You boys have any luck?
I'm afraid a needle in a haystack ring a bell?
Try down there by Buck Creek They might have got that far
10-4
I want those bastards found
They killed one of the guards. They cut his throat
Jesus!
What do you figure they'll do?
Keep running Make for the border
Buy a little condo on a lake somewhere and live happily ever after
There's only one thing standing in their way
4000 sq miles of the roughest country God ever put on a map
Not a road, not a town
Hell there are places out there that haven't even seen a foot print
Sheriff?
Who are those guys?
Find Gates
Lewis Gates? But I thought that..
Just find him
Yes sir
Rise and shine Lewis
What are you looking at?
You were supposed to stop me after 3 remember?
Hope you remember where we parked cause I sure don't
Lewis
I didn't do it, and however said I did, is a liar!
A busload of escaped prisoners went off the highway near Logan Pass last night
Three escaped
They headed straight into the Oxbow
I don't do that kind of work anymore
Lewis wait!
The FBI showed up. Lewis, they need one brought out alive
Deegan himself sent me to find you
Tell Deegan he can kiss my ass
You're gonna have to do that yourself
Briggs
Just talk to him Otherwise he'll chew my butt
Lewis please
Deegan I'm telling you what I told your Deputy. Not interested
Now you listen good. I need you on this one.
Drunk or sober you're still the best tracker in the state
You always were a charmer
Briggs, is that mangy dog of his there?
He could use a bath sir
Well I just got a complaint he's been chasing deer again
Now I want you to take Mr. Gates down to the county lockup
15 days for wildlife harassment and failure to obey the leash law
Leash law!
You shouldn't provoke him Lewis
Hell, I shouldn't do a lot of things I end up doing
You going in after those convict fellars?
Yeah, it appears I am
My cousin walked into them mountains 20 years ago
Never come out
Any message in case I come across him?
Tell him I run off with his wife
Come on Zip!
Where'd they go in?
Bottom of the ravine
The dogs lost their trail at the north fork
Armed?
More than likely
A 12 gauge pump and 357 still unaccounted for
That'll be $4000 cash per man plus expenses
You'll get what you're always paid and not a dime more
Come on Zip, I guess we're going to jail
Gates
I don't give a shit about the other 2 Sears comes out alive
If there's one scratch on him you don't even get horse feed
I'll treat him with kid gloves
What you waiting for?
Go on, get to work
Good boy Zip
It looks like we weren't the only ones who got thirsty
Four legs or two? Come on check it out
Goddammit, Zip!
I almost let the air out of you Come on, make some noise next time will ya
Hey, it's my hat you know
Howdy boys
Ah relax
They ain't going anywhere
We'll go up and grab them at first light
Besides I'm beat
Tomorrow we cash in Zippy
Maybe we'll finally get that log cabin built
You think you can handle a real roof over your head?
Course this ain't such a bad roof either
What is it!
Somebody's out there
And the kid?
Leave him
He won't be back
Hell no, Not with a gut full of buckshot
What the hell was that?
Hey! I'm gettin outta here!
Goddammit!
Who are you?
I was beginning to wonder about you
Sears give you any trouble?
No trouble at all
You know we never talked about what happened
We should of
There's nothing to talk about
My daughter is dead
Now, where's my man?
If you want the rest of him
You ride in and find him yourself
What the hell is this?
It's all that's left of your runners
They're died
All of them?
What the hell happened?
I don't know
What do you mean you don't know Goddammit, don't play games
I don't know
I was moving in
Everything was fine. Then I heard gunshots
When I got to where they should have been
All I found was that shirt
And enough blood on the ground to paint this office
No bodies, nothing
You expect me to believe this cock and bull story?
I don't give a damn what you believe
All I know is I wasted 4 days and I'm out 12 grand
Where you going?
I need a drink
I'm not finished with you
I want some answers
That makes two of us
Convicts elude capture in Oxbow
Historian in Native American Studies awarded grant
Archaeological dig to continue near Judith Gap
I look Professor Sloan
Over there
Where is Professor Sloan?
Over that way
Excuse me, I'm looking for Professor Sloan
Excuse me
Where the hell is Professor Sloan? Please don't ask me to go over there
I have already been over there, and over there, and over there
Who wants to know?
