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diff --git a/old/inday10.txt b/old/inday10.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..4c2f2ed --- /dev/null +++ b/old/inday10.txt @@ -0,0 +1,7738 @@ +A Project Gutenberg Etext of Old Indian Days by Charles Eastman + +Please take a look at the important information in this header. +We encourage you to keep this file on your own disk, keeping an +electronic path open for the next readers. Do not remove this. + + +**Welcome To The World of Free Plain Vanilla Electronic Texts** + +**Etexts Readable By Both Humans and By Computers, Since 1971** + +*These Etexts Prepared By Hundreds of Volunteers and Donations* + +Information on contacting Project Gutenberg to get Etexts, and +further information is included below. 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If you + don't derive profits, no royalty is due. Royalties are + payable to "Project Gutenberg Association / Illinois + Benedictine College" within the 60 days following each + date you prepare (or were legally required to prepare) + your annual (or equivalent periodic) tax return. + +WHAT IF YOU *WANT* TO SEND MONEY EVEN IF YOU DON'T HAVE TO? +The Project gratefully accepts contributions in money, time, +scanning machines, OCR software, public domain etexts, royalty +free copyright licenses, and every other sort of contribution +you can think of. Money should be paid to "Project Gutenberg +Association / Illinois Benedictine College". + +This "Small Print!" by Charles B. Kramer, Attorney +Internet (72600.2026@compuserve.com); TEL: (212-254-5093) +*END*THE SMALL PRINT! FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END* + + + + + +OLD INDIAN DAYS + + + +BY +CHARLES A. EASTMAN +(Ohiyesa) + + + + + +To +My Daughters +DORA, IRENE, VIRGINIA, ELEANOR, AND FLORENCE +I Dedicate +these Stories of the Old Indian Life, +and especially of +the Courageous and Womanly Indian Woman + + +CONTENTS + +INTRODUCTION + +PART I. THE WARRIOR + + I. THE LOVE OF ANTELOPE + II. THE MADNESS OF BALD EAGLE + III. THE SINGING SPIRIT + IV. THE FAMINE + V. THE CHIEF SOLDIER + VI. THE WHITE MAN'S ERRAND + VII. THE GRAVE OF THE DOG + +PART II. THE WOMAN + + I. WINONA, THE WOMAN-CHILD + II. WINONA, THE CHILD-WOMAN + III. SNANA'S FAWN + IV. SHE-WHO-HAS-A-SOUL + V. THE PEACE-MAKER + VI. BLUE SKY + VII. THE FAITHFULNESS OF LONG EARS +VIII. THE WAR MAIDEN + +GLOSSARY + + + + +PART ONE + +THE WARRIOR + + + + I + + + THE LOVE OF ANTELOPE + + + I +Upon a hanging precipice atop of the +Eagle Scout Butte there appeared a +motionless and solitary figure--almost +eagle-like he perched! The people in the camp +below saw him, but none looked at him long. +They turned their heads quickly away with a +nervous tingling, for the height above the plains +was great. Almost spirit-like among the upper +clouds the young warrior sat immovable. + +It was Antelope. He was fasting and seek- +ing a sign from the "Great Mystery," for such +was the first step of the young and ambitious +Sioux [who wished to be a noted warrior among +his people. + +He is a princely youth, among the wild +Sioux, who hunts for his tribe and not for him- +self! His voice is soft and low at the camp- +fire of his nation, but terror-giving in the field +of battle. Such was Antelope's reputation. +The more he sought the "Great Mystery" in +solitude, the more gentle and retiring he be- +came, and in the same proportion his courage +and manliness grew. None could say that he +was not a kind son and a good hunter, for he +had already passed the "two-arrow-to-kill," +his buffalo examination. + +On a hot midsummer morning a few weeks +later, while most of the inmates of the teepees +were breakfasting in the open air, the powerful +voice of the herald resounded among the pine- +clad heights and green valleys. + +"Hear ye, hear ye, warriors!" he chanted +loudly. "The council has decreed that four +brave young men must scout the country to +the sunsetward of the camp, for the peace and +protection of our people!" + +All listened eagerly for the names of the +chosen warriors, and in another moment there +came the sonorous call: "Antelope, Ante- +lope! the council has selected you!" + +The camp was large--fully four hundred +paces across; but in that country, in the clear +morning air, such an announcement can be +heard a great way, and in the silence that fol- +lowed the hills repeated over and over the mu- +sical name of Antelope. + +In due time the four chosen youths appeared +before the council fire. The oath of the pipe +was administered, and each took a few whiffs +as reverently as a Churchman would partake +of the sacrament. The chief of the council, +who was old and of a striking appearance, gave +the charge and command to the youthful +braves. + +There was a score or more of warriors ready +mounted to escort them beyond the precincts +of the camp, and the "fearless heart" song +was sung according to the custom, as the four +ran lightly from the door of the council teepee +and disappeared in the woods. + +It was a peculiarly trying and hazardous +moment in which to perform the duties of a +scout. The Sioux were encroaching upon the +territory of hostile tribes, here in the foot-hills +of the Big Horn Mountains, and now and then +one of their hunters was cut off by the enemy. +If continual vigilance could not save them, it +might soon become necessary to retreat to their +own hunting-grounds. + +It was a savage fetish that a warrior must +be proof against the alluring ways of pretty +maidens; that he must place his honor far +above the temptations of self-indulgence and +indolence. Cold, hunger, and personal hard- +ship did not count with Antelope when there +was required of him any special exertion for +the common good. It was cause to him of +secret satisfaction that the council-men had se- +lected him for a dangerous service in prefer- +ence to some of his rivals and comrades. + +He had been running for two or three hours +at a good, even gait, and had crossed more +than one of the smaller creeks, yet many deep +gulches and bad lands lay between him and the +furthest peak that melted into the blue dome +above. + +"I shall stand upon the Bear's Heart," he +said to himself. "If I can do that, and still +report before the others, I shall do well!" +His keen eyes were constantly sweeping the +country in his front, and suddenly he paused +and shrank back motionless in a crouching at- +titude, still steadily keeping an eye upon a +moving object. It was soon evident that some +one was stealthily eying him from behind +cover, and he was outwitted by the enemy! +Still stooping, he glided down a little ravine, +and as he reached the bed of the creek there +emerged from it a large gray wolf. + +This was very opportune for Antelope. He +gave the gray wolf's danger-call with all his +might; waited an instant and gave it a sec- +ond time; then he turned and ran fleetly down +the stream. At the same moment the wolf ap- +peared upon the top of the bank, in full view +of the enemy. + +"Here he comes!" they whispered, and had +their arrows on the string as the wolf trotted +leisurely along, exposing only his head, for this +was a common disguise among the plains In- +dians. But when he came out into the open, +behold! it was only a gray wolf! + +"Ugh!" the Utes grunted, as they looked +at each other in much chagrin. + +"Surely he was a man, and coming directly +into our trap! We sang and prayed to the +gods of war when our war chief sent us ahead +to scout the Sioux people, to find their camp. +This is a mystery, a magic! Either he +is a Sioux in disguise, or we don't know their +tricks!" exclaimed the leader. + +Now they gave the war-whoop, and their +arrows flew through the air. The wolf gave +a yelp of distress, staggered and fell dead. In- +stantly they ran to examine the body, and found +it to be truly that of a wolf. + +"Either this is a wonderful medicine-man, +or we are shamefully fooled by a Sioux war- +rior," they muttered. + +They lost several minutes before they caught +sight of Antelope, who had followed the bed +of the creek as far as it lay in his direction +and then came out of it at full speed. It would +be safer for him to remain in concealment +until dark; but in the meantime the Ute war- +riors would reach the camp, and his people +were unprepared! It was necessary to expose +himself to the enemy. He knew that it would +be chiefly a contest of speed and he had an ex- +cellent start; but on the other hand, the Utes +doubtless had their horses. + +"The Sioux who played this trick on us must +die to-day!" exclaimed their leader. "Come, +friends, we cannot afford to let him tell this +joke on us at the camp-fires of his people!" + +Antelope was headed directly for Eagle +Scout Butte, for the camp was in plain view +from the top of this hill. He had run pretty +much all day, but then, that was nothing! + +"I shall reach the summit first, unless the +Ute horses have wings!" he said to him- +self. + +Looking over his shoulder, he saw five horse- +men approaching, so he examined his bow and +arrows as he ran. + +"All is well," he muttered. "One of their +spirits at the least must guide mine to the spirit +land!" where, it was believed by them, there +was no fighting. + +Now he was within hearing of their whoops, +but he was already at the foot of the butte. +Their horses could not run up the steep ascent, +and they were obliged to dismount. Like a +deer the Sioux leaped from rock to rock, and +almost within arrow-shot came his pursuers, +wildly whooping and yelling. + +When he had achieved the summit, he took +his stand between two great rocks, and flashed +his tiny looking-glass for a distress signal into +the distant camp of his people. + +For a long time no reply came, and many +arrows flew over his head, as the Utes ap- +proached gradually from rock to rock. He, +too, sent down a swift arrow now and then, to +show them that he was no child or woman in +fight, but brave as a bear when it is brought to +bay. + +"Ho, ho!" he shouted to the enemy, in +token of a brave man's welcome to danger and +death. + +They replied with yells of triumph, as they +pressed more and more closely upon him. One +of their number had been dispatched to notify +the main war-party when they first saw Ante- +lope, but he did not know this, and his courage +was undiminished. From time to time he con- +tinued to flash his signal, and at last like light- +ning the little white flash came in reply. + +The sun was low when the besieged