indian heroes & great chieftains-第7节

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Paradise；　for　I　shall　be　happy　in　spending　my　youth　there。　　But

I　will　sell　my　life　dearly。　　Hereafter　my　name　shall　be　spoken　in

the　traditions　of　our　race。〃　　With　this　speech　Tamahay　began　his

career。



He　now　sought　glory　and　defied　danger　with　even　more　than　the

ordinary　Indian　recklessness。　　He　accepted　a　personal　friend；　which

was　a　custom　among　the　Sioux；　where　each　man　chose　a　companion　for

life　and　death。　　The　tie　was　stronger　than　one　of　blood

relationship；　a　friendship　sealed　by　solemn　vow　and　covenant。　

Tamahay's　intimate　was　fortunately　almost　his　equal　in　physical

powers；　and　the　pair　became　the　terror　of　neighboring　tribes；　with

whom　the　Dakotas　were　continually　at　war。　　They　made　frequent　raids

upon　their　enemies　and　were　usually　successful；　although　not

without　thrilling　experiences　and　almost　miraculous　escapes。



Upon　one　of　these　occasions　the　two　friends　went　north　into

the　country　of　the　Ojibways。　　After　many　days'　journey；　they

discovered　a　small　village　of　the　foe。　　The　wicked　Tamahay　proposed

to　his　associate　that　they　should　arrange　their　toilets　after　the

fashion　of　the　Ojibways；　and　go　among　them；　〃and　perhaps；〃　he

added；　〃we　will　indulge　in　a　little　flirtation　with　their　pretty

maids；　and　when　we　have　had　enough　of　the　fun　we　can　take　the　scalp

of　a　brave　or　two　and　retreat！〃　　His　friend　construed　his　daring

proposition　to　be　a　test　of　courage；　which　it　would　not　become　him；

as　a　brave；　to　decline；　therefore　he　assented　with　a　show　of

cheerfulness。



The　handsome　strangers　were　well　received　by　the　Ojibway

girls；　but　their　perilous　amusement　was　brought　to　an　untimely

close。　　A　young　maiden　prematurely　discovered　their　true

characters；　and　her　cry　of　alarm　brought　instantly　to　her　side　a

jealous　youth；　who　had　been　watching　them　from　his　place　of

concealment。　　With　him　Tamahay　had　a　single…handed　contest；　and

before　a　general　alarm　was　given　he　had　dispatched　the　foe　and　fled

with　his　scalp。



The　unfortunate　brave　had　been　a　favorite　and　a　leader　among

the　tribe；　therefore　the　maddened　Ojibways　were　soon　in　hot

pursuit。　　The　Sioux　braves　were　fine　runners；　yet　they　were　finally

driven　out　upon　the　peninsula　of　a　lake。　　As　they　became　separated

in　their　retreat；　Tamahay　shouted；　〃I'll　meet　you　at　the　mouth　of

the　St。　Croix　River；　or　in　the　spirit　land！〃　　Both　managed　to　swim

the　lake；　and　so　made　good　their　escape。



The　exploits　of　this　man　were　not　all　of　a　warlike　nature。　　He

was　a　great　traveler　and　an　expert　scout；　and　he　had　some　wonderful

experiences　with　wild　animals。　　He　was　once　sent；　with　his　intimate

friend；　on　a　scout　for　game。　　They　were　on　ponies。



They　located　a　herd　of　buffaloes；　and　on　their　return　to　the

camp　espied　a　lonely　buffalo。　　Tamahay　suggested　that　they　should

chase　it　in　order　to　take　some　fresh　meat；　as　the　law　of　the　tribe

allowed　in　the　case　of　a　single　animal。　　His　pony　stumbled　and

threw　him；　after　they　had　wounded　the　bison；　and　the　latter

attacked　the　dismounted　man　viciously。　　But　he；　as　usual；　was　on

the　alert。　　He　〃took　the　bull　by　the　horns〃；　as　the　saying　is；　and

cleverly　straddled　him　on　the　neck。　　The　buffalo　had　no　means　of

harming　his　enemy；　but　pawed　the　earth　and　struggled　until　his

strength　was　exhausted；　when　the　Indian　used　his　knife　on　the

animal's　throat。　　On　account　of　this　feat　he　received　the　name

〃Held…the…Bull…by…the…Horns。〃



The　origin　of　his　name　〃Tamahay〃　is　related　as　follows。　　When

he　was　a　young　man　he　accompanied　the　chief　Wabashaw　to　Mackinaw；

Michigan；　together　with　some　other　warriors。　　He　was　out　with　his

friend　one　day；　viewing　the　wonderful　sights　in　the　〃white　man's

country〃；　when　they　came　upon　a　sow　with　her　numerous　pink　little

progeny。　　He　was　greatly　amused　and　picked　up　one　of　the　young

pigs；　but　as　soon　as　it　squealed　the　mother　ran　furiously　after

them。　　He　kept　the　pig　and　fled　with　it；　still　laughing；　but　his

friend　was　soon　compelled　to　run　up　the　conveniently　inclined　trunk

of　a　fallen　tree；　while　our　hero　reached　the　shore　of　a　lake　near

by；　and　plunged　into　the　water。　　He　swam　and　dived　as　long　as　he

could；　but　the　beast　continued　to　threaten　him　with　her　sharp

teeth；　till；　almost　exhausted；　he　swam　again　to　shore；　where　his

friend　came　up　and　dispatched　the　vicious　animal　with　a　club。　　On

account　of　this　watery　adventure　he　was　at　once　called　Tamahay；

meaning　Pike。　　He　earned　many　other　names；　but　preferred　this　one；

