SOURCE OP ST. Peter's river. 3S5 



which is on the Mississippi, below the St. Peter; they 

 hunt on the St. Croix river. 



4. Oanoska signifies great avenue. Wamendetanka, 

 (War Eagle,) their chief, was formerly a dependant on 

 Petit Corbeau. He has but one village on the St. Peter ; 

 he hunts on the Mississippi, above the Falls of St. An- 

 thony. 



5. Tetankatane, (old village.) This is the oldest vil- 

 lage of the Dacotas. At the time when Wapasha's father 

 ruled over the nation, there were four hundred lodges 

 there. Wapasha formerly lived in that village, but hav- 

 ing removed from it with the greater part of his warriors, 

 a few preferred remaining there, and chose one of their 

 number as a leader. His son, Takop^peshen^, (dauntless,) 

 now rules over them. He is considered a dependant 

 of the next following chief ; he has but one village on the 

 St. Peter, three miles above its mouth ; he hunts on this 

 river and the Mississippi. 



6. Taoapa. The chief of this party is called Shakpa, 

 which means six. He inherited his station, and is a dis- 

 tinguished man, ranking in the nation third only to Wa- 

 pasha and Petit Corbeau. He has but one village ; it is 

 situated on the St. P^ter, between which river and the 

 Mississippi he hunts. 



7. Weakaote. a small band which is dependant up- 

 on the preceding. 



8. Meakechakesa derives its name from a point in the 

 river, which has been cut off and forms an island. Their 

 chief is called Wahkanto, or " blue spirit ;" he rules by 

 right of his family. His tribe has no fixed villages, no mud 

 or bark cabins like all the preceding tribes ; they reside all 

 the year round in skin lodges, which they shift from place 

 to place. Their chief rendezvous is on the Blue Earth 



Vol. L 49 



