indian heroes & great chieftains-第7部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



flag。　　For　this　brave　act　he　was　rewarded　with　a　present　of　a　flag

and　medal。　　He　was　never　tired　of　displaying　this　medal　and　his

recommendation　papers；　and　even　preserved　to　the　end　of　his　life　an

old　colonial　stovepipe　hat；　which　he　wore　upon　state　occasions。



The　Sioux　long　referred　to　the　president　of　the　United　States

as　〃Tamahay's　father。〃



The　following　story　is　told　of　him　in　his　later　days。　　He

attempted　one　day　to　cross　the　first　bridge　over　the　Mississippi

River；　but　was　not　recognized　by　the　sentinel；　who　would　not　allow

him　to　pass　until　he　paid　the　toll。　　Tamahay；　who　was　a　privileged

character；　explained　as　best　he　could；　with　gestures　and　broken

English；　that　he　was　always　permitted　to　pass　free；　but　as　the

sentinel　still　refused；　and　even　threatened　him　with　his　bayonet；

the　old　Indian　silently　seized　the　musket；　threw　it　down　into　the

waters　of　the　Mississippi　and　went　home。　　Later　in　the　day　a

company　of　soldiers　appeared　in　the　Indian　village；　and　escorted

our　hero　to　a　sort　of　court…martial　at　the　fort。　　When　he　was

questioned　by　the　Colonel；　he　simply　replied：　〃If　you　were

threatened　by　any　one　with　a　weapon；　you　would；　in　self…defense；

either　disable　the　man　or　get　rid　of　the　weapon。　　I　did　the　latter；

thinking　that　you　would　need　the　man　more　than　the　gun。〃



Finally　the　officer　said　to　them；　〃I　see　you　are　both　partly

wrong。　　Some　one　must　be　responsible　for　the　loss　of　the　gun；

therefore；　you　two　will　wrestle；　and　the　man　who　is　downed　must

dive　for　the　weapon　to　the　bottom　of　the　river。〃



Scarcely　was　this　speech　ended　when　Tamahay　was　upon　the

soldier；　who　was　surprised　both　by　the　order　and　by　the　unexpected

readiness　of　the　wily　old　Indian；　so　that　he　was　not　prepared；　and

the　Sioux　had　the　vantage　hold。　　In　a　moment　the　bluecoat　was　down；

amid　shouts　and　peals　of　laughter　from　his　comrades。　　Having　thrown

his　man；　the　other　turned　and　went　home　without　a　word。



Sad　to　say；　he　acquired　a　great　appetite　for　〃minne…wakan〃；　or

〃mysterious　water〃；　as　the　Sioux　call　it；　which　proved　a　source　of

trouble　to　him　in　his　old　age。　　It　is　told　of　him　that　he　was

treated　one　winter's　day　to　a　drink　of　whisky　in　a　trader's　store。　

He　afterwards　went　home；　but　even　the　severe　blizzard　which　soon

arose　did　not　prevent　him　from　returning　in　the　night　to　the

friendly　trader。　　He　awoke　that　worthy　from　sleep　about　twelve

o'clock　by　singing　his　death　dirge　upon　the　roof　of　the　log　cabin。　

In　another　moment　he　had　jumped　down　the　mud　chimney；　and　into　the

blazing　embers　of　a　fire。　　The　trader　had　to　pour　out　to　him　some

whisky　in　a　tin　pail；　after　which　he　begged　the　old　man　to　〃be　good

and　go　home。〃　　On　the　eve　of　the　so…called　〃Minnesota　Massacre〃　by

the　Sioux　in　1862；　Tamahay；　although　he　was　then　very　old　and　had

almost　lost　the　use　of　his　remaining　eye；　made　a　famous　speech　at

the　meeting　of　the　conspirators。　　These　are　some　of　his　words；　as

reported　to　me　by　persons　who　were　present。



〃What！　　What！　is　this　Little　Crow？　　Is　that　Little　Six？　　You；

too；　White　Dog；　are　you　here？　　I　cannot　see　well　now；　but　I　can　see

with　my　mind's　eye　the　stream　of　blood　you　are　about　to　pour　upon

the　bosom　of　this　mother　of　ours〃　（meaning　the　earth）。　　〃I　stand

