Early times and events in Wisconsin

              i88    Wisconsin Historical Collections     [voi.ii
I have seen generous ladies residing in the neighborhood of the Indian country, when visited by Indians, set food before themi and keep renewing the supply, and w^ondering at the Indians eating so much, whereas they considered theimselve© bound in politeness to eat all that wasi set before them,.
When Indians become too' old and infirm tO' travel, they build a fire near water, and giving them some provisions and generally a small kettlei, leave them to take care of themselves. Many cliildren from exposure and learning them to* be great eaters, die in infancy. The practice of leaving the aged to die, applies more particularly to migratory bands on the plains. Indians living about lakes and rivers, where they have canoes, I do not think ever ex|X)se them thus, at least I never heard of an instance.
You never see a Sioux Indian, if he is in. company, smoke alone. The pipe is lighted and he takes a whiff or two himseK, and passes it to his neighbor, always passing it around with the sun. When several are assembled together, you will see a num- ^ lier of pipes going the rounds^ in the same manner. Their princi¬ pal subjeets of eonversation at these times, are their wars, feasts, hunting and their women. A man may have as many wives, as he can maintain among the Yanktons; the more he has, the bet¬ ter Ik* is off, as they can dress and prepare the more buffalo robes for market. If an Indian marries the eldest daughter, he is enti- tk^l to take the others, as they come tO' maturity, for wives. But tliosci wdio do not live in the buffalo range, content themselves genc^rally with two, and many of them with one. I knew one li'ankton chief who had six.
When the Sioux women have their menses, they are lookc'd upon m unholy and xmclean, and are not allowed to rem-ain in the lodge w^ith the family, but are obliged to build a small lodge out¬ side of tiie other, and remain alone during the time of its con¬ tinuance, fed in. a dish by one of the family, and not allowed, during the time, to enter the family lodge, or touch anything, ex¬ cept the dish in which their food is handed to them, until the