Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1901-07-17

1t was fully two minutes before chief
rode forward and said "How-how' and
extended his hand to me, and as he did SO
The whole body closed in. / am so unfor-
tunate as to be marked on the left temple
with that birthmark known as wine
stain, the spot being as large as a silver
dollar. My hat was well up and my hair
back as the chief rode up, and the instant
he noticed the mark he let go my hand
and said something to those crowding up.
Pretty soon he pushed in and touched my
face, perhaps thinking the mark to be
wound or sore. Others did the same, and
when they found that it was part OF
the skin they expressed much wonder and
reverence.
While l had served as a scout only
few months | knew considerable of the
Indian character and was not long in re-
alizing that | had made a hit. While no
violence was offered us we were disarmed
and our horses were led behind the ponies
of the Indians as we moved off to the
east. We travelled until about midnight
before hating, and then reached an In.
dian village on Soldier creek. As we de-
scended from our horses Robinson was
led off by two warriors while was con.
Quoted to the wigwam of Red Trail, a
subchef in command during Pawnee
Killers absence. l had been busy plan
ming during the ride and had made up my
mind to pretend to be without the power
Of speech. | found opportunity to whis
per to Robinson to pursue the same pol.
icy, but unfortunately he had not the
nerve to carry out the idea. The fact OF
his being captured broke him all up. The
recollection of what McHenry must have
suffered unstrung his nerves, and heard
him begging and entreating as he was
carried away.
Red Trail closely examined the mark
on my face and was as much mystifed as
the others. still had power in re-
serve. Having served through the war in
the navy it was but natural that | should
carry a sailors passport. On my left
arm was tattoo representing an anchor.
This was seen as two warriors stripped
my buckskin shirt off to look for further
marks. Not an Indian in that camp had
ever seen anything like the mark, and
when the examination had been complet.
ed I felt sure that I was looked upon
with awe and mystery, if not generation.
/ was conducted to tepee and motioned
to turn in and had every reason to con.
graduate myself on the plan | had pur.
sued. had made signs that could not
| talk, and the Information had been ac-
cepted.
Next morning Pawnee Killer arrived
1 in the village. He had agreed to sur
| render his tribe and go on a reservation,
| hut it was bold faced lying on his part.
| His very first move was to order the vii
| lage to pack up and move back about 20
| miles. This consumed the entire day.
| As we were ready to start l received my
| horse to ride, and my hands and legs
! were left entirely free. l saw Robinson
/ brought out, and he was loaded down
with kettles and led by rope. At no
time during the, day was he near enough
to exchange Word, but on several occa.
sions saw him kicked and beaten by the
! squaws and boys.
| 1t was 8 o'clock in the evening before
was taken into the presence of Pawnee
Killer. He seemed to have accepted the
belief of the others, and in less than a
quarter of an hour waved me out of his
wigwam. / may state here what l learn
ed two or three years after 1t was the
belief of the Indians that l had been
struck by lightning as l slept and that
the fluid had left the two marks to prove
that l was invulnerable. They further
reasoned that l lost my speech at the
same time and was therefore an object
of veneration. l was in nowise ham
pered or restricted, but found shelter as
soon as possible and was soon asleep.
| wanted to do something for poor Robin
son, but Just how to do 1t / could not fig
| ure. The treatment accorded him during
the day did not augur well for the future
When morning came again, l had 0
hearty breakfast, and then two old men
armed with only bows and arrows, took
me down the creek about a mile and
then sat down on the grass. 1t was ar
hour or two before | could make out the
significance of the move, and then l heard
sounds from the direction of the camp
which satisfied me that Robinson was
being put to the torture. One of my
guards soon left for the village, and al
hour later the other suddenly rose an6
without a word walked quickly away
in the same direction. Unable to make
up my mind what to do, l remained
where | was during the entire day. IL
later years | learned from one of the war
riors of the fate OF Robinson. His tor
lures lasted nine long hours before he
was dispatched.
| had much closer call than l knew
The two old men who took me Out
doubted that | was what the others tool
me for They had some arrows made OF
purpose to kill witches and keep off bat
spirits, and they were to take me off ant
see if these arrows would kill me. In go
ing down the creek one of them came
near stepping on a rattlesnake, and thi:
was taken as a sign that they must mo-
shoot. When they returned to the village
and reported, it was hoped that | would
go away, and therefore no one came neal
me. As night fell l started off to thu
west, expecting every moment to be over
hauled, putting in a good 20 miles before
daylight. l was picked up by scouting
party of cavalry just before noon.
1t was about three months after my es
cape before the Indians learned that
was government scout and that they
had been duped. Red Trail and Pawne,
Killer then offered five ponies each to tn,
warrior who should bring in my scalp
and for the next year perhaps l wal
! mora than ouv othar. man M