indian heroes & great chieftains-第12章

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there　was　general　hardship　and　dissatisfaction。　　Crazy　Horse　was

long　since　dead；　Spotted　Tail　had　fallen　at　the　hands　of　one　of　his

own　tribe；　Red　Cloud　had　become　a　feeble　old　man；　and　the

disaffected　among　the　Sioux　began　once　more　to　look　to　Sitting　Bull

for　leadership。



At　this　crisis　a　strange　thing　happened。　　A　half…breed　Indian

in　Nevada　promulgated　the　news　that　the　Messiah　had　appeared　to　him

upon　a　peak　in　the　Rockies；　dressed　in　rabbit　skins；　and　bringing

a　message　to　the　red　race。　　The　message　was　to　the　effect　that

since　his　first　coming　had　been　in　vain；　since　the　white　people　had

doubted　and　reviled　him；　had　nailed　him　to　the　cross；　and　trampled

upon　his　doctrines；　he　had　come　again　in　pity　to　save　the　Indian。　

He　declared　that　he　would　cause　the　earth　to　shake　and　to　overthrow

the　cities　of　the　whites　and　destroy　them；　that　the　buffalo　would

return；　and　the　land　belong　to　the　red　race　forever！　　These　events

were　to　come　to　pass　within　two　years；　and　meanwhile　they　were　to

prepare　for　his　coming　by　the　ceremonies　and　dances　which　he

commanded。



This　curious　story　spread　like　wildfire　and　met　with　eager

acceptance　among　the　suffering　and　discontented　people。　　The

teachings　of　Christian　missionaries　had　prepared　them　to　believe　in

a　Messiah；　and　the　prescribed　ceremonial　was　much　more　in　accord

with　their　traditions　than　the　conventional　worship　of　the

churches。　　Chiefs　of　many　tribes　sent　delegations　to　the　Indian

prophet；　Short　Bull；　Kicking　Bear；　and　others　went　from　among　the

Sioux；　and　on　their　return　all　inaugurated　the　dances　at　once。　

There　was　an　attempt　at　first　to　keep　the　matter　secret；　but　it

soon　became　generally　known　and　seriously　disconcerted　the　Indian

agents　and　others；　who　were　quick　to　suspect　a　hostile　conspiracy

under　all　this　religious　enthusiasm。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　there

