indian heroes & great chieftains-第20章

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hostages　for　their　return。　　He　refused。　　〃Three　men；〃　said　he；　〃who

are　traveling　over　wild　country　can　hide　so　that　they　cannot　be

found。　　You　would　never　get　back　these　three；　and　you　would　keep　my

men　prisoners　always。〃



The　agent　then　threatened　if　the　ten　men　were　not　given　up　to

withhold　their　rations　and　starve　the　entire　tribe　into　submission。　

He　forgot　that　he　was　addressing　a　Cheyenne。　　These　people　had　not

understood　that　they　were　prisoners　when　they　agreed　to　friendly

relations　with　the　government　and　came　upon　the　reservation。　

Little　Wolf　stood　up　and　shook　hands　with　all　present　before　making

his　final　deliberate　address。



〃Listen；　my　friends；　I　am　a　friend　of　the　white　people　and

have　been　so　for　a　long　time。　　I　do　not　want　to　see　blood　spilt

about　this　agency。　　I　am　going　north　to　my　own　country。　　If　you　are

going　to　send　your　soldiers　after　me；　I　wish　you　would　let　us　get

a　little　distance　away。　　Then　if　you　want　to　fight；　I　will　fight

you；　and　we　can　make　the　ground　bloody　at　that　place。〃



The　Cheyenne　was　not　bluffing。　　He　said　just　what　he　meant；

and　I　presume　the　agent　took　the　hint；　for　although　the　military

were　there　they　did　not　undertake　to　prevent　the　Indians'

