The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-09-20
MISCELLANY.
SEVENTY TWIN BROTHERS,
How singular stratngem secured several
Steeds.

A band of Gree Indians great thieves
themselves, woke up one snowy morning to
find that about dozen of their choicest
ponies had been taken during the night.
Pursuit was soon organized, aud within a
few hours fresh trail was found In the
snow. 1t seemed from the appearance of
the trail that the ponies were being driven
four abreast, doubtless fastened together
with ropes After following the trail some
thirty miles it entered the Saskatchewan
River, the animals evidently heading for Il
wooded island in the middle of the river.
Smoke was rising from among the rocks and
trees on the island, leading to the belief that
the thieves We're encamped there with the
stolen stock After some accommodating an
opening which seemed to be the mouth of n
cave could be seen in the face of the rocks.
Presently single Indiana Piegan, the
pursneFs decided from his appearance
showed up In front of the opening. He was
painted and arrayed gsqdily, Pretty soon
dog at his feet scented the Crees and began
growing and barking. The Piegan instant
~ turned and entered the cave In mo-
rnent another Piegan came around the rocks
and also went in then another, and another,
and another, there being but few seconds
between them. The Crecs lay silently in the
bushes watching and counting until upward
of City Piegans had come around the rocks
and gone into the cave, and still they kept
coming Whit seemed remarkable was the
fact that all these Indians were to all appear
ancas exactly the same size, were dressed and
painted exactly alike, each carried Win
chester rifle, and most remarkable Of all, each
one seemed little lame in the left foot, limp
ing slightly They were gaudy crowd, and
the Crees eouuted seventy of them. That
seemed to be all, for no more came.
II should be remembered that the Grees
and Piegans were nj war, and TO the pur-
suing party this seemed a glorious chance TO
wipe ont batch of Piegan warriors Bat
the Grees only numbered six, and while they
had the advantage of position (for there was
no outlet from the island the other way their
number was much too small TO think of fight
ing without achievements. So one of them
was sent back to camp for assistance. While
he was gone the remainder kept watch on
the island, which seemed at times TO be
alive with Piegan warriors; but, strangely
enough, two were never seen together.
Their similar appearance was very mystify-
ing, and to the imaginative Indians the
thought suggested itself that these were all
twin brothers. Each was the exact image
of all the rest As the idea of seventy twins
was an impossibility, the superstitious Crees
naturally concluded that the evil spirit had
something to do with it i; for there was no
doubt that there were seventy Piegan Ind.
ans on the island who were all exactly alike.
The Crees had counted then several times
Ms they filed in and out OF the cave. So
thoroughly were they filed with the idea
that the devil was mixed up with the twin
brother mystery that even when reinforce
ments arrived, which was within few
hours, they were very reluctant to attack the
island. While they were debating what to
do. one less superstitious than the rest vol
unteered to swim over to the island during
the night and investigate. lie did So On
approaching the supposed cave he was sur
prised to find il was no cave at all, but only
an opening leading some ten feet into the
rock, where it made crook and came out
on the other side. The opening at this OPP
posite side was out of sight from the shore,
and here fire was burning and solitary
gaudily -attired Indian sleesing beside it.
The stolen ponies were tethered near by.
It required but glance to understand what
had seemed SO mysterious before. The
sleeping Indian was the only occupant of the
island, and the apparent presence of sixty
nine other warriors was caused by a sharp
trick of the Piegan thief who, when he knew
he was watched, would run into the cave and
ont behind, then come around the rock and
go into the cave again, giving the impression
to the watchers that large number of war
riors were passing into the cave. The thief
was killed while sleeping, the ponies were
retaken and the party returned to the camp
of their tribe The island is now known
among the Indians of that section as Seven
ty Twin Brothers Island. Heleau lndepea-
dent.