The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-14
J. NJ. NICOLLET.
EXPEDITION, JULY %.


When Nicollet was exploring the upper
Mississippi region he was assisted by
John c. Fremont, then lieutenant of the
United States Corps Of Typographical En-
gineerS. Charles H. Bennett, one of the
pioneer settlers Of this place, who is very
much interested in the preservation of
things historic, upon reading the inscrip-
ton. believed some of the initials there
might be those of Fremont. Accordingly
he wrote Mr.. remont, who replied that he
was with the party, that they camped at
the quarry and met there a band Of Sioux
He also said that the initials &C. F.
were for Charles Fremont, as he then
commonly wrote his name. On the sur
face of the smooth, red quartzite around
the base of the Three Maidens" are
found many inscriptions. These were
made at different times and by different
persons. as can be seen by the tools used
and the interference of figures. They are
generally figures of some animal-bear.
wolf, turtle, elk. and also rude figures of
the human form.
Standing at the left Of the falls OF Win
newissa is what is known as Manitou
Face, or Leaping Rock. This is an iso-
lated piece of rock some thirty feet in
height and separated from the wall of
rock by a distance of twelve to ffteen
feet The top of the rock is broken In
such a way as to represent a human face
and is called by the Indians Manitou
Face, or Face OF the Great Spirit. is
also called Leaping Rock by some, as
there is a legend that some chieftain of
ha H-az
daughter to anyone brave enough to leap
across to The rock. Sc -eral tried but were
dashed to death upon the rocks beneath,
and only one was successful.
Just twenty years after the Nicoilet
party were here, a party of white women
camped at the quarr1es. They were sur
vivors of the Spirit Lake massacre Of 1858
and captives of Inkpaduta's band There
were three white women and one young
girl, Abbie Gardner, between twelve and
thirteen years of age. She says thew
rested here three days while the Indians
were digging the pipestone. She visited
here some years ago and identified the
exact spot where they camped. She said
that after leaving these quarries, two of
the white women were brutality murder
party of young Indian hunters, who had
come down from the upper agency, up in
tia Yellow Medicine country. When
those Indians returned with the woman
they had bought they reported another
captive.
Three trusty Indians, fitted out with
gods. -four, horses. money. etc, to use as
a ransom, were procured by an offer Of
5000 as a reward to pursue Inkpaduta's
band and try to obtain the captive girl
They followed the trail and found tfsm
ca.mped in Dakota, beyond the Jim River
After few days' paries ing they were
successful, and the girl. Abbie Gardner.
was taken to St Paul
A few years ago Mrs. A5ble Gardner
Sharpe secured the promise Of Chet-au-
maza-Iron Hawk-one of the three m
dams who rescued her, to be present at
TIE dedication of the monument erected
By the state of Iowa to the !eal 5f that
c.@adful massacre He went as promised.
and on his return stopped of 10 visit the
PiDestone quarries.
Nearly half a century ago. when the
different Indian tribes, for stipulated
sums and annuities. moved over onto res
ervations in Dakota, the government re
served the Pipestone quarries and one
section of land. containing all the places
sacred to them In legendary history, for
the special use Of the Indians. The title
Of the land was sun vested IN the United
States but tae use Of the land and the
digging Of the pipestone was 70 be the cx
elusive right OF the Indians. Some years
a 20 several gentlemen learning tha. tba
title was stiu vested in the Un.t-d STATES.
flied claims. hoping TO secure the land.
TIE Indians. upon learning Of this, were
yer. indignant and came here IN numbers
70 investigate Troops were sent and the
white Ecn who had built upon the land
were forced 70 move. Prom that tine
the Indians have even laid stiil greater
clsim 10 the land. even exzctiag psyrent
fer the privilege OF cutting haS All TAX
ing ice from the lakes