indian heroes & great chieftains-第8节

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reported　to　me　by　persons　who　were　present。



〃What！　　What！　is　this　Little　Crow？　　Is　that　Little　Six？　　You；

too；　White　Dog；　are　you　here？　　I　cannot　see　well　now；　but　I　can　see

with　my　mind's　eye　the　stream　of　blood　you　are　about　to　pour　upon

the　bosom　of　this　mother　of　ours〃　（meaning　the　earth）。　　〃I　stand

before　you　on　three　legs；　but　the　third　leg　has　brought　me　wisdom〃

＇referring　to　the　staff　with　which　he　sup…　ported　himself＇。　　〃I

have　traveled　much；　I　have　visited　among　the　people　whom　you　think

to　defy。　　This　means　the　total　surrender　of　our　beautiful　land；　the

land　of　a　thousand　lakes　and　streams。　　Methinks　you　are　about　to

commit　an　act　like　that　of　the　porcupine；　who　climbs　a　tree；

balances　himself　upon　a　springy　bough；　and　then　gnaws　off　the　very

bough　upon　which　he　is　sitting；　hence；　when　it　gives　way；　he　falls

upon　the　sharp　rocks　below。　　Behold　the　great　Pontiac；　whose　grave

I　saw　near　St。　Louis；　he　was　murdered　while　an　exile　from　his

country！　　Think　of　the　brave　Black　Hawk！　　Methinks　his　spirit　is

still　wailing　through　Wisconsin　and　Illinois　for　his　lost　people！　

I　do　not　say　you　have　no　cause　to　complain；　but　to　resist　is

self…destruction。　　I　am　done。〃



It　is　supposed　that　this　speech　was　his　last；　and　it　was　made；

though　vainly；　in　defense　of　the　Americans　whom　he　had　loved。　　He

died　at　Fort　Pierre；　South　Dakota；　in　1864。　　His　people　say　that　he

died　a　natural　death；　of　old　age。　　And　yet　his　exploits　are　not

forgotten。　　Thus　lived　and　departed　a　most　active　and　fearless

Sioux；　Tamahay；　who　desired　to　die　young！









GALL





Chief　Gall　was　one　of　the　most　aggressive　leaders　of　the　Sioux

nation　in　their　last　stand　for　freedom。



The　westward　pressure　of　civilization　during　the　past　three

centuries　has　been　tremendous。　　When　our　hemisphere　was

〃discovered〃；　it　had　been　inhabited　by　the　natives　for　untold　ages；

but　it　was　held　undiscovered　because　the　original　owners　did　not

chart　or　advertise　it。　　Yet　some　of　them　at　least　had　developed

ideals　of　life　which　included　real　liberty　and　equality　to　all　men；

and　they　did　not　recognize　individual　ownership　in　land　or　other

property　beyond　actual　necessity。　　It　was　a　soul　development

leading　to　essential　manhood。　　Under　this　system　they　brought　forth

some　striking　characters。



Gall　was　considered　by　both　Indians　and　whites　to　be　a　most

impressive　type　of　physical　manhood。　　From　his　picture　you　can

judge　of　this　for　yourself。



Let　us　follow　his　trail。　　He　was　no　tenderfoot。　　He　never

asked　a　soft　place　for　himself。　　He　always　played　the　game

according　to　the　rules　and　to　a　finish。　　To　be　sure；　like　every

other　man；　he　made　some　mistakes；　but　he　was　an　Indian　and　never

acted　the　coward。



The　earliest　stories　told　of　his　life　and　doings　indicate　the

spirit　of　the　man　in　that　of　the　boy。



When　he　was　only　about　three　years　old；　the　Blackfoot　band　of

Sioux　were　on　their　usual　roving　hunt；　following　the　buffalo　while

living　their　natural　happy　life　upon　the　wonderful　wide　prairies　of

the　Dakotas。



It　was　the　way　of　every　Sioux　mother　to　adjust　her　household

effects　on　such　dogs　and　pack　ponies　as　she　could　muster　from　day

to　day；　often　lending　one　or　two　to　accommodate　some　other　woman

whose　horse　or　dog　had　died；　or　perhaps　had　been　among　those

stampeded　and　carried　away　by　a　raiding　band　of　Crow　warriors。　　On

this　particular　occasion；　the　mother　of　our　young　Sioux　brave；

Matohinshda；　or　Bear…Shedding…His…Hair　（Gall's　childhood　name）；

intrusted　her　boy　to　an　old　Eskimo　pack　dog；　experienced　and

reliable；　except　perhaps　when　unduly　excited　or　very　thirsty。



On　the　day　of　removing　camp　the　caravan　made　its　morning　march

up　the　Powder　River。　　Upon　the　wide　table…land　the　women　were

busily　digging　teepsinna　（an　edible　sweetish　root；　much　used　by

them）　as　the　moving　village　slowly　progressed。　　As　usual　at　such

times；　the　trail　was　wide。　　An　old　jack　rabbit　had　waited　too　long

in　hiding。　　Now；　finding　himself　almost　surrounded　by　the　mighty

plains　people；　he　sprang　up　suddenly；　his　feathery　ears

conspicuously　erect；　a　dangerous　challenge　to　the　dogs　and　the

people。



A　whoop　went　up。　　Every　dog　accepted　the　challenge。　　Forgotten

were　the　bundles；　the　kits；　even　the　babies　they　were　drawing　or

carrying。　　The　chase　was　on；　and　the　screams　of　the　women　reechoed

from　the　opposite　cliffs　of　the　Powder；　mingled　with　the　yelps　of