warrior +discovered a large body of horsemen approach- +ing from the northwest. It was the Ute war- +party! He looked earnestly once more +toward the Sioux camp, shading his eyes with +his right palm. There, too, were many moving +specks upon the plain, drawing toward the foot +of the hill! + +At the middle of the afternoon they had +caught his distress signal, and the entire camp +was thrown into confusion, for but few of the +men had returned from the daily hunt. As +fast as they came in, the warriors hurried away +upon their best horses, singing and yelling. +When they reached the well-known butte, tow- +ering abruptly in the midst of the plain, they +could distinguish their enemies massed behind +the hanging rocks and scattered cedar-trees, +crawling up closer and closer, for the large war- +party reached the hill just as the scouts who +held Antelope at bay discovered the approach +of his kinsmen. + +Antelope had long since exhausted his quiver +of arrows and was gathering up many of +those that fell about him to send them back +among his pursuers. When their attention was +withdrawn from him for an instant by the sud- +den onset of the Sioux, he sprang to his feet. + +He raised both his hands heavenward in +token of gratitude for his rescue, and his friends +announced with loud shouts the daring of Ante- +lope. + +Both sides fought bravely, but the Utes at +last retreated and were fiercely pursued. An- +telope stood at his full height upon the huge +rock that had sheltered him, and gave his yell +of defiance and exultation. Below him the war- +riors took it up, and among the gathering +shadows the rocks echoed praises of his name. + +In the Sioux camp upon Lost Water there +were dances and praise songs, but there was +wailing and mourning, too, for many lay dead +among the crags. The name of Antelope was +indelibly recorded upon Eagle Scout Butte. + +"If he wished for a war-bonnet of eagle +feathers, it is his to wear," declared one of +the young men. "But he is modest, and scarcely +even joins in the scalp dances. lt is said of +him that he has never yet spoken to any young +woman!" + +"True, it is not announced publicly that he +has addressed a maiden. Many parents would +like to have their daughters the first one he +would speak to, but I am told he desires to +go upon one or two more war-paths before +seeking woman's company," replied another. + +"Hun, hun, hay!" exclaimed a third youth +ill-naturedly. He is already old enough to +be a father!" + +"This is told of him," rejoined the first +speaker. "He wants to hold the record of +being the young man who made the greatest +number of coups before he spoke to a maiden. +I know that there are not only mothers who +would be glad to have him for a son-in-law, +but their young daughters would not refuse to +look upon the brave Antelope as a husband!" + +It was true that in the dance his name was +often mentioned, and at every repetition it +seemed that the young women danced with +more spirit, while even grandmothers joined +in the whirl with a show of youthful abandon. + +Wezee, the father of Antelope, was receiv- +ing congratulations throughout the afternoon. +Many of the old men came to his lodge to +smoke with him, and the host was more than +gratified, for he was of a common family and +had never before known what it is to bask +in the sunshine of popularity and distinction. +He spoke complacently as he crowded a hand- +ful of tobacco into the bowl of the long red +pipe. + +"Friends, our life here is short, and the life +of a brave youth is apt to be shorter than most! +We crave all the happiness that we can get, +and it is right that we should do so. One who +says that he does not care for reputation or +success, is not likely to be telling the truth. So +you will forgive me if I say too much about +the honorable career of my son." This was the +old man's philosophic apology. + +"Ho, ho," his guests graciously responded. +"It is your moon! Every moon has its full- +ness, when it lights up the night, while the little +stars dance before it. So to every man there +comes his full moon!" + +Somewhat later in the day all the young +people of the great camp were seen to be mov- +ing in one direction. All wore their best attire +and finest ornaments, and even the parti-col- +ored steeds were decorated to the satisfaction +of their beauty-loving riders. + +"Ugh, Taluta is making a maidens' feast! +She, the prettiest of all the Unkpapa maid- +ens!" exclaimed one of the young braves. + +"She, the handsomest of all our young +women!" repeated another. + +Taluta was indeed a handsome maid in the +height and bloom of womanhood, with all that +wonderful freshness and magnetism which was +developed and preserved by the life of the wil- +derness. She had already given five maidens' +feasts, beginning with her fifteenth year, and +her shy and diffident purity was held sacred by +her people. + +The maidens' circle was now complete. Be- +hind it the outer circle of old women was equally +picturesque and even more dignified. The +grandmother, not the mother, was regarded as +the natural protector of the young maiden, and +the dowagers derived much honor from their +position, especially upon public occasions, tak- +ing to themselves no small amount of credit +for the good reputations of their charges. + +Weshawee, whose protege had many suitors +and was a decided coquette, fidgeted nervously +and frequently adjusted her robe or fingered +her necklace to ease her mind, for she dreaded +lest, in spite of watchfulness, some mishap +might have befallen her charge. Her anxiety +was apparently shared by several other chap- +erons who stole occasional suspicious glances +in the direction of certain of the young braves. +It had been known to happen that a girl un- +worthy to join in the sacred feast was publicly +disgraced. + +A special police force was appointed to keep +order on this occasion, each member of which +was gorgeously painted and bedecked with +eagle feathers, and carried in his hand a long +switch with which to threaten the encroaching +throng. Their horses wore head-skins of fierce +animals to add to their awe-inspiring appear- +ance. + +The wild youths formed the outer circle of +the gathering, attired like the woods in au- +tumn, their long locks glossy with oil and per- +fumed with scented grass and leaves. Many +pulled their blankets over their heads as if to +avoid recognition, and loitered shyly at a dis- +tance. + +Among these last were Antelope and his +cousin, Red Eagle. They stood in the angle +formed by the bodies of their steeds, whose +noses were together. The young hero was com- +pletely enveloped in his handsome robe with +a rainbow of bead-work acros the middle, and +his small moccasined feet projected from be- +neath the lower border. Red Eagle held up +an eagle-wing fan, partially concealing his face, +and both gazed intently toward the center of +the maidens' circle. + +"Woo! woo!" was the sonorous exclama- +tion of the police, announcing the beginning +of the ceremonies. In the midst of the ring +of girls stood the traditional heart-shaped red +stone, with its bristling hedge of arrows. In +this case there were five arrows, indicating that +Taluta had already made as many maidens' +feasts. Each of the maidens must lay her hand +upon the stone in token of her purity and chas- +tity, touching also as many arrows as she her- +self has attended maidens' feasts. + +Taluta advanced first to the center. As she +stood for a moment beside the sacred stone, she +appeared to the gazing bystanders the embodi- +ment of grace and modesty. Her gown, +adorned with long fringes at the seams, was +beaded in blue and white across the shoulders +and half way to her waist. Her shining black +hair was arranged in two thick plaits which +hung down upon her bosom. There was a native +dignity in her gestures and in her utterance of +the maidens' oath, and as she turned to face the +circle, all the other virgins followed her. + +When the feast was ended and the gay con- +course had dispersed, Antelope and his cousin +were among the last to withdraw. The young +man's eyes had followed every movement of +Taluta as long as she remained in sight, and +it was only when she vanished in the gathering +shadows that he was willing to retire. + +In savage courtship, it was the custom to +introduce one's self boldly to the young lady, +although sometimes it was convenient to have +a sister introduce her brother. But Antelope +had no sister to perform this office for him, +and if he had had one, he would not have made +the request. He did not choose to admit any +one to his secret, for he had no confidence in +himself or in the outcome of the affair. If +it had been anything like trailing the doe, or +scouting the Ojibway, he would have ridiculed +the very notion of missing the object sought. +But this was a new warfare--an unknown hunt- +ing! Although he was very anxious to meet +Taluta, whenever the idea occurred to him he +trembled like a leaf in the wind, and profuse +perspiration rolled down his stoic visage. It +was not customary to hold any social inter- +course with the members of the opposite sex, +and he had never spoken familiarly to any +woman since he became a man, except his old +grandmother. It was well known that the +counsel of the aged brings luck to the youth +in warfare and love. + +Antelope arose early the next morning, and +without speaking to any one he made a cere- +monious toilet. He put on his finest buckskin +shirt and a handsome robe, threw a beaded +quiver over his shoulder, and walked directly +away from the teepees and into the forest--he +did not know why nor whither. The sounds +of the camp grew fainter and fainter, until at +last he found himself alone. + +"How is it," mused the young man, "that +I have hoped to become a leader among my +people? My father is not a chief, and none +of my ancestors were distinguished in war. I +know well that, if I desire to be great, I must +deny myself the pleasure of woman's company +until I have made my reputation. I must not +boast nor exhibit myself on my first success. +The spirits do not visit the common haunts of +men! All these rules I have thus far kept, +and I must not now yield to temptation. . . . +Man has much to weaken his ambition after +he is married. A young man may seek oppor- +tunities to prove his worth, but to a married +man the opportunity must come to try him. +He acts only when compelled to act. . . . Ah, +I must flee from