The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-04-23
Indian Trailers-Their Astonishing
Powers,
Correspondence Of the Hudson Starl
u. S. A PosT HOSPITAL,
FoRT RANDALL, ID. T.,
Eah ID 1850 \

Fort RANDALL, ID. T.,
Feb. II, 1869.
The most extraordinary skill that
is exhibited in this part of the coun-
try, either by the white man or red
native, is in the practice of trailing
Here it may be accounted an art as
much as music, painting or sculpture
is in the East. the Indian or trap
per that is shrewd trailer is a man
of close observation, quick percep-
ton and prompt action. AS he goes
along, nothing escapes his observa-
tion, and what he sees and hears he
accounts for Immediately. Often
not another step is taken until a
mystery that may present itself in
th,s line is fairly solved. The Indian
trailer will stand for hours in sue
cession, To account for certain traces
or effects in tracks, and sometimes
give to the matter unremitting atten-
tion for days and weeks.
The trailer is not graceful man.
He carries his head much inclined,
his eye is quick and restless, always
ON the watch. and he is practicing
his art uncOnsciously, hardly ever
crossing the track of man or animal
without seeing il. When he enters
a house, he brings the habits he con-
tracted in the practice of his art with
him. i know a trailer as soon as he
enters my room. He comes in
thraqgh the door softly, and with an
air Of exceeding caution. Before he
is fairly IL, or at least has sat down,
he has taken note of every article and
person, though tlere may be dozen
chairs in the room. He is
not used to chairs, and, like the In
Ilian, prefers more humble seat
When | was employed by General
Harvey last summer to take charge
temporarily of the Indians that were
gathered here to form 8 new reser
one day aguide and trailer
came into the Generals headquarters.
L told him to be seated He sat
down on tue floor, bracing his back
against the wall. The General saw
this, and in vexaiion cried out, ''My
God, why don't you take a chair,
when there are plenty here not occu-
pied2 The man arose and seated
in a chair, but in so awkward
and uncomfortable s manner that he
looked as if he might slip from 1t at
any moment. But when this uncouth
person came to transact his business
with the General he turned out to be
a man of no ordinary abilities. His
deseription Of a route as guide and
trailer for the Ogallahs IN bringing
them from the Platte to this place
was minute, and to me exceedingly
Every war party that
for the season had crossed his trail,
he described with minu,eness as to
their number, the kind of arms they
had, and stated the tribes they be
longed to. In these strange revela.
tions that he made there was neither
nor supposition, for he
gave satisfactory reasons for every
he made
Il have ridden several hundred
miles with an experienced guide and
trailer, Hack, whom l interrogated
on manv points in the practice ofthis
art. Nearly all the tracks l saw
either old or new, as a novice In the
art, / questioned him about. In
going 10 tue NiObrara river we
crossed the track OF an Indian pony
NV guide followed the track few
miles and then said, at is stray
black horse, with a long, bushy tail
nearly starved to death, has a spill
hoof of the Left fore foot, and goes
yery lame, and he passed here early
This morning. AstOnished and in
credulous, | asked him the reason:
for knowing these particulars by thu
tracks of the animal, when he repli
ed: "' E.-.
s.It was a stray horse. because i
did not go in a direc. line; his tai
was long, for he dragged it over thu
snow in brushing against a bush h
left some OF his hair, which shows it
color. He was very hungry, for, IL
going along, he has 0nipped at thos
high. dry weeds, which horses sci
dom eat. The fissure of his left for
foot left, also, its track, and the dept
of the indentation shows the degre
of his lameness and his tracks sho'
he was here this morning, when th
snow was hard with frost"
At another place We came acros
an Indian track, and he said, ''lt
an old YanktoD, who came across tn
Missouri last evening to look at hi
traps. Ia coming over he carried j
his right hand a trap, and In his lie
a lassO to catch pony which he ha
lost. He returned without findin
the horse, but had caught in the. tra
lbe had out a prairie wolf, which |
home on his back and bul
:fdle of kinikinic wood in his rigl
,thand.' Then, he gave his reason
!, Al know he is old by the impressit
7 his gait has made, and a Yankton |
, that of his moccasin. He is from Il
other side of the river, as there a
!. no Yanktons on this side. The tr'
:. lhe carried struck the snow now al