old indian days-第1部分

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Old　Indian　Days



by　Charles　Eastman　　








To

My　Daughters

DORA；　IRENE；　VIRGINIA；　ELEANOR；　AND　FLORENCE

I　Dedicate

these　Stories　of　the　Old　Indian　Life；

and　especially　of

the　Courageous　and　Womanly　Indian　Woman





CONTENTS





PART　I。　　THE　WARRIOR



　　　I。　　THE　LOVE　OF　ANTELOPE

　　II。　　THE　MADNESS　OF　BALD　EAGLE

　III。　　THE　SINGING　SPIRIT

　　IV。　　THE　FAMINE

　　　V。　　THE　CHIEF　SOLDIER

　　VI。　　THE　WHITE　MAN'S　ERRAND

　VII。　　THE　GRAVE　OF　THE　DOG



PART　II。　　THE　WOMAN



　　　I。　　WINONA；　THE　WOMAN…CHILD

　　II。　　WINONA；　THE　CHILD…WOMAN

　III。　　SNANA'S　FAWN

　　IV。　　SHE…WHO…HAS…A…SOUL

　　　V。　　THE　PEACE…MAKER

　　VI。　　BLUE　SKY

　VII。　　THE　FAITHFULNESS　OF　LONG　EARS

VIII。　　THE　WAR　MAIDEN



GLOSSARY









PART　ONE



THE　WARRIOR







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I





　　　　　THE　LOVE　OF　ANTELOPE





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I

Upon　a　hanging　precipice　atop　of　the

Eagle　Scout　Butte　there　appeared　a

motionless　and　solitary　figurealmost

eagle…like　he　perched！　The　people　in　the　camp

below　saw　him；　but　none　looked　at　him　long。　

They　turned　their　heads　quickly　away　with　a

nervous　tingling；　for　the　height　above　the　plains

was　great。　　Almost　spirit…like　among　the　upper

clouds　the　young　warrior　sat　immovable。



It　was　Antelope。　　He　was　fasting　and　seek…

ing　a　sign　from　the　〃Great　Mystery；〃　for　such

was　the　first　step　of　the　young　and　ambitious

Sioux　＇who　wished　to　be　a　noted　warrior　among

his　people。



He　is　a　princely　youth；　among　the　wild

Sioux；　who　hunts　for　his　tribe　and　not　for　him…

self！　His　voice　is　soft　and　low　at　the　camp…

fire　of　his　nation；　but　terror…giving　in　the　field

of　battle。　Such　was　Antelope's　reputation。　

The　more　he　sought　the　〃Great　Mystery〃　in

solitude；　the　more　gentle　and　retiring　he　be…

came；　and　in　the　same　proportion　his　courage

and　manliness　grew。　　None　could　say　that　he

was　not　a　kind　son　and　a　good　hunter；　for　he

had　already　passed　the　〃two…arrow…to…kill；〃

his　buffalo　examination。



On　a　hot　midsummer　morning　a　few　weeks

later；　while　most　of　the　inmates　of　the　teepees

were　breakfasting　in　the　open　air；　the　powerful

voice　of　the　herald　resounded　among　the　pine…

clad　heights　and　green　valleys。



〃Hear　ye；　hear　ye；　warriors！〃　he　chanted

loudly。　　〃The　council　has　decreed　that　four

brave　young　men　must　scout　the　country　to

the　sunsetward　of　the　camp；　for　the　peace　and

protection　of　our　people！〃



All　listened　eagerly　for　the　names　of　the

chosen　warriors；　and　in　another　moment　there

came　the　sonorous　call：　〃Antelope；　Ante…

lope！　the　council　has　selected　you！〃



The　camp　was　largefully　four　hundred

paces　across；　but　in　that　country；　in　the　clear

morning　air；　such　an　announcement　can　be

heard　a　great　way；　and　in　the　silence　that　fol…

lowed　the　hills　repeated　over　and　over　the　mu…

sical　name　of　Antelope。



In　due　time　the　four　chosen　youths　appeared

before　the　council　fire。　　The　oath　of　the　pipe

was　administered；　and　each　took　a　few　whiffs

as　reverently　as　a　Churchman　would　partake

of　the　sacrament。　　The　chief　of　the　council；

who　was　old　and　of　a　striking　appearance；　gave

the　charge　and　command　to　the　youthful

braves。



There　was　a　score　or　more　of　warriors　ready

