indian heroes & great chieftains-第6部分

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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　Ojibways；　and　go　among　them；　〃and　perhaps；〃　he

added；　〃we　will　indulge　in　a　little　flirtation　with　their　pretty

maids；　and　when　we　have　had　enough　of　the　fun　we　can　take　the　scalp

of　a　brave　or　two　and　retreat！〃　　His　friend　construed　his　daring

proposition　to　be　a　test　of　courage；　which　it　would　not　become　him；

as　a　brave；　to　decline；　therefore　he　assented　with　a　show　of

cheerfulness。



The　handsome　strangers　were　well　received　by　the　Ojibway

girls；　but　their　perilous　amusement　was　brought　to　an　untimely

close。　　A　young　maiden　prematurely　discovered　their　true

characters；　and　her　cry　of　alarm　brought　instantly　to　her　side　a

jealous　youth；　who　had　been　watching　them　from　his　place　of

concealment。　　With　him　Tamahay　had　a　single…handed　contest；　and

before　a　general　alarm　was　given　he　had　dispatched　the　foe　and　fled

with　his　scalp。



The　unfortunate　brave　had　been　a　favorite　and　a　leader　among

the　tribe；　therefore　the　maddened　Ojibways　were　soon　in　hot

pursuit。　　The　Sioux　braves　were　fine　runners；　yet　they　were　finally

driven　out　upon　the　peninsula　of　a　lake。　　As　they　became　separated

in　their　retreat；　Tamahay　shouted；　〃I'll　meet　you　at　the　mouth　of

the　St。　Croix　River；　or　in　the　spirit　land！〃　　Both　managed　to　swim

the　lake；　and　so　made　good　their　escape。



The　exploits　of　this　man　were　not　all　of　a　warlike　nature。　　He

was　a　great　traveler　and　an　expert　scout；　and　he　had　some　wonderful

experiences　with　wild　animals。　　He　was　once　sent；　with　his　intimate

friend；　on　a　scout　for　game。　　They　were　on　ponies。



They　located　a　herd　of　buffaloes；　and　on　their　return　to　the

camp　espied　a　lonely　buffalo。　　Tamahay　suggested　that　they　should

chase　it　in　order　to　take　some　fresh　meat；　as　the　law　of　the　tribe

allowed　in　the　case　of　a　single　animal。　　His　pony　stumbled　and

threw　him；　after　they　had　wounded　the　bison；　and　the　latter

attacked　the　dismounted　man　viciously。　　But　he；　as　usual；　was　on

the　alert。　　He　〃took　the　bull　by　the　horns〃；　as　the　saying　is；　and

cleverly　straddled　him　on　the　neck。　　The　buffalo　had　no　means　of

harming　his　enemy；　but　pawed　the　earth　and　struggled　until　his

strength　was　exhausted；　when　the　Indian　used　his　knife　on　the

animal's　throat。　　On　account　of　this　feat　he　received　the　name

〃Held…the…Bull…by…the…Horns。〃



The　origin　of　his　name　〃Tamahay〃　is　related　as　follows。　　When

he　was　a　young　man　he　accompanied　the　chief　Wabashaw　to　Mackinaw；

Michigan；　together　with　some　other　warriors。　　He　was　out　with　his

friend　one　day；　viewing　the　wonderful　sights　in　the　〃white　man's

country〃；　when　they　came　upon　a　sow　with　her　numerous　pink　little

progeny。　　He　was　greatly　amused　and　picked　up　one　of　the　young

pigs；　but　as　soon　as　it　squealed　the　mother　ran　furiously　after

them。　　He　kept　the　pig　and　fled　with　it；　still　laughing；　but　his

friend　was　soon　compelled　to　run　up　the　conveniently　inclined　trunk

of　a　fallen　tree；　while　our　hero　reached　the　shore　of　a　lake　near

by；　and　plunged　into　the　water。　　He　swam　and　dived　as　long　as　he

could；　but　the　beast　continued　to　threaten　him　with　her　sharp

teeth；　till；　almost　exhausted；　he　swam　again　to　shore；　where　his

friend　came　up　and　dispatched　the　vicious　animal　with　a　club。　　On

account　of　this　watery　adventure　he　was　at　once　called　Tamahay；

meaning　Pike。　　He　earned　many　other　names；　but　preferred　this　one；

because　it　was　the　name　borne　by　a　great　friend　of　his；　Lieutenant

Pike；　the　first　officer　of　the　United　States　Army　who　came　to

Minnesota　for　the　purpose　of　exploring　the　sources　of　the

Mississippi　River　and　of　making　peace　with　the　natives。　　Tamahay

assisted　this　officer　in　obtaining　land　from　the　Sioux　upon　which

to　build　Fort　Snelling。　　He　appears　in　history　under　the　name　of

〃Tahamie〃　or　the　〃One…Eyed　Sioux。〃



Always　ready　to　brave　danger　and　unpopularity；　Tamahay　was　the

only　Sioux　who　sided　with　the　United　States　in　her　struggle　with

Great　Britain　in　1819。　　For　having　espoused　the　cause　of　the

Americans；　he　was　ill…treated　by　the　British　officers　and　free

traders；　who　for　a　long　time　controlled　the　northwest；　even　after

peace　had　been　effected　between　the　two　nations。　　At　one　time　he

was　confined　in　a　fort　called　McKay；　where　now　stands　the　town　of

Prairie　du　Chien；　Wisconsin。　　He　had　just　returned　from　St。　Louis；

and　was　suspected　of　exciting　his　people　to　rebel　against　British

subjects。　　His　life　was　even　threatened；　but　to　this　Tamahay　merely

replied　that　he　was　ready　to　die。　　A　few　months　later；　this　fort

was　restored　to　the　United　States；　and　upon　leaving　it　the　British

set　the　buildings　on　fire；　though　the　United　States　flag　floated

above　them。　　Some　Indians　who　were　present　shouted　to　Tamahay；

〃Your　friends'；　the　Americans'；　fort　is　on　fire！〃　　He　responded

with　a　war　whoop；　rushed　into　the　blazing　fort；　and　brought　out　the

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

and　medal。　　He　was　never　tire