Give me a break lady
It took me 3 and a half hours to drive up here to meet this guy
I'm about ready to sic my dog on somebody
You call that a dog?
Will somebody just point out the old fart
L.D. Lillian Diane
You're not the first person to make that mistake Mr..?
Gates, Lewis Gates
Gates.. All right, take this to Sandy and have her clean it up by tonight, ok. Good work
So Mister Gates, what can this old fart do for you?
You don't really look like a professor
- So where did you find this - In the Oxbow
The Oxbow. Wasn't that just in the news? Something about convicts.
Yeah, I was the guy they hired to find them
Bounty hunter?
Please, Civil Service. It's sounds a little less..
Barbaric?
I tracked them for 4 days. The trail ended in a meadow 20 miles in.
Somebody got to those men before I did. There was blood everywhere, and that
Quite a story.
Do you know what this is?
I call it a wild guess..
An arrow?
Cheyenne arrow. Dog soldier to be exact.
Dog soldier?
Within the Cheyenne tribes, there used to be a military
society made up of the strongest and bravest men
They were fierce fighters, unyielding
They called themselves, Hotametaneo'o.. Dogmen
The cavalry called them Dog Soldiers, they were suicide soldiers
They often acted as rear guards A sort of sacrificial decoy
So the rest of the tribe could escape
You see?
What does it mean?
Nothing
Except maybe another one of your Civil Servant speech to those men
So what about this?
An authentic reproduction. About $15 in any tourist shop
I saw something in that meadow
What, exactly?
I do not know. It was just later I found horse tracks.
And what's unusual about that?
They weren't shod
I checked with the Forest Service and nobodies running stock up in that country
And nobody rides unshod horses except
Indians. That's what you're implying isn't it?
You don't seriously believe Cheyenne Dog Soldiers are running around loose in the Oxbow?
Do you?
No of course not. Just..
I'm not a nut case, ok
I'm sorry I can't help you, but
Drop that bone
Get back here
Is that your dog?
Give it back to him Zip
The group from the Institute are here Doctor
I'll be right there
Mr. Gates.. It's been.. entertaining
Drive carefully
Somebody killed those men Doctor
Wasn't me, and it wasn't another bounty hunter
Zip! Sorry.
Are you always this persistent?
I got half way home before turning back
Call it gut instinct
And what is this gut instinct of yours telling you?
You're not telling me everything
You want something to drink?
Thought you'd never ask!
Well, I'm not hiding anything
You wouldn't eventually uncover
Give me that. Let go!
So I'm willing to satisfy your curiosity
If you promise not to bother me again
Yep
Mineral water. It's good for you
Here we are
By late1864, Many tribes
were raiding settlements, stealing horses. Making a general nuisance of themselves
But one of the few Cheyenne chiefs
Really trying to make peace Was Black Kettle
He and his people were instructed to make camp at Sand Creek, near Ft. Lyon
They'd been promised protection. So that night they had a feast with dancing and games
To celebrate peace
The following dawn, November 29th was freezing
A group of Colorado volunteers known as the Bloodless Third surrounded the camp
They were instructed to take off their coats
Strange, huh?
Black Kettle immediately raised the American flag and the white flag of peace
People rushing around in great panic and fear and he kept calling out
Not to be frightened, they'd been promised protection, there was no danger
Suddenly, the troops attacked!
Now, two thirds of these Indians were women and children
It was total chaos. It was a massacre
Blood froze instantly on the bodies
Then looting began
Scalps were taken. Fingers, ears, noses cut off
Babies were cut out of the wombs. Women had their uteruses cut off
and the soldiers were them on their hats
As a matter of fact, when they put their clean coats back on,
they paraded through Denver with body parts decorating their uniforms and horses
Among the few that escaped Sand Creek were 20 men, women and children led by
Lone Wolf, leader of the Dog Men
The soldiers chased them northward, through 2 states
Right up into the mountains of northwestern Montana
The blizzard force them to turn back and they left the Indians for dead
Here, Lone Wolf
There
Now you know every thing there is to know
It's late. I'm tired. Good night
Wait a minute. Don't you see? It all adds up
What?
Just suppose..
What if by a fluke, or a miracle
What if Lone Wolf and those Cheyenne did survive?
Isn't it possible their descendents could of remained hidden in the Oxbow?
