indian heroes & great chieftains-第15部分

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charger；　she　looked　as　pretty　as　a　bird。　　Always　when　there　is　a

woman　in　the　charge；　it　causes　the　warriors　to　vie　with　one　another

in　displaying　their　valor；〃　he　added。



〃The　foremost　warriors　had　almost　surrounded　the　white　men；

and　more　were　continually　crossing　the　stream。　　The　soldiers　had

dismounted；　and　were　firing　into　the　camp　from　the　top　of　the

cliff。〃



〃My　friend；　was　Sitting　Bull　in　this　fight？〃　I　inquired。



〃I　did　not　see　him　there；　but　I　learned　afterward　that　he　was

among　those　who　met　Reno；　and　that　was　three　or　four　of　the　white

man's　miles　from　Custer's　position。　　Later　he　joined　the　attack

upon　Custer；　but　was　not　among　the　foremost。



〃When　the　troops　were　surrounded　on　two　sides；　with　the　river

on　the　third；　the　order　came　to　charge！　　There　were　many　very　young

men；　some　of　whom　had　only　a　war　staff　or　a　stone　war　club　in　hand；

who　plunged　into　the　column；　knocking　the　men　over　and　stampeding

their　horses。



〃The　soldiers　had　mounted　and　started　back；　but　when　the　onset

came　they　dismounted　again　and　separated　into　several　divisions；

facing　different　ways。　　They　fired　as　fast　as　they　could　load　their

guns；　while　we　used　chiefly　arrows　and　war　clubs。　　There　seemed　to

be　two　distinct　movements　among　the　Indians。　　One　body　moved

continually　in　a　circle；　while　the　other　rode　directly　into　and

through　the　troops。



〃Presently　some　of　the　soldiers　remounted　and　fled　along　the

ridge　toward　Reno's　position；　but　they　were　followed　by　our

warriors；　like　hundreds　of　blackbirds　after　a　hawk。　　A　larger　body

remained　together　at　the　upper　end　of　a　little　ravine；　and　fought

bravely　until　they　were　cut　to　pieces。　　I　had　always　thought　that

white　men　were　cowards；　but　I　had　a　great　respect　for　them　after

this　day。



〃It　is　generally　said　that　a　young　man　with　nothing　but　a　war

staff　in　his　hand　broke　through　the　column　and　knocked　down　the

leader　very　early　in　the　fight。　　We　supposed　him　to　be　the　leader；

because　he　stood　up　in　full　view；　swinging　his　big　knife　＇sword＇

over　his　head；　and　talking　loud。　　Some　one　unknown　afterwards　shot

the　chief；　and　he　was　probably　killed　also；　for　if　not；　he　would

have　told　of　the　deed；　and　called　others　to　witness　it。　　So　it　is

that　no　one　knows　who　killed　the　Long…Haired　Chief　＇General

Custer＇。



〃After　the　first　rush　was　over；　coups　were　counted　as　usual　on

the　bodies　of　the　slain。　　You　know　four　coups　＇or　blows＇　can　be

counted　on　the　body　of　an　enemy；　and　whoever　counts　the　first　one

＇touches　it　for　the　first　time＇　is　entitled　to　the　'first　feather。'



