Account of expeditions to the sources of the Mississippi, : and through the western parts of Louisiana, to the sources of the Arkansaw, Kans, La Platte, and Pierre Jaun Rivers

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62 APPENDIX TO PART I. riors which may principally be attributed to their chief the Ton .. ner~ Rouge, who, at the present day is allowed by both white people and the savages of the different bands, to be (after their own chiefs) the first man in the Sioux nation. The Yanctongs and Titongs arc the most independent Indians in the world ; they follow the buffalo as chance directs ; clothing themselves with the skin, and making their lodges, bridles, and saddles of the same materials, the Hcsh of the animal furnishing their food. Posses!-.ing innumerable herds of ho1·ses, they arc here this day, 500 miles ofT ten days hence, and find themselves equally at home in either place, moving with a ra· I)idity scarcely to be imagined by the inhabitants of the civilized world. The trade of the l\1inowa Kantong , \Vashpetong, Sussitongs, and part of the Yancton~s, is all derived from the traders of Mi­chiiimackiuac; and the latter o[ those two bands supply the Vane­tongs of the t10i'lh, and Titon gs, with the small quantities of iron wo1·ks which they require. Fire arms are not in much estimation with them. The \Va~hpecoutc trude principally with the people of Prairie Des Chiens ; but for a more particular explanation of this !:>ubjcct, plca:~c to rcl'cr to the tablc.'lf The claims of limits of the Sioux nation, arc allowed by all their neighbors, to commence at the Prairie Des Chiens, and as­cends the lVlississippi on both sides, to the Riviet·e De C01·beau, up that river to its source; from thence to the source of the St. Peters i from thcncc to the Montaigne De La Pruiric ; ft·om thence to the lVli:-.souri down that rivet• to the Muhas, bearing thence N. E. to the source of the river De Moyen; and frorn thence to the place of bc­guung. They also cl<,im a large tenitory south of the Missouri, but how far it extends is uncerL,tin. The country E. of the Missis­!:> ippi, fi'OII\ Hum rivet• to the Hivierc De Corbcau is likcwi~e in dis­pute bctw('Cll them and the Chipeways; and has been the scene of many a ::.harp encounter for ncar one hundred and fifty years past. From lliY lwowlc ~c of the Sioux nation, I do uot hesitate to pronounce them the most warlike and independent nation of Indians within the boundaries of the United S~ates, thci1· every passion be· ing subservient to tltat of war; butut the same time, their trader~ feel thcmsch cs perfectly secure of any coml>ination being made again~t them, IJut it is extremely necessary to be careful not to in­JUre the honor Ol' feelings of an individual, which is certainly the principal cause of the many bt·oils which occur between them. Bnl 1 ~f'C table F. appendix to part I, facing page (16. APPENDIX TO PART I. 6 J never was a trader known to suffer in the estimation of the nation by resenting any indignity offered him ; even if it went to taking the life of the offender. Their guttural p ronunciation ; high cheek bones ; their visages, and distinct manners, together with thcit• own traditions, supported by the testimony of neighboring nations, puts it in my mind, beyond the shadow of a doubt that they have emi­grated from the N. ~V. point of America, to which they had come across the narrow streights, which in that quartet· divides the two coFltinents; and arc absolutely descendants of a Tartarean tribe. The only personal knowledg~ which I have of the Chipcway nation, is restricted to the tribes on the south side of L ake upcrior, head waters of the Chipeway river, and the St. Croix ; and those who reside at Sandy Lake, Leech Lake, R ainy Lake, R ed Lake, and the head of the rivers Rouge, Mississippi, and De C01·bcau. They are divided into many bands (like the Sioux) the names of seven of which I am only acquainted with. I shall begin with those who reside on the south side of Lake Superior, and on Lakes De Sable and Sang Sue, with the adjacent country. They ure gene­rally denominated by the traders, by the n:.nnc of Sauteuxs ; hut those of the head waters of the Chipeways ancl St. Croix river, arc called Fols Avoin Sautcurs. I am unacquainted with the names of their chiefs. Those of Sandy Lake arc headed hy a chief called Catuwabatu, (or De Brcchc.) They hunt on the Mille Lacs, Red Lake, and the east bunk of the Mississippi, from Rum rivet· up to the river Des C01·beau, and from thence on both sides of the Mis­sissippi to Pine river; on that river also, up the Mississippi to Lake De Sable, and about 100 miles above that lake. Those of Leech Lake hunt on its streams, Lake ~Vinipie, Upper R ed Cedar Lake, the Otter Tail Lake, head of the river D e Corbcau, and the upper part of Lower Red river. Their chief is Le Gicullt' Platte, (or Eskibugcckoge.) 2d. The Crees rc!Oide on R ed lake, and hunt in its vicinity, and on Red river. Their first chief's name is 'Viscoup, (ot· L ·Sucre.' 3d. The N cpcsangs reside on Lake Nippising, and on Lak; St. Joseph. 4th. The Algonquins reside on the lake of the two Mountains, and are dispersed along the north r:,idc of Lakes Ontario and Erie. From this tribe the language of the Chipcways derives its name, and the whole nation is frequently designated by that appellation. 5th. The Otoways t·esidc on the N. ~V. side of Lake ~1ichi­gau, anc.l Lake II uron ; and hunt between those l<1kcc; and Lakr Superiot~.