the Missouri, during the summer of 1825, he wrote regarding the Yankton:
"The Yanctons are a band of the Sioux, and rove in the plains north of
the Missouri, from near the Great Bend, down as far as the Sioux river.
They do not cultivate, but live by the chase alone, subsisting
principally upon buffalo. They cover themselves with leather tents, or
lodges, which they move about from place to place, as the buffalo may
chance to range. They are pretty well supplied with fusees, and with
horses, and a few mules. They are estimated at 3,000 souls, of which 600
are warriors. They are comfortably habited in frocks, or shirts of
dressed skins, and leggings, reaching to the waist, of the same; they
use besides, robes of buffalo skins, which are frequently beautifully
wrought with porcupine quills, or painted tastefully; are friendly to
the whites, but make war upon almost all other tribes, except those of
their own nation. Their trading ground is on the river Jaques."
(Atkinson, (1), pp. 8-9.) On June 17 the party arrived at Fort Lookout,
a post of the American Fur Company, and four days later, "on the 21st,
the Tetons, Yanctons, and Yanctonies, three distinct bands of the Sioux
Nation, having arrived, a council was opened, and, on the 22d, a treaty
concluded with them." This great gathering of the tribes, with their
numerous skin-covered tipis, would have presented a sight similar to
that witnessed and described by Catlin just seven years later, in the
vicinity of Fort Pierre.
An excellent description of the skin-covered tipi of the Sioux, but of
the structures of the Yankton in particular, is contained in
Maximilian's narrative. Writing on May 25, 1833, he said the "Sioux
Agency, or, as it is now usually called, Fort Lookout, is a square, of
about sixty paces, surrounded by pickets, twenty or thirty feet high,
made of squared trunks of trees placed close to each other, within which
the dwellings are built close to the palisades.... About ten leather
tents or huts of the Sioux, of the branch of the Yanktons or Yanktoans,
were set up near the fort.... All these Dacotas of the Missouri, as well
as most of those of the Mississippi, are only hunters, and, in their
excursions, always live in portable leather tents.... The tents of the
Sioux are high pointed cones, made of strong poles, covered with buffalo
skins, closely sewed together. These skins are scraped on both sides, so
that they become as transparent as parchment, and give free admission to
the light. At the top, where the poles meet, or cross each other, there
is an opening, to let out the smoke, which they endeavor to close by a
piece of the skin covering of the tent, fixed to a separate pole
standing upright, and fastened to the upper part of the covering on the
side from which the wind blows. The door is a slit, in the front of the
tent, which is generally closed by another piece of buffalo hide,
stretched upon a frame. A small fire is kept up in the centre of the
tent. Poles are stuck in the ground, near the tent, and utensils of
various kinds are suspended from them. There are, likewise, stages, on
which to hang the newly-tanned hides; others, with gaily-painted
parchment pouches and bags, on some of which they hang their bows,
arrows, quivers, leather shields, spears, and war clubs.
"We paid a visit to Wahktageli in his tent, and had some difficulty in
creeping into the narrow, low entrance, after pulling aside the skin
that covered it. The inside of this tent was light, and it was about ten
paces in diameter. Buffalo skins were spread on the ground, upon which
we sat down. Between us and the side of the tent were a variety of
articles, such as pouches, boxes, saddles, arms, &c. A relation of the
chief was employed in making arrows, which were finished very neatly,
and with great care. Wahktageli immediately, with much gravity, handed
the tobacco-pipe round, and seemed to inhale the precious smoke with
great delight.... The conversation was carried on by Cephier, the
interpreter kept by the Agency, who accompanied us on this visit.... The
owner of a neighbouring tent had killed a large elk, the skin of which
the women were then busily employed in dressing. They had stretched it
out, by means of leather straps, on the ground near the tent, and the
women were scraping off the particles of flesh and fat with a very
well-contrived instrument. It is made of bone, sharpened at one end, and
furnished with little teeth like a saw, and, at the other end, a strap,
which is fastened round the wrist." (Maximilian, (1), pp. 148-152.) A
drawing by Bodmer, reproduced by Maximilian on page 151 of the work
cited, is here shown as figure 2. It represents a small group of tipis,
of the type mentioned in the narrative, and on the right, in the rear,
is a tripod with what appears to be a shield suspended from it. The bone
implement mentioned as being used by the women to remove particles of
flesh from the skin of the recently killed elk belonged to a well-known
type which was extensively used throughout the region. It was formed of
the large bones of the leg of the buffalo, elk, or moose. Many old
examples are preserved in the National Museum, Washington.
