Year: 1873

The Indians SkilI-HOW They Track


TraII-The Logic of the Prairie.


A DR.. Hanchendof gives this intensely
interesting account OF the extraordinary
skill of Indian trailers


The Indian or trapper that is a shrewd
trailer is man of close observation, quick
perception, and prompt action. As he goes
along nothing escapes his observation, and
what he sees or hears be accoun.s for i'm
mediately. Often not another step is ia
ken until mystery that may present itself
in this line is fairly solved. The Indian
trailer will stand stil for hours in sue
cession to account for certain traces or
effects in tracks, and sometimes gives to the
matter unremittting attention for days and
weeks. The trailer is not q graceful man.
He carries his head much inclined, his
eye is quick and restless, always on the
watch, and be is practicing his art uncnosci-
ously, hardly ever crossing the track Of
man or animal without seeing it. When
he enters house he brings the habits he
contracted in the practice of his art with
him. know trailer as soon as he enters
my room. He comes in through the door
softly, and with an air of exceeding caution.
Before he is fairly in, or at least has sat
down, he has taken note of every article or
person, though there may be q
dozen vacant chairs in the room.
He is not used TO chairs, and,
like the Indian, prefers a more
humble seal. When was employed by
Gen. Harney last summer to take charge
temporarily of the Indians that were gath
cred near Fort Randall, Dakota, to form a
new reservation, one day guide and trail
er Came to the Generals headquarters. |
told him to be seated. He sat down on the
floor, bracing bis back against the wall.
The General saw this, and in vexation cried
out, ''My God, why don't you take chair,
when there are plenty here unoccupied?n
The man arose and seated himself in chair,
but in so awkward and uncomfortable a
manner that he looked as if he might slip
from it any moment. But when this
uncouth person came to transact business
with the General, he turned out to be
man of no ordinary abilities. His descnp-
tion of route be took as guide and trailer
for the Ogallalss, in bringing them from
the Platte TO the fort, was minute and ex-
ceedingly interesting. Every war party
that crossed his trail he described with
minuteness as to their number, the kind Of
arms they had, and stated the tribes they
belonged to. In these strange reVelA-
tions that he made there was neither
Importance nor suppos;tion, for he gave sat
isfactory reasons for every assertion that
he made. l have ridden several hundred
miles with an experienced guide and trailer,
Hack, whom l interrogated upon many
poin. in the practice of his art. Nearly all
the tracks | saw, either old or new, as
novice in the art, l questioned him a out.
In going to the Niobrsra river, we crossed
the track of an Indian pony. My guide fol-
lowed the track a few miles and then said
at is stray black horse, with long
bushy tail, nearly starved to death, has
split hoof of the left forefoot, and goes very
lame, and he passed here early this morn
ing" Astonished and incredulous, l
asked him the reason for knowing these
particulars by the tracks of the animal,
when he replied: at WIS a stray
horse, because it did not 60 in direct
line. His tail was long, for he dragged it
over the snow; in brushing ag inst bush
he left some of his hair, which shows its
color. He was very hungry, Tor in going
along be has nipped at those bigh, dry
weeds, which horses seldom eat. The fis
sure of The left forefoot left also its track,
and the depth of the indention shows the
degree of his lameness; and bis tracks show
he was here this morning when the snow
was hard with frost"


CAUSE AND EFFECT.


At another place we came across an In
dian track, and he said: sit is an old
Yankton, who came here to look at his
traps. In coming over he carried in his
right hand trap, and in his left lasso to
catch pony he had lost. He returned
without finding the horse, but had caught in
the trap he had out, prairie wolf, which
he carried home on his back, aud bundle
Of kinikinic wood in his right hand" Then
he gave his reasons. 81 know he is old
by the impression bis gait has made, and
q Yankton by that of his mocasin. He is
from the other side of the river, as there are
no Yanktons on this side. The trap he
carried struck the snow now and the q, and
in the same manner as when be came,
shows that he did not find the pony. A
drop of blood in the centre of his tracks
showed that he carried the wolf on his
back, and the bundle of kjnikinic wood he
used as stag for support, and catching
wolf shows that he bad traps" "But,"
asked, ''do you kn W it's wolf? Why not
fox, or even a deer?" Said he, "If it
had been fox or coyote, or any other
kind of small game, he would have
slipped the head of the animal
in his waist belt, aud 80 carried it by bis
side, and not on his shoulders. Deer are
not caught by traps, but if it had been a
deer be would not have crossed this high
hill, but have gone back by way of the
ravine, and the load would have made his
steps still more tottering." Another In
dian track we saw twenty miles west OF
this be put this serious construction: upon
"He's an upper Indiana prowling horse
thief-earried q double shotgun and is
a rascal that killed some whits man lately,
and passed here one week ago, for"
said he, "a lore Indian in these parts is