　see　before　me　my　great　father's　two　sons。　You　see　me　and　the　rest　of　our　chiefs　and　warriors。　We　are　very　poor；　we　have　neither　powder；　nor　ball；　nor　knives；　and　our　women　and　children　at　the　village　have　no　clothes。　I　wish　that；　as　my　brothers　have　given　me　a　flag　and　a　medal；　they　would　give　something　to　those　poor　people；　or　let　them　stop　and　trade　with　the　first　boat　which　comes　up　the　river。　I　will　bring　the　chiefs　of　the　Pawnees　and　Mahas　together；　and　make　peace　between　them；　but　it　is　better　that　I　should　do　it　than　my　great　father's　sons；　for　they　will　listen　to　me　more　readily。　I　will　also　take　some　chiefs　to　your　country　in　the　spring；　but　before　that　time　I　cannot　leave　home。　　I　went　formerly　to　the　English；　and　they　gave　me　a　medal　and　some　clothes：　when　I　went　to　the　Spaniards　they　gave　me　a　medal；　but　nothing　to　keep　it　from　my　skin：　　but　now　you　give　me　a　medal　and　clothes。　But　still　we　are　poor；　and　I　wish；　brothers；　you　would　give　us　something　for　our　squaws。'

When　he　sat　down；　Mahtoree；　or　White　Crane；　rose：

〃　‘I　have　listened；'　said　he；　‘to　what　our　father's　words　were　yesterday；　and　I　am　to…day　glad　to　see　how　you　have　dressed　our　old　chief。　I　am　a　young　man；　and　do　not　wish　to　take　much；　my　fathers　have　made　me　a　chief；　I　had　much　sense　before；　but　now　I　think　I　have　more　than　ever。　What　the　old　chief　has　declared　I　will　confirm；　and　do　whatever　he　and　you　please；　but　I　wish　that　you　would　take　pity　on　us；　for　we　are　very　poor。'

〃Another　chief；　called　Pawnawneahpahbe；　then　said：

〃　‘I　am　a　young　man；　and　know　but　little；　I　cannot　speak　well；　but　I　have　listened　to　what　you　have　told　the　old　chief；　and　will　do　whatever　you　agree。'

〃The　same　sentiments　were　then　repeated　by　Aweawechache。

〃We　were　surprised；〃　the　journal　says；　〃at　finding　that　the　first　of　these　titles　means　Struck　by　the　Pawnee；　and　was　occasioned　by　some　blow　which　the　chief　had　received　in　battle　from　one　of　the　Pawnee　tribe。　The　second　is　in　English　Half　Man；　which　seemed　a　singular　name　for　a　warrior；　till　it　was　explained　to　have　its　origin；　probably；　in　the　modesty　of　the　chief；　who；　on　being　told　of　his　exploits；　would　say；　‘I　am　no　warrior；　I　am　only　half　a　man。'　　The　other　chiefs　spoke　very　little；　but　after　they　had　finished；　one　of　the　warriors　delivered　a　speech；　in　which　he　declared　he　would　support　them。　　They　promised　to　make　peace　with　the　Ottoes　and　Missouris；　the　only　nations　with　whom　they　are　at　war。　All　these　harangues　concluded　by　describing　the　distress　of　the　nation：　they　begged　us　to　have　pity　on　them；　to　send　them　traders；　that　they　wanted　powder　and　ball；　and　seemed　anxious　that　we　should　supply　them　with　some　of　their　great　father's　milk；　the　name　by　which　they　distinguish　ardent　spirits。　　We　gave　some　tobacco　to　each　of　the　chiefs；　and　a　certificate　to　two　of　the　warriors　who　attended　the　chief　We　prevailed　on　M。　Durion　＇interpreter＇　to　remain　here；　and　accompany　as　many　of　the　Sioux　chiefs　as　he　could　collect　to　the　seat　of　government。　We　also　gave　his　son　a　flag；　some　clothes；　and　provisions；　with　directions　to　bring　about　a　peace　between　the　surrounding　tribes；　and　to　convey　some　of　their　chiefs　to　see　the　President。

〃The　Indians　who　have　just　left　us　are　the　Yanktons；　a　tribe　of　the　great　nation　of　Sioux。　　These　Yanktons　are　about　two　hundred　men　in　number；　and　inhabit　the　Jacques；　Des　Moines；　and　Sioux　Rivers。　　In　person　they　are　stout；　well　proportioned；　and　have　a　certain　air　of　dignity　and　boldness。　In　their　dress　they　differ　nothing　from　the　other　bands　of　the　nation　whom　we　met　afterwards。〃

Of　the　Sioux　let　us　say　here；　there　are　many　bands；　or　subdivisions。　Some　writers　make　eighteen　of　these　principal　branches。　But　the　first　importance　is　given　to　the　Sioux　proper；　or　Dakotas。　　The　name　〃Sioux〃　is　one　of　reproach；　given　by　their　enemies；　and　signifies　〃snake；〃　whereas　〃Dakota〃　means　〃friend〃　or　〃ally。〃　The　Lewis　and　Clark　journal　says　of　the　Yankton…Sioux：

〃What　struck　us　most　was　an　institution　peculiar　to　them　and　to　the　Kite　（Crow）　Indians　further　to　the　westward；　from　whom　it　is　said　to　have　been　copied。　　It　is　an　association　of　the　most　active　and　brave　young　men；　who　are　bound　to　each　other　by　attachment；　secured　by　a　vow；　never　to　retreat　before　any　danger；　or　give　way　to　their　enemies。　In　war　they　go　forward　without　sheltering　themselves　behind　trees；　or　aiding　their　natural　valor　by　any　artifice。　　Their　punctilious　determination　not　to　be　turned　from　their　course　became　heroic；　or　ridiculous；　a　short　time　since；　when　the　Yanktons　were　crossing　the　Missouri　on　the　ice。　A　hole　lay　immediately　in　their　course；　which　might　easily　have　been　avoided　by　going　around。　　This　the　foremost　of　the　band　disdained　to　do；　but　went　straight　forward　and　was　lost。　　The　others　would　have　followed　his　example；　but　were　forcibly　prevented　by　the　rest　of　the　tribe。　These　young　men　sit；　camp；　and　dance　together；　distinct　from　the　rest　of　the　nation；　they　are　generally　about　thirty　or　thirty…five　years　old；　and　such　is　the　deference　paid　to　courage　that　their　seats　in　council　are　superior　to　those　of　the　chiefs　and　their　persons　more　respected。　But；　as　may　be　supposed；　such　indiscreet　bravery　will　soon　diminish　the　numbers　of　those　who　practise　it；　so　that　the　band　is　now　reduced　to　four　warriors；　who　were　among　our　visitors。　T