indian heroes & great chieftains-第21章

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Sioux；　therefore　they　hid　themselves　and　watched　for　their

opportunity　to　attack　an　isolated　party　of　hunters。　　While　waiting

thus；　they　ran　short　of　food。　　One　day　a　small　party　of　Shoshones

was　seen　near　at　hand；　and　in　the　midst　of　the　excitement　and

preparations　for　the　attack；　young　American　Horse　caught　sight　of

a　fat　black…tail　deer　close　by。　　Unable　to　resist　the　temptation；

he　pulled　an　arrow　from　his　quiver　and　sent　it　through　the　deer's

heart；　then　with　several　of　his　half…starved　companions　sprang　upon

the　yet　quivering　body　of　the　animal　to　cut　out　the　liver；　which

was　sometimes　eaten　raw。　　One　of　the　men　was　knocked　down；　it　is

said；　by　the　last　kick　of　the　dying　buck；　but　having　swallowed　a

few　mouthfuls　the　warriors　rushed　upon　and　routed　their　enemies。　

It　is　still　told　of　American　Horse　how　he　killed　game　and　feasted

between　the　ambush　and　the　attack。



At　another　time　he　was　drying　his　sacred　war　bonnet　and　other

gear　over　a　small　fire。　　These　articles　were　held　in　great

veneration　by　the　Indians　and　handled　accordingly。　　Suddenly　the

fire　blazed　up；　and　our　hero　so　far　forgot　himself　as　to　begin

energetically　beating　out　the　flames　with　the　war　bonnet；　breaking

off　one　of　the　sacred　buffalo　horns　in　the　act。　　One　could　almost

fill　a　book　with　his　mishaps　and　exploits。　　I　will　give　one　of　them

in　his　own　words　as　well　as　I　can　remember　them。



〃We　were　as　promising　a　party　of　young　warriors　as　our　tribe

ever　sent　against　any　of　its　ancestral　enemies。　　It　was　midsummer；

and　after　going　two　days'　journey　from　home　we　began　to　send　two

scouts　ahead　daily　while　the　main　body　kept　a　half　day　behind。　　The

scouts　set　out　every　evening　and　traveled　all　night。　　One　night　the

great　war　pipe　was　held　out　to　me　and　to　Young…Man…Afraid…of…

His…Horses。　　At　daybreak；　having　met　no　one；　we　hid　our　horses　and

climbed　to　the　top　of　the　nearest　butte　to　take　an　observation。　　It

was　a　very　hot　day。　　We　lay　flat　on　our　blankets；　facing　the　west

where　the　cliff　fell　off　in　a　sheer　descent；　and　with　our　backs

toward　the　more　gradual　slope　dotted　with　scrub　pines　and　cedars。　

We　stuck　some　tall　grass　on　our　heads　and　proceeded　to　study　the

landscape　spread　before　us　for　any　sign　of　man。



〃The　sweeping　valleys　were　dotted　with　herds；　both　large　and

small；　of　buffalo　and　elk；　and　now　and　then　we　caught　a　glimpse　of

a　coyote　slinking　into　the　gulches；　returning　from　night　hunting　to

sleep。　　While　intently　watching　some　moving　body　at　a　distance；　we

could　not　yet　tell　whether　of　men　or　animals；　I　heard　a　faint　noise

behind　me　and　slowly　turned　my　head。　　Behold！　a　grizzly　bear

sneaking　up　on　all　fours　and　almost　ready　to　spring！



〃'Run！'　I　yelled　into　the　ear　of　my　companion；　and　we　both

leaped　to　our　feet　in　a　second。　　'Separate！　separate！'　he　shouted；

and　as　we　did　so；　the　bear　chose　me　for　his　meat。　　I　ran　downhill

as　fast　as　I　could；　but　he　was　gaining。　　'Dodge　around　a　tree！'

