old indian days-第8部分

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law's　hand。　　Thus　they　entered　the　village　in

battle　array；　but　with　hearts　touched　with　won…

der　and　great　gladness；　discharging　their　ar…

rows　upward　in　clouds　and　singing　peace…songs。







II





THE　MADNESS　OF　BALD　EAGLE



〃It　was　many　years　ago；　when　I　was　only

a　child；〃　began　White　Ghost；　the　patri…

archal　old　chief　of　the　Yanktonnais

Sioux；　〃that　our　band　was　engaged　in　a　des…

perate　battle　with　the　Rees　and　Mandans。　　The

cause　of　the　fight　was　a　peculiar　one。　　I　will

tell　you　about　it。〃　　And　he　laid　aside　his　long…

stemmed　pipe　and　settled　himself　to　the　recital。



〃At　that　time　the　Yanktonnais　numbered　a

little　over　forty　families。　　We　were　nicknamed

by　the　other　bands　Shunkikcheka；　or　Domestic

Dogs；　because　of　our　owning　large　numbers　of

these　animals。　　My　father　was　the　head　chief。



〃Our　favorite　wintering　place　was　a　tim…

bered　tract　near　the　mouth　of　the　Grand　River；

and　it　was　here　that　we　met　the　Blackfoot　Sioux

in　the　fall　hunt。　　On　the　opposite　side　of　the

river　from　our　camp　was　the　permanent　village

of　the　Rees　and　Mandans；　whose　houses　were

of　dirt　and　partly　underground。　　For　a　hun…

dred　years　before　this　time　they　had　planted

large　gardens；　and　we　were　accustomed　to　buy

of　them　corn；　beans；　and　pumpkins。　　From　time

to　time　our　people　had　made　treaties　of　peace

with　them。　　Each　family　of　the　Rees　had　one

or　two　buffalo　boatsnot　round；　as　the　Sioux

made　them；　but　two　or　three　skins　long。　　In

these　boats　they　brought　quantities　of　dried

beans　and　other　vegetables　to　trade　with　us　for

jerked　buffalo　meat。



〃It　was　a　great　gathering　and　a　time　of　gen…

eral　festivity　and　hospitality。　　The　Sioux　young

men　were　courting　the　Ree　girls；　and　the　Ree

braves　were　courting　our　girls；　while　the　old

people　bartered　their　produce。　　All　day　the

river　was　alive　with　canoes　and　its　banks　rang

with　the　laughter　of　the　youths　and　maidens。



〃My　father's　younger　brother；　whose　name

was　Big　Whip；　had　a　close　friend；　a　young　man

who　ever　after　the　event　of　which　I　am　about

to　tell　you　was　known　as　Bald　Eagle。　　They

were　both　daring　young　men　and　very　ambitious

for　distinction。　　They　had　been　following　the

Ree　girls　to　their　canoes　as　they　returned　to

their　homes　in　the　evening。



〃Big　Whip　and　his　friend　stood　upon　the

river　bank　at　sunset；　one　with　a　quiver　full　of

arrows　upon　his　back　while　the　other　carried

a　gun　under　his　blanket。　　Nearly　all　the　peo…

ple　of　the　other　village　had　crossed　the　river；

and　the　chief　of　the　Rees；　whose　name　was

Bald　Eagle；　went　home　with　his　wife　last　of

all。　　It　was　about　dusk　as　they　entered　their

bullhide　boat；　and　the　two　Sioux　stood　there

looking　at　them。



〃Suddenly　Big　Whip　exclaimed：　'Friend；

let　us　kill　the　chief。　　I　dare　you　to　kill　and

scalp　him！'　His　friend　replied：



〃'It　shall　be　as　you　say。　　I　will　stand　by

you　in　all　things。　　I　am　willing　to　die　with

you。'



