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第9章

indian heroes & great chieftains-第9章

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country!  Think of the brave Black Hawk!  Methinks his spirit is

still wailing through Wisconsin and Illinois for his lost people! 

I do not say you have no cause to complain; but to resist is

self…destruction。  I am done。〃



It is supposed that this speech was his last; and it was made;

though vainly; in defense of the Americans whom he had loved。  He

died at Fort Pierre; South Dakota; in 1864。  His people say that he

died a natural death; of old age。  And yet his exploits are not

forgotten。  Thus lived and departed a most active and fearless

Sioux; Tamahay; who desired to die young!









GALL





Chief Gall was one of the most aggressive leaders of the Sioux

nation in their last stand for freedom。



The westward pressure of civilization during the past three

centuries has been tremendous。  When our hemisphere was

〃discovered〃; it had been inhabited by the natives for untold ages;

but it was held undiscovered because the original owners did not

chart or advertise it。  Yet some of them at least had developed

ideals of life which included real liberty and equality to all men;

and they did not recognize individual ownership in land or other

property beyond actual necessity。  It was a soul development

leading to essential manhood。  Under this system they brought forth

some striking characters。



Gall was considered by both Indians and whites to be a most

impressive type of physical manhood。  From his picture you can

judge of this for yourself。



Let us follow his trail。  He was no tenderfoot。  He never

asked a soft place for himself。  He always played the game

according to the rules and to a finish。  To be sure; like every

other man; he made some mistakes; but he was an Indian and never

acted the coward。



The earliest stories told of his life and doings indicate the

spirit of the man in that of the boy。



When he was only about three years old; the Blackfoot band of

Sioux were on their usual roving hunt; following the buffalo while

living their natural happy life upon the wonderful wide prairies of

the Dakotas。



It was the way of every Sioux mother to adjust her household

effects on such dogs and pack ponies as she could muster from day

to day; often lending one or two to accommodate some other woman

whose horse or dog had died; or perhaps had been among those

stampeded and carried away by a raiding band of Crow warriors。  On

this particular occasion; the mother of our young Sioux brave;

Matohinshda; or Bear…Shedding…His…Hair (Gall's childhood name);

intrusted her boy to an old Eskimo pack dog; experienced and

reliable; except perhaps when unduly excited or very thirsty。



On the day of removing camp the caravan made its morning march

up the Powder River。  Upon the wide table…land the women were

busily digging teepsinna (an edible sweetish root; much used by

them) as the moving village slowly progressed。  As usual at such

times; the trail was wide。  An old jack rabbit had waited too long

in hiding。  Now; finding himself almost surrounded by the mighty

plains people; he sprang up suddenly; his feathery ears

conspicuously erect; a dangerous challenge to the dogs and the

people。



A whoop went up。  Every dog accepted the challenge。  Forgotten

were the bundles; the kits; even the babies they were drawing or

carrying。  The chase was on; and the screams of the women reechoed

from the opposite cliffs of the Powder; mingled with the yelps of

dogs and the neighing of horses。  The hand of every man was against

the daring warrior; the lone Jack; and the confusion was great。



When the fleeing one cleared the mass of his enemies; he

emerged with a swiftness that commanded respect and gave promise

of a determined chase。  Behind him; his pursuers stretched out in

a thin line; first the speedy; unburdened dogs and then the travois

dogs headed by the old Eskimo with his precious freight。  The

youthful Gall was in a travois; a basket mounted on trailing poles

and harnessed to the sides of the animal。



〃Hey! hey! they are gaining on him!〃 a warrior shouted。  At

this juncture two of the canines had almost nabbed their furry prey

by the back。  But he was too cunning for them。  He dropped

instantly and sent both dogs over his head; rolling and spinning;

then made another flight at right angles to the first。  This gave

the Eskimo a chance to cut the triangle。  He gained fifty yards;

but being heavily handicapped; two unladen dogs passed him。  The

same trick was repeated by the Jack; and this time he saved himself

from instant death by a double loop and was now running directly

toward the crowd; followed by a dozen or more dogs。  He was losing

speed; but likewise his pursuers were dropping off steadily。  Only

the sturdy Eskimo dog held to his even gait; and behind him in the

frail travois leaned forward the little Matohinshda; nude save a

breech clout; his left hand holding fast the convenient tail of his

dog; the right grasping firmly one of the poles of the travois。 

His black eyes were bulging almost out of their sockets; his long

hair flowed out behind like a stream of dark water。



The Jack now ran directly toward the howling spectators; but

his marvelous speed and alertness were on the wane; while on the

other hand his foremost pursuer; who had taken part in hundreds of

similar events; had every confidence in his own endurance。  Each

leap brought him nearer; fiercer and more determined。  The last

effort of the Jack was to lose himself in the crowd; like a fish in

muddy water; but the big dog made the one needed leap with unerring

aim and his teeth flashed as he caught the rabbit in viselike jaws

and held him limp in air; a victor!



The people rushed up to him as he laid the victim down; and

foremost among them was the frantic mother of Matohinshda; or Gall。 

〃Michinkshe! michinkshe!〃 (My son! my son!) she screamed as she

drew near。  The boy seemed to be none the worse for his experience。 

〃Mother!〃 he cried; 〃my dog is brave: he got the rabbit!〃  She

snatched him off the travois; but he struggled out of her arms to

look upon his dog lovingly and admiringly。  Old men and boys

crowded about the hero of the day; the dog; and the thoughtful

grandmother of Matohinshda unharnessed him and poured some water

from a parfleche water bag into a basin。  〃Here; my grandson; give

your friend something to drink。〃



〃How; hechetu;〃 pronounced an old warrior no longer in active

service。  〃This may be only an accident; an ordinary affair; but

such things sometimes indicate a career。  The boy has had a

wonderful ride。  I prophesy that he will one day hold the attention

of all the people with his doings。〃



This is the first remembered story of the famous chief; but

other boyish exploits foretold the man he was destined to be。  He

fought many sham battles; some successful and others not; but he

was always a fierce fighter and a good loser。



Once he was engaged in a battle with snowballs。  There were

probably nearly a hundred boys on each side; and the rule was that

every fair hit made the receiver officially dead。  He must not

participate further; but must remain just where he was struck。



Gall's side was fast losing; and the battle was growing hotter

every minute when the youthful warrior worked toward an old water

hole and took up his position there。  His side was soon annihilated

and there were eleven men left to fight him。  He was pressed close

in the wash…out; and as he dodged under cover before a volley of

snowballs; there suddenly emerged in his stead a huge gray wolf。 

His opponents fled in every direction in superstitious terror; for

they thought he had been transformed into the animal。  To their

astonishment he came out on the farther side and ran to the line of

safety; a winner!



It happened that the wolf's den had been partly covered with

snow so that no one had noticed it until the yells of the boys

aroused the inmate; 

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