Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1888-08-25
TALE OF THE NINNESCAHS.
BY ROBERT p. HUDSON.

BY HOBEkI L. hUDSON.
The Minnesota River and valley in
Kansas present scene which, for
beauty, is not surpassed in all the
West. This little river rises near
Cullison, flows east two hundred
miles, and empties its waters into the
Arkansas about twenty-five miles
south of Wichita. 1t flows through
an undulating plain destitute of trees,
but its banks are covered. all the year
with rank grasses, which in places
almost arch it over. In summer its
flowers are legion. Its bed is sand
and its waters crystal, Astounding in
trout and other fishes. Its banks are
steep and rugged where it cuts
through ridge, but usually the hills
stand back a few hundred yards,
forming beautifullvalley of the same
name. This is a great resort of ducks
as well as larger game, and no finer
field perhaps presents itself to the
sportsman. Though often dotted
with villages and crossed by railroads
vet much of it is unsettled.
In this valley ten years ago herds
of buffalo and antelope could be seen
any day, and the barking cayote
roamed at will.
Passing up the valley over the
Wichita e. Western one would hard
ly think to impure whether its present
peace and prosperity were ever bro
ken, yet this valley was once the
scene of stirring events which, for
bravery and signal victory, were
hardly eclipsed in Napoleon at Lodi.
Mike Burns, an old hunter of these
prairies, whom | met last fall while
hunting there, is perhaps the only
living witness of the events to which
refer, and from him | learned this
story of people who gave this river
and valley the beautiful name which
they bear.
This occurred in the fall of 1850
between the Minnesota tribe and the
Blackfeet, all about love, the very
motor which shook Troy three thou
sand years before.
Somewhere between the present
towns of Pratt and Minnesota the
hills stand back from the stream or
each side forming a lovely valley
half mile wide and two miles long
Here the river mumbles over little
rapids, and drops into deep channels
bordered by high grassy banks. II
this valley on both sides the stream
stood the matched and sodded wig
vans of the Ninnescahs, forming ,
village of six hundred souls. Tht
"dugouts," made of unbroken slab
of sod, were comfortable lodges il
winter, and of great service of thu
early settlers of Kansas where timbe
could not be had.
This little band was all that re
manned of a powerful tribe that once
occupied this entire valley. In 1884,
the small pox, which at that tune
swept away $4,000 Indians, made it
way into this valley, almost depopu
lating it. Soon after, its fragment
of families came together and bull
this village. Their chief was noble
hearted Indian who had distinguished
himself in battle with the Blackfeet
At the time we find him he rejoiceC
in being at peace with his neighbor
ing tribes. He had one daughter, al
only child, of IS summers, in whom
he took much pride, and whom h,
called Ni,meScah in respect for tn,
tribe who had honored him so much
His good old squaw had passed owe
the river to the home of the Grea
Spirit. He always accompanied hi
braves in battle and in the chase, bu
left the cultivation Of the corn patche
to the squaws. Asa token of goOC
faith he had betrothed his daughte
to Osmogee, a Blackfoot brave, at tn,
conclusion of peace with that tribe.
In 1850 Mike Burns and Alton
Rhodes, then young men, were camp
ing on the Arkansas near the preSen
town of Hutchinson, for the purpos,