old indian days(古印第时期)-第14节
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shooting until he had killed many fat cows； greatly to the discomfiture of
his neighbor； the bear； while the bison vainly struggled among themselves
to keep the fatal spot clear。
By the middle of the afternoon the main body of the herd had passed；
and Antoine was sure that his captivity had at last come to an end。 Then
he swung himself from his limb to the ground； and walked stiffly to the
carcass of the nearest cow； which he dressed and prepared himself a meal。
But first he took a piece of liver on a long pole to the bear！
Antoine finally decided to settle in the re… cesses of the heavy timber
for the winter； as he was on foot and alone； and not able to travel any great
distance。 He jerked the meat of all the animals he had killed； and
prepared their skins for bedding and clothing。 The Bois Brule and Ami；
as he called the bear； soon be… came necessary to one another。 The
former considered the bear very good company； and the latter had learned
that man's business； after all； is not to kill every animal he meets。 He had
been fed and kindly treated； when helpless from his wounds； and this he
could not forget。
Antoine was soon busy erecting a small log hut； while the other
partner kept a sharp look… out； and； after his hurts were healed； often
brought in some small game。 The two had a perfect understanding
without many words； at least； the speech was all upon one side！ In his
leisure moments Antoine had occupied himself with whittling out a rude
fiddle of cedar…wood； strung with the guts of a wild cat that he had killed。
Every evening that winter he would sit down after supper and play all the
old familiar pieces； varied with improvisations of his own。 At first； the
music and the incessant pounding time with his foot annoyed the bear。
At times； too； the Canadian would call out the figures for the dance。 All
this Ami became accustomed to in time； and even showed no small
interest in the buzzing of the little cedar box。 Not infre… quently； he was
out in the evening； and the human partner was left alone。 It chanced；
quite fortunately； that the bear was absent on the night that the red folk
rudely invaded the lonely hut。
The calmness of the strange being had stayed their hands。 They had
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OLD INDIAN DAYS
never before seen a man of other race than their own！
〃Is this Chanotedah？ Is he man； or beast？〃 the warriors asked one
another。
〃Ho； wake up； koda！〃 exclaimed Anooka… san。 〃Maybe he is of the
porcupine tribe； ashamed to look at us！〃
At this moment they spied the haunch of venison which swung from a
cross…stick over a fine bed of coals； in front of the rude mud chimney。
〃Ho； koda has something to eat！ Sit down； sit down！〃 they shouted to
one another。
Now Antoine opened his eyes for the first time upon his unlooked…for
guests。 They were a haggard and hungry…looking set。 Anookasan
extended his hand； and Antoine gave it a hearty shake。 He set his fiddle
against the wall and began to cut up the smoking venison into gen… erous
pieces and place it before them。 All ate like famished men； while the
firelight intensified the red paint upon their wild and warlike faces。
When he had satisfied his first hunger； Anookasan spoke in signs。
〃Friend； we have never before heard a song like that of your little cedar
box！ We had supposed it to be a spirit； or some harmful thing； hence our
attack upon it。 We never saw any people of your sort。 What is your
tribe？〃
Antoine explained his plight in the same manner； and the two soon
came to an under… standing。 The Canadian told the starving hun… ters of a
buffalo herd a little way to the north； and one of their number was
dispatched home… ward with the news。 In two days the entire band
reached Antoine's place。 The Bois Brule was treated with kindness and
honor； and the tribe gave him a wife。 Suffice it to say that Antoine lived
and died among the Yanktons at a good old age； but Ami could not brook
the invasion upon their hermit life。 He was never seen after that first
evening。
IV THE FAMINE
On the Assiniboine River in western Manitoba there stands an old； his…
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OLD INDIAN DAYS
toric trading…post； whose crumbling walls crown a high promontory in the
angle formed by its junction with a tributary stream。 This is Fort Ellis； a
mistress of the wilderness and lodestone of savage tribes between the
years 1830 and 1870。
Hither at that early day the Indians brought their buffalo robes and
beaver skins to exchange for merchandise； ammunition； and the 〃spirit
water。〃 Among the others there presently ap… peared a band of renegade
Siouxthe exiles； as they called themselvesunder White Lodge； whose
father； Little Crow； had been a leader in the outbreak of 1862。 Now the
great war… chief was dead； and his people were prisoners or fugitives。
The shrewd Scotch trader； Mc… Leod； soon discovered that the Sioux were
skilled hunters； and therefore he exerted him… self to befriend them； as
well as to encourage a feeling of good will between them and the Ca…
nadian tribes who were accustomed to make the old fort their summer
rendezvous。
Now the autumn had come； after a long sum… mer of feasts and dances；
and the three tribes broke up and dispersed as usual in various di… rections。
White Lodge had twin daughters； very handsome； whose ears had been
kept burn… ing with the proposals of many suitors； but none had received
any definite encouragement。 There were one or two who would have
been quite willing to forsake their own tribes and follow the exiles had
they not feared too much the ridicule of the braves。 Even Angus McLeod；
the trader's eldest son； had need of all his patience and caution； for he had
never seen any woman he admired so much as the piquant Magaskawee；
called The Swan； one of these belles of the forest。
The Sioux journeyed northward； toward the Mouse River。 They had
wintered on that stream before； and it was then the feeding ground of large
herds of buffalo。 When it was discovered that the herds were moving
west… ward； across the Missouri； there was no little apprehension。 The
shrewd medicine…man be… came aware of the situation； and hastened to
announce his prophecy：
〃The Great Mystery has appeared to me in a dream！ He showed me
men with haggard and thin faces。 I interpret this to mean a scarcity of
food during the winter。〃
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The chief called his counselors together and set before them the dream
of the priest； whose prophecy； he said； was already being fulfilled in part
by the westward movement of the buffalo。 It was agreed that they should
lay up all the dried meat they could obtain； but even for this they were too
late。 The storms were al… ready at hand； and that winter was more severe
than any that the old men could recall in their traditions。 The braves
killed all the small game for a wide circuit around the camp； but the
buffalo had now crossed the river； and that country was not favorable for
deer。 The more enterprising young men organized hunting ex… peditions
to various parts of the open prairie； but each time they returned with empty
hands。
The 〃Moon of Sore Eyes；〃 or March； had come at last； and Wazeah；
the God of Storm； was still angry。 Their scant provision of dried meat
had held out wonderfully； but it was now all but consumed。 The Sioux
had but little am… munition； and the sn
