University of Virginia Library

30th of August Thursday 1804.

a verry thick fog this morning after Prepareing Some
presents for the Cheifs which we intended [to] make by giving
Meadels, and finishing a Speech which we intended to give
them, we sent Mr. Dorion in a Perogue for the Cheifs and
Warriers to a Council under an Oak Tree near where we had
a flag flying on a high flagstaff at 12 oClock we met and
Cap. L. Delivered the Speach & then made one great Chiff
by giving him a Meadel[7] & Some Cloathes, one 2d. Chief &
three Third Chiefs in the same way, they recd. those things
with the goods and tobacco with pleasure To the Grand
Chief we gave a Flag and the parole (certificate) & Wampom
with a hat & Chiefs. Coat,[8] We Smoked out of the pipe of
peace, & the Chiefs retired to a Bourey [Bowray] made of
bushes by their young men to Divide their presents and Smoke
eate and Council Capt. Lewis & My self retired to dinner
and consult about other measures. Mr. Daurion is much displeased
that we did not invite him to dine with us (which he
was Sorry for afterwards). The Souex is a Stout bold looking

people, (the young men handsom) & well made, the greater
part of them make use of Bows & arrows, Some fiew fusees I
observe among them, notwith standing they live by the Bow
and arrow, they do not Shoot So Well as the Northern Indians
the Warriers are Verry much deckerated with Paint Porcupine
quils & feathers, large leagins and mockersons, all with buffalow
roabs of Different Colours, the Squars wore Peticoats & a
White Buffalow roabe with the black hare turned back over
their necks and Sholders.

I will here remark a SOCIETY[9] which I had never before
this day heard was in any nation of Indians, four of which is
at this time present and all who remain of this Band. Those
who become Members of this Society must be brave active
young men who take a Vow never to give back let the danger
be what it may, in War Parties they always go forward
without screening themselves behind trees or anything else to
this Vow they Strictly adhier dureing their Lives. an instance
which happened not long sence, on a party in Crossing the
R Missourie on the ice, a whole was in the ice imediately in
their Course which might easily have been avoided by going
around, the foremost man went on and was lost the others wer
draged around by the party. in a battle with the Crow[10] [Kite]
Indians who inhabit the Cout Noir[11] or black Mountain out
of 22 of this Society 18 was Killed, the remaining four was
draged off by their Party Those men are likely fellows the[y]
Set together Camp & Dance together. This Society is in
imitation of the Societies of the de Curbo or Crow (De Corbeau,
Kite) Indians, whom they imitate.

after the Indians got their Brackfast the Chiefs met and
arranged themselves in a row with elligent pipes of peace all
pointing to our Seets, we Came foward and took our Seets,
the Great Cheif The Shake hand rose and Spoke to some length
aproving what we had said and promissing to pursue the advice.

Mar to ree 2d Cheif (White Crain) [White Crane] rose and
made a Short Speech and refured to the great Chief Par nar
ne arpar be (struck by the Pania) 3rd. Chief rose and made a
short speech Ar ea we char che (the half man) 3rd. Chief rose
& Spoke at some length much to the [same] purpose.[12] The
other Cheif said but little One of the Warriers Spoke after
all was don & promissed to Support the Cheifs, the[y]
promisd to go and See their Great father in the Spring with
Mr. Dorion, and to do all things we had advised them to do.
and all concluded by telling the distresses of their nation by
not haveing traders, & wished us to take pity on them, the[y]
wanted Powder Ball, & a little Milk [rum; milk of great father
means spirits.]

last night the Indians Danced untill late in their Dances
we gave them [throw into them as is usual] Som Knives Tobacco
& bells & tape & Binding with which they wer Satisfied.[13]

We gave a Certificate to two Men of War, attendants on
the Chief, gave to all the Chiefs a Carrot of Tobacco. had
a talk with Mr. Dorion, who agreed to Stay and Collect the
Chiefs from as Many Bands of Soux as he coud this fall &
bring about a peace between the suoex and their neighbours
&c. &c. &c.

After Dinner we gave Mr. Peter Dorion, a Commission to
act with a flag and some Cloathes & Provisions & instructions

to bring about a peace with the Seioux, Mahars, Panies, Poncaries,
[Poncas—Ed.] Ottoes & Missouries, and to employ
any trader to take Some of the Cheifs of each or as many of
those nations as he Could Perticularly the Seuouex (down to
Washn) I took a Vocabulary of the Suoux Language, and the
Answer to a fiew quaries such a[s] refured to their Situation,
Trade, Number, War, &c. &c. This Nation is Divided into
20 Tribes, possessing Seperate interests. Collectively they
are noumerous say from 2 to 3000 men, their interests are so
unconnected that Some bands are at war with Nations [with]
which other bands are on the most friendly terms. This Great
Nation who the French has given the Nickname of Suouex,
Call themselves Dar co tar [Dakota—Ed.] their language
is not peculiarly their own, they Speak a great number of
words, which is the Same in every respect with the Maha,
Poncarer, Osarge & Kanzas. which clearly proves that those
nations at some period not more that a century or two past
are of the Same nation. Those Dar ca ter's or Suoux inhabit
or rove over the Countrey on the Red river of Lake Winipeck,
St. Peters & the West of the Missi[ss]-ippie, above Prarie De
Cheen (Prairie de Chien) heads of River Demoin, and the Missouri
and its waters on the N. Side for a great extent. they
are only at peace with 8 nations, & agreeable to their Calculation
at War with twenty odd. Their trade coms from the
British, except this Band and one on Demoin who trade with
the Traders of St Louis. The[y] furnish Beaver, Martain,
Loups, (Wolfs) Pekon, (pichou) Bear & Deer Skins, and have about 40 Traders among them. The Dar co tar or Suouez rove
& follow the Buffalow raise no corn or any thing else the woods
& praries affording a suff[i]cency, the[y] eat Meat, and Substitute
the Ground potato which grow in the Plains for bread.

The Names of the Defferent Tribes or bands of the Sceoux,
or Dar co tar Nation.

1st

• Che cher ree Yankton (or bois ruley) (brulé) now present inhabit
  the Suouex & Demoin Rivers and the Jacque. (200 men.)

2nd.

• Ho in de borto (Poles) they live [rove] on the heads of Souex
  and Jacques Rivers.

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3rd.

• Me Ma car jo (Make fence on the river) rove on the Country
  near the big bend of the Missouries.

4th.

• Sou on, Te ton (People of the Prarie) the[y] rove in the Plains
  N. of the Riv Missourie above this.

5th.

• Wau pa coo tar (Leaf Beds) the[y] live near the Prarie de
  Chain Near the Missippi.

6th.

• Te Car ton (or Village of Prarie) rove on the waters of the
  Mississippi above Prarie de Chain.

7th.

• Ne Was tar ton (big Waters Town) rove on the Missippi above
  the St. Peters River.

8th.

• Wau pa tone (Leaf Nation) live 10 Leagues up St. Peters River.

9th.

• Cas Carba (White Man) live 35 Leagues up St. Peters river.

10th.

• Mi ca cu op si ba (Cut bank) rove on the head of St. Peters.

11th.

• Sou on (—) rove on St. Peters river in the Praries.

12th.

• Sou se toons (—) live 40 Leages up the St. Peters river.

The names of the other bands neither of the Souex's interpters
could inform me.[14] in the evening late we gave Mr.
Dourion a bottle of whiskey, & he with the Cheifs & his Son
Crossed the river and Camped on the Opposit bank. Soon
after night a violent wind from the N. W. with rain the rain
Continud the greater part of the night. The river a riseing a
little.