old indian days-第15部分

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dangerous　exploits　were　related　by　the　actors　in

turn；　with　as　much　spirit　and　zest　as　if　they　were

still　living　in　those　days。



〃Tum；　tum；　tum；〃　the　drum　was　sounded。



〃Oow；　oow！〃　they　hooted　in　a　joyous　chorus

at　the　close　of　each　refrain。



〃Ho！〃　exclaimed　finally　the　master　of　cere…

monies　for　the　evening。　　〃It　is　Zuyamani's　story

of　his　great　ride　that　we　should　now　hear！　　It

was　not　far　from　this　place；　upon　the　Missouri

River；　and　within　the　recollection　of　many　of

us　that　this　occurred。　　Ye　young　men　must

hear！〃



〃Ho；　ho！〃　was　the　ready　response　of　all　pres…

ent；　and　the　drum　was　struck　once　according　to

custom。　　The　pipe　was　filled　and　handed　to　Zuy…

amani；　who　gravely　smoked　for　a　few　moments

in　silence。　　Then　he　related　his　contribution　to

the　unwritten　history　of　our　frontier　in　these

words：



〃It　was　during　the　winter　following　that　sum…

mer　in　which　General　Sibley　pursued　many　of　our

people　across　the　Muddy　River　（1863）；　that　we

Hunkpatees；　friendly　Sioux；　were　camping　at　a

place　called　'Hunt…the…Deer；'　about　two　miles

from　Fort　Rice；　Dakota　Territory。



〃The　Chief　Soldier　of　the　garrison　called　one

day　upon　the　leading　chiefs　of　our　band。　　To

each　one　he　said：　'Lend　me　your　bravest　war…

rior！'　Each　chief　called　his　principal　warriors

together　and　laid　the　matter　before　them。



〃'The　Chief　Soldier　at　this　place；'　they　ex…

plained；　'wants　to　send　a　message　to　Fort　Ber…

thold；　where　the　Rees　and　Mandans　live；　to　an…

other　Chief　Soldier　there。　　The　soldiers　of　the

Great　Father　do　not　know　the　way；　neither　could

any　of　them　get　through　the　lines。　　He　asks　for

a　brave　man　to　carry　his　message。'



〃The　Mandans　and　the　Rees　were　our　hered…

itary　enemies；　but　this　was　not　the　principal　rea…

son　for　our　hesitation。　　We　had　declared　alle…

giance　to　the　Great　Father　at　Washington；　we

had　taken　our　stand　against　the　fighting　men

of　our　own　nation；　and　the　hostile　Sioux　were

worse　than　enemies　to　us　at　this　time！



〃Each　chief　had　only　called　on　his　leading

warriors；　and　each　in　turn　reported　his　failure　to

secure　a　volunteer。



〃Then　the　Chief　Soldier　sent　again　and　said：

'Is　there　not　a　young　man　among　you　who　dares

to　face　death？　　If　he　reaches　the　fort　with　my

message；　he　will　need　to　be　quick…witted　as　well

as　brave；　and　the　Great　Father　will　not　forget

him！'