departure。　　Next　morning　the　teepees　were　pulled　down　early　and

quickly。　　Toward　evening　of　the　second　day；　the　scouts　signaled　the

approach　of　troops。　　Little　Wolf　called　his　men　together　and

advised　them　under　no　circumstances　to　fire　until　fired　upon。　　An

Arapahoe　scout　was　sent　to　them　with　a　message。　　〃If　you　surrender

now；　you　will　get　your　rations　and　be　well　treated。〃　　After　what

they　had　endured；　it　was　impossible　not　to　hear　such　a　promise　with

contempt。　　Said　Little　Wolf：　〃We　are　going　back　to　our　own　country。　

We　do　not　want　to　fight。〃　　He　was　riding　still　nearer　when　the

soldiers　fired；　and　at　a　signal　the　Cheyennes　made　a　charge。　　They

succeeded　in　holding　off　the　troops　for　two　days；　with　only　five

men　wounded　and　none　killed；　and　when　the　military　retreated　the

Indians　continued　northward　carrying　their　wounded。



This　sort　of　thing　was　repeated　again　and　again。　　Meanwhile

Little　Wolf　held　his　men　under　perfect　control。　　There　were

practically　no　depredations。　　They　secured　some　boxes　of　ammunition

left　behind　by　retreating　troops；　and　at　one　point　the　young　men

were　eager　to　follow　and　destroy　an　entire　command　who　were

apparently　at　their　mercy；　but　their　leader　withheld　them。　　They

had　now　reached　the　buffalo　country；　and　he　always　kept　his　main

object　in　sight。　　He　was　extraordinarily　calm。　　Doctor　Grinnell　was

told　by　one　of　his　men　years　afterward：　〃Little　Wolf　did　not　seem

like　a　human　being。　　He　seemed　like　a　bear。〃　　It　is　true　that　a　man

of　his　type　in　a　crisis　becomes　spiritually　transformed　and　moves

as　one　in　a　dream。



At　the　Running　Water　the　band　divided；　Dull　Knife　going　toward

Red　Cloud　agency。　　He　was　near　Fort　Robinson　when　he　surrendered

and　met　his　sad　fate。　　Little　Wolf　remained　all　winter　in　the　Sand

Hills；　where　there　was　plenty　of　game　and　no　white　men。　　Later　he

went　to　Montana　and　then　to　Pine　Ridge；　where　he　and　his　people

remained　in　peace　until　they　were　removed　to　Lame　Deer；　Montana；

and　there　he　spent　the　remainder　of　his　days。　　There　is　a　clear　sky

beyond　the　clouds　of　racial　prejudice；　and　in　that　final　Court　of

Honor　a　noble　soul　like　that　of　Little　Wolf　has　a　place。







HOLE…IN…THE…DAY



＇I　wish　to　thank　Reverend　C。　H。　Beaulieu　of　Le　Soeur；

Minnesota；　for　much　of　the　material　used　in　this　chapter。＇



In　the　beginning　of　the　nineteenth　century；　the　Indian　nations　of

the　Northwest　first　experienced　the　pressure　of　civilization。　　At

this　period　there　were　among　them　some　brilliant　leaders　unknown　to

history；　for　the　curious　reason　that　they　cordially　received　and

welcomed　the　newcomers　rather　than　opposed　them。　　The　only

difficulties　were　those　arising　among　the　European　nations

themselves；　and　often　involving　the　native　tribes。　　Thus　new

environments　brought　new　motives；　and　our　temptations　were

increased　manyfold　with　the　new　weapons；　new　goods；　and　above　all

the　subtly　destructive　〃spirit　water。〃



Gradually　it　became　known　that　the　new　race　had　a　definite

purpose；　and　that　purpose　was　to　chart　and　possess　the　whole

country；　regardless　of　the　rights　of　its　earlier　inhabitants。　Still

the　old　chiefs　cautioned　their　people　to　be　patient；　for；　said

they；　the　land　is　vast；　both　races　can　live　on　it；　each　in　their

own　way。　　Let　us　therefore　befriend　them　and　trust　to　their

friendship。　　While　they　reasoned　thus；　the　temptations　of　graft　and

self…aggrandizement　overtook　some　of　the　leaders。



Hole…in…the…Day　（or　Bug…o…nay…ki…shig）　was　born　in　the　opening

days　of　this　era。　　The　word　〃ki…shig〃　means　either　〃day〃　or　〃sky〃；

and　the　name　is　perhaps　more　correctly　translated　Hole…in…the…Sky。　

This　gifted　man　inherited　his　name　and　much　of　his　ability　from　his

father；　who　was　a　war　chief　among　the　Ojibways；　a　Napoleon　of　the

common　people；　and　who　carried　on　a　relentless　warfare　against　the

Sioux。　　And　yet；　as　was　our　custom　at　the　time；　peaceful　meetings

were　held　every　summer；　at　which　representatives　of　the　two　tribes

would　recount　to　one　another　all　the　events　that　had　come　to　pass

during　the　preceding　year。



Hole…in…the…Day　the　younger　was　a　handsome　man；　tall　and

symmetrically　formed；　with　much　grace　of　manner　and　natural

refinement。　　He　was　an　astute　student　of　diplomacy。　　The　Ojibways

allowed　polygamy；　and　whether　or　not　he　approved　the　principle；　he

made　political　use　of　it　by　marrying　the　daughter　of　a　chief　in

nearly　every　band。　　Through　these　alliances　he　held　a　controlling

influence　over　the　whole　Ojibway　nation。　　Reverend　Claude　H。

Beaulieu　says　of　him：



〃Hole…in…the…Day　was　a　man　of　distinguished　appearance　and

native　courtliness　of　manner。　　His　voice　was　musical　and　magnetic；

and　with　these　qualities　he　had　a　subtle　brain；　a　logical　mind；　and

quite　a　remarkable　gift　of　oratory。　　In　speech　he　was　not

impassioned；　but　clear　and　convincing；　and　held　fast　the　attention

