The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1850-11-14

pi; and accordingly, in 1919, Foit Crawford
was erected and garrisoned 10y order Of the
Government.
On the sixth, he held council with the
Puants, (Winnebagoes) "and chief OF The
lower band Of the Sioux" On the same
day he ascended the Wisconsin three miles,
and marked oat the site for post on hill
which he calls the "Peift Grss." s..l
The Puants and Fols Avoin nation, Me-
nomonies) he remarks, 'never had white
interpreter" In holding councl! with
them he spoke to a Freuchman, and he to a
Sioux, who then addressed the Puahts.-
On the seventh, his men engaged in the ex-
ercise or amusement of hopping and Jamp-
Ing with the villagers, and, as he remarks,
''bcat Them ALL"
On the 18th he passed "Prairie lie Cross,
and was shown some holes dug by the
Sioux, whilst awaiting an attack OF their
enemies, into which they put their women
and children and then enter themselves
"They were generally round, and about ten
feet in diametcr; but snrne were half moons
and quite a breast work. This understood
was their chief work, " which was the princi-
pal redoubt. Their modes Of constructing
them are the moment they apprehend, or
discover, an enemy on prairie, they com
mence digging with their knives, toma-
hawks, and iadle; and in all Incredibly
short space of time, they have hole sutfi-
ciently deep to cover themselves and their
family, from the the balls or arrows of the
enemy. They have no idea of taking those
>ubterraneous rsdoubts :.by storm; and ai-
though they nigh, he successful in the event
it would be considered as very impruden,
action.'' Before he reached Lake Pepin
he attended medicine dance, with which
he was much amused, and supposed that
the word was used to express the dance OF
religion, or a religious festival.
In the evening of the sixteenth he reach
ed Lake Pepin and encamped on its east
bank at the Traverse opposite Point de Sa-
BILE. On the west shore, Just below Point
de Sable, lhe French, under M. Frontenac,
whoIhad driven the Reynards from the Wis
consin river and chased them up the Mis-
sissippi, built stockade on this lake as a
barrier against the savages and protection
| to their traders. 1t became noted factory
for the Sioux.
| The Sac nation he found residing in four
villages; and whose hunting grounds were
on the Mississippi and its branches, between
the Illinoise and Iowa rivers, AMI the plains
west of them towards the Missouri.
The fourth village of the Sacs was on
the Iowa. The Sacs and Reyuards were
so commingled together, that Pike thought
they could scarcelybe termed distinct na-
tions. The Sioux were their patrons; and
instigared and secretly sustained by them,
they for several years previous had carried
on war against the Sauteur, Osages, and
Missourles.
| The Reynards be describes as residing in
three villages. The first he found on the
west bank ofthe Mississippi, six miles above
the rapids of Rock river. The second was
located some twelve miles west of the lead
mines; and the third Oh Turkey river about
l l-2 miles from its mouth. This nation
hunted between the lower and the upper
Iowa rivers. "They raise great quantity
of corn, beans, and melons; the former OF
those articles in such quantities, as to sell
many hundred bushels per annum."
He found the iuwas residing on the rivers
Iowa and Des Moines in two Villages
Their hunting grounds were on the west
side of the Mississippi, the Des Moines ,and
extended westward to the Missouri. They
regarded themselves as under the protection
of the Sauks and Reynards, with whom
they were allied in peace and in war.
TO BE CONTINUED.