the woman!. . . . Besides, +if she should like someone else better, I should +be humiliated. . . . I must go upon a long +war-path. I shall forget her. . . ." + +At this point his revery was interrupted by +the joyous laughter of two young women. The +melodious sing-song laughter of the Sioux +maiden stirred the very soul of the young war- +rior. + +All his philosophy deserted him, and he +stood hesitating, looking about him as if for +a chance of escape. A man who had never +before felt the magnetic influence of woman +in her simplicity and childlike purity, he be- +came for the moment incapable of speech or +action. + +Meanwhile the two girls were wholly uncon- +scious of any disturbing presence in the forest. +They were telling each other the signals that +each had received in the dance. Taluta's com- +panion had stopped at the first raspberry bushes, +while she herself passed on to the next +thicket. When she emerged from the pines +into an opening, she suddenly beheld Antelope, +in his full-dress suit of courtship. Instantly +she dropped her eyes. + +Luckily the customs of courtship among the +Sioux allow the covering of one's head with the +blanket. In this attitude, the young man made +a signal to Taluta with trembling fingers. + +The wild red man's wooing was natural and +straightforward; there was no circumspection, +no maneuvering for time or advantage. Hot +words of love burst forth from the young +warrior's lips, with heavy breathing behind +the folds of the robe with which he sought to +shield his embarrassment. + +"For once the spirits are guiding my for- +tunes! It may seem strange to you, when we +meet thus by accident, that I should speak im- +mediately of my love for you; but we live in +a world where one must speak when the oppor- +tunity offers. I have thought much of you +since I saw you at the maidens' feast. . . . Is +Taluta willing to become the wife of Tatoka? +The moccasins of her making will cause his +feet to be swift in pursuit of the game, and +on the trail of the enemy. . . . I beg of you, +maiden, let our meeting be known only to the +birds of the air, while you consider my pro- +posal!" + +All this while the maiden stood demurely +at his side, playing with the lariat of her pony +in her brown, fine hands. Her doeskin gown +with profuse fringes hung gracefully as the +drooping long leaves of the willow, and her +two heavy braids of black hair, mingled with +strings of deers' hoofs and wampum, fell upon +her bosom. There was a faint glow under- +neath her brown skin, and her black eyes were +calm and soft, yet full of native fire. + +"You will not press for an answer now," +she gently replied, without looking at him. "I +expected to see no one here, and your words +have taken me by surprise. . . . I grant your +last request. The birds alone can indulge in +gossip about our meeting,--unless my cousin, +who is in the next ravine, should see us to- +gether!" She sprang lightly upon the back +of her pony, and disappeared among the scat- +tered pines. + +Between the first lovers' meeting and the sec- +ond was a period of one moon. This was wholly +the fault of Antelope, who had been a prey +to indecision and painful thoughts. Half re- +gretting his impulsive declaration, and hoping +to forget his pangs in the chances of travel +and war, he had finally enlisted in the number +of those who were to go with the war-leader +Crowhead into the Ute country. As was the +custom of the Sioux warriors upon the eve of +departure, the young men consulted their spirit- +ual advisers, and were frequently in the purify- +ing vapor-bath, and fasting in prayer. + +The last evening had come, and Antelope +was on the way to the top of the hill behind +the camp for a night of prayer. Suddenly in +the half-light he came full upon Taluta, lead- +ing her pony down the narrow trail. She had +never looked more beautiful to the youth than +at that moment. + +"Ho," he greeted her. She simply smiled +shyly. + +"It is long since we met," he ventured. + +"I have concluded that you do not care to +hear my reply," retorted the girl. + +"I have nothing to say in my defense, but +I hope that you will be generous. I have suf- +fered much. . . . You will understand why +I stand far from you," he added gently. "I +have been preparing myself to go upon the war- +path. We start at daylight for the Ute coun- +try. Every day for ten days I have been in the +vapor-bath, and ten nights fasting." + +As Taluta well knew, a young warrior under +these circumstances dared not approach a wo- +man, not even his own wife. + +"I still urge you to be my wife. Are you +ready to give me your answer?" continued An- +telope. + +"My answer was sent to you by your grand- +mother this very day," she replied softly. + +"Ah, tell me, tell me, . . ." pressed the +youth eagerly. + +"All is well. Fear nothing," murmured +the maiden. + +"I have given my word--I have made my +prayers and undergone purification. I must +not withdraw from this war-path," he said +after a silence. "But I know that I shall be for- +tunate! . . . My grandmother will give you +my love token. . . . Ah, kechuwa (dear love)! +watch the big star every night! I will watch +it, too--then we shall both be watching! +Although far apart, our spirits will be to- +gether." + +The moon had risen above the hill, and the +cold light discovered the two who stood sadly +apart, their hearts hot with longing. Reluc- +tantly, yet without a backward look or farewell +gesture, the warrior went on up the hill, and the +maiden hurried homeward. Only a few moments +before she had been happy in the anticipation +of making her lover happy. The truth was +she had been building air-castles in the likeness +of a white teepee pitched upon a virgin prairie +all alone, surrounded by mountains. Tatoka's +war-horse and hunting pony were picketed near +by, and there she saw herself preparing the +simple meal for him! But now he has clouded +her dreams by this untimely departure. + +"He is too brave. . . . His life will be a +short one," she said to herself with fore- +boding. + +For a few hours all was quiet, and just be- +fore the appearance of day the warriors' de- +parture was made known by their farewell +songs. Antelope was in the line early, but he +was heavy of heart, for he knew that his sweet- +heart was sorely puzzled and disappointed by +his abrupt departure. His only consolation +was the knowledge that he had in his bundle +a pair of moccasins made by her hands. He +had not yet seen them, because it was the cus- +tom not to open any farewell gifts until the +first camp was made, and then they must be +opened before the eyes of all the young men! +It brings luck to the war-party, they said. He +would have preferred to keep his betrothal se- +cret, but there was no escaping the custom. + +All the camp-fires were burning and supper +had been eaten, when the herald approached +every group and announced the programme +for the evening. It fell to Antelope to open +his bundle first. Loud laughter pealed forth +when the reluctant youth brought forth a su- +perb pair of moccasins--the recognized love- +gift! At such times the warriors' jokes were +unmerciful, for it was considered a last indul- +gence in jesting, perhaps for many moons. +The recipient was well known to be a novice +in love, and this token first disclosed the fact +that he had at last succumbed to the allure- +ments of woman. When he sang his love-song +he was obliged to name the giver of the token, +and many a disappointed suitor was astonished +to hear Taluta's name. + +It was a long journey to the Ute country, and +when they reached it there was a stubbornly +contested fight. Both sides claimed the vic- +tory, and both lost several men. Here again +Antelope was signally favored by the gods of +war. He counted many coups or blows, and +exhibited his bravery again and again in the +charges, but he received no wound. + + +On the return journey Taluta's beautiful +face was constantly before him. He was so +impatient to see her that he hurried on in ad- +vance of his party, when they were still several +days' travel from the Sioux camp. + +"This time I shall join in all the dances and +participate in the rejoicings, for she will surely +like to have me do so," he thought to himself. +"She will join also, and I know that none is +a better dancer than Taluta!" + +In fancy, Antelope was practicing the songs +of victory as he rode alone over the vast wild +country. + +He had now passed Wild Horse Creek and +the Black Hills lay to the southeast, while the +Big Horn range loomed up to the north in +gigantic proportions. He felt himself at home. + +"I shall now be a man indeed. I shall have +a wife!" he said aloud. + +At last he reached the point from which he +expected to view the distant camp. Alas, there +was no camp there! Only a solitary teepee +gleamed forth upon the green plain, which was +almost surrounded by a quick turn of the River +of Deep Woods. The teepee appeared very +white. A peculiar tingling sensation passed +through his frame, and the pony whinnied +often as he was urged forward at a gallop. + +When Antelope beheld the solitary teepee +he knew instantly what it was. It was a grave! +Sometimes a new white lodge was pitched thus +for the dead, who lay in state within upon a +couch of finest skins, and surrounded by his +choicest possessions. + +Antelope's excitement increased as he neared +the teepee, which was protected by a barricade +of thick brush. It stood alone and silent in +the midst of the deserted camp. He kicked the +sides of his tired horse to make him go faster. +At last he jumped from the saddle and ran +toward the door. There he paused for a mo- +ment, and at the thought of desecrating a +grave, a cold terror came over him. + +"I must see--I must see!" he said aloud, +and desperately he broke through the thorny +fence and drew aside the oval swinging door. + + + +II + +In the stately white teepee, seen from afar, both +grave and monument, there lay the fair body +of Taluta! The bier was undisturbed, and the +maiden looked beautiful as if sleeping, dressed +in her robes of ceremony and surrounded by all +her belongings. + +Her lover looked upon her still face and +cried aloud. "Hey, hey, hey! Alas! alas! If +I had known of this while in the Ute country, +you would not be lonely on the spirit path." + +He withdrew, and laid the doorflap rever- +ently back in its place. How long he stood with- +out the threshold he could not tell. He stood +with head bowed