indian heroes & great chieftains-第20节

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separated　from　the　rest　of　the　tribe　while　on　a　buffalo　hunt。　　His

father　was　away　and　his　mother　busy；　and　he　was　playing　with　his

little　sister　on　the　banks　of　a　stream；　when　a　large　herd　of

buffalo　swept　down　upon　them　on　a　stampede　for　water。　　His　mother

climbed　a　tree；　but　the　little　boy　led　his　sister　into　an　old

beaver　house　whose　entrance　was　above　water；　and　here　they　remained

in　shelter　until　the　buffalo　passed　and　they　were　found　by　their

distracted　parents。



Dull　Knife　was　quite　a　youth　when　his　tribe　was　caught　one

winter　in　a　region　devoid　of　game；　and　threatened　with　starvation。　

The　situation　was　made　worse　by　heavy　storms；　but　he　secured　help

and　led　a　relief　party　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles；　carrying　bales　of

dried　buffalo　meat　on　pack　horses。



Another　exploit　that　made　him　dear　to　his　people　occurred　in

battle；　when　his　brother…in…law　was　severely　wounded　and　left　lying

where　no　one　on　either　side　dared　to　approach　him。　　As　soon　as　Dull

Knife　heard　of　it　he　got　on　a　fresh　horse；　and　made　so　daring　a

charge　that　others　joined　him；　thus　under　cover　of　their　fire　he

rescued　his　brother…in…law；　and　in　so　doing　was　wounded　twice。



The　Sioux　knew　him　as　a　man　of　high　type；　perhaps　not　so

brilliant　as　Roman　Nose　and　Two　Moon；　but　surpassing　both　in

honesty　and　simplicity；　as　well　as　in　his　war　record。　　（Two　Moon；

in　fact；　was　never　a　leader　of　his　people；　and　became　distinguished

only　in　wars　with　the　whites　during　the　period　of　revolt。）　　A　story

is　told　of　an　ancestor　of　the　same　name　that　illustrates　well　the

spirit　of　the　age。



It　was　the　custom　in　those　days　for　the　older　men　to　walk

ahead　of　the　moving　caravan　and　decide　upon　all　halts　and　camping　

places。　　One　day　the　councilors　came　to　a　grove　of　wild　cherries

covered　with　ripe　fruit；　and　they　stopped　at　once。　　Suddenly　a

grizzly　charged　from　the　thicket。　　The　men　yelped　and　hooted；　but

the　bear　was　not　to　be　bluffed。　　He　knocked　down　the　first　warrior

who　dared　to　face　him　and　dragged　his　victim　into　the　bushes。



The　whole　caravan　was　in　the　wildest　excitement。　　Several　of

the　swiftest…footed　warriors　charged　the　bear；　to　bring　him　out

into　the　open；　while　the　women　and　dogs　made　all　the　noise　they

could。　　The　bear　accepted　the　challenge；　and　as　he　did　so；　the　man

whom　they　had　supposed　dead　came　running　from　the　opposite　end　of

the　thicket。　　The　Indians　were　delighted；　and　especially　so　when　in

the　midst　of　their　cheers；　the　man　stopped　running　for　his　life　and

began　to　sing　a　Brave　Heart　song　as　he　approached　the　grove　with

his　butcher　knife　in　his　hand。　　He　would　dare　his　enemy　again！



The　grizzly　met　him　with　a　tremendous　rush；　and　they　went　down

together。　　Instantly　the　bear　began　to　utter　cries　of　distress；　and

at　the　same　time　the　knife　flashed；　and　he　rolled　over　dead。　　The

warrior　was　too　quick　for　the　animal；　he　first　bit　his　sensitive

nose　to　distract　his　attention；　and　then　used　the　knife　to　stab　him

to　the　heart。　　He　fought　many　battles　with　knives　thereafter　and

claimed　that　the　spirit　of　the　bear　gave　him　success。　　On　one

occasion；　however；　the　enemy　had　a　strong　buffalo…hide　shield　which

the　Cheyenne　bear　fighter　could　not　pierce　through；　and　he　was

wounded；　nevertheless　he　managed　to　dispatch　his　foe。　　It　was　from

this　incident　that　he　received　the　name　of　Dull　Knife；　which　was

handed　down　to　his　descendant。



As　is　well　known；　the　Northern　Cheyennes　uncompromisingly

supported　the　Sioux　in　their　desperate　defense　of　the　Black　Hills

and　Big　Horn　country。　　Why　not？　　It　was　their　last　buffalo　region

　their　subsistence。　　It　was　what　our　wheat　fields　are　to　a

civilized　nation。



About　the　year　1875；　a　propaganda　was　started　for　confining

all　the　Indians　upon　reservations；　where　they　would　be　practically

interned　or　imprisoned；　regardless　of　their　possessions　and　rights。　

The　men　who　were　the　strongest　advocates　of　the　scheme　generally

wanted　the　Indians'　property　　the　one　main　cause　back　of　all

Indian　wars。　　From　the　warlike　Apaches　to　the　peaceful　Nez　Perces；

all　the　tribes　of　the　plains　were　hunted　from　place　to　place；　then

the　government　resorted　to　peace　negotiations；　but　always　with　an

army　at　hand　to　coerce。　　Once　disarmed　and　helpless；　they　were　to

be　taken　under　military　guard　to　the　Indian　Territory。



A　few　resisted；　and　declared　they　would　fight　to　the　death