[Illustration: FIG. 2.--Tipis.]
When dealing with the agents of the Government the Yankton would gather
on the plains around Fort Pierre. Just 20 years after Maximilian's visit
to the upper Missouri a small party passed down the river, and on
October 18, 1853, entered in their journal: "We reached Fort Pierre
about 12 o'clock m.... Two days before our arrival at this place, the
main body of the Yankton Sioux, in number some twenty-five hundred, had
left for the buffalo country. They have been here to receive their
presents from the government. Two more bands are expected in a few
days." (Saxton, (1), p. 267.) And some days later, while continuing down
the Missouri: "The prairies are burning in every direction, and the
smoke is almost stifling."
TETON.
The Teton, moving westward from their early habitat to the east and
north of the Minnesota, were encountered on the banks of the Missouri by
Captains Lewis and Clark when they ascended the river, during the early
autumn of 1804. On September 26 of that year the expedition reached the
mouth of Teton River (the present Bad River), which enters the Missouri
from the west at Pierre, Stanley County, South Dakota. Here stood the
great village of the Teton, concerning which Sergeant Gass gave a very
interesting account in his journal: "We remained here all day. Capt.
Lewis, myself and some of the men, went over to the Indian camp. Their
lodges are about eighty in number, and contain about ten persons each;
the greater part women and children. The women were employed in dressing
buffaloe skins, for clothing for themselves and for covering their
lodges. They are the most friendly people I ever saw; but will pilfer if
they have an opportunity. They are also very dirty: the water they make
use of, is carried in the paunches of the animals they kill, just as
they are emptied, without being cleaned.... About 3 o'clock we went
aboard the boat accompanied with the old chief and his little son. In
the evening captain Clarke and some of the men went over, and the
Indians made preparations for a dance. At dark it commenced. Captain
Lewis, myself and some of our party went up to see them perform. Their
band of music, or orchestra, was composed of about twelve persons
beating on a buffalo hide, and shaking small bags that made a rattling
noise. They had a large fire in the centre of their camp; on one side
the women, about 80 in number, formed a solid column round the fire,
with sticks in their hands, and the scalps of the Mahas they had killed,
tied on them. They kept moving, or jumping round the fire, rising and
falling on both feet at once; keeping a continual noise, singing and
yelling. In this manner they continued till 1 o'clock at night, when we
returned to the boat with two of the chiefs." (Gass, (1), pp. 45-46.)
In the journal of the expedition is a very full account of the events
which transpired during the two days spent at the Teton camp, but only
part will now be quoted, sufficient to describe the place of meeting:
"Captain Lewis went on shore and remained several hours, and observing
that their disposition was friendly we resolved to remain during the
night to a dance, which they were preparing for us. Captains Lewis and
Clark, who went on shore one after the other, were met on landing by ten
well dressed young men, who took them up in a robe highly decorated and
carried them to a large council house, where they were placed on a
dressed buffaloe skin by the side of the grand chief. The hall or
council-room was in the shape of three quarters of a circle, covered at
the top and sides with skins well dressed and sewed together. Under this
shelter sat about seventy men, forming a circle round the chief, before
whom were placed a Spanish flag and the one we had given them yesterday.
This left a vacant circle of about six feet diameter, in which the pipe
of peace was raised on two forked sticks, about six or eight inches
from the ground, and under it the down of the swan was scattered: a
large fire, in which they were cooking provisions, stood near, and in
the centre about four hundred pounds of excellent buffaloe meat as a
present for us." Then followed several addresses by the chiefs;
offerings of dog meat to the flag "by way of sacrifice," and the smoking
of the pipe of peace. (Lewis and Clark, (1), I, pp. 84-86.) The entire
ceremony proved of the greatest interest. Then followed an account of
the habitations standing in the village: "Their lodges are very neatly
constructed, in the same form as those of the Yanktons; they consist of
about one hundred cabins, made of white buffaloe hide dressed, with a
larger one in the centre for holding councils and dances. They are built
round with poles about fifteen or twenty feet high, covered with white
skins; these lodges may be taken to pieces, packed up, and carried with
the nation wherever they go, by dogs which bear great burdens. The women
are chiefly employed in dressing buffaloe skins: they seem perfectly
well disposed, but are addicted to stealing any thing which they can
take without being observed." (Op. cit., pp. 88-89.)
