Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1899-11-29
ANINDIANDET
A SIOUX SCOUT WHO WAS 4 GENIUS
IN GROUND BEADING.


ArkichIta, a typical Indian, was chief
scout mt Fort Sisseton. Dakota, In 1882.
Although he knew English well, he
held the old Indian hatred Of its 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
"a years of age. Ordinarily he was
slow and setlate in his actiOns-very
dignified; but when the necessity arose,
lie could be as quick as flash. and
had, like every Indian OH the north
western plains, n pair Of eyes that
could equal any fieldglass.
| His services-for he had been en-
rloyed as a scout for some years-had
been very valuable to the government,
| and, in recognition Of this fact. the OIL
/ Ger In command had secured authority
from the war department to promote
HIM to the rank Of sergeant; cOnse-
quently he Went around in a neat uni
| form with chevrOns and stripes, very
much impressed with his own impOr-
tance, 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
Soldier" 1t is easily seen why he was
SO named; but he had still another
name. which the Indians had given
him before his entering military cir
cles, and that, translated into English,
was the ''grasswalker," or trailer,
from his absolutely marvellous ability
| to find the trail Of anything that left
even the slightest trace on the ground
as 1t passed over 1t.
\ desperate soldier named Brice
broke Jail one night and was pursued
the following morning. The trail led to
the west for II trine over u mile; then 1t
turned north for a quarter OF a mile
and we followed until We came To q
tree at the edge of a slough TO the
northwest of the fort, called the gar
den bar slough" Here Arkichifa point
| ed under the tree and said Brice had
lain down there 10 rest.
The trail here led into the sionEh.
4 Dakota slough Is n shallow lake
| the water Of which Is from six inches
| to three feet deep. with a soft. muddy
bottom, but not generally miry- The
center of the slough Is usually free
| from grasses or weeds. but along the
edges, from 90 to GO yards out, long
| tule grass grows.
This particular slough wns a mile
| InI fsvl, fO a
| quarter os Il mile in width. and there
| was Il 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 I 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
$50 yards from n brickyarsi. on which
was kiln that had been built during
the summer The kiln WAS now ready
for firing.
Once I thought Arkichita was imfY1cd,
after all; he had come to 4 dead stand
still near the tule Then au inspiration
struck me: perhaps by a circle l could
find the trnil. Hspry -thcnchf. put II
'"to immediate execution and found
iher clated at ny success. !
s,rne quick: heap traii-' lie
took one look: just the sug-
,n.ile played on his face
ow."
I did no lore trailing, but under
stood 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
cyesight 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 sudden
" Arkichita started. straight as the
crow flies, for the edge of the slough
lsnear the brickkilD. Was he following
the trail?
On he went until lie came to the
shore nearest the Kiln; here he stopped.
evidently bothered again. There was a
scarcely discernible footprint in the
mud and water right at the edge of the
slough, apparently TIE last step the de-
serter had taken before reaching hard
ground. This footprint showed the toes.
SO the deserter WIS now bIrefootcd.
Another thing about this print was its
direction; it stood at right angles to the
line previously followed. Either tie
man had taken n sideward spring for
the land frOEl his right foot, or lie had
turned around and started hack over
his own trail.
Arkichita went down on his knees
and inspected the grass, blade by
blade. I kept Il respectful distance ut
one side, astoniSEetl at the turn the
affair had taken. Now, inch by inch.
on his knees, he wrenchcd the secret
from the apparently unwilling surface
| Of the earth. Eighty yards from the
kiln. he looked up a",l glanced at it
The sau.c idea cvidcntl! Instantly occur
red To both of US The trail WAS lead
ing to t.a kiln. Then he rose. and
huling o:,r. sio"!y :.'i>ancri to the
edge Of tii, !rickyGrG
After reaching the yard. Arkichitn
walked slowly aroun, the outer cdg'
of it. rx:i.l.ining tie ground with the
utmost care. until he cam" 10 the point
from which lie started. when he said.
Trail come in-nO 90 out: man II
there" pointing to the kiln.
And circumstances proved him TO be
right, though it was 36 hours before
the fugitive was located in the kiln anC
captured w. G. Bennett
U. 8. A., in st. Nicholas.
DesiEninE Man.
Did you ever notice" lie asked. that
1t is always the homely woman who
wants n pug dog? The pug is so hide
Gus that II makes her seem good look
ing by comparison. Still. the ruse Is SO
| well known row that the possession OF
a pug Is sufficient
who's going to buy pug|" she ask