Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-10-12
A HUMAN SLEUTH.
Extraordinary Skill of an Indian
Scout in Trailing Fugitive.

Extraordinary Skill of an Indian
Scout in Trailing a Fugitive.
From St. Nicholas
Arkichta, q typical Indian, was chief
scout at Fort Sisseton, Dakota in 1882 Al
though he knew English we'll, he held the
old Indian hatred of it's use, and would
| never speak 1t except under extraordinary
circumstances. He stood about five feet
nine inches in height, was slender, but
Wiry and was about thlrty-four years of
age Ordinarily he was slow and sedate in
his actions-very dignifed but when the
necessity arose he could be as quick as n
flash, and had like every Indian on the
northwestern plains, pair of eyes that
| could equal any field glass.
His services-for he had been employed
as scout for some years-had been very
valuable to the government and, in recog-
milton Of this fact, the officer in command
| had secured authority from the War De-
partment to promote him to the rank of
sergeant; consequently, he went around in
a neat uniform with chevrons and stripes,
very much impressed with his own impor-
lance. which he considered second only to
| that of the commanding officer; and he
took care that every one else also should
| respect his rank and dignity.
AS his native name is the Sioux for ''sol-
| der it is easily seen why he was so
! which the Indians had given him before his
| entering military circles, and that, trans
lated into English, was the grass walker
| or trailer for his absolutely marvellous
| ability to find the trail Of anything that
| left even the slightest trace on the ground
| as it passed over it.
A desperate soldier named Brice broke
| Jail one night, and was pursued the follow
Ing morning. The trail led to the west for O
| trifie over mile; then it turned north for a
| quarter of mile, and We followed until we
! came to tree at the edge of slough to
| the northwest of the fort called the gar
| den bar slough" Here Arkichita pointed
| under the tree. and said Brice had lain
| down there to rest
| The trail here led into the slough
| Dakota slough" Is a shallow lake,
! the water of which is from six inches to
| three feet deep. with a soft, muddy bot
tom, but not generally miry. The center
| of the slough is usually free from grasses
| or weeds but along the edges from twenty
| to sixty yards out long tule-grass grows
| This particular slough was a mile long,
and varied from an eighth to a quarter of
| mile in width, and there was a foot Of
water covering much soft mud. During
| the night the wind had rolled the water up
| considerably. 1t seemed hardly possible to
| track anything through 1t, except where
| the tule had been broken down Where
| II at was the case even 1 could follow the
| trail; on reaching open water. however, the
! case was different
| The eastern end of the slough reached to
| point near the fort not more than hun
dred and fifty yards from a brick yard, on
which was kiln that had been built dur
ing the summer. The kiln was now ready
| for firing.
Once 1 thought Arkichita was baffied,
| after all; he had come to dead standstill
near the tule. Then an inspiration struck
| me- Perhaps by circle l could find the
| trail. Happy thought! l put it into imme-
| date execution, and found one. Rather
elated at ny success, I called: Come
| quick; heap trail!' He came over and took
look. of Ia
played on his face as he said Cow
| ] did no more trailing. but understood
| what was bothering him. The post herd
also had waded through here since Brice's
escape. and it took all the scouts endless
| patience and wonderful eyesight to keep
| the trail where the cattle had passed
| through 1t. The grass stem was of no use
| here.
We had passed over half the slough In
this circuitous route, when suddenly Arkt-
chita started straight the crows fly for
| the edge Of the slough near the brick kiln.
| Was he following the trail?
On he went until he came to the shore
nearest the kiln; here he stopped. evidently
cernible footprint in the mud and water
right at the edge Of the slough. apparently
/ the last step the deserter had taken before
reaching hard ground. This footprint
showed the toes. SO the deserter was now
barefooted. Another thing about this print
was Its direction; 1t stood at right angles
to the line previously followed. Either the
man had taken sideward spring for the
land from his right foot, or he had turned
around and started back over his own
trail.
Arkichita went down on his knees and
inspected the grass, blade by blade. I kept
a respectful distance at one side, astonish.
ed at the turn the affair had taken Now
inch by inch. on his knees. he wrenched
the secret from the apparently unwilling
surface of the earth. Eighty yards from
the kiln, he looked up and glanced at it
The same idea evidently instantly occurred
| to both Of us. The trail was leading to the
kiln! Then he rose, and, bending over