sotiRCK OF ST. Peter's river. 421 



which they expose themselves. The great divinity to 

 which this association looks up for support, is the thunder, 

 to which frequent sacrifices are offered, especially by the 

 two founders who are its leaders. The sacrifices are made 

 at the door of the lodge, and consist of pieces of meat stuck 

 upon a wooden fork, and inclined to the west. The mem- 

 bers of this association have a costly and splendid dress, 

 made of antelope's skin ; they wear feathers upon their 

 heads. Every band of the Sioux has not an association of 

 this kind ; some have tw^o or three societies, one of which 

 has alone the title of the brave ; the others being called the 

 soldiers, the buffalo, &c. The object of these appears to be 

 different, as they are not bound to that passive exposure 

 to danger, w^hich characterizes the Nanpashene. 



The Dacotas that reside along the Mississippi and St. 

 Peter, raise maize in tolerable abundance ; they also cul- 

 tivate beans, pumpkins, and other vegetables ; some of them, 

 such as Wapasha, appear to be aware of the advantages 

 which attend agriculture, but all are not equally so ; and 

 the occasional supplies of these articles which they receive 

 from the Indian agents and officers of our government, 

 whenever they are in want of food, no doubt tend to en- 

 courage their lazy habits. Col. Snelling once offered a 

 chief the use of a plough, and of a person to teach him the 

 manner of working it, in order that his band might raise 

 potatoes. The chief made no answer for some time, but 

 continued to smoke his pipe with great deliberation ; when 

 this was exhausted, and he had carefully laid it aside, he 

 rose, advanced towards the colonel, shook his hand, and 

 observed that he had taken the offer into consideration, and 

 had concluded, that he would be a great fool were he to 

 accept of it, when he recollected that his father always 

 supplied him with provisions as often as he was in need of 