They didn't survive
How do you know?
They were starving in a hostile environment, winter,
only the clothes on their back. They didn't survive.
You sure of that?
If there were Indians in the Oxbow don't you
think someone would have seen them by now?
Not necessarily
You are a nut case
Look at the wolf
Now we know wolves exist in the Oxbow, ok?
I've found their tracks. I've heard their howls. I've even
found the spot where one watched my camp for half a day
- But I've never seen one - It's not the same
It is the same
It's not the same
Look, Elvis is dead
The government is hiding UFO's and there are
no Cheyenne Dog Soldiers living in the Oxbow
Why are you being so goddamed pigheaded?
Because I'm goddamed good at it
I know you saw something out there you can't explain. I do believe that
But I can't invest all this time and energy into your fantasy, I rely on facts
Now, we're both tired. I'm going to bed.
You're welcome to the couch
I should warn you, I tend to walk around naked in the morning
Oxbow Quadrangle
These files contain copies of every issue we ever published
93 years worth
There you are son
Happy hunting
Lost hunter
Friday, March 16, 1935
Search Suspended
Oxbow Claims 6 Lives
Wild Boy Captured
'A half-starved"..
"Nicknamed Jacko"
"Didn't speak a word of English"
Retirement home
How you doing today Mr. Hollis?
When will they put some goddam fish in this river?
I talked to the game warden and he assures me this river is full of fish
Well he's a liar. Why when I was a kid we'd come down here..
Mr. Hollis, this is Mr. Gates
He's going to visit with you for a while
Full of fish, my ass
Who the hell are you?
Wonder that myself sometimes
Hand me one of them night crawlers, will ya?
So I understand you used to work for the rail road
Not just any rail road son
The Great Northern Pacific. 53 years
Mr. Hollis, tell me about Jacko
Well I'll be damned!
- You remember that? - Remember
I caught the little runt!
What happened?
Been a hell of a lot of years since I thought of that
35 I think it was
Me and old Ed Vallee, we was heading up to Kootenay
Spur line needed some work
Sometime past noon, We spotted something run across the track
First I thought it was a deer
Then I seen it was a boy
Well Ed stopped the train We lit out after him
There he is!
We chased him a ways
and finally cornered him down along the river
Soon as we got close, we seen he was an Indian. He didn't speak English
- Just sort of grunted - What did you do with him?
Well, me and Ed didn't know what to do with him
He was cold and tired and so I wrapped him in my shirt
We brung him down to Sheriff Case, He stuck him in a cell
cause he didn't have no other place to put him
We nicknamed him Jacko
Cause his face kinda looked wide eyed and scared
Like a jack-o-lantern
Next morning,
he was gone
We figured he squeezed out through the bars during the night
Well, that was the end of it. Nobody ever seen him again
Course the Sheriff contacted some of the local Reservations,
but nothing ever come of it
Seems like nobody knew who the boy was ner where he come from
Where do you think he came from?
Hell, I don't know
But you tell me,
what's a Indian boy who don't speak a word of
English doing way out in the middle of nowhere?
60 miles from the nearest town?
This photo was taken just after these Cheyenne girls arrived
At the Indian School in Carlisle Pennsylvania
The same a girls, 14 months later
Their hair was cut, they were give Christian names
and forbidden to speak in their native tongue
So began the Government's policy in dealing with
the plains tribe
The policy of..
The policy of assimilation
Religious and cultural
We need to talk
Look at this
17 people disappeared
In the Oxbow since 1898. 17 people, doesn't that seem a little odd?
Do you always where that hat?
There's more
In 1935
A young Indian boy was found on the edge of the Oxbow
Didn't speak a word of English
I talked to the man who caught him
An Indian boy who doesn't speak English and vanishes without a trace
Explain that one
You rely in facts, isn't that what you told me?
Well these are the facts
What do you want from me?
I'm going back in
If my hunch is right I don't want to end up on that list
I need someone along who speaks Cheyenne. One of your students?
No.. oh no
All I'm asking for is a few days. We ride, we
take a look around. We ride back out. Three days
If they're out there I have to know
and goddamit, so do you
Morning
Folks, I'm in a bit of a rush so, come on.. come on!
I got a bad feeling about this
Oh relax, he seems capable enough
I don't trust him
Let's mount up, we got a long ride ahead of us
Good luck Doctor
Excuse me! What the hell are you doing?
