PREFACE.
 

"The (pegiha, Language" as used in this volume refers to the speech
of the Omaha and Ponka tribes of the Siouan linguistic family of North
American Indians.

The author is responsible for "^egiha," first as the name of a group
in the Siouan family, and, secondly, as the name of a particular language
in that group.

^egiha means, "Belonging to the people of this land," or, "Those
dwelling here," i. c, the aborigines or home people. When an Oraaba was
challenged in the dark, if on his own territory, he usually replied, "I am a
(|!!egiha." So might a Ponka answer under similar circumstances. A
Kansas would say, "I am a Yegaha," of which the Osage equivalent is,
^'I am a (/^fe^faha." These answer to the Oto "j^oiwere" and the Iowa
"jjO^ijiwere."

The (|!!egiha linguistic group may be divided as follows:
 

Languages.
 

1.   (/;.5giha.............

2.   Yegaha.............

3.   (pejiaha-------........

4.  Name not yet gained
 

Tribes.
 

Omaha
Ponka
Kansa.
Osage.
Kwapa
 

Dialects.
 

Omaha (Uma"'ha").
Ponka (Pan'ka).
None found.
Five or more.
Uncertain.
 

The material in this volume consists of myths, stories, and letters
(epistles) obtained from the Ponkas, to whom the author was missionary
from 1871 to 1873, and from the Omahas, with whom he resided from 1878
to 1880. The letters in Part I are those sent tQ the Ponka reservation in
the Indian Territory.