St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-09-15

finally overlook the mules, and It wa
found that they had strayed from tn
post, and were tied neck and neck witt
a stout rope, which kept them togethe
all the time and prevented their stop
ping to Craze.
In order to be expert in trailing, ,
scout has to study the habits of animals
as in this way he frequently obtains val
liable information. A cattle trail on The
open plains indicates in which direction
water is to be found; for range cattle
always go in single file and keep in one
trail on their way to water while on
coming from it thoy stray out Of thu
beaten track, and Craze around as they
go. The direction in which the scatter
ing tracks point is always away from
the water. Life is frequently saved and
dangers avoided by noting the actions
OF horses or mules; for these animals
are, through some instinct, enabled to
detect the approach of other animals
long before a man would be apt to OBJ
serve them. 1t Is q common belief in
the Southwest that mules can detect
the presence of an Indian by THEN
acute sense Of smell.
When engaged in the pursuit OF
hostile bands the scout is constantly
called up to exercise the greatest vigi.
lance to keep from being outwitted.
Sometimes, when closely pressed, the
Indiana will Scatter in all directions,
and it then becomes necessary to take
up one trail and follow it till the band
comes together again. This is tedious
and trying work; and when the trail is
lost, the scout must circle around to the
right and left until it is found again.
10 deceive their pursuers, Indians will
frequently travel in single file, all step.
ping in the same tracks which are made
by the one in advance. During the
rainy season they will select their route
along the bed of some ravine, knowing
that the first flow of water will obliter.
ate every sign. A favorite trick of the
was to ride as far as they could |
60 into some box canyon, then aban.
don their horses and scale the sides OF
the cliffs. In this way the troops could
not follow them without also aban.
doning their own stock and going or
foot.
One of the hardest and most danger.
ous duties which the scout has to per.
orm is the carrying ofdispatches back.
ward and forward between the military
posts and the troops in the field. When
'ent on such missions he invariably
,oes alone, and his rides are often for
hundreds of miles through an almost
unknown and hostile country. Some
couts prefer to travel through an In
Ian country during the nighttime,
md keep hidden away during the day:
nut night rides can only be made by
hose who are thoroughly acquainted
With the trails over which they must
ass. 1t is an error to suppose that
he genuine scout is always long-hair.
d man, for the fact is that most of the
couts employed during late years weal
heir hair cut close in regulation mill
ary style. The wearing of long hair
GEMS to have been the result of cir
rather than Of choice, as
! former times there were few BARRIERS
the frontier, and often many months
ould elapse before a man in active
srvlce would have an opportunity to
ther shave or have his hair cut. In
ians as rule admire long hair, and t
ave more respect for man whose
cks hang down over his shoulders
or this reason some of the older
'outs refuse to have their hair cut: but s
ow that BARRIERS shops are to be found X
every post, scouts are generally as S
and as short-haired as S
~ other class OF men. {
Taken as a whole, the life of a scout ?
dangerous and precarious exis- '
nee, fraught with innumerable hard t.
Ups, and devoid of nearly everything V
at is happy or bright. The business "
guarding the lives and interests of 3
her people is a thankless task which 0
ldom meets with any reward, and "
outs declining years are usually e'
arked by penury and want In most
ses his last resting-place is an I'm. y
pit grave iii some lonely spot, and his II
ly monumental rude head-board upon q
lich his name is scrawled. William W
Edacardy, IN Harper's Weekly D.