before　you　on　three　legs；　but　the　third　leg　has　brought　me　wisdom〃

＇referring　to　the　staff　with　which　he　sup…　ported　himself＇。　　〃I

have　traveled　much；　I　have　visited　among　the　people　whom　you　think

to　defy。　　This　means　the　total　surrender　of　our　beautiful　land；　the

land　of　a　thousand　lakes　and　streams。　　Methinks　you　are　about　to

commit　an　act　like　that　of　the　porcupine；　who　climbs　a　tree；

balances　himself　upon　a　springy　bough；　and　then　gnaws　off　the　very

bough　upon　which　he　is　sitting；　hence；　when　it　gives　way；　he　falls

upon　the　sharp　rocks　below。　　Behold　the　great　Pontiac；　whose　grave

I　saw　near　St。　Louis；　he　was　murdered　while　an　exile　from　his

country！　　Think　of　the　brave　Black　Hawk！　　Methinks　his　spirit　is

still　wailing　through　Wisconsin　and　Illinois　for　his　lost　people！　

I　do　not　say　you　have　no　cause　to　complain；　but　to　resist　is

self…destruction。　　I　am　done。〃



It　is　supposed　that　this　speech　was　his　last；　and　it　was　made；

though　vainly；　in　defense　of　the　Americans　whom　he　had　loved。　　He

died　at　Fort　Pierre；　South　Dakota；　in　1864。　　His　people　say　that　he

died　a　natural　death；　of　old　age。　　And　yet　his　exploits　are　not

forgotten。　　Thus　lived　and　departed　a　most　active　and　fearless

Sioux；　Tamahay；　who　desired　to　die　young！









GALL





Chief　Gall　was　one　of　the　most　aggressive　leaders　of　the　Sioux

nation　in　their　last　stand　for　freedom。



The　westward　pressure　of　civilization　during　the　past　three

centuries　has　been　tremendous。　　When　our　hemisphere　was

〃discovered〃；　it　had　been　inhabited　by　the　natives　for　untold　ages；

but　it　was　held　undiscovered　because　the　original　owners　did　not

chart　or　advertise　it。　　Yet　some　of　them　at　least　had　developed

ideals　of　life　which　included　real　liberty　and　equality　to　all　men；

and　they　did　not　recognize　individual　ownership　in　land　or　other

property　beyond　actual　necessity。　　It　was　a　soul　development

leading　to　essential　manhood。　　Under　this　system　they　brought　forth

some　striking　characters。



Gall　was　considered　by　both　Indians　and　whites　to　be　a　most

impressive　type　of　physical　manhood。　　From　his　picture　you　can

judge　of　this　for　yourself。



Let　us　follow　his　trail。　　He　was　no　tenderfoot。　　He　never

asked　a　soft　place　for　himself。　　He　always　played　the　game

according　to　the　rules　and　to　a　finish。　　To　be　sure；　like　every

other　man；　he　made　some　mistakes；　but　he　was　an　Indian　and　never

acted　the　coward。



The　earliest　stories　told　of　his　life　and　doings　indicate　the

spirit　of　the　man　in　that　of　the　boy。



When　he　was　only　about　three　years　old；　the　Blackfoot　band　of

Sioux　were　on　their　usual　roving　hunt；　following　the　buffalo　while

living　their　natural　happy　life　upon　the　wonderful　wide　prairies　of

the　Dakotas。



It　was　the　way　of　every　Sioux　mother　to　adjust　her　household

effects　on　such　dogs　and　pack　ponies　as　she　could　muster　from　day

to　day；　often　lending　one　or　two　to　accommodate　some　other　woman

whose　horse　or　dog　had　died；　or　perhaps　had　been　among　those

stampeded　and　carried　away　by　a　raiding　band　of　Crow　warriors。　　On

this　particular　occasion；　the　mother　of　our　young　Sioux　brave；

Matohinshda；　or　Bear…Shedding…His…Hair　（Gall's　childhood　name）；

intrusted　her　boy　to　an　old　Eskimo　pack　dog；　experienced　and

reliable；　except　perhaps　when　unduly　excited　or　very　thirsty。