down upon his breast, tear- +less and motionless, utterly oblivious to every- +thing save the bier of his beloved. His charger +grazed about for a long time where he had +left him, but at last he endeavored by a low +whinny to attract his master's attention, and +Antelope awoke from his trance of sorrow. + +The sun was now hovering over the western +ridges. The mourner's throat was parched, +and perspiration rolled down his cheeks, yet +he was conscious of nothing but a strong de- +sire to look upon her calm, sweet face once +more. + +He kindled a small fire a little way off, and +burned some cedar berries and sweet-smelling +grass. Then he fumigated himself thoroughly +to dispel the human atmosphere, so that the +spirit might not be offended by his approach, +for he greatly desired to obtain a sign from +her spirit. He had removed his garments and +stood up perfectly nude save for the breech- +clout. His long hair was unbraided and hung +upon his shoulders, veiling the upper half of +his splendid body. Thus standing, the lover +sang a dirge of his own making. The words +were something like this: + + +Ah, spirit, thy flight is mysterious! + +While the clouds are stirred by our wailing, + +And our tears fall faster in sorrow-- + + +While the cold sweat of night benumbs us, + +Thou goest alone on thy journey, + +In the midst of the shining star people! + + +Thou goest alone on thy journey-- + +Thy memory shall be our portion; + +Until death we must watch for the spirit! + + +The eyes of Antelope were closed while he +chanted the dirge. He sang it over and over, +pausing between the lines, and straining as it +were every sense lest he might not catch the +rapt whisper of her spirit, but only the distant +howls of coyotes answered him. His body be- +came cold and numb from sheer exhaustion, +and at last his knees bent under him and he +sank down upon the ground, still facing the +teepee. Unconsciousness overtook him, and in +his sleep or trance the voice came: + +"Do not mourn for me, my friend! Come +into my teepee, and eat of my food." + +It seemed to Antelope that he faltered for +a moment; then he entered the teepee. There +was a cheerful fire burning in the center. A +basin of broiled buffalo meat was placed oppo- +site the couch of Taluta, on the other side of +the fire. Its odor was delicious to him, yet +he hesitated to eat of it. + +"Fear not, kechuwa (my darling)! It will +give you strength," said the voice. + +The maid was natural as in life. Beautifully +attired, she sat up on her bed, and her de- +meanor was cheerful and kind. + +The young man ate of the food in silence +and without looking at the spirit. "Ho, ke- +chuwa!" he said to her when returning the +dish, according to the custom of his people. + +Silently the two sat for some minutes, while +the youth gazed into the burning embers. + +"Be of good heart," said Taluta, at last, +"for you shall meet my twin spirit! She will +love you as I do, and you will love her as you +love me. This was our covenant before we +came into this world." + +The conception of a "twin spirit" was famil- +iar to the Sioux. "Ho," responded the war- +rior, with dignity and all seriousness. He felt +a great awe for the spirit, and dared not lift +his eyes to her face. + +"Weep no more, kechuwa, weep no more," +she softly added; and the next moment Ante- +lope found himself outside the mysterious tee- +pee. His limbs were stiff and cold, but he did +not feel faint nor hungry. Having filled his +pipe, he held it up to the spirits and then par- +took of the smoke; and thus revived, he slowly +and reluctantly left the sacred spot. + +The main war-party also visited the old +camp and saw the solitary teepee grave, but did +not linger there. They continued on the trail +of the caravan until they reached the new camp- +ing ground. They called themselves successful, +although they had left several of their number +on the field. Their triumph songs indicated +this; therefore the people hurried to receive +the news and to learn who were the unfor- +tunates. + +The father of Antelope was foremost among +those who ran to meet the war-party. He +learned that his son had distinguished himself in +the fight, and that his name was not mentioned +among the brave dead. + +"And where, then, is he?" he asked, with +unconcealed anxiety. + +"He left us three days ago to come in ad- +vance," they replied. + +"But he has not arrived!" exclaimed old +Wezee, in much agitation. + +He returned to his teepee, where he consoled +himself as best he could by smoking the pipe +in solitude. He could neither sing praises nor +indulge in the death dirge, and none came in +either to congratulate or mourn with him. + +The sun had disappeared behind the hills, +and the old man still sat gazing into the burn- +ing embers, when he heard a horse's footfall +at the door of his lodge. + +"Ho, atay (father)!" came the welcome +call. + +"Mechinkshe! mechinkshe!" (my son, my +son), he replied in unrestrained joy. Old We- +zee now stood on the threshold and sang the +praise song for his son, ending with a war- +whoop such as he had not indulged in since he +was quite a young man. + +The camp was once more alive with the +dances, and the dull thud of the Indian drum +was continually in the air. The council had +agreed that Antelope was entitled to wear a +war-bonnet of eagles' feathers. He was ac- +cordingly summoned before the aboriginal par- +liament, and from the wise men of the tribe he +received his degree of war-bonnet. + +It was a public ceremony. The great pipe +was held up for him to take the smoke of high +honor. + +The happiest person present was the father +of Antelope; but he himself remained calm and +unmoved throughout the ceremony. + +"He is a strange person," was the whisper +among a group of youths who were watching +the proceedings with envious eyes. + +The young man was strangely listless and +depressed in spirit. His old grandmother knew +why, but none of the others understood. He +never joined in the village festivities, while the +rest of his family were untiring in the dances, +and old Wezee was at the height of his hap- +piness. + +It was a crisp October morning, and the fam- +ily were eating their breakfast of broiled bison +meat, when the large drum at the council lodge +was struck three times. The old man set down +his wooden basin. + +"Ah, my son, the war-chiefs will make an +announcement! It may be a call for the en- +listment of warriors! I am sorry," he said, +and paused. "I am sorry, because I would +rather no war-party went out at present. I am +getting old. I have enjoyed your success, my +son. I love to hear the people speak your +name. If you go again upon the war-path, I +shall no longer be able to join in the celebra- +tions. Something tells me that you will not re- +turn!" + +Young braves were already on their way to +the council lodge. Tatoka looked, and the +temptation was great. + +"Father, it is not becoming for me to re- +main at home when others go," he said, at last. + +"Ho," was the assent uttered by the father, +with a deep sigh. + +"Five hundred braves have enlisted to go +with the great war prophet against the three +confederated tribes," he afterward reported at +home, with an air of elation which he had not +worn for some moons. + +Since Antelope had received the degree of +war-bonnet, his father had spared neither time +nor his meager means in his behalf. He had +bartered his most cherished possessions for sev- +eral eagles that were brought in by various +hunters of the camp, and with his own hands +had made a handsome war-bonnet for his son. + +"You will now wear a war-bonnet for the +first time, and you are the first of our family +who has earned the right to wear one for many +generations. I am proud of you, my son," he +said as he presented it. + +But when the youth replied: "Ho, ho, +father! I ought to be a brave man in recog- +nition of this honor," he again sighed heavily. + +"It is that I feared, my son! Many a young +man has lost his life for vanity and love of dis- +play!" + +The evening serenades began early, for the +party was to leave at once. In groups upon +their favorite ponies the warriors rode around +the inner circle of the great camp, singing their +war-songs. All the people came out of the tee- +pees, and sitting by twos and threes upon the +ground, bedecked with savage finery, they +watched and listened. The pretty wild maid- +ens had this last opportunity given them to +look upon the faces of their sweethearts, whom +they might never see again. Here and there +an old man was singing the gratitude song or +thank-offering, while announcing the first war- +path of a novice, for such an announcement +meant the giving of many presents to the poor +and aged. So the camp was filled with songs +of joy and pride in the departing husbands, +brothers, and sons. + +As soon as darkness set in the sound of the +rude native flute was added to the celebration. +This is the lover' s farewell. The young braves, +wrapped from head to foot in their finest robes, +each sounded the plaintive strains near the tee- +pee of the beloved. The playful yodeling of +many voices in chorus was heard at the close +of each song. + +At midnight the army of five hundred, the +flower of the Sioux, marched against their an- +cient enemy. Antelope was in the best of spir- +its. He had his war-bonnet to display before +the enemy! He was now regarded as one of +the foremost warriors of his band, and might +probably be asked to perform some specially +hazardous duty, so that he was fully prepared +to earn further distinction. + +In five days the Sioux were encamped within +a day's travel of the permanent village of the +confederated tribes--the Rees, Mandans, and +Gros Ventres. The war-chief selected two +men, Antelope and Eaglechild, to scout at night +in advance of the main force. It was thought +that most of the hunters had already returned +to their winter quarters, and in this case the +Sioux would have no mean enemy to face. On +the other hand, a battle was promised that +would enlarge their important traditions. + +The two made their way as rapidly as pos- +sible toward the ancestral home of their ene- +mies. It was a night perfectly suited to what +they had to do, for the moon was full, the +fleeting clouds hiding it from time to time and +casting deceptive shadows. + +When they had come within a short distance +of the lodges unperceived, they lay flat for a +long time, and studied the ways of the young +men