indian heroes & great chieftains-第1章

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Indian　Heroes　and　Great　Chieftains



by　Charles　A。　Eastman














CONTENTS





　1。　　RED　CLOUD

　2。　　SPOTTED　TAIL

　3。　　LITTLE　CROW

　4。　　TAMAHAY

　5。　　GALL

　6。　　CRAZY　HORSE

　7。　　SITTING　BULL

　8。　　RAIN…IN…THE…FACE

　9。　　TWO　STRIKE

10。　　AMERICAN　HORSE

11。　　DULL　KNIFE

12。　　ROMAN　NOSE

13。　　CHIEF　JOSEPH

14。　　LITTLE　WOLF

15。　　HOLE…IN…THE…DAY


















RED　CLOUD





EVERY　age；　every　race；　has　its　leaders　and　heroes。　　There　were　over

sixty　distinct　tribes　of　Indians　on　this　continent；　each　of　which

boasted　its　notable　men。　　The　names　and　deeds　of　some　of　these　men

will　live　in　American　history；　yet　in　the　true　sense　they　are

unknown；　because　misunderstood。　　I　should　like　to　present　some　of

the　greatest　chiefs　of　modern　times　in　the　light　of　the　native

character　and　ideals；　believing　that　the　American　people　will

gladly　do　them　tardy　justice。



It　is　matter　of　history　that　the　Sioux　nation；　to　which　I

belong；　was　originally　friendly　to　the　Caucasian　peoples　which　it

met　in　succession…first；　to　the　south　the　Spaniards；　then　the

French；　on　the　Mississippi　River　and　along　the　Great　Lakes；　later

the　English；　and　finally　the　Americans。　　This　powerful　tribe　then

roamed　over　the　whole　extent　of　the　Mississippi　valley；　between

that　river　and　the　Rockies。　　Their　usages　and　government　united　the

various　bands　more　closely　than　was　the　case　with　many　of　the

neighboring　tribes。



During　the　early　part　of　the　nineteenth　century；　chiefs　such

as　Wabashaw；　Redwing；　and　Little　Six　among　the　eastern　Sioux；

Conquering　Bear；　Man…Afraid…of…His…Horse；　and　Hump　of　the　western

bands；　were　the　last　of　the　old　type。　　After　these；　we　have　a

coterie　of　new　leaders；　products　of　the　new　conditions　brought

about　by　close　contact　with　the　conquering　race。



This　distinction　must　be　borne　in　mind　　that　while　the　early

chiefs　were　spokesmen　and　leaders　in　the　simplest　sense；　possessing

no　real　authority；　those　who　headed　their　tribes　during　the

transition　period　were　more　or　less　rulers　and　more　or　less

politicians。　　It　is　a　singular　fact　that　many　of　the　〃chiefs〃；　well

known　as　such　to　the　American　public；　were　not　chiefs　at　all

according　to　the　accepted　usages　of　their　tribesmen。　　Their

prominence　was　simply　the　result　of　an　abnormal　situation；　in　which

representatives　of　the　United　States　Government　made　use　of　them

for　a　definite　purpose。　　In　a　few　cases；　where　a　chief　met　with　a

violent　death；　some　ambitious　man　has　taken　advantage　of　the

confusion　to　thrust　himself　upon　the　tribe　and；　perhaps　with

outside　help；　has　succeeded　in　usurping　the　leadership。



Red　Cloud　was　born　about　1820　near　the　forks　of　the　Platte

River。　　He　was　one　of　a　family　of　nine　children　whose　father；　an

able　and　respected　warrior；　reared　his　son　under　the　old　Spartan

regime。　　The　young　Red　Cloud　is　said　to　have　been　a　fine　horseman；

able　to　swim　across　the　Missouri　and　Yellowstone　rivers；　of　high

bearing　and　unquestionable　courage；　yet　invariably　gentle　and

courteous　in　everyday　life。　　This　last　trait；　together　with　a

singularly　musical　and　agreeable　voice；　has　always　been

characteristic　of　the　man。



When　he　was　about　six　years　old；　his　father　gave　him　a

spirited　colt；　and　said　to　him：



〃My　son；　when　you　are　able　to　sit　quietly　upon　the　back　of

this　colt　without　saddle　or　bridle；　I　shall　be　glad；　for　the　boy

who　can　win　a　wild　creature　and　learn　to　use　it　will　as　a　man　be

able　to　win　and　rule　men。〃



The　little　fellow；　instead　of　going　for　advice　and　help　to　his

