ered about 7,800, divided as follows: At Lake
Superior, whose agency was at La Pointe, Wis., about 1,600; on the Upper
Mississippi, on the east side, about 3,450; of Pillagers, 1,550; and at
Red lake, 1,130. The Sioux and Chippewas had been deadly enemies as far
back as anything was known of them, and kept up continual warfare. The
Winnebagoes, numbering about 1,500, were removed from the neutral
ground, in Iowa, to Long Prairie, in Minnesota, in 1848, and in 1854
were again removed to Blue Earth county, near the present site of
Mankato. While Minnesota was a territory its western boundary extended
to the Missouri river, and on that river, both east and west of it, were
numerous wild and warlike bands of Sioux, numbering many thousands,
although no accurate census of them had ever been taken. They were the
Tetons, Yanktons, Cut-heads, Yanktonais, and others. These Missouri
Indians frequently visited Minnesota.

The proper name of these Indians is Dakota, and they know themselves
only by that name, but the Chippewas of Lake Superior, in speaking of
them, always called them, "Nadowessioux," which in their language
signifies "enemy." The traders had a habit, when speaking of any tribe
in the presence of another, and especially of an enemy, to designate
them by some name that would not be understood by the listeners, as
they were very suspicious. When speaking of the Dakotas, they used the
last syllable of Nadowessioux,--"Sioux," until the name attached itself
to them, and they have always since been so called.

Charlevoix, who visited Minnesota in 1721, in his history of New France,
says: "The name 'Sioux,' that we give these Indians, is entirely of our
own making; or, rather, it is the last two syllables of the name of
'Nadowessioux,' as many nations call them."

The Sioux live in tepees, or circular conical tents, supported by poles,
so arranged as to leave an opening in the top for ventilation and for
the escape of smoke. These were, before the advent of the whites,
covered with dressed buffalo skins, but more recently with a coarse
cotton tent cloth, which is preferable on account of its being much
lighter to transport from place to place, as they are almost constantly
on the move, the tents being carried by the squaws. There is no more
comfortable habitation than the Sioux tepee to be found among the
dwellers in tents anywhere. A fire is made in the center for either
warmth or cooking purposes. The camp kettle is su