86 



SIOUX INDIANS, 



tion the Sioux Indians were gone. They were 

 advised not to follow their track so immediately ; 

 but the want of provisions led them to neglect 

 this advice ; and in about a fortnight afterwards 

 we were informed, that they had been fired 

 upon in their encampment in the dawn of the 

 morning (the time when Indians generally make 

 their attack) that two of them were killed, a 

 third mortally wounded, and that all their 

 horses were stolen. It was strongly suspected 

 though never ascertained as a fact, that this 

 savage deed was committed by the Indians who 

 had so recently left Pembina; as well as the 

 scalping of one of the Company's servants who 

 was killed a short time afterwards within a mile 

 of the Fort. 



The Sioux are a great nation, spread over a 

 vast tract of country, between the Missisippi 

 and Pembina ; along the banks of the Missouri, 

 and towards the Saskashawan. They are divided 

 into numerous tribes, called Sisatoones, Yank- 

 toons, Wapatoones, and others, with the Assini- 

 boines or Stone Indians, who are recognized as 

 descendents or seceders, by a similarity of 

 language and customs. On the banks of the 

 Missisippi and Missouri rivers they have small 

 villages, where they grow Indian corn, pump- 

 kins, and water melons ; but they live princi- 



