SOURCE OF ST. PETEr's RIVER. 17 



the friendly reception which we had met with on the part of 

 Wanotan and the other Indians whom we had seen. In a 

 tone rather imperative than courteous, they expressed their 

 wish that we should go to their camp and speak to their old 

 chief. This we declined doing, informing them that some 

 of our party had separated from us, and that we had a 

 long journey to travel. They pointed to the sun, which 

 was then low in the horizon, and added that we had no 

 time to proceed further, and that we had better encamp 

 with them that night. As an inducement, they added that 

 we should be provided with squaws, w^hose beauty they 

 commended much. This offer was alone sufficient to stamp 

 them as worthless members of their nation, for the Daco- 

 tas agree in this respect with the Sauks, considering, as 

 Wennebea expressed himself, that " men were not made 

 like dogs for promiscuous intercourse." In this particular 

 as well as in many others, the Dacotas differ materiall}'- 

 from the Indians of the Missouri, whose manners Mr. Say 

 described in the " Account of the Expedition to the 

 Rocky Mountains." Major Long declined their invitation, 

 whereupon they insisted that our party should encamp at 

 a neighbouring grove which they pointed out to us, as they 

 observed that this would be a convenient place for their 

 chief to come and smoke with us in the evening. While 

 this conversation was going on, Mr. Say remarked that, 

 either through design or accident, the Indians had in- 

 termixed themselves so much with our party, that every 

 one of our number was placed between two or more 

 of theirs. Mr. Snelling overheard them talking of our 

 horses, admiring them, and examining the points of each ; 

 one of their band had even ventured so far as to ask hini 

 which horse was considered the best of the party. Find- 

 ing that all further conversation was a w^aste of time, and 



