old indian days-第12部分

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cate　layers　apart。　　The　White　Swan　was　not

altogether　the　untutored　Indian　maiden；　for

she　had　lived　in　the　family　of　a　missionary　in

the　States；　and　had　learned　both　to　speak　and

write　some　English。　　There　was　no　ink；　no　pen

or　pencil；　but　with　her　bone　awl　she　pressed

upon　the　white　side　of　the　bark　the　following

words：



MR。　ANGUS　McLEOD：





We　are　near　the　hollow　rock　on　the　Mouse　River。　　The

buffalo　went　away　across　the　Missouri；　and　our　powder　and

shot　are　gone。　　We　are　starving。　　Good…bye；　if　I　don't　see

you　again。



MAGASKAWEE。





The　girl　entrusted　this　little　note　to　her

grandmother；　and　she　in　turn　gave　it　to　the

messenger。　　But　he；　as　we　know；　was　unable

to　deliver　it。



〃Angus；　tell　the　boys　to　bury　the　poor　fel…

low　to…morrow。　　I　dare　say　he　brought　us　some

news　from　White　Lodge；　but　we　have　got　to

go　to　the　happy　hunting…grounds　to　get　it；　or

wait　till　the　exile　band　returns　in　the　spring。　

Evidently；〃　continued　McLeod；　〃he　fell　sick

on　the　way：　or　else　he　was　starving！〃



This　last　suggestion　horrified　Angus。　　〃I

believe；　father；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃that　we　ought

