indian heroes & great chieftains-第10章

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Under　these　circumstances　Crazy　Horse　again　showed　his

masterful　spirit　by　holding　these　young　men　in　check。　　He　said　to

them　in　his　quiet　way：　〃It　is　well　to　be　brave　in　the　field　of

battle；　it　is　cowardly　to　display　bravery　against　one's　own

tribesmen。　　These　scouts　have　been　compelled　to　do　what　they　did；

they　are　no　better　than　servants　of　the　white　officers。　　I　came

here　on　a　peaceful　errand。〃



The　captain　urged　him　to　report　at　army　headquarters　to

explain　himself　and　correct　false　rumors；　and　on　his　giving

consent；　furnished　him　with　a　wagon　and　escort。　　It　has　been　said

that　he　went　back　under　arrest；　but　this　is　untrue。　　Indians　have

boasted　that　they　had　a　hand　in　bringing　him　in；　but　their　stories

are　without　foundation。　　He　went　of　his　own　accord；　either

suspecting　no　treachery　or　determined　to　defy　it。



When　he　reached　the　military　camp；　Little　Big　Man　walked

arm…in…arm　with　him；　and　his　cousin　and　friend；　Touch…the…Cloud；

was　just　in　advance。　　After　they　passed　the　sentinel；　an　officer

approached　them　and　walked　on　his　other　side。　　He　was　unarmed　but

for　the　knife　which　is　carried　for　ordinary　uses　by　women　as　well

as　men。　　Unsuspectingly　he　walked　toward　the　guardhouse；　when

Touch…the…Cloud　suddenly　turned　back　exclaiming：　〃Cousin；　they　will

put　you　in　prison！〃



〃Another　white　man's　trick！　　Let　me　go！　　Let　me　die　fighting！〃

cried　Crazy　Horse。　　He　stopped　and　tried　to　free　himself　and　draw

his　knife；　but　both　arms　were　held　fast　by　Little　Big　Man　and　the

officer。　　While　he　struggled　thus；　a　soldier　thrust　him　through

with　his　bayonet　from　behind。　　The　wound　was　mortal；　and　he　died　in

the　course　of　that　night；　his　old　father　singing　the　death　song

over　him　and　afterward　carrying　away　the　body；　which　they　said

must　not　be　further　polluted　by　the　touch　of　a　white　man。　　They　hid

it　somewhere　in　the　Bad　Lands；　his　resting　place　to　this　day。



Thus　died　one　of　the　ablest　and　truest　American　Indians。　　His

life　was　ideal；　his　record　clean。　　He　was　never　involved　in　any　of

the　numerous　massacres　on　the　trail；　but　was　a　leader　in

practically　every　open　fight。　　Such　characters　as　those　of　Crazy

Horse　and　Chief　Joseph　are　not　easily　found　among　so…called

civilized　people。　　The　reputation　of　great　men　is　apt　to　be

shadowed　by　questionable　motives　and　policies；　but　here　are　two

pure　patriots；　as　worthy　of　honor　as　any　who　ever　breathed　God's

air　in　the　wide　spaces　of　a　new　world。









SITTING　BULL





IT　is　not　easy　to　characterize　Sitting　Bull；　of　all　Sioux　chiefs

most　generally　known　to　the　American　people。　　There　are　few　to　whom

his　name　is　not　familiar；　and　still　fewer　who　have　learned　to

connect　it　with　anything　more　than　the　conventional　notion　of　a

bloodthirsty　savage。　　The　man　was　an　enigma　at　best。　　He　was　not

impulsive；　nor　was　he　phlegmatic。　　He　was　most　serious　when　he

seemed　to　be　jocose。　　He　was　gifted　with　the　power　of　sarcasm；　and

few　have　used　it　more　artfully　than　he。



His　father　was　one　of　the　best…known　members　of　the　Unkpapa

band　of　Sioux。　　The　manner　of　this　man's　death　was　characteristic。　

One　day；　when　the　Unkpapas　were　attacked　by　a　large　war　party　of

Crows；　he　fell　upon　the　enemy's　war　leader　with　his　knife。　　In　a

hand…to…hand　combat　of　this　sort；　we　count　the　victor　as　entitled

to　a　war　bonnet　of　trailing　plumes。　　It　means　certain　death　to　one

or　both。　　In　this　case；　both　men　dealt　a　mortal　stroke；　and　Jumping

Buffalo；　the　father　of　Sitting　Bull；　fell　from　his　saddle　and　died

in　a　few　minutes。　　The　other　died　later　from　the　effects　of　the