because　it　was　the　name　borne　by　a　great　friend　of　his；　Lieutenant

Pike；　the　first　officer　of　the　United　States　Army　who　came　to

Minnesota　for　the　purpose　of　exploring　the　sources　of　the

Mississippi　River　and　of　making　peace　with　the　natives。　　Tamahay

assisted　this　officer　in　obtaining　land　from　the　Sioux　upon　which

to　build　Fort　Snelling。　　He　appears　in　history　under　the　name　of

〃Tahamie〃　or　the　〃One…Eyed　Sioux。〃



Always　ready　to　brave　danger　and　unpopularity；　Tamahay　was　the

only　Sioux　who　sided　with　the　United　States　in　her　struggle　with

Great　Britain　in　1819。　　For　having　espoused　the　cause　of　the

Americans；　he　was　ill…treated　by　the　British　officers　and　free

traders；　who　for　a　long　time　controlled　the　northwest；　even　after

peace　had　been　effected　between　the　two　nations。　　At　one　time　he

was　confined　in　a　fort　called　McKay；　where　now　stands　the　town　of

Prairie　du　Chien；　Wisconsin。　　He　had　just　returned　from　St。　Louis；

and　was　suspected　of　exciting　his　people　to　rebel　against　British

subjects。　　His　life　was　even　threatened；　but　to　this　Tamahay　merely

replied　that　he　was　ready　to　die。　　A　few　months　later；　this　fort

was　restored　to　the　United　States；　and　upon　leaving　it　the　British

set　the　buildings　on　fire；　though　the　United　States　flag　floated

above　them。　　Some　Indians　who　were　present　shouted　to　Tamahay；

〃Your　friends'；　the　Americans'；　fort　is　on　fire！〃　　He　responded

with　a　war　whoop；　rushed　into　the　blazing　fort；　and　brought　out　the

flag。　　For　this　brave　act　he　was　rewarded　with　a　present　of　a　flag

and　medal。　　He　was　never　tired　of　displaying　this　medal　and　his

recommendation　papers；　and　even　preserved　to　the　end　of　his　life　an

old　colonial　stovepipe　hat；　which　he　wore　upon　state　occasions。



The　Sioux　long　referred　to　the　president　of　the　United　States

as　〃Tamahay's　father。〃



The　following　story　is　told　of　him　in　his　later　days。　　He

attempted　one　day　to　cross　the　first　bridge　over　the　Mississippi

River；　but　was　not　recognized　by　the　sentinel；　who　would　not　allow

him　to　pass　until　he　paid　the　toll。　　Tamahay；　who　was　a　privileged

character；　explained　as　best　he　could；　with　gestures　and　broken

English；　that　he　was　always　permitted　to　pass　free；　but　as　the

sentinel　still　refused；　and　even　threatened　him　with　his　bayonet；

the　old　Indian　silently　seized　the　musket；　threw　it　down　into　the

waters　of　the　Mississippi　and　went　home。　　Later　in　the　day　a

company　of　soldiers　appeared　in　the　Indian　village；　and　escorted

our　hero　to　a　sort　of　court…martial　at　the　fort。　　When　he　was

questioned　by　the　Colonel；　he　simply　replied：　〃If　you　were

threatened　by　any　one　with　a　weapon；　you　would；　in　self…defense；

either　disable　the　man　or　get　rid　of　the　weapon。　　I　did　the　latter；

thinking　that　you　would　need　the　man　more　than　the　gun。〃



Finally　the　officer　said　to　them；　〃I　see　you　are　both　partly

wrong。　　Some　one　must　be　responsible　for　the　loss　of　the　gun；

therefore；　you　two　will　wrestle；　and　the　man　who　is　downed　must

dive　for　the　weapon　to　the　bottom　of　the　river。〃



Scarcely　was　this　speech　ended　when　Tamahay　was　upon　the

soldier；　who　was　surprised　both　by　the　order　and　by　the　unexpected

readiness　of　the　wily　old　Indian；　so　that　he　was　not　prepared；　and

the　Sioux　had　the　vantage　hold。　　In　a　moment　the　bluecoat　was　down；

amid　shouts　and　peals　of　laughter　from　his　comrades。　　Having　thrown

his　man；　the　other　turned　and　went　home　without　a　word。



Sad　to　say；　he　acquired　a　great　appetite　for　〃minne…wakan〃；　or

〃mysterious　water〃；　as　the　Sioux　call　it；　which　proved　a　source　of

trouble　to　him　in　his　old　age。　　It　is　told　of　him　that　he　was

treated　one　winter's　day　to　a　drink　of　whisky　in　a　trader's　store。　

He　afterwards　went　home；　but　even　the　severe　blizzard　which　soon

arose　did　not　prevent　him　from　returning　in　the　night　to　the

friendly　trader。　　He　awoke　that　worthy　from　sleep　about　twelve

o'clock　by　singing　his　death　dirge　upon　the　roof　of　the　log　cabin。　

In　another　moment　he　had　jumped　down　the　mud　chimney；　and　into　the

blazing　embers　of　a　fire。　　The　trader　had　to　pour　out　to　him　some

whisky　in　a　tin　pail；　after　which　he　begged　the　old　man　to　〃be　good

and　go　home。〃　　On　the　eve　of　the　so…called　〃Minnesota　Massacre〃　by

the　Sioux　in　1862；　Tamahay；　although　he　was　then　very　old　and　had

almost　lost　the　use　of　his　remaining　eye；　made　a　famous　speech　at

the　meeting　of　the　conspirators。　　These　are　some　of　his　words；　as

reported　to　me　by　persons　who　were　present。



〃What！　　What！　is　this　Lit