indian heroes & great chieftains-第15章

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and　domineering　in　his　dealings　with　the　hated　race。　　He　once

remarked　that　〃if　we　wish　to　make　any　impression　upon　the　pale…face；

it　is　necessary　to　put　on　his　mask。〃



Sitting　Bull　joined　in　the　attack　on　Fort　Phil　Kearny　and　in

the　subsequent　hostilities；　but　he　accepted　in　good　faith　the

treaty　of　1868；　and　soon　after　it　was　signed　he　visited　Washington

with　Red　Cloud　and　Spotted　Tail；　on　which　occasion　the　three

distinguished　chiefs　attracted　much　attention　and　were　entertained

at　dinner　by　President　Grant　and　other　notables。　　He　considered

that　the　life　of　the　white　man　as　he　saw　it　was　no　life　for　his

people；　but　hoped　by　close　adherence　to　the　terms　of　this　treaty　to

preserve　the　Big　Horn　and　Black　Hills　country　for　a　permanent

hunting　ground。　　When　gold　was　discovered　and　the　irrepressible

gold　seekers　made　their　historic　dash　across　the　plains　into　this

forbidden　paradise；　then　his　faith　in　the　white　man's　honor　was

gone　forever；　and　he　took　his　final　and　most　persistent　stand　in

defense　of　his　nation　and　home。　　His　bitter　and　at　the　same　time

well…grounded　and　philosophical　dislike　of　the　conquering　race　is

well　expressed　in　a　speech　made　before　the　purely　Indian　council

before　referred　to；　upon　the　Powder　River。　　I　will　give　it　in　brief

as　it　has　been　several　times　repeated　to　me　by　men　who　were

present。



〃Behold；　my　friends；　the　spring　is　come；　the　earth　has　gladly

received　the　embraces　of　the　sun；　and　we　shall　soon　see　the　results

of　their　love！　　Every　seed　is　awakened；　and　all　animal　life。　　It　is

through　this　mysterious　power　that　we　too　have　our　being；　and　we

therefore　yield　to　our　neighbors；　even　to　our　animal　neighbors；　the

same　right　as　ourselves　to　inhabit　this　vast　land。



〃Yet　hear　me；　friends！　we　have　now　to　deal　with　another

people；　small　and　feeble　when　our　forefathers　first　met　with　them；

but　now　great　and　overbearing。　　Strangely　enough；　they　have　a　mind

to　till　the　soil；　and　the　love　of　possessions　is　a　disease　in　them。　

These　people　have　made　many　rules　that　the　rich　may　break；　but　the

poor　may　not！　　They　have　a　religion　in　which　the　poor　worship；　but

the　rich　will　not！　　They　even　take　tithes　of　the　poor　and　weak　to

support　the　rich　and　those　who　rule。　　They　claim　this　mother　of

ours；　the　Earth；　for　their　own　use；　and　fence　their　neighbors　away

from　her；　and　deface　her　with　their　buildings　and　their　refuse。　

They　compel　her　to　produce　out　of　season；　and　when　sterile　she　is

made　to　take　medicine　in　order　to　produce　again。　　All　this　is

sacrilege。



〃This　nation　is　like　a　spring　freshet；　it　overruns　its　banks

and　destroys　all　who　are　in　its　path。　　We　cannot　dwell　side　by

side。　　Only　seven　years　ago　we　made　a　treaty　by　which　we　were

assured　that　the　buffalo　country　should　be　left　to　us　forever。　　Now

they　threaten　to　take　that　from　us　also。　　My　brothers；　shall　we

submit？　or　shall　we　say　to　them：　'First　kill　me；　before　you　can

take　possession　of　my　fatherland！'〃



As　Sitting　Bull　spoke；　so　he　felt；　and　he　had　the　courage　to

stand　by　his　words。　　Crazy　Horse　led　his　forces　in　the　field；　as

for　him；　he　applied　his　energies　to　state　affairs；　and　by　his

strong　and　aggressive　personality　contributed　much　to　holding　the

hostiles　together。



It　may　be　said　without　fear　of　contradiction　that　Sitting　Bull

never　killed　any　women　or　children。　　He　was　a　fair　fighter；　and

while　not　prominent　in　battle　after　his　young　manhood；　he　was　the

brains　of　the　Sioux　resistance。　　He　has　been　called　a　〃medicine

man〃　and　a　〃dreamer。〃　　Strictly　speaking；　he　was　neither　of　these；

and　the　white　historians　are　prone　to　confuse　the　two。　　A　medicine

man　is　a　doctor　or　healer；　a　dreamer　is　an　active　war　prophet　who

leads　his　war　party　according　to　his　dream　or　prophecy。　　What　is

called　by　whites　〃making　medicine〃　in　war　time　is　again　a　wrong

conception。　　Every　warrior　carries　a　bag　of　sacred　or　lucky　charms；