mounted　to　escort　them　beyond　the　precincts

of　the　camp；　and　the　〃fearless　heart〃　song

was　sung　according　to　the　custom；　as　the　four

ran　lightly　from　the　door　of　the　council　teepee

and　disappeared　in　the　woods。



It　was　a　peculiarly　trying　and　hazardous

moment　in　which　to　perform　the　duties　of　a

scout。　　The　Sioux　were　encroaching　upon　the

territory　of　hostile　tribes；　here　in　the　foot…hills

of　the　Big　Horn　Mountains；　and　now　and　then

one　of　their　hunters　was　cut　off　by　the　enemy。

If　continual　vigilance　could　not　save　them；　it

might　soon　become　necessary　to　retreat　to　their

own　hunting…grounds。



It　was　a　savage　fetish　that　a　warrior　must

be　proof　against　the　alluring　ways　of　pretty

maidens；　that　he　must　place　his　honor　far

above　the　temptations　of　self…indulgence　and

indolence。　　Cold；　hunger；　and　personal　hard…

ship　did　not　count　with　Antelope　when　there

was　required　of　him　any　special　exertion　for

the　common　good。　　It　was　cause　to　him　of

secret　satisfaction　that　the　council…men　had　se…

lected　him　for　a　dangerous　service　in　prefer…

ence　to　some　of　his　rivals　and　comrades。



He　had　been　running　for　two　or　three　hours

at　a　good；　even　gait；　and　had　crossed　more

than　one　of　the　smaller　creeks；　yet　many　deep

gulches　and　bad　lands　lay　between　him　and　the

furthest　peak　that　melted　into　the　blue　dome

above。



〃I　shall　stand　upon　the　Bear's　Heart；〃　he

said　to　himself。　　〃If　I　can　do　that；　and　still

report　before　the　others；　I　shall　do　well！〃

His　keen　eyes　were　constantly　sweeping　the

country　in　his　front；　and　suddenly　he　paused

and　shrank　back　motionless　in　a　crouching　at…

titude；　still　steadily　keeping　an　eye　upon　a

moving　object。　　It　was　soon　evident　that　some

one　was　stealthily　eying　him　from　behind

cover；　and　he　was　outwitted　by　the　enemy！

Still　stooping；　he　glided　down　a　little　ravine；

and　as　he　reached　the　bed　of　the　creek　there

emerged　from　it　a　large　gray　wolf。



This　was　very　opportune　for　Antelope。　　He

gave　the　gray　wolf's　danger…call　with　all　his

might；　waited　an　instant　and　gave　it　a　sec…

ond　time；　then　he　turned　and　ran　fleetly　down

the　stream。　　At　the　same　moment　the　wolf　ap…

peared　upon　the　top　of　the　bank；　in　full　view

of　the　enemy。



〃Here　he　comes！〃　they　whispered；　and　had

their　arrows　on　the　string　as　the　wolf　trotted

leisurely　along；　exposing　only　his　head；　for　this

was　a　common　disguise　among　the　plains　In…

dians。　　But　when　he　came　out　into　the　open；

behold！　it　was　only　a　gray　wolf！



〃Ugh！〃　the　Utes　grunted；　as　they　looked

at　each　other　in　much　chagrin。



〃Surely　he　was　a　man；　and　coming　directly

into　our　trap！　　We　sang　and　prayed　to　the

gods　of　war　when　our　war　chief　sent　us　ahead

to　scout　the　Sioux　people；　to　find　their　camp。　

This　is　a　mystery；　a　magic！　　Either　he

is　a　Sioux　in　disguise；　or　we　don't　know　their

tricks！〃　exclaimed　the　leader。



Now　they　gave　the　war…whoop；　and　their

arrows　flew　through　the　air。　　The　wolf　gave

a　yelp　of　distress；　staggered　and　fell　dead。　　In…

stantly　they　ran　to　examine　the　body；　and　found

it　to　be　truly　that　of　a　wolf。



〃Either　this　is　a　wonderful　medicine…man；

or　we　are　shamefully　fooled　by　a　Sioux　war…

rior；〃　they　muttered。



They　lost　several　minutes　before　they　caught

sight　of　Antelope；　who　had　followed　the　bed

