old indian days-第9部分

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taken　up　by　an　old　man；　whose　face　was　painted

red。　　First　he　held　it　to　the　ground　with　the

words：　〃Great　Mother；　partake　of　this！〃

Then　he　held　it　toward　the　sky；　saying：　〃Great

Father；　smoke　this！〃　Finally　he　lighted　it；

took　four　puffs；　pointing　it　to　the　four　corners

of　the　earth　in　turn；　and　lastly　presented　it

to　Anookasan。　　This　was　the　oath　of　office；

administered　by　the　chief　of　the　council　lodge。　

The　other　nine　were　similarly　commissioned；

and　all　accepted　the　appointment。



It　was　no　light　task　that　was　thus　religiously

enjoined　upon　these　ten　men。　　It　meant　at　the

least　several　days　and　nights　of　wandering　in

search　of　signs　of　the　wily　buffalo。　　It　was　a

public　duty；　and　a　personal　one　as　well；　one

that　must　involve　untold　hardship；　and　if　over…

taken　by　storm　the　messengers　were　in　peril　of

death！



Anookasan　returned　to　his　teepee　with　some

misgiving。　　His　old　charger；　which　had　so

often　carried　him　to　victory；　was　not　so　strong

as　he　had　been　in　his　prime。　　As　his　master

approached　the　lodge　the　old　horse　welcomed

him　with　a　gentle　whinny。　　He　was　always

tethered　near　by；　ready　for　any　emergency。



〃Ah；　Wakan！　we　are　once　more　called　upon

to　do　duty！　　We　shall　set　out　before　day…

break。〃



As　he　spoke；　he　pushed　nearer　a　few　strips

of　the　poplar　bark；　which　was　oats　to　the　Indian

pony　of　the　olden　time。



Anookasan　had　his　extra　pair　of　buffaloskin

moccasins　with　the　hair　inside；　and　his　scanty

provision　of　dried　meat　neatly　done　up　in　a

small　packet　and　fastened　to　his　saddle。　　With

his　companions　he　started　northward；　up　the

River　of　the　Gray　Woods；　five　on　the　east　side

and　a　like　number　on　the　west。



The　party　had　separated　each　morning；　so

as　to　cover　as　much　ground　as　possible；　having

agreed　to　return　at　night　to　the　river。　　It　was

now　the　third　day；　their　food　was　all　but　gone；

their　steeds　much　worn；　and　the　signs　seemed

to　indicate　a　storm。　　Yet　the　hunger　of　their

friends　and　their　own　pride　impelled　them　to

persist；　for　out　of　many　young　men　they　had

been　chosen；　therefore　they　must　prove　them…

selves　equal　to　the　occasion。



The　sun；　now　well　toward　the　western　hori…

zon；　cast　over　snow…covered　plains　a　purplish

light。　　No　living　creature　was　in　sight　and　the

quest　seemed　hopeless；　but　Anookasan　was　not

one　to　accept　defeat。



〃There　may　be　an　outlook　from　yonder　hill

which　will　turn　failure　into　success；〃　he　thought；

as　he　dug　his　heels　into　the　sides　of　his　faith…

ful　nag。　　At　the　same　time　he　started　a

〃Strong　Heart〃　song　to　keep　his　courage　up！



At　the　summit　of　the　ascent　he　paused　and

gazed　steadily　before　him。　　At　the　foot　of　the

next　coteau　he　beheld　a　strip　of　black。　　He

strained　his　eyes　to　look；　for　the　sun　had　al…

ready　set　behind　the　hilltops。　　It　was　a　great

herd　of　buffaloes；　he　thought；　which　was　graz…

ing　on　the　foot…hills。



〃Hi　hi；　uncheedah！　　Hi；　hi；　tunkasheedah！〃

he　was　about　to　exclaim　in　gratitude；　when；

looking　more　closely；　he　discovered　his　mistake。　

The　dark　patch　was　only　timber。



His　horse　could　not　carry　him　any　further；

so　he　got　off　and　ran　behind　him　toward　the

river。　　At　dusk　he　hailed　his　companions。



〃Ho；　what　success？〃　one　cried。