screamed　Young…Man…Afraid。　　I　took　a　deep　breath　and　made　a　last

spurt；　desperately　circling　the　first　tree　I　came　to。　　As　the

ground　was　steep　just　there；　I　turned　a　somersault　one　way　and　the

bear　the　other。　　I　picked　myself　up　in　time　to　climb　the　tree；　and

was　fairly　out　of　reach　when　he　gathered　himself　together　and　came

at　me　more　furiously　than　ever；　holding　in　one　paw　the　shreds　of　my

breechcloth；　for　in　the　fall　he　had　just　scratched　my　back　and　cut

my　belt　in　two；　and　carried　off　my　only　garment　for　a　trophy！



〃My　friend　was　well　up　another　tree　and　laughing　heartily　at

my　predicament；　and　when　the　bear　saw　that　he　could　not　get　at

either　of　us　he　reluctantly　departed；　after　I　had　politely

addressed　him　and　promised　to　make　an　offering　to　his　spirit　on　my

safe　return。　　I　don't　think　I　ever　had　a　narrower　escape；〃　he

concluded。



During　the　troublous　times　from　1865　to　1877；　American　Horse

advocated　yielding　to　the　government　at　any　cost；　being　no　doubt

convinced　of　the　uselessness　of　resistance。　　He　was　not　a

recognized　leader　until　1876；　when　he　took　the　name　and　place　of

his　uncle。　　Up　to　this　time　he　bore　the　nickname　of　Manishnee　（Can

not　walk；　or　Played　out。）



When　the　greater　part　of　the　Ogallalas；　to　which　band　he

belonged；　came　into　the　reservation；　he　at　once　allied　himself　with

the　peace　element　at　the　Red　Cloud　agency；　near　Fort　Robinson；

Nebraska；　and　took　no　small　part　in　keeping　the　young　braves　quiet。　

Since　the　older　and　better…known　chiefs；　with　the　exception　of

Spotted　Tail；　were　believed　to　be　hostile　at　heart；　the　military

made　much　use　of　him。　　Many　of　his　young　men　enlisted　as　scouts　by

his　advice；　and　even　he　himself　entered　the　service。



In　the　early　part　of　the　year　1876；　there　was　a　rumor　that

certain　bands　were　in　danger　of　breaking　away。　　Their　leader　was

one　Sioux　Jim；　so　nicknamed　by　the　soldiers。　　American　Horse　went

to　him　as　peacemaker；　but　was　told　he　was　a　woman　and　no　brave。　　He

returned　to　his　own　camp　and　told　his　men　that　Sioux　Jim　meant

mischief；　and　in　order　to　prevent　another　calamity　to　the　tribe；　he

must　be　chastised。　　He　again　approached　the　warlike　Jim　with

several　warriors　at　his　back。　　The　recalcitrant　came　out；　gun　in

hand；　but　the　wily　chief　was　too　quick　for　him。　　He　shot　and

wounded　the　rebel；　whereupon　one　of　his　men　came　forward　and　killed

him。



This　quelled　the　people　for　the　time　being　and　up　to　the

killing　of　Crazy　Horse。　　In　the　crisis　precipitated　by　this　event；

American　Horse　was　again　influential　and　energetic　in　the　cause　of

the　government。　　From　this　time　on　he　became　an　active　participant

in　the　affairs　of　the　Teton　Sioux。　　He　was　noted　for　his　eloquence；

which　was　nearly　always　conciliatory；　yet　he　could　say　very　sharp

things　of　the　duplicity　of　the　whites。　　He　had　much　ease　of　manner

and　was　a　master　of　repartee。　　I　recall　his　saying　that　if　you　have

got　to　wear　golden　slippers　to　enter　the　white　man's　heaven　no

Indian　will　ever　get　there；　as　the　whites　have　got　the　Black　Hills

and　with　them　all　the　gold。



It　was　during　the　last　struggle　of　his　people；　at　the　time　of

the　Messiah　craze　in　1890…1891　that　he　demonstrated　as　never　before

the　real　greatness　of　the　man。　　While　many　of　his　friends　were

carried　away　by　the　new　thought；　he　held　aloof　from　it　and

cautioned　his　band　to　do　the　same。　　When　it　developed　into　an

extensive　upheaval　among　the　nations　he　took　his　positive　stand

against　it。



Presently　all　Indians　who　did　not　dance　the　Ghost　Dance　were

ordered　to　come　into　camp　at　Pine　Ridge　agency。　　American　Horse　was

the　first　to　bring　in　his　people。　　I　was　there　at　the　time　and

talked　with　him　daily。　　When　Little　was　arrested；　it　had　been

agreed　among　the　disaffected　to　have　him　resist；　which　meant　that

he　would　be　roughly　handled。　　This　was　to　be　their　excuse　to　attack

the　Indian　police；　which　would　probably　lead　to　a　general　massacre

or　outbreak。　　I　know　that　this　desperate　move　was　opposed　from　the

beginning　by　American　Horse；　and　it　was　believed　that　his　life　was

threatened。



On　the　day　of　the　〃Big　Issue〃；　when　thousands　of　Indians　were

gathered　at　the　agency；　this　man　Little；　who　had　been　in　hiding；

walked　boldly　among　them。　　Of　course　the　police　would　arrest　him　at

sight；　and　he　was　led　toward　the　guardhouse。　　He　struggled　with

them；　but　was　overpowered。　　A　crowd　of　warriors　rushed　to　his

rescue；　and　there　was　confusion　and　a　general　shout　of　〃Hurry　up

with　them！　　Kill　them　all！〃　　I　saw　American　Horse　walk　out　of　the

agent's　office　and　calmly　face　the　excited　mob。



〃What　are　you　going　to　do？〃　he　asked。　　〃Stop；　men；　stop　and

think　before　you　act！　　Will　you　murder　your　children；　your　women；

yes；　destroy　your　nation　to…day？〃　　He　stood　before　them　like　a

statue　and　the　men　who　held　the　two　policemen　helpless　paused　for

an　instant。　　He　went　on：　〃You　　are　brave　to…day　because　you

outnumber　the　white　men；　but　what　will　you　do　to…morrow？　　There　are

railroads　on　all　sides　of　you。　　The