indian heroes & great chieftains-第18节

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Now　and　then　they　would　drop　a　sly　hint；　but　with　no　perceptible

effect。



They　did　not　and　could　not　know　of　the　inward　struggle　that

racked　his　mind　at　this　period　of　his　life。　　The　shy　and　modest

young　man　was　dying　for　a　wife；　yet　could　not　bear　even　to　think　of

speaking　to　a　young　woman！　　The　fearless　hunter　of　buffaloes；

mountain　lions；　and　grizzlies；　the　youth　who　had　won　his　eagle

feathers　in　a　battle　with　the　Utes；　could　not　bring　himself　to　take

this　tremendous　step。



At　last　his　father　appealed　to　him　directly。　　〃My　son；〃　he

declared；　〃it　is　your　duty　to　take　unto　yourself　a　wife；　in　order

that　the　honors　won　by　your　ancestors　and　by　yourself　may　be　handed

down　in　the　direct　line。　　There　are　several　eligible　young　women　in

our　band　whose　parents　have　intimated　a　wish　to　have　you　for　their

son…in…law。〃



Two　Strike　made　no　reply；　but　he　was　greatly　disturbed。　　He

had　no　wish　to　have　the　old　folks　select　his　bride；　for　if　the

truth　were　told；　his　choice　was　already　made。　　He　had　simply　lacked

the　courage　to　go　a…courting！



The　next　morning；　after　making　an　unusually　careful　toilet；　he

took　his　best　horse　and　rode　to　a　point　overlooking　the　path　by

which　the　girls　went　for　water。　　Here　the　young　men　were　wont　to

take　their　stand；　and；　if　fortunate；　intercept　the　girl　of　their

heart　for　a　brief　but　fateful　interview。　　Two　Strike　had　determined

to　speak　straight　to　the　point；　and　as　soon　as　he　saw　the　pretty

maid　he　came　forward　boldly　and　placed　himself　in　her　way。　　A　long

moment　passed。　　She　glanced　up　at　him　shyly　but　not　without

encouragement。　　His　teeth　fairly　chattered　with　fright；　and　he

could　not　say　a　word。　　She　looked　again；　noted　his　strange　looks；

and　believed　him　suddenly　taken　ill。　　He　appeared　to　be　suffering。　

At　last　he　feebly　made　signs　for　her　to　go　on　and　leave　him　alone。　

The　maiden　was　sympathetic；　but　as　she　did　not　know　what　else　to　do

she　obeyed　his　request。



The　poor　youth　was　so　ashamed　of　his　cowardice　that　he

afterward　admitted　his　first　thought　was　to　take　his　own　life。　　He

believed　he　had　disgraced　himself　forever　in　the　eyes　of　the　only

girl　he　had　ever　loved。　　However；　he　determined　to　conquer　his

weakness　and　win　her；　which　he　did。　　The　story　came　out　many　years

after　and　was　told　with　much　enjoyment　by　the　old　men。



Two　Strike　was　better　known　by　his　own　people　than　by　the

whites；　for　he　was　individually　a　terror　in　battle　rather　than　a

leader。　　He　achieved　his　honorable　name　in　a　skirmish　with　the　Utes

in　Colorado。　　The　Sioux　regarded　these　people　as　their　bravest

enemies；　and　the　outcome　of　the　fight　was　for　some　time　uncertain。　

First　the　Sioux　were　forced　to　retreat　and　then　their　opponents；

and　at　the　latter　point　the　horse　of　a　certain　Ute　was　shot　under

him。　　A　friend　came　to　his　rescue　and　took　him　up　behind　him。　　Our

hero　overtook　them　in　flight；　raised　his　war　club；　and　knocked　both

men　off　with　one　blow。



He　was　a　very　old　man　when　he　died；　only　two　or　three　years

ago；　on　the　Rosebud　reservation。









AMERICAN　HORSE





One　of　the　wittiest　and　shrewdest　of　the　Sioux　chiefs　was　American

Horse；　who　succeeded　to　the　name　and　position　of　an　uncle；　killed

in　the　battle　of　Slim　Buttes　in　1876。　　The　younger　American　Horse

was　born　a　little　before　the　encroachments　of　the　whites　upon　the

Sioux　country　became　serious　and　their　methods　aggressive；　and　his

early　manhood　brought　him　into　that　most　trying　and　critical　period

of　our　history。　　He　had　been　tutored　by　his　uncle；　since　his　own

father　was　killed　in　battle　while　he　was　still　very　young。　　The

American　Horse　band　was　closely　attached　to　a　trading　post；　and　its

members　in　consequence　were　inclined　to　be　friendly　with　the

whites；　a　policy　closely　adhered　to　by　their　leader。



When　he　was　born；　his　old　grandfather　said：　〃Put　him　out　in

the　sun！　　Let　him　ask　his　great…grandfather；　the　Sun；　for　the　warm

blood　of　a　warrior！〃　　And　he　had　warm　blood。　　He　was　a　genial　man；

liking　notoriety　and　excitement。　　He　always　seized　an　opportunity

to　leap　into　the　center　of　the　arena。



In　early　life　he　was　a　clownish　sort　of　boy　among　the　boys　

an　expert　mimic　and　impersonator。　　This　talent　made　him　popular　and

in　his　way　a　leader。　　He　was　a　natural　actor；　and　early　showed

marked　ability　as　a　speaker。



American　Horse　was　about　ten　years　old　when　he　was　attacked　by

three　Crow　warriors；　while　driving　a　herd　of　ponies　to　water。　　Here