〃Not　a　sign　of　even　a　lone　bull；〃　replied　an…

other。



〃Yet　I　saw　a　gray　wolf　going　north　this

evening。　　His　direction　is　propitious；〃　re…

marked　Anookasan；　as　he　led　the　others　down

the　slope　and　into　the　heavy　timber。　　The　river

just　here　made　a　sharp　turn；　forming　a　densely

wooded　semicircle；　in　the　shelter　of　a　high

bluff。



The　braves　were　all　downhearted　because

of　their　ill…luck；　and　only　the　sanguine　spirit

of　Anookasan　kept　them　from　utter　discourage…

ment。　　Their　slight　repast　had　been　taken　and

each　man　had　provided　himself　with　abundance

of　dry　grass　and　twigs　for　a　bed。　　They　had

built　a　temporary　wigwam　of　the　same　mate…

rial；　in　the　center　of　which　there　was　a　gen…

erous　fire。　　Each　man　stretched　himself　out

upon　his　robe　in　the　glow　of　it。　　Anookasan

filled　the　red　pipe；　and；　having　lighted　it；　he

took　one　or　two　hasty　puffs　and　held　it　up　to

the　moon；　which　was　scarcely　visible　behind　the

cold　clouds。



〃Great　Mother；　partake　of　this　smoke！

May　I　eat　meat　to…morrow！〃　he　exclaimed　with

solemnity。　　　Having　uttered　this　prayer；　he

handed　the　pipe　to　the　man　nearest　him。



For　a　time　they　all　smoked　in　silence；　then

came　a　distant　call。



〃Ah；　it　is　Shunkmanito；　the　wolf！　　There

is　something　cheering　in　his　voice　to…night；〃

declared　Anookasan。　　〃Yes；　I　am　sure　he　is

telling　us　not　to　be　discouraged。　　You　know

that　the　wolf　is　one　of　our　best　friends　in　trou…

ble。　　Many　a　one　has　been　guided　back　to　his

home　by　him　in　a　blizzard；　or　led　to　game　when

in　desperate　need。　　My　friends；　let　us　not　turn

back　in　the　morning；　let　us　go　north　one　more

day！〃



No　one　answered　immediately；　and　again

silence　reigned；　while　one　by　one　they　pulled

the　reluctant　whiffs　of　smoke　through　the　long

stem　of　the　calumet。



〃What　is　that？〃　said　one　of　the　men；　and

all　listened　intently　to　catch　the　delicate　sound。

They　were　familiar　with　all　the　noises　of　the

night　and　voices　of　the　forest；　but　this　was　not

like　any　of　them。



〃It　sounds　like　the　song　of　a　mosquito；　and

one　might　forget　while　he　listens　that　this　is

not　midsummer；〃　said　one。



〃I　hear　also　the　medicine…man's　single　drum…

beat；〃　suggested　another。



〃There　is　a　tradition；〃　remarked　Anookasan；

that　many　years　ago　a　party　of　hunters　went

up　the　river　on　a　scout　like　this　of　ours。　　They

never　returned。　　Afterward；　in　the　summer；

their　bones　were　found　near　the　home　of　a

strange　creature；　said　to　be　a　little　man；　but

he　had　hair　all　over　him。　　The　Isantees　call

him　Chanotedah。　　Our　old　men　give　him　the

name　Oglugechana。　　This　singular　being　is

said　to　be　no　larger　than　a　new…born　babe。　　He

speaks　an　unknown　tongue。



〃The　home　of　Oglugechana　is　usually　a　hol…

low　stump；　around　which　all　of　the　nearest　trees

are　felled　by　lightning。　　There　is　an　open　spot

in　the　deep　woods　wherever　he　dwells。　　His

weapons　are　the　plumes　of　various　birds。　　Great

numbers　of　these　variegated　feathers　are　to　be

found　in　the　deserted　lodge　of　the　little　man。



〃It　is　told　by　the　old　men　that　Oglugechana

has　a　weird　music　by　which　he　sometimes　be…

witches　lone　travelers。　　He　leads　them　hither　and

thither　about　his　place　until　they　have　lost　their

senses。　　Then　he　speaks　to　them。　　He　may

make　of　them　great　war…prophets　or　medicine…

