Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-14

tends from nOrtheaSterly to a south
westerly direction and forms great
watershed, the Big Sioux river drain
ing 1t from the west and small tribu-
tarles of the Mississippi from the east
The sacred pipestone found only at
this point made it the mecca of all the
Indian tribes once inhabiting that vast
region of the west and northwest terri
tory.
During the warm months of June.
July and August of each year scenes of
great festivities We're held on and
around this sacred spot by the various
tribes which assembled there to OBJ
tain supplies of this wonderful and
precious stone; at which times all ma
lions from the crafty and treacherous
Blacl>feet, who then inhabited the vast
plains of Kansas and Nebraska, to the
more phlegmatic Sioux, Dakotas and
Flandreaus, whose home was in Mime
sofa and Dakota, were gathered here
on terms of friendship.
On these occasions all feuds and ami
mOsities were laid aside, and with the
calumet or pipe of peace" fash
Toned from the stone to be found only
at that point, they pledged a Temporal
~ peace to be broken only when they
again separated and returned to their
distant hunting grounds.
AT the time of our story this sacred
ground had not as yet been profaned
by the foot of white man. and only the
free sons of the plains gathered there
to celebrate their annual festivities,
procure supply of the pipestone, from
which they manufactured all sorts of
trim l-afS nil nd
time in the rude games of chivalry so
customary among the western Indians
in those early days.
On the present occasion an unusual
number of Indians had congregated on
this spot and the plain surrounding
the quarries and below the high ledge
of rocks over which a beautiful little
waterfall plunged, the water of which
was collected in several small lakes a
short distance below. From this ledge
the scene presented below was pictur-
esque and beautiful. Stretching up and
down the gently sloping valley, around
the beautiful little lakes, were order
ly arranged villages; each tribe occu-
plying a separate location, but all being
so arranged in circle as to leave an
unobstructed tract of ground in the
center. on which festivities. games and
sports of all kinds We're held, as well
as the graver councils of the great
chiefs.
On the open space could daily be
seen the rude sports of these free sons
of the plains. Some would give exhibit
tions of daring horsmanship; others
would show their skill with the bow
and arrow, their only weapon at that
time; while others would try to excel
in foot races, the game of lacrosse and
other sports, the young braves at
tempting daring feats to prove their
devotion to some dusky maiden of their
own or a neighboring tribe
Among the many tribes gathered on
this occasion was n branch of the
Dakotahs, under the chieftainship of
Bison Head, an Indian noted through
out that territory rs a man of great
bravery and who had received his
appellation from the fact that he con-
stantly wore the skin of buffalo with
the horns intact, as a trophy of n
hand to hand encounter he once had
with the owner, n huge bull, and in
which he came out victorious.
But the fame of Bison Head was
second only to that of his daughter.
WahOe. whose beauty and accomplish
mentS had set the hearts of many
young braves of his own people, as
well as those of surrounding tribes, in
futter. Up to the present time,
however, no dusky warrior had sue
ceeded in winning more than smile
from the maiden.
As the fame of this maiden had
reached even the Blackfeet, Comanche
and CHEYENNE territories, a large num-
Der of the gallant young braves were
at once numbered among her constant
and impetuous admirers, as well as
were those of the Sioux, Flandreau
and other less distant tribes.
AS the days went by and the younger
portion of the inhabitants of that little
temporary village spent their time in
sports while the older heads sat around
the camp-fires and told of deeds ofvalor