indian boyhood(尤孩提时代)-第11章
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INDIAN BOYHOOD BY OHIYESA
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 imperfect。 They were； as a rule； good
riders； but in all…round physical development much inferior to the red men
of the forest。
Our hunting varied with the season of the year； and the nature of the
country which was for the time our home。 Our chief weapon was the
bow and arrows； and perhaps； if we were lucky； a knife was possessed by
some one in the crowd。 In the olden times； knives and hatchets were
made from bone and sharp stones。
For fire we used a flint with a spongy piece of dry wood and a stone to
strike with。 Another way of starting fire was for several of the boys to sit
down in a circle and rub two pieces of dry； spongy wood together； one
after another； until the wood took fire。
We hunted in company a great deal； though it was a common thing for
a boy to set out for the woods quite alone； and he usually enjoyed himself
fully as much。 Our game consisted mainly of small birds； rabbits；
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squirrels and grouse。 Fish… ing； too； occupied much of our time。 We
hardly ever passed a creek or a pond without searching for some signs of
fish。 When fish were present； we always managed to get some。 Fish…
lines were made of wild hemp； sinew or horse…hair。 We either caught fish
with lines； snared or speared them； or shot them with bow and arrows。 In
the fall we charmed them up to the surface by gently tickling them with a
stick and quickly threw them out。 We have sometimes dammed the
brooks and driven the larger fish into a willow basket made for that
purpose。
It was part of our hunting to find new and strange things in the woods。
We examined the slightest sign of life； and if a bird had scratched the
leaves off the ground； or a bear dragged up a root for his morning meal；
we stopped to specu… late on the time it was done。 If we saw a large old
tree with some scratches on its bark； we con… cluded that a bear or some
raccoons must be living there。 In that case we did not go any nearer than
was necessary； but later reported the incident at home。 An old deer…track
would at once bring on a warm discussion as to whether it was the track of
a buck or a doe。 Generally； at noon； we met and compared our game；
noting at the same time the peculiar characteristics of everything we had
killed。 It was not merely a hunt； for we combined with it the study of
animal life。 We also kept strict account of our game； and thus learned
who were the best shots among the boys。
I am sorry to say that we were merciless toward the birds。 We often
took their eggs and their young ones。 My brother Chatanna and I once
had a disagreeable adventure while bird…hunting。 We were accustomed
to catch in our hands young ducks and geese during the summer； and
while do… ing this we happened to find a crane's nest。 Of course； we were
delighted with our good luck。 But； as it was already midsummer； the
young cranestwo in numberwere rather large and they were a little way
from the nest； we also ob… served that the two old cranes were in a
swampy place near by； but； as it was moulting…time； we did not suppose
that they would venture on dry land。 So we proceeded to chase the
young birds； but they were fleet runners and it took us so
