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smoke。 At home； by the fireside； when the old men were asked to
tell their brave deeds； again the pipe was passed。 So come； let us
smoke now to the memory of the old days！〃
He took of my tobacco and filled his long pipe； and we smoked。
Then I told an old mirthful story to get him in the humor of
relating his own history。
The old man lay upon an iron bedstead； covered by a red
blanket； in a corner of the little log cabin。 He was all alone
that day； only an old dog lay silent and watchful at his master's
feet。
Finally he looked up and said with a pleasant smile：
〃True； friend； it is the old custom to retrace one's trail
before leaving it forever！ I know that I am at the door of the
spirit home。
〃I was born near the forks of the Cheyenne River； about
seventy years ago。 My father was not a chief； my grandfather was
not a chief； but a good hunter and a feast…maker。 On my mother's
side I had some noted ancestors； but they left me no chieftainship。
I had to work for my reputation。
〃When I was a boy； I loved to fight；〃 he continued。 〃In all
our boyish games I had the name of being hard to handle； and I took
much pride in the fact。
〃I was about ten years old when we encountered a band of
Cheyennes。 They were on friendly terms with us； but we boys
always indulged in sham fights on such occasions； and this time I
got in an honest fight with a Cheyenne boy older than I。 I got the
best of the boy； but he hit me hard in the face several times； and
my face was all spattered with blood and streaked where the paint
had been washed away。 The Sioux boys whooped and yelled：
〃'His enemy is down； and his face is spattered as if with
rain！ Rain…in…the…Face！ His name shall be Rain…in…the…Face！'
〃Afterwards； when I was a young man； we went on a warpath
against the Gros Ventres。 We stole some of their horses； but were
overtaken and had to abandon the horses and fight for our lives。
I had wished my face to represent the sun when partly covered with
darkness； so I painted it half black； half red。 We fought all day
in the rain； and my face was partly washed and streaked with red
and black： so again I was christened Rain…in…the…Face。 We
considered it an honorable name。
〃I had been on many warpaths； but was not especially
successful until about the time the Sioux began to fight with the
white man。 One of the most daring attacks that we ever made was at
Fort Totten； North Dakota； in the summer of 1866。
〃Hohay； the Assiniboine captive of Sitting Bull； was the
leader in this raid。 Wapaypay； the Fearless Bear； who was
afterward hanged at Yankton； was the bravest man among us。 He
dared Hohay to make the charge。 Hohay accepted the challenge； and
in turn dared the other to ride with him through the agency and
right under the walls of the fort； which was well garrisoned and
strong。
〃Wapaypay and I in those days called each other
'brother…friend。' It was a life…and…death vow。 What one does the
other must do； and that meant that I must be in the forefront of
the charge； and if he is killed； I must fight until I die also！
〃I prepared for death。 I painted as usual like an eclipse of
the sun； half black and half red。〃
His eyes gleamed and his face lighted up remarkably as he
talked； pushing his black hair back from his forehead with a
nervous gesture。
〃Now the signal for the charge was given！ I started even with
Wapaypay； but his horse was faster than mine； so he left me a
little behind as we neared the fort。 This was bad for me； for by
that time the soldiers had somewhat recovered from the surprise
and were aiming better。
〃Their big gun talked very loud； but my Wapaypay was leading
on； leaning forward on his fleet pony like a flying squirrel on a
smooth log！ He held his rawhide shield on the right side； a little
to the front； and so did I。 Our warwhoop was like the coyotes
singing in the evening； when they smell blood！
〃The soldiers' guns talked fast； but few were hurt。 Their big
gun was like a toothless old dog； who only makes himself hotter the
more noise he makes；〃 he remarked with some humor。
〃How much harm we did I do not know； but we made things lively
for a time； and the white men acted as people do when a swarm of
angry bees get into camp。 We made a successful retreat； but some
of the reservation Indians followed us yelling； until Hohay told
them that he did not wish to fight with the captives of the white