wound。



Sitting　Bull's　boyhood　must　have　been　a　happy　one。　　It　was

long　after　the　day　of　the　dog…travaux；　and　his　father　owned　many

ponies　of　variegated　colors。　　It　was　said　of　him　in　a　joking　way

that　his　legs　were　bowed　like　the　ribs　of　the　ponies　that　he　rode

constantly　from　childhood。　　He　had　also　a　common　nickname　that　was

much　to　the　point。　　It　was　〃Hunkeshnee〃；　which　means　〃Slow〃；

referring　to　his　inability　to　run　fast；　or　more　probably　to　the

fact　that　he　seldom　appeared　on　foot。　　In　their　boyish　games　he　was

wont　to　take　the　part　of　the　〃old　man〃；　but　this　does　not　mean　that

he　was　not　active　and　brave。　　It　is　told　that　after　a　buffalo　hunt

the　boys　were　enjoying　a　mimic　hunt　with　the　calves　that　had　been

left　behind。　　A　large　calf　turned　viciously　on　Sitting　Bull；　whose

pony　had　thrown　him；　but　the　alert　youth　got　hold　of　both　ears　and

struggled　until　the　calf　was　pushed　back　into　a　buffalo　wallow　in

a　sitting　posture。　　The　boys　shouted：　〃He　has　subdued　the　buffalo

calf！　　He　made　it　sit　down！〃　　And　from　this　incident　was　derived

his　familiar　name　of　Sitting　Bull。



It　is　a　mistake　to　suppose　that　Sitting　Bull；　or　any　other

Indian　warrior；　was　of　a　murderous　disposition。　　It　is　true　that

savage　warfare　had　grown　more　and　more　harsh　and　cruel　since　the

coming　of　white　traders　among　them；　bringing　guns；　knives；　and

whisky。　　Yet　it　was　still　regarded　largely　as　a　　sort　of　game；

undertaken　in　order　to　develop　the　manly　qualities　of　their　youth。　

It　was　the　degree　of　risk　which　brought　honor；　rather　than　the

number　slain；　and　a　brave　must　mourn　thirty　days；　with　blackened

face　and　loosened　hair；　for　the　enemy　whose　life　he　had　taken。　

While　the　spoils　of　war　were　allowed；　this　did　not　extend　to

territorial　aggrandizement；　nor　was　there　any　wish　to　overthrow

another　nation　and　enslave　its　people。　　It　was　a　point　of　honor

in　the　old　days　to　treat　a　captive　with　kindness。　　The　common

impression　that　the　Indian　is　naturally　cruel　and　revengeful　is

entirely　opposed　to　his　philosophy　and　training。　　The　revengeful

tendency　of　the　Indian　was　aroused　by　the　white　man。　　It　is　not　the

natural　Indian　who　is　mean　and　tricky；　not　Massasoit　but　King

Philip；　not　Attackullakulla　but　Weatherford；　not　Wabashaw　but

Little　Crow；　not　Jumping　Buffalo　but　Sitting　Bull！　　These　men

lifted　their　hands　against　the　white　man；　while　their　fathers　held

theirs　out　to　him　with　gifts。



Remember　that　there　were　councils　which　gave　their　decisions

in　accordance　with　the　highest　ideal　of　human　justice　before　there

were　any　cities　on　this　continent；　before　there　were　bridges　to

span　the　Mississippi；　before　this　network　of　railroads　was　dreamed

of！　　There　were　primitive　communities　upon　the　very　spot　where

Chicago　or　New　York　City　now　stands；　where　men　were　as　children；

innocent　of　all　the　crimes　now　committed　there　daily　and　nightly。　

True　morality　is　more　easily　maintained　in　connection　with　the

simple　life。　　You　must　accept　the　truth　that　you　demoralize　any

race　whom　you　have　subjugated。



From　this　point　of　view　we　shall　consider　Sitting　Bull's

career。　　We　say　he　is　an　untutored　man：　that　is　true　so　far　as

learning　of　a　literary　type　is　concerned；　but　he　was　not　an

untutored　man　when　you　view　him　from　the　standpoint　of　his　nation。　

To　be　sure；　he　did　not　learn　his　lessons　from　books。　　This　is

second…hand　information　at　best。　　All　that　he　learned　he　verified

for　himself　and　put　into　daily　practice。　　In　personal　appearance　he

was　rather　commonplace　and　made　no　immediate　impression；　but　as　he

talked　he　seemed　to　take　hold　of　his　hearers　more　and　more。　　He　was

