The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1899-11-07
SKILL OF A MANSLEUTH.
EXTRAORDINARY FACILITY o. an
INDIAN SCOUT ~ TRAILING.
irkiehltl- Also Known "a the ~Grass-
walker" Who Served In Our Western
Army, Had A UaerrIng Eye and In
stinct-Oue % His Exploits.

-A-A4CLALa y IAAc or an Indian
Detective, Is true story OF Indian
skill N trailing, that would have de
lighted the heart Of Fenimore Cooper.
Il Is told IL the - Nicholas by Lieu
tenant ". c Bennett, Sixth Infantry.
L ;. \
ArkichI,a. typlca, Indian. was
chief scout ~ Fort S.sseton. Dakota.
IN lSs2. Although be knew English
well he held the old Indian hatred Of
ia use, aud would never speak it ez-
cept under extraordinary cIrcunl-
stances. he stood about i've feet
nine inches N height. was slender.
but wIrZ. and was about thirty-f5ur
years Of age. Ordinarily he vas slow
and sedats IL his actious-very dig
nlhed out when the necessity arose.
he could be "a quick a. a Hash, and
lad, Ike every Indian on the North
western plains, PAIR II eyes that
could equal any e,i-giass
His servicca-fo- he had been err
ployed "a . scout for zotle years
had been very valuable 20 the Gov
erame-t, and, III recognition &c this
fact, the officer III command had Sc
cured authority from the War DEPART
uent Co promote him 30 the rank Of
sergeant. consequently he went
around Iu q neat Uniform with clev-
r2ns and stripes. very much IMPRESSED
with his own Importance, which be
considered second only TO that Of the
commanding officer, and be took care
that every one else should respect his
rank and dignity.
~ his native name l. the Sioux for
soldier, 10 IL easily seen why be
vas go nauel, but be had still An
other name, which the Indians had
given him before his entering mill
tary lrcles, and that, translated into
English, was the grass walker" Or
trailer, from his absolutely marvel
one ability % ind the trail Of any
thing that left even the slightest trace
on the ground as II passed over it.
\ desperate soldier named Br.ee
broke Jail, one night, and was pursued
the following morning The trail led
10 the vest for Il tribe over mile
then It turned north for quarter Of n
mile. aud we followed until We came
ID a tree a5 the edge Of a slough to the
northwest Of the fort, called the gar
den bar slough. Here ArAichita
pointed under the tree. and said Brice
had lain down there to rest.
The trail here led lnto the slough.
\ Dakota slough Is shallow lake.
the water Of which is from SIX inches
% three feet deep. With a soft, muddy
bottom, Lut not general miry. The
center OF the slough il usually free
from grasses or weeds, b1t along the
edges, firm twenty to sixty yards cut,
long tU-e-grass grows.
Tn, s particular slough was Z mile
long, AMI varied from an eighth To
quarter Of mile IN width. and there
vas u foot OF water covering a. much
soft mud. During the night the wind
mad rolled the water up considerably
10 9eemgt hardly possible TO track any
thing through 1t. except where the s1Ie
had been broken down Where that
was the case. even could follow the
trail. on reaching open water, how
ever, the case was different.
The eastern end ottLs slough reached
% point near tie fort not more than
a AUlired aaI fly yards from a brick
yard on which was kiln that had
been bull. during .ls summer. The
kiln was nov ready for airing
Occe Thought Arkichita vas baaieI.
after oil. he had come 70 4 dead stand
still. near -ls tu.s Then m ias-i-a-
ton struck me perhaps by circle T
could ind the trail Happy th0uaLt,
[ put .til'o Immediate execution. and
.JEla one. Rather eLa5eI ut ny suc-
cess, called. Come gEick heap
trail Hc came OYER. took one look
Just tl, suggestion as smile played
on his face as lie said Cow.
[ did M more -raiLiu-. bat under
stood wlla was Jotlcri1x aim The
post herd also had vaGed thrgr-r
here since F-iee'f escape. and f. took
all the scents endless patience and
wonderful eye-.-hs to keep the trail
where the cattle had passed through
Do Tho -rt5s-7.su wac ~ no -ss
ls-s.
We hal passed over ua.i the Tough
DO this -rrrlIs5us route. when sr1leu-
- Artleaira started straight n4 the
crow flies, for the edge OF Ire sIau-h
near the b-icS..u Was be following
-La trail
On he wen until be came ~ -lr
shore nearest the kiln here he ss5DusI.
evidently bothered again. There was
u scarcely iiscsrua5,s footprint hi the
mud and water right AZ the edge OF
the slough. apparently the list step
che isss--sr bad taken before rsartt1r
ll-l zrgluI Tlis footprint showed
the toes. s1 the jessr-er vas now bare
footed. Another thing about this
print vas its direction O.. stood AZ
right angles 20 the line previous fol-
lowed. Either the man had taken n
-iis~lrI spring for the land from hf4
right foot. 1r be bad turned around
and s-l-tsi back over bis own trail
A-alr.I-l went down on bis knees.
and inspected the grass. blade By
blade. kept a respectful distance AZ
one side. 1st.u.slsi al tua turn -re
affair hal taken Now rusl BIZ inch.
.n bic knees ls vrs1slsi the secret
from che apparently unwilling surface
rttls earth Eighty yards from che
kiln. ls looked MP lri glanced as 3D..
Il1 same Ia1 evidently Instantly -r-
rrrrsi to both oi rs The trail was
leading -H che u'a Then be- ross.aaf.
HsuiIlr over slowly advanced .1 che
edged ot the hrles78rf
After rsIc1i1g the yard. Arkiclita
walked slowly around the outer edge
Of O.. examining the ground with the