At All Events, If There Be Any They Do
Not Empty Into The Red River Of The North, Since The Lake Is Shut Up
In That Direction, And Since We Found Its True Geographical Position
To Be Much More To The North Than It Is Ordinarily Laid Down Upon
Maps.
A single depression at its lower end would intimate that, in
times of high water, some discharge might possibly take place; but
then it would be into the Shayenne." (p. 50.)
Such are some of the geographical outlines of the extensive domain
which will be soon organized as a new territory.
What will it be called? If the practice hitherto followed of applying
to territories the names which they have been called by their
aboriginal inhabitants is still adhered to, this new territory will
have the name of Dacotah. It is the correct or Indian name of those
tribes whom we call the Sioux; the latter being an unmeaning
Indian-French word. Dacotah means "united people," and is the word
which the Indians apply to seven of their bands.[1] These tribes
formerly occupied the country south and south-west of Lake Superior;
from whence they were gradually driven towards the Missouri and the
Rocky Mountains by their powerful and dreaded enemies the Chippewas.
Since which time they have been the acknowledged occupants of the
broad region to which they have impressed a name. Several of the
tribes, however, have crossed the Missouri, between which and the
Rocky Mountains they still linger a barbaric life.
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