little devils, in the human form, of about eighteen inches
high, and with remarkably large heads; they are armed with
sharp arrows, with which they are very skilful, and are
always on the watch to kill those who should have the
hardihood to approach their residence. The tradition is,
that many have suffered from these little evil spirits, and,
among others, three Maha Indians fell a sacrifice to them
a few years since. This has inspired all the neighboring
nations, Sioux, Mahas, and Ottoes, with such terror, that
no consideration could tempt them to visit the hill. We
saw none of these wicked little spirits, nor any place for
them, except some small holes scattered over the top; we
were happy enough to escape their vengeance, though
we remained some time on the mound to enjoy the de-
lightful prospect of the plain, which spreads itself out till
the eye rests upon the northwest hills at a great distance,
and those of the northeast, still farther off, enlivened by
large herds of buffalo feeding at a distance."

The present residents of the region, South Dakota, have
preserved the Indian tradition, and Spirit Mound may be
seen on modern maps of that country.

Passing on their way up the Missouri, the explorers
found several kinds of delicious wild plums and vast quan-
tities of grapes; and here, too, they passed the mouth of
the Yankton River, now known as the Dakota, at the mouth
of which is the modern city of Yankton, South Dakota.
The Yankton-Sioux Indians, numbering about one thou-
sand people, inhabited this part of the country, and near
here the white men were met by a large band of these
Sioux who had come in at the invitation of Lewis and
Clark. The messengers from the white men reported
that they had been well received by the Indians, who, as
a mark of respect, presented their visitors with "a fat dog,

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