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immediately after a daring attack upon his wagon train。
〃I want to know what you are doing; traveling on this road。
You scare all the buffalo away。 I want to hunt in this place。 I
want you to turn back from here。 If you don't; I will fight you
again。 I want you to leave what you have got here and turn back
from here。
I am your friend
Sitting Bull。
I mean all the rations you have got and some powder。 Wish you
would write me as soon as you can。〃
Otis; however; kept on and joined Colonel Miles; who followed
Sitting Bull with about four hundred soldiers。 He overtook him at
last on Cedar Creek; near the Yellowstone; and the two met midway
between the lines for a parley。 The army report says: 〃Sitting
Bull wanted peace in his own way。〃 The truth was that he wanted
nothing more than had been guaranteed to them by the treaty of 1868
the exclusive possession of their last hunting ground。 This the
government was not now prepared to grant; as it had been decided to
place all the Indians under military control upon the various
reservations。
Since it was impossible to reconcile two such conflicting
demands; the hostiles were driven about from pillar to post for
several more years; and finally took refuge across the line in
Canada; where Sitting Bull had placed his last hope of justice and
freedom for his race。 Here he was joined from time to time by
parties of malcontents from the reservation; driven largely by
starvation and ill…treatment to seek another home。 Here; too; they
were followed by United States commissioners; headed by General
Terry; who endeavored to persuade him to return; promising
abundance of food and fair treatment; despite the fact that the
exiles were well aware of the miserable condition of the 〃good
Indians〃 upon the reservations。 He first refused to meet them at
all; and only did so when advised to that effect by Major Walsh of
the Canadian mounted police。 This was his characteristic remark:
〃If you have one honest man in Washington; send him here and I will
talk to him。〃
Sitting Bull was not moved by fair words; but when he found
that if they had liberty on that side; they had little else; that
the Canadian government would give them protection but no food;
that the buffalo had been all but exterminated and his starving
people were already beginning to desert him; he was compelled at
last; in 1881; to report at Fort Buford; North Dakota; with his
band of hungry; homeless; and discouraged refugees。 It was; after
all; to hunger and not to the strong arm of the military that he
surrendered in the end。
In spite of the invitation that had been extended to him in
the name of the 〃Great Father〃 at Washington; he was immediately
thrown into a military prison; and afterward handed over to Colonel
Cody (〃Buffalo Bill〃) as an advertisement for his 〃Wild West Show。〃
After traveling about for several years with the famous showman;
thus increasing his knowledge of the weaknesses as well as the
strength of the white man; the deposed and humiliated chief settled
down quietly with his people upon the Standing Rock agency in North
Dakota; where his immediate band occupied the Grand River district
and set to raising cattle and horses。 They made good progress;
much better; in fact; than that of the 〃coffee…coolers〃 or 〃loafer〃
Indians; received the missionaries kindly and were soon a
church…going people。
When the Commissions of 1888 and 1889 came to treat with the
Sioux for a further cession of land and a reduction of their
reservations; nearly all were opposed to consent on any terms。
Nevertheless; by hook or by crook; enough signatures were finally
obtained to carry the measure through; although it is said that
many were those of women and the so…called 〃squaw…men〃; who had no
rights in the land。 At the same time; rations were cut down; and
there was general hardship and dissatisfaction。 Crazy Horse was
long since dead; Spotted Tail had fallen at the hands of one of his
own tribe; Red Cloud had become a feeble old man; and the
disaffected among the Sioux began once more to look to Sitting Bull
for leadership。
At this crisis a strange thing happened。 A half…breed Indian
in Nevada promulgated the news that the Messiah had appeared to him
upon a peak in the Rockies; dressed in rabbit skins; and bringing
a message to the red race。 The message was to the effect that
since his first coming had been in vain; since the white people had
doubted and reviled him; had nailed him to the cross; and trampled
upon his doctrines; he had come again in pity to save the Indian。
He declared that he would cause the earth to shake and to overthrow
the cities of the whites and destroy them; that the buffalo would
return; and the land belong to the red race forever! These events
were to come to pass within two years; and meanwhile they were to
prepare for his coming by the ceremonies and dances which he
commanded。
This curious story spread like wildfire and met with eager
acceptance among the suffering and discontented people。 The
teachings of Christian missionaries had prepared them to believe in
a Messiah; and the prescribed ceremonial was much more in accord
with their traditions than the conventional worship of the
churches。 Chiefs of many tribes sent delegations to the Indian
prophet; Short Bull; Kicking Bear; and others went from among the
Sioux; and on their return all inaugurated the dances at once。
There was an attempt at first to keep the matter secret; but it
soon became generally known and seriously disconcerted the Indian
agents and others; who were quick to suspect a hostile conspiracy
under all this religious enthusiasm。 As a matter of fact; there
was no thought of an uprising; the dancing was innocent enough; and
pathetic enough their despairing hope in a pitiful Saviour who
should overwhelm their oppressors and bring back their golden age。
When the Indians refused to give up the 〃Ghost Dance〃 at the
bidding of the authorities; the growing suspicion and alarm focused
upon Sitting Bull; who in spirit had never been any too submissive;
and it was determined to order his arrest。 At the special request
of Major McLaughlin; agent at Standing Rock; forty of his Indian
police were sent out to Sitting Bull's home on Grand River to
secure his person (followed at some little distance by a body of
United States troops for reinforcement; in case of trouble)。 These
police are enlisted from among the tribesmen at each agency; and
have proved uniformly brave and faithful。 They entered the cabin
at daybreak; aroused the chief from a sound slumber; helped him to
dress; and led him unresisting from the house; but when he came out
in the gray dawn of that December morning in 1890; to find his
cabin surrounded by armed men and himself led away to he knew not
what fate; he cried out loudly:
〃They have taken me: what say you to it?〃
Men poured out of the neighboring houses; and in a few minutes
the police were themselves surrounded with an excited and rapidly
increasing throng。 They harangued the crowd in vain; Sitting
Bull's blood was up; and he again appealed to his men。 His adopted
brother; the Assiniboine captive whose life he had saved so many
years before; was the first to fire。 His shot killed Lieutenant
Bull Head; who held Sitting Bull by the arm。 Then there was a
short but sharp conflict; in which Sitting Bull and six of his
defenders and six of the Indian police were slain; with many more
wounded。 The chief's young son; Crow Foot; and his devoted
〃brother〃 died with him。 When all was over; and the terrified
people had fled precipitately across the river; the soldiers
appeared upon the brow of the long hill and fired their Hotchkiss
guns into the deserted camp。
Thus ended the life of a natural strategist of no mean courage
and ability。 The great chief was buried without honors outside the
cemetery at the post; and for some years the grave was marked by a
mere board at its head。 Recently some women have built a cairn of
rocks there in token of respect and remembrance。
RAIN…IN…THE…FACE
The noted Sioux warrior; Rain…in…the…Face; whose name once carried
terror to every part of the frontier; died at his home on the
Standing Rock reserve in North Dakota on September 14; 1905。 About
two months before his death I went to see him for the last time;
where he lay upon the bed of sickness from which he never rose
again; and drew from him his life…history。
It had been my experience that you cannot induce an Indian to
tell a story; or even his own name; by asking him directly。
〃Friend;〃 I said; 〃even if a man is on a hot trail; he stops
for a smoke! In the good old days; before the charge there was a
smoke。 At home; by the fireside; when the old men were asked to
tell their brave deeds; aga