old indian days-第13部分

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children　of　a　distinguished　warrior。



They　danced　nimbly　around　their　father；

while　he　stood　with　all　the　dignity　of　a　buck

elk；　viewing　the　landscape　reddened　by　sunrise

and　the　dwellers　therein；　the　old　and　the　new；

the　red　and　the　white。　　He　noticed　that　they

were　still　unmingled；　the　river　divided　them。



At　last　he　took　the　dancing　little　embryo

warriors　one　in　either　hand；　and　lifted　them　to

his　majestic　shoulders。　　There　he　placed　them

in　perfect　poise。　　His　haughty　spirit　found　a

moment's　happiness　in　fatherhood。



Suddenly　Tawasuota　set　the　two　boys　on　the

ground　again；　and　signed　to　them　to　enter　the

teepee。　　Apparently　all　was　quiet。　　The　camps

and　villages　of　the　Minnesota　reservation　were

undisturbed；　so　far　as　he　could　see；　save　by　the

awakening　of　nature；　and　the　early　risers

among　his　people　moved　about　in　seeming　se…

curity；　while　the　smoke　of　their　morning　fires

arose　one　by　one　into　the　blue。　　Still　the　war…

rior　gazed　steadily　westward；　up　the　river；

whence　his　quick　ear　had　caught　the　faint　but

ominous　sound　of　a　distant　war…whoop。



The　ridge　beyond　the　Wahpeton　village

bounded　the　view；　and　between　this　point　and

his　own　village　were　the　agency　buildings　and

the　traders'　stores。　　The　Indian's　keen　eye

swept　the　horizon；　and　finally　alighted　once

more　upon　the　home　of　his　new　neighbor　across

the　river；　the　flaxen…haired　white　man　with

many　children；　who　with　his　white　squaw　and

his　little　ones　worked　from　sunrise　to　sunset；

much　like　the　beaver　family。



Ah！　the　distant　war…whoop　once　more　saluted

his　ear；　but　this　time　nearer　and　more　distinct。　



〃What！　the　Rice　Creek　band　is　coming　in

full　war…paint！　Can　it　be　another　Ojibway　at…

tack？　　Ugh；　ugh！　　I　will　show　their　warriors

again　this　day　what　it　is　to　fight！〃　he　exclaimed

aloud。



The　white　traders　and　Government　employ…

ees；　those　of　them　who　were　up　and　about；

heard　and　saw　the　advancing　column　of　war…

riors。　　Yet　they　showed　no　sign　of　anxiety　or

fear。　　Most　of　them　thought　that　there　might

be　some　report　of　Ojibways　coming　to　attack

the　Sioux；a　not　uncommon　incident；and

that　those　warriors　were　on　their　way　to　the

post　to　replenish　their　powder…horns。　　A　few

of　the　younger　men　were　delighted　with　the

prospect　of　witnessing　an　Indian　fight。



On　swept　the　armed　band；　in　numbers　in…

creasing　at　every　village。



It　was　true　that　there　had　been　a　growing

feeling　of　distrust　among　the　Indians；　because

their　annuities　had　been　withheld　for　a　long

time；　and　the　money　payments　had　been　delayed

again　and　again。　　There　were　many　in　great

need。　　The　traders　had　given　them　credit　to

some　extent　（charging　them　four　times　the

value　of　the　article　purchased）；　and　had　like…

wise　induced　Little　Crow　to　sign　over　to　them

ninety…eight　thousand　dollars；　the　purchase…price

of　that　part　of　their　reservation　lying　north

of　the　Minnesota；　and　already　occupied　by　the

whites。



This　act　had　made　the　chief　very　unpop…

ular；　and　he　was　ready　for　a　desperate　ven…

ture　to　regain　his　influence。　　Certain　warriors

among　the　upper　bands　of　Sioux　had　even

threatened　his　life；　but　no　one　spoke　openly　of

a　break　with　the　whites。



