The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1880-03-19
A RACE FOR LIFE.

: A RACE FOR LIFE.
At the time OF which I write Fort
Benton, now the river enJrepot to Mon
tana, was an Indian trading-p post much
resorted to by the Blackfeet, between
whom and the more northern tribes of
Crees there was constant war. The Crees
roaming the northwestern territory, sell
dom if ever ventured south of the line
since established as the boundary. Old
Bow Fort, on the Saskatchewan, being
usually their extreme southern limit.
One day toward the latter part of win
ter, however, a solitary and adventurous
brave presented himself on foot at the
gate of the Benton stockade, and asked
to come in. The sentry admitted him
and his gun-a curious old hint-lock,
such as were sold to the Northern In
dians by the Hudson Bay Company half
a century ago-being taken from him, he
was told by Mr.. Wolfe, the trader then
in charge of the post, to state his bust
ness. It was then found that he did not
know word of the Sioux language, and
was, in fact-what Mr.. Wolfe had sus.
pected, from his dress and head-gear-a
Cree!
When questioned, both then and after
ward-by aid of 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 go to the far
South, where the traders had told him
there was no snow and no winter. Every
thing which seemed new to him about
the fort he examined with the greatest
orr ifr T1oc or ho fa
but slenderly made, and was judged to
be not over twenty years of age. His
eyes were of lighter color that of most
Indians; otherwise he seemed not to diff
fer from the ordinary redskin.
Stemaw had not been at the post many
hours when party of Blackfeet were
seen riding to the Fort. Scarcely a day
passed at this season without some of the
tribe coming to trade. Mr.. Wolfe hasti-
ly opened the door of back room in his
house, and bade the Cree go in there, ad
vising him, with most forcible gestures,
and the few words he understood to keep
quiet, as he valued his life, and not let
so much as his top-knot be seen by the
Blackfeet. While the trading was going
on numbers of the young warriors,
scarcely more than boys, were racing
about inside the inclosure, and peeping
into the store-houses. Suddenly the
traders were prodigiously startled by the
report of gun, followed by wild whoops
and horrible uproar!
On running out half dozen Blackfeet
were seen besieging one of the back win
dows of one of Mr.. Wolfe's houses. The
foolish Stemaw had so far allowed his
curiosity to get the better of his pru-
dence as to peep out at the window for
look at his enemies. One of them had
seen him, and instantly recognizing
Cree by his iead dress, fired at him
through the window with a 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 blood-hounds,
were trying to get in, while the Cree,
with an AK he had picked up in the room,
was making good his position with vigor-
Gus blows through the aperture.
A few armed men at the post were in
stantly mustered at the drum-beat, and
pressed back the young Blackfeet; and
the Blackfoot chief, Mackamoze, shout
ing like an old Stentor, called off his
braves. Having learned from them the
cause of the outbreak, the chief turned
Indignantly to Mr.. Wolfe. The stern
face and lofty bearing of the old warrior
were very striking.
"Why has my brother Mahuygan
Nord- Cree hidden in his lodge ?" was his
question. (Mahuygan, I may explain,
was the Indian word which signifed the
same as Mr.. Wolfe's nancy
The trader hastily explained that the
man was refugee, who had come to the
fort of his own accord and that he
seemed to be merely a harmless wan
derer.
"Namutegis weeashr' Ia cursed spyD
exclaimed Mackamoze.
Mr. Wolfe told the chief that he did
not believe the Cree was spy, but that
he appeared to be only a foolish boy on
rowing tour.
"My brother Mahuyan does not know
the crees," said the old Blaekfoot, with
smile; then, suddenly shaking his
tomahawk above his head, he exclaimed,
'There is bad blood between the Black
feet and the Nord-Crees. Mahuyan
must give him up to us"
But the poor boy has done no harm, .
urged Wolfe.
He has come into the country of the
Blackfeet," said the chief sternly. 'sHe
must die."
Mr.. Wolfe was at his wits end. He did
not want to give up Stemaw to be tor
tured and burned. But the good will of
the Blackfeet, if forfeited, would not
only ruin the trade of the post, but pat
all lives in jeopardy; for the Indians
were both numerous and well armed,
and the force at the fort was but hand
full. In this dilemma Mr.. Wolfe had re-
course to deception.
"My brother speaks well," said he to
Mackamoze. "But with the white mans
Manitou this is the moon of peace, when
no blood must be she'd. When next the
moon is at its full, come to me and will
give up to you the Cree-but on one
condition"
ssAnd what is that?" demanded the
Blackfoot, who had been steadily gazing
at the trader in way that boded no good
in case of refusal.
II will give up to you the Cree" said
Mr.. Wolfe; "but among the white men
it is held cowardly for many bratyes to
fall upon one who is alone and unafmed.
The Cree must have one chance for his
life. Your warriors are feet of f foot.
Mackamoze. I will set the. Cree 100
PAGES in front of them, and letf him run
for his 1ife.''
To this th chiefs assssnted far more
readily than the trade4 had feared he
would, for the Blackf2 2eet are famous
runners. s11nsSing inrehi respect Ill
TN rthwest. In fact
kactly in the righs
cI ~ left the most init