I checking the stirrup
Oh no, no way! Hey kid get back down here
Don't listen to him John. I'll see you in three days
You go on now
Like you said, if they're in there, I have to know
This ain't going to be a picnic lady
I've seen this country reduce grown men to tears
Ain't no place for a woman
You really are a cowboy, aren't you?
What is it you fellas say?
"We're burning day light"
POLICE LINE DO NOT CROSS
Maybe we should rest
If you're tired
Smells, ah..
Interesting. What is it?
Lewis Gates wilderness stew
Ah ha, and what's in Lewis Gates wilderness stew
Anything that ain't nailed down
You know when I was a kid
I hated the idea of camping out
I mean, anything that's crawls or bugs scared me to death
So what do I do?
I choose a career that keeps me outdoors 80% of the time
You know, funny how things turn out
Now I find being in the wilderness so invigorating, life affirming, really
Jesus.. Wonder Woman
I've got some aspirin
I don't need any aspirin, thank you
Boy aren't we in a great mood
Hey look, just because I let you ride along doesn't mean I have to like it
Now stop treating me like a child
I didn't realize I was
Thank you
"A.G.?"
Abraham Gates, My grand-father
You really hang on to things
Some things
- Well? - Not bad
If you don't mind the taste
Alright, I heard that
Now on you cook your own supper. How's that?
Is he always like this?
Good night Gates
Good night Doc
You're ain't going to walk around naked in the morning are you?
I'll try to restrain myself
Oh, this was ah, where I found the arrow and the tracks
I guided elk hunters in this far
but never went beyond that ridge
and that's the direction where the tracks were headed
Wonder how long this weather will keep up?
80% chance of rain though tonight. Clearing by tomorrow
Really?
An old Indian trick?
KQRP all news radio?
Careful of this damn shale
Watch your footing, and I mean it. If your horse goes down
you don't go with him
Thanks for the tip
Don't even move
I told you to watch your step!
You're not in a classroom
Out here one little mistake will get you killed
Feel free to take charge Mr. Gates
Can you see that rope?
Yeah
Well let go and grab it with both hands
What about you?
Don't worry about me Just do it!
- Ready? - Yeah!
On three!
One.. Two.. Three!
Zip.. Zipp!
Lead the horse!
Good boy!
That's it, good boy!
Now pull her up
Keep her up
You ok?
Yeah!
It's just a little disconcerting to realize
the smartest member of our expedition is the dog
Saddle up. We still got 2 hours of day light yet
Zip, you want a taste?
Here let me get ya
Is that good?
You want more?
You are really in your element out here, aren't you?
I like the solitude
Lately it seems like the only time I'm at ease is when I
when I got a 100 miles between me and the rest of humanity
Sounds like you were born a century too late
That's what my wife used to say
Used to?
She died a couple years ago
I'm sorry
Was she ill?
We were riding in the back country.. making a river crossing
Horse spooked and bucked her. I went in after her
Current was too strong
One second she was there and..
Her dad still blames me to this day
What more could you have done?
Drown
What about you. Ever been married?
Only to my work
Don't get me wrong, they've been plenty of men
Some worked out, some didn't
Just always had to be on my terms
Lady, if I was born a century to late,
You were definitely born a century too early
Russell and his wife came across it berry picking
Mrs. Burtney said Lewis was at the Chronicle the other day
He spent three hours going through old copies of the newspaper
What the hell are you up to, Gates?
Oh ah, want a drink?
Love one
Whiskey. It's good for you
I'm curious about one thing
Why Indians?
Oh, because I admire them
and because we owe them a tremendous debt
How's that?
They gave us romance, myths, legends
They gave us a history
The Indians shaped the character of our entire nation
We picked a hell of a way to say thank you didn't we?
Well what happened was inevitable
The way it happened
It was unconscionable
There be any whiskey left?
My head feels like a punching bag thanks to you
I got some aspirin
Oh great, something chewed a hole in my sleeping bag
Tracks?
What?
On the ground. How many toes?