was　no　thought　of　an　uprising；　the　dancing　was　innocent　enough；　and

pathetic　enough　their　despairing　hope　in　a　pitiful　Saviour　who

should　overwhelm　their　oppressors　and　bring　back　their　golden　age。



When　the　Indians　refused　to　give　up　the　〃Ghost　Dance〃　at　the

bidding　of　the　authorities；　the　growing　suspicion　and　alarm　focused

upon　Sitting　Bull；　who　in　spirit　had　never　been　any　too　submissive；

and　it　was　determined　to　order　his　arrest。　　At　the　special　request

of　Major　McLaughlin；　agent　at　Standing　Rock；　forty　of　his　Indian

police　were　sent　out　to　Sitting　Bull's　home　on　Grand　River　to

secure　his　person　（followed　at　some　little　distance　by　a　body　of

United　States　troops　for　reinforcement；　in　case　of　trouble）。　　These

police　are　enlisted　from　among　the　tribesmen　at　each　agency；　and

have　proved　uniformly　brave　and　faithful。　　They　entered　the　cabin

at　daybreak；　aroused　the　chief　from　a　sound　slumber；　helped　him　to

dress；　and　led　him　unresisting　from　the　house；　but　when　he　came　out

in　the　gray　dawn　of　that　December　morning　in　1890；　to　find　his

cabin　surrounded　by　armed　men　and　himself　led　away　to　he　knew　not

what　fate；　he　cried　out　loudly：



〃They　have　taken　me：　what　say　you　to　it？〃



Men　poured　out　of　the　neighboring　houses；　and　in　a　few　minutes

the　police　were　themselves　surrounded　with　an　excited　and　rapidly

increasing　throng。　　They　harangued　the　crowd　in　vain；　Sitting

Bull's　blood　was　up；　and　he　again　appealed　to　his　men。　　His　adopted

brother；　the　Assiniboine　captive　whose　life　he　had　saved　so　many

years　before；　was　the　first　to　fire。　　His　shot　killed　Lieutenant

Bull　Head；　who　held　Sitting　Bull　by　the　arm。　　Then　there　was　a

short　but　sharp　conflict；　in　which　Sitting　Bull　and　six　of　his

defenders　and　six　of　the　Indian　police　were　slain；　with　many　more

wounded。　　The　chief's　young　son；　Crow　Foot；　and　his　devoted

〃brother〃　died　with　him。　　When　all　was　over；　and　the　terrified

people　had　fled　precipitately　across　the　river；　the　soldiers

appeared　upon　the　brow　of　the　long　hill　and　fired　their　Hotchkiss

guns　into　the　deserted　camp。



Thus　ended　the　life　of　a　natural　strategist　of　no　mean　courage

and　ability。　　The　great　chief　was　buried　without　honors　outside　the

cemetery　at　the　post；　and　for　some　years　the　grave　was　marked　by　a

mere　board　at　its　head。　　Recently　some　women　have　built　a　cairn　of

rocks　there　in　token　of　respect　and　remembrance。









RAIN…IN…THE…FACE





The　noted　Sioux　warrior；　Rain…in…the…Face；　whose　name　once　carried

terror　to　every　part　of　the　frontier；　died　at　his　home　on　the

Standing　Rock　reserve　in　North　Dakota　on　September　14；　1905。　　About

two　months　before　his　death　I　went　to　see　him　for　the　last　time；

where　he　lay　upon　the　bed　of　sickness　from　which　he　never　rose

again；　and　drew　from　him　his　life…history。



It　had　been　my　experience　that　you　cannot　induce　an　Indian　to

tell　a　story；　or　even　his　own　name；　by　asking　him　directly。



〃Friend；〃　I　said；　〃even　if　a　man　is　on　a　hot　trail；　he　stops

for　a　smoke！　　In　the　good　old　days；　before　the　charge　there　was　a

smoke。　　At　home；　by　the　fireside；　when　the　old　men　were　asked　to

tell　their　brave　deeds；　again　the　pipe　was　passed。　　So　come；　let　us

smoke　now　to　the　memory　of　the　old　days！〃



He　took　of　my　tobacco　and　filled　his　long　pipe；　and　we　smoked。　

Then　I　told　an　old　mirthful　story　to　get　him　in　the　humor　of

relating　his　own　history。



The　old　man　lay　upon　an　iron　bedstead；　covered　by　a　red

blanket；　in　a　corner　of　the　little　log　cabin。　　He　was　all　alone

that　day；　only　an　old　dog　lay　silent　and　watchful　at　his　master's

feet。



Finally　he　looked　up　and　said　with　a　pleasant　smile：



〃True；　friend；　it　is　the　old　custom　to　retrace　one's　trail

before　leaving　it　forever！　　I　know　that　I　am　at　the　door　of　the

spirit　home。



〃I　was　born　near　the　forks　of　the　Cheyenne　River；　about

seventy　years　ago。　　My　father　was　not　a　chief；　my　grandfather　was

not　a　chief；　but　a　good　hunter　and　a　feast…maker。　　On　my　mother's

side　I　had　some　noted　ancestors；　but　they　left　me　no　chieftainship。　

I　had　to　work　for　my　reputation。



〃When　I　was　a　boy；　I　loved　to　fight；〃　he　continued。　　〃In　all

our　boyish　games　I　had　the　name　of　being　hard　to　handle；　and　I　took

much　pride　in　the　fact。



〃I　was　about　ten　years　old　when　we　encountered　a　band　of

Cheyennes。　　They　were　on　friendly　terms　with　us；　but　we　boys

always　indulged　in　sham　fights　on　such　occasions；　and　this　time　I

got　in　an　honest　fight　with　a　Cheyenne　boy　older　than　I。　I　got　the

best　of　the　boy；　but　he　hit　me　hard　in　the　face　several　times；　and

my　face　was　all　spattered　with　blood　and　streaked　where　the　paint

had　been　washed　away。　　The　Sioux　boys　whooped　and　yelled：



〃'His　enemy　is　down；　and　his　face　is　spattered　as　if　with

rain！　　Rain…in…the…Face！　　His　name　shall　be　Rain…in…the…Face！'



