denig] THE ASSINIBOIN 403 



farther than a century back are involved in obscurity, mingled with 

 fable, or embodied in their superstitions. 



The time when the tribe reached its present location was from 1804 

 to 1S25, when the most of them might be considered as established 

 on the waters of the Missouri, the boundaries of which have been 

 pointed out, though in 1839, 60 lodges of Assiniboin came over from 

 the British northern possessions and joined those of the Missouri, 

 since which time they have resided together. 



Intertribal Rank and Relations. — As to the question, what rank 

 and relationship does the tribe bear to other tribes, we are not aware 

 of any political scale of superiority or inferiority existing among any 

 of the tribes along the Missouri ; neither do their traditions point out 

 or assign any such particular position to each other. Being well 

 acquainted with the manners and customs of the Sioux, the Ankara, 

 the Mandan, the Gros Ventres, the Crow, the Assiniboin, the Cree, and 

 the Blackfeet tribes we can safely say that no such distinction exists 

 that would receive the sanction of all parties. There is, however, 

 this: Each nation has vanity enough to think itself superior to its 

 neighbors, but all think the same, and the more ignorant they are the 

 more obstinately they adhere to their own opinions. All tribes are 

 pretty much independent of one another in their thoughts and 

 actions, and, indeed with the exception of the Gros Ventres, the 

 Mandan and the Arikara, who are stationary and live in a manner 

 together, neighboring tribes usually are completely in the dark re- 

 garding one another's government, not even knowing the names of 

 the principal chiefs and warriors unless told them or recognizing 

 them when pointed out. In all the above-mentioned tribes there is 

 no such thing as pretensions to original rank. Rank is the growth of 

 the present, as often acquired as lost. The greatest chief any of these 

 tribes ever produced would become a mere toy, a butt, a ridicule, in a 

 few days after he lost his eyes or sense of sight. 



Neither has affinity of blood in this sense anything to do with rank 

 as to succession. If the son for want of bravery or other qualifica- 

 tions can not equal or follow the steps of his father chief, he is noth- 

 ing more than an ordinary Indian. There are consequently no dis- 

 cordant pretensions to original rank, though it may be a matter of 

 dispute which of two or three chiefs ranks at present the highest, 

 ami in this case it would be immediately decided in council by the 

 principal men. In fact the rank or standing of each Indian, be he 

 chief or warrior, is so well known, and his character so well judged 

 by the vox populi that he takes his place spontaneously. A higher 

 step than his acts and past conduct confer, imprudently taken, would 

 have the effect of injuring him in their eyes as a leader. Every chief, 

 warrior, or brave carves his own way to fame, and if recognized as 



