The Winnebagoes belonged to the Dakota family, but, so far as can be known, wero naturally a had no sympathy with the more warlike tribes of their race. The Algonquins gave them the name of Winnebagoes, ple of the salt-water;" and as the Algonquin word for salt- water and stinking-water was the same, the French called them "Les Puants," or Stinkards." The Sioux gave them a more melodious and pleasing nane, "O-ton-kah," whieh significd "The large, strong people."

Bancroft, in his account of the North American tribes, says "One little eommunity of the Dakota (Sioux) family had pen- etratod the territories of the Algonquins: the Winnebagocs dwelling between Green Bay and the lake that bears their name preferred to be environcd by Algonquins than to stay in the dangerous vicinity of their own kindred."

One of the earliest mentious that is found of this tribe, in peace-loving people, and or "peo- the diplomatic history of our country, is in the reports given of a council lheld in July, 1815, at "Portage des Sioux," in Missouri, after the treaty of Ghent. To this council the Win- nebagoes refused to scnd dclegates; and their refusal was evi dently considered a matter of some moment sioners "appointed to treat with the North-western Indians " at this time reported that they found "the Indians mnch di- vided among themsclyes in regard to peace with the United States." Some of them "spoke withont disguise of thcir op- position to military establishments on the Mississippi," and The eommis