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150 their assent but be that as it may the indian took it for granted that if by some supernatural manifestation consent was not withheld, it was granted. and proceeded to the quarry and dug. It is said that beneath the boulders are two [?] or pits the abode of the Spirit if such was the case in 1836 AD, the Spirits must have taken to themselves [?] since for in 1892 we saw no evidence of such excavations.

  This red pipe stone has for a great many years been an article of traffic among the indian tribes and it would seem was the object of many of their wars and conflicts. the Quarry has for all time so far as the white man knew any thing about it been in the possession of the Dakota people. and was sought after by the succeeding races. the Ojibway own a few red stone pipes, and only a few, and they procured them from the Dakota country.  A legend is extant among the Dakota peoples that  the Sacred pipe stone is the petrified blood of the Ojibway.The story is that at one time way, way back in time the Ojibway wanted to take the hunting ground and pipe stone quarry away from the Dakotas and they mustered all their forces and attacked the Dakotas at this place, a terrible conflict ensued and the Ojibway were killed and slaughtered to a man and so bloody [?] fight that the earth was saturated with blood.   This blood seeped awa into the ground and was by the Manito turned into stone so that the indians could have it for a material for their sacred pipes.   The story is told of an indian Dakota who took a piece of the stone and held it to his bare arm and said to the white man this is our flesh, the flesh of the indian so it is sacred.  In the early days when the white man was first permitted to visit the locality the stone was preserved by the indians with the greatest care. and was used by them for no purposes whatever except that of making the pipe.   On one occasion a trader after a good deal of persuasion procured a piece of the stone from an indian and made from it a "dish".  this so incensed the indians that they wanted that white man's scalp as he had desecrated their acred stone.  Now however the charm is broken fragments of the stone are to be picked up any where. and in the town of Pipe Stone hard by the quarry any one may purchase articles made of it as "shop made curios".  There will be found pipes, imitation meerschaums".  stem and bowl as pipe stone carved to represent fish with mouths open holding the bowl.  The sides of the fish accurately marked off in scales with a pair of dividers. or a paper weight [?] by a coyote. all as the sender tells us "the work of the indians." we do not exactly see the use which an indian could put a paper weight to unless it was to throw at his refractory squaw. or dog. and being equally the recipient of his attentions with the other.  Yet hundreds of such "indian Curios are on sale.