3S2 EXPEDITION TO THE 



&c. is much more inclined to attach himself to the village 

 in which he lives; and, accordingly, we find that the resi- 

 dences of the Dacotas, on the Mississippi, &.c. are still, for 

 the most part, kept up in the same places, where Carver 

 saw them in 1766. 



The population of the Dacotas varies, according to the 

 different travellers. Carver estimates the Naudowessies of 

 the plains, (independant of those of Spirit lake,) at up- 

 wards of two thousand ; but as he includes in these the 

 Shiennes and Omawhaws, who, at present at least, form 

 distinct nations, it is evident that we can draw no conclu- 

 sions from his statement. Lewis and Clarke establish their 

 numbers at about two thousand five hundred and fifty war- 

 riors, which, upon the data of one warrior to four souls, 

 admits a population of about ten thousand, but this is un- 

 doubtedly far under the truth. Pike states their population 

 at twenty-one thousand six hundred and seventy-five, in- 

 cluding three thousand eight hundred and thirty-five war- 

 riors. We believe the aggregate which he gives is nearly 

 correct, but that he allows too few warriors. Among such 

 Indians as have partially acquired habits of civilized life, 

 the proportion of one warrior in five souls may be very 

 nearly true ; but among the roving bands, which constitute 

 the majority of the Dacotas, we would not admit the ratio 

 to be less than one to four; for the number of children and 

 old men is proportionally much smaller. Youths are, at a 

 very early age, counted as warriors ; probably every male, 

 above the age of sixteen, may, in reality, be enumerated as 

 such.* 



From these observations we are led to admit, that the 



• Vide Carver, ut supra, p. 50. — Lewis and Clarke, vol. 1, p 60. — 

 Pike, appendix to Part I. p. 66. 



