The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1899-09-21
SKILL OF A MAN SLEU'TH.
EXTRAORDINARY FACILITY or AN
INDIAN SCOUT IN TRAILING.

Detective" is a true story OF Indian
skill in trailing, that would have de-
lighted the heart of Fenimore Cooper.
1t is told in the st. Nicholas by Lieu.
tenant w. G. Bennett, Sixth Infantry.
! U. S. A.
, Arkichita, typical Indian, was
chief scout at Fort Sisseton, Dakota.
in 1882. Although he knew English
well, he held the old Indian hatred of
its use, and would never speak it ex-
cept under extraordinary circum-
stauces. He stood about FIVE feet
nine inches in height, was slender,
but wiry, aud was about thirty-four
years OF age. Ordinarily he was slow
and sedatc in his actions dig.
nified; but when the necessity arose.
he could be Us quick as a flash and
had, like every Indian on the North
western plains, a pair of eyes that
could equal any field-glass.
His services--for he had been en-
ployed as scout for some years
had been very valuable to tue Gov.
ornment, and, in recognition of this
fact, the officer in command had Sc
cured authority from the War Depart.
ment to promote him to the rank of
sergeant; consequently he went
around in neat uniform with chev-
rons and stripes, very much impressed
with his own importance, which he
considered second only to that of the
commanding officer; aud he took care
that every one else should respect his
rank and dignity.
AS his native name is the Sioux for
soldier, IT is easily seen why he
was so named; but he had still an
other name, which the Indians had
given him before his entering mill
tary ircles, and that, translated into
English, was the grass walker" or
trailer" " from his absolutely marvel
GUS ability to find the trail of any
thing 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 following morning. The trail led
to the west for trihe over mile;
then it turned north for 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 shallow lake,
the water of which is from six inches
to three feet deep, with soft, muddy
bottom, but not general miry. The
center OF the slough is usually free
from grasses or weeds, but along the
edges, frcm twenty to sixty yards out,
long tule-grass grows.
Tbs particular slough was mile
long, and varied from an eighth to n
quarter of mile in width, and there
was a foot OF water covering as much
soft mud. During the night the wind
had rolled the water up considerably.
1t seemed hardly possible to track any
thing through it, except where the tule
had been broken down. Where that
was the case, even 1 could follow the
trail; on reaching open water, how
ever, the case was different.
The eastern end of the slough reached
to point near the fort not more than
hundred and fifty yards from brick
yard, on which was a kiln that had
been built during the summer. The
kiln was now ready for firing.
Once thought Arkichita was baflled,
after all he had come to dead stand
still near the tule. Then an inspira.
tion struck me; perhaps by circle
could find the trail. Happy thoughts
l put itinto immediate execution, and
found one. Rather elated at my sue.
cess, called: "Come quick; heap
trail!" He came over, took one look;
just the suggestion of smile played |
on his face as he said: Cow"
l did no more trailing, but under
stood what was botheriug 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
it. The grassstem was of no use
here.
We had passed over half the slough
in this circuitous route, when sudden. |
ly Arkichita started, straight as the |
crow flies. for the edge of the slough
near the bricki!n. Was he following |
the trail?
On he went until he came to the |
shore nearest the kiln; here he stopped,
evidently bothered again. There was
a scarcely discernable 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 bare
footed. Another thing about this
print was its directions it stood at
right angles to the line previous fol-
lowed. 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. kept respectful distance at
one side, astonished 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.
Ths same idea evidently instantly oc-