OSAGES, a tribe of Dakota Indians, the most powerful and warlike of the eight tribes of southern Soiux, who in 1673 were found by Marquette on lands watered by the Missouri and its tributaries. They were confederates of the Illinois, but were forced to abandon their settlement in 1700, and settled in Arkansas. They fought with the French against the Foxes at Detroit in 1712, and the visit of some of their chiefs soon :afterwards to France augmented-their friendship, whereupon they became allies of the French against the Chickasaws, and against the English in their last battles. About 1800 they were at war with the Sacs and Foxes, but peace was established in 1804. At this time most of the Great Osages were living in the region of the Arkansas, their chief being Big Track, and the Little Osages had left the Missouri and settled on the Great 'Osage river. their total number at this time being 6,300. A treaty was made lyith the -chief of the Big Osages and the chiefs-of the Arkansas, and the Little Osapes in 1808, in they ceded a part of their land to the United States. The Osages afterwards dis- ,
puled the authority of this treaty, and caused great disturbance by constant plundering. Their time was spent in warring with the neighboring tribes, and, in an.encounter with the Cherokees in 1817, Clermont, chief of the Arkansas Osages, was killed, and his town laid waste. Other treaties ceding lands were made in 1815, 1818, 1822, and 1825. A mission which had been established them by the American board was discon tinued in 1845, and a Jesuit mission was begun a year later, but the attempts to intro duce Christianity were futile. They have always been a thieving, plundering tribe, showing little inclination for agricultural pursuits. They were removed in 1870 to reservation, comprising 1,760,000 acres, partly bounded on the s. and w. by the Arkansas river, and w. of long. 96°. It is mostly a hilly ccuntry, with little fertile land. About 2,000 acres are said to be under cultivation. A school has been established among them, but they (ire not desirous of education. They now number about 4,000.