During the year 1832 George Catlin remained for some time at and near
the mouth of the Teton, where a few years before had been erected a
station of the American Fur Company, which was soon given the name Fort
Pierre. "The country about this Fort is almost entirely prairie,
producing along the banks of the river and streams only, slight
skirtings of timber.... On my way up the river I made a painting of this
lovely spot, taken from the summit of the bluffs, a mile or two distant,
showing an encampment of Sioux, of six hundred tents of skin lodges,
around the Fort, where they had concentrated to make their spring trade;
exchanging their furs and peltries for articles and luxuries of
civilized manufactures." (Catlin, (1), I, p. 209.) And he continued (p.
211): "I mentioned that this is the nucleus or place of concentration of
the numerous tribe of the Sioux, who often congregate here in great
masses to make their trades with the American Fur Company; and that on
my way up the river, some months since, I found here encamped, six
hundred families of Sioux, living in tents covered with buffalo hides.
Amongst these there were twenty or more of the different bands, each one
with their chief at their head, over whom was a _superior chief_ and
leader, a middle-aged man, of middling stature, with a noble
countenance.... The name of this chief is Ha-won-je-tah (the one horn)
of the Mee-ne-cow-e-gee band, who has risen rapidly to the highest
honours in the tribe."
About this time a "grand feast" was prepared by the Indians in honor of
the Indian agent and the several Americans who were then at Fort Pierre,
including Catlin. A sketch of the gathering is shown in plate 23, _a_,
after the illustration in Catlin's narrative, but it may be of interest
to know that the original painting is now in the National Museum,
Washington. Describing this scene, Catlin wrote:
"The two chiefs, Ha-wan-je-tah and Tchan-dee ... brought their two tents
together, forming the two into a semi-circle, enclosing a space
sufficiently large to accommodate 150 men; and sat down with that number
of the principal chiefs and warriors of the Sioux nation." The several
Americans were "placed on elevated seats in the centre of the crescent;
while the rest of the company all sat upon the ground, and mostly
cross-legged, preparatory to the feast being dealt out. In the centre of
the semi-circle was erected a flag-staff, on which was waving a white
flag, and to which also was tied the calumet, both expressive of their
friendly feelings towards us. Near the foot of the flag-staff were
placed in a row on the ground, six or eight kettles, with iron covers on
them, shutting them tight, in which were prepared the viands for our
_voluptuous_ feast. Near the kettles, and on the ground also, bottomside
upwards, were a number of wooden bowls, in which the meat was to be
served out. And in front, two or three men, who were there placed as
waiters, to light the pipes for smoking, and also to deal out the food."
(Op. cit., p. 228.) The account of the ceremony which soon followed
proves the gathering to have been one of much interest, and to the
Indians one of great moment. The arrangement of the two large tipis so
as to form a single shelter recalls the site of the gathering near the
shore of Lake Traverse only a few years before. It is to be regretted
that Catlin did not leave a more detailed description of the appearance
of the great encampment as it was at the time of his visit, but he
devoted much of his time to painting portraits of the Indians, of which
he prepared a large number.
Although Catlin found representatives of many bands of Sioux gathered
about on the plain surrounding Fort Pierre, nevertheless the
comparatively permanent village of the Teton was near the mouth of the
stream of that name. Maximilian, who ascended the Missouri during the
spring of 1833, arrived at Fort Pierre late in May, and in his journal
said: "The Sioux, who live on Teton River, near Fort Pierre, are mostly
of the branch of the Tetons; though there are some Yanktons here."
(Maximilian, (1), p. 150.) He elsewhere mentioned that "the tents are
generally composed of fourteen skins," therefore consider the great
number of buffalo required to furnish coverings for the lodges mentioned
by Catlin. Maximilian wrote on May 30, 1833, near Fort Pierre: "Round an
isolated tree in the prairie I observed a circle of holes in the ground,
in which thick poles had stood. A number of buffalo skulls were piled up
there; and we were told that this was a medicine, or charm, contrived
by the Indians in order to entice the herds of buffaloes. Everywhere in
the plain we saw circles of clods of earth, with a small circular ditch,
where the tents of many Indians had stood." (Op. cit., p. 157.) These
were evidently the remains of the encampment seen by Catlin the
preceding year.