in every particular, for it was Antelope's +plan to enter the great village and mingle +boldly with its inhabitants. Even their hoots and +love-calls were carefully noted, so that they +might be able to imitate them. There were +several entertainments in progress in different +parts of the village, yet it was apparent that +the greatest vigilance was observed. The +lodges of poles covered with earth were partly +underground, and at one end the war-horses +were stabled, as a precaution against a possible +surprise. + +At the moment that a large cloud floated +over the moon, casting a shadow large enough +to cover the entire village, the drum in one of +the principal lodges was struck in quick time, +accompanied by boisterous war-whoops and +singing. The two scouts adjusted their robes +about them in the fashion of the strangers, and +walked openly in that direction. + +They glanced quickly from side to side as +they approached, but no one paid any attention, +so they came up with other young men and +peeped through the chinks in the earth wig- +wam. It was a great gambling party. Among +the guests were several distinguished warriors, +and each at an opportune time would rise and +recount his great deeds in warfare against the +Sioux. The strangers could read their gestures, +and Antelope was once or twice almost on the +point of stringing his bow to send an arrow +through the audacious speaker. + +As they moved about the village, taking note +of its numbers and situation, and waiting an +opportunity to withdraw without exciting sus- +picion, they observed some of the younger +braves standing near another large wigwam, +and one or two even peeped within. Moved by +sudden curiosity, Antelope followed their ex- +ample. He uttered a low exclamation and at +once withdrew. + +"What is it?" asked his companion, but +received no answer. + +It was evidently the home of a chief. The +family were seated within at their usual occu- +pations, and the bright light of the central fire +shone full upon the face of a most lovely +maiden. + +Antelope stood apparently motionless, but he +was trembling under his robe like a leaf. + +"Come, friend, there is another large cloud +almost over the moon! We must move away +under its concealing shadow," urged Eagle- +child. + +the other stood still as if undecided, but at +last he approached the lodge and looked in +a second time. There sat his sweetheart in +human form once more! The maiden was at- +tired in a doeskin gown set with elk's teeth +like ivory. Her eyes were cast down demurely +over her embroidery, but in every feature she +was the living counterpart of Taluta! + +At last the two got away unobserved, and +hastened toward the place where they had con- +cealed their horses. But here Antelope sent +his companion on in advance, making the ex- +cuse that he wished to study further the best +position from which to make the attack. + +When he was left alone he stood still for a +moment to decide upon a plan. He could think +of nothing but that he must meet the Ree maiden +before daylight! He realized the extreme +hazard of the attempt, but he also recalled +what he had been told by the spirit of Taluta, +and the supernatural command seemed to jus- +tify him even in going thus upon the eve of +battle to meet the enemy of his people. + +He skirted the heavy timber and retraced +his steps to a point from which he could see +the village. The drum of the gambling party +had ceased with the shouts and laughter of +the players. Apparently the village was lost +in slumber. The moon had set, and without +pausing he advanced to the home of the girl. +As he came near some dogs began to bark, but +he silenced them after the manner of the Rees, +and they obeyed him. + +When Antelope softly raised the robe that +hung over the entrance to the chief's lodge, +he saw the fire smoldering in the center, and +the members of the household lying in their +respective places, all seemingly in a deep sleep. +The girl lay opposite the entrance, where he +had seen her seated in the early part of the +evening. + +The heart of the Sioux beat violently, and he +glanced nervously to left and right. There was +neither sound nor movement. Then he pulled +his robe completely over his head, after the +fashion of a Ree lover, and softly entered the +wigwam. + +The Ree maiden, having industriously +worked on her embroidery until far into the +night, had retired to rest. In her dreams, the +twin sister came to her of whom she had had +visions ever since she could remember, and es- +pecially when something of importance was +about to happen. + +This time she came with a handsome young +man of another tribe, and said: "Sister, I +bring you a Sioux, who will be your husband!" + +The dreamer opened her eyes to behold a +youth bending over her and gently pulling her +robe, as a suitor is permitted to do to awaken +his beloved. + +When he saw that she was awake, the Sioux +touched his breast, saying in a whisper, "Ta- +toka," and made the sign for Antelope. This +pleased the Ree girl, for her own brother, who +had died the year before, had borne that name. +She immediately sat up and stirred the embers +into a light blaze. Then she took hold of his +blanket and drew it from his face; and there +she seemed to see the very features of the man +of her vision! + +He took her hand in his, and she felt the +force of love stream through his long, nervous +fingers, and instinctively knew his thoughts. In +her turn she touched her breast and made the +sign for Shield, pronouncing in her own tongue +the word, Stasu. This seemed to him also a +name of good omen, and in the sign language +which was common to all the people of the +plains, he asked her to be his wife. + +Vividly her dream came back to her, and +she could not refuse the stranger. Her soul +already responded to his; and for a few min- +utes they sat silently side by side. When he +arose and beckoned, "Come with me," she had +no question to make, and without a word she +followed him from her father's lodge and out +into the forest. + + +In the midst of his ascending fame, at a mo- +ment when opportunity seemed to favor his am- +bition, the brave Antelope had mysteriously +disappeared! His companion scout returned +with a favorable report. He said that the men +of the three confederated tribes were gambling +and feasting, wholly unconscious of danger, +and that Antelope would follow him with a +further report upon the best point of attack. +The red warriors impatiently awaited his re- +turn, until it became apparent that they could +wait no longer without sacrificing their chance +of success. When the attack was made it was +already rather late. The sun had fairly cleared +the eastern hills, and most of the men were out- +side their lodges. + +It was a great battle! Again and again the +Sioux were repulsed, but as often they rallied +and repeated the charge until sundown, when +they effected their retreat with considerable loss. +Had Antelope returned in due season, the +charge would have been made before dawn, +while the people were yet asleep. + +When the battle was over, the Rees, Man- +dans, and Gros Ventres gathered their dead and +wounded. The night was filled with mourning. +Soon the sad news was heralded throughout +the camp that the beautiful daughter of the +Ree chief was among the missing. It was sup- +posed that she must have been captured while +driving her ponies to water in the early morn- +ing. The grief for her loss was mingled with +horror, because of a fear that she might suf- +fer humiliation at the hands of the Sioux war- +riors, and among the young men there were mut- +tered threats that the Sioux would pay dearly +for this. + +Though partially successful, the Sioux had +lost many of their bravest warriors, and none +could tell what had happened to Antelope--he +who had been believed the favorite of the gods +of war. It was suggested by some envious ones +that perhaps he had recognized the strongly +entrenched position of the three tribes, and be- +lieving the battle would be a disastrous one, +had set out for home without making his re- +port. But this supposition was not deemed +credible. On the other hand, the idea was en- +tertained that he had reentered the village, was +detected and slain; and therefore the enemy +was on the lookout when the attack was made. + +"Hay, hay, hay, mechinkshe (Alas, alas, +my son)!" was the sorrowful cry with which +his old father received the news. His head +fell upon his breast, and all the others groaned +in sympathy. + +The sunset sky was a blanket of beautiful +painting. There were camp-fires among the +clouds in orange and scarlet, while some were +black as night. So the camp fairly glowed in +celebration of its heroes; yet there was deep +grief in many families. When the evening meal +had been eaten and the people were sitting out- +side their lodges, a tall old man, almost nude, +appeared in the circle, riding a fine horse. +He had blackened his face, his hair was cut +short, and the horse also had been deprived of +his flowing mane and tail. Both were in deep +mourning, after the fashion of the Sioux. + +"Ho ho!" exclaimed many warriors as he +passed them, singing in a hoarse, guttural voice. + +"Ugh, he sings a war-song!" remarked one. + +"Yes, I am told that he will find his son's +bones, or leave his own in the country of the +enemy!" + + +The rain had fallen incessantly for two days. +The fleeing lovers had reached this lonely +mountain valley of the Big Horn region on the +night that the cold fall rains set in, and Ante- +lope had hurriedly constructed an arbor house or +rude shelter of pine and cedar boughs. + +It was enough. There they sat, man and +wife, in their first home of living green! The +cheerful fire was burning in the center, and the +happy smoke went straight up among the tall +pines. There was no human eye to gaze upon +them to embarrass--not even a common lan- +guage in which to express their love for one +another. + +Their marriage, they believed, was made by +a spirit, and it was holy in their minds. Each +had cast away his people and his all for the +sake of this emotion which had suddenly over- +taken them both with overwhelming force, and +the warrior's ambition had disappeared before +it like a morning mist before the sun. + +To them a new life was just beginning, and +they had all but forgotten the existence of any +world save this. The young bride was en- +shrined in a bower of spicy fragrance, and her +face shone