indian heroes & great chieftains-第5章

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band。　　Although　still　young；　he　had　already　a　war　record　when　he

became　chief　of　the　Kaposias；　at　a　time　when　the　Sioux　were　facing

the　greatest　and　most　far…reaching　changes　that　had　ever　come　to

them。



At　this　juncture　in　the　history　of　the　northwest　and　its

native　inhabitants；　the　various　fur　companies　had　paramount

influence。　　They　did　not　hesitate　to　impress　the　Indians　with　the

idea　that　they　were　the　authorized　representatives　of　the　white

races　or　peoples；　and　they　were　quick　to　realize　the　desirability

of　controlling　the　natives　through　their　most　influential　chiefs。　

Little　Crow　became　quite　popular　with　post　traders　and　factors。　　He

was　an　orator　as　well　as　a　diplomat；　and　one　of　the　first　of　his　

nation　to　indulge　in　politics　and　promote　unstable　schemes　to　the

detriment　of　his　people。



When　the　United　States　Government　went　into　the　business　of

acquiring　territory　from　the　Indians　so　that　the　flood　of　western

settlement　might　not　be　checked；　commissions　were　sent　out　to

negotiate　treaties；　and　in　case　of　failure　it　often　happened　that

a　delegation　of　leading　men　of　the　tribe　were　invited　to

Washington。　　At　that　period；　these　visiting　chiefs；　attired　in　all

the　splendor　of　their　costumes　of　ceremony；　were　treated　like

ambassadors　from　foreign　countries。



One　winter　in　the　late　eighteen…fifties；　a　major　general　of

the　army　gave　a　dinner　to　the　Indian　chiefs　then　in　the　city；　and

on　this　occasion　Little　Crow　was　appointed　toastmaster。　　There　were

present　a　number　of　Senators　and　members　of　Congress；　as　well　as

judges　of　the　Supreme　Court；　cabinet　officers；　and　other

distinguished　citizens。　　When　all　the　guests　were　seated；　the　Sioux

arose　and　addressed　them　with　much　dignity　as　follows：



〃Warriors　and　friends：　I　am　informed　that　the　great　white　war

chief　who　of　his　generosity　and　comradeship　has　given　us　this

feast；　has　expressed　the　wish　that　we　may　follow　to…night　the

usages　and　customs　of　my　people。　　In　other　words；　this　is　a

warriors'　feast；　a　braves'　meal。　　I　call　upon　the　Ojibway　chief；

the　Hole…in…the…Day；　to　give　the　lone　wolf's　hunger　call；　after

which　we　will　join　him　in　our　usual　manner。〃



The　tall　and　handsome　Ojibway　now　rose　and　straightened　his

superb　form　to　utter　one　of　the　clearest　and　longest　wolf　howls

that　was　ever　heard　in　Washington；　and　at　its　close　came　a

tremendous　burst　of　war　whoops　that　fairly　rent　the　air；　and　no

doubt　electrified　the　officials　there　present。



On　one　occasion　Little　Crow　was　invited　by　the　commander　of

Fort　Ridgeley；　Minnesota；　to　call　at　the　fort。　　On　his　way　back；

in　company　with　a　half…breed　named　Ross　and　the　interpreter

Mitchell；　he　was　ambushed　by　a　party　of　Ojibways；　and　again

wounded　in　the　same　arm　that　had　been　broken　in　his　attempted

assassination。　　His　companion　Ross　was　killed；　but　he　managed

to　hold　the　war　party　at　bay　until　help　came　and　thus　saved　his

life。



More　and　more　as　time　passed；　this　naturally　brave　and

ambitious　man　became　a　prey　to　the　selfish　interests　of　the　traders

and　politicians。　　The　immediate　causes　of　the　Sioux　outbreak　of

1862　came　in　quick　succession　to　inflame　to　desperate　action　an

outraged　people。　　The　two　bands　on　the　so…called　〃lower

reservations〃　in　Minnesota　were　Indians　for　whom　nature　had

provided　most　abundantly　in　their　free　existence。　　After　one

hundred　and　fifty　years　of　friendly　intercourse　first　with　the

French；　then　the　English；　and　finally　the　Americans；　they　found

themselves　cut　off　from　every　natural　resource；　on　a　tract　of　land

