158 NARRATIVE OF THE EXPEDITION. , 



gun, also, as I see you have none of your own, and return to tlie 

 land of your countrymen; and linger not here, lest some of my 

 young men should discover your footsteps." 



A still more striking and characteristic incident is related of a 

 chief called the Eed Thunder. Col. Wm. Dixon, a Scotchman of 

 family, who made his influence felt in the late war of 1812 as a 

 leader of the Sioux and a merchant among them, married the 

 sister of this notable chief. So daring were the acts of Red Thun- 

 der, that he had put the Chippewa nation in awe of him. At 

 length, however, after a long series of the bravest acts, he was 

 taken prisoner, with a favorite dog, and condemned to expiate his 

 offences at the stake. It was a time of want by his captors. One 

 day he said to them: "Why do you not feed my dog?" They 

 replied, "feed him yourself." "Then," he said, "give me a knife." 

 This being thrown to him, he cut a piece of flesh from one of his 

 large and fleshy thighs, and threw it to the dog. Admiration of 

 this act ran through the Indian camp. They immediately released 

 him, and bestowed on him the highest attentions and honors. 



The Dacota or Sioux nation constitute one of the families of 

 America who speak a peculiar language. Lieut. Pike, who visited 

 them in 1806, estimated their numerical strength at twenty-one 

 thousand six hundred and seventy-live ; of which number he com- 

 puted three thousand eight hundred to be warriors. They con- 

 sist of six or seven independent tribes, or sub-tribes, bearing 

 different names, who occupy most of the country between the 

 Mississippi and Missouri, between N. latitude 43° and 46°. The 

 Mendawekantons are located on the Mississippi, below the Falls of 

 St. Anthony and the mouth of the St. Peter's. The Sessitons and 

 Yanktons occupy the upper waters of the St. Peter's. The Titous 

 only extend west of the Missouri. The several tribes regard 

 themselves as a confederacy, which is the signification of the term 

 Dacota. They do not acknowledge the name of Sioux as an 

 Indian word. We first hear of them from the early French mis- 

 sionaries, who visited the head of Lake Superior about the middle 

 of the 17th century, under the name of Nadowasie.^' They speak 



* This is an Algonquin expression, signifying enemy. It is derived from JVodoiaa, 

 an Iroqviois, or a Dacota ; the word was originally applied to a serpent. The ter- 

 mination in sie is from aivasie, an animal or creature. This term is the root, it is 

 appreliended, of the French sobriquet Sioux. 



