indian boyhood(尤孩提时代)-第41节
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told how I was adopted into the family of my father's younger brother；
when my father was betrayed and imprisoned。 We all supposed that he
had shared the fate of those who were executed at Mankato； Minnesota。
Now the savage philosophers looked upon ven… geance in the field of
battle as a lofty virtue。 To avenge the death of a relative or of a dear
friend was considered a great deed。 My uncle； accord… ingly； had spared no
pains to instill into my young mind the obligation to avenge the death of
my father and my older brothers。 Already I looked eagerly forward to the
day when I should find an opportunity to carry out his teachings。 Mean…
while； he himself went upon the war…path and re… turned with scalps every
summer。 So it may be imagined how I felt toward the Big Knives！
On the other hand； I had heard marvelous things of this people。 In
some things we despised them； in others we regarded them as wakan
（mysterious）； a race whose power bordered upon the superna… tural。 I
learned that they had made a 〃fire… boat。〃 I could not understand how
they could unite two elements which cannot exist together。 I thought the
water would put out the fire； and the fire would consume the boat if it had
the shadow of a chance。 This was to me a preposterous thing！ But when
I was told that the Big Knives had cre… ated a 〃fire…boat…walks…on…
mountains〃 （a loco… motive） it was too much to believe。
〃Why；〃 declared my informant； 〃those who saw this monster move
said that it flew from moun… tain to mountain when it seemed to be excited。
They said also that they believed it carried a thunder…bird； for they
frequently heard his usual war…whoop as the creature sped along！〃
Several warriors had observed from a distance one of the first trains on
the Northern Pacific； and had gained an exaggerated impression of the
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won… ders of the pale…face。 They had seen it go over a bridge that
spanned a deep ravine and it seemed
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to them that it jumped from one bank to the other。 I confess that the
story almost quenched my ardor and bravery。
Two or three young men were talking together about this fearful
invention。
〃However；〃 said one； 〃I understand that this fire…boat…walks…on…
mountains cannot move except on the track made for it。〃
Although a boy is not expected to join in the con… versation of his
elders； I ventured to ask： 〃Then it cannot chase us into any rough
country？〃
〃No； it cannot do that；〃 was the reply； which I heard with a great deal
of relief。
I had seen guns and various other things brought to us by the French
Canadians； so that I had already some notion of the supernatural gifts of
the white man； but I had never before heard such tales as I listened to that
morning。 It was said that they had bridged the Missouri and Miss… issippi
rivers； and that they made immense houses of stone and brick； piled on top
of one another until they were as high as high hills。 My brain was
puzzled with these things for many a day。 Finally I asked my uncle why
the Great Mystery gave such power to the Washechu （the rich）
sometimes we called them by this nameand not to us Dakotas。
For the same reason；〃 he answered； 〃that he gave to Duta the skill to
make fine bows and ar… rows； and to Wachesne no skill to make anything。〃
〃And why do the Big Knives increase so much more in number than
the Dakotas？〃 I continued。
〃It has been said； and I think it must be true； that they have larger
families than we do。 I went into the house of an Eashecha （a German）； and
I counted no less than nine children。 The eldest of them could not have
been over fifteen。 When my grandfather first visited them； down at the
mouth of the Mississippi； they were comparative… ly few； later my father
visited their Great Father at Washington； and they had already spread over
the whole country。〃
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〃Certainly they are a heartless nation。 They have made some of their
people servantsyes； slaves！ We have never believed in keeping slaves；
but it seems that these Washechu do！ It is our belief that they painted their
servants black a long time ago； to tell them from the rest； and now the
slaves have children born to them of the same color！
〃The greatest object of their lives seems to be to acquire possessions
to be rich。 They desire to possess the whole world。 For thirty years they
were trying to entice us to sell them our
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land。 Finally the outbreak gave them all； and we have been driven
away from our beautiful country。
〃They are a wonderful people。 They have divided the day into hours；
like the moons of the year。 In fact； they measure everything。 Not one
of them would let so much as a turnip go from his field unless he received
full value for it。 I understand that their great men make a feast and invite
many； but when the feast is over the guests are required to pay for what
they have eaten before leaving the house。 I myself saw at White Cliff
（the name given to St。 Paul； Minne… sota） a man who kept a brass drum
and a bell to call people to his table； but when he got them in he would
make them pay for the food！
〃I am also informed；〃 said my uncle； 〃but this I hardly believe； that
their Great Chief （President） compels every man to pay him for the land
he lives upon and all his personal goodseven for his own existence
every year！〃 （This was his idea of taxation。） 〃I am sure we could not live
under such a law。
〃When the outbreak occurred； we thought that our opportunity had
come； for we had learned that the Big Knives were fighting among
themselves； on account of a dispute over their slaves。 It was said that the
Great Chief had al… lowed slaves in one part of the country and not in
another； so there was jealousy； and they had to fight it out。 We don't
know how true this was。
〃There were some praying…men who came to us some time before the
trouble arose。 They ob… served every seventh day as a holy day。 On that
day they met in a house that they had built for that purpose； to sing； pray；
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and speak of their Great Mystery。 I was never in one of these meetings。
I understand that they had a large book from which they read。 By all
accounts they were very different from all other white men we have
known； for these never observed any such day； and we never knew them to
pray； neither did they ever tell us of their Great Mystery。
〃In war they have leaders and war…chiefs of different grades。 The
common warriors are driv… en forward like a herd of antelopes to face the
foe。 It is on account of this manner of fightingfrom compulsion and not
from personal braverythat we count no coup on them。 A lone warrior
can do much harm to a large army of them in a bad country。〃
It was this talk with my uncle that gave me my first clear idea of the
white man。
I was almost fifteen years old when my uncle
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presented me with a flint…lock gun。 The posses… sion of the
〃mysterious iron；〃 and the explosive dirt； or 〃pulverized coal；〃 as it is
called； filled me with new thoughts。 All the war…songs that I had ever
heard from childhood came back to me with their heroes。 It seemed as if
I were an entirely new beingthe boy had become a man！
〃I am now old enough；〃 said I to myself； 〃and I must beg my uncle to
take me with him on hi
