



























A TRIP TO PIPESTONE QUARRY. 645 
excited by the observations of Catlin and Schooleraft upon 
the habits, customs and legends of the Indians, but more 
especially to the unique poetic form in which our much- 
loved Longfellow has rendered some of them in his “Song 
of Hiawatha.” Before the reader goes farther let him take 
down this strange song and read the “Peace-pipe,” after 
which he will better understand the references which follow. 
In addition to this I will give the substance of the legends 
which occur in various forms among the Indians of the 
North-west concerning this famous locality. 
“Many ages ago the Great Spirit, whose tracks in the 
form of those of a large bird are yet to be seen upon the 
rocks descending from the heavens, stood upon the cliff at 
the Red Pipestone. A stream issued from beneath his feet, 
which, falling down the cliff, passed away in the plain below, 
while near him, on an elevation, was the Thunder’s nest in 
which a-small bird still sits upon her eggs, the hatching of 
every one of which causes a clap of thunder. He broke a 
piece from the ledge, and formed it into a huge pipe and 
smoked it, the smoke rising in a vast cloud so high that it 
could be seen throughout the earth, and became the signal 
to all the tribes of men to assemble at the spot from whence 
it issued, and listen to the words of the Great Spirit. They 
came in vast numbers and filled the plain below him. He — 
blew the smoke over them all, and told them that the stone 
was human flesh, the flesh of their ancestors, who were crea- 
ted upon this spot; that the pipe he had made from it was 
the symbol of peace; that although they should be at war, 
they must ever after meet upon this ground in peace and as 
friends, for it belonged to them all; they must make their 
- ealumets from the soft stone, and smoke them in their coun- 
cils, and whenever they wished to appease him or obtain his 
favor. Having said this, he disappeared in the cloud which 
the last whiff of his pipe had caused, when a great fire rushed 
over the surface and melted the rocks, and at the same time 
two squaws passed through the fire to their places beneath 

