98 DRUNKEN INDIANS. 



Minecofeias, Blackfeet, Broken-arrows, and Assenaboins, with many oth- 

 ers whose names have escaped my recollection. The only perceptible 

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

 meallo, appello and Lacota, — those upon the Mississippi, and some in 

 the vicinity of the Missouri, pronouncing them meaddo^ appeddo, and Du' 

 coia. 



The members of this nation, so far as my observation extends, are a 

 cowardly, treacherous, thieving t-et, taken as a body — and are w ell deserving 

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

 orable exceptions to the remark. 



Any eflbrt 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 dnmk or drunken, — 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 Platte was the signal for a grand jollifi- 

 cation to all hands, (with 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, screechmg, firing, shouting, fighting, swearing, drinking, and 

 Buch like 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 thousand cannon bellowing at his 

 ears. 



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

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

 swollen eyes, 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," soon as the first tints 

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

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

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

 their musical powers in wonderful rivalry with their white brethren. 



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



