indian heroes & great chieftains-第22章

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

railroads　on　all　sides　of　you。　　The　soldiers　will　pour　in　from

every　direction　by　thousands　and　surround　you。　　You　have　little

food　or　ammunition。　　It　will　be　the　end　of　your　people。　　Stop；　I

say；　stop　now！〃



Jack　Red　Cloud；　son　of　the　old　chief　rushed　up　to　him　and

thrust　a　revolver　almost　in　his　face。　　〃It　is　you　and　men　like

you；〃　he　shouted；　〃who　have　reduced　our　race　to　slavery　and

starvation！〃　　American　Horse　did　not　flinch　but　deliberately

reentered　the　office；　followed　by　Jack　still　flourishing　the

pistol。　　But　his　timely　appearance　and　eloquence　had　saved　the　day。　

Others　of　the　police　force　had　time　to　reach　the　spot；　and　with　a

large　crowd　of　friendly　Indians　had　taken　command　of　the　situation。



When　I　went　into　the　office　I　found　him　alone　but　apparently

quite　calm。　　〃Where　are　the　agent　and　the　clerks？〃　I　asked。　　〃They

fled　by　the　back　door；〃　he　replied；　smiling。　　〃I　think　they　are　in

the　cellar。　　These　fools　outside　had　almost　caught　us　asleep；　but

I　think　it　is　over　now。〃



American　Horse　was　one　of　the　earliest　advocates　of　education

for　the　Indian；　and　his　son　Samuel　and　nephew　Robert　were　among　the

first　students　at　Carlisle。　　I　think　one　or　two　of　his　daughters

were　the　handsomest　Indian　girls　of　full　blood　that　I　ever　saw。　

His　record　as　a　councilor　of　his　people　and　his　policy　in　the　new

situation　that　confronted　them　was　manly　and　consistent。









DULL　KNIFE





The　life　of　Dull　Knife；　the　Cheyenne；　is　a　true　hero　tale。　　Simple；

child…like　yet　manful；　and　devoid　of　selfish　aims；　or　love　of　gain；

he　is　a　pattern　for　heroes　of　any　race。



Dull　Knife　was　a　chief　of　the　old　school。　　Among　all　the

Indians　of　the　plains；　nothing　counts　save　proven　worth。　　A　man's

caliber　is　measured　by　his　courage；　unselfishness　and　intelligence。　

Many　writers　confuse　history　with　fiction；　but　in　Indian　history

their　women　and　old　men　and　even　children　witness　the　main　events；

and　not　being　absorbed　in　daily　papers　and　magazines；　these　events

are　rehearsed　over　and　over　with　few　variations。　　Though　orally

preserved；　their　accounts　are　therefore　accurate。　　But　they　have

seldom　been　willing　to　give　reliable　information　to　strangers；

especially　when　asked　and　paid　for。



Racial　prejudice　naturally　enters　into　the　account　of　a　man's

life　by　enemy　writers；　while　one　is　likely　to　favor　his　own　race。　

I　am　conscious　that　many　readers　may　think　that　I　have　idealized

the　Indian。　　Therefore　I　will　confess　now　that　we　have　too　many

weak　and　unprincipled　men　among　us。　　When　I　speak　of　the　Indian

hero；　I　do　not　forget　the　mongrel　in　spirit；　false　to　the　ideals　of

his　people。　　Our　trustfulness　has　been　our　weakness；　and　when　the

vices　of　civilization　were　added　to　our　own；　we　fell　heavily。



It　is　said　that　Dull　Knife　as　a　boy　was　resourceful　and

self…reliant。　　He　was　only　nine　years　old　when　his　family　was

separated　from　the　rest　of　the　tribe　while　on　a　buffalo　hunt。　　His

father　was　away　and　his　mother　busy；　and　he　was　playing　with　his

little　sister　on　the　banks　of　a　stream；　when　a　large　herd　of

buffalo　swept　down　upon　them　on　a　stampede　for　water。　　His　mother

climbed　a　tree；　but　the　little　boy　led　his　sister　into　an　old

beaver　house　whose　entrance　was　above　water；　and　here　they　remained

in　shelter　until　the　buffalo　passed　and　they　were　found　by　their

distracted　parents。



Dull　Knife　was　quite　a　youth　when　his　tribe　was　caught　one

winter　in　a　region　devoid　of　game；　and　threatened　with　starvation。　

The　situation　was　made　worse　by　heavy　storms；　but　he　secured　help

and　led　a　relief　party　a　hundred　and　fifty　miles；　carrying　bales　of

dried　buffalo　meat　on　pack　horses。



Another　exploit　that　made　him　dear　to　his　people　occurred　in

battle；　when　his　brother…in…law　was　severely　wounded　and　left　lying

where　no　one　on　either　side　dared　to　approach　him。　　As　soon　as　Dull