men；　but　his　commands　are　hard　to　fulfill。　　If

any　one　sees　him　and　comes　away　before　he　is

bewildered；　the　man　dies　as　soon　as　he　smells

the　camp…fire；　or　when　he　enters　his　home　his

nearest　relative　dies　suddenly。〃



The　warrior　who　related　this　legend　assumed

the　air　of　one　who　narrates　authentic　history；

and　his　listeners　appeared　to　be　seriously　im…

pressed。　　What　we　call　the　supernatural　was　as

real　to　them　as　any　part　of　their　lives。



〃This　thing　does　not　stop　to　breathe　at　all。　

His　music　seems　to　go　on　endlessly；〃　said　one；

with　considerable　uneasiness。




〃It　comes　from　the　heavy　timber　north　of

us；　under　the　high　cliff；〃　reported　a　warrior

who　had　stepped　outside　of　the　rude　temporary

structure　to　inform　himself　more　clearly　of　the

direction　of　the　sound。



〃Anookasan；　you　are　our　leadertell　us

what　we　should　do！　We　will　follow　you。　　I

believe　we　ought　to　leave　this　spot　immediately。　

This　is　perhaps　the　spirit　of　some　dead　enemy；〃

suggested　another。　　Meanwhile；　the　red　pipe

was　refilled　and　sent　around　the　circle　to　calm

their　disturbed　spirits。



When　the　calumet　returned　at　last　to　the　one

addressed；　he　took　it　in　a　preoccupied　manner；

and　spoke　between　labored　pulls　on　the　stem。



〃I　am　just　like　yourselvesnothing　more

than　fleshwith　a　spirit　that　is　as　ready　to

leave　me　as　water　to　run　from　a　punctured

water…bag！　　When　we　think　thus；　we　are　weak。　

Let　us　rather　think　upon　the　brave　deeds　of

our　ancestors！　　This　singing　spirit　has　a　gentle

voice；　I　am　ready　to　follow　and　learn　if　it

be　an　enemy　or　no。　　Let　us　all　be　found　to…

gether　next　summer　if　need　be！〃



〃Ho；　ho；　ho！〃　was　the　full…throated　re…

sponse。



〃All　put　on　your　war…paint；〃　suggested

Anookasan。　　〃Have　your　knives　and　arrows

ready！〃



They　did　so；　and　all　stole　silently　through　the

black　forest　in　the　direction　of　the　mysterious

sound。　　Clearer　and　clearer　it　came　through　the

frosty　air；　but　it　was　a　foreign　sound　to　the

savage　ear。　　Now　it　seemed　to　them　almost

like　a　distant　water…fall；　then　it　recalled　the

low　hum　of　summer　insects　and　the　drowsy

drone　of　the　bumblebee。　　Thump；　thump；

thump！　was　the　regular　accompaniment。



Nearer　and　nearer　to　the　cliff　they　came；

deeper　into　the　wild　heart　of　the　woods。　　At

last　out　of　the　gray；　formless　night　a　dark　shape

appeared！　It　looked　to　them　like　a　huge　buf…

falo　bull　standing　motionless　in　the　forest；　and

from　his　throat　there　apparently　proceeded　the

thump　of　the　medicine　drum；　and　the　song　of

the　beguiling　spirit！



All　of　a　sudden　a　spark　went　up　into　the　air。　

As　they　continued　to　approach；　there　became

visible　a　deep　glow　about　the　middle　of　the

dark　object。　　Whatever　it　was；　they　had　never

heard　of　anything　like　it　in　all　their　lives！



Anookasan　was　a　little　in　advance　of　his　com…

panions；　and　it　was　he　who　finally　discovered　a

wall　of　logs　laid　one　upon　another。　　Half　way

up　there　seemed　to　be　stretched　a　par…fleche

（raw…hide）；　from　which　a　dim　light　emanated。　

He　still　thought　of　Oglugechana；　who　dwells

within　a　hollow　tree；　and　determined　to　sur…

prise　and　if　possible　to　overpower　this　wonder…

working　old　man。



All　now　took　their　knives　in　their　hands　and

advanced　with　their　leader　to　the　attack　upon

the　log　hut