Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1858-10-15
the Il. Il. CtHrch-

Ir -mouratc Review.
Indian ca Iington's Toznb.
have t. ul.ied, and have
not before lc YOU the state
Inent Won nor to ask, DUR
iIs.s oar yisl ernon. The Ia
diaos you saw are chiefs and
braves Il The tribe Of Sioux.--
They reside on /, ,-autifnI and valuable
district Of country, on the cast side OF tle
1i:sscuri river. west OF and adjoining the
STATE Of Minnesota, and about twelve iltn
Ilre,l miles from s.. Louis, by the River.
10 part . their coJnsTy Ifas yet been par
chased 1s tHe Government. - hen par-
CHASED i, viii form q large part Of the con
tera}ls3ccd leH Territory OF Itacotah:-
Their nation s commonly called Sioux,
but tlla name by which they call them.
selves is ''Daco5s3h, which means united
ffq5onAlr. The nati9s1 IS a1ssteS miner
Gus, (sone twenty to twenty live thous;tnd)
and is divided into fourteen or fifteen
tribes. IanctoDs. \ 1anctonais, | Jukpapas,
B;acklcet, Two Kettles, Brnles, Minnecon-
ioux, Sansate, &c. Thes.4 tti:-ea inllabit
The lands along tie Missouri river, On both
sides several hundred miles4up; also tie
lands watered by the tributaries Of that
river, and roam over the immense region
between the Missouri, the yellow Stone
and the Platte. They are all noma>io,
and sub5i6t entirely by the chase, except
the I aatttIs, who have become partially
settled. ana raise some corn. They are a
brave, active, hardy race, and far more
powerful than any other nation OF Indians
within our dominion They are quite
we'll supplied with horses, end are excel
leni equestriaus, and the talo, thongh
fast decreasing, supplies them with food
These tribes do not war with each other,
bat they are on untrendiv terms with
nearly aii other nations within their reach.
They are, ! think, IL nearly every respect
superior toall other wild Indians with which
I have become acquainted. Their domes-
tic habits are similar to those Of other In
dians. Their lodges are made of dressed
skins of the buffalo, and are in the com
mon concai form. They are kind and af-
fectionate to each other in the family. |
have never seen them whip or strike a
child or woman. Polygamv does not
generally prevail, though it is tolerated
and practiced whenever the means of an
individual Will permit. l have never
known any man with more than two or
three wives BY reason Of wars and cas-
ualities, which destroy the males faster
than the females, the latter are said to
much exceed the former in number. For
thlsrcason, the 'patrlarchal institution is not
only practicable, but finds some excuse, il
any can be found, for slch practice. The
females perform all the labor; only war
and the chase are worthy the dignity OF
the ''lords." They are usually cleanly.
frequently bathing wherever water is han
dy. Their language especially when spo
ken by. the E'iair sex, is quite agreeable tc
the ear. Their music, when one gets a
little accustomed to it, is really pleasing
They have no settled form Of marriage, and
the wives are almost alwayspurchased anG
become property, about like horses. They
do not usually, nor often, bury their dead
but wrap them in their best clothing, ano
place them in trees or on high scaffolds, out
of the reach OF beasts of prey. They otter
make excessive, loud and long continued
lamentations and crying over their dead
tn morals, they compare favorably witt
other Indians; in fact, their females are
rather noted for their chastity and nod
esty, though, Of course, as in all countries
there ere. some exceptions. They are su
persfitious, but not religious; they cag
hardly be said to practice any form Q
worship or devotion. They recognize 81
perior powers or spirits, both good. anc