〃Accordingly　Bald　Eagle　pulled　out　his　gun

and　shot　the　Ree　dead。　　From　that　day　he　took

his　name。　　The　old　man　fell　backward　into　his

boat；　and　the　old　woman　screamed　and　wept　as

she　rowed　him　across　the　river。　　The　other

young　man　shot　an　arrow　or　two　at　the　wife；

but　she　continued　to　row　until　she　reached　the

other　bank。



〃There　was　great　excitement　on　both　sides

of　the　river　as　soon　as　the　people　saw　what　had

happened。　　There　were　two　camps　of　Sioux；

the　Blackfoot　Sioux　and　the　Yanktonnais；　or

our　people。　　Of　course　the　Mandans　and　Rees

greatly　outnumbered　us；　their　camp　must　have

numbered　two　or　three　thousand；　which　was

more　than　we　had　in　our　combined　camps。



〃There　was　a　Sioux　whose　name　was　Black

Shield；　who　had　intermarried　among　the　Rees。　

He　came　down　to　the　opposite　bank　of　the　Mis…

souri　and　shouted　to　us：



〃'Of　which　one　of　your　bands　is　the　man

who　killed　Bald　Eagle？'



〃One　of　the　Blackfoot　Sioux　replied：



〃'It　is　a　man　of　the　Yanktonnais　Sioux　who

killed　Bald　Eagle。'



〃Then　he　said：　'The　Rees　wish　to　do　battle

with　them；　you　had　better　withdraw　from　their

camp。'



〃Accordingly　the　Blackfeet　retired　about　a

mile　from　us　upon　the　bluffs　and　pitched　their

tents；　while　the　Yanktonnais　remained　on　the

flats。　　The　two　bands　had　been　great　rivals　in

courage　and　the　art　of　war；　so　we　did　not　ask

for　help　from　our　kinsfolk；　but　during　the　night

we　dug　trenches　about　the　camp；　the　inner　one

for　the　women　and　children；　and　the　outer　one

for　the　men　to　stay　in　and　do　battle。



〃The　next　morning　at　daybreak　the　enemy

landed　and　approached　our　camp　in　great　num…

bers。　　Some　of　their　women　and　old　men　came

also；　and　sat　upon　the　bluffs　to　watch　the　fight

and　to　carry　off　their　dead　and　wounded。　　The

Blackfeet　likewise　were　watching　the　battle

from　the　bluffs；　and　just　before　the　fight　began

one　Blackfoot　came　in　with　his　wife　and　joined

us。　His　name　was　Red　Dog's　Track；　but　from

that　day　he　was　called　He…Came…Back。　　His

wife　was　a　Yanktonnais；　and　he　had　said　to

her：　'If　I　don't　join　your　tribe　to…day；　my

brothers…in…law　will　call　me　a　coward。'



〃The　Sioux　were　well　entrenched　and　well

armed　with　guns　and　arrows；　and　their　aim

was　deadly；　so　that　the　Rees　crawled　up　gradu…

ally　and　took　every　opportunity　to　pick　off　any

Sioux　who　ventured　to　show　his　head　above　the

trenches。　　In　like　manner　every　Ree　who　ex…

posed　himself　was　sure　to　die。



〃Up　to　this　time　no　one　had　seen　the　two

men　who　made　all　the　trouble。　　There　was　a

natural　hollow　in　the　bank；　concealed　by　buffalo

berry　bushes；　very　near　where　they　stood　when

Bald　Eagle　shot　the　Ree。



〃'Friend；'　said　Big　Whip；　'it　is　likely　that

our　own　people　will　punish　us　for　this　deed。　

They　will　pursue　and　kill　us　wherever　they　find

us。　They　have　the　right　to　do　this。　　The　best

thing　is　to　drop　into　this　washout　and　remain

there　until　they　cease　to　look　for　us。'



〃They　did　so；　and　remained　hidden　during

the　night。　　But；　after　the　fight　began；　Big　Whip

said　again：　'Friend；　we　are　the　cause　of　the

deaths　of　many　brave　men　this　day。　　We　com…

mitted　the　act　to　show　our　bravery。　　We　dared

each　other　to　do　it。　　It　will　now　become　us　as

warriors　to　join　our　band。'



