The northern Dakotas do not seem to have had the same system of gentes which prevailed in most of the eastern tribes. Mr. Morgan was of the opinion that it had existed, but had been lost; this, however, requires further proof. There are many societies among them, but not of the nature of clans. Their chiefs hold their position by hereditary descent in the male line, though among the Winnebagoes the early traveller, Carver found the anomaly of a woman presiding over the tribe. The central bands, the Mandans and Minnetarees, recognized gentes with descent in the female line; while among the Poncas and Omahas there were also gentes, but with descent in the male line. The condition in this respect, of the members of this family, as also of that of the Athabascan, seems to prove that the gentile system is by no means a fixed stadium of even American ancient society, but is variable, and present or absent as circumstances may dictate. A few members of this family, notably the Mandans, attained a respectable degree of culture, becoming partly agricultural, and dwelling most of the year in permanent abodes; but the majority of them preferred depending on the bounties of nature, pursuing the herds of buffaloes over the boundless pastures of the plains, or snaring the abundant fish in the myriad streams which traversed their country. The mythology of the Dakotas is concerned with the doings of giants in whom we recognize personifications of the winds and storms. One of these is Haokah, to whom the warrior sends up an invocation when about to undertake some perilous exploit. The thunder is caused by huge birds who flap their wings angrily and thus produce the portentous reverberations. The waters are the home of Unktahe, a mighty spirit who lurks in their depths. Indeed, to the Dakotas, and not to them alone, but to man in their stage of thought, “All nature is alive with gods. Every mountain, every tree is worshipped, and the commonest animals are the objects of adoration.”[116] DAKOTA LINGUISTIC STOCK. _Arkansas_, on lower Arkansas river. _Assiniboins_, on Saskatchewan and Assiniboin rivers. _Biloxis_, in Rapides Parish, Louisiana. _Crows_, on Yellowstone river. _Iowas_, on the Iowa river. _Kansas_, on the Kansas river. _Mandans_, on the middle Missouri river. _Minetarees_, on the Yellowstone river. _Ogallalas_, sub-tribe of Sioux. _Omahas_, on the Elkhorn river. _Osages_, on Arkansas and Osage rivers. _Ottoes_, on the Platte river. _Poncas_, on the middle Missouri river. _Quapaws_, on lower Arkansas river. _Sioux_, on upper Mississippi and affluents. _Tetons_, sub-tribe of Sioux. _Tuteloes_, on upper Roanoke river, Va. _Winnebagoes_, western shore of Lake Michigan. _Yanktons_, on upper Iowa river. 10. THE KIOWAYS.