Sharp County record., 1890-01-23
INDIAN GRATITUDE.
An Experience 7 Had While Scout
ing Tt Out West,
That Some Red Skins Can Feel Grateful
Is Clearly shown by the Follow
ing Good Story-A Kind
Act Doubly Paid.

While lived in the Indian country
for upward Of twelve years, and en-
countered the red man daily, either in
peace or war, I never considered him
worth studying as man. Indeed, IN
only one single instance was / satisfied
that there was any thing to study !
felt that he was to be taken as a surly,
brutal inconsistent, and revengeful
chunk of humanity, and any search for
fine sentiment was time thrown away.
This one instance occurred during the
savage Indian campaign which ended in
Clusters death.
In the fall Of 1855, while I was carry
ing dispatch between two temporary
posts on the Arkansas river, and when
midway between the posts and twenty
miles from either, at the hour Of noon,
7 came upon an Indian lying on the
ground between two of the monotonOus
ridges on the plains. I saw him while
vet forty rods away, and knew that he
was either dead or unconscious, Before
I got to him discoyered pony tracks
and knew that he had come there on
horseback. I reached the bod y to find
It that of young buck about
TWENTY-FIVE years old and for some time
7 believed him dead, He had been
shot through the head as ] supposed,
as one side of it was covered with blood
and while sat on my horse and looked
down on him dozen or more buzzards
we're sailing in the air above rs, waiting
for the feast. was rather rejoiced that
the force of hostiles were reduced by
even one, for every Indian was a hostile
in those days and was about to ride on
when the supposed dead man uttered
groan.
I was down beside him in a moment.
had bottle Of brandy and canteen Of
water, and when had poured some Of
the former down his throat, and used
the latter to wash Off some of the blood,
he opened his eyes and looked at me in
way to prove chat he had his senses,
could speak the Sioux dialect like one
born in the tribe and presentlyasScd;
"Who are you, and how came you to
be in this condition.
"Why don't You kill me?' he asked,
in reply.
81 have no wish to harm YOU
"But the white man and Indian are
enemies. We kill whenever we can
'If I found you seeking my life l
should try to take yours. As it is, you
are almost dead, and am willing to aid
you in any way I can
He looked incredulous, and composed
himself for the death-blow; but as l
mixed some water and brandy and
handed it to him, and againinvestigated
the nature of his wound, he finally eX-
planned that he was a member Of Little
Crows band. The Sioux tribe, as a
tribe, was then split up into half a dozen
bands. each under the leadership Of a
sub-chief He would not fully explain
what had occurred, but told me sufficient
to enable me to supply the rest. He had
attempted to run off with one Of the sub
chiefs three wives, and had been pur-
sued. overtaken, and left for dead. The
bullet had not entered his skull, but had
plowed through his scalp clear over his
head. making him unconscious for sew
eral hours and making terrible wound
TO look at There was water in a sink
hole a quarter of mile away, and /
fetched some and worked away at him
until I could see the extent Of his in
iuries. He was sitting up and feeling
unite strong when I offered to do a bit
Of surgery for him. He granted his as
sent. and I took needle and thread from
INV pack and brought the scalp together
and stitched it in half dozen places. I
must have hurt him terribly, for
worked away as if mending a slit in an
army blanket, but during the whole op-
Grafton he never uttered a groan. When
had his head in shape I divided my
luncheon with him, and was amazed to
see what an appetite he had. As we
finished I said:
''You are not able to travel, and IL
you were you are defenseless. What do
you propose to do7"
81 can not return to Little Crow S
band for a time, If ever" he replied
after moments thought "As my white
brother says, ] am weak and without
even a knife. Let him tell me hi,
plan"
Il should advise you 10 lie quiet nea
the water hole for a day or two. ! shall
seturn this way inside Of two DAYS, an