indian heroes & great chieftains-第26章

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unlike　their　own　fertile　valley。　　General　Miles　said　to　the　chief

that　he　had　recommended　and　urged　that　their　agreement　be　kept；　but

the　politicians　and　the　people　who　occupied　the　Indians'　land

declared　they　were　afraid　if　he　returned　he　would　break　out　again

and　murder　innocent　white　settlers！　　What　irony！



The　great　Chief　Joseph　died　broken…spirited　and

broken…hearted。　　He　did　not　hate　the　whites；　for　there　was　nothing

small　about　him；　and　when　he　laid　down　his　weapons　he　would　not

fight　on　with　his　mind。　　But　he　was　profoundly　disappointed　in　the

claims　of　a　Christian　civilization。　　I　call　him　great　because　he

was　simple　and　honest。　　Without　education　or　special　training　he

demonstrated　his　ability　to　lead　and　to　fight　when　justice

demanded。　　He　outgeneraled　the　best　and　most　experienced　commanders

in　the　army　of　the　United　States；　although　their　troops　were　well

provisioned；　well　armed；　and　above　all　unencumbered。　　He　was　great

finally；　because　he　never　boasted　of　his　remarkable　feat。　　I　am

proud　of　him；　because　he　was　a　true　American。









LITTLE　WOLF





If　any　people　ever　fought　for　liberty　and　justice；　it　was　the

Cheyennes。　　If　any　ever　demonstrated　their　physical　and　moral

courage　beyond　cavil；　it　was　this　race　of　purely　American　heroes；

among　whom　Little　Wolf　was　a　leader。



I　knew　the　chief　personally　very　well。　　As　a　young　doctor；　I

was　sent　to　the　Pine　Ridge　agency　in　1890；　as　government　physician

to　the　Sioux　and　the　Northern　Cheyennes。　　While　I　heard　from　his

own　lips　of　that　gallant　dash　of　his　people　from　their　southern

exile　to　their　northern　home；　I　prefer　that　Americans　should　read

of　it　in　Doctor　George　Bird　Grinnell's　book；　〃The　Fighting

Cheyennes。〃　　No　account　could　be　clearer　or　simpler；　and　then　too；

the　author　cannot　be　charged　with　a　bias　in　favor　of　his　own　race。



At　the　time　that　I　knew　him；　Little　Wolf　was　a　handsome　man；

with　the　native　dignity　and　gentleness；　musical　voice；　and　pleasant

address　of　so　many　brave　leaders　of　his　people。　　One　day　when　he

was　dining　with　us　at　our　home　on　the　reservation；　I　asked　him；　as

I　had　a　habit　of　doing；　for　some　reminiscences　of　his　early　life。　

He　was　rather　reluctant　to　speak；　but　a　friend　who　was　present

contributed　the　following：



〃Perhaps　I　can　tell　you　why　it　is　that　he　has　been　a　lucky　man

all　his　life。　　When　quite　a　small　boy；　the　tribe　was　one　winter　in

want　of　food；　and　his　good　mother　had　saved　a　small　piece　of

buffalo　meat；　which　she　solemnly　brought　forth　and　placed　before

him　with　the　remark：　'My　son　must　be　patient；　for　when　he　grows　up

he　will　know　even　harder　times　than　this。'