On　the　day　of　removing　camp　the　caravan　made　its　morning　march

up　the　Powder　River。　　Upon　the　wide　table…land　the　women　were

busily　digging　teepsinna　（an　edible　sweetish　root；　much　used　by

them）　as　the　moving　village　slowly　progressed。　　As　usual　at　such

times；　the　trail　was　wide。　　An　old　jack　rabbit　had　waited　too　long

in　hiding。　　Now；　finding　himself　almost　surrounded　by　the　mighty

plains　people；　he　sprang　up　suddenly；　his　feathery　ears

conspicuously　erect；　a　dangerous　challenge　to　the　dogs　and　the

people。



A　whoop　went　up。　　Every　dog　accepted　the　challenge。　　Forgotten

were　the　bundles；　the　kits；　even　the　babies　they　were　drawing　or

carrying。　　The　chase　was　on；　and　the　screams　of　the　women　reechoed

from　the　opposite　cliffs　of　the　Powder；　mingled　with　the　yelps　of

dogs　and　the　neighing　of　horses。　　The　hand　of　every　man　was　against

the　daring　warrior；　the　lone　Jack；　and　the　confusion　was　great。



When　the　fleeing　one　cleared　the　mass　of　his　enemies；　he

emerged　with　a　swiftness　that　commanded　respect　and　gave　promise

of　a　determined　chase。　　Behind　him；　his　pursuers　stretched　out　in

a　thin　line；　first　the　speedy；　unburdened　dogs　and　then　the　travois

dogs　headed　by　the　old　Eskimo　with　his　precious　freight。　　The

youthful　Gall　was　in　a　travois；　a　basket　mounted　on　trailing　poles

and　harnessed　to　the　sides　of　the　animal。



〃Hey！　hey！　they　are　gaining　on　him！〃　a　warrior　shouted。　　At

this　juncture　two　of　the　canines　had　almost　nabbed　their　furry　prey

by　the　back。　　But　he　was　too　cunning　for　them。　　He　dropped

instantly　and　sent　both　dogs　over　his　head；　rolling　and　spinning；

then　made　another　flight　at　right　angles　to　the　first。　　This　gave

the　Eskimo　a　chance　to　cut　the　triangle。　　He　gained　fifty　yards；

but　being　heavily　handicapped；　two　unladen　dogs　passed　him。　　The

same　trick　was　repeated　by　the　Jack；　and　this　time　he　saved　himself

from　instant　death　by　a　double　loop　and　was　now　running　directly

toward　the　crowd；　followed　by　a　dozen　or　more　dogs。　　He　was　losing

speed；　but　likewise　his　pursuers　were　dropping　off　steadily。　　Only

the　sturdy　Eskimo　dog　held　to　his　even　gait；　and　behind　him　in　the

frail　travois　leaned　forward　the　little　Matohinshda；　nude　save　a

breech　clout；　his　left　hand　holding　fast　the　convenient　tail　of　his

dog；　the　right　grasping　firmly　one　of　the　poles　of　the　travois。　

His　black　eyes　were　bulging　almost　out　of　their　sockets；　his　long

hair　flowed　out　behind　like　a　stream　of　dark　water。



The　Jack　now　ran　directly　toward　the　howling　spectators；　but

his　marvelous　speed　and　alertness　were　on　the　wane；　while　on　the

other　hand　his　foremost　pursuer；　who　had　taken　part　in　hundreds　of

similar　events；　had　every　confidence　in　his　own　endurance。　　Each

leap　brought　him　nearer；　fiercer　and　more　determined。　　The　last

effort　of　the　Jack　was　to　lose　himself　in　the　crowd；　like　a　fish　in

muddy　water；　but　the　big　dog　made　the　one　needed　leap　with　unerring

aim　and　his　teeth　flashed　as　he　caught　the　rabbit　in　viselike　jaws

and　held　him　limp　in　air；　a　victor！



The　people　rushed　up　to　him　as　he　laid　the　victim　down；　and

foremost　among　them　was　the　frantic　mother　of　Matohinshda；　or　Gall。　

〃Michinkshe！　michinkshe！〃　（My　son！　my　son！）　she　screamed　as　she

drew　near。　　The　boy　seemed　to　be　none　the　worse　for　his　experience。　

〃Mother！〃　he　cried；　〃my　dog　is　brave：　he　got　the