98 DRUNKEN INDIANS. 



Mmecosiae, Blackfeet, Broken-arrows, and Assenaboins. with many oth-= 

 era whose namea have escaped my recollection. The only perceptible 

 difference in language, is, in the pronuciation of words like the following, 

 meallOi appelh and Lacota, — those upon the Mississippi, and some in 

 the vicinity of the Missouri, pronouncing them ineaddoy appeddo, and Dor 

 cota. 



The members of tliis nation, so far as my obsei-vation extends, are a 

 cowardly, treacherous, thieving set, taken as a body — and are well desemng 

 the appellation of mean and contemptible; though there are .some hon- 

 orable exceptions to the remark. 



Any effort to civilize them must necessarily prove tedious, if not alto- 

 gether impracticable, while they adhere to their present roving habits ;— 

 though three several missionary stations have been recently established 

 among them, with slight success ; viz : at St. Peters, Lac qui Parle, and 

 Traverse des Sioux. But the Indians of those sections, being under the 

 more direct influence of the U. S. Government, have begun to abandon 

 their former wandering habits, and betake themselves to agricultural pur- 

 suits. 



The term Siuox, as applied to this nation, is of Franco-Canadian ori- 

 gin — being a corruption of the word sued, and means drunk or drunkeuj—in 

 allusion to their excessive fondness for liquor and predilection to inebri- 

 acy. The name by which they call themselves, and are known among 

 other tribes, is Lacota, or Cut-throats, — for such is the literal meaning of 

 the term ; and rarely, indeed, were ever a pack of scoundrels more justly 

 entitled to the appellation. 



The night of our arrival at Fort Pla-tte was the signal for a grand jollifi- 

 cation to all hands, (v/ith two or three exceptions,) who soon got most 

 gloriously drunk, and such an illustration of the beauties of harmony as 

 was then perpetrated, would have rivalled Bedlam itself, or even the famous 

 ouncil chamber beyond the Styx. 



Yelling, screeching, firing, shouting, fighting, swearing, drinking, and 

 such Uke interesting performances, were kept up without intermission, — 

 and woe to the poor fellow who looked for repose that night, — he might as 

 well have thought of sleeping with a tliousand cannon bellowing at his 

 ears. 



The sceae was prolonged till near sundown the next day, and several 

 made their egress from this beastly carousal, minus shirts and coats, — with 

 ewoller. e^3s, bloody noses, and empty pockets, — the latter circumstance 

 will be easily understood upon the mere mention of the fact, that liquor, in 

 this country, is sold for four dollars per pint. 



The day following was ushered in by the enactment of another scene 

 of comico-tragical character. 



The Indians encamped in the vicinity, being extremely solicitous to imi- 

 tate the example of their " illustrious predecessors," scon as the first tints 

 of morning began to paint the cast, commenced their demands for fire- 

 water ; and, ere the sun had told an hour of his course, they were pretty 

 well - Jvanced in the state of " how came ye so," and seemed to exercise 

 their musical powers in wonderful rivalry witli their white brethren. 



Men, women, and children were seen running from lodge to lodge with 