〃He　had　eaten　nothing　all　day　and　was　pretty　hungry；　but

before　he　could　lay　hands　on　the　meat　a　starving　dog　snatched　it

and　bolted　from　the　teepee。　　The　mother　ran　after　the　dog　and

brought　him　back　for　punishment。　　She　tied　him　to　a　post　and　was

about　to　whip　him　when　the　boy　interfered。　　'Don't　hurt　him；

mother！'　he　cried；　'he　took　the　meat　because　he　was　hungrier　than

I　am！'〃



I　was　told　of　another　kind　act　of　his　under　trying

circumstances。　　While　still　a　youth；　he　was　caught　out　with　a　party

of　buffalo　hunters　in　a　blinding　blizzard。　　They　were　compelled　to

lie　down　side　by　side　in　the　snowdrifts；　and　it　was　a　day　and　a

night　before　they　could　get　out。　　The　weather　turned　very　cold；　and

when　the　men　arose　they　were　in　danger　of　freezing。　　Little　Wolf

pressed　his　fine　buffalo　robe　upon　an　old　man　who　was　shaking　with

a　chill　and　himself　took　the　other's　thin　blanket。



As　a　full…grown　young　man；　he　was　attracted　by　a　maiden　of　his

tribe；　and　according　to　the　custom　then　in　vogue　the　pair

disappeared。　　When　they　returned　to　the　camp　as　man　and　wife；

behold！　there　was　great　excitement　over　the　affair。　　It　seemed　that

a　certain　chief　had　given　many　presents　and　paid　unmistakable　court

to　the　maid　with　the　intention　of　marrying　her；　and　her　parents　had

accepted　the　presents；　which　meant　consent　so　far　as　they　were

concerned。　　But　the　girl　herself　had　not　given　consent。



The　resentment　of　the　disappointed　suitor　was　great。　　It　was

reported　in　the　village　that　he　had　openly　declared　that　the　young

man　who　defied　and　insulted　him　must　expect　to　be　punished。　　As

soon　as　Little　Wolf　heard　of　the　threats；　he　told　his　father　and

friends　that　he　had　done　only　what　it　is　every　man's　privilege　to

do。



〃Tell　the　chief；〃　said　he；　〃to　come　out　with　any　weapon　he

pleases；　and　I　will　meet　him　within　the　circle　of　lodges。　　He　shall

either　do　this　or　eat　his　words。　　The　woman　is　not　his。　　Her　people

accepted　his　gifts　against　her　wishes。　　Her　heart　is　mine。〃



The　chief　apologized；　and　thus　avoided　the　inevitable　duel；

which　would　have　been　a　fight　to　the　death。



The　early　life　of　Little　Wolf　offered　many　examples　of　the

dashing　bravery　characteristic　of　the　Cheyennes；　and　inspired　the

younger　men　to　win　laurels　for　themselves。　　He　was　still　a　young

man；　perhaps　thirty…five；　when　the　most　trying　crisis　in　the

history　of　his　people　came　upon　them。　　As　I　know　and　as　Doctor

Grinnell's　book　amply　corroborates；　he　was　the　general　who　largely

guided　and　defended　them　in　that　tragic　flight　from　the　Indian

Territory　to　their　northern　home。　　I　will　not　discuss　the　justice

of　their　cause：　I　prefer　to　quote　Doctor　Grinnell；　lest　it　appear

that　I　am　in　any　way　exaggerating　the　facts。



〃They　had　come；〃　he　writes；　〃from　the　high；　dry　country　of

Montana　and　North　Dakota　to　the　hot　and　humid　Indian　Territory。　

They　had　come　from　a　country　where　buffalo　and　other　game　were

still　plentiful　to　a　land　where　the　game　had　been　exterminated。　

Immediately　on　their　arrival　they　were　attacked　by　fever　and　ague；

a　disease　wholly　new　to　them。　　Food　was　scanty；　and　they　began　to

starve。　　The　agent　testified　before　a　committee　of　the　Senate　that

he　never　received　supplies　to　subsist　the　Indians　for　more　than

nine　months　in　each　year。　　These　people　were　meat…eaters；　but　the

beef　furnished　them　by　the　government　inspectors　was　no　more　than

skin　and　bone。　　The　agent　in　describing　their　sufferings　said：

'They　have　lived　and　that　is　about　all。'



〃The　Indians　endured　this　for　about　a　year；　and　then　their

patience　gave　out。　　They　left　the　agency　to　which　they　had　been

sent　and　started　north。　　Though　troops　were　camped　close　to　them；

they　attempted　no　concealment　of　their　purpose。　　Instead；　they

openly　announced　that　they　intended　to　return　to　their　own　country。



We　have　heard　much　in　past　years　of　the　march　of　the　Nez

Perces　under　Chief　Joseph；　but　little　is　remembered　of　the　Dull

Knife　outbreak　and　the　march　to　the　north　led　by　Little　Wolf。　　The

story　of　the　journey　has　not　been　told；　but　in　the　traditions　of

the　old　army　this　campaign　was　notable；　and　old　men　who　were

stationed　on　the　plains　forty　years　ago　are　apt　to　tell　you；　if　you

ask　them；　that　there　never　was　such　another　journey　since　the

Greeks　marched　to　the　sea。　。　。　。



〃The　fugitives　pressed　constantly　northward　undaunted；　while

orders　were　flying　over　the　wires；　and　special　trains　were　carrying

men　and　horses　to　cut　them　off　at　all　probable　points　on　the

different　railway　lines　they　must　cross。　　Of　the　three　hundred

Indians；　sixty　or　seventy　were　fighting　men　　the　rest　old　men；

women；　and　children。　　An　army　officer　once　told　me　that　thirteen

thousand　troops　were　hurrying　over　the　country　to　capture　or　kill

these　few　poor　people　who　had　left　the　fever…stricken　South；　and　in

the　face　of　every　obstacle　were　steadily　marching　northward。



〃The　War　Department　set　all　its　resources　in　operation　against

them；　yet　they　kept　on。　　If　troops　attacked　them；　they　stopped　and

fought　until　they　had　driven　off　the　soldiers；　and　then　started

north　again。　　Sometimes　they　did　not　even　stop；　but　marched　along；

fighting　as　they　marched。　　For　the　most　part　they　tried　　and　with

success　　to　avoid　conflicts；　and　had　but　four　real　hard　fights；

in　which