man； for there would be no honor in that。 There was blood running
down my leg； and I found that both my horse and I were slightly
wounded。
〃Some two years later we attacked a fort west of the Black
Hills ＇Fort Phil Kearny； Wyoming＇。 It was there we killed one
hundred soldiers。〃 ＇The military reports say eighty men； under the
command of Captain Fetterman not one left alive to tell the
tale！＇ 〃Nearly every band of the Sioux nation was represented in
that fight Red Cloud； Spotted Tail； Crazy Horse； Sitting Bull；
Big Foot； and all our great chiefs were there。 Of course such men
as I were then comparatively unknown。 However； there were many
noted young warriors； among them Sword； the younger
Young…Man…Afraid； American Horse ＇afterward chief＇； Crow King； and
others。
〃This was the plan decided upon after many councils。 The main
war party lay in ambush； and a few of the bravest young men were
appointed to attack the woodchoppers who were cutting logs to
complete the building of the fort。 We were told not to kill these
men； but to chase them into the fort and retreat slowly； defying
the white men； and if the soldiers should follow； we were to lead
them into the ambush。 They took our bait exactly as we had hoped！
It was a matter of a very few minutes； for every soldier lay dead
in a shorter time than it takes to annihilate a small herd of
buffalo。
〃This attack was hastened because most of the Sioux on the
Missouri River and eastward had begun to talk of suing for peace。
But even this did not stop the peace movement。 The very next year
a treaty was signed at Fort Rice； Dakota Territory； by nearly all
the Sioux chiefs； in which it was agreed on the part of the Great
Father in Washington that all the country north of the Republican
River in Nebraska； including the Black Hills and the Big Horn
Mountains； was to be always Sioux country； and no white man should
intrude upon it without our permission。 Even with this agreement
Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were not satisfied； and they would not
sign。
〃Up to this time I had fought in some important battles； but
had achieved no great deed。 I was ambitious to make a name for
myself。 I joined war parties against the Crows； Mandans； Gros
Ventres； and Pawnees； and gained some little distinction。
〃It was when the white men found the yellow metal in our
country； and came in great numbers； driving away our game； that
we took up arms against them for the last time。 I must say here
that the chiefs who were loudest for war were among the first to
submit and accept reservation life。 Spotted Tail was a great
warrior； yet he was one of the first to yield； because he was
promised by the Chief Soldiers that they would make him chief of
all the Sioux。 Ugh！ he would have stayed with Sitting Bull to the
last had it not been for his ambition。
〃About this time we young warriors began to watch the trails
of the white men into the Black Hills； and when we saw a wagon
coming we would hide at the crossing and kill them all without much
trouble。 We did this to discourage the whites from coming into our
country without our permission。 It was the duty of our Great
Father at Washington； by the agreement of 1868； to keep his white
children away。
〃During the troublesome time after this treaty； which no one
seemed to respect； either white or Indian ＇but the whites broke it
first＇； I was like many other young men much on the warpath； but
with little honor。 I had not yet become noted for any great deed。
Finally； Wapaypay and I waylaid and killed a white soldier on his
way from the fort to his home in the east。
〃There were a few Indians who were liars； and never on the
warpath； playing 'good Indian' with the Indian agents and the war
chiefs at the forts。 Some of this faithless set betrayed me； and
told more than I ever did。 I was seized and taken to the fort near
Bismarck； North Dakota ＇Fort Abraham Lincoln＇； by a brother ＇Tom
Custer＇ of the Long…Haired War Chief； and imprisoned there。 These
same lying Indians； who were selling their services as scouts to
the white man； told me that I was to be shot to death； or else
hanged upon a tree。 I answered that I was not afraid to die。
〃However； there was an old soldier who used to bring my food
and stand guard over me he was a white man； it is true； but he
had an Indian heart！ He came to me one day and unfastened the iron
chai