Another band seceded from the migrating nation, and established a village at the mouth of the Missouri river; from which circumstance they received the name of Ne-o-ta-cha or Ne-o-ge-he, signifying those who build a town at the entrance of a river; they have been known to us only by the name of Missouries.
The Otoes also separated from the nation on the Mississippi; and pursuing their journey across the country from that river, struck the Missouri near the confluence of the Great Nemawhaw. Here the Otoes remained a considerable time for the purpose of hunting; and it seems probable, from the name of the creek, that they also reared maize, and cultivated the soil after their rude manner, as the word Nemawhaw, in their language, signifies water of cultivation; ne, water, and maha, planting or cultivating. From this locality the Otoes proceeded up the river to the Platte; and after hunting for some time near its confluence, they moved still further up the Missouri, and established a village on its bank, about fourteen miles below Council Bluff. In this position they remained several years, during which time a band of the Ioways took up their residence about one year, on the bank of the river nearly opposite to them, and within about thirty miles of the present site of the Omawhaw village. The Otoes subsequently removed to the river Platte, about twenty miles above their present village; but finding the latter situation to be a more eligible one, they permanently established themselves there, and have already occupied it nearly half a century.
The Ioways, after having resided in a village on {63} the lower part of the Missouri a considerable space of time, were rejoined by the band above mentioned; when they abandoned their position, and returned to the waters of the Mississippi and erected a village on the Moyene,[33] where it still remains.
The Missouries in process of time abandoned their village near the mouth of the river Missouri, and gradually moving up the river, at length constructed a town on the left bank, near the entrance of Grand river. In this position they were found by the French, who built a fort on an island of the Missouri, in their immediate vicinity, about the beginning of the last century. The garrison of this fort was entirely destroyed, according to Du Pratz, soon after its commander, the enterprizing Bourgmont, left it.[34]
The author whom we have just mentioned further informs us respecting this nation, that "the Spaniards, as well as our other neighbours, being continually jealous of our superiority over them, formed a design of establishing themselves among the Missouries, about forty leagues from the Illinois, in order to limit our boundaries westward. They judged it necessary for the security of their colony, entirely to cut off the Missouries; and for that purpose they courted the friendship of the Osages, whose assistance they thought would be of service to them in the enterprise, and who were generally at enmity with the Missouries. A company of Spaniards, men, women, and soldiers, accordingly set out from Santa Fe, having a Dominican for their chaplain, and an engineer for their guide and commander. The caravan was furnished with horses, and all other kinds of beasts necessary; for it is one of their prudent maxims, to send off all those things together. By a fatal mistake the Spaniards arrived first amongst the Missouries, whom they mistook for the Osages; and imprudently discovering their hostile intentions, they were themselves surprised and cut off by those whom they intended for destruction. {64} The Missouries some time afterwards dressed themselves with the ornaments of the chapel; and carried them in a kind of triumphant procession to the French commandant among the Illinois."[35] A terrible but just revenge! The Missouries continued to dwell in the same locality, until, about twenty years since, they were conquered and dispersed, by a combination of the Sauks, Foxes, and some other Indians; when they united their destiny with other friendly nations. Five or six lodges joined the Osages; two or three took refuge with the Konzas; and the chief part of the remainder amalgamated with the Oto nation, with whom they still reside. Thus connected, their manners, habits, and language being very closely allied, the Otoes and Missouries may be considered as one nation. They are probably the bravest of the native inhabitants of the Missouri; and there are but few males who have arrived at the age of maturity, that have not fleshed their arms in battle. Indeed, many of them can strike upon individuals of almost all the neighbouring nations, not excepting the distant Indians of Mexico, and the Spaniards themselves.
In vain should we seek among the nations of the Missouri for an individual whose daring deeds have been more numerous than those of the Little Soldier, or for more brave and generous combatants than Shaumonekusse, Hashea, Nahojeningya, and Wasacaruja. It is not fear, but probably a generous forbearance, that has restrained them from killing more than two white men within the memory of the present generation. Of these, one, a Frenchman, was killed by A-kira-ba during the Spanish government; and the other, a Spaniard, by Shaumonekusse, more recently, at the sources of the Arkansa; an act, which, although attended by an extraordinary display of bravery, was declared by this young warrior to be the only martial act of his life that he was ashamed of.
{65} The hunting grounds of the Oto nation extend from the Little Platte up to the Boyer creek, on the north side of the Missouri, and from Independence creek to about forty miles above the Platte, on the south side of that river. They hunt the bison between the Platte and the sources of the Konza rivers.
A few years since, their numbers were very much diminished by the small-pox.
The language of the Otoes, Missouries, and Ioways, although the same, is somewhat differently pronounced by these respective nations or tribes. The dialect of the Ioways is more closely allied to that of the Oto than to the Missouri dialect; the former differs chiefly in being pronounced more sharply, as in the word In-ta-ra, friend, which in the Oto is In-ta-ro. The Missouri dialect differs in being more nasal; the children, however, of this nation being, from their residence among the Otoes, in constant habits of association with the Oto children, are gradually assuming the pronunciation of that nation.
Originally the same, and still very similar to the above dialects, are those of the Osages, Konzas, Omawhaws, and Puncaws, the individuals of each of which nations can make themselves reciprocally understood, after a very little practice. The two latter dialects are so very closely allied, as not to be distinguishable from each other, by persons who are not very critically acquainted with the language. The Omawhaw and Puncaw pronunciation is more guttural than that of the two former, of which, particularly the Osage, the pronunciation is more brief and vivid.