〃There　was　an　Indian　here　called　Appearing　Elk；　who　died　a

short　time　ago。　　He　was　slightly　wounded　in　the　charge。　　He　had

some　of　the　weapons　of　the　Long…Haired　Chief；　and　the　Indians　used

to　say　jokingly　after　we　came　upon　the　reservation　that　Appearing

Elk　must　have　killed　the　Chief；　because　he　had　his　sword！　　However；

the　scramble　for　plunder　did　not　begin　until　all　were　dead。　　I　do

not　think　he　killed　Custer；　and　if　he　had；　the　time　to　claim　the

honor　was　immediately　after　the　fight。



〃Many　lies　have　been　told　of　me。　　Some　say　that　I　killed　the

Chief；　and　others　that　I　cut　out　the　heart　of　his　brother　＇Tom

Custer＇；　because　he　had　caused　me　to　be　imprisoned。　　Why；　in　that

fight　the　excitement　was　so　great　that　we　scarcely　recognized　our

nearest　friends！　　Everything　was　done　like　lightning。　　After　the

battle　we　young　men　were　chasing　horses　all　over　the　prairie；　while

the　old　men　and　women　plundered　the　bodies；　and　if　any　mutilating

was　done；　it　was　by　the　old　men。



〃I　have　lived　peaceably　ever　since　we　came　upon　the

reservation。　　No　one　can　say　that　Rain…in…the…Face　has　broken　the

rules　of　the　Great　Father。　　I　fought　for　my　people　and　my　country。　

When　we　were　conquered　I　remained　silent；　as　a　warrior　should。　

Rain…in…the…Face　was　killed　when　he　put　down　his　weapons　before　the

Great　Father。　　His　spirit　was　gone　then；　only　his　poor　body　lived

on；　but　now　it　is　almost　ready　to　lie　down　for　the　last　time。　　Ho；

hechetu！　　＇It　is　well。＇〃









TWO　STRIKE





It　is　a　pity　that　so　many　interesting　names　of　well…known　Indians

have　been　mistranslated；　so　that　their　meaning　becomes　very　vague

if　it　is　not　wholly　lost。　　In　some　cases　an　opposite　meaning　is

conveyed。　　For　instance　there　is　the　name；　〃Young…Man…Afraid…of…

His…Horses。〃　　It　does　not　mean　that　the　owner　of　the　name　is　afraid

of　his　own　horse　　far　from　it！　　Tashunkekokipapi　signifies　〃The

young　men　＇of　the　enemy＇　fear　his　horses。〃　　Whenever　that　man

attacks；　the　enemy　knows　there　will　be　a　determined　charge。



The　name　Tashunkewitko；　or　Crazy　Horse；　is　a　poetic　simile。　

This　leader　was　likened　to　an　untrained　or　untouched　horse；　wild；

ignorant　of　domestic　uses；　splendid　in　action；　and　unconscious　of

danger。



The　name　of　Two　Strike　is　a　deed　name。　　In　a　battle　with　the

Utes　this　man　knocked　two　enemies　from　the　back　of　a　war　horse。　　

The　true　rendering　of　the　name　Nomkahpa　would　be；　〃He　knocked　off

two。〃



I　was　well　acquainted　with　Two　Strike　and　spent　many　pleasant

hours　with　him；　both　at　Washington；　D。　C。；　and　in　his　home　on　the

Rosebud　reservation。　　What　I　have　written　is　not　all　taken　from　his

own　mouth；　because　he　was　modest　in　talking　about　himself；　but　I

had　him　vouch　for　the　truth　of　the　stories。　　He　said　that　he　was

born　near　the　Republican　River　about　1832。　　His　earliest

recollection　was　of　an　attack　by　the　Shoshones　upon　their　camp　on

the　Little　Piney。　　The　first　white　men　he　ever　met　were　traders　who

visited　his　people　when　he　was　very　young。　　The　incident　was　still

vividly　with　him；　because；　he　said；　〃They　made　my　father　crazy；〃

＇drunk＇。　　This　made　a　deep　impression　upon　him；　he　told　me；　so　that

from　that　day　he　was　always　afraid　of　the　white　man's　〃mysterious

water。〃



Two　Strike　was　not　a　large　man；　but　he　was　very　supple　and

alert　in　motion；　as　agile　as　an　antelope。　　His　face　was　mobile　and

intelligent。　　Although　he　had　the　usual　somber　visage　of　an　Indian；

his　expression　brightened　up　wonderfully　when　he　talked。　　In　some

ways　wily　and　shrewd　in　intellect；　he　was　not　deceitful　nor　mean。　

He　had　a　high　sense　of　duty　and　honor。　　Patriotism　was　his　ideal

and　goal　of　life。



