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indian heroes & great chieftains-第14章

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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
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