Helena weekly herald., 1880-02-19
Helena, Montana, Thursday, February 10, 1880.
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 braves to fall upon one
who is alone and unarmed. The Cree must
have one chance for his life. Your warriors
are fleet of foot, Mackamoze I will set the
Cree one hundred PAGES in front of them, and
let him run for his life"
To this the chief assented far more readily
, than the trader had feared he would; tor the
Blackfeet are famous runners, surprising in
this respect all other tribes of the Northwest.
In fact, Mr.. Wolfe had hit exactly the right
chord. The Indians left the post, intimating
in strong terms, however, that they should be
promptly on hand at the appointed time
After such a compromise and pledge, Mr..
Wolfe did not dare even to connive at the
Cree's escape. But he put him at once in
hard training. He turned him out at 5
o'clock every morning, and after a brief,
brisk bath in cold water, had him run three
times round the inside of the stockade, dis
tance Of fifty rods. He was then fed on fresh
buffalo meat, full breakfast, and given
three hours leisure 10 digest it. Then for an
hour he was made to run at full speed around
the stockade. After a rest of couple of
hours, he was given another full meal of
meat, and late in the afternoon was put at
running again for second heat of An hour.
Just light supper was then given him, upon
which he was commonly ready to 60 to his
bunk and sleep like top. The men had all
taken liking to Stemaw, and were determin-
ed to save him if they could. This rigid sys-
tenn of training was kept up for a month,
every day, rain or shine. except Sundays,
when the boys allowance of meat was re-
duced about one-third, and he was given
day of rest.
The result was very marked. The Indian
| came to be in what athletes would term
splendid condition. The muscles on his legs
| stood out hard and firm, though at the out
set his legs had been slim. He soon ran easy
| as dog. Nor was he much winded at the
end of his hour heats. AT the first, however,
he would lie down completely spent and out
of breath. While running, he was, as rule,
always kept at full speed, and doing his best
The second day of his training, he ran around
the stockade 81 times in one hour. On the
Oath day, he made 80 rounds in an hour, and
on one or two of the last days, over go
rounds This great increase of speed was
purely the result of good, hard training, and
with sufficient and very nourishing food. 1t
was pleasure now to see him run. He
would bound away like deer.
Punctually on the morning after the full
moon in April, Mackamoze and his party
came riding to the fort; and not only they,
but more than 800 warriors of the tribes. 1t
needed not their terrific yells and exultant
whoops to notify US as to what their errand
was.
"Mohlarnutach buine Greet" (Fetch out
the Cree y was the cry.
But Mr.. Wolfe was determined to secure
fair play for his protege. The drums beat
for party.
The trader then addressed MackamOze, and
told him that he was ready to produce the
Cree according to promise, but that the In
dians' horses and guns must first be brought
inside the stockade and left there, and that as
the Cree was to run wholly unarmed, the
Blackfeet must only carry their knives. After
some discussion this was agreed to, and the
party dismounted inside the gate and stack
ed their guns A long rope was then stretch
ed breast high out on the plain in front of
the fort, and behind this the crowd of Black
feet took their places. The trader then step
ped off a hundred PAGES, when two of the
soldiers brought out the Cree by way of a
little postern gate on the other side and placed
him by Mr.. Wolfe. At sight of him, the
Blackfeet raised shout, but Mackamoze
compelled them to wait the signal.
"Now, Stemaw," said Mr. Wolfe, you
must run for your life. Don't be scared (for
the poor fellow was trembling in his mocca-
SINS You can outrun them. Get to your
tribe and never be seen in these parts again.
With this parting injunction, the trader rails
ed his hand, which was the signal agreed on.
The rope was dropped. With yell, fero-
cious enough to appal the stoutest heart, the
Blackfeet sprang to Aar dStemaw. Instead
of bounding away, as the men expected he
would, the wretched boy seemed paralyZe
with fright. He faced round for an instant,
and then ran zigzag and made no progress.
In less than half a minute, the Blackfeet
were upon him-almost grasping him. "He
is lost !" we thought, and gave him up for
caught. But when their hands were almost
on him, the Cree suddenly rallied his strength |
and shook himself together for steady work. |
He lodged his pursuers and leaped away. |
At first, from where the soldiers stood watch |
ing on the stackade, he seemed mixed with |
the Blackfeet; but he soon got clear and |
opened broad space between himself and |
them. The traders now took breath, and |
their hearts rose little, though three or four |
of the leading Blackfeet were trailing him |
vigorously. But by the time they had run |
mile and half, Stemaw was at least hun
dred rods in advance of them all He was
now seen to turn and shake his fist at his |
pursuers, then wheeling away again, he went
skimming the prairie like coyote. In ff-
teen minutes he was cut of sight. and that
was the last the whites ever saw of him.
BY 10 o'clock more than half the Blackfeet
had returned TO the post. Some wanted their
horses. But Wolfe would let no horses pass
The gate until evening. Before night they
had all come in. but were not much disposed
to talk of the Cree. nor did the traders care
to taunt them. Afterwards, some of the
Blackfeet said at the fort that "Mahuygan
make strong medicine for Cree;" and 20 be
had-the best and strongest of sll medicine
for health and yigor-good. hard, sharp train
ing.