GENS AND PHRATRY OF THE DAKOTA. LOG 
Minnesota River runs to the Mississippi. Through this isthmus, between 
the two lakes, now known as Brown’s Valley, the Minnesota, as it comes 
down in small streams out of the Coteau, winds its way. 
As soon as Standing Buffalo had come to man’s estate, or when he was 
probably about twenty-five years old, the father abdicated his chieftainship 
in favor of his son. Henceforth he wore his father’s medals, carried his 
father’s papers, and was the recognized chief of his father’s people. As 
already stated, the Dakota custom is that the rank and title of chief descend 
from father to son unless some other near relative is ambitious and influential 
enough to obtain the place. The same is claimed also in regard to the rank 
of soldier or brave, but this position is more dependent on personal bravery. 
At the time of the outbreak Standing Buffalo was a man in middle life. 
He was tall and well-featured—rather a splendid looking Dakota. Pre- 
vious to 1852 he and his people received no annuities, but raised a good deal 
of corn. Still they depended chiefly, both for food and clothing, on the 
buffalo, and much of the year they spent in the chase. 
Although congregating in vast herds on the great prairies and moving 
in certain directions with a great deal of apparent force, the buffalo are 
nevertheless easily driven away. And hence the Indians find it necessary 
to protect the hunt by regulations which must be enforced. In this neces- 
sity probably originated the Ti-yo-ti-pi, or so-called Soldiers’ Lodge, which 
is both the hall of legislation and the great feasting place. 
Some patriotic woman vacates her good skin tent and goes into a 
poorer one that she may furnish the braves with a fitting place for their as- 
semblies. This tipi is then pitched in some central place, or in the gate- 
way of the circle, and the women take delight in furnishing it with wood 
and water and the best of the meat that is brought into camp, for every 
good deed done for this Soldiers’ Lodge is proclaimed abroad by the crier 
or eyaynpaha. 
A good fire is blazing inside and we may just lift up the skin door and 
crawl in. Towards the rear of the tent, but near enough the fire for con- 
venient use, is a large pipe placed by the symbols of power. There are 
two bundles of shaved sticks about 6 inches long. The sticks in one bun- 
dle are painted black and in the other red. The black bundle represents 
the real men of the camp—those who have made their mark on the war- 
path. The red bundle represents the boys and such men as wear no eagle 
feathers. Around this fire they gather together to smoke. Here they dis- 
cuss all questions pertaining to the buffalo hunt and the removal of camp; 
