Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1880-03-18
A RACE FOR LIFE.
How Cree Indian Escapes from the
Blackfeet--A Month S Hard Train
ing Places the Savage in Condi-
ton to Outstrip His Would-be-

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Butcher.
GFrom the Helena or. IT, Herald.l
At the time of which / writ
Fort Benton, now the river en-
tfepot to Montana, was an Tn
dian trading-post much resortet
to by the Blackfeet, between
whom and the more northern
tribes Of Crees there was con
slant war. The Crces, roamin.
the northwestern territory, sci
dom if ever yentured south of
the line since established as the
boundary; Old Bow Fort, OF
the Saskatchewan, being usual.
ly their extreme southern limit
One day toward the latter
part of winter, however, a soil
tary and adventurous brave pre-,
sented himself on foot at the
gate of the Benton Stockade
and asked to come in. Tho
sentry admitted him, and hi.
gun-a curious old flint-lock
such as were sold to the North.
ern Indians 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 business. 1t was then
found that he did not know a
word of the Sioux language, ,and
was, in fact, what Mr.. Wolfe
had suspected from his dress
and head-gear--a Creel
j. When questioned, both then
and afterward-by aid of signs
and such words of the Cree d.
alect as were known atthe fort
as to his name and motive in
thus leaving his people and ex-
posing himself to almost GER
tain 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 curiosity. In
stature he was quite tall, but
slenderly made, and was judged
to be not over twenty years of
age. His eyes were of lighter
color than of most Indians; 9th
arwise, he seemed not to differ
from the ordinary redskin. $3.50
Stemaw had not been at the
post many hours when a party
Of Blaekfeet were seen riding to
the Fort. Scarcely a day pass
ed at this season without some
of the tribe coming to trade,
Mr. Wolfe hastily opened the
door of a back room in his
house, and bade the Cree 60 in
there, advising 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
he trading was going on num-
oers of young warriors, scarce
y more than boys, were racing
about inside the inclosure and
into the store-honses.
Suddenly the traders were prod
giously startled by the report
IF ia gun, followed by wild
xhoops and a horrible nproarp
On running out half q dozen
Blackfeet were seen beseiging
one of the back windows of one
IF Mr.. Wol6e's houses.g The
foolish Stemwa had so far al
owed his curiosity to get the
better of his prudence as to peep
,ut at the windowlfor a look lat
lis encmies.g One of them had
seen him, and, instantly recogl
iizing- a Cree by his head-dress,
fred at him through the window
with a gun which, contrary to
he rules, he had brought into
he fort, hidden under his blank
It. The small, high window was
broken, and the Blackfeet, yell
ing like bloodhounds, were try
ng to get in, while the Cree,
with an ak he had picked up in
he room, was making good his
position with vigorous blows
through the aperture. gal ~
The few armed men at the
post were instantly mustered at
The drum-beat, and pressed back
he young Blackfeet; Blackfoot
Chief, Mackamoze, shouting like
n 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
we're very striking. -fm
"Why has my brother Ma
huygan a Nord-Croe hidden IN
bis lodgey" was his question.
(Mahuygan, ] may explain, was
the Indian word which slgnified
the same as Mr.. Wolfe's nancy
The trader hastily explained
that the man was a refugee, who
had come to the Fort of his own
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