grandfather；　as　most　Indian　boys　would　have　done；　began　quietly　to

practice　throwing　the　lariat。　　In　a　little　while　he　was　able　to

lasso　the　colt。　　He　was　dragged　off　his　feet　at　once；　but　hung　on；

and　finally　managed　to　picket　him　near　the　teepee。　　When　the　big

boys　drove　the　herd　of　ponies　to　water；　he　drove　his　colt　with　the

rest。　　Presently　the　pony　became　used　to　him　and　allowed　himself　to

be　handled。　　The　boy　began　to　ride　him　bareback；　he　was　thrown　many

times；　but　persisted　until　he　could　ride　without　even　a　lariat；

sitting　with　arms　folded　and　guiding　the　animal　by　the　movements　of

his　body。　　From　that　time　on　he　told　me　that　he　broke　all　his　own

ponies；　and　before　long　his　father's　as　well。



The　old　men；　his　contemporaries；　have　often　related　to　me　how

Red　Cloud　was　always　successful　in　the　hunt　because　his　horses　were

so　well　broken。　　At　the　age　of　nine；　he　began　to　ride　his　father's

pack　pony　upon　the　buffalo　hunt。　　He　was　twelve　years　old；　he　told

me；　when　he　was　first　permitted　to　take　part　in　the　chase；　and

found　to　his　great　mortification　that　none　of　his　arrows　penetrated

more　than　a　few　inches。　　Excited　to　recklessness；　he　whipped　his

horse　nearer　the　fleeing　buffalo；　and　before　his　father　knew　what

he　was　about；　he　had　seized　one　of　the　protruding　arrows　and　tried

to　push　it　deeper。　　The　furious　animal　tossed　his　massive　head

sidewise；　and　boy　and　horse　were　whirled　into　the　air。　

Fortunately；　the　boy　was　thrown　on　the　farther　side　of　his　pony；

which　received　the　full　force　of　the　second　attack。　　The　thundering

hoofs　of　the　stampeded　herd　soon　passed　them　by；　but　the　wounded

and　maddened　buffalo　refused　to　move；　and　some　critical　moments

passed　before　Red　Cloud's　father　succeeded　in　attracting　its

attention　so　that　the　boy　might　spring　to　his　feet　and　run　for　his

life。



I　once　asked　Red　Cloud　if　he　could　recall　having　ever　been

afraid；　and　in　reply　he　told　me　this　story。　　He　was　about　sixteen

years　old　and　had　already　been　once　or　twice　upon　the　warpath；　when

one　fall　his　people　were　hunting　in　the　Big　Horn　country；　where

they　might　expect　trouble　at　any　moment　with　the　hostile　Crows　or

Shoshones。　　Red　Cloud　had　followed　a　single　buffalo　bull　into　the

Bad　Lands　and　was　out　of　sight　and　hearing　of　his　companions。　　When

he　had　brought　down　his　game；　he　noted　carefully　every　feature　of

his　surroundings　so　that　he　might　at　once　detect　anything　unusual；

and　tied　his　horse　with　a　long　lariat　to　the　horn　of　the　dead

bison；　while　skinning　and　cutting　up　the　meat　so　as　to　pack　it　to

camp。　　Every　few　minutes　he　paused　in　his　work　to　scrutinize　the

landscape；　for　he　had　a　feeling　that　danger　was　not　far　off。



Suddenly；　almost　over　his　head；　as　it　seemed；　he　heard　a

tremendous　war　whoop；　and　glancing　sidewise；　thought　he　beheld

the　charge　of　an　overwhelming　number　of　warriors。　　He　tried

desperately　to　give　the　usual　undaunted　war　whoop　in　reply；　but

instead　a　yell　of　terror　burst　from　his　lips；　his　legs　gave　way

under　him；　and　he　fell　in　a　heap。　　When　he　realized；　the　next

instant；　that　the　war　whoop　was　merely　the　sudden　loud　whinnying　of

his　own　horse；　and　the　charging　army　a　band　of　fleeing　elk；　he　was

so　ashamed　of　himself　that　he　never　forgot　the　incident；　although

up　to　that　time　he　had　never　mentioned　it。　　His　subsequent　career

would　indicate　that　the　lesson　was　well　learned。



The　future　leader　was　still　a　very　young　man　when　he　joined　a

war　party　against　the　Utes。　　Having　pushed　eagerly　forward　on　the

trail；　he　found　himself　far　in　advance　of　his　companions　as　night

came　on；　and　at　the　same　time　rain　began　to　fall　heavily。　　Among

