spirits. We then gave some tobacco to each of the chiefs, and a
certificate to two of the warriors who attended the chief. We prevailed
on Mr. Durion to remain here, and accompany as many of the Sioux chiefs
as he could collect, down to the seat of government. We also gave his
son a flag, some clothes, and provisions, with directions to bring about
a peace between the surrounding tribe, and to convey some of their
chiefs to see the president. In the evening they left us, and encamped
on the opposite bank, accompanied by the two Durions. During the evening
and night we had much rain, and observed that the river rises a little.
The Indians, who have just left us, are the Yanktons, a tribe of the
great nation of Sioux. These Yanktons are about two hundred men in
number; and inhabit the Jacques, Desmoines, and Sioux rivers. In person
they are stout, well proportioned, and have a certain air of dignity and
boldness. In their dress they differ nothing from the other bands of the
nation whom we saw, and will describe afterwards: they are fond of
decorations, and use paint, and porcupine quills, and feathers. Some of
them wore a kind of necklace of white bear's claws, three inches long,
and closely strung together round their necks. They have only a few
fowling pieces, being generally armed with bows and arrows, in which,
however, they do not appear as expert as the more northern Indians. What
struck us most was an institution, peculiar to them, and to the Kite
Indians, further to the westward, from whom it is said to have been
copied. It is an association of the most active and brave young men, who
are bound to each other by attachment, secured by a vow, never to
retreat before any danger, or give way to their enemies. In war they go
forward without sheltering themselves behind trees, or aiding their
natural valour by any artifice. This punctilious determination, not to
be turned from their course, became heroic, or ridiculous, a short time
since, when the Yanktons were crossing the Missouri on the ice. A hole
lay immediately in their course, which might easily have been avoided,