III.


INDIAN NAMES AND WRITING.

The names of the Sioux bands or villages, are as fanciful as those given
to individuals. Near Fort Snelling, are the "Men-da-wahcan-tons," or
people of the spirit lakes; the "Wahk-patons," or people of the leaves;
the "Wahk-pa-coo-tahs," or people that shoot at leaves, and other bands
who have names of this kind. Among those chiefs who have been well-known
around Fort Snelling, are,

Wah-ba-shaw, The Leaf.
Wah-ke-on-tun-kah, Big Thunder.
Wah-coo-ta, Red Wing.
Muzza Hotah, Gray Iron.
Ma-pe-ah-we-chas-tah, The man in the Cloud.
Tah-chun-coo-wash-ta, Good Road.
Sha-ce-pee, The Sixth.
Wah-soo-we-chasta-ne, Bad Hail.
Ish-ta-hum-bah, Sleepy Eyes.

These fanciful names are given to them from some peculiarity in
appearance or conduct; or sometimes from an occurrence that took place
at the time that they usually receive the name that is ascribed to them
for life. There is a Sioux living in the neighborhood of Fort Snelling,