of　the　creek　as　far　as　it　lay　in　his　direction

and　then　came　out　of　it　at　full　speed。　　It　would

be　safer　for　him　to　remain　in　concealment

until　dark；　but　in　the　meantime　the　Ute　war…

riors　would　reach　the　camp；　and　his　people

were　unprepared！　It　was　necessary　to　expose

himself　to　the　enemy。　　He　knew　that　it　would

be　chiefly　a　contest　of　speed　and　he　had　an　ex…

cellent　start；　but　on　the　other　hand；　the　Utes

doubtless　had　their　horses。



〃The　Sioux　who　played　this　trick　on　us　must

die　to…day！〃　exclaimed　their　leader。　　〃Come；

friends；　we　cannot　afford　to　let　him　tell　this

joke　on　us　at　the　camp…fires　of　his　people！〃



Antelope　was　headed　directly　for　Eagle

Scout　Butte；　for　the　camp　was　in　plain　view

from　the　top　of　this　hill。　　He　had　run　pretty

much　all　day；　but　then；　that　was　nothing！



〃I　shall　reach　the　summit　first；　unless　the

Ute　horses　have　wings！〃　he　said　to　him…

self。



Looking　over　his　shoulder；　he　saw　five　horse…

men　approaching；　so　he　examined　his　bow　and

arrows　as　he　ran。



〃All　is　well；〃　he　muttered。　　〃One　of　their

spirits　at　the　least　must　guide　mine　to　the　spirit

land！〃　where；　it　was　believed　by　them；　there

was　no　fighting。



Now　he　was　within　hearing　of　their　whoops；

but　he　was　already　at　the　foot　of　the　butte。　

Their　horses　could　not　run　up　the　steep　ascent；

and　they　were　obliged　to　dismount。　　Like　a

deer　the　Sioux　leaped　from　rock　to　rock；　and

almost　within　arrow…shot　came　his　pursuers；

wildly　whooping　and　yelling。



When　he　had　achieved　the　summit；　he　took

his　stand　between　two　great　rocks；　and　flashed

his　tiny　looking…glass　for　a　distress　signal　into

the　distant　camp　of　his　people。



For　a　long　time　no　reply　came；　and　many

arrows　flew　over　his　head；　as　the　Utes　ap…

proached　gradually　from　rock　to　rock。　　He；

too；　sent　down　a　swift　arrow　now　and　then；　to

show　them　that　he　was　no　child　or　woman　in

fight；　but　brave　as　a　bear　when　it　is　brought　to

bay。



〃Ho；　ho！〃　he　shouted　to　the　enemy；　in

token　of　a　brave　man's　welcome　to　danger　and

death。



They　replied　with　yells　of　triumph；　as　they

pressed　more　and　more　closely　upon　him。　　One

of　their　number　had　been　dispatched　to　notify

the　main　war…party　when　they　first　saw　Ante…

lope；　but　he　did　not　know　this；　and　his　courage

was　undiminished。　　From　time　to　time　he　con…

tinued　to　flash　his　signal；　and　at　last　like　light…

ning　the　little　white　flash　came　in　reply。



The　sun　was　low　when　the　besieged　warrior

discovered　a　large　body　of　horsemen　approach…

ing　from　the　northwest。　　It　was　the　Ute　war…

party！　　He　looked　earnestly　once　more

toward　the　Sioux　camp；　shading　his　eyes　with

his　right　palm。　　There；　too；　were　many　moving

specks　upon　the　plain；　drawing　toward　the　foot

of　the　hill！



At　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　they　had

caught　his　distress　signal；　and　the　entire　camp

was　thrown　into　confusion；　for　but　few　of　the

men　had　returned　from　the　daily　hunt。　　As

fast　as　they　came　in；　the　warriors　hurried　away

upon　their　best　horses；　singing　and　yelling。　

When　they　reached　the　well…known　butte；　tow…

ering　abruptly　in　the　midst　of　the　plain；　they

could　distinguish　their　enemies　massed　behind

the　hanging　rocks　and　scattered　cedar…trees；

crawling　up　closer　and　closer；　for　the　large　war…

party　reache