〃They　both　stripped；　and　taking　their　weap…

ons　in　hand；　ran　toward　the　camp。　　They　had

to　pass　directly　through　the　enemy's　lines；　but

they　were　not　recognized　till　they　had　fairly

passed　them。　　Then　they　were　between　two

fires。　　When　they　had　almost　reached　the　en…

trenchment　they　faced　about　and　fired　at　the

Rees；　jumping　about　incessantly　to　avoid　being

hit；　as　is　the　Indian　fashion。　　Bullets　and　ar…

rows　were　flying　all　about　them　like　hail；　but

at　last　they　dropped　back　unhurt　into　the　Sioux

trenches。　　Thus　the　two　men　saved　their　repu…

tation　for　bravery；　and　their　people　never

openly　reproached　them　for　the　events　of　that

day。　　Young　men　are　often　rash；　but　it　is　not

well　to　reprove　one　for　a　brave　deed　lest　he

become　a　coward。



〃Many　were　killed；　but　more　of　the　Rees

than　of　our　band。　　About　the　middle　of　the

afternoon　there　came　a　cold　rain。　　It　was　in

the　fall　of　the　year。　　The　bow…strings　were　wet；

and　the　guns　were　only　flint…locks。　　You　know

when　the　flint　becomes　wet　it　is　useless；　and　it

looked　as　if　the　fight　must　be　with　knives。



〃But　the　Rees　were　much　disheartened。　

They　had　lost　many。　　The　women　were　all　the

time　carrying　off　the　wounded；　and　there　were

the　Blackfoot　Sioux　watching　them　from　the

hills。　　They　turned　and　fled　toward　the　river。　

The　Sioux　followed　like　crazy　wolves；　toma…

hawking　the　tired　and　slow　ones。　　Many　were

killed　at　the　boats；　and　some　of　the　boats　were

punctured　with　shot　and　sank。　　Some　carried

a　load　of　Sioux　arrows　back　across　the　river。　

That　was　the　greatest　battle　ever　fought　by　our

band；〃　the　old　man　concluded；　with　a　deep　sigh

of　mingled　satisfaction　and　regret。









THE　SINGING　SPIRIT





　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　I



〃Ho　my　steed；　we　must　climb　one　more

hill！　　My　reputation　depends　upon

my　report！〃



Anookasan　addressed　his　pony　as　if　he　were

a　human　companion；　urged　on　like　himself　by

human　need　and　human　ambition。　　And　yet

in　his　heart　he　had　very　little　hope　of　sighting

any　buffalo　in　that　region　at　just　that　time　of

the　year。



The　Yankton　Sioux　were　ordinarily　the　most

far…sighted　of　their　people　in　selecting　a　winter

camp；　but　this　year　the　late　fall　had　caught

them　rather　far　east　of　the　Missouri　bottoms；

their　favorite　camping…ground。　　The　upper

Jim　River；　called　by　the　Sioux　the　River　of

Gray　Woods；　was　usually　bare　of　large　game

at　that　season。　　Their　store　of　jerked　buffalo

meat　did　not　hold　out　as　they　had　hoped；　and

by　March　it　became　an　urgent　necessity　to　send

out　scouts　for　buffalo。



The　old　men　at　the　tiyo　teepee　（council

lodge）　held　a　long　council。　　It　was　decided　to

select　ten　of　their　bravest　and　hardiest　young

men　to　explore　the　country　within　three　days'

journey　of　their　camp。



〃Anookasan；　uyeyo…o…o；　woo；　woo！〃　　Thus

the　ten　men　were　summoned　to　the　council　lodge

early　in　the　evening　to　receive　their　commis…

sion。　　Anookasan　was　the　first　called　and　first

to　cross　the　circle　of　the　teepees。　　A　young　man

of　some　thirty　years；　of　the　original　native　type；

his　massive　form　was　wrapped　in　a　fine　buffalo

robe　with　the　hair　inside。　　He　wore　a　stately

eagle　feather　in　his　scalp…lock；　but　no　paint

about　his　face。



As　he　entered　the　lodge　all　the　inmates

greeted　him　with　marked　respect；　and　he　was

given　the　place　of　honor。　　When　all　were

seated　the　great　drum　was　struck　and　a　song

sung　by　four　deep…chested　men。　　This　was　the

prelude　to　a　peculiar　ceremony。



A　large　red　pipe；　which　had　been　filled　and

laid　carefully　upon　the　central　hearth；　was　now

taken　up　by　an　old　man；　whose　face　was　painted

red。　　First　he　held　it　to