A sketch of Fort Pierre as it appeared July 4, 1851, is given in plate
23, _b_. This was the work of the young Swiss artist, Friedrich Kurz,
and is now reproduced for the first time. The small groups of Indians,
the tipis standing near the fort, and the rolling prairie in the
distance are all graphically shown.
The several divisions of the Teton performed the sun dance, at which
time a large ceremonial lodge would be erected, which stood alone in the
camp circle, formed of the numerous skin tipis. The lodge as reared at
different times and by the various tribes varied in form and method of
construction, but it seems to have been the custom of all the tribes to
abandon the structure at the termination of the ceremonies. It was
regarded as a sacred place and one not to be destroyed by man. Large
structures of this sort were often encountered by parties traversing the
plains and adjacent regions, and one, probably erected by a tribe of the
Teton, was discovered by the Raynolds party, July 16, 1859, in the
extreme eastern part of the present Crook County, Wyoming. In the
journal of the expedition it was written on that day, "We have not yet
met any Indians, nor any indications of their recent presence. The site
of our camp is, however, marked by the remains of an immense Indian
lodge, the frame of which consists of large poles, over thirty feet in
length. Close by is also a high post, around which a perfect circle of
buffalo skulls has been arranged." (Raynolds, (1), p. 31.) This may have
been used during the preceding year, at which time the skin tipis of the
people enacting the sacred ceremonies were pitched in the form of a
circle with the great lodge standing in the center. But with the
completion of the annual dance the participants removed, with their skin
tipis, to other localities, allowing the sacred structure to be
destroyed by the elements.
OGLALA.
Of the early history of this, the principal division of the Teton,
nothing is known. During the first years of the last century they were
discovered by Lewis and Clark on the banks of the upper Missouri, south
of the Cheyenne River, in the present Stanley County, South Dakota. They
hunted and roamed over a wide region, and by the middle of the century
occupied the country between the Forks of the Platte and beyond to the
Black Hills. While living on the banks of the Missouri their villages
undoubtedly resembled the skin-covered tipi settlements of the other
kindred tribes, and later, when they had pushed farther into the prairie
country, there was probably no change in the appearance of their
structures. A very interesting account of the villages of this tribe,
with reference to their ways of life, after they had arrived on the
banks of the Platte, is to be found in the narrative of Stansbury's
expedition, during the years 1849 and 1850.
July 2, 1849, the expedition crossed the South Fork of the Platte,
evidently at some point in the western part of the present Keith County,
Nebraska, and on the following day "crossed the ridge between the North
and South Forks of the Platte, a distance of eighteen and a half miles."
On July 5 the expedition began moving up the right bank of the North
Fork, and after advancing 23 miles encamped on the bank of the river.
They had arrived in the region dominated by the Oglala. "Just above us,
was a village of Sioux, consisting of ten lodges. They were accompanied
by Mr. Badeau, a trader; and having been driven from the South Fork by
the cholera, had fled to the emigrant-road, in the hope of obtaining
medical aid from the whites. As soon as it was dark, the chief and a
dozen of the braves of the village came and sat down in a semicircle
around the front of my tent, and, by means of an interpreter, informed
me that they would be very glad of a little coffee, sugar, or biscuit. I
gave them what we could spare." This particular band had not suffered
very severely from the ailment, but were greatly heartened to receive
medicines from the doctor, or "medicine-man," of the expedition, and
when they returned to their village "the sound of the drum and the song,
expressive of the revival of hope, which had almost departed, resounded
from the 'medicine lodge,' and continued until a late hour of the
night." (Stansbury, (1), pp. 44-45.) During this visit some of the
Indians told of a larger camp about 2 miles distant, where many were ill
with the dreaded malady.
The following morning, July 6, 1849, the expedition resumed its advance
up the valley, and soon reached the "upper village," of which an
interesting account is given in the journal. It "contained about two
hundred and fifty souls. They were in the act of breaking up their
encampment, being obliged to move farther up the river to obtain fresh
grass for their animals. A more curious, animated, and novel scene I
never witnessed. Squaws, papooses, dogs, puppies, mules, and ponies, all
in busy motion, while the lordly, lazy men lounged about with an air of
listless indifference, too proud to render the slightest aid to their
faithful drudges. Before the lodge of each brave was erected a tripod of
thin slender poles about ten feet in length, upon which was suspended
his round white shield, with some device painted upon it, his spear, and
a buckskin sack containing his 'medicine' bag.... We continued our
journey, accompanied for several miles by the people of both villages.
