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THE RED MEN OF IOWA.
borders of our beautiful lakes two hundred years ago. We proceed to give some account of these earliest lords of our northern prairies known to white men.
Dakota is the generic name of a large number of tribes that once occupied the region extending from the foot of the Rocky Mountains to the Mississippi. It embraced, not only the Sioux, but the Kansas, Iowas, Pawnees, Otoes, Missouris, Omahas, Rickarees, Mandans, Winnebagoes, and many others. All these tribes were distinguished by a similarity of language, and so different from that of the Algonquin, Iroquois and other aboriginal races, that they are regarded as a distinct family, or group. They seem to have migrated from the south to the north, and at the time of the early French explorers their advance tribes had reached the sources of the Mississippi, and had crossed to the western borders of Lake Superior.
That branch of the great Dakota group known as the Sioux, in its various subdivisions, or clans, occupied all the present State of Minnesota, and nearly one-third of Iowa. They were divided into six bands (seven according to some accounts) the Mendawakantons, Wahpakootas, Sussetons, Yanktons and Tetons. The name Sioux (pronounced Su) was applied to these Indians by the old French traders, but why they so named them we have been unable to learn. The bands mentioned called themselves Dakota, the meaning of which is in their language, a united nation --a confederacy.
Prior to the time the Sioux became acquainted with the whites, according to tradition, they had no chiefs. Their first chief was Wah-ba-shaw, who was made, or recognized as chief by the British, on the occasion of a visit to Quebec.
At the time of the celebrated voyage of exploration made by Lewis and Clark (1804) up the Missouri River, the band or tribe of the great Sioux nation known as Yank-tons, lived on the upper Des Moines and Little Sioux rivers, and in the region about Spirit Lake. They described them as being strong, well-proportioned, bold and dignified. They were fond of decorations, using paint, porcupine quills and feathers in great profusion. Some of them wore necklaces made of the claws of bears. There existed among them at that time an association of the most athletic and daring young warriors, who were bound to each other by a vow never to retreat before any danger, or yield to an enemy. The members of this association never sought protection behind trees or other natural shelter in battle. So exclusive was this singular brotherhood that they always encamped, danced and sat together, apart from the rest of the tribe, or nation. Their place in council was superior to that of all others, such being the deference paid to valor. Such was their indiscreet bravery that of twenty-two who at one time composed the society, eighteen were killed in a battle with the Kites, who inhabited the country now known as the Black Hills. An incident is related which illustrates their punctillious determination not to be turned aside from their course. Once, in crossing the Missouri River on the ice, they came to an opening or hole directly on their line of march. This might have been avoided by going round, but the leader of the band disdained to do this. He went straight forward, and was lost. The others would have followed, but were forcibly prevented by the rest of the tribe.
At the time of the expedition of Lewis and Clark, the