〃Now　all　the　chiefs　together　called　all　the

young　men　in　a　great　council；　and　submitted　to

them　the　demand　of　the　Great　Father's　servant。　

We　knew　well　that　the　country　between　us　and

Fort　Berthold；　about　one　hundred　and　fifty　miles

distant；　was　alive　with　hostile　Sioux；　and　that　if

any　of　us　should　be　caught　and　recognized　by

them；　he　would　surely　be　put　to　death。　　It　would

not　be　easy　to　deceive　them　by　professing　hostil…

ity　to　the　Government；　for　the　record　of　each

individual　Indian　is　well　known。　　The　warriors

were　still　unwilling　to　go；　for　they　argued　thus：

'This　is　a　white　man's　errand；　and　will　not　be

recorded　as　a　brave　deed　upon　the　honor　roll

of　our　people。'　I　think　many　would　have　vol…

unteered　but　for　that　belief。　　At　that　time　we

had　not　a　high　opinion　of　the　white　man。



〃Since　all　the　rest　were　silent；　it　came　into

my　mind　to　offer　my　services。　　The　warriors

looked　at　me　in　astonishment；　for　I　was　a　very

young　man　and　had　no　experience。



〃Our　chief；　Two　Bears；　who　was　my　own

uncle；　finally　presented　my　name　to　the　command…

ing　officer。　　He　praised　my　courage　and　begged

me　to　be　vigilant。　　The　interpreter　told　him

that　I　had　never　been　upon　the　war…path　and

would　be　knocked　over　like　a　rabbit；　but　as　no

one　else　would　go；　he　was　obliged　to　accept　me

as　his　messenger。　　He　gave　me　a　fine　horse　and

saddle；　also　a　rifle　and　soldier's　uniform。　　I

would　not　take　the　gun　nor　wear　the　blue　coat。　

I　accepted　only　a　revolver；　and　I　took　my　bow

and　quiver　full　of　arrows；　and　wore　my　usual

dress。　　I　hid　the　letter　in　my　moccasin。



〃I　set　out　before　daybreak　the　next　morning。　

The　snow　was　deep。　　I　rode　up　the　river；　on

the　west　bank；　keeping　a　very　close　watch　all　the

way；　but　seeing　nothing。　　I　had　been　provided

with　a　pair　of　field　glasses；　and　I　surveyed　the

country　on　all　sides　from　the　top　of　every　hill。　

Having　traveled　all　day　and　part　of　the　night；

I　rested　my　horse　and　I　took　a　little　sleep。



〃After　eating　a　small　quantity　of　pemmican；

I　made　a　very　early　start　in　the　morning。　　It　was

scarcely　light　when　I　headed　for　a　near…by　ridge

from　which　to　survey　the　country　beyond。　Just

as　I　ascended　the　rise　I　found　myself　almost　sur…

rounded　by　loose　ponies；　evidently　belonging　to

a　winter　camp　of　the　hostile　Sioux。



〃I　readjusted　my　saddle；　tightened　the　girths；

and　prepared　to　ride　swiftly　around　the　camp。　

I　saw　some　men　already　out　after　ponies。　　No

one　appeared　to　have　seen　me　as　yet；　but　I　felt

that　as　soon　as　it　became　lighter　they　could　not

help　observing　me。　　I　turned　to　make　the　circuit

of　the　camp；　which　was　a　very　large　one；　and

as　soon　as　I　reached　the　timbered　bottom　lands

I　began　to　congratulate　myself　that　I　had　not

been　seen。



〃As　I　entered　the　woods　at　the　crossing　of　a

dry　creek；　I　noticed　that　my　horse　was　nervous。　

I　knew　that　horses　are　quick　to　discover　animals

or　men　by　scent；　and　I　became　nervous；　too。



〃The　animal　put　his　four　feet　together　and

almost　slid　down　the　steep　bank。　　As　he　came

out　on　the　opposite　side　he　swerved　suddenly　and

started　to　run。　　Then　I　saw　a　man　watching　me

from　behind　a　tree。　　Fortunately　for　me；　he

carried　no　weapon。　　He　was　out　after　ponies；

and　had　only　a　lariat　wound　upon　one　shoulder。



〃He　beckoned　and　made　signs　for　me　to　stop；

but　I　spurred　my　horse　and　took　flight　at　once。　

I　could　hear　him　yelling　far　behind　me；　no　doubt

to　arouse　the　camp　and　set　them　on　my　trail。



〃As　I　fled　westward；　I　came　upon　another

man；　mounted；　and　driving　his　ponies　before　him。　

He　yelled　and　hooted　in　vain；　then　turned　and

rode　after　me。　　Two　others　had　started　in　pur…

suit；　but　my　horse　was　a　good　one；　and　I　easily

outdistanced　them　at　the　start。