he　displayed　native　cunning　and　initiative。　　It　seemed　he　had

scarcely　a　chance　to　escape；　for　the　enemy　was　near。　　He　yelled

frantically　at　the　ponies　to　start　them　toward　home；　while　he

dropped　off　into　a　thicket　of　willows　and　hid　there。　　A　part　of　the

herd　was　caught　in　sight　of　the　camp　and　there　was　a　counter　chase；

but　the　Crows　got　away　with　the　ponies。　　Of　course　his　mother　was

frantic；　believing　her　boy　had　been　killed　or　captured；　but　after

the　excitement　was　over；　he　appeared　in　camp　unhurt。　　When

questioned　about　his　escape；　he　remarked：　〃I　knew　they　would　not

take　the　time　to　hunt　for　small　game　when　there　was　so　much　bigger

close　by。〃



When　he　was　quite　a　big　boy；　he　joined　in　a　buffalo　hunt；　and

on　the　way　back　with　the　rest　of　the　hunters　his　mule　became

unmanageable。　　American　Horse　had　insisted　on　riding　him　in

addition　to　a　heavy　load　of　meat　and　skins；　and　the　animal

evidently　resented　this；　for　he　suddenly　began　to　run　and　kick；

scattering　fresh　meat　along　the　road；　to　the　merriment　of　the

crowd。　　But　the　boy　turned　actor；　and　made　it　appear　that　it　was　at

his　wish　the　mule　had　given　this　diverting　performance。　　He　clung

to　the　back　of　his　plunging　and　braying　mount　like　a　circus　rider；

singing　a　Brave　Heart　song；　and　finally　brought　up　amid　the

laughter　and　cheers　of　his　companions。　　Far　from　admitting　defeat；

he　boasted　of　his　horsemanship　and　declared　that　his　〃brother〃　the

donkey　would　put　any　enemy　to　flight；　and　that　they　should　be

called　upon　to　lead　a　charge。



It　was　several　years　later　that　he　went　to　sleep　early　one

night　and　slept　soundly；　having　been　scouting　for　two　nights

previous。　　It　happened　that　there　was　a　raid　by　the　Crows；　and　when

he　awoke　in　the　midst　of　the　yelling　and　confusion；　he　sprang　up

and　attempted　to　join　in　the　fighting。　　Everybody　knew　his　voice　in

all　the　din；　so　when　he　fired　his　gun　and　announced　a　coup；　as　was

the　custom；　others　rushed　to　the　spot；　to　find　that　he　had　shot　a

hobbled　pony　belonging　to　their　own　camp。　　The　laugh　was　on　him；

and　he　never　recovered　from　his　chagrin　at　this　mistake。　　In　fact；

although　he　was　undoubtedly　fearless　and　tried　hard　to　distinguish

himself　in　warfare；　he　did　not　succeed。



It　is　told　of　him　that　he　once　went　with　a　war　party　of　young

men　to　the　Wind　River　country　against　the　Shoshones。　　At　last　they

discovered　a　large　camp；　but　there　were　only　a　dozen　or　so　of　the

Sioux；　therefore　they　hid　themselves　and　watched　for　their

opportunity　to　attack　an　isolated　party　of　hunters。　　While　waiting

thus；　they　ran　short　of　food。　　One　day　a　small　party　of　Shoshones

was　seen　near　at　hand；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　excitement　and

preparations　for　the　attack；　young　American　Horse　caught　sight　of

a　fat　black…tail　deer　close　by。　　Unable　to　resist　the　temptation；

he　pulled　an　arrow　from　his　quiver　and　sent　it　through　the　deer's

heart；　then　with　several　of　his　half…starved　companions　sprang　upon

the　yet　quivering　body　of　the　animal　to　cut　out　the　liver；　which

was　sometimes　eaten　raw。　　One　of　the　men　was　knocked　down；　it　is

said；　by　the　last　kick　of　the　dying　buck；　but　having　swallowed　a

few　mouthfuls　the　warriors　rushed　upon　and　routed　their　enemies。　

It　is　still　told　of　American　Horse　how　he　killed　game　and　feasted

between　the　ambush　and　the　attack。



At　another　time　he　was　drying　his　sacred　war　bonnet　and　other

gear　over　a　small　fire。　　These　articles　were　held　in　great

veneration　by　the　Indians　and　handled　accordingly。　　Suddenly　the

fire　blazed　up；　and　our　hero　so　far　forgot　himself　as　to　begin

energetically　beating　out　the　flames　with　the　war　bonnet；　breaking

off　one　of　the　sacred　buffalo　horns　in　the　act。　　One　could　almost

fill　a　book　with　his　mishaps　and　exploits。　　I　will　give　one　of　them

in　his　own　words　as　well　as　I　can　remember　them。



〃We　were　as　promising　a　party　of　young　warriors　as　our　tribe

ever　sent　against　any　of　its　ancestral　enemies。　　It　was　midsummer；

and　after　going　two　days'　journey　from　home　we　began　to　send　two

scouts　ahead　daily　while　the　main　body　kept　a　half　day　behind。　　The

scouts　set　out　every　evening　and　traveled　all　night。　　One　night　the

great　war　pipe　was　held　out　to　me　and　to　Young…Man…Afraid…of…

His…Horses。　　At　daybreak；　having　met　no　one；　we　hid　our　horses　and

climbed　to　the　top　of　the　nearest　butte　to　take　an　observation。　　It

was　a　very　hot　day。　　We　lay　flat　on　our　blankets；　facing　the　west

where　the　cliff　fell　off　in　a　sheer　descent；　and　with　ou