We-barka.

These names they retain until another is given by their relations or
friends.

The Dahcotahs say that _meteors_ are men or women flying through the air;
that they fall to pieces as they go along, finally falling to the earth.
They call them "Wah-ken-den-da," or the mysterious passing fire. They
have a tradition of a meteor which, they say, was passing over a hill
where there was an Indian asleep. The meteor took the Indian on his
back, and continued his route till it came to a pond where there were
many ducks. The ducks seeing the meteor, commenced a general quacking,
which so alarmed him that he turned off and went around the pond, and
was about to pass over an Indian village. Here he was again frightened
by a young warrior, who was playing on the flute. Being afraid of music,
he passed around the village, and soon after falling to the earth,
released his burden. The Indian then asked the meteor to give him his
head strap, which he refused. The Indian offered him a feather of honor
for it, and was again refused. The Sioux, determined to gain his point,
told the meteor if he would give him the strap, he would kill a big
enemy for him. No reply from the meteor. The Indian then offered to kill
a wigwam full of enemies--the meteor still mute. The last offer was six
wigwams full of dead enemies for the so much coveted strap. The meteor
was finally bribed, gave up the head-strap, and the Sioux went home with
the great glory of having outwitted a meteor; for, as they met no more,
the debt was never paid.

The _language_ of the Sioux would, with proper facilities, be easily
acquired. It is said, in many respects, to resemble the ancient Greek.
Even after having acquired considerable knowledge of the language by
study, it is necessary to live among the people in order to understand
their fanciful mode of speaking.

One of the chiefs, "Sleepy Eyes," visited a missionary not many weeks
since, and on being asked why he did not come at the time appointed,
replied, "How could I come when I have no mocassins," meaning that he
had no horse. The horse had recently been killed by a man who owed him
a grudge; and his way of alluding to the loss was the mocassins. On
another occasion, this same chief, having done what he considered a
favor for the missionaries, at _Traverse des Sioux_, told them that his
coat was worn out, and that he had neither cloth nor thread to mend it;
the fact was, that he had no coa