The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1873-06-18
HUMAN NLEuTH HOUNDS.
The Indians SkIIl..HOw They Trac
q THail.sThe Logic Of the Prairie

The Indians SkIlls.HOw They Track
a TEails.The Logic Of the Prairie.
ADJ. HanchendoF gives an interest
ing account OF the extraordinary skill q
Indian trAilers, TAs Indian OF trapper
that 10 shrewd trailer, is a-man Of close
observation, quick PERCEPTION andprompt
Action. AS he goes along nothing escapes
bic observation, and whit he secs or
hears he accounts for Immediately. Often
not another step is taken until mystery,
that may present itself in this line. Is fair:
" solved. The Indian thriller will stand
still for hours in succession to account Tor
certain traces or effects in tracks, and
sometimes gives the matter upremitting
attention 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 bis art unconscious
ly, hardly ever crossing the track Of a
man or animal without seeing it's When
he enters the house he brings the habits
he contracted in the practice Of his art
with him. know trailer as soon as he
enters my room. lie comes in through
the door softly, and with an air OF exceed.
ing caution. Before be is fairly in, oriRt
least has sat down, no has taken note OF
every article or person, though there may
be q dozen vacant chairs III the room.
He may not be used 10 chairs, and like
the Indian, prefers a more humble scat.
When 1 was employed by Gen. Harney
last summer 10 take charge temporarily
OF the Indians that we're gathered near
Fort Randall, Dakota, 10 form a new res
ervatlon, ono day guide and trailer
came to the Generals headquarters. II
told him Ia be seated. He sat down on
the floor brscing his back against the
wall. The General saw this, and in vex-
alton cried out: "My God why don't
you take chair when there are plenty
here unoccupiedE" The man arose and
seated himself In a chair, but in so awk.
ward and uncomfortable manner that he
looked as ifhe might slip from 1t any mo.
ment. But when this uncouth person
came to transact his business with the
General he turned out to be a man oil no
ordinary abilities. His description Of
route he took as guide and trailer for the
Ogallalas, in bringing them from the
Platte to the fort, was minute and eX-
ceedingly interesting. Every war party
that crossed his trail he described with
minuteness as to their number, tho kind
Of arms they had, and stated the tribes
they belonged to. In these strange rcve-
lations that he made there was neither
Importance nor suppositon, for hG gave
reasons Tor every assertion he |
made. sG
/ have ridden several hundred miles |
with an experienced guide and trailer,
Hawk, whom ! Intercepted upon many
points in the practice Of his art. Nearly
all the tracks I saw, either old or new, Us
q novice In the art, questioned him
about. In going to the Niobrara River
we crossed the track OF au Indian pony.
Nv guide followed the track q few miles,
and then said ut Is q stray black horse,
with long, bushy tail, nearly starved to
death; has q split hoOf of the lett iorciOot,
and goes very lame, and he passed here
early this morning" Astonishcd and in. |
credulous, I asked him the reason for
knowing these particulars by tho tracks
Of the animal, when he replied: ut was
D stray horse because 1t did not go in q
direct line; his tail was long, for he drag.
zed 1t over the snow; in brushing against
q bush, he lett some Of his hair, which
shows its color. He was very hungry, Tor
in going along he has nipped all those
high, dry weeds, which horses seldom
cat. Tho fssure Of the left forctoot left
also It's track, and the depth of the linden
don shows the degree Of his lameness;
and his tracks show he was here this
when the snow was hard with
Irost." ana ......,
I The most noted trailer OF this country |
was Paul Daloria, q halt-breed, who died
under my hands Of Indian consumption
last summer. have spoken Of him in
former letter. At one time rode with
him, and trailing was naturally the sub
iect Of our conversation. begged to trail
with him an old track over the prairie In
order to learn It's history. l hardly made
the proposition when he drew up his
horse, which was at ravine, and said:
"Well, here Is an old elk track. Let US
get of our horses and follow It" Wei
followed 1t but sfew rods, when he said
It was exactly month old, and made at
two o'clock In the afternoon. This he
knew, as then we had our last rain, and at
the hour nsmed the ground was softer
than at any other time. The track before
US was then made. He broke up here and
there clusters OIL grapes that lay in the
path Of the track, and showed me the dry
ends OF some, the stumps Of others, and
by numerous other similar items account
ed for many circumstances that astontsh-1
ed me.
We followed on the trail over mile.
Now and then we saw that wolf, fox
and other animals had practiced their
trailing instincts on the elks tracks. Here
and there he would show me where
snake, rat and prairie dog had crossed
the track. Nothing had followed or cross.
ed the track that the quick eye Of the
Daloria did not detect. &c gave an &C
count Of the habits OF all the animals that
bad left their footprints on the track, also
Of the state oil the weather since the elk
passed, and tho effects Of sunshine, wind,
Rridity, and storms and other influences
that had a bearing on these tracks. The
old man, like all trailers, was rcticent, but
on this occasion, seeing that was inter-
ested, became speedily communicative,
Threatened Failure of Crops