xx INTRODUCTION. 



4. The Dakotah, or Sioux Confederacy, extending 

 west to the Eocky Mountains from a line running from 

 Kewenaw Bay to the north-eastern corner of the present 

 State of Iowa. 



The lines between the different confederacies must 

 be understood as only approximating to correctness, as 

 Indian boundaries were never well defined. 



These confederacies were generally not confederacies 

 of Government, but were divided into a number of in- 

 dependent bands or tribes, often at open war with each 

 other, and frequently unable to speak each other's 

 dialects. 



The Dakotahs, or Sioux. The Dakoiahs, more fre- 

 quently termed Sioux, and also called by the French 

 ' Les Coupe-gorge,' or ' Cut-throats,' from their sign or 

 symbol, which consists of drawing the lower edge of the 

 hand across the throat, are the most powerful and war- 

 like of all the Indian tribes. They are divided into 

 the Santees, or Upper Bands, and the Tetons, or Lower 

 Bands. 



They are called by the Algonquin nations Nadones- 

 sioux, or ' Enemies,' which was subsequently abbreviated 

 or corrupted to ' Sioux,' a common name for the tribe 

 among the English and French traders for the last 200 

 years ; it is, however, a mere nickname, and excessively 

 disagreeable to the tribes to which it is applied. 



The Santees, or Upper Bands, consist of the following 

 bands : 



1. The Wahpakoota, or ' Leaf-shooters.' 



2. Mdewakanton, or the ' Village of the Spirit Lake,' 

 or Mille Lacs. 



3. Wahpaton, or the ' Village in the Leaves ;' and 



4. Sisseton, the ' Village of the Marsh/ 



The first two of these bands resided, in 1862, in 

 Minnesota, and originated the massacre. They are called 