When；　therefore；　the　news　came　to　Little

Crow　that　some　roving　hunters　of　the　Rice

Creek　band　had　killed　in　a　brawl　two　families

of　white　settlers；　he　saw　his　opportunity　to　show

once　for　all　to　the　disaffected　that　he　had　no

love　for　the　white　man。　　Immediately　he　sprang

upon　his　white　horse；　and　prepared　to　make

their　cause　a　general　one　among　his　people。



Tawasuota　had　scarcely　finished　his　hasty

preparations　for　war；　by　painting　his　face　and

seeing　to　the　loading　of　his　gun；　when　he　heard

the　voice　of　Little　Crow　outside　his　lodge。



〃You　are　now　my　head　soldier；〃　said　the

chief；　〃and　this　is　your　first　duty。　　Little　Six

and　his　band　have　inaugurated　the　war　against

the　whites。　　They　have　already　wiped　out　two

families；　and　are　now　on　their　way　to　the　agency。　

Let　my　chief　soldier　fire　the　first　shot。



〃Those　Indians　who　have　cut　their　hair　and

donned　the　white　man's　clothing　may　give　the

warning；　so　make　haste！　　If　you　fall　to…day；

there　is　no　better　day　on　which　to　die；　and　the

women　of　our　tribe　will　weep　proud　tears　for

Tawasuota。　　I　leave　it　with　you　to　lead　my

warriors。〃　　With　these　words　the　wily　chief

galloped　away　to　meet　the　war…party。



〃Here　comes　Little　Crow；　the　friend　of　the

white　man！〃　exclaimed　a　warrior；　as　he　ap…

proached。



〃Friends　and　warriors；　you　will　learn　to…day

who　are　the　friends　of　the　white　man；　and　none

will　dare　again　to　insinuate　that　I　have　been

against　the　interests　of　my　own　people；〃　he

replied。



After　a　brief　consultation　with　the　chiefs　he

advised　the　traders：



〃Do　not　hesitate　to　fill　the　powder…horns　of

my　warriors；　they　may　be　compelled　to　fight　all

day。〃



Soon　loud　yells　were　heard　along　the　road

to　the　Indian　village。



〃Ho；　ho！　　Tawasuota　u　ye　do！〃　　（He　is

coming；　he　is　coming！〃）　shouted　the　warriors

in　chorus。



The　famous　war…chief　dismounted　in　silence；

gun　in　hand；　and　walked　directly　toward　the

larger　store。



〃Friend；〃　he　exclaimed；　〃we　may　both　meet

the　'Great　Mystery'　to…day；　but　you　must　go

first。〃



There　was　a　loud　report；　and　the　unsuspect…

ing　white　man　lay　dead。　　It　was　James　Lynd；

one　of　the　early　traders；　and　a　good　friend　to

the　Indians。



No　sooner　had　Tawasuota　fired　the　fatal　shot

than　every　other　Indian　discharged　his　piece。　

Hither　and　thither　ran　the　frantic　people；　seek…

ing　safety；　but　seeking　it　in　vain。　　They　were

wholly　unprepared　and　at　the　mercy　of　the　foe。



The　friendly　Indians；　too；　were　taken　entirely

by　surprise。　　They　had　often　heard　wild　talk

of　revolt；　but　it　had　never　had　the　indorsement

of　intelligent　chiefs；　or　of　such　a　number　as　to

carry　any　weight　to　their　minds。　　Christian　In…

dians　rushed　in　every　direction　to　save；　if　pos…

sible；　at　least　the　wives　and　children　of　the　Gov…

ernment　employees。　　Meanwhile；　the　new　white

settlements　along　the　Minnesota　River　were

utterly　unconscious　of　any　danger。　　Not　a　soul

dreamed　of　the　terrible　calamity　that　each　pass…

ing　moment　was　bringing　nearer　and　nearer。



Tawasuota　stepped　aside；　and　took　up　his

pipe。　　He　seemed　almost　oblivious　of　what　he

had　done。　　While　the　massacre　still　raged　about

him　in　all　its　awful　cruelty；　he　sat　smoking　and

trying　to　think　collectedly；　but　his　mind　was

confused；　and　in　his　secret　thoughts　he　rebelled

