SOURCE OF ST. PETER's RIVER. 393 



ceive them with less diffidence, as they have had but little 

 intercourse with missionaries, whether Catholic or other- 

 wise ; still, in some of their credences, as related to us, it 

 was impossible not to discover a few of the doctrines of 

 Christianity, which had probably crept in unnoticed by 

 them. The Dacotas admit that there are in man two dis- 

 tinct essences, to which they respectively apply the terms 

 of Wanari and Wahk&n, which our interpreters translate 

 by soul and spirit. They believe that after death the souls 

 go to the Wanare Tebe, or dwelling place of the souls. 

 That in order to reach it, they have to pass over a rock, 

 the edge of which is as sharp as that of a knife ; those who 

 fall off go to the region of the evil spirit, where they are 

 kept constantly chopping wood, carrying water, &c. being 

 frequently flogged by their relentless master. 



Those, on the contrary, that have passed safe over the 

 rock, have a long journey to travel; and as they proceed, 

 they observe the camping places of the souls that have 

 preceded them ; at these spots fires are ready made for 

 their accommodation ; finally, they reach the habitation of 

 the Wahkan Tanka, or Great Spirit. There tliey find many 

 villages of the dead ; they meet with some spirits there, 

 who point out to them the way to the residence of their 

 friends and relations, with whom they are reunited. Their 

 life is an easy and a blissful one, they hunt the buffalo, plant 

 corn, &c. It is believed, that when children are on the 

 point of death, their departed relations return from the 

 land of souls in order to convey them thither. Women 

 are liable to go to either of the places, but all are entitled to 

 a situation in the land of the blessed, except such as have 

 violated their chastity, committed infanticide or suicide. 



Their system of Ethics is as simple. Men are held to 

 go to the residence of the Great Spirit if they be good and 



Vol. I. 50 



