Helena weekly herald., 1880-02-19
A RACE FOR LIFE.
How a Cree Indian Escaped from the
Blackfeet.

At the time of which write Fort Benton
now the river entrepot to Montana, was a.
Indian trading-post much resorted to by th
Blackfeet, between whom and the NOR
northern tribes of Crees there was constan
war. The Crees, roaming the Northwestern
| Territory, seldom if ever ventured south 0
the line since established as the Boundary
| Old Bow Fort, on the Saskatchewan beinI
usually their extreme southerly limit.
One day toward the latter part of winter
however, solitary and adventurous brav'
presented himself on foot at the gate of th'
Benton stockade, and asked to come in Th'
sentry admitted him and his gun-a curious
old flint lock, such as were sold to the North
ern Indians by the Hudson Bay Company
half century ago-being taken from him
he was told by Mr.. Wolfe, the trader then ir
charge of the post, to state his business. Il
was then found that he did not know a word
of the Sioux language, and was, in fact
what MIR. Wolfe had suspected, from his
dress and Lead-gear-a Cree
When questioned, both then and afterward
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 60 to
the far South, where the traders had told him
there were 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 those OF most Indians; otherwise, he
seemed not to differ from the ordinary red
skin.
Stemaw had not been at the post many
hours when party of Blackfeet were seen
riding to the fort. Scarcely day passed at
this season without some OF the tribe coming
to trade. Mr.. Wolfe hastily opened the door
of back room in his house, and bade the
Cree go in there, advising him, with most
fOrcible gestures, and the few words he un-
derstood, 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 60
ing 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 prodigi-
ously 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 windows
of one of Mr.. Wolfe's houses. The foolish
Stemaw had so far allowed his curiosity to
get the better of his prudence as to peep out
at the window for look at his enemies. One
of them had seen him and instantly recogniz-
ing Cree by his head-dress, fined at him
through the window with gun which, con-
trary to the rules, he had brought into the
fort hidden under his blanket The small
high window was broken, and the Backfeet,
yelling like bloodhounds, were trying to get
in, while the Cree, with an axe he had picked
up in the room, was making good his posi-
ton with vigorous blows through the aper-
ture.
The 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, shouting like
an old Stentor, called off his braves Hav.
ing learned from them the cause of the out
break, the chief turned Indignantly to MIR.
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. may explain, was the Indian
word which signifed the same as Mr..
Wolfe's name.)
The trader hastily explained that the man
was refugee, who had come to the fort of
\ :, ShoS ho r.
merely harmless wanderer.
"Namutegis weeash!" "a cursed spy y ex-
claimed Mackamoze.
Mr.. Wolfe told the chief that he did not
believe the Cree was a spy, but that he ap-
peared to be only foolish boy on rowing
tour.
"My brother Mayhugan does not know the
Crees," said the old Blackfoot, with a smile;
then, suddenly shaking his tomahawk above
bis head, he exclaimed, "There is bad blood
between the Blackfeet and the Nord- Crees.
must give him up to u.s.
but the poor boy has done no harm"
urged Wolfe.
He has come into the country of the Black
feet, F" said the chief sternly. HE must die.
Mr. Wolfe was at his wits end. He did
not want to give up Stemaw to be tortured
and burned. But the good will of the Black
feet, if forfeited, would not only ruin the
trade at the post, but put all lives in jeopardy;
for the Indians were both numerous and well
armed, and the force at the fort was but q
handful. In this dilemma Mr.. Wolfe had re-
course to deception.
"My brother speaks well, " said he to Mack
.moze. "But with the white mans Manitou
his is the moon of peace, when no blood
must be shed. When next the moon is at its
'ull, come to me and will give up to you
he Cree-but on one condition.
Sand what is that?" demanded the Black
DOT, who had been steadily gazing at the