indian heroes & great chieftains-第9节

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

aroused　the　inmate；　and　he　beat　a　hasty　retreat。　　The　boys　always

looked　upon　this　incident　as　an　omen。



Gall　had　an　amiable　disposition　but　was　quick　to　resent　insult

or　injustice。　　This　sometimes　involved　him　in　difficulties；　but　he

seldom　fought　without　good　cause　and　was　popular　with　his

associates。　　One　of　his　characteristics　was　his　ability　to

organize；　and　this　was　a　large　factor　in　his　leadership　when　he

became　a　man。　　He　was　tried　in　many　ways；　and　never　was　known　to

hesitate　when　it　was　a　question　of　physical　courage　and　endurance。　

He　entered　the　public　service　early　in　life；　but　not　until　he　had

proved　himself　competent　and　passed　all　tests。



When　a　mere　boy；　he　was　once　scouting　for　game　in　midwinter；

far　from　camp；　and　was　overtaken　by　a　three　days'　blizzard。　　He　was

forced　to　abandon　his　horse　and　lie　under　the　snow　for　that　length

of　time。　　He　afterward　said　he　was　not　particularly　hungry；　it　was

thirst　and　stiffness　from　which　he　suffered　most。　　One　reason　the

Indian　so　loved　his　horse　or　dog　was　that　at　such　times　the　animal

would　stay　by　him　like　a　brother。　　On　this　occasion　Gall's　pony　was

not　more　than　a　stone's　throw　away　when　the　storm　subsided　and　the

sun　shone。　　There　was　a　herd　of　buffalo　in　plain　sight；　and　the

young　hunter　was　not　long　in　procuring　a　meal。



This　chief's　contemporaries　still　recall　his　wrestling　match

with　the　equally　powerful　Cheyenne　boy；　Roman　Nose；　who　afterward

became　a　chief　well　known　to　American　history。　　It　was　a　custom　of

the　northwestern　Indians；　when　two　friendly　tribes　camped　together；

to　establish　the　physical　and　athletic　supremacy　of　the　youth　of

the　respective　camps。



The　〃Che…hoo…hoo〃　is　a　wrestling　game　in　which　there　may　be

any　number　on　a　side；　but　the　numbers　are　equal。　　All　the　boys　of

each　camp　are　called　together　by　a　leader　chosen　for　the　purpose

and　draw　themselves　up　in　line　of　battle；　then　each　at　a　given

signal　attacks　his　opponent。



In　this　memorable　contest；　Matohinshda；　or　Gall；　was　placed

opposite　Roman　Nose。　　The　whole　people　turned　out　as　spectators　of


the　struggle；　and　the　battlefield　was　a　plateau　between　the　two

camps；　in　the　midst　of　picturesque　Bad　Lands。　　There　were　many

athletic　youths　present；　but　these　two　were　really　the　Apollos　of

the　two　tribes。



In　this　kind　of　sport　it　is　not　allowed　to　strike　with　the

hand；　nor　catch　around　the　neck；　nor　kick；　nor　pull　by　the　hair。　　

One　may　break　away　and　run　a　few　yards　to　get　a　fresh　start；　or

clinch；　or　catch　as　catch　can。　　When　a　boy　is　thrown　and　held　to

the　ground；　he　is　counted　out。　　If　a　boy　has　met　his　superior；　he

may　drop　to　the　ground　to　escape　rough　handling；　but　it　is　very

seldom　one　gives　up　without　a　full　trial　of　strength。



It　seemed　almost　like　a　real　battle；　so　great　was　the

enthusiasm；　as　the　shouts　of　sympathizers　on　both　sides　went　up　in

a　mighty　chorus。　　At　last　all　were　either　conquerors　or　subdued

except　Gall　and　Roman　Nose。　　The　pair　seemed　equally　matched。　　Both

were　stripped　to　the　breech　clout；　now　tugging　like　two　young

buffalo　or　elk　in　mating　time；　again　writhing　and　twisting　like

serpents。　　At　times　they　fought　like　two　wild　stallions；　straining

every　muscle　of　arms；　legs；　and　back　in　the　struggle。　　Every　now

and　then　one　was　lifted　off　his　feet　for　a　moment；　but　came　down

planted　like　a　tree；　and　after　swaying　to　and　fro　soon　became　rigid

again。



All　eyes　were　upon　the　champions。　　Finally；　either　by　trick　or

main　force；　Gall　laid　the　other　sprawling　upon　the　ground　and　held

him　fast　for　a　minute；　then　released　him　and　stood　erect；　panting；

a　master　youth。　　Shout　after　shout　went　up　on　the　Sioux　side　of　the

camp。　　The　mother　of　Roman　Nose　came　forward　and　threw　a　superbly

worked　buffalo　robe　over　Gall；　whose　mother　returned　the　compliment

by　covering　the　young　Cheyenne　with　a　handsome　blanket。



Undoubtedly　these　early　contests　had　their　influence　upon　our

hero's　career。　　It　was　his　habit　to　appear　most　opportunely　in　a

crisis；　and　in　a　striking　and　dramatic　manner　to　take　command　of

the　situation。　　The　best　known　example　of　this　is　his　entrance　on

the　scene　of　confusion　when　Reno　surprised　the　Sioux　on　the　Little

Big　Horn。　　Many　of　the　excitable　youths；　almost　unarmed；　rushed

madly　and　blindly　to　meet　the　intruder；　and　the　scene　might　have

unnerved　even　an　experienced　warrior。　　It　was　Gall；　with　not　a