As　a　young　man　he　was　modest　and　even　shy；　although　both　his

father　and　grandfather　were　well…known　chiefs。　　I　could　find　few

noteworthy　incidents　in　his　early　life；　save　that　he　was　an　expert

rider　of　wild　horses。　　At　one　time　I　was　pressing　him　to　give　me

some　interesting　incident　of　his　boyhood。　　He　replied　to　the　effect

that　there　was　plenty　of　excitement　but　〃not　much　in　it。〃　　There

was　a　delegation　of　Sioux　chiefs　visiting　Washington；　and　we　were

spending　an　evening　together　in　their　hotel。　　Hollow　Horn　Bear

spoke　up　and　said：



〃Why　don't　you　tell　him　how　you　and　a　buffalo　cow　together

held　your　poor　father　up　and　froze　him　almost　to　death？〃



Everybody　laughed；　and　another　man　remarked：　〃I　think　he　had

better　tell　the　medicine　man　（meaning　myself）　how　he　lost　the　power

of　speech　when　he　first　tried　to　court　a　girl。〃　　Two　Strike；

although　he　was　then　close　to　eighty　years　of　age；　was　visibly

embarrassed　by　their　chaff。



〃Anyway；　I　stuck　to　the　trail。　　I　kept　on　till　I　got　what　I

wanted；〃　he　muttered。　　And　then　came　the　story。



The　old　chief；　his　father；　was　very　fond　of　the　buffalo　hunt；

and　being　accomplished　in　horsemanship　and　a　fine　shot；　although

not　very　powerfully　built；　young　Two　Strike　was　already　following

hard　in　his　footsteps。　　Like　every　proud　father；　his　was　giving　him

every　incentive　to　perfect　his　skill；　and　one　day　challenged　his

sixteen…year…old　son　to　the　feat　of　〃one　arrow　to　kill〃　at　the　very

next　chase。



It　was　midwinter。　　A　large　herd　of　buffalo　was　reported　by　the

game　scout。　　The　hunters　gathered　at　daybreak　prepared　for　the

charge。　　The　old　chief　had　his　tried　charger　equipped　with　a　soft；

pillow…like　Indian　saddle　and　a　lariat。　　His　old　sinew…backed

hickory　bow　was　examined　and　strung；　and　a　fine　straight　arrow　with

a　steel　head　carefully　selected　for　the　test。　　He　adjusted　a　keen

butcher　knife　over　his　leather　belt；　which　held　a　warm　buffalo　robe

securely　about　his　body。　　He　wore　neither　shirt　nor　coat；　although

a　piercing　wind　was　blowing　from　the　northwest。　　The　youthful　Two

Strike　had　his　favorite　bow　and　his　swift　pony；　which　was　perhaps

dearer　to　him　than　his　closest　boy　comrade。



Now　the　hunters　crouched　upon　their　horses'　necks　like　an　army

in　line　of　battle；　while　behind　them　waited　the　boys　and　old　men

with　pack　ponies　to　carry　the　meat。　　〃Hukahey！〃　shouted　the　leader

as　a　warning。　　〃Yekiya　wo！〃　（Go）　and　in　an　instant　all　the　ponies

leaped　forward　against　the　cutting　wind；　as　if　it　were　the　start　in

a　horse　race。　　Every　rider　leaned　forward；　tightly　wrapped　in　his

robe；　watching　the　flying　herd　for　an　opening　in　the　mass　of

buffalo；　a　chance　to　cut　out　some　of　the　fattest　cows。　　This　was

the　object　of　the　race。



The　chief　had　a　fair　start；　his　horse　was　well　trained　and

needed　no　urging　nor　guidance。　　Without　the　slightest　pull　on　the

lariat　he　dashed　into　the　thickest　of　the　herd。　　The　youth's　pony

had　been　prancing　and　rearing　impatiently；　he　started　a　little

behind；　yet　being　swift　passed　many。　　His　rider　had　one　clear

glimpse　of　his　father　ahead　of　him；　then　the　snow　arose　in　blinding

clouds　on　the　trail　of　the　bison。　　The　whoops　of　the　hunters；　the

lowing　of　the　cows；　and　the　menacing　glances　of　the　bulls　as　they

plunged　along；　or　now　and　then　stood　at　bay；　were　enough　to　unnerve

a　boy　less　well　tried。　　He　was　unable　to　select　his　victim。　　He　had

been　carried　deeply　into　the　midst　of　the　herd　and　found　himself

helpless　to　make　the　one　sure　shot；　therefore　he　held　his　one　arrow

in　his　mouth　and　merely　strove　to　separate　them　so　as　to　get　his

chance。



At　last　the　herd　parted；　and　he　cut　out　two　fat　cows；　and　was