OF THE POLAR SEA. 



211 



tribe of Sioux, who speak a dialect of the 

 Iroquois, one of the great divisions under 

 which the American philologists have classed 

 the known dialects of the Aborigines of 

 North America. The Stone Indians, or as 

 they name themselves, Eascab, originally 

 entered this part of the country under the 

 protection of the Crees, and in concert with 

 them attacked and drove to the westward the 

 former inhabitants of the banks of the Sas- 

 katchawan. They are still the allies of the 

 Crees, but have now become more numerous 

 than their former protectors. They exhibit 

 all the bad qualities ascribed to the Mengwe 

 or Iroquois, the stock whence they are 

 sprung. Of their actual number I could 

 obtain no precise information, but it is very 

 great. The Crees who inhabit the plains, 

 being fur hunters, are better known to the 

 traders. 



" They are divided into two distinct 

 bands, the Ammisk-watcheethinyoowuc, or 

 Beaver Hill Crees, who have about forty 

 tents, and the Sackawee-thinyoowuc, or 

 Thick Wood Crees, who have thirty-five. 