〃Afterwards；　when　I　was　a　young　man；　we　went　on　a　warpath

against　the　Gros　Ventres。　　We　stole　some　of　their　horses；　but　were

overtaken　and　had　to　abandon　the　horses　and　fight　for　our　lives。　

I　had　wished　my　face　to　represent　the　sun　when　partly　covered　with

darkness；　so　I　painted　it　half　black；　half　red。　　We　fought　all　day

in　the　rain；　and　my　face　was　partly　washed　and　streaked　with　red

and　black：　so　again　I　was　christened　Rain…in…the…Face。　　We

considered　it　an　honorable　name。



〃I　had　been　on　many　warpaths；　but　was　not　especially

successful　until　about　the　time　the　Sioux　began　to　fight　with　the

white　man。　　One　of　the　most　daring　attacks　that　we　ever　made　was　at

Fort　Totten；　North　Dakota；　in　the　summer　of　1866。



〃Hohay；　the　Assiniboine　captive　of　Sitting　Bull；　was　the

leader　in　this　raid。　　Wapaypay；　the　Fearless　Bear；　who　was

afterward　hanged　at　Yankton；　was　the　bravest　man　among　us。　　He

dared　Hohay　to　make　the　charge。　　Hohay　accepted　the　challenge；　and

in　turn　dared　the　other　to　ride　with　him　through　the　agency　and

right　under　the　walls　of　the　fort；　which　was　well　garrisoned　and

strong。



〃Wapaypay　and　I　in　those　days　called　each　other

'brother…friend。'　It　was　a　life…and…death　vow。　　What　one　does　the

other　must　do；　and　that　meant　that　I　must　be　in　the　forefront　of

the　charge；　and　if　he　is　killed；　I　must　fight　until　I　die　also！



〃I　prepared　for　death。　　I　painted　as　usual　like　an　eclipse　of

the　sun；　half　black　and　half　red。〃



His　eyes　gleamed　and　his　face　lighted　up　remarkably　as　he

talked；　pushing　his　black　hair　back　from　his　forehead　with　a

nervous　gesture。



〃Now　the　signal　for　the　charge　was　given！　　I　started　even　with

Wapaypay；　but　his　horse　was　faster　than　mine；　so　he　left　me　a

little　behind　as　we　neared　the　fort。　　This　was　bad　for　me；　for　by

that　time　the　soldiers　had　somewhat　recovered　from　the　surprise

and　were　aiming　better。



〃Their　big　gun　talked　very　loud；　but　my　Wapaypay　was　leading

on；　leaning　forward　on　his　fleet　pony　like　a　flying　squirrel　on　a

smooth　log！　　He　held　his　rawhide　shield　on　the　right　side；　a　little

to　the　front；　and　so　did　I。　Our　warwhoop　was　like　the　coyotes

singing　in　the　evening；　when　they　smell　blood！



〃The　soldiers'　guns　talked　fast；　but　few　were　hurt。　　Their　big

gun　was　like　a　toothless　old　dog；　who　only　makes　himself　hotter　the

more　noise　he　makes；〃　he　remarked　with　some　humor。



〃How　much　harm　we　did　I　do　not　know；　but　we　made　things　lively

for　a　time；　and　the　white　men　acted　as　people　do　when　a　swarm　of

angry　bees　get　into　camp。　　We　made　a　successful　retreat；　but　some

of　the　reservation　Indians　followed　us　yelling；　until　Hohay　told

them　that　he　did　not　wish　to　fight　with　the　captives　of　the　white

man；　for　there　would　be　no　honor　in　that。　　There　was　blood　running

down　my　leg；　and　I　found　that　both　my　horse　and　I　were　slightly

wounded。



〃Some　two　years　later　we　attacked　a　fort　west　of　the　Black

Hills　＇Fort　Phil　Kearny；　Wyoming＇。　　It　was　there　we　killed　one

hundred　soldiers。〃　　＇The　military　reports　say　eighty　men；　under　the

command　of　Captain　Fetterman　　not　one　left　alive　to　tell　the

tale！＇　　〃Nearly　every　band　of　the　Sioux　nation　was　represented　in

that　fight　　Red　Cloud；　Spotted　Tail；　Crazy　Horse；　Sitting　Bull；

Big　Foot；　and　all　our　great　chiefs　were　there。　　Of　course　such　men

as　I　were　then　comparatively　unknown。　　However；　there　were　many

noted　young　warriors；　among　them　Sword；　the　younger

Young…Man…Afraid；　American　Horse　＇afterward　chief＇；　Crow　King；　and

others。



〃This　was　the　plan　decided　upon　after　many　councils。　　The　main

war　party　lay　in　ambush；　and　a　few　of　the　bravest　young　men　were

appointed　to　attack　the　woodchoppers　who　were　cutting　logs　to

complete　the　building　of　the　fort。　　We　were　told　not　to　kill　these

men；　but　to　chase　them　into　the　fort　and　retreat　slowly；　defying

the　white　men；　and　if　the　soldiers　should　follow；　we　were　to　lead

them　into　the　ambush。　　They　took　our　bait　exactly　as　we　had　hoped！

It　was　a　matter　of　a　very　few　minutes；　for　every　soldier　lay　dead

in　a　shorter　time　than　it　takes　to　annihilate　a　small　herd　of

buffalo。



〃This　attack　was　hastened　because　most　of　the　Sioux　on　the

Missouri　River　and　eastward