whenever her eyes met those of her +husband. + +"This is as I would have it, kechuwa (dar- +ling)!" exclaimed the Sioux in his own lan- +guage. She simply responded with a childlike +smile. Although she did not understand his +words, she read in the tones of his voice only +happy and loving thoughts. + +The Ree girl had prepared a broiled bison +steak, and her husband was keeping the fire +well fed with dry fagots. The odor of the +buming fat was delicious, and the gentle patter +of the rain made a weird music outside their +wigwam. + +As soon as her husband had left her alone +--for he must go to water the ponies and con- +ceal them at a distance--Stasu came out to +collect more wood. Instinctively she looked all +about her. Huge mountains towered skyward, +clad in pines. The narrow valley in which she +was wound its way between them, and on every +side there was heavy forest. + +She stood silent and awed, scarcely able to +realize that she had begun her new life abso- +lutely alone, with no other woman to advise +or congratulate her, and visited only by the +birds of the air. Yet all the world to her just +now was Antelope! No other woman could +smile on him. He could not talk to any one +but her. The evening drum at the council +lodge could not summon him away from her, +and she was well content. + +When the young wife had done everything +she could think of in preparation for her hus- +band's return, including the making of several +birch-bark basins and pails for water, the rain +had quite ceased, so she spread her robe just +outside the lodge and took up her work-bag, in +which she had several pairs of moccasin-tops +already beaded. + +While she bent over her work, getting up +from time to time to turn the roast which she +had impaled upon a sharp stick above the +glowing coals, the bride had a stream of shy +callers, of the little people of the woods. She +sat very still, so as not to startle them, and +there is much curiosity among these people con- +cerning a stranger. + +Presently she was startled by a footfall not +unlike that of a man. She had not been mar- +ried long enough to know the sound of her +husband's step, and she felt a thrill of joy and +fear alternately. It might be he, and it might +be a stranger! She was loath to look up, but +at last gave a furtive glance, and met squarely +the eyes of a large grizzly bear, who was seated +upon his haunches not far away. + +Stasu was surprised, but she showed no fear; +and fearlessness is the best shield against wild +animals. In a moment she got up unconcern- +edly, and threw a large piece of meat to the +stranger. + +"Take of my wedding feast, O great Bear!" +she addressed him, "and be good to me to bless +my first teepee! O be kind and recognize my +brave act in taking for my husband one of the +warriors of the Sioux, the ancient enemy of my +people! I have accepted a husband of a lan- +guage other than mine, and am come to live +among you as your neighbor. I offer you my +friendship!" + +The bear's only answer to her prayer was a +low growl, but having eaten the meat, he turned +and clumsily departed. + +In the meantime Antelope had set himself +to master the geography of that region, to +study the outlook for game, and ascertain the +best approaches to their secret home. It was +already settled in his mind that he could never +return either to his wife's people or to his own. +His fellow-warriors would not forgive his de- +sertion, and the Rees could not be expected to +welcome as a kinsman one of the foremost of +their ancient foes. There was nothing to be +done but to remain in seclusion, and let them +say what they would of him! + +He had loved the Ree maiden from the first +moment he beheld her by the light of the blaz- +ing embers, and that love must satisfy him. It +was well that he had never cared much for +company, but had spent many of his young days +in solitude and fasting. It did not seem at all +strange to him that he had been forced to re- +treat into an unknown and wild country with a +woman whom he saw in the evening for the +first time, and fled with as his own wife before +sunrise! + +By the afternoon he had thoroughly in- +formed himself upon the nature of the sur- +rounding country. Everything on the face of +the map was surveyed and charted in his mind, +in accordance with his habits and training. +This done, he turned toward his secret dwelling. +As he walked rapidly and noiselessly through +the hidden valleys and along the singing +streams, he noticed fresh signs of the deer, elk, +and other wild tribes among whom he had chosen +to abide. "They shall be my people," he said +to himself. + +Behind a group of cedars he paused to rec- +onnoiter, and saw the pine-bough wigwam like +a giant plant, each row of boughs overlapping +the preceding circular row like the scales of a +fish. Stasu was sitting before it upon a buffalo- +robe, attired in her best doeskin gown. Her +delicate oval face was touched with red paint, +and her slender brown hands were occupied +with a moccasin meant for him to wear. He +could scarcely believe that it was a mortal +woman that he saw before him in broad day +--the pride of No Man's Trail, for that is +what the Crow Indians call that valley! + +"Ho, ho, kechuwa!" he exclaimed as he +approached her, and her heart leaped in recog- +nition of the magnetic words of love. + +"It is good that we are alone! I shall never +want to go back to my people so long as I have +you. I can dwell here with you forever, un- +less you should think otherwise!" she exclaimed +in her own tongue, accompanied by graphic +signs. + +"Ho, I think of nothing else! I can see in +every creature only friendly ways and good +feeling. We can live alone here, happily, un- +less you should feel differently," he replied in +his own language with the signs, so that his +bride understood him. + +The environment was just what it should be +when two people are united in marriage. The +wedding music was played by Nature, and trees, +brooks, and the birds of the air contributed their +peculiar strains to a great harmony. All of +the people on No Man's Trail were polite, +and understood the reserves of love. These +two had yielded to a simple and natural im- +pulse; but its only justification to their minds +was the mysterious leading of the twin spirit! +That was the sum total of their excuse, and it +was enough. + +Before the rigor of winter had set in, Tatoka +brought to his bride many buffalo skins. She +was thoroughly schooled in the arts of sav- +age womanhood; in fact, every Indian maid +was trained with this thought in view--that +she should become a beautiful, strong, skillful +wife and mother--the mother of a noble race +of warriors! + +In a short time within that green and pine- +scented enclosure there smiled a little wild para- +dise. Hard by the pine-bough wigwam there +stood a new white buffalo-skin teepee, tanned, +cut, sewed, and pitched by the hands of Stasu. +Away in the woods, down by the rushing brook, +was her tannery, and not far away, in a sunny, +open spot, she prepared her sun-cured meats for +winter use. Her kitchen was a stone fireplace +in a shady spot, and her parlor was the lodge +of evergreen, overhung on two sides by inac- +cessible ledges, and bounded on the other two +by the sparkling stream. It was a secret place, +and yet a citadel; a silent place, and yet not +lonely! + +The winter was cold and long, but the pair +were happy in one another's company, and ac- +cepted their strange lot as one that was chosen +for them by the spirits. Stasu had insisted +upon her husband speaking to her in his own +language, that she might learn it quickly. In +a little while she was able to converse with +him, and when she had acquired his language +she taught him hers. + +While Antelope was occupied with hunting +and exploring the country, always keeping in +mind the danger of discovery by some wander- +ing scout or hunter, his wife grew well ac- +quainted with the wild inhabitants of No Man's +Trail. These people are as full of curiosity +as man, and as the Sioux never hunted near +his home, they were entirely fearless. Many +came to the door of Stasu's lodge, and she was +not afraid, but offered them food and spoke +to them kindly. All animals judge by signs +and are quick in reading tones and gestures; +so that the Ree girl soon had grandfathers and +grandmothers, after the Indian fashion, among +the wolves and bears that came oftenest for +food. + +Her husband in the field had also his fellow- +hunters and friends. When he killed the buf- +falo he always left enough meat for the wolves, +the eagles, and the ravens to feast upon, and +these watched for the coming of the lonely +wild man. More than once they told him by +their actions of the presence of a distant camp- +fire, but in each instance it proved to be a small +war-party which had passed below them on the +trail. + +Again it was summer. Never had the moun- +tains looked grander or more mysterious to the +eyes of the two. The valley was full of the +music and happiness of the winged summer peo- +ple; the trees wore their summer attire, and the +meadow its green blanket. There were many +homes made happy by the coming of little peo- +ple everywhere, but no pair was happier than +Stasu and her husband when one morning they +saw their little brave lying wrapped in soft +deerskins, and heard for the first time his +plaintive voice! + +That morning, when Antelope set out on the +hunt, he stopped at the stream and looked at +himself seriously to see whether he had changed +since the day before. He must now appear +much graver, he said to himself, because he is +the father of a new man! + +In spite of himself, his thoughts were with +his own people, and he wondered what his old +grandmother would have said to his child! He +looked away off toward the Black Hills, to the +Sioux country, and in his heart he said, "I am +a coward!" + +The boy grew naturally, and never felt the +lack of playmates and companions, for his +mother was ingenious in devising plays for +him, and in winning for him the confidence and +kindness of the animal friends. He was the +young chief and the hero of No Man's Trail! +The bears and wolves were his warriors; the +buffalo and elk the hostile tribes upon whom he +went to war. Small as he was, he soon pre- +ferred to roam alone in the woods. His par- +ents were often anxious, but, on the other hand, +they entertained the hope that he would some +day be "wakan," a mysterious or