St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-16

realizing that | had made a hit. While
no violence was offered us, we were dis
armed and our horses were led behind
the ponies of the Indians, as we moved
off to the east. We Travelled until about
midnight before hating, and then
reached an Indian village on Soldier
creek. AS we descended from our
horses, Robinson was led off by two
warriors, while | was conducted to the
wigwam of Red Trail. a sub-chief in
command during Pawnee-Killer's alb
sence. l had beer busy planning dur
ing the ride, and had made up my mind
to pretend to be without the power of
speech. found opportunity to whis-
per to Robinson to pursue the same
policy, but unfortunately he had not
the nerve to carry out the idea The
TACT of his being captured broke him
all up. The recollection of what Nc
Henry must have suffered unStrung his
nerves, and 1 heard him
Begging and Entreating
as he was carried away. Red Trail
closely examined the mark on my face,
and was as much mystifed as the
others. | still had a power i'll reserve.
Having served through the wal in the
navy, it was but natural that L should
carry a sailors passport. On my left
arm was a tattoo representing an an
Choir. This was seen as two warriors
stripped my buckskin shirt off to look
for further marks. Not an Indian in
that camp had ever seen anything like
the mark, and when the examination
had bee completed l felt sure that I
was looked upon with awe and mystery,
if not veneratiOn. / was conducted to a
tepee and m0tioned to turn in, and had
every reason to congratulate myself on
the plan l haG pursued. l had made
signs that | could not talk, aud the i'll
formation had been accepted.
Next morning Pawnee-Killer arrived
in the village. He had agreed to sur
render his tribe and go Oh a reservation
bnt it vas bOld-faced lying on his part.
His very first move was to order the viii
lage t pack up and move back about
twenty miles. This consumed the entire
day. AS We were ready TO Start.I re-
ceived my horse to ride, and my hands
and legs were left entirely free. | saw
Robinson brought out, and he was
loaded down with kettles and led by a
rope. At no time during the day was
he ear enough to exchange a word, but
on several occasions l saw him kicked
and beaten by the squawS and boys.
1t was 9 O'Clock III the evening before
l was taken into the presence of Paw
nee-Killer. He seemed to have accepted
the belief of the others. and, in less
than half an hour, waved me out OF his
wigwam. l may state here what L
the belief of the Indians that l had
been struck by lightning as L slept and
that the fluid left the two marks to
prove that l was i~nvulnerable. They
further reasoned that | lost my speech
at the same time, and was therefore
An Object OF VeneratfOn.
l was in no wiseshampered or re-
stricted, but | found shelter as soon as
possible and was soon asleep. L wanted
to do something for poor Robinson, but
just how to do it L could not figure.
The treatment accorded him during the
day did not augur we'll for the future.
When morning came again | had a
hearty breakfast; and then two old
men, armed with only bows and arrows,
took me down the creek about a mile
and then sat down Oh the grass. 1t was
an hour OIL two before | could make ont
the significance of the move, but l then
heard sounds from the direction of the
camp which satisfied me that Robinson
was being put to the torture.
One of my guards soon left for
the village, and an hour after
the other suddenly rose, and with
out a word walked away in the same di-
rection. Unable to make up my mind
what to dol remained where | was dur
ing the entire day. In later years L
learned from one of the warriors of the
fate of Robinson. His fortunes lasted
nine long hours. He first ran the gaunt-
let. Then he was tied to a sta Ike, and
every form Of mutilation which the
fiends could invent was practlced on his
pool body. 1t was with great animation
that my informant related how the poor
fellow begged and cried and entreated
what wonderful vitality he had-hOW
he could have been preserved an hour
or two longer had not everybody grown
tired of the sport. 1t was Pawnee-
Killer himself, fresh from signing a
treaty of peace. who exhibited the most
fiendish spirit.
L had a much closer call than l knew.
The two old men who took me out
doubted thatI was what the others took
me for. They had some arrows made
on purpose to kill witches and keep off
bad spirits, aud they were to take me
off and see If these arrows would Kill
me. In going down the creek II of
them came near stepping on a rattle
snake, and this was taken as a sign that
they must not shoot. When they re-
turned to the village and reported, it
was hoped that | would go away. and
therefore no one came near me-. AS
night fell l started off to the West, ex-
pecting every moment to be Overhauled,
putting in a good twenty miles before
daylight. L was picked up by a scout
ing party of cavalry just before
1t was about three months after my
escape before the Indians learned that
| was a government scout, and that
they had been duped. Red Trail and
Pawnee-Killer then offered five ponies
each to the warrior who should bring In
my scalp, and for the next year | was
perhaps ''wanted" more than any other
nan on the plains. 1t was a curious
turn>of affairs that. while Red Trail
had no less than five of his best war
riors out on expedition after me, l
crept into his camp n night and &C.
cure his ow scalp-lock, rife and
p0dny, and OF away.