the　scattered　scrub　pines；　the　lone　warrior　found　a　natural　cave；

and　after　a　hasty　examination；　he　decided　to　shelter　there　for　the

night。



Scarcely　had　he　rolled　himself　in　his　blanket　when　he　heard　a

slight　rustling　at　the　entrance；　as　if　some　creature　were　preparing

to　share　his　retreat。　　It　was　pitch　dark。　　He　could　see　nothing；　but

judged　that　it　must　be　either　a　man　or　a　grizzly。　　There　was　not

room　to　draw　a　bow。　　It　must　be　between　knife　and　knife；　or　between

knife　and　claws；　he　said　to　himself。



The　intruder　made　no　search　but　quietly　lay　down　in　the

opposite　corner　of　the　cave。　　Red　Cloud　remained　perfectly　still；

scarcely　breathing；　his　hand　upon　his　knife。　　Hour　after　hour　he

lay　broad　awake；　while　many　thoughts　passed　through　his　brain。　

Suddenly；　without　warning；　he　sneezed；　and　instantly　a　strong　man

sprang　to　a　sitting　posture　opposite。　　The　first　gray　of　morning

was　creeping　into　their　rocky　den；　and　behold！　a　Ute　hunter　sat

before　him。



Desperate　as　the　situation　appeared；　it　was　not　without　a　grim

humor。　　Neither　could　afford　to　take　his　eyes　from　the　other's；　the

tension　was　great；　till　at　last　a　smile　wavered　over　the

expressionless　face　of　the　Ute。　　Red　Cloud　answered　the　smile；　and

in　that　instant　a　treaty　of　peace　was　born　between　them。



〃Put　your　knife　in　its　sheath。　　I　shall　do　so　also；　and　we

will　smoke　together；〃　signed　Red　Cloud。　　The　other　assented　gladly；

and　they　ratified　thus　the　truce　which　assured　to　each　a　safe

return　to　his　friends。　　Having　finished　their　smoke；　they　shook

hands　and　separated。　　Neither　had　given　the　other　any　information。　

Red　Cloud　returned　to　his　party　and　told　his　story；　adding　that　he

had　divulged　nothing　and　had　nothing　to　report。　　Some　were　inclined

to　censure　him　for　not　fighting；　but　he　was　sustained　by　a　majority

of　the　warriors；　who　commended　his　self…restraint。　　In　a　day　or　two

they　discovered　the　main　camp　of　the　enemy　and　fought　a　remarkable

battle；　in　which　Red　Cloud　especially　distinguished　himself



The　Sioux　were　now　entering　upon　the　most　stormy　period　of

their　history。　　The　old　things　were　fast　giving　place　to　new。　　The

young　men；　for　the　first　time　engaging　in　serious　and　destructive

warfare　with　the　neighboring　tribes；　armed　with　the　deadly　weapons

furnished　by　the　white　man；　began　to　realize　that　they　must　soon

enter　upon　a　desperate　struggle　for　their　ancestral　hunting

grounds。　　The　old　men　had　been　innocently　cultivating　the

friendship　of　the　stranger；　saying　among　themselves；　〃Surely　there

is　land　enough　for　all！〃



Red　Cloud　was　a　modest　and　little　known　man　of　about

twenty…eight　years；　when　General　Harney　called　all　the　western

bands　of　Sioux　together　at　Fort　Laramie；　Wyoming；　for　the　purpose

of　securing　an　agreement　and　right　of　way　through　their　territory。　

The　Ogallalas　held　aloof　from　this　proposal；　but　Bear　Bull；　an

Ogallala　chief；　after　having　been　plied　with　whisky；　undertook　to

dictate　submission　to　the　rest　of　the　clan。　　Enraged　by　failure；　he

fired　upon　a　group　of　his　own　tribesmen；　and　Red　Cloud's　father　and

brother　fell　dead。　　According　to　Indian　custom；　it　fell　to　him　to

avenge　the　deed。　　Calmly；　without　uttering　a　word；　he　faced　old

Bear　Bull　and　his　son；　who　attempted　to　defend　his　father；　and　shot

them　both。　　He　did　what　he　believed　to　be　his　duty；　and　the　whole

band　sustained　him。　　Indeed；　the　tragedy　gave　the　young　man　at　once

a　certain　standing；　as　one　who　not　only　defended　his　people　against

enemies　from　without；　but　against　injustice　and　aggression　within

the　tribe。　　From　this　time　on　he　was　a　recognized　leader。



Man…Afraid…of…His…Horse；　then　head　chief　of　the　Og