434 APPENDIX. 



of the Sioux liad recently visited that quarter. In one of these 

 excursions, a Chippewa found in a conspicuous place, a piece of 

 birch bark, made flat by being fastened between two sticks at 

 each end, and about eighteen inches long by fifteen broad. This 

 bark contained the answer of the Sioux nation to the proposition 

 which had been made by the Chippewas for the termination of 

 hostilities. So sanguinary has been the contest between these 

 tribes, that no personal communication could take place. Neither 

 the sanctity of the office, nor the importance of the message, could 

 protect the ambassadors of either party from the vengeance of 

 each other. Some time preceding, the Chippewas, anxious for 

 ihe restoration of peace, had sent a number of their young men 

 into these plains with a similar piece of bark, upon which they 

 had represented their desire. The bark had been left hanging to 

 a tree in an exposed situation, and had been found and taken away 

 by a party of the Sioux. 



The propositions had been examined and discussed in the Sioux 

 villages, and the bark which we found contained their answer. 

 The Chippewa who had prepared the bark for his tribe was 

 with us, and on our arrival at St. Peter's, finding it was lost, I 

 requested him to make another. He did so, and produced what 

 I have no doubt was a ^eriect facsimile. "We brought with us 

 both of these projets^ and they are now in the hands of Capt. 

 Douglass. He will be able to give a more intelligible description 

 of them than I can from recollection, and they could not be in 

 the possession of one more competent to the task. 



The Chippewas explained to us with great facility the inten- 

 tion of the Sioux, and apparently with as much readiness as if 

 some common character had been established between them. 



The junction of the St. Peter's with the Mississippi, where a 

 principal part of the Sioux reside, was represented, and also the 

 American fort, with a sentinel on duty, and the flag flying. The 

 principal Sioux chief is named the Six, alluding, I believe, to the 

 bands or villages under his influence. To show that he was not 

 present at the deliberations upon the subject of peace, he was 

 represented upon a smaller piece of bark, which was attached to 

 the other. To identify him, he was drawn with six heads and a 

 large medal. Another Sioux chief stood in the foreground, hold- 

 ipo- the pipe of peace in his right hand, and his weapons in his 



