430 TRIBES OF THE UPPER MISSOURI [eth. ann. 46 



came out near the kidney and backbone. They then ran in upon and 

 endeavored to scalp him, running a knife around the cranium and 

 partially withdrawing the scalp. Finding that he struggled they 

 stabbed him with a long lance downward under the collar bone, 

 the lance running along the inside and against the right ribs about 

 12 inches. They also gave him several more stabs in the body with 

 their knives. 



In the struggle the man got out the lance and plunging it at them 

 alternately they retired a few paces. The camp in the meantime 

 having heard the firing and suspecting the cause, turned out. The 

 enemies seeing this, decamped, and the Assiniboin carried the 

 wounded man to his lodge. In a few days afterwards the camp 

 passed by the fort and the writer saw this man in so helpless a state 

 that, expecting him to die, nothing was done. The weather was very 

 hot, the wounds had a purple color, smelt bad, and had every ap- 

 pearance of gangrene. The camp moved off and the man in time 

 recovered. The scalp was replaced and grew on again. Here was 

 no judicious treatment, not even ordinary care, for in traveling that 

 is impossible, and very unfavorable weather. This man is yet living 

 and is said by the Indians to bear a charmed life, is respected as a 

 warrior and brave, called " He who was many times wounded," and 

 can be seen any time in the Band des Canots of the Assiniboin. 



Government 



Tribal Organization and Government. — The tribe of Indians 

 called Assiniboin is separated into the following distinct bands, viz, 

 Wah-to'-pah-han-da'-tok, or " Those who propel boats," by the whites 

 Gens du Gauche, from the circumstance of the old Gauche (chief) 

 spoken of before who for a half century governed this band. It now 

 numbers 100 lodges. The second band, Wah-ze-ab-we-chas-ta, or 

 Gens du Nord, thus named because they came from that direction in 

 1839 as already represented, though their original appellation was 

 Gens du Lac. These count 60 lodges. Third band, Wah-to-pan-ah, 

 or Canoe Indians, Gens des Canots, who may be recorded at 220 lodges 

 that trade on the Missouri, and 30 lodges more who deal with Ameri- 

 can and British traders near the mouth of Pembina and Red Rivers, 

 occasionally visiting the Missouri. Fourth band, We-che-ap-pe-nah, 

 or Gens des Filles, literally the " Girls Band " ; these can be put down 

 at 60 lodges. Fifth, E-an-to-ah or Gens des Roches, literally " Stone 

 Indians," comprising 50 lodges. The original name for the whole 

 nation given them by the Chippewa (As-see-ni-pai-tuck) has the 

 same 7 signification. Within the last 10 years another division has 

 again arisen, called Hoo-tai-sha-pah or "Lower End Red," alias 



7 For correct meaning see footnote 1. 



