SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 405 



The Dacotas have prophets among them, but none that are 

 so distinguished as those of the Shawanese. They are always 

 prepared to oppose the incredulous with several stories, or 

 anecdotes, to which they assert that they were in most 

 cases witnesses. It would be vain to attempt to convince 

 them of their error on this point, probably because they 

 are pleased with it, and are in no manner desirous of be- 

 ing convinced that it is but a delusion. Even the half- 

 breed interpreters share in this belief; at least they profess 

 themselves unable to account otherwise for the success that 

 attends those prophecies. In relating two or three of these 

 stories, we deem it unnecessary for us to premise them, by 

 stating that we are not believers in them, as Carver ap- 

 pears to have been in the prophecies of his friend, the 

 Chief Priest of the Killistinoes, but that we merely recite 

 them in order to show how far credulity will extend. 



About twenty years ago, a large party of Indians, col- 

 lected near Lake Travers, were quite destitute of tobacco ; 

 not knowing how to procure any, they applied to Tatan- 

 kanaje, (Standing Buffalo,) a prophet of some distinction, 

 and the uncle of the present chief of the Kahras. This 

 man usually carried about him a little stone idol, carved 

 into a human shape ; this he called his little man, and to 

 it he always applied when consulted in the way of his 

 profession. Tatankanaje being requested to advise the best 

 means of obtaining tobacco, made answer to them, that 

 if they would go to a certain place, which he pointed out 

 to them, they would find his idol, and by examining it 

 they would observe in its hand a piece of tobacco. They 

 did as he bade them, and found in the little fellow's hand, 

 a piece about four inches long ; this was brought to the 

 camp, and was thought to redound much to the credit both 

 of the prophet and the idol ; but Tatankanaje then observ- 



