indian boyhood(尤孩提时代)-第33章
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〃This is what I saw；〃 the witness began。 〃I was tracking a buck and a
doe。 As I approached a small opening at the creek side 'boom ！' came a
report of the mysterious iron。 I remained in a stooping position； hoping to
see a deer cross the opening。 In this I was not disappointed； for im…
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mediately after the report a fine buck dashed forth with Tamedokah close
behind him。 The latter was holding on to the deer's tail with both hands
and his knife was in his mouth； but it soon dropped out。 'Tamedokah；' I
shouted； 'haven't you got hold of the wrong animal？' but as I spoke they
disappeared into the woods。
〃In a minute they bothappeared again； and then it was that I began to
laugh。 I could not stop。 It almost killed me。 The deer jumped the
longest jumps I ever saw。 Tamedokah walked the longest paces and was
very swift。 His hair was whipping the trees as they went by。 Water poured
down his face。 I stood bent forward be… cause I could not straighten my
back…bone； and was ready to fall when they again disappeared。
〃When they came out for the third time it seemed as if the woods and
the meadow were mov… ing too。 Tamedokah skipped across the opening
as if he were a grasshopper learning to hop。 I fell down。
〃When I came to he was putting water on my face and head； but when
I looked at him I fell again； and did not know anything until the sun had
passed the mid…sky。
The company was kept roaring all the way through this account； while
Tamedokah himself heartily joined in the mirth。
〃Ho； ho； ho！〃 they said； 〃he has made his name famous in our annals。
This will be told of him henceforth。〃
〃It reminds me of Chadozee's bear story；〃 said one。
〃His was more thrilling； because it was really dangerous；〃 interposed
another。
〃You can tell it to us； Bobdoo；〃 remarked a third。
The man thus addressed made no immediate reply。 He was smoking
contentedly。 At last he silently returned the pipe to Matogee； with whom
it had begun its rounds。 Deliberately he tight… ened his robe around him；
saying as he did so：
〃Ho （Yes）。 I was with him。 It was by a very little that he saved his
life。 I will tell you how it happened。
〃I was hunting with these two men； Nageedah and Chadozee。 We
came to some wild cherry bushes。 I began to eat of the fruit when I saw a
large silver…tip crawling toward us。 'Look out！ there is a grizzly here；' I
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shouted； and I ran my pony out on to the prairie； but the others had already
dismounted。
〃Nageedah had just time to jump upon his pony and get out of the way；
but the bear seized hold of his robe and pulled it off。 Chado… zee stood
upon the verge of a steep bank； below which there ran a deep and swift…
flowing stream。 The bear rushed upon him so suddenly that when he took
a step backward； they both fell into the creek together。 It was a fall of
about twice the height of a man。〃
〃Did they go out of sight？〃 some one in… quired。
〃Yes； both fell headlong。 In his excitement Chadozee laid hold of the
bear in the water； and I never saw a bear try so hard to get away from a
man as this one did。〃
〃Ha； ha； ha！ ha； ha； ha！〃 they all laughed。
〃When they came to the surface again they were both so eager to get to
the shore that each let go； and they swam as quickly as they could to
opposite sides。 Chadozee could not get any further； so he clung to a stray
root； still keeping a close watch of the bear； who was forced to do the
same。 There they both hung； regarding each other with looks of
contempt and defiance。〃
〃Ha； ha； ha！ ha； ha； ha！〃 they all laughed again。
〃At last the bear swam along the edge to a lower place； and we pulled
Chadozee up by means of our lariats。 All this time he had been groan…
ing so loud that we supposed he was badly torn； but when I looked for his
wounds I found a mere scratch。〃
Again the chorus of appreciation from his hearers。
〃The strangest thing about this affair of mine；〃 spoke up Tamedokah；
〃is that I dreamed the whole thing the night before。〃
〃There are some dreams come true； and I am a believer in dreams；〃
one remarked。
〃Yes； certainly； so are we all。 You know Hachah almost lost his life
by believing in dreams；〃 commented Matogee。
〃Let us hear that story；〃 was the general re… quest。
〃You have all heard of Hachah； the great medicine man； who did many
wonderful things。 He once dreamed four nights in succession of fly… ing
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from a high cliff over the Minnesota river。 He recollected every
particular of the scene； and it made a great impression upon his mind。
〃The next day after he had dreamed it for the fourth time； he proposed
to his wife that they go down to the river to swim； but his real purpose was
to see the place of his dream。
〃He did find the place； and it seemed to Ha… chah exactly like。 A
crooked tree grew out of the top of the cliff； and the water below was very
deep。〃
〃Did he really fly？〃 I called impatiently from the doorway； where I had
been listening and laugh… ing with the rest。
〃Ugh； that is what I shall tell you。 He was swimming about with his
wife； who was a fine swimmer； but all at once Hachah disappeared。
Presently he stood upon the very tree that he had seen in his dream； and
gazed out over the water。 The tree was very springy； and Hachah felt
sure that he could fly； so before long he launched bravely forth from the
cliff。 He kicked out vigor… ously and swung both arms as he did so； but
nevertheless he came down to the bottom of the water like a crow that had
been shot on the wing。〃
〃Ho； ho； ho！ Ho； ho； ho！〃 and the whole company laughed
unreservedly。
〃His wife screamed loudly as Hachah whirled downward and went out
of sight like a blue heron after a fish。 Then she feared he might be
stunned； so she swam to him and dragged him to the shore。 He could not
speak； but the woman over… whelmed him with reproaches。
〃'What are you trying to do； you old idiot？ Do you want to kill
yourself？' she screamed again and again。
〃'Woman； be silent；' he replied； and he said nothing more。 He did not
tell his dream for many years afterward。 Not until he was a very old man
and about to die； did Hachah tell any one how he thought he could fly。〃
And at this they all laughed louder than ever。
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XII First Impressions of
Civilization
I WAS scarcely old enough to know anything definite about the 〃Big
Knives；〃 as we called the white men； when the terrible Minnesota
massacre broke up our home and I was carried into exile。 I have al… ready
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
First Impressions of Civilization 281
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？〃
