INDIAN TRIBES OF THE MISSOURI VALLEY. 493 
Brackenridge says that there are remnants of seventeen villages of Mandans and Gros 
Ventres. They are included in seven villages; five of the Gros Ventres, and two of the 
Mandans, within a distance of fifteen miles. He says, that though there is not the least 
affinity in their languages, the Gros Ventres is spoken by all the Mandans. 
Morse probably over-estimated the number of the Minnitarees. He observes that they 
number 3250 persons, have their village on the south side of the Missouri, east of the 
Little Missouri, about half way between the Mandans and the Yellowstone. 
Say, in the account of Long’s Expedition to the Rocky Mountains, presents a very in- 
teresting account of the customs, habits, and religious opinions of this tribe, but in Prince 
Neuwied’s excellent work, before alluded to, the most minute and accurate description of 
the Minnitarees is given which can be found in any memoir. He says, however, that the 
word ‘“‘ Manitarie” was given by the Mandans, and signifies “those who came over the 
water.” From the most reliable information which I could obtain, I am inclined to think 
that the true meaning is “ people of the willows.” This opinion is farther strengthened, 
from the fact that a species of willow, most abundant in the Minnitaree country, is called 
in their language, min’-i-it-a’-1i, “‘ growing by the water.” 
The present location of the stationary tribes of the Upper Missouri is as follows. The 
village of the Minnitarees is situated on the north branch of the Missouri, near latitude 
47° 30’, and longitude 102°. The village of the Arikaras is located on the south side of 
the Missouri, at Fort Clarke, in latitude 47°, longitude 101°, and the Mandan village is on 
the same side of the river, and about four miles above the last. 
Several vocabularies of the Minnitaree language have been already published, but the 
only ones worthy of note are, by Professor T. Say, in Long’s “ Expedition to the Rocky 
Mountains,” and by Prince Neuwied, in his “ Travels in North America.” In the Trans- 
actions of the American Ethnological Society, Vol. II, Gallatin proved very clearly the 
affinities of the Minnitaree with the Crow language, and that both of them belonged to 
the Sioux or Dakota stock. : 
In treating of the stationary tribes, no mention has been made of the extent of their 
lands, or of the portion of territory they claim as their own. Properly speaking, they 
have no land, except their corn-fields, and the prairie immediately around and defended 
by their village. The moment they leave their huts, they are liable to be attacked and 
driven back by the Dakotas. ‘The Arikaras, when they leave their homes, hunt in the 
Dakota country, and by their permission, whilst the Minnitarees depend on their peace- 
able relations with the Assiniboins when engaged in hunting, as they do annually in the 
vicinity of the Great Bend. In case of a general war, none of the stationary Indians 
could leave their village at all. They are too few to contend with the surrounding tribes, 
and even if united, would not be able to sustain a position in the Dakota country without 
VoL. XII.—o4 
