WIN'NEBA'GO. An important tribe of Siouan stock (q.v.) formerly residing in central Wisconsin, chiefly about the lake which bears their name, but now in part located on the Omaha res ervation in northeastern Nebraska, while the majority continue scattered among the whites in their old country. They call themselves Hoehanka, Winnebago being their Algonquian name, originally applied to thelake. They are first mentioned in 1040, and more than a cen tury afterwards were prominent allies of the French against the English. Subsequently, in the Revolutionary War and down to the close of the War of 1812, they fought against the Americans, first under Little Turtle and afterwards under Tecumtha. By treaties between 1825 and 1837 they sold all their lands east of the Mississippi and removed to Iowa. After several other re movals, each disastrous in its effect upon the In dians, they were finally located in 1800 on the present reservation in Nebraska. although in various ways the major portion contrived to find their way back to their old homes, where they long remained forgotten and free from Govern ment supervision. In their original condition the Winnebago partook rather of the characteristics of the Algonquian tribes of the lakes than of the cognate tribes west of the Mississippi. Their
alliances also were with the lake tribes as against those of the west. They lived in wigwams of wagon-top shape, covered with rush mats, which the women were very expert in weaving and dye ing. They practiced a limited agriculture, but, aside from hunting and fishing, depended chiefly upon wild rice. They also understood the art of making sugar from the juice of the maple. Those still in 'Wisconsin continue to follow their for mer habits of life to a great extent, very few of them engaging in civilized farming or other occu pation. Those upon the reservation in Nebraska are reported to be retrograding, a condition as cribed largely to the evils of the lease system by which they are assured of a living without work ing. The Winnebago in 1822—before the great smallpox epidemic of 1830, which carried off almost one-fourth of them—were estimated at 5800. They now about 2540, of whom 1140 are on the reservation, the rest in Wis consin.