indian heroes & great chieftains-第23章

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



He　was　regarded　by　the　authorities　as　a　dangerous　man；　and

with　his　depleted　band　was　taken　to　the　Indian　Territory　without

his　consent　in　1876。　　When　he　realized　that　his　people　were　dying

like　sheep；　he　was　deeply　moved。　　He　called　them　together。　　Every

man　and　woman　declared　that　they　would　rather　die　in　their　own

country　than　stay　there　longer；　and　they　resolved　to　flee　to　their

northern　homes。



Here　again　was　displayed　the　genius　of　these　people。　　From　the

Indian　Territory　to　Dakota　is　no　short　dash　for　freedom。　　They　knew

what　they　were　facing。　　Their　line　of　flight　lay　through　a　settled

country　and　they　would　be　closely　pursued　by　the　army。　　No　sooner

had　they　started　than　the　telegraph　wires　sang　one　song：　〃The

panther　of　the　Cheyennes　is　at　large。　　Not　a　child　or　a　woman　in

Kansas　or　Nebraska　is　safe。〃　　Yet　they　evaded　all　the　pursuing　and

intercepting　troops　and　reached　their　native　soil。　　The　strain　was

terrible；　the　hardship　great；　and　Dull　Knife；　like　Joseph；　was

remarkable　for　his　self…restraint　in　sparing　those　who　came　within

his　power　on　the　way。



But　fate　was　against　him；　for　there　were　those　looking　for

blood　money　who　betrayed　him　when　he　thought　he　was　among　friends。　

His　people　were　tired　out　and　famished　when　they　were　surrounded

and　taken　to　Fort　Robinson。　　There　the　men　were　put　in　prison；　and

their　wives　guarded　in　camp。　　They　were　allowed　to　visit　their　men

on　certain　days。　　Many　of　them　had　lost　everything；　there　were　but

a　few　who　had　even　one　child　left。　　They　were　heartbroken。



These　despairing　women　appealed　to　their　husbands　to　die

fighting：　their　liberty　was　gone；　their　homes　broken　up；　and　only

slavery　and　gradual　extinction　in　sight。　　At　last　Dull　Knife

listened。　　He　said：　〃I　have　lived　my　life。　　I　am　ready。〃　　The

others　agreed。　　〃If　our　women　are　willing　to　die　with　us；　who　is

there　to　say　no？　　If　we　are　to　do　the　deeds　of　men；　it　rests　with

you　women　to　bring　us　our　weapons。



As　they　had　been　allowed　to　carry　moccasins　and　other　things

to　the　men；　so　they　contrived　to　take　in　some　guns　and　knives　under

this　disguise。　　The　plan　was　to　kill　the　sentinels　and　run　to　the

nearest　natural　trench；　there　to　make　their　last　stand。　　The　women

and　children　were　to　join　them。　　This　arrangement　was　carried　out。　

Not　every　brave　had　a　gun；　but　all　had　agreed　to　die　together。　

They　fought　till　their　small　store　of　ammunition　was　exhausted；

then　exposed　their　broad　chests　for　a　target；　and　the　mothers　even

held　up　their　little　ones　to　be　shot。　　Thus　died　the　fighting

Cheyennes　and　their　dauntless　leader。









ROMAN　NOSE





This　Cheyenne　war　chief　was　a　contemporary　of　Dull　Knife。　　He　was

not　so　strong　a　character　as　the　other；　and　was　inclined　to　be

pompous　and　boastful；　but　with　all　this　he　was　a　true　type　of

native　American　in　spirit　and　bravery。



While　Dull　Knife　was　noted　in　warfare　among　Indians；　Roman

Nose　made　his　record　against　the　whites；　in　defense　of　territory

embracing　the　Republican　and　Arickaree　rivers。　　He　was　killed　on

the　latter　river　in　1868；　in　the　celebrated　battle　with　General

Forsythe。



Save　Chief　Gall　and　Washakie　in　the　prime　of　their　manhood；

this　chief　had　no　peer　in　bodily　perfection　and　masterful

personality。　　No　Greek　or　Roman　gymnast　was　ever　a　finer　model　of

physical　beauty　and　power。　　He　thrilled　his　men　to　frenzied　action

when　he　came　upon　the　field。　　It　was　said　of　him　that　he　sacrificed

more　youths　by　his　personal　influence　in　battle　than　any　other

leader；　being　very　reckless　himself　in　grand…stand　charges。　　He　was

killed　needlessly　in　this　manner。



Roman　Nose　always　rode　an　uncommonly　fine；　spirited　horse；　and

with　his　war　bonnet　and　other　paraphernalia　gave　a　wonderful

exhibition。　　The　Indians　used　to　say　that　the　soldiers　must　gaze　at

him　rather　than　aim　at　him；　as　they　so　seldom　hit　him　even　when

