Amongst the various superstitious customs of the Dakotas, none are more singular than those which are related to serpent worship, and I listened with attention to the opinions of the Sioux upon this subject. They said that with serpents, as with other animals, the sacrifices made to them were entirely a personal matter, depending upon the nature of the dreams and upon the special kind of affinity that an Indian might believe himself to possess with them. With regard to rattlesnakes the methods of propitiation varied, for it happens that some of the men of a tribe find that they have a power of fascination over these reptiles. Others are aware of a feeling of dread of them, and consequently act differently. Usually a snake worshipper, upon meeting a rattlesnake, carefully clears and smooths the ground and places upon it his offering. He then fills his pipe with tobacco, lights it and turns the mouth-piece towards the snake, holding the bowl in his hands. He then makes his request.[50] But, said the Sioux, these things are done in secret and very little is known about them. Each Indian, especially concerned, knows how and in what manner to offer his sacrifice. There is necessarily a difficulty in comprehending the depth or extent of the belief in the supernatural powers of the gods ruling over them, as understood and acted upon by ignorant and savage natures, such as the Dakotas, whose opinions have been formed after they have undergone long periods of fasting and suffering. An event occurred in a tribe then dwelling near the banks of the Minnesota, which proved that these Indians believed that their gods took a direct part in the government of the world beneath them, and manifested their anger by punishing those men who had offended them, unless a sufficient sacrifice was made as a propitiation. This event was reported in the year 1852, by Mr. Prescott, who was residing amongst the Sioux. His letter ran as follows:— “St. Peters, _January_ 26, 1852. “SIR, “I mentioned an instance of human sacrifice amongst the Sioux, but I did not know for what cause at the time, but since I have found out the cause of the sacrifice. “There came up a terrible thunder-storm. The lightning was flashing and falling in every direction about the Indian’s lodge, and the Indian thought the lightning or thunder was angry with him, and was about to kill him; so the Indian took his gun and shot his own son, and offered him as a sacrifice to the thunder, to save his own life.”[51]