indian boyhood(尤孩提时代)-第13节
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of Ohiyesa。
We were once very short of provisions in the winter time。 My uncle；
our only means of sup… port； was sick； and besides； we were separated
from the rest of the tribe and in a region where there was little game of any
kind。 Oesedah had a pet squirrel； and as soon as we began to econo…
mize our food had given portions of her allow… ance to her pet。
At last we were reduced very much； and the prospect of obtaining
anything soon being gloomy； my grandmother reluctantly suggested that
the squirrel should be killed for food。 Thereupon my little cousin cried；
and said：
〃Why cannot we all die alike wanting？ The squirrel's life is as dear to
him as ours to us；〃 and clung to it。 Fortunately； relief came in time to
save her pet。
Oesedah lived with us for a portion of the year； and as there were no
other girls in the family she played much alone； and had many imaginary
com… panions。 At one time there was a small willow tree which she
visited regularly； holding long con… versations； a part of which she would
afterward repeat to me。 She said the willow tree was her husband； whom
some magic had compelled to take that form； but no grown person was
ever allowed to share her secret。
When I was about eight years old I had for a playmate the adopted son
of a Sioux； who was a white captive。 This boy was quite a noted per…
sonage； although he was then only about ten or eleven years of age。
When I first became ac… quainted with him we were on the upper Mis…
souri river。 I learned from him that he had been taken on the plains； and
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that both of his parents were killed。
He was at first sad and lonely； but soon found plenty of consolation in
his new home。 The name of his adopted father was 〃Keeps…the… Spotted…
Ponies。〃 He was known to have an unusual number of the pretty calico
ponies； indeed； he had a passion for accumulating prop… erty in the shape
of ponies； painted tents； dec… orated saddles and all sorts of finery。 He
had lost his only son； but the little pale…face became the adopted brother of
two handsome young women； his daughters。 This made him quite
popular among the young warriors。 He was not slow to adopt the Indian
customs； and he acquired the Sioux language in a short time。
I well remember hearing of his first experience of war。 He was not
more than sixteen when he joined a war…party against the Gros…Ventres
and Mandans。 My uncle reported that he was very brave until he was
wounded in the ankle； then he begged with tears to be taken back to a safe
place。 Fortunately for him； his adopted father came to the rescue； and
saved him at the risk of his own life。 He was called the 〃pale…face
Indian。〃 His hair grew very long and he lavished paint on his face and hair
so that no one might suspect that he was a white man。
One day this boy was playing a gambling game with one of the Sioux
warriors。 He was an ex… pert gambler； and won everything from the
Indian。 At a certain point a dispute arose。 The Indian was very angry；
for he discovered that his fellow… player had deliberately cheated him。
The Indians were strictly honest in those days； even in their gambling。
The boy declared that he had merely performed a trick for the benefit
of his friend； but it nearly cost him his life。 The indignant warrior had
already drawn his bow…string with the intention of shooting the captive；
but a third person intervened and saved the boy's life。 He at once
explained his trick； and in order to show himself an honorable gambler；
gave back all the articles that he had won from his opponent。 In the
midst of the confusion； old 〃Keeps…the…Spotted…Ponies〃 came rushing
through the crowd in a state of great excitement。 He thought his pale…
face son had been killed。 When he saw how matters stood； he gave the
ag… grieved warrior a pony； 〃in order；〃 as he said； 〃that there may be no
shadow between him and my son。〃
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One spring my uncle took Chatanna to the Canadian trading…post on
the Assiniboine river； where he went to trade off his furs for ammunition
and other commodities。 When he came back； my brother was not with
him！
At first my fears were even worse than the re… ality。 The facts were
these： A Canadian with whom my uncle had traded much had six daugh…
ters and no son； and when he saw this handsome and intelligent little
fellow； he at once offered to adopt him。
〃I have no boy in my family；〃 said he； 〃and I will deal with him as
with a son。 I am always in these regions trading； so you can see him two
or three times in a year。〃
He further assured my uncle that the possession of the boy would
greatly strengthen their friend… ship。 The matter was finally agreed upon。
At first Chatanna was unwilling； but as we were taught to follow the
advice of our parents and guardians； he was obliged to yield。
This was a severe blow to me； and for a long time I could not be
consoled。 Uncheedah was fully in sympathy with my distress。 She
argued that the white man's education was not desirable for her boys； in
fact； she urged her son so strongly to go back after Chatanna that he
promised on his next visit to the post to bring him home again。
But the trader was a shrewd man。 He immedi… ately moved to
another part of the country； and I never saw my Chatanna； the companion
of my childhood； again！ We learned afterward that he grew up and was
married； but one day he lost his way in a blizzard and was frozen to death。
My little cousin and I went to school together in later years； but she
could not endure the con… finement of the school…room。 Although appar…
ently very happy； she suffered greatly from the change to an indoor life； as
have many of our peo… ple； and died six months after our return to the
United States。
III： The Boy Hunter
IT will be no exaggeration to say that the life of the Indian hunter was
a life of fascination。 From the moment that he lost sight of his rude home
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in the midst of the forest； his untutored mind lost it… self in the myriad
beauties and forces of nature。 Yet he never forgot his personal danger
from some lurking foe or savage beast； however absorbing was his passion
for the chase。 The Indian youth was a born hunter。 Every motion；
every step expressed an inborn dignity and； at the same time； a depth of
native caution。 His moccasined foot fell like the velvet paw of a cat
noiselessly； his glittering black eyes scanned every object that appeared
within their view。 Not a bird； not even a chipmunk； escaped their pierc…
ing glance。
I was scarcely over three years old when I stood one morning just
outside our buffalo…skin teepee； with my little bow and arrows in my hand；
and gazed up among the trees。 Suddenly the instinct to chase and kill
seized me powerfully。 Just then a bird flew over my head and then
another caught my eye； as it balanced itself upon a swaying bough。
Everything else was forgotten and in that moment I had taken my first step
as a hunter。
There was almost as much difference between the Indian boys who
were brought up on the open prairies and those of the woods； as between
city and country boys。 The hunting of the prairie boys was limited and
their knowledge of natural history imp
