them on their expeditions, and was in daily danger of being murdered by the more riotous and hostile members of the band men, affable, civil, and obliging," and he was indebted for his life to the good-will of one of the chiefs, who protected hin again and again at no inconsiderable danger to himself. The only evidence of religion among the Nadonwessies whiel he mentions is that they ing the pipe up to the sun, saying, "Smoke, sun ! They also offered to the sun the best part of every beast they killed, car- rying it afterward to the cabin of their chief; from which Fa ther IHennepin concluded that they ad a religious veneration for the san.

The diplomatic relations betwecn the United States Govern ment and the Sioux began in the year 1815 the year following friendship with different tribes of Indians-treaties demanding no eessions of land beyond the original grants which had becn made by these tribes to the English, French, or ments, but confirming those to the Uuited States; promising "perpotual peace," and declaring that "every injury hostility committed by shall be mutually forgiven and forgot." Three of these treaties were made with bands of the Sioux-onc of them with " the He found these savages on the whole "good-natured never began to smoke withont first hold In that year and we made sixtcen "treatics" of peace and Spanish govern-

Or act of one or other of the contracting partics Sioux of the Leaf, the Sioux of the Broad Leaf, and the Sioux who shoot in the Pine-tops."

In 1825 four more treatics were made with separate Sioux bands. By one of those treatics-that of Prairie dn Chien- boundarics were defined between the Chippewas and the Sioux, and it was hoped that their incessant feuds might be brought to an end. This hostility had continucd unabated from the time of the earliest travellers in the country, and the Sioux had been slowly but steadily driven south and west by the victo rions Chippewas. A treaty conld not avail very much toward