twenty　miles　by　thirty；　which　to　them　was　virtual　imprisonment。　　By

treaty　stipulation　with　the　government；　they　were　to　be　fed　and

clothed；　houses　were　to　be　built　for　them；　the　men　taught

agriculture；　and　schools　provided　for　the　children。　　In　addition　to

this；　a　trust　fund　of　a　million　and　a　half　was　to　be　set　aside　for

them；　at　five　per　cent　interest；　the　interest　to　be　paid　annually

per　capita。　　They　had　signed　the　treaty　under　pressure；　believing

in　these　promises　on　the　faith　of　a　great　nation。



However；　on　entering　the　new　life；　the　resources　so　rosily

described　to　them　failed　to　materialize。　　Many　families　faced

starvation　every　winter；　their　only　support　the　store　of　the　Indian

trader；　who　was　baiting　his　trap　for　their　destruction。　　Very

gradually　they　awoke　to　the　facts。　　At　last　it　was　planned　to

secure　from　them　the　north　half　of　their　reservation　for

ninety…eight　thousand　dollars；　but　it　was　not　explained　to　the

Indians　that　the　traders　were　to　receive　all　the　money。　　Little

Crow　made　the　greatest　mistake　of　his　life　when　he　signed　this

agreement。



Meanwhile；　to　make　matters　worse；　the　cash　annuities　were　not

paid　for　nearly　two　years。　　Civil　War　had　begun。　　When　it　was

learned　that　the　traders　had　taken　all　of　the　ninety…eight　thousand

dollars　〃on　account〃；　there　was　very　bitter　feeling。　　In　fact；　the

heads　of　the　leading　stores　were　afraid　to　go　about　as　usual；　and

most　of　them　stayed　in　St。　Paul。　　Little　Crow　was　justly　held　in

part　responsible　for　the　deceit；　and　his　life　was　not　safe。



The　murder　of　a　white　family　near　Acton；　Minnesota；　by　a　party

of　Indian　duck　hunters　in　August；　1862；　precipitated　the　break。　

Messengers　were　sent　to　every　village　with　the　news；　and　at　the

villages　of　Little　Crow　and　Little　Six　the　war　council　was　red…hot。　

It　was　proposed　to　take　advantage　of　the　fact　that　north　and　south

were　at　war　to　wipe　out　the　white　settlers　and　to　regain　their

freedom。　　A　few　men　stood　out　against　such　a　desperate　step；　but

the　conflagration　had　gone　beyond　their　control。



There　were　many　mixed　bloods　among　these　Sioux；　and　some　of

the　Indians　held　that　these　were　accomplices　of　the　white　people　in

robbing　them　of　their　possessions；　therefore　their　lives　should　not

be　spared。　　My　father；　Many　Lightnings；　who　was　practically　the

leader　of　the　Mankato　band　（for　Mankato；　the　chief；　was　a　weak

man）；　fought　desperately　for　the　lives　of　the　half…breeds　and　the

missionaries。　　The　chiefs　had　great　confidence　in　my　father；　yet

they　would　not　commit　themselves；　since　their　braves　were　clamoring

for　blood。　　Little　Crow　had　been　accused　of　all　the　misfortunes　of

his　tribe；　and　he　now　hoped　by　leading　them　against　the　whites　to

regain　his　prestige　with　his　people；　and　a　part　at　least　of　their

lost　domain。



There　were　moments　when　the　pacifists　were　in　grave　peril。　　It

was　almost　daybreak　when　my　father　saw　that　the　approaching

calamity　could　not　be　prevented。　　He　and　two　others　said　to　Little

Crow：　〃If　you　want　war；　you　must　personally　lead　your　men

to…morrow。　　We　will　not　murder　women　and　children；　but　we　will

fight　the　soldiers　when　they　come。〃　　They　then　left　the　council　and

hastened　to　warn　my　brother…in…law；　Faribault；　and　others　who　were

in　danger。



Little　Crow　declared　he　would　be　seen　in　the　front　of　every

battle；　and　it　is　true　that　he　was　foremost　in　all　the　succeeding

bloodshed；　urging　his　warriors　to　spare　none。　　He　ordered　his　war

leader；　Many　Hail；　to　fire　the　first　shot；　killing　the　trader　James

Lynd；　in　the　door　of　his　store。



After　a　year　of　fighting　in　which　he　had　met　with　defeat；　the

discredited　chief　retreated　to　Fort　Garry；　now　Winnipeg；　Manitoba；