supernatural +man, for he was getting power from his wild +companions and from the silent forces of +nature. + +One day, when he was about five years old, +he gave a dance for his wild pets upon the +little plateau which was still their home. He +had clothed Mato, the bear, in one of his +father's suits as a great medicine-man. Waho, +the wolf, was painted up as a brave; and the +young buffalo calf was attired in one of his +mother's gowns. The boy acted as chief and +master of ceremonies. + +The savage mother watched him with un- +disguised pride, mingled with sorrow. Tears +coursed down her dusky cheeks, although at the +same time she could not help laughing heartily +at the strange performance. When the play +was ended, and she had served the feast at its +close, Stasu seemed lost in thought. + +"He should not live in this way," she was +saying to herself. "He should know the tra- +ditions and great deeds of my people! Surely +his grandfather would be proud of the boy!" + +That evening, while the boy slept, and Mato +lay outside the lodge eagerly listening and snif- +fing the night air, the parents sat silent and ill +at ease. After a long time Stasu spoke her +mind. + +"My husband, you ask me why I am sad. +It is because I think that the Great Mystery +will be displeased if we keep this little boy for- +ever in the wilderness. It is wrong to allow +him to grow up among wild animals; and if +sickness or accident should deprive him of his +father and mother, our spirits would never rest, +because we had left him alone! I have decided +to ask you to take us back, either to your peo- +ple or to my people. We must sacrifice our +pride, or, if needs be, our lives, for his life and +happiness!" + +This speech of Stasu's was a surprise to her +husband. His eyes rested upon the ground as +he listened, and his face assumed the proverbial +stoical aspect, yet in it there was not lacking a +certain nobleness. At last he lifted his eyes to +hers, and said: + +"You have spoken wise words, and it shall +be as you have said. We shall return to your +people. If I am to die at the hands of the an- +cient enemy of the Sioux, I shall die because +of my love for you, and for our child. But I +cannot go back to my own people to be ridiculed +by unworthy young men for yielding to love of +a Ree maiden!" + +There was much feeling behind these words +of Antelope. The rigid customs of his people +are almost a religion, and there is one thing +above all else which a Sioux cannot bear--that +is the ridicule of his fellow-warriors. Yes, +he can endure severe punishment or even death +at the hands of the enemy rather than a single +laugh of derision from a Sioux! + +In a few days the houshold articles were +packed, and the three sadly turned their backs +upon their home. Stasu and her husband were +very silent as they traveled slowly along. When +they reached the hill called "Born-of-Day," +and she saw from its summit the country of her +people lying below her, she cried aloud, weep- +ing happy tears. Antelope sat near by with +bowed head, silently smoking. + +Finally on the fifth day they arrived within +sight of the great permanent village of the +three tribes. They saw the earth lodges as of +old, thickly clustered along the flats of the Mis- +souri, among their rustling maize-fields. Ante- +lope stopped. "I think you had better give +me something to eat, woman," he said, smil- +ing. It was the Sioux way of saying, "Let me +have my last meal!" + +After they had eaten, Stasu opened her buck- +skin bags and gave her husband his finest suit. +He dressed himself carefully in the fashion of +his tribe, putting on all the feathers to which +he was entitled as a warrior. The boy also was +decked out in gala attire, and Stasu, the matron, +had never looked more beautiful in her gown of +ceremony with the decoration of elks' teeth, +the same that she had worn on the evening of +her disappearance. + +As she dressed herself, the unwelcome +thought forced itself upon her,--"What if my +love is killed by my own countrymen in their +frenzy? This beautiful gown must then give +place to a poor one, and this hair will be cut +short!" for such is the mourning of the widow +among her people. + +The three rode openly down the long slope, +and were instantly discovered by the people of +the village. Soon the plain was black with the +approaching riders. Stasu had begged her hus- +band to remain behind, while she went on alone +with the boy to obtain forgiveness, but he +sternly refused, and continued in advance. +When the foremost Ree warriors came within +arrow-shot they began to shoot, to which he +paid no attention. + +But the child screamed with terror, and +Stasu cried out in her own tongue: + +"Do not shoot! I am the daughter of your +chief!" + +One of them returned the reply: "She is +killed by the Sioux!" But when the leaders +saw her plainly they were astounded. + +For a time there was great confusion. Some +held that they should all die, for the woman +had been guilty of treason to her people, and +even now she might be playing a trick upon +them. Who could say that behind that hill +there was not a Sioux war-party? + +"No, no," replied others. "They are in +our power. Let them tell their story!" + +Stasu told it simply, and said in conclusion: + +"This man, one of the bravest and most +honorable men of his tribe, deserted on the +night of the attack, and all because he loved +a Ree maiden! He now comes to be your +brother-in-law, who will fight henceforth for +you and with you, even if it be against his own +people. + +"He does not beg for mercy--he can dare +anything! But I am a woman--my heart is +soft--I ask for the lives of my husband and +my son, who is the grandson of your chief!" + +"He is a coward who touches this man!" +exclaimed the leader, and a thunder of war- +whoops went up in approval of his words. + +The warriors formed themselves in two +great columns, riding twenty abreast, behind +and in front of the strangers. The old chief +came out to meet them, and took his son-in- +law's hand. Thus they entered the village in +battle array, but with hearts touched with won- +der and great gladness, discharging their ar- +rows upward in clouds and singing peace-songs. + + + +II + + +THE MADNESS OF BALD EAGLE + +"It was many years ago, when I was only +a child," began White Ghost, the patri- +archal old chief of the Yanktonnais +Sioux, "that our band was engaged in a des- +perate battle with the Rees and Mandans. The +cause of the fight was a peculiar one. I will +tell you about it." And he laid aside his long- +stemmed pipe and settled himself to the recital. + +"At that time the Yanktonnais numbered a +little over forty families. We were nicknamed +by the other bands Shunkikcheka, or Domestic +Dogs, because of our owning large numbers of +these animals. My father was the head chief. + +"Our favorite wintering place was a tim- +bered tract near the mouth of the Grand River, +and it was here that we met the Blackfoot Sioux +in the fall hunt. On the opposite side of the +river from our camp was the permanent village +of the Rees and Mandans, whose houses were +of dirt and partly underground. For a hun- +dred years before this time they had planted +large gardens, and we were accustomed to buy +of them corn, beans, and pumpkins. From time +to time our people had made treaties of peace +with them. Each family of the Rees had one +or two buffalo boats--not round, as the Sioux +made them, but two or three skins long. In +these boats they brought quantities of dried +beans and other vegetables to trade with us for +jerked buffalo meat. + +"It was a great gathering and a time of gen- +eral festivity and hospitality. The Sioux young +men were courting the Ree girls, and the Ree +braves were courting our girls, while the old +people bartered their produce. All day the +river was alive with canoes and its banks rang +with the laughter of the youths and maidens. + +"My father's younger brother, whose name +was Big Whip, had a close friend, a young man +who ever after the event of which I am about +to tell you was known as Bald Eagle. They +were both daring young men and very ambitious +for distinction. They had been following the +Ree girls to their canoes as they returned to +their homes in the evening. + +"Big Whip and his friend stood upon the +river bank at sunset, one with a quiver full of +arrows upon his back while the other carried +a gun under his blanket. Nearly all the peo- +ple of the other village had crossed the river, +and the chief of the Rees, whose name was +Bald Eagle, went home with his wife last of +all. It was about dusk as they entered their +bullhide boat, and the two Sioux stood there +looking at them. + +"Suddenly Big Whip exclaimed: 'Friend, +let us kill the chief. I dare you to kill and +scalp him!' His friend replied: + +"'It shall be as you say. I will stand by +you in all things. I am willing to die with +you.' + +"Accordingly Bald Eagle pulled out his gun +and shot the Ree dead. From that day he took +his name. The old man fell backward into his +boat, and the old woman screamed and wept as +she rowed him across the river. The other +young man shot an arrow or two at the wife, +but she continued to row until she reached the +other bank. + +"There was great excitement on both sides +of the river as soon as the people saw what had +happened. There were two camps of Sioux, +the Blackfoot Sioux and the Yanktonnais, or +our people. Of course the Mandans and Rees +greatly outnumbered us; their camp must have +numbered two or three thousand, which was +more than we had in our combined camps. + +"There was a Sioux whose name was Black +Shield, who had intermarried among the Rees. +He came down to the opposite bank of the Mis- +souri and shouted to us: + +"'Of which one of your bands is the man +who killed Bald Eagle?' + +"One of the Blackfoot Sioux replied: + +"'It is a man of the Yanktonnais Sioux who +killed Bald Eagle.' + +"Then he said: 'The Rees wish to do battle +with them; you had better withdraw from their +camp.' + +"Accordingly the Blackfeet retired about a +mile from us upon the bluffs and pitched their +tents, while the Yanktonnais remained on the +flats. The two bands had been great rivals in +courage and the art of war, so we did not ask +for help from our kinsfolk, but during the night +we dug trenches about the camp, the inner one +for the women and children, and the outer one +for the men to stay in and do battle. + +"The next morning at daybreak