Knife　heard　of　it　he　got　on　a　fresh　horse；　and　made　so　daring　a

charge　that　others　joined　him；　thus　under　cover　of　their　fire　he

rescued　his　brother…in…law；　and　in　so　doing　was　wounded　twice。



The　Sioux　knew　him　as　a　man　of　high　type；　perhaps　not　so

brilliant　as　Roman　Nose　and　Two　Moon；　but　surpassing　both　in

honesty　and　simplicity；　as　well　as　in　his　war　record。　　（Two　Moon；

in　fact；　was　never　a　leader　of　his　people；　and　became　distinguished

only　in　wars　with　the　whites　during　the　period　of　revolt。）　　A　story

is　told　of　an　ancestor　of　the　same　name　that　illustrates　well　the

spirit　of　the　age。



It　was　the　custom　in　those　days　for　the　older　men　to　walk

ahead　of　the　moving　caravan　and　decide　upon　all　halts　and　camping　

places。　　One　day　the　councilors　came　to　a　grove　of　wild　cherries

covered　with　ripe　fruit；　and　they　stopped　at　once。　　Suddenly　a

grizzly　charged　from　the　thicket。　　The　men　yelped　and　hooted；　but

the　bear　was　not　to　be　bluffed。　　He　knocked　down　the　first　warrior

who　dared　to　face　him　and　dragged　his　victim　into　the　bushes。



The　whole　caravan　was　in　the　wildest　excitement。　　Several　of

the　swiftest…footed　warriors　charged　the　bear；　to　bring　him　out

into　the　open；　while　the　women　and　dogs　made　all　the　noise　they

could。　　The　bear　accepted　the　challenge；　and　as　he　did　so；　the　man

whom　they　had　supposed　dead　came　running　from　the　opposite　end　of

the　thicket。　　The　Indians　were　delighted；　and　especially　so　when　in

the　midst　of　their　cheers；　the　man　stopped　running　for　his　life　and

began　to　sing　a　Brave　Heart　song　as　he　approached　the　grove　with

his　butcher　knife　in　his　hand。　　He　would　dare　his　enemy　again！



The　grizzly　met　him　with　a　tremendous　rush；　and　they　went　down

together。　　Instantly　the　bear　began　to　utter　cries　of　distress；　and

at　the　same　time　the　knife　flashed；　and　he　rolled　over　dead。　　The

warrior　was　too　quick　for　the　animal；　he　first　bit　his　sensitive

nose　to　distract　his　attention；　and　then　used　the　knife　to　stab　him

to　the　heart。　　He　fought　many　battles　with　knives　thereafter　and

claimed　that　the　spirit　of　the　bear　gave　him　success。　　On　one

occasion；　however；　the　enemy　had　a　strong　buffalo…hide　shield　which

the　Cheyenne　bear　fighter　could　not　pierce　through；　and　he　was

wounded；　nevertheless　he　managed　to　dispatch　his　foe。　　It　was　from

this　incident　that　he　received　the　name　of　Dull　Knife；　which　was

handed　down　to　his　descendant。



As　is　well　known；　the　Northern　Cheyennes　uncompromisingly

supported　the　Sioux　in　their　desperate　defense　of　the　Black　Hills

and　Big　Horn　country。　　Why　not？　　It　was　their　last　buffalo　region

　their　subsistence。　　It　was　what　our　wheat　fields　are　to　a

civilized　nation。



About　the　year　1875；　a　propaganda　was　started　for　confining

all　the　Indians　upon　reservations；　where　they　would　be　practically

interned　or　imprisoned；　regardless　of　their　possessions　and　rights。　

The　men　who　were　the　strongest　advocates　of　the　scheme　generally

wanted　the　Indians'　property　　the　one　main　cause　back　of　all

Indian　wars。　　From　the　warlike　Apaches　to　the　peaceful　Nez　Perces；

all　the　tribes　of　the　plains　were　hunted　from　place　to　place；　then

the　government　resorted　to　peace　negotiations；　but　always　with　an

army　at　hand　to　coerce。　　Once　disarmed　and　helpless；　they　were　to

be　taken　under　military　guard　to　the　Indian　Territory。



A　few　resisted；　and　declared　they　would　fight　to　the　death

rather　than　go。　　Among　these　were　the　Sioux；　but　nearly　all　the

smaller　tribes　were　deported　against　their　wishes。　　Of　course　those

Indians　who　came　from　a　mountainous　and　cold　country　suffered

severely。　　The　moist　heat　and　malaria　decimated　the　exiles。　　Chief

Joseph　of　the　Nez　Perces　and　Chief　Standing　Bear　of　the　Poncas

appealed　to　the　people　of　the　United　States；　and　finally　succeeded

in　having　their　bands　or　the　remnant　of　them　returned　to　their　own

part　of　the　country。　　Dull　Knife　was　not　successful　in　his　plea；

and　the　story　of　his　flight　is　one　of　poignant　interest。



He　was　regarded　by　the　authori