The whole scene was unique in the highest degree. The road was strewn
for miles with the most motley assemblage I ever beheld, each lodge
moving off from the village as soon as its inhabitants were ready,
without waiting for the others. The means of transportation were horses,
mules, and dogs. Four or five lodge-poles are fastened on each side of
the animal, the ends of which trail on the ground behind, like the
shafts of a truck or dray. On these, behind the horse, is fastened a
light framework, the outside of which consists of a strong hoop bent
into an oval form, and interlaced with a sort of network of rawhide.
Most of these are surmounted by a light wicker canopy, very like our
covers for children's wagons, except that it extends the whole length
and is open only at one side. Over the canopy is spread a blanket,
shawl, or buffalo-robe, so as to form a protection from the sun or rain.
Upon this light but strong trellice-work, they place the lighter
articles, such as clothing, robes, &c., and then pack away among these
their puppies and papooses, (of both which they seem to have a goodly
number;) the women, when tired of walking, get upon them to rest and
take care of their babies.... The dogs also are made to perform an
important part in this shifting of quarters. Two short, light
lodge-poles are fastened together at the small end, and made to rest at
the angle upon the animal's back, the other end of course, trailing upon
the ground. Over his shoulders is placed a sort of pad, or small saddle,
the girth of which fastens the poles to his sides, and connects with a
little collar or breast-strap. Behind the dog, a small platform or frame
is fastened to the poles, similar to that used for the horses, upon
which are placed lighter articles, generally puppies, which are
considered quite valuable, being raised for beasts of burden as well as
for food and the chase.... The whole duty of taking down and putting up
the lodges, packing up, loading the horses, arranging the lodge-poles,
and leading or driving the animals, devolves upon the squaws, while the
men stalk along at their leisure; even the boys of larger growth deeming
it beneath their dignity to lighten the toils of their own mothers."
(Op. cit., pp. 45-47.)
From the preceding account of the movement of a village of the Oglala it
is quite apparent they did not advance in the orderly manner followed by
the Pawnee, as described by Murray in 1835, but the dreaded illness from
which many were then suffering may have caused the rather demoralized
condition of the band. The travois as used at that time was similar to
the example shown in plate 14, although the latter was in use by the
Cheyenne a generation later. But the frame was not always utilized, and
often the tipi, folded and rolled, with other possessions of the family,
rested upon the poles or upon the back of the horse.
Horses thus laden, and with trailing poles on either side, left a very
distinctive trail as they crossed the prairie, and as described: "The
trail of the Plain Indians consists usually of three paths, close
together, yet at fixed distances apart. They are produced as follows:
The framework of their lodges or tents are made of long poles which, on
a journey, are tied to each side of a pony, and allowed to trail upon
the ground. The result is that a long string of ponies, thus laden and
following each other, will wear a triple path--the central one being
caused by the tread of the ponies, the two outer by the trailing of the
lodge-poles." (Bell, (1), pp. 25-26.) An illustration of a horse so
loaded is given on page 26 and is here reproduced as figure 3. It bears
the legend "Sioux Indian Lodges or Tents; one packed for a journey, the
other standing," and, although crude, conveys a clear conception of the
subject.
[Illustration: FIG. 3.--Horse travois.]
To continue the narrative of the Stansbury expedition. The party
advanced up the river and pursued their journey to the Great Salt Lake
and there wintered. The following year they returned to the east and on
September 21, 1850, reached the left bank of the North Fork of the
Platte, at a point near the center of the present Carbon County,
Wyoming. Describing the site of their encampment that night, near the
bank of the Platte: "The place we now occupy has long been a favorite
camp-ground for the numerous war-parties which annually meet in this
region to hunt buffalo and one another. Remains of old Indian stockades
are met with scattered about among the thickets; and the guide informed
us, that four years since there were at one and the same time, upon this
one bottom, fifteen or twenty of these forts, constructed by different
tribes. Most of them have since been destroyed by fire. As this was the
season of the year when we might expect to find them upon their
expeditions, we were on the _qui vive_, lest we should be surprised."
They remained in camp the following day, Sunday, and that evening
entered in the journal: "Several herds of buffalo were seen during the
day."