garment　upon　his　superb　body；　who　on　his　black　charger　dashed　ahead

of　the　boys　and　faced　them。　　He　stopped　them　on　the　dry　creek；

while　the　bullets　of　Reno's　men　whistled　about　their　ears。



〃Hold　hard；　men！　　Steady；　we　are　not　ready　yet！　　Wait　for　more

guns；　more　horses；　and　the　day　is　yours！〃



They　obeyed；　and　in　a　few　minutes　the　signal　to　charge　was

given；　and　Reno　retreated　pell　mell　before　the　onset　of　the　Sioux。



Sitting　Bull　had　confidence　in　his　men　so　long　as　Gall　planned

and　directed　the　attack；　whether　against　United　States　soldiers　or

the　warriors　of　another　tribe。　　He　was　a　strategist；　and　able　in　a

twinkling　to　note　and　seize　upon　an　advantage。　　He　was　really　the

mainstay　of　Sitting　Bull's　effective　last　stand。　　He　consistently

upheld　his　people's　right　to　their　buffalo　plains　and　believed　that

they　should　hold　the　government　strictly　to　its　agreements　with

them。　　When　the　treaty　of　1868　was　disregarded；　he　agreed　with

Sitting　Bull　in　defending　the　last　of　their　once　vast　domain；　and

after　the　Custer　battle　entered　Canada　with　his　chief。　　They　hoped

to　bring　their　lost　cause　before　the　English　government　and　were

much　disappointed　when　they　were　asked　to　return　to　the　United

States。



Gall　finally　reported　at　Fort　Peck；　Montana；　in　1881；　and

brought　half　of　the　Hunkpapa　band　with　him；　whereupon　he　was　soon

followed　by　Sitting　Bull　himself。　　Although　they　had　been　promised

by　the　United　States　commission　who　went　to　Canada　to　treat　with

them　that　they　would　not　be　punished　if　they　returned；　no　sooner

had　Gall　come　down　than　a　part　of　his　people　were　attacked；　and　in

the　spring　they　were　all　brought　to　Fort　Randall　and　held　as

military　prisoners。　　From　this　point　they　were　returned　to　Standing

Rock　agency。



When　〃Buffalo　Bill〃　successfully　launched　his　first　show；　he

made　every　effort　to　secure　both　Sitting　Bull　and　Gall　for　his

leading　attractions。　　The　military　was　in　complete　accord　with　him

in　this；　for　they　still　had　grave　suspicions　of　these　two　leaders。　

While　Sitting　Bull　reluctantly　agreed；　Gall　haughtily　said：　〃I　am

not　an　animal　to　be　exhibited　before　the　crowd；〃　and　retired　to　his

teepee。　　His　spirit　was　much　worn；　and　he　lost　strength　from　that

time　on。　　That　superb　manhood　dwindled；　and　in　a　few　years　he　died。　

He　was　a　real　hero　of　a　free　and　natural　people；　a　type　that　is

never　to　be　seen　again。









CRAZY　HORSE





Crazy　Horse　was　born　on　the　Republican　River　about　1845。　　He　was

killed　at　Fort　Robinson；　Nebraska；　in　1877；　so　that　he　lived　barely

thirty…three　years。



He　was　an　uncommonly　handsome　man。　　While　not　the　equal　of

Gall　in　magnificence　and　imposing　stature；　he　was　physically

perfect；　an　Apollo　in　symmetry。　　Furthermore　he　was　a　true　type　of

Indian　refinement　and　grace。　　He　was　modest　and　courteous　as　Chief

Joseph；　the　difference　is　that　he　was　a　born　warrior；　while　Joseph

was　not。　　However；　he　was　a　gentle　warrior；　a　true　brave；　who　stood

for　the　highest　ideal　of　the　Sioux。　　Notwithstanding　all　that

biased　historians　have　said　of　him；　it　is　only　fair　to　judge　a　man

by　the　estimate　of　his　own　people　rather　than　that　of　his　enemies。



The　boyhood　of　Crazy　Horse　was　passed　in　the　days　when　the

western　Sioux　saw　a　white　man　but　seldom；　and　then　it　was　usually

a　trader　or　a　soldier。　　He　was　carefully　brought　up　according　to

the　tribal　customs。　　At　that　period　the　Sioux　prided　themselves　on

the　training　and　development　of　their　sons　and　daughters；　and　not

a　step　in　that　development　was　overlooked　as　an　excuse　to　bring　the

child　before　the　public　by　giving　a　feast　in　its　honor。　　At　such

times　the　parents　often　gave　so　generously　to　the　needy　that　they

almost　impoverished　themselves；　thus　setting　an　example　to　the

child　of　self…denial　for　the　general　good。　　His　first　step　alone；

the　first　word　spoken；　first　game　killed；　the　attainment　of　manhood

or　womanhood；　each　was　the　occasion　of　a　feast　and　dance　in　his

honor；　at　which　the　poor　always　benefited　to　the　full　extent　of　the

parents'　ability。



Big…heartedness；　generosity；　courage；　and　self…denial　are　the

qualifications　of　a　public　servant；　and　the　average　Indian　was　keen

to　follow　this　ideal。　　As　every　one　knows；　these　characteristic

traits　become　a　weakness　when　he　enters　a　life　founded　upon

commerce　and　gain。　　Under　such　conditions　the　life　of　Crazy　Horse

began。　　His　mother；　like　other　mothers；　tender　and　watchful　of　her

boy；　would　never　once　plac