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Winnebagoes belonged to the Dakota family, but, so far as can be known, were naturally a peace-loving people, and had no sympathy with the more warlike tribes of their race. The Algonquins gave them the name of Winnebagoes, or “people 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.v The Sioux gave them a more melodious and pleasing name, “O-ton-kah,” which signified “The large, strong people.”

Bancroft, in his account of the North American tribes, says “One little community of the Dakota (Sioux) family had penetrated the territories of the Algonquins: the Winnebagoes dwelling between Green Bay and the lake that bears their name preferred to be environed by Algonquins than to stay in the dangerous vicinity of their own kindred.”

One of the earliest mentions that is found of this tribe, in the diplomatic history of our country, is in the reports given of a council held in July, 1815, at “Portage des Sioux,” in Missouri, after the treaty of Ghent. To this council the Winnebagoes refused to send delegates; and their refusal was evidently considered a matter of some moment. The commissioners “appointed to treat with the North-western Indians” at this time reported that they found “the Indians much divided among themselves in regard to peace with the United States.” Some of them “spoke without disguise of their opposition to military establishments on the Mississippi,” and