to　examine　his　bundle。〃



A　small　oblong　packet　was　brought　forth

from　the　dead　man's　belt　and　carefully　un…

rolled。



There　were　several　pairs　of　moccasins；　and

within　one　of　these　Angus　found　something

wrapped　up　nicely。　　He　proceeded　to　unwind

the　long　strings　of　deerskin　with　which　it　was

securely　tied；　and　brought　forth　a　thin　sheet

of　birch…bark。　　At　first；　there　seemed　to　be　noth…

ing　more；　but　a　closer　scrutiny　revealed　the　im…

pression　of　the　awl；　and　the　bit　of　nature's

parchment　was　brought　nearer　to　his　face；　and

scanned　with　a　zeal　equal　to　that　of　any　student

of　ancient　hieroglyphics。



〃This　tells　the　whole　story；　father！〃　ex…

claimed　the　young　man　at　last。　　〃Magaska…

wee's　notejust　listen！〃　and　he　read　it　aloud。　

〃I　shall　start　to…morrow。　　We　can　take

enough　provision　and　ammunition　on　two　sleds；

with　six　dogs　to　each。　　I　shall　want　three　good

men　to　go　with　me。〃　　Angus　spoke　with　deci…

sion。



〃Well；　we　can't　afford　to　lose　our　best　hunt…

ers；　and　you　might　also　bring　home　with　you

what　furs　and　robes　they　have　on　hand；〃　was

his　father's　prudent　reply。



〃I　don't　care　particularly　for　the　skins；〃

Angus　declared；　but　he　at　once　began　hurried

preparations　for　departure。



In　the　meantime　affairs　grew　daily　more

desperate　in　the　exile　village　on　the　far…away

Mouse　River；　and　a　sort　of　Indian　hopelessness

and　resignation　settled　down　upon　the　little

community。　　There　were　few　who　really　ex…

pected　their　messenger　to　reach　the　fort；　or　be…

lieved　that　even　if　he　did　so；　relief　would　be

sent　in　time　to　save　them。　　White　Lodge；　the

father　of　his　people；　was　determined　to　share

with　them　the　last　mouthful　of　food；　and　every

morning　Winona　and　Magaskawee　went　with

scanty　portions　in　their　hands　to　those　whose

supply　had　entirely　failed。



On　the　outskirts　of　the　camp　there　dwelt　an

old　woman　with　an　orphan　grandchild；　who

had　been　denying　herself　for　some　time　in　order

that　the　child　might　live　longer。　　This　poor

teepee　the　girls　visited　often；　and　one　on　each

side　they　raised　the　exhausted　woman　and

poured　into　her　mouth　the　warm　broth　they

had　brought　with　them。



It　was　on　the　very　day　Face…the…Wind

reached　Fort　Ellis　that　a　young　hunter　who　had

ventured　further　from　the　camp　than　any　one

else　had　the　luck　to　bring　down　a　solitary　deer

with　his　bow　and　arrow。　　In　his　weakness　he

had　reached　camp　very　late；　bearing　the　deer

with　the　utmost　difficulty　upon　his　shoulders。　

It　was　instantly　separated　into　as　many　pieces

as　there　were　lodges　of　the　famishing　Sioux。　

These　delicious　morsels　were　hastily　cooked　and

eagerly　devoured；　but　among　so　many　there

was　scarcely　more　than　a　mouthful　to　the　share

of　each；　and　the　brave　youth　himself　did　not

receive　enough　to　appease　in　the　least　his　crav…

ing！



On　the　eve　of　Angus'　departure　for　the　exile

village；　Three　Stars；　a　devoted　suitor　of　Wi…

nona's；　accompanied　by　another　Assiniboine

brave；　appeared　unexpectedly　at　the　fort。　　He

at　once　asked　permission　to　join　the　relief　party；

and　they　set　out　at　daybreak。



The　lead…dog　was　the　old　reliable　Mack；　who

had　been　in　service　for　several　seasons　on　win…

ter　trips。　　All　of　the　white　men　were　clad　in

buckskin　shirts　and　pantaloons；　with　long

fringes　down　the　sides；　fur　caps　and　fur…lined

moccasins。　　Their　guns　were　fastened　to　the

long；　toboggan…like　sleds。



The　snow　had　thawed　a　little　and　formed　an

icy　crust；　and　over　this　fresh　snow　had　fallen；

which　a　northwest　wind　swept　over　the　surface

like　ashes　after　a　prairie　fire。　　The　sun　appeared

for　a　little　time　in　the　morning；　but　it　seemed

as　if　he　were　cutting　short　his　course　on　account

of　the　bleak　day；　and　had　protected　himself

with　pale　rings　of　fire。



The　dogs　laid　back　their　ears；　drew　in　their

tails；　and　struck　into　their　customary　trot；　but

even　old　Mack　looked　back　frequently；　as　if

reluctant　to　face　such　a　pricking　and　scarifying

wind。　　The　men　felt　the　cold　still　more　keenly；

although　they　had　taken　care　to　cover　every　bit

of　the　face　except　one　eye；　and　that　was　com…

pletely　blinded　at　times　by　the　granulated　snow。



The　sun　early　retreated　behind　a　wall　of　cloud；

and　the　wind　moaned　and　wailed　like　a　living

creature　in　anguish。　　At　last　they　approached　the

creek　where　they　had　planned　to　camp　for　the

