The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-02-18
THE DAILY STAR
RUM Ing FOR HIS LIFE

W
was at the time of which l am writing,
An Indian trading-post much resorted to
by the Blackfeet, between whom and the
more northern tribes Of fCrees there was
constant war. NoiCrees ever came &c
far south as this post, Old Bow fort OIL
the Saskatchewan being their extreme
ssntherly limit.
One day toward the latter part of win,
ter, however, solitary and adventurous
brave presented himself on foot at the
gate of the stockade, and asked to come
Im. The sentry admitted him, and has
sgun-a curious old flint-leck, such as
Is were sold to the Northern Indians by
the Hudson Bay Company half century
ago-being taken from him, he was told
by Mr.. Wolfe, the trader in charge Of the
post, to state his business. 1t was then
fonnd that he did not knowa word OF the
Sioux language, and was, in fact, what
Mr.. Wolfe, had suspected from his dress
and manner of wearing his hair-a
sCreel
When questioned, both then and after
ward, by aid of such signs and such
words Of the Cree dialect as were known
at the fort, as to his name and motive
in thus leaving his people and exposing
himself to almost certain death, he said
that his name was Stemaw, and that he
had tired of his tribe, and wanted to 90
to the far South, where the traders had
told him there'was no snow and no win
ter. Everything which seemed new to
him about thefort he examined with the
greatest curiosity. In stature he was
quite tall, but slenderly made, and was
Judged to be not above 20 years Of age
His eyes were of rather lighter color
than those of most Indians; otherwise
he seemed not to differ from the ordinary
yedskin.
.Stemaw had not been at the fort many
hours when party Of iBlackfeet werf
seen riding to the fort. Scarcely day
passed at this season without some of The
tribe coming in to trade. Mr. Wolfe
hastily opened the door of a back room
in his house and ,bade the Cree go'in
there advising him, with most forcible
gestures and the few words he under,
stood, to keep quiet as'he valued his life,
and not let SO much as his top-knot be
seen by the .Blackfeet. While the trad
ing was going.on numbers Of the young
warriors, scarcely more than boys, were
racking about inside the inclosure and
peeping into the storehouse. Suddenly
the trappers were prodigiously startled
by the report Of gun, followed by
wild whoops and horrible uproar!
On running out, half dozen Black
feet were seen besieging one of the back
windows of Mr.. Wolfe's house. The
foolish Stemaw had 80 far allowed his
curiosity to get the better Of his pru
dence as to peep out at the window for'a
look at his enemies. One of them ha(
seen him, and, instantly recognizing s
Cree by his ,head-dress, fired at hin
tthrough the window with gun which
contrary to the rules, he had brought
into the fort hidden under his blanket
The small, high window was broken, and
the Blackfeet, yelling like bloodhounds,
were trying to get in, while the Cree,
with an ak he had picked up in the
room, was making good his position with
vigorous blows through the aperture.
The few soldiers of the post were in
stantly mustered at the drum-beat, anc
with their bayonets pressed back tAt
young Blackfeet, and the Blackfeet chief
Mackamoze, shouting like an old Stento
called off his braves. Having Learned
from them the cause of the outbreak
the chief turned Indignantly to MI
Wolfe. Thesstern face and lofty bearing
of the old warrior were very striking.
"Why has my brother Mahuygan,
Nord-Cree hidden in his lodge?" was hi
question. (Mayhugan, 1 may explain
was the Indian word which signified tn
same as Mr. Wolfe's nancy
The trader hastily explained that tn
nan was refugee, who had come to tn
fort of his own accord, and that h
seemed to be merely a harmless wal
-derer.
"Namutegis weeash" "a cursed spy!,
exclaimed Mackamoze.
Mr.. Wolfe told the chief that he di
not believe the Cree was spy, but tina
he appeared to be only foolish boy on
rowing tour.
"My brother Mahuygan doesnot kno,
the Crees," said the old Blackfoot wit
a smile; then, suddenly shaking hi
tomahawk above his head, he exclaimed
aThere is long. blood between the Blacl
feet and Nord-Crees! Mahuygan mus
givehim up to u.s."
"But the poor boy has done no harm,
urged Wolfe. .....
'@He has come to the country Of tn
Blackfeet," said the chief sterniy. "H
must die" t..
Mr.. Wolfe was at his wits end. II
did not want to give up Stemaw to h
4ortured and burned. But the good wi
Of the Blackfeet, II forfeited, would no
only ruin trade at.the post, but put a
lives in jeopardy; for the Indians wer
both numerous and well armed, and OF
force at the fort was but handful. ]
this dilemma Mr.. Wolfe had recourse
deception.
my brother speaks WELL" said he
Mackamoze. "But with the white man
Manitou this is the moon of peace, ,whe
no sbloed must be shed. When 'nextt I'll
moon is at its full, come to me and I wi