MALLERY ON THE DAKOTA CALENDAR. 15 



souls. The other "Big Bellies" are a division of the Arapahoes, from 

 whom they separated in the early jiart of this century, and, wandering 

 eastward, met the Dakotas, by whom they were driven off to the north. 

 It is probable that this is the conflict recorded, though the Dakotas 

 have also often been at feud with their cousins, the Minnetarees. 



Fig. 13, 1812. — The wild horses were first run and caught by the Da- 

 kotas. The symbol is a lasso. The date is of interest, as showing when 

 the herds of prairie horses, descended from those animals introduced by 

 the Spaniards in Mexico, or those deposited by them on the shores of 

 Texas and at other points, had multiplied so as to extend into the far 

 northern regions. The Sioux undoubtedly learned the use of the horse 

 and perhaps also that of the lasso from southern tribes, with whom they 

 M'ere in contact; and it is a curious fact that, notwithstanding the 

 tenacity with which they generally adhere to ancient customs, in only 

 two generations since they became familiar with the horse they have 

 been so revolutionized in their habits as to be utterly helpless, both in 

 war and the chase, when deprived of it. 



Fig. 14,1813. — The whooping-cough was very prevalent and fatal. The 

 sign is ludicrously suggestive of a blast of air coughed out by the man- 

 figure. 



Fig. 15, 1814. — "A Dakota killed an Arapaho in his lodge." So said 

 the interpreter, Clement ; and the first impression of the symbol was 

 that the object above the victim's head was a miniature tepee, with the 

 smoke streaming out, but it better represents a tomahawk or battle-ax, 

 the red being blood from the cleft scull. The Arapahoes long dwelt 

 near the headwaters of the Arkansas and Platte Elvers, and in 1822 

 numbered 10,000. 



Fig. 16, 1815. — The Sans Arcs made the first attempt at a dirt lodge. 

 This was at Peoria Bottom, Dakota Territory. Crow Feather was their 

 chief, which explains the fairly-drawn feather of that bird protruding 

 from the lodge top. 



Fig. 17, 1816. — " Buffalo belly was plenty." The symbol rudely por- 

 trays a side or perhaps hide of buffalo. 



Fig. 18, 1817. — La Trombois, a Canadian, built a trading-store with dry 

 timber. The dryness is shown hj the dead tree. 



Fig. 19, 1818. — The measles broke out, and many died. This symbo 

 in the copy is the same as Fig. 2, relating to the small-pox, except 

 a very slight difference in the red blotches ; and though Lone Dog's 

 artistic skill might not have been sufiicieut to distinctly vary the ap- 

 pearance of the two patients, both diseases being eruptive, still it is 

 one of the few serious defects in the chart that the sign for the two 

 years is so nearly identical that, separated from the continuous record, 

 there would be confusion betweeii them. Treating the document as a 

 mere aide 7nemoire, no inconvenience would arise, it probably being well 

 known that the small-pox epidemic preceded that of the measles; but 

 such care is generally taken to make some, however minute, distinction 



