lish, who derived it from the Algonqnins, are the Puans of
the French: among themselves they are called Hochungohrah,
or the Trout Nation. Their abode is on the Fox River of
Lake Michigan, and thence northward to the Winconsin.
They are about 4600 souls.
2. The Sioux proper or Nandowessies, who eall themselves
Dahcota, and sometimes the “ Seven Fires,” are divided into
seven tribes. They occupy extensive tracts on the Upper
Mississippi and on St. Peter’s River, and some extendingtis
far to-the westward as the Missouri. The four most eastern
tribes of the Dahcotas are called “ Gens du'kac,” or “ People
of the Leaves.” The first of these cultivate the land in a
country eastward of the Mississippi, extending through three
degrees of north latitude, viz. from 43° to 46°, or from the
Prairie du Chien to the Spirit Lake. The western tribes are
the Yanktons, Yanktoanans, and the Tetons. It Is. believed
that the whole Sioux nation amounts to about 2O>0QO souls.
The Assiniboins or Stone Indians are a detached body of the
Sioux who live on the Red River of Lake Winnipeg. The
Shyennes have also been taken for Sioux, but it is reported
that they have a peculiar language.
The Sioux are a people of singular and interesting, character,
and they preserve the original habits of the North
American aborigines much more than the eastern races.
Carver, who travelled in their country a hundred years ago,
drew a lively picture of their manners. The missionary
Heckewelder supposed their language to be distantly allied
to the Iroquois; but in this he is not supported by later
writers. §f The Dahcotas,” says Professor Keating, who travelled
in their country some years since, “ are a large and
powerful nation of Indians, and distinct in their manners,
language, habits, and opinions from the Chippewas, Sauks,
Foxes, and Nahiawah or Kilisteno, as well as from all other
nations of the Algonquin stock. They are likewise unlike
the Pawnees and the Minitaris or Grog Ventres.” Major
Pike says: p Their guttural pronunciation, high cheek-bones,
their visages, and distinct manners, together with their own
traditions, supported by the testimony of neighbouring nations,
put it in my mind beyond the shadow of a doubt, that
they have emigrated from the north-west point of America,
to which’ they had come across the narrow straits which in
that quarter divide the two continents, and are absolutely
descendants of a Tartar tribe.”
Pike must, however, have been mistaken in one respect,
for wè' are assured by Professor Keating that the Dahcotas
have no tradition of ever having emigrated from any other
placeî they believe that they were created bytheSupreme
Being on the lands which they at present occupy.
. 3. The third branch of this family of nations are the Minetari
; their language is of the same stock, though remotely
connected with the Dahcota.
< Among the Minetari nation are included »three tribes,—
the Mandansj a small tribe;; the Stationary Minetari, and
the tribe- called Grow Indians. The proof that these three
tribes are of one kindred, and thàt allied to the race of Sioux,
is to befound in the affinity of their languages,' of which full
evidence has been adduced; by Mr. Gallatin. * The moral and
physical history of these sevéral tribes presents some most
Curious traits. The Mandans, being of lighter complexion
than their neighbours, are supposed by many to have given
ffeif'to the stbiy of Welsh Indians' in NfCrtlu America. They
have among them a singular traditiom as to their origin : they
say that they carpe from under ground by means of a great
irine> which, breaking under the swmgbt of somCi of them,
has left behind a part of their nation, whom they expect to
join after death. Of the Mandans and Mimtaris we have
some striking and remarkable détails in the graphic description
of Mr. Catlin.
4. 'The fourth division of theuSioux race comprehends
several nations spread through th© southern parts.of the great
Missourian valley, and inhabiting the hanks of •rivers which
flow into its channel. They are the Osages or Wausasha on
the River Osagèyi the Kansas, the Ioways, the Missouri^
the Ottoesy the Omahawa or Mahaws, and the Puncas. The
affinity of these nations to the Sioux has long been known.
The Osages consider themselves as indigenous ; but the tradition
of the last five tribes is that thèy came from the north