294 TRANSACTIONS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. [VoL. VI. 
the Indian superintendent interpreting), “I never went on the war 
path, but I often heard from our people of the contests between the 
Blackfeet and our nation, and of the Sioux massacres in Minnesota. 
Some of the Sioux came in early times, even before the Scotch people 
arrived, to smoke with Pegwis. Wah-ni-tii was their old chief. He 
had British medals, but grandfather suspected him even when smoking 
the pipe of peace. The Sioux wanted the Crees to join them against 
the British. Wah-ni-tii left our reserve and soon after killed all the 
Saulteaux he could catch on the plains. 
“ The next generation of Sioux were worse, sly as foxes and cruel as 
wolves. After the Minnesota massacres, ten of them came to see 
Pegwis, the bad chief Little Crow being with them. Grandfather was 
annoyed and angry with them. He died soon after of heart disease. 
Little Crow was shot and killed at St. Joe by Mr. Lampson. Grand- 
father always advised the Crees to be friendly with the whites.” The 
name of Pegwis, or Pegowis, with his mark or totem attached, appears 
as representing the Red River Crees, on the treaty of July 18, 1817, 
between the Earl of Selkirk and the Chippewas and the Crees, whereby 
lands to the breadth of two miles on either side of the Red and Assini- 
boine rivers were ceded to King George III. The consideration to the 
Indians for their extensive territory was one hundred pounds of tobacco 
to be given to the chiefs of the Chippewas and a like amount to the 
Cree chiefs annually. The lands are now among the most valuable in 
Manitoba. 
THE BLACKFOOT CHIEF CROWFOOT.—The Blackfeet were found west 
of the Crees of the Western plains, and south of the Saskatchewan. . An 
English gentleman, who had sojourned among them some years ago, 
expressed great admiration for this people to Archbishop Taché, saying, 
“The Blackfeet are to other Indians what the English are to other peo- 
ple.” “I bowed to express the high sense I had of his opinion, and 
leave to others to criticise as suits their fancy,” writes the polite French 
churchman. (2) 
The Blackfeet are now progressive and fast taking on civilization. 
They were slow to come under treaty, and it was very much through the 
influence of Crowfoot, head chief of the South Blackfeet, that Governor 
Laird succeeded in concluding the important treaty of September 22nd, 
1878, with Blackfeet, Bloods, Piegans, Sarcees and Stonies at the Black- 
foot crossing of the Great Bow River. 
(¢) ‘Sketch of N.W. America,’”’ by Mgr. Taché, translated by General Cameron, p, 127. Here and in the 
Government Reports, Blackfeet is used in the plural. Adding s to the singular has been urged as preferable, 
and future historians may perhaps so persuade us. Meanwhile the prevailing nomenclature is followed, 
