HISTORICAL SKETCH. 69 



1838, Nicollet.J 



scarcer, whilst the open prairies increase in extent. It is very rarely only that groves are met 

 with, to which the NdakotaJis, or Sioux, have given the name of Tchan Witah, or Wood islands. 

 When these groves are surrounded by water they assume some resemblance to oases, and hence I 

 have assigned this name to some of them on my map. 



These oases, possessed of a good soil, well wooded, offering an abundance of game, and 

 waters teeming with fish, offer inducements for permanent settlements. In this region there are 

 frequent instances of a marsh, or lake, furnishing waters to different hydrographical basins a 

 fact observed by the Sioux, and which they express, in the compound word of their dialect, mini 

 dkipan kaduza; from mini, water, akipan, division, share, and kaduza, to flow, to run out. 



There are, besides, other fine lakes, that would furnish, on their borders, eligible sites for 

 such villages as were formerly occupied by some of the Ndakotah tribes, previous to the war of 

 extermination waged against them by the Sac and Fox Indians. Among them may be numbered 

 the series of lakes designated as the Shetek, Benton, Titan-kahi, Poinsett, Abert, Spirit, and 

 Tizaptonan lakes. 



Whatever people may fix their abode in this region must, necessarily, become agriculturists 

 and shepherds, drawing all their resources from the soil. They must not only raise the usual 

 agricultural products for feeding, as is now but too generally done in some parts of the west, but 

 they will have to turn their attention to other rural occupations, such as tending sheep for their 

 wool; which would greatly add to their resources, as well as finally bring about a more 

 extended application of the industrial arts among them. * The plateau 



of the Coteau des Prairies is composed in a great measure, of the materials belonging to what I 

 have named the erratic deposite, as is evidenced by the nature of the soils, the physiognomy of 

 the ridges and hillocks that diversify its surface, the deep ravines by which it is flanked, and the 

 innumerable erratic blocks strewed over the borders of its lakes. 



We have no data by which to determine the inferior limits of this deposite ; still there is 

 reason to think that it rests upon such primary rocks as show themselves along the line of rapids 

 of the upper St. Peter's, consisting of granite, sienite and other metamorphic rocks. Nevertheless, 

 over the vast extent of this plateau, there is, apparently, but one spot where the subjacent rock 

 makes its appearance, and this is at the Indian red pipestone quarry, so-called. 



NICOLLET AT THE BED PIPESTONE QUARRY. 



The Indians of all the surroimding nations make a regular annual pilgrimage to it unless 

 prevented by their wars or dissensions. The quarry is on the lands of the Sissiton tribe of Sioux. 



The idea of the young Indians, who are very fond of the marvellous, is, that it has been 

 opened by the Great Spirit, and that whenever it is visited by them, they are saluted by lightning 

 and thunder. We may cite as a coincidence, our own experience in confirmation of this tradition. 

 Short of half a mile from the valley, we were met by a severe thunder-storm, during which the 

 wind blew with so much force as to threaten the overthrowing of Mr. Eenville's wagon ; and we 

 were obliged to stop for a few minutes during the short descent into the valley. 



If this mode of reception was at first to be interpreted as an indication of anger on the part 

 of the Great Spirit for our intrusion, we may add that he was soon reconciled to our presence ; for 

 the sun soon after made his appearance, drying both the valley and our baggage. The rest of the 

 day was spent in pitching our tent on the supposed consecrated ground, and in admiring the 

 beautiful effects of lights and shadows produced by the western sun as it illumined the several 

 parts of the bluff, composed of red rock of different shades, extending a league in length, and 

 presenting the appearance of the ruins of some ancient city built of marble and porphyry. The 

 night was calm and temperate, of which we took advantage to make astronomical observations. 

 ********** 



The valley of the " Red Pipestone" extends from N. N. W. to S. S. E. in the form of an ellipsis, 

 being about three miles in length, with a breadth at its smaller axis of half a mile. It is cradle- 

 shaped, and its slope to the east is a smooth sward, without trees and without rocks. Its slope to 

 the west is rugged, presenting a surface of rocks throughout its whole length, that form a very 

 picturesque appearance, and would deserve a special description if this were the place to do so. 

 But I am now more particularly interested in defining its geological features. 



