Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-09-07
A HUMAN SCEUTH.
The Extraordinary skill of An Indian
cout in Trailing n Fugitive.

"Arkichita: A Tale of an Indian Detcc- !
tive IL Il true story of indian skill ia
trailing. that would have delighted thu /
heart of Fcnimore Cooper. 1t Is told in
the September st. Nicholas by Lieutenant
w. e. Bennett, Sixth Infantry, L. $. A.
Arkichitd. a typical Indian. was chief
scout at Fort Sisseton, Dakota, IN 1882
Although he knew English well. hc held
the old Indian hatred of its use. and would
never speak it except under extraordinary
circumstances. He stood about five feet
nine inches IN height was slender but
wiry. and was about thirtY-four years or
age. Ordinarily he was slow and ycdate
in his dctions-very diguitiel nut VIXEN
the necessity arose he could he as quick
as flash, and had, like every lrdiar on
the Northwestern plains, a pair of eyes
that could nqual any fald-glass
His services-for he had been employed
scout for sCmc yetr<-had been very
valuable to the government. end. in reCog-
milton of this fact, the officer in command
had secured authority from the war de-
partmcnt to promote him to the rank Of
sergeant; consequently ne went around in
a neat uniform with ch@vrons and stripes.
very much impressed with his own import
aGce which he considered second only to
that of the commanding officer; and he
took care that every one else also should
respect his Cank and dignity.
As his native name Is the Sioux for
II
named; but he had still another name,
which the Indians had given him before
his entering military circles. and that.
translated into English. was the grass
walker" or trailer" from his abs olutely
marvellous ability to md the trail of any
thing that left oven the slightest trace on
the ground as it pass d over it.
\ desperate soldier named Erice broke
iail one night. and was pursued the fol-
lowing morning. The rail led to the west
tor trihe over a mile; then it turned
rOrth for a quarter of a mile and We fol-
lowed until We came 10 a tree at the edge
Of slough to the northwest Of the fort
called the garden bar slough" Here Ark
ichita pointed under the tree ana said
Price had lain down there to teSt.
4 Dakota slough" is shallow lake
the water Of which is from six inches to
three feet deep. with soft muddy bottom,
hut not generally mry The center Of the
slough is usually free from grasses or
weeds,, but along the 'dges. from tWtrtY
L. sixty yards out, long tule-grass grows.
This particular slough was a mile long,
and varied from an eighth to a quarter Of
a mile in width, and there was foot nj
water covering as much soft mud During
the night the Wind had rolled the water
up considerably. 1t seemed hardly posi-
bic to track anything through it. except
where the tue had ben broken down.
Where that was the case, even l could
follow the trail; on reaching open water,
however, the case was different.
The eastern end Of the slough reached
to a point near the fort not more than
a hundred and fifty yards from a brick
yard. Oh which was a kiln that had he n
built during the summer The kiln was
now ready for firing.
Once ] thought ArkiChita was haffled
after all; he had come to "A dead slandstill
near the tula. Then an inspiration struch
me; perhaps by circle | could find the
trail Happy thought! put it into immc-
diate execution, and found one. Rather
elated at my success | called Come
quick; heap tral.' He came over. took ono
look; jus: the suggestion of smile play
ed on his face as he said: Cow"
did no more trailing, but understood
what was hothering him. The post hero
also had waded through here since Bricc s
, escape. and 1t took all the scouts endles
patience and wonderful ey50gnt TO keel
the trail where the cattle had pass
through it. The grassstem wa Of no as,
here.
We had passed over half tho slough ii
, this circuitous route. when suddenly Arki
. chta started, straight as the arrow flies
, for the edge of the slough near the lCick
kin. Was he following the trail?
on he went until ne came to the shore
: nearest the kiln, here he Htopred. evident
, ly bothered again. There vas scarcely
discernihle footprint in the mud ana Wate
, right at the edge Of the slough apparent
/, ~ the last step the des"rter had takct
; before reaching hard 3round. This foot
/. pint showed the toes, so the de serter va
!, now barefooted. Another thing about thit
footprint was its ion; II stood i
right> angles to the line previously follow
ed Either the man hid taken sidewar,
, spring for the land for his right foot. M
he had tus,lad around and started bach
, over his own trail.
Arkchita went down on his knees aN(
: inspected the grass, blade by blade.
kept a respectful distance at one side, as
tonished at tho turn the affair had taken
Now. inch by inch. on his knees y,
, wreNchcd thu secret from the apparent!
, unwilling surface of the earth. Eight!
. wards from the kiln. he locked up ar,
, glanced at it. The same idea EVIDENT,
, instantly occurred TO both of us. Tho trai
was leading to the kiln. Then he rose, an,
, bending over. slowly advanced to the edo
: OF the brick-yard
' After reaching the yard, Arkichitr walk
ed slowly around the outer edge of il, OK
aiming the ground vita the utmost care
: until he came TO the ppin; from whicl
=, he started, when he said; Trail come in
a 40 so out, man in there" poating to III
kiln.
And circumstances proved him 10 h
right, though 1t was .hrty-sX hours be
fore the fugitive was located in the kiln
i and captured.