dogs　and　the　neighing　of　horses。　　The　hand　of　every　man　was　against

the　daring　warrior；　the　lone　Jack；　and　the　confusion　was　great。



When　the　fleeing　one　cleared　the　mass　of　his　enemies；　he

emerged　with　a　swiftness　that　commanded　respect　and　gave　promise

of　a　determined　chase。　　Behind　him；　his　pursuers　stretched　out　in

a　thin　line；　first　the　speedy；　unburdened　dogs　and　then　the　travois

dogs　headed　by　the　old　Eskimo　with　his　precious　freight。　　The

youthful　Gall　was　in　a　travois；　a　basket　mounted　on　trailing　poles

and　harnessed　to　the　sides　of　the　animal。



〃Hey！　hey！　they　are　gaining　on　him！〃　a　warrior　shouted。　　At

this　juncture　two　of　the　canines　had　almost　nabbed　their　furry　prey

by　the　back。　　But　he　was　too　cunning　for　them。　　He　dropped

instantly　and　sent　both　dogs　over　his　head；　rolling　and　spinning；

then　made　another　flight　at　right　angles　to　the　first。　　This　gave

the　Eskimo　a　chance　to　cut　the　triangle。　　He　gained　fifty　yards；

but　being　heavily　handicapped；　two　unladen　dogs　passed　him。　　The

same　trick　was　repeated　by　the　Jack；　and　this　time　he　saved　himself

from　instant　death　by　a　double　loop　and　was　now　running　directly

toward　the　crowd；　followed　by　a　dozen　or　more　dogs。　　He　was　losing

speed；　but　likewise　his　pursuers　were　dropping　off　steadily。　　Only

the　sturdy　Eskimo　dog　held　to　his　even　gait；　and　behind　him　in　the

frail　travois　leaned　forward　the　little　Matohinshda；　nude　save　a

breech　clout；　his　left　hand　holding　fast　the　convenient　tail　of　his

dog；　the　right　grasping　firmly　one　of　the　poles　of　the　travois。　

His　black　eyes　were　bulging　almost　out　of　their　sockets；　his　long

hair　flowed　out　behind　like　a　stream　of　dark　water。



The　Jack　now　ran　directly　toward　the　howling　spectators；　but

his　marvelous　speed　and　alertness　were　on　the　wane；　while　on　the

other　hand　his　foremost　pursuer；　who　had　taken　part　in　hundreds　of

similar　events；　had　every　confidence　in　his　own　endurance。　　Each

leap　brought　him　nearer；　fiercer　and　more　determined。　　The　last

effort　of　the　Jack　was　to　lose　himself　in　the　crowd；　like　a　fish　in

muddy　water；　but　the　big　dog　made　the　one　needed　leap　with　unerring

aim　and　his　teeth　flashed　as　he　caught　the　rabbit　in　viselike　jaws

and　held　him　limp　in　air；　a　victor！



The　people　rushed　up　to　him　as　he　laid　the　victim　down；　and

foremost　among　them　was　the　frantic　mother　of　Matohinshda；　or　Gall。　

〃Michinkshe！　michinkshe！〃　（My　son！　my　son！）　she　screamed　as　she

drew　near。　　The　boy　seemed　to　be　none　the　worse　for　his　experience。　

〃Mother！〃　he　cried；　〃my　dog　is　brave：　he　got　the　rabbit！〃　　She

snatched　him　off　the　travois；　but　he　struggled　out　of　her　arms　to

look　upon　his　dog　lovingly　and　admiringly。　　Old　men　and　boys

crowded　about　the　hero　of　the　day；　the　dog；　and　the　thoughtful

grandmother　of　Matohinshda　unharnessed　him　and　poured　some　water

from　a　parfleche　water　bag　into　a　basin。　　〃Here；　my　grandson；　give

your　friend　something　to　drink。〃



〃How；　hechetu；〃　pronounced　an　old　warrior　no　longer　in　active

service。　　〃This　may　be　only　an　accident；　an　ordinary　affair；　but

such　things　sometimes　indicate　a　career。　　The　boy　has　had　a

wonderful　ride。　　I　prophesy　that　he　will　one　day　hold　the　attention

of　all　the　people　with　his　doings。〃



This　is　the　first　remembered　story　of　the　famous　chief；　but

other　boyish　exploits　foretold　the　man　he　was　destined　to　be。　　He

fought　many　sham　battles；　some　successful　and　others　not；　but　he

was　always　a　fierce　fighter　and　a　good　loser。



Once　he　was　engaged　in　a　battle　with　snowballs。　　There　were

probably　nearly　a　hundred　boys　on　each　side；　and　the　rule　was　that

every　fair　hit　made　the　receiver　officially　dead。　　He　must　not

participate　further；　but　must　remain　just　where　he　was　struck。



Gall's　side　was　fast　losing；　and　the　battle　was　growing　hotter

every　minute　when　the　youthful　warrior　worked　toward　an　old　water

hole　and　took　up　his　position　there。　　His　side　was　soon　annihilated

and　there　were　eleven　men　left　to　fight　him。　　He　was　pressed　close

in　the　wash…out；　and　as　he　dodged　under　cover　before　a　volley　of

snowballs；　there　suddenly　emerged　in　his　stead　a　huge　gray　wolf。　

His　opponents　fled　in　every　direction　in　superstitious　terror；　for

they　thought　he　had　been　transformed　into　the　animal。　　To　their

astonishment　he　came　out　on　the　farther　side　and　ran　to　the　line　of

safety；　a　winner！



It　happened　that　the　wolf's　den　had　been　partly　covered　with

snow　so　that　no　one　had　noticed　it　until　the　yells　of　the　boys

aroused　the　inmate；　and　he　beat　a　h