The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1894-07-12
INDIANS ON THE TRAIL.
Wande, full Work Done hy Utos. Apaohoo
and Other Redskln Tribes.

/ f . F z NJ Z.
wead..ful Work Done by utss. Apashss
| and Other Rodskln Tribes.
| While Indians are better trailers than
whites, It does not follow that all In
dians are equally expert. The best tribes
in this respect are tho Delawares, c.
manches and Apaches The best trailer
I aver saw, says q writer In the 81
Louis Globe Democrat, was an Apache
who was in the employ of the govern
ment during the Crook campaign II
the southwest. During that campaign
a report came in that a band OF Indian
raiders had made its way down tho
valley. almost under the very noses OF
the troops, and had robbed several
ranches, killing the settlers. In order
to successfully move against the In
dams in that country it was neo essasy
to march at night, on account OF tho
warning sent ahead by the signal fires.
A troop of cavalry and company Of
infantry were sent out after the raid
ers as soon as night came. All that
dav the Indian scouts had been scat
tered over the valley searching for
trails. and when the command was
ready to start the scouts were ready to
follow q trail that was believed to be-
the one that led to the ''rancheria" or VII
lace of the Indians. The trail was care
fully followed over the stony ground
and through the underbrush, the
scouts actually feeling their way with
their hands. They seemed to expert
enoe no difficulty in tracing the trail
with their fingers in the dark, but sud-
denly there was q halt. Word was
sent back that another trail crossed
the original, and it was fresher track,
A light was procured, and it was dis
covered that the cross trail was that OF
q bear, which had passed along after
the Indians. The original trail was
taken up again and followed steadily
through the night, and the rancheria
found and captured early in the morn
ing.
The most remarkable bit of indiv1d,
ual trailing that ever came to my
knowledge was the finding OF lost
child in the Gunnison valley. The lit
tie girl, four years old. wandered away
from a cabin on Tumiche creek, and
was not missed for several hours. Hum
dreds of men in the valley turned out
and searched ell that day without
finding q single sign Of the girl. At last
It was proposed to send for some Utel
trailers at q camp about twenty miles,
away. The Indians did not get on tho
ground until twenty-four hours after
the child was missing, and then tho
whole country had been so searched
over that all hope Of trail was SEEM
ingly gone. Three Indians went TO-
work, stimulated by tho promise Of q
big reward, and before dark they
found the child, unhurt, but almost
dead from fright and exposure. They
did their work in most systematic
manner, and covered the ground 90
thoroughly that they soon found tho
direction taken, and then began IN
Ideal bit Of trailing. Foot by foot they
went over the ground, noting . broken
twig here, q turned stone there, or o|
small impression in the damp earth.
Sometimes they would 60 for . mile
without finding q single thing to indi.
cate that they were on therEight tz.sil,
and then they would find perfect I'M
preston Of little bare foot In mud
bpot. The child was found eight niles
S3O44A 4o0 AAOAA0s 0A4 AAA$A ~ SAS>90 " AS0A4l
the Indians approached her that they
were almost at fault when they were
et the end Of tho trail, and were conn
pelled to double back several times be-
lore they espied her crouched down un-
der fallen tree.
The Indian Is taught from earliest
childhood to examine and note eveey1
mark upon the ground, He 10 given
instructions regarding the placing Of
bis feet while on the march, and under1
al circumstances, whether In peace or
war, he hides his trail. It becomes q
second nature to him, and the WATCH
Ing Of the trail that he crosses IL a. i'm
btinctive as hiding his own. The ln-
dian on a raid pays little attention to
bis front. He knows that his weakuess
IL In his trail, and he always carefully
guards the rear of the march. His
knowledge of his own ability to find
the trail of an enemy makes him afraid
Of the discovery Of that left by himself.