where；　together　with　Standing　Buffalo；　he　undertook　secret

negotiations　with　his　old　friends　the　Indian　traders。　　There　was

now　a　price　upon　his　head；　but　he　planned　to　reach　St。　Paul

undetected　and　there　surrender　himself　to　his　friends；　who　he　hoped

would　protect　him　in　return　for　past　favors。　　It　is　true　that　he

had　helped　them　to　secure　perhaps　the　finest　country　held　by　any

Indian　nation　for　a　mere　song。



He　left　Canada　with　a　few　trusted　friends；　including　his

youngest　and　favorite　son。　　When　within　two　or　three　days'　journey

of　St。　Paul；　he　told　the　others　to　return；　keeping　with　him　only

his　son；　Wowinape；　who　was　but　fifteen　years　of　age。　　He　meant　to

steal　into　the　city　by　night　and　go　straight　to　Governor　Ramsey；

who　was　his　personal　friend。　　He　was　very　hungry　and　was　obliged　to

keep　to　the　shelter　of　the　deep　woods。　　The　next　morning；　as　he　was

picking　and　eating　wild　raspberries；　he　was　seen　by　a　wood…chopper

named　Lamson。　　The　man　did　not　know　who　he　was。　　He　only　knew　that

he　was　an　Indian；　and　that　was　enough　for　him；　so　he　lifted　his

rifle　to　his　shoulder　and　fired；　then　ran　at　his　best　pace。　　The

brilliant　but　misguided　chief；　who　had　made　that　part　of　the

country　unsafe　for　any　white　man　to　live　in；　sank　to　the　ground　and

died　without　a　struggle。　　The　boy　took　his　father's　gun　and　made

some　effort　to　find　the　assassin；　but　as　he　did　not　even　know　in

which　direction　to　look　for　him；　he　soon　gave　up　the　attempt　and

went　back　to　his　friends。



Meanwhile　Lamson　reached　home　breathless　and　made　his　report。　

The　body　of　the　chief　was　found　and　identified；　in　part　by　the

twice　broken　arm；　and　this　arm　and　his　scalp　may　be　seen　to…day　in

the　collection　of　the　Minnesota　Historical　Society。









TAMAHAY





There　was　once　a　Sioux　brave　who　declared　that　he　would　die　young；

yet　not　by　his　own　hand。　　Tamahay　was　of　heroic　proportions；

herculean　in　strength；　a　superb　runner；　in　fact；　he　had　all　the

physical　qualities　of　an　athlete　or　a　typical　Indian。　　In　his

scanty　dress；　he　was　beautiful　as　an　antique　statue　in　living

bronze。　　When　a　mere　youth；　seventeen　years　of　age；　he　met　with　an

accident　which　determined　his　career。　　It　was　the　loss　of　an　eye；

a　fatal　injury　to　the　sensitive　and　high…spirited　Indian。　　He

announced　his　purpose　in　these　words：



〃The　'Great　Mystery'　has　decreed　that　I　must　be　disgraced。　

There　will　be　no　pleasure　for　me　now；　and　I　shall　be　ridiculed

even　by　my　enemies。　　It　will　be　well　for　me　to　enter　soon　into

Paradise；　for　I　shall　be　happy　in　spending　my　youth　there。　　But

I　will　sell　my　life　dearly。　　Hereafter　my　name　shall　be　spoken　in

the　traditions　of　our　race。〃　　With　this　speech　Tamahay　began　his

career。



He　now　sought　glory　and　defied　danger　with　even　more　than　the

ordinary　Indian　recklessness。　　He　accepted　a　personal　friend；　which

was　a　custom　among　the　Sioux；　where　each　man　chose　a　companion　for

life　and　death。　　The　tie　was　stronger　than　one　of　blood

relationship；　a　friendship　sealed　by　solemn　vow　and　covenant。　

Tamahay's　intimate　was　fortunately　almost　his　equal　in　physical

powers；　and　the　pair　became　the　terror　of　neighboring　tribes；　with

whom　the　Dakotas　were　continually　at　war。　　They　made　frequent　raids

upon　their　enemies　and　were　usually　successful；　although　not

without　thrilling　experiences　and　almost　miraculous　escapes。



Upon　one　of　these　occasions　the　two　friends　went　north　into

the　country　of　the　Ojibways。　　After　many　days'　journey；　they

discovered　a　small　village　of　the　foe。　　The　wicked　Tamahay　proposed

to　his　associate　that　they　should　arrange　their　toilets　after　the

fashion　of　the　Ojibw