〃After　I　had　fairly　circled　the　camp；　I　turned

again　toward　the　river；　hoping　to　regain　the　bot…

tom　lands。　　The　traveling　was　bad。　　Sometimes

we　came　to　deep　gulches　filled　with　snow；　where

my　horse　would　sink　in　up　to　his　body　and　seem

unable　to　move。　　When　I　jumped　off　his　back

and　struck　him　once　or　twice；　he　would　make

several　desperate　leaps　and　recover　his　footing。　

My　pursuers　were　equally　hindered；　but　by　this

time　the　pursuit　was　general；　and　in　order　to

terrify　me　they　yelled　continually　and　fired　their

guns　into　the　air。　　Now　and　then　I　came　to　a

gulch　which　I　had　to　follow　up　in　search　of　a

place　to　cross；　and　at　such　times　they　gained　on

me。　I　began　to　despair；　for　I　knew　that　the

white　man's　horses　have　not　the　endurance　of

our　Indian　ponies；　and　I　expected　to　be　chased

most　of　the　day。



〃Finally　I　came　to　a　ravine　that　seemed　im…

possible　to　cross。　　As　I　followed　it　up；　it　became

evident　that　some　of　them　had　known　of　this

trap；　and　had　cut　in　ahead　of　me。　　I　felt　that　I

must　soon　abandon　my　horse　and　slide　down　the

steep　sides　of　the　gulch　to　save　myself。



〃However；　I　made　one　last　effort　to　pass　my

enemies。　　They　came　within　gunshot　and　several

fired　at　me；　although　all　our　horses　were　going

at　full　speed。　　They　missed　me；　and　being　at

last　clear　of　them；　I　came　to　a　place　where　I

could　cross；　and　the　pursuit　stopped。〃



When　Zuyamani　reached　this　point　in　his

recital；　the　great　drum　was　struck　several　times；

and　all　the　men　cheered　him。



〃The　days　are　short　in　winter；〃　he　went　on

after　a　short　pause；　〃and　just　now　the　sun　sank

behind　the　hills。　　I　did　　not　linger。　　I　continued

my　journey　by　night；　and　reached　Fort　Berthold

before　midnight。　　I　had　been　so　thoroughly

frightened　and　was　so　much　exhausted　that　I

did　not　want　to　talk；　and　as　soon　as　I　had　de…

livered　my　letters　to　the　post　commander；　I　went

to　the　interpreter's　quarters　to　sleep。



〃The　interpreter；　however；　announced　my

arrival；　and　that　same　night　many　Ree；　Gros

Ventre；　and　Mandan　warriors　came　to　call　upon

me。　Among　them　was　a　great　chief　of　the　Rees；

called　Poor　Dog。



〃'You　must　be；'　said　he　to　me；　'either　a　very

young　man；　or　a　fool！　　You　have　not　told　us

about　your　close　escape；　but　a　runner　came　in　at

dusk　and　told　us　of　the　pursuit。　　He　reported

that　you　had　been　killed　by　the　hostiles；　for　he

heard　many　guns　fired　about　the　middle　of　the

afternoon。　　These　white　men　will　never　give

you　any　credit　for　your　wonderful　ride；　nor　will

they　compensate　you　for　the　risks　you　have

taken　in　their　service。　　They　will　not　give　you

so　much　as　one　eagle　feather　for　what　you　have

done！'



〃The　next　day　I　was　sent　for　to　go　to　head…

quarters；　and　there　I　related　my　all…day　pursuit

by　the　hostile　Sioux。　　The　commanding　officer

advised　me　to　remain　at　the　fort　fifteen　days

before　making　the　return　trip；　thinking　that　by

that　time　my　enemies　might　cease　to　look　for　me。



〃At　the　end　of　the　fortnight　he　wrote　his

letters；　and　I　told　him　that　I　was　ready　to　start。　

'I　will　give　you；'　he　said；　'twenty　Rees　and

Gros　Ventres　to　escort　you　past　the　hostile

camp。'　　We　set　out　very　early　and　rode　all　day；

so　that　night　overtook　us　just　before　we　reached

the　camp。



〃At　nightfall　we　sent　two　scouts　ahead；　but

before　they　left　us　they　took　the　oath　of　the

pipe　in　token　of　their　loyalty。　　You　all　know　the

ancient　war　custom。　　A　lighted　pipe　was　held

toward　them　and　each　one　solemnly　touched　it；

after　which　it　was　passed　as　usual。



〃We　followed　more　slowly；　and　at　about

midnight　we　came　to　the　place　where　our　scouts

had　agreed　to　meet　us。　　They　were　to　return

from　a　reconnaissance　of　the　camp　and　report

on　what　they　had　s