ENCROACHMENTS ON INDIAN LANDS. 



169 



treaties made by the duly authorized agents of the govern- 

 ment. The result is, that the settler and pioneer are pre- 

 cipitated into the Indian's country, without the Indian 

 having received the first consideration promised him ; and 

 he often, in a manner that enlists the sympathies of all 

 mankind, takes up the tomahawk in defence of his right 

 and perishes in the attempt." * The same officer states 

 that there are so many inevitable causes at work to pro- 

 duce a war with the Dakotahs (Sioux) before many years, 

 that he regards the greatest fruit of his explorations to be 

 the knowledge of the proper routes by which to invade 

 their country and conquer them, but at the same time he 

 thinks that many of the causes of war with them might 

 be removed by timely action in relation to the treaties 

 made with them. 



The country of the Dakotahs borders on British terri- 

 tory, some of the tribes (the Ihanktonwanna, par. 5, p. 154, 

 Vol. II.) are the confirmed enemies of the half-breeds and 

 Ojibways of Eed Eiver ; peace has often been made, but 

 as often broken again upon trivial and even accidental 

 grounds. 



The frontier tribes can muster at least two thousand 

 warriors by uniting with several of their more southern 

 allies. Being the most warlike and numerous Indians in 

 the United States territories, and their hunting grounds 

 interlocking with those of the Crees in British America, 

 they will probably yet play an important and active part 

 in the future of the colony and the new adjoining territory 

 of Chippewa.f 



* Preliminary Report of Explorations in Nebraska and Dakotah in the 

 years 1855-6 and 1857, by Lieut. Gr. K Warren, Top. Eng. U. S. army. 



f The new territory of Dakotah is to be composed of a part of the present 

 territory of that name and a portion of Nebraska, and bounded as follows : — 

 The forty-sixth meridian of north latitude on the north, Minnesota and 



