SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 221 



With a view to ascertain what were their ideas of moral 

 excellence, we asked Wennebea what, in their opinion, con- 

 stituted a good rnan. He immediately replied, that in 

 order to be entitled to this appellation, an Indian ought to 

 be mild in his manners, affable to all, and particularly so to 

 his squaw. His hospitality ought to be boundless ; his cabin, 

 as well as all that he can procure, should be at the disposal 

 of any one who visits him. Should he receive presents, he 

 ought to divide them among the young men of his tribe, 

 reserving no share for himself. But what he chiefly con- 

 sidered as characteristic of a good man, was to be mild and 

 not quarrelsome when intoxicated. A good man should 

 keep as many wives as he can support, for this will enable 

 him to extend his hospitality more freely than if he have 

 but one wife. Being asked whether by this he meant that 

 an Indian should offer his squaw to strangers, as is practised 

 by the Missouri nations, he replied that no man of any 

 feeling could do such a thing ; he thought there was no 

 man so base as to be guilty of this. Adultery is strictly- 

 prohibited; so also is an indiscriminate intercourse of 

 sexes. No good man would encourage it, or partake in it ; 

 for men were not made like dogs for promiscuous inter- 

 course ; but there are some women, whose passions are not 

 controlled by reason, and these will always find men disposed 

 to share in their shame ; no good man would however do 

 so. Neither would a virtuous man always put away his 

 wife for adultery; he ought to admonish and reprove 

 her. Should she continue in her evil practices, then 

 he will be justifiable in discarding, or punishing her. 

 There are among the Sauks some men so base that they 

 will throw off their male garments, assume those of females, 

 and perform all the drudgery allotted to the latter sex, 

 becoming real cinsedi. They are always held in contempt, 