running　the　gantlet　before　a　firing　line。



He　did　a　remarkable　thing　once　when　on　a　one…arrow…to…kill

buffalo　hunt　with　his　brother…in…law。　　His　companion　had　selected

his　animal　and　drew　so　powerfully　on　his　sinew　bowstring　that　it

broke。　　Roman　Nose　had　killed　his　own　cow　and　was　whipping　up　close

to　the　other　when　the　misfortune　occurred。　　Both　horses　were　going

at　full　speed　and　the　arrow　jerked　up　in　the　air。　　Roman　Nose

caught　it　and　shot　the　cow　for　him。



Another　curious　story　told　of　him　is　to　the　effect　that　he　had

an　intimate　Sioux　friend　who　was　courting　a　Cheyenne　girl；　but

without　success。　　As　the　wooing　of　both　Sioux　and　Cheyennes　was

pretty　much　all　effected　in　the　night　time；　Roman　Nose　told　his

friend　to　let　him　do　the　courting　for　him。　　He　arranged　with　the

young　woman　to　elope　the　next　night　and　to　spend　the　honeymoon

among　his　Sioux　friends。　　He　then　told　his　friend　what　to　do。　The

Sioux　followed　instructions　and　carried　off　the　Cheyenne　maid；　and

not　until　morning　did　she　discover　her　mistake。　　It　is　said　she

never　admitted　it；　and　that　the　two　lived　happily　together　to　a

good　old　age；　so　perhaps　there　was　no　mistake　after　all。



Perhaps　no　other　chief　attacked　more　emigrants　going　west　on

the　Oregon　Trail　between　1860　and　1868。　　He　once　made　an　attack　on

a　large　party　of　Mormons；　and　in　this　instance　the　Mormons　had　time

to　form　a　corral　with　their　wagons　and　shelter　their　women；

children；　and　horses。　　The　men　stood　outside　and　met　the　Indians

with　well…aimed　volleys；　but　they　circled　the　wagons　with　whirlwind

speed；　and　whenever　a　white　man　fell；　it　was　the　signal　for　Roman

Nose　to　charge　and　count　the　〃coup。〃　　The　hat　of　one　of　the　dead

men　was　off；　and　although　he　had　heavy　hair　and　beard；　the　top　of

his　head　was　bald　from　the　forehead　up。　　As　custom　required　such　a

deed　to　be　announced　on　the　spot；　the　chief　yelled　at　the　top　of

his　voice：



〃Your　Roman　Nose　has　counted　the　first　coup　on　the

longest…faced　white　man　who　was　ever　killed！〃



When　the　Northern　Cheyennes　under　this　daring　leader　attacked

a　body　of　scouting　troops　under　the　brilliant　officer　General

Forsythe；　Roman　Nose　thought　that　he　had　a　comparatively　easy　task。　

The　first　onset　failed；　and　the　command　entrenched　itself　on　a

little　island。　　The　wily　chief　thought　he　could　stampede　them　and

urged　on　his　braves　with　the　declaration　that　the　first　to　reach

the　island　should　be　entitled　to　wear　a　trailing　war　bonnet。　

Nevertheless　he　was　disappointed；　and　his　men　received　such　a　warm

reception　that　none　succeeded　in　reaching　it。　In　order　to　inspire

them　to　desperate　deeds　he　had　led　them　in　person；　and　with　him

that　meant　victory　or　death。　　According　to　the　army　accounts；　it

was　a　thrilling　moment；　and　might　well　have　proved　disastrous　to

the　Forsythe　command；　whose　leader　was　wounded　and　helpless。　　The

danger　was　acute　until　Roman　Nose　fell；　and　even　then　his

lieutenants　were　bent　upon　crossing　at　any　cost；　but　some　of　the

older　chiefs　prevailed　upon　them　to　withdraw。



Thus　the　brilliant　war　chief　of　the　Cheyennes　came　to　his

death。　　If　he　had　lived　until　1876；　Sitting　Bull　would　have　had

another　bold　ally。









CHIEF　JOSEPH





The　Nez　Perce　tribe　of　Indians；　like　other　tribes　too　large　to　be

united　under　one　chief；　was　composed　of　several　bands；　each

distinct　in　sovereignty。　　It　was　a　loose　confederacy。　　Joseph　and

his　people　occupied　the　Imnaha　or　Grande　Ronde　valley　in　Oregon；

which　was　considered　perhaps　the　finest　land　in　that　part　of　the

country。



When　the　last　treaty　was　entered　into　by　some　of　the　bands　of

the　Nez　Perce；　Joseph's　band　was　at　Lapwai；　Idaho；　and　had　nothing

to　do　with　the　agreement。　　The　elder　chief　in　dying　had　counseled

his　son；　then　not　more　than　twenty…two　or　twenty…three　years　of

age；　never　to　part　with　their　home；　assuring　him　that　he　had　signed

no　papers。　　These　peaceful　non…treaty　Indians　did　not　even　know

what　land　had　been　ceded　until　the　agent　read