Four
Ah, it's probably some little chipmunk
Chipmunks, muskrats, squirrels
They all 4 toes in front, 5 in the back, all the others got 5 and 5
Now weasels tho, now they're a different story
They tend to walk on the balls of their feet
The balls of their feet
Look, we've been riding for a week
I agreed to 3 days, I think we should head back
It was romantic idea, Indians in the Oxbow
I admit, I got caught up myself
But..
We have better things to do then go traipsing around these mountains looking for ghosts
If anyone in my department knew what I was doing out here they'd have me committed
I don't know why I let you talk me into this
I have classes to teach
I have a life
As soon as we're packed up we're heading back
Understand?
Gates, have you heard a word I've said?
You want to go back?
Yes! I'm a anthropologist, not Daniel Boone
Have you seen my canteen?
Where is the canteen?
I hate camping
Gates? What is the matter with you?
Here's you damn canteen
Speaking Cheyenne
My God!
Very slowly
Toss down your pistol
Do it!
- Don't move! - Does breathing count?
Look at them
Indian speaking in native tongue
- What are they saying? - I'm.. not sure
Speaking Cheyenne
What are you telling him?
I told him we come in a good way. In peace
I also told him you were a great warrior
Who wasn't afraid to fight them all single handedly
You got to be kidding
The Cheyenne admire bravery
Let's just hope they don't put you to the test
If they do, I'm coming after you first
- Zip - Just don't move
No, no, no they'll kill you!
You were right. They're Cheyenne Dog soldiers
In my life
I never would have believed
And yet here we are
A step back into history
My God, I feel privileged
Sorry, guess I'm not so tough after all
Like hell you're not!
She can't walk any further
She needs a horse
A horse!
She's weak, she has to ride!
Lewis I'll be fine
Listen asshole, either she rides
or you're gonna kill both of us right now
You may not understand my words but you get my meaning, don't ya?
What's it gonna be?
Let me take him
Please, you're exhausted, come on
Speaks Cheyenne
Whatever you said I hope it was friendly
Unbelievable!
Yeah, unbelievable
It's no use
The Indian predate the boy scout. The knots are solid
What are they going to do with us?
I don't know
You the expert, remember?
Well they could kill us
But traditionally many Cheyenne prisoners were just absorbed into the tribe
Absorbed?
Yeah, they treated their prisoners so well
they often refused to go home even if they had the chance
Their hospitality overwhelms me
Well you can't blame them really, they're afraid of us
He name is Zip
Lillian how do you say thank you?
Nia'ish
- He says to follow him - I'm not leaving my dog
You don't have a choice
What?
This is Spotted Elk
The last surviving son of Lone Wolf
He wants to know if we've come to return him to the house of iron bars
Seems when he was a small boy he was
captured by some white men and put in a cage
Jacko
Did you get a line on Mr. personality here?
His name is Yellow Wolf
He's leader of the dog soldiers, next in line to be Chief
I guess it take a real man to shoot a dog
You should be happy they didn't eat him
Oh didn't I tell you, it's the other reason they're called dog soldiers
This is where we stay
They tell of many of Cheyenne killed
From his father's flight from the white soldiers
There was a great storm
The Indians were lost and starving
A wolf appeared and lead them to this valley
The wolf spoke
Telling them to remain here
Hidden from the white man for ever
They survived
This was during the moon when the deer shed their horns
128 winters ago
What's going on over there?
I don't know
They were hunting when his son got separated
They were shot by 3 white men
Yellow Wolf and the dogmen killed them
He's burning up
The infection must be spreading
Lillian, tell me what he needs?
Why don't you try and convince them and I'll ride
He says the decisions not his
It's good you offer, but his people survived
all this time without the white man's help
To ask for it now might make something bad happen
Penicillin As much as you can get
Isn't that hard to come by without a prescription?
Use your imagination
Right
Tell him I need my pistol
Now my knife
The knife
Oh, one more thing
- What the hell are you doing? - That's for Zip
That was stupid
I'm sorry Lillian
But before I do somebody a favor, the score has to be even
That's just the way I am
He'll ride with you part of the way
Be careful
If you don't come back, I'll be killed
It's just the way he is
Easy girl, easy
You did good girl
With you in a minute
I said I'd be..
That's the problem with this country.
Nobody works anymore
Silent Alarm to Canmore Drugs
Don't do it buddy
I've got grandchildren
Relax will ya. Penicillin, you got that?
Bag it up. Go on!
Briggs.