night。　　There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　a　few

stunted　willows　half　buried　in　the　drifts；　but

the　banks　of　the　little　stream　afforded　some　pro…

tection　from　the　wind。



〃Whoa！〃　shouted　the　leader；　and　the　dogs

all　stopped；　sitting　down　on　their　haunches。　

〃Come；　Mack！〃　（with　a　wave　of　the　hand）；

〃lead　your　fellows　down　to　the　creek！〃



The　old　dog　started　down　at　the　word；　and

all　the　rest　followed。　　A　space　was　quickly

cleared　of　snow；　while　one　man　scoured　the

thickets　in　search　of　brush　for　fuel。　　In　a　few

minutes　the　tent　was　up　and　a　fire　kindled　in

the　center；　while　the　floor　was　thickly　strewn

with　twigs　of　willow；　over　which　buffalo　robes

were　spread。　　Three　Stars　attended　to　supper；

and　soon　in　the　midst　of　the　snapping　willow

fire　a　kettle　was　boiling。　　All　partook　of　strong

tea；　dried　meat　of　buffalo；　and　pemmican；　a　mix…

ture　of　pounded　dried　meat　with　wild　cherries

and　melted　fat。　　The　dogs；　to　whom　one…half

the　tent　was　assigned；　enjoyed　a　hearty　meal

and　fell　into　a　deep　sleep；　lying　one　against　an…

other。



After　supper　Jerry　drove　two　sticks　into　the

ground；　one　on　each　side　of　the　fire；　and　con…

nected　the　two　by　a　third　one　over　the　blaze。　

Upon　this　all　hung　their　socks　to　drymost

of　them　merely　square　pieces　of　blanket　cut　to

serve　that　purpose。　　Soon　each　man　rolled　him…

self　in　his　own　buffalo　robe　and　fell　asleep。



All　night　the　wind　raged。　　The　lonely　tee…

pee　now　and　then　shuddered　violently；　as　a

stronger　blast　than　usual　almost　lifted　it　from

the　ground。　　No　one　stirred　except　from　time

to　time　one　of　the　dogs；　who　got　up　snarling

and　sniffing　the　cold　air；　turned　himself　round

several　times　as　if　on　a　pivot；　and　finally　lay

down　for　another　nap。



In　the　morning　the　travelers　one　by　one

raised　their　heads　and　looked　through　the

smoke…hole；　then　fell　back　again　with　a　grunt。　

All　the　world　appeared　without　form　and　void。　

Presently；　however；　the　light　of　the　sun　was

seen　as　if　through　a　painted　window；　and　by

afternoon　they　were　able　to　go　on；　the　wind

having　partially　subsided。　　This　was　only　a

taste　of　the　weather　encountered　by　the　party

on　their　unseasonable　trip；　but　had　it　been　ten

times　harder；　it　would　never　have　occurred　to

Angus　to　turn　back。



On　the　third　day　the　rescuers　approached

the　camp　of　the　exiles。　　There　was　an　ominous

quiet；　no　creature　was　to　be　seen；　but　the　smoke

which　ascended　into　the　air　in　perpendicular

columns　assured　them　that　some；　at　least；　were

still　alive。　　The　party　happened　to　reach　first

the　teepee　of　the　poor　old　woman　who　had　been

so　faithfully　ministered　to　by　the　twin　sisters。　

They　had　no　longer　any　food　to　give；　but　they

had　come　to　build　her　fire；　if　she　should　have

survived　the　night。　　At　the　very　door　of　the

lodge　they　heard　the　jingle　of　dog…bells；　but

they　had　not　time　to　announce　the　joyful　news

before　the　men　were　in　sight。



In　another　minute　Angus　and　Three　Stars

were　beside　them；　holding　their　wasted　hands。









V





THE　CHIEF　SOLDIER



Just　outside　of　a　fine　large　wigwam　of

smoke…tanned　buffalo…skins　stood　Tawasu…

ota；　very　early　upon　an　August　morning

of　the　year　1862。　　Behind　the　wigwam　there

might　have　been　seen　a　thrifty　patch　of　growing

maize；　whose　tall；　graceful　stalks　resembled　as

many　warriors　in　dancing…dresses　and　tasseled

head…gear。



〃Thanks　be　to　the　'Great　Mystery；'　I　have

been　successful　in　the　fortunes　of　war！　　None

can　say　that　Tawasuota　is　a　coward。　　I　have

done　well；　so　well　that　our　chief；　Little　Crow；

has　offered　me　the　honored　position　of　his　chief

soldier；　ta　akich…itah！〃　he　said　to　himself　with

satisfaction。



The　sun　was　just　over　the　eastem　bank　of　the

Minnesota　River；　and　he　could　distinctly　see

upon　the　level　prairie　the　dwellings　of　logs

which　had　sprung　up　there　during　the　year；

since　Little　Crow's　last　treaty　with　the　whites。　

〃Ugh！　they　are　taking　from　us　our　beautiful

and　game…teeming　country！〃　was　his　thought

as　he　gazed　upon　them。



At　that　moment；　out　of　the　conical　white

teepee；　in　shape　like　a　new…born　mushroom；

there　burst　two　little　frisky　boys；　leaping　and

whooping。　　They　were　clad　gracefully　in　gar…

ments　of　fine　deerskin；　and　each　wore　a　minia…

ture　feather　upon　his　head；　marking　them　as

children　of　a　distinguished　warrior。



They　danced　nimb