supposed　to　protect　the　wearer　alone；　but　it　has　nothing　to　do　with

the　success　or　safety　of　the　party　as　a　whole。　　No　one　can　make　any

〃medicine〃　to　affect　the　result　of　a　battle；　although　it　has　been

said　that　Sitting　Bull　did　this　at　the　battle　of　the　Little　Big

Horn。



When　Custer　and　Reno　attacked　the　camp　at　both　ends；　the　chief

was　caught　napping。　　The　village　was　in　danger　of　surprise；　and　the

women　and　children　must　be　placed　in　safety。　　Like　other　men　of　his

age；　Sitting　Bull　got　his　family　together　for　flight；　and　then

joined　the　warriors　on　the　Reno　side　of　the　attack。　　Thus　he　was

not　in　the　famous　charge　against　Custer；　nevertheless；　his　voice

was　heard　exhorting　the　warriors　throughout　that　day。



During　the　autumn　of　1876；　after　the　fall　of　Custer；　Sitting

Bull　was　hunted　all　through　the　Yellowstone　region　by　the　military。　

The　following　characteristic　letter；　doubtless　written　at　his

dictation　by　a　half…breed　interpreter；　was　sent　to　Colonel　Otis

immediately　after　a　daring　attack　upon　his　wagon　train。



〃I　want　to　know　what　you　are　doing；　traveling　on　this　road。　

You　scare　all　the　buffalo　away。　　I　want　to　hunt　in　this　place。　　I

want　you　to　turn　back　from　here。　　If　you　don't；　I　will　fight　you

again。　　I　want　you　to　leave　what　you　have　got　here　and　turn　back

from　here。







　　　　I　am　your　friend











　　　Sitting　Bull。

I　mean　all　the　rations　you　have　got　and　some　powder。　　Wish　you

would　write　me　as　soon　as　you　can。〃



Otis；　however；　kept　on　and　joined　Colonel　Miles；　who　followed

Sitting　Bull　with　about　four　hundred　soldiers。　　He　overtook　him　at

last　on　Cedar　Creek；　near　the　Yellowstone；　and　the　two　met　midway

between　the　lines　for　a　parley。　　The　army　report　says：　〃Sitting

Bull　wanted　peace　in　his　own　way。〃　　The　truth　was　that　he　wanted

nothing　more　than　had　been　guaranteed　to　them　by　the　treaty　of　1868

　the　exclusive　possession　of　their　last　hunting　ground。　　This　the

government　was　not　now　prepared　to　grant；　as　it　had　been　decided　to

place　all　the　Indians　under　military　control　upon　the　various

reservations。



Since　it　was　impossible　to　reconcile　two　such　conflicting

demands；　the　hostiles　were　driven　about　from　pillar　to　post　for

several　more　years；　and　finally　took　refuge　across　the　line　in

Canada；　where　Sitting　Bull　had　placed　his　last　hope　of　justice　and

freedom　for　his　race。　　Here　he　was　joined　from　time　to　time　by

parties　of　malcontents　from　the　reservation；　driven　largely　by

starvation　and　ill…treatment　to　seek　another　home。　　Here；　too；　they

were　followed　by　United　States　commissioners；　headed　by　General

Terry；　who　endeavored　to　persuade　him　to　return；　promising

abundance　of　food　and　fair　treatment；　despite　the　fact　that　the

exiles　were　well　aware　of　the　miserable　condition　of　the　〃good

Indians〃　upon　the　reservations。　　He　first　refused　to　meet　them　at

all；　and　only　did　so　when　advised　to　that　effect　by　Major　Walsh　of


the　Canadian　mounted　police。　　This　was　his　characteristic　remark：

〃If　you　have　one　honest　man　in　Washington；　send　him　here　and　I　will

talk　to　him。〃



Sitting　Bull　was　not　moved　by　fair　words；　but　when　he　found

that　if　they　had　liberty　on　that　side；　they　had　little　else；　that

the　Canadian　government　would　give　them　protection　but　no　food；

that　the　buffalo　had　been　all　but　exterminated　and　his　starving

people　were　already　beginning　to　desert　him；　he　was　compelled　at

last；　in　1881；　to　report　at　Fort　Buford；　North　Dakota；　with　his

band　of　hungry；　homeless；　and　discouraged　refugees。　　It　was；　after

all；　to　hunger　and　not　to　the　strong　arm　of　the　military　that　he

surrendered　in　the　end。



In　spite　of　the　invitation　that　had　been　extended　to　him　in

the　name　of　the　〃Great　Father〃　at　Washington；　he　was　immediately

thrown　into　a　military　prison；　and　afterward　handed　over　to　Colonel

Cody　（〃Buffalo　Bill〃）　as　an　advertisement　for　his　〃Wild　West　Show。〃　

After　traveling　about　for　several　years　with　the　famous　showman；

thus　increasing　his　knowledge　of　the　weaknesses　as　well　as　the

strength　of　th