of　his　hearers。〃



It　is　of　interest　to　note　that　his　everyday　name　among　his

tribesmen　was　〃The　Boy。〃　　What　a　boy　he　must　have　been！　　I　wonder

if　the　name　had　the　same　significance　as　with　the　Sioux；　who

applied　it　to　any　man　who　performs　a　difficult　duty　with　alertness；

dash；　and　natural　courage。　　〃The　Man〃　applies　to　one　who　adds　to

these　qualities　wisdom　and　maturity　of　judgment。



The　Sioux　tell　many　stories　of　both　the　elder　and　the　younger

Hole…in…the…Day。　　Once　when　The　Boy　was　still　under　ten　years　of

age；　he　was　fishing　on　Gull　Lake　in　a　leaky　birch…bark　canoe。　

Presently　there　came　such　a　burst　of　frantic　warwhoops　that　his

father　was　startled。　　He　could　not　think　of　anything　but　an　attack

by　the　dreaded　Sioux。　　Seizing　his　weapons；　he　ran　to　the　rescue　of

his　son；　only　to　find　that　the　little　fellow　had　caught　a　fish　so

large　that　it　was　pulling　his　canoe　all　over　the　lake。　　〃Ugh；〃

exclaimed　the　father；　〃if　a　mere　fish　scares　you　so　badly；　I　fear

you　will　never　make　a　warrior！



It　is　told　of　him　that　when　he　was　very　small；　the　father　once

brought　home　two　bear　cubs　and　gave　them　to　him　for　pets。　　The　Boy

was　feeding　and　getting　acquainted　with　them　outside　his　mother's

birch…bark　teepee；　when　suddenly　he　was　heard　to　yell　for　help。　

The　two　little　bears　had　treed　The　Boy　and　were　waltzing　around　the

tree。　　His　mother　scared　them　off；　but　again　the　father　laughed　at

him　for　thinking　that　he　could　climb　trees　better　than　a　bear。



The　elder　Hole…in…the…Day　was　a　daring　warrior　and　once

attacked　and　scalped　a　Sioux　who　was　carrying　his　pelts　to　the

trading　post；　in　full　sight　of　his　friends。　　Of　course　he　was

instantly　pursued；　and　he　leaped　into　a　canoe　which　was　lying　near

by　and　crossed　to　an　island　in　the　Mississippi　River　near　Fort

Snelling。　　When　almost　surrounded　by　Sioux　warriors；　he　left　the

canoe　and　swam　along　the　shore　with　only　his　nose　above　water；　but

as　they　were　about　to　head　him　off　he　landed　and　hid　behind　the

falling　sheet　of　water　known　as　Minnehaha　Falls；　thus　saving　his

life。



It　often　happens　that　one　who　offers　his　life　freely　will

after　all　die　a　natural　death。　　The　elder　Hole…in…the…Day　so　died

when　The　Boy　was　still　a　youth。　　Like　Philip　of　Massachusetts；

Chief　Joseph　the　younger；　and　the　brilliant　Osceola；　the　mantle

fell　gracefully　upon　his　shoulders；　and　he　wore　it　during　a　short

but　eventful　term　of　chieftainship。　　It　was　his　to　see　the　end　of

the　original　democracy　on　this　continent。　　The　clouds　were　fast

thickening　on　the　eastern　horizon。　　The　day　of　individualism　and

equity　between　man　and　man　must　yield　to　the　terrific　forces　of

civilization；　the　mass　play　of　materialism；　the　cupidity　of

commerce　with　its　twin　brother　politics。　　Under　such　conditions　the

younger　Hole…in…the…Day　undertook　to　guide　his　tribesmen。　　At　first

they　were　inclined　to　doubt　the　wisdom　of　so　young　a　leader；　but　he

soon　proved　a　ready　student　of　his　people's　traditions；　and　yet；

like　Spotted　Tail　and　Little　Crow；　he　adopted　too　willingly　the

white　man's　politics。　　He　maintained　the　territory　won　from　the

Sioux　by　his　predecessors。　　He　negotiated　treaties　with　the　ability

of　a　born　diplomat；　with　one　exception；　and　that　exception　cost　him

his　life。



Like　other　able　Indians　who　foresaw　the　inevitable　downfall　of

their　race；　he　favored　a　gradual　change　of　customs　leading　to

complete　adoption　of　the　white　man's　ways。　　In　order　to　accustom

the　people　to　a　new　standard；　he　held　that　the　chiefs　must　have

authority　and　must　be　given　compensation　for　their　services。　　This

was　a　serious　departure　from　the　old　rule　but　was　tacitly　accepted；

and　in　every　treaty　he　made　there　was　provision　for　himself　in　the

way　of　a　land　grant　or　a　cash　payment。　　He　early　departed　from　the

old　idea　of　joint　ownership　with　the　Lake　Superior　Ojibways；

because　he　foresaw　that　it　would　cause　no　end　of　trouble　for　the

Mississippi　River　branch　of　which　he　was　then　the　recognized　head。　

But　there　were　difficulties　to　come　with　the　Leech　Lake　and　Red

Lake　bands；　who　held　aloof　from　his　policy；　and　the　question　of

boundaries　began　to　arise。



In　the　first　treaty　negotiated　with　the　government　by　young

Hole…in…the…Day　in　1855；　a　〃surplus〃　was　provided　for　the　chiefs

aside　from　the　regular　per　capita　payment；　and　this　surplus　was　to

be　distributed　in　proportion　to　the　number　of　Indians　under　each。　

Hole…in…the…Day　had　by　far　the　largest　enrollment；　therefore　he　got

the　lion's　share　of　this　fund。　　Furthermore　he　received　another　sum

set　apart　for　the　use　of　the　〃head　chief〃；　and　these　things　did　not

look　right　to　the　tribe。　　In　the　very　next　treaty　he　provided

himself　with　an　annuity　of　one　thousand　dollars　for　twenty　years；

beside　a　section　of　land　near　the　village　of　Crow　Wing；　and　the

government　was