Don't try anything. I already called for backup
Why'd you go and do that?
Now you just stay right where you are
Put that away before you hurt somebody
No more games Lewis
I taking you in
Stop that man, he just robbed me
Rule number one Briggs, never take your eyes off the suspect
Pull over
You pull over
Get out of the way
What the hell are you doing Lewis?
Sheriff, look at this
Convicts elude capture in Oxbow
The Oxbow Quadrangle
You think he's going to make it?
It's too soon to know
Lewis Gates wilderness stew.. good!
And it's good for you too. Here, try that.
Here, you try it then
You don't know what you're missing
It's very nice, but really I couldn't
This is their way of showing thanks. To refuse their gifts would be insulting
Nia'ish.. very beautiful
Lillian, what I'm I going to do with all this stuff?
Well, what all rich eligible bachelors do
Find a wife and settle down
Very funny
Are you shocked?
You known about this?
For a while
Spotted Elk brought me here
He was curious about some of the things
When game is scarce they're forced to hunt outside the valley
That's when they run into white men
They hide from most, but those that venture to close
End up here
Wouldn't you kill to protect your family and way of life?
Oh he wants to know about the silver bird with the long white tail
I just told him man walked on the moon
He just called me a wonderful liar
He wants to know about other Cheyenne. How they're living
What are you going to tell him?
The truth
You hear that?
I have waited all my life to hear that
You know something Lillian
We can't let anything happen to these people
No one must ever find out
No one
Who?
My father-in-law
I covered my back trail How did they find it?
How much time do we have?
They're 3 mile from the waterfall. Half a day maybe less
Spotted Elk wants to leave the valley and travel deeper into the mountains
Yellow Wolf says there is no time, they should stay and fight
Jesus, they'll get slaughtered
The Cheyennes or the troopers?
What if we created a diversion?
Maybe it would buy them some more time
From this time on do not mistreat the Cheyenne
Think of us in a good way
All of us are your relations
You exchange gifts at a ceremony
Lillian, they've already got everything I own
From this time on we are one of the like hearted people
You are Cheyenne. Go in a good way
I was just thinking how much I was going to miss your.. wilderness stew
Knock it off Lillian. Saddle up
I'm afraid this is another journey you're going to have to make on your own
I asked Spotted Elk if I can stay with them
Get on your horse Lillian
No, my works just begun
I want a living record set down
A memorial to the last of their kind
Have you lost your mind?
I spent half my life teaching others
Now out here with these people, I'm the student. I'm.. living it
I belong with them
I'm staying
Why don't you admit the real reason you're upset
You'll miss me
Let's go Zip
Looks like it's just the two of us
Not you too
I don't believe this
I guess I always knew a woman would come between us
You're better off here anyways
I gotta feeling I'm headed for trouble
Take care of her
He likes to sleep with it
Nia'ish
Nia'ish yourself
This oughta help
That looks ancient. Is it still good?
Dynamite? It's like wine
It only get better with age
Easy.. easy!
See this
Over time it sweats
Nitro, big boom!
This is goodbye
Will you promise me something
No matter how bad it gets, no matter what happens
Don't let them eat my dog
I promise
You really walk around naked in the morning?
Do weasels really walk around on the balls of their feet?
What would you say to a goodbye kiss?
I'd say it's about time
What the hell was that? You call that a kiss?
Better
I'm a good student
That too tight?
Sorry about the cheap shot back in town. Nothing personal
There's a cave half way up
It goes all the way through the waterfall
All right men mount up
You're making a mistake
You do this you're going to get these men killed
All right men, let's move out
Drop it! I'll kill you where you stand
Drop that damn gun
Do it now!
Put it down Gates
He's hurt bad
What do we do now Deputy?
We're going back. Come here give me a hand. I need some help here
They tell me you saved my life
You did for me what you couldn't do for my daughter
I wish to God it was the other way
I'm tired of hating you Lewis
When you're ready I think maybe it's time we had that talk
Nobody around here, including me
Wants to see you put away for stealing some penicillin for Christ's sake
So we're dropping the charges
But there is something I have to know
In that tunnel, just before the explosion
I thought that I saw..
What's out there?
- What do you think is out there? - OK.
Fine.
Whatever you're protecting?
I hope it's worth it.
SubText: MITA.326