against　Little　Crow。　　It　was　a　cowardly　deed

that　he　had　been　ordered　to　commit；　he

thought；　for　he　had　won　his　reputation　solely

by　brave　deeds　in　battle；　and　this　was　more　like

murdering　one　of　his　own　tribesmenthis　kill…

ing　of　an　unarmed　white　man。　　Up　to　this　time

the　killing　of　a　white　man　was　not　counted　the

deed　of　a　warrior；　it　was　murder。



The　lesser　braves　might　now　satisfy　their

spite　against　the　traders　to　their　hearts'　con…

tent；　but　Tawasuota　had　been　upon　the　best　of

terms　with　all　of　them。



Suddenly　a　ringing　shout　was　heard。　　The

chief　soldier　looked　up；　and　beheld　a　white　man；

nearly　nude；　leap　from　the　roof　of　the　larger

store　and　alight　upon　the　ground　hard　by

him。



He　had　emptied　one　barrel　of　his　gun；　and；

if　he　chose　to　do　so；　could　have　killed　Myrick

then　and　there；　but　he　made　no　move；　exclaim…

ing：



〃Ho；　ho！　　Nina　iyaye！〃　　（〃Run；　run！〃）



Away　sped　the　white　man　in　the　direction　of

the　woods　and　the　river。



〃Ah；　he　is　swift；　he　will　save　himself；〃

thought　Tawasuota。



All　the　Indians　had　now　spied　the　fugitive；

they　yelled　and　fired　at　him　again　and　again；

as　if　they　were　shooting　at　a　running　deer；　but

he　only　ran　faster。　　Just　as　he　had　reached　the

very　edge　of　the　sheltering　timber　a　single　shot

rang　out；　and　he　fell　headlong。



A　loud　war…whoop　went　up；　for　many　be…

lieved　that　this　was　one　of　the　men　who　had

stolen　their　trust　funds。



Tawasuota　continued　to　sit　and　smoke　in　the

shade　while　the　carnage　and　plunder　that　he

had　set　on　foot　proceeded　on　all　sides　of　him。　


Presently　men　began　to　form　small　parties　to

cross　the　river　on　their　mission　of　death；　but

he　refused　to　join　any　of　them。　　At　last；　several

of　the　older　warriors　came　up　to　smoke　with

him。



〃Ho；　nephew；〃　said　one　of　them　with　much

gravity；　〃you　have　precipitated　a　dreadful　ca…

lamity。　　This　means　the　loss　of　our　country；

the　destruction　of　our　nation。　　What　were　you

thinking　of？〃



It　was　the　Wahpeton　chief　who　spoke；　a

blood…relation　to　Tawasuota。　　He　did　not　at

once　reply；　but　filled　his　pipe　in　silence；　and

handed　it　to　the　man　who　thus　reproached　him。　

It　was　a　just　rebuke；　for　he　was　a　brave　man；

and　he　could　have　refused　the　request　of　his

chief　to　open　the　massacre。



At　this　moment　it　was　announced　that　a　body

of　white　soldiers　were　on　the　march　from　Fort

Ridgeley。　　A　large　body　of　warriors　set　out　to

meet　them。



〃Nephew；　you　have　spilled　the　first　blood

of　the　white　man；　go；　join　in　battle　with　the　sol…

diers。　　They　are　armed；　they　can　defend　them…

selves；〃　remarked　the　old　chief；　and　Tawasuota

replied：



〃Uncle；　you　speak　truth；　I　have　committed

the　act　of　a　coward。　　It　was　not　of　my　own

will　I　did　it；　nevertheless；　I　have　raised　my

weapon；　and　I　will　fight　the　whites　as　long　as

I　live。　　If　I　am　ever　taken；　they　will　first　have

to　kill　me。〃　　He　arose；　took　up　his　gun；　and

joined　the　war…party。



The　dreadful　day　of　massacre　was　almost

ended。　　The　terrified　Sioux　women　and　children

had　fled　up　the　river　before　the　approaching

troops。　　Long　shafts　of　light　from　the　setting

sun　painted　every　hill；　one　side　red　as　with

blood；　the　other　dark　as　the　shadow　of　death。　

A　cloud　of　smoke　from　burning　homes　hung

over　the　beautiful　river。　　Even　the　p