bull…headed；　quick　to　grasp　a　situation；　and　not　readily　induced　to

change　his　mind。　　He　was　not　suspicious　until　he　was　forced　to　be

so。　　All　his　meaner　traits　were　inevitably　developed　by　the　events

of　his　later　career。



Sitting　Bull's　history　has　been　written　many　times　by

newspaper　men　and　army　officers；　but　I　find　no　account　of　him　which

is　entirely　correct。　　I　met　him　personally　in　1884；　and　since　his

death　I　have　gone　thoroughly　into　the　details　of　his　life　with　his

relatives　and　contemporaries。　　It　has　often　been　said　that　he　was

a　physical　coward　and　not　a　warrior。　　Judge　of　this　for　yourselves

from　the　deed　which　first　gave　him　fame　in　his　own　tribe；　when　he

was　about　twenty…eight　years　old。



In　an　attack　upon　a　band　of　Crow　Indians；　one　of　the　enemy

took　his　stand；　after　the　rest　had　fled；　in　a　deep　ditch　from　

which　it　seemed　impossible　to　dislodge　him。　　The　situation　had

already　cost　the　lives　of　several　warriors；　but　they　could　not　let

him　go　to　repeat　such　a　boast　over　the　Sioux！



〃Follow　me！〃　said　Sitting　Bull；　and　charged。　　He　raced　his

horse　to　the　brim　of　the　ditch　and　struck　at　the　enemy　with　his

coup…staff；　thus　compelling　him　to　expose　himself　to　the　fire　of

the　others　while　shooting　his　assailant。　　But　the　Crow　merely　poked

his　empty　gun　into　his　face　and　dodged　back　under　cover。　　Then

Sitting　Bull　stopped；　he　saw　that　no　one　had　followed　him；　and　he

also　perceived　that　the　enemy　had　no　more　ammunition　left。　　He　rode

deliberately　up　to　the　barrier　and　threw　his　loaded　gun　over　it；

then　he　went　back　to　his　party　and　told　them　what　he　thought　of

them。



〃Now；〃　said　he；　〃I　have　armed　him；　for　I　will　not　see　a　brave

man　killed　unarmed。　　I　will　strike　him　again　with　my　coup…staff　to

count　the　first　feather；　who　will　count　the　second？〃



Again　he　led　the　charge；　and　this　time　they　all　followed　him。　

Sitting　Bull　was　severely　wounded　by　his　own　gun　in　the　hands　of

the　enemy；　who　was　killed　by　those　that　came　after　him。　　This　is　a

record　that　so　far　as　I　know　was　never　made　by　any　other　warrior。



The　second　incident　that　made　him　well　known　was　his　taking　of

a　boy　captive　in　battle　with　the　Assiniboines。　　He　saved　this　boy's

life　and　adopted　him　as　his　brother。　　Hohay；　as　he　was　called；　was

devoted　to　Sitting　Bull　and　helped　much　in　later　years　to　spread

his　fame。　　Sitting　Bull　was　a　born　diplomat；　a　ready　speaker；　and

in　middle　life　he　ceased　to　go　upon　the　warpath；　to　become　the

councilor　of　his　people。　　From　this　time　on；　this　man　represented

him　in　all　important　battles；　and　upon　every　brave　deed　done　was

wont　to　exclaim　aloud：



〃I；　Sitting　Bull's　boy；　do　this　in　his　name！〃



He　had　a　nephew；　now　living；　who　resembles　him　strongly；　and

who　also　represented　him　personally　upon　the　field；　and　so　far　as

there　is　any　remnant　left　of　his　immediate　band；　they　look　upon

this　man　One　Bull　as　their　chief。



When　Sitting　Bull　was　a　boy；　there　was　no　thought　of　trouble

with　the　whites。　　He　was　acquainted　with　many　of　the　early　traders；

Picotte；　Choteau；　Primeau；　Larpenteur；　and　others；　and　liked　them；

as　did　most　of　his　people　in　those　days。　　All　the　early　records

show　this　friendly　attitude　of　the　Sioux；　and　the　great　fur

companies　for　a　century　and　a　half　depended　upon　them　for　the　bulk

of　their　trade。　　It　was　not　until　the　middle　of　the　last　century

that　they　woke　up　all　of　a　sudden　to　the　danger　threatening　their

very　existence。　　Yet　at　that　time　many　of　the　old　chiefs　had　been

already　depraved　by　the　whisky　and　other　vices　of　the　whites；　and

in　the　vicinity　of　the　forts　and　trading　posts　at　Sioux　City；　Saint

Paul；　and　Cheyenne；　there　was　general　demoralization。　　The