rather　than　go。　　Among　these　were　the　Sioux；　but　nearly　all　the

smaller　tribes　were　deported　against　their　wishes。　　Of　course　those

Indians　who　came　from　a　mountainous　and　cold　country　suffered

severely。　　The　moist　heat　and　malaria　decimated　the　exiles。　　Chief

Joseph　of　the　Nez　Perces　and　Chief　Standing　Bear　of　the　Poncas

appealed　to　the　people　of　the　United　States；　and　finally　succeeded

in　having　their　bands　or　the　remnant　of　them　returned　to　their　own

part　of　the　country。　　Dull　Knife　was　not　successful　in　his　plea；

and　the　story　of　his　flight　is　one　of　poignant　interest。



He　was　regarded　by　the　authorities　as　a　dangerous　man；　and

with　his　depleted　band　was　taken　to　the　Indian　Territory　without

his　consent　in　1876。　　When　he　realized　that　his　people　were　dying

like　sheep；　he　was　deeply　moved。　　He　called　them　together。　　Every

man　and　woman　declared　that　they　would　rather　die　in　their　own

country　than　stay　there　longer；　and　they　resolved　to　flee　to　their

northern　homes。



Here　again　was　displayed　the　genius　of　these　people。　　From　the

Indian　Territory　to　Dakota　is　no　short　dash　for　freedom。　　They　knew

what　they　were　facing。　　Their　line　of　flight　lay　through　a　settled

country　and　they　would　be　closely　pursued　by　the　army。　　No　sooner

had　they　started　than　the　telegraph　wires　sang　one　song：　〃The

panther　of　the　Cheyennes　is　at　large。　　Not　a　child　or　a　woman　in

Kansas　or　Nebraska　is　safe。〃　　Yet　they　evaded　all　the　pursuing　and

intercepting　troops　and　reached　their　native　soil。　　The　strain　was

terrible；　the　hardship　great；　and　Dull　Knife；　like　Joseph；　was

remarkable　for　his　self…restraint　in　sparing　those　who　came　within

his　power　on　the　way。



But　fate　was　against　him；　for　there　were　those　looking　for

blood　money　who　betrayed　him　when　he　thought　he　was　among　friends。　

His　people　were　tired　out　and　famished　when　they　were　surrounded

and　taken　to　Fort　Robinson。　　There　the　men　were　put　in　prison；　and

their　wives　guarded　in　camp。　　They　were　allowed　to　visit　their　men

on　certain　days。　　Many　of　them　had　lost　everything；　there　were　but

a　few　who　had　even　one　child　left。　　They　were　heartbroken。



These　despairing　women　appealed　to　their　husbands　to　die

fighting：　their　liberty　was　gone；　their　homes　broken　up；　and　only

slavery　and　gradual　extinction　in　sight。　　At　last　Dull　Knife

listened。　　He　said：　〃I　have　lived　my　life。　　I　am　ready。〃　　The

others　agreed。　　〃If　our　women　are　willing　to　die　with　us；　who　is

there　to　say　no？　　If　we　are　to　do　the　deeds　of　men；　it　rests　with

you　women　to　bring　us　our　weapons。



As　they　had　been　allowed　to　carry　moccasins　and　other　things

to　the　men；　so　they　contrived　to　take　in　some　guns　and　knives　under

this　disguise。　　The　plan　was　to　kill　the　sentinels　and　run　to　the

nearest　natural　trench；　there　to　make　their　last　stand。　　The　women

and　children　were　to　join　them。　　This　arrangement　was　carried　out。　

Not　every　brave　had　a　gun；　but　all　had　agreed　to　die　together。　

They　fought　till　their　small　store　of　ammunition　was　exhausted；

then　exposed　their　broad　chests　for　a　target；　and　the　mothers　even

held　up　their　little　ones　to　be　shot。　　Thus　died　the　fighting

Cheyennes　and　their　dauntless　leader。









ROMAN　NOSE





This　Cheyenne　war　chief　was　a　contemporary　of　Dull　Knife。　　He　was

not　so　strong　a　character　as　the　other；　and　was　inclined　to　be

pompous　and　boastful；　but　with　all　this　he　was　a　true　type　of

native　American　in　spirit　and　bravery。



While　Dull　Knife　was　noted　in　warfare　among　Indians；　Roman

Nose　made　his　record　against　the　whites；　in　defense　of　territory

embracing　the　Republican　and　Arickaree　rivers。　　He　was　killed　on

the　latter　river　in　1868；　in　the　celebrated　battle　with　General

Forsythe。



Save　Chief　Gall　and　Washakie　in　the　prime　of　their　manhood；

this　chief　had　no　peer　in　bodily　perfection　and　masterful

personality。　　No　Greek　or　Roman　gymnast　was　ever　a　finer　model　of

physical　beauty　and　power。　　He　thrilled　his　men　to　frenzied　action

when　he　came　upon　the　field。　　It　was　said　of　him　that　he　sacrificed

more　youths　by　his　personal　influence　in　battle　than　any　other

leader；　being　very　reckless　himself　in　grand…stand　charges。　　He　was

killed　needlessly　in　this　manner。



Roman　Nose　always　rode　an　uncommonly　fine；　spirited　horse；　and

with　his　war　bonnet　and　other　paraphernalia　gave　a　wonderful

exhibition。　　The　Indians　used　to　say　that　the　soldiers　must　gaze　at

him　rather　than　aim　at　him；　as　they　so　seldom　hit　him　even　when

running　the　gantlet　before　a　firing　line。



He　did　a　remarkable　thing　once　whe