the enemy +landed and approached our camp in great num- +bers. Some of their women and old men came +also, and sat upon the bluffs to watch the fight +and to carry off their dead and wounded. The +Blackfeet likewise were watching the battle +from the bluffs, and just before the fight began +one Blackfoot came in with his wife and joined +us. His name was Red Dog's Track, but from +that day he was called He-Came-Back. His +wife was a Yanktonnais, and he had said to +her: 'If I don't join your tribe to-day, my +brothers-in-law will call me a coward.' + +"The Sioux were well entrenched and well +armed with guns and arrows, and their aim +was deadly, so that the Rees crawled up gradu- +ally and took every opportunity to pick off any +Sioux who ventured to show his head above the +trenches. In like manner every Ree who ex- +posed himself was sure to die. + +"Up to this time no one had seen the two +men who made all the trouble. There was a +natural hollow in the bank, concealed by buffalo +berry bushes, very near where they stood when +Bald Eagle shot the Ree. + +"'Friend,' said Big Whip, 'it is likely that +our own people will punish us for this deed. +They will pursue and kill us wherever they find +us. They have the right to do this. The best +thing is to drop into this washout and remain +there until they cease to look for us.' + +"They did so, and remained hidden during +the night. But, after the fight began, Big Whip +said again: 'Friend, we are the cause of the +deaths of many brave men this day. We com- +mitted the act to show our bravery. We dared +each other to do it. It will now become us as +warriors to join our band.' + +"They both stripped, and taking their weap- +ons in hand, ran toward the camp. They had +to pass directly through the enemy's lines, but +they were not recognized till they had fairly +passed them. Then they were between two +fires. When they had almost reached the en- +trenchment they faced about and fired at the +Rees, jumping about incessantly to avoid being +hit, as is the Indian fashion. Bullets and ar- +rows were flying all about them like hail, but +at last they dropped back unhurt into the Sioux +trenches. Thus the two men saved their repu- +tation for bravery, and their people never +openly reproached them for the events of that +day. Young men are often rash, but it is not +well to reprove one for a brave deed lest he +become a coward. + +"Many were killed, but more of the Rees +than of our band. About the middle of the +afternoon there came a cold rain. It was in +the fall of the year. The bow-strings were wet, +and the guns were only flint-locks. You know +when the flint becomes wet it is useless, and it +looked as if the fight must be with knives. + +"But the Rees were much disheartened. +They had lost many. The women were all the +time carrying off the wounded, and there were +the Blackfoot Sioux watching them from the +hills. They turned and fled toward the river. +The Sioux followed like crazy wolves, toma- +hawking the tired and slow ones. Many were +killed at the boats, and some of the boats were +punctured with shot and sank. Some carried +a load of Sioux arrows back across the river. +That was the greatest battle ever fought by our +band," the old man concluded, with a deep sigh +of mingled satisfaction and regret. + + + + +THE SINGING SPIRIT + + + I + +"Ho my steed, we must climb one more +hill! My reputation depends upon +my report!" + +Anookasan addressed his pony as if he were +a human companion, urged on like himself by +human need and human ambition. And yet +in his heart he had very little hope of sighting +any buffalo in that region at just that time of +the year. + +The Yankton Sioux were ordinarily the most +far-sighted of their people in selecting a winter +camp, but this year the late fall had caught +them rather far east of the Missouri bottoms, +their favorite camping-ground. The upper +Jim River, called by the Sioux the River of +Gray Woods, was usually bare of large game +at that season. Their store of jerked buffalo +meat did not hold out as they had hoped, and +by March it became an urgent necessity to send +out scouts for buffalo. + +The old men at the tiyo teepee (council +lodge) held a long council. It was decided to +select ten of their bravest and hardiest young +men to explore the country within three days' +journey of their camp. + +"Anookasan, uyeyo-o-o, woo, woo!" Thus +the ten men were summoned to the council lodge +early in the evening to receive their commis- +sion. Anookasan was the first called and first +to cross the circle of the teepees. A young man +of some thirty years, of the original native type, +his massive form was wrapped in a fine buffalo +robe with the hair inside. He wore a stately +eagle feather in his scalp-lock, but no paint +about his face. + +As he entered the lodge all the inmates +greeted him with marked respect, and he was +given the place of honor. When all were +seated the great drum was struck and a song +sung by four deep-chested men. This was the +prelude to a peculiar ceremony. + +A large red pipe, which had been filled and +laid carefully upon the central hearth, was now +taken up by an old man, whose face was painted +red. First he held it to the ground with the +words: "Great Mother, partake of this!" +Then he held it toward the sky, saying: "Great +Father, smoke this!" Finally he lighted it, +took four puffs, pointing it to the four corners +of the earth in turn, and lastly presented it +to Anookasan. This was the oath of office, +administered by the chief of the council lodge. +The other nine were similarly commissioned, +and all accepted the appointment. + +It was no light task that was thus religiously +enjoined upon these ten men. It meant at the +least several days and nights of wandering in +search of signs of the wily buffalo. It was a +public duty, and a personal one as well; one +that must involve untold hardship; and if over- +taken by storm the messengers were in peril of +death! + +Anookasan returned to his teepee with some +misgiving. His old charger, which had so +often carried him to victory, was not so strong +as he had been in his prime. As his master +approached the lodge the old horse welcomed +him with a gentle whinny. He was always +tethered near by, ready for any emergency. + +"Ah, Wakan! we are once more called upon +to do duty! We shall set out before day- +break." + +As he spoke, he pushed nearer a few strips +of the poplar bark, which was oats to the Indian +pony of the olden time. + +Anookasan had his extra pair of buffaloskin +moccasins with the hair inside, and his scanty +provision of dried meat neatly done up in a +small packet and fastened to his saddle. With +his companions he started northward, up the +River of the Gray Woods, five on the east side +and a like number on the west. + +The party had separated each morning, so +as to cover as much ground as possible, having +agreed to return at night to the river. It was +now the third day; their food was all but gone, +their steeds much worn, and the signs seemed +to indicate a storm. Yet the hunger of their +friends and their own pride impelled them to +persist, for out of many young men they had +been chosen, therefore they must prove them- +selves equal to the occasion. + +The sun, now well toward the western hori- +zon, cast over snow-covered plains a purplish +light. No living creature was in sight and the +quest seemed hopeless, but Anookasan was not +one to accept defeat. + +"There may be an outlook from yonder hill +which will turn failure into success," he thought, +as he dug his heels into the sides of his faith- +ful nag. At the same time he started a +"Strong Heart" song to keep his courage up! + +At the summit of the ascent he paused and +gazed steadily before him. At the foot of the +next coteau he beheld a strip of black. He +strained his eyes to look, for the sun had al- +ready set behind the hilltops. It was a great +herd of buffaloes, he thought, which was graz- +ing on the foot-hills. + +"Hi hi, uncheedah! Hi, hi, tunkasheedah!" +he was about to exclaim in gratitude, when, +looking more closely, he discovered his mistake. +The dark patch was only timber. + +His horse could not carry him any further, +so he got off and ran behind him toward the +river. At dusk he hailed his companions. + +"Ho, what success?" one cried. + +"Not a sign of even a lone bull," replied an- +other. + +"Yet I saw a gray wolf going north this +evening. His direction is propitious," re- +marked Anookasan, as he led the others down +the slope and into the heavy timber. The river +just here made a sharp turn, forming a densely +wooded semicircle, in the shelter of a high +bluff. + +The braves were all downhearted because +of their ill-luck, and only the sanguine spirit +of Anookasan kept them from utter discourage- +ment. Their slight repast had been taken and +each man had provided himself with abundance +of dry grass and twigs for a bed. They had +built a temporary wigwam of the same mate- +rial, in the center of which there was a gen- +erous fire. Each man stretched himself out +upon his robe in the glow of it. Anookasan +filled the red pipe, and, having lighted it, he +took one or two hasty puffs and held it up to +the moon, which was scarcely visible behind the +cold clouds. + +"Great Mother, partake of this smoke! +May I eat meat to-morrow!" he exclaimed with +solemnity. Having uttered this prayer, he +handed the pipe to the man nearest him. + +For a time they all smoked in silence; then +came a distant call. + +"Ah, it is Shunkmanito, the wolf! There +is something cheering in his voice to-night," +declared Anookasan. "Yes, I am sure he is +telling us not to be discouraged. You know +that the wolf is one of our best friends in trou- +ble. Many a one has been guided back to his +home by him in a blizzard, or led to game when +in desperate need. My friends, let us not turn +back in the morning; let us go north one more +day!" + +No one answered immediately, and again +silence reigned, while one by one they pulled +the reluctant whiffs of smoke through the long +stem of the calumet. + +"What is that?" said one of the men, and +all listened intently to catch the delicate sound. +They were familiar with all the noises of the +night and voices of the forest, but this was not +like any of them. + +"It sounds like the song of a mosquito, and +one might forget while he listens that this is +not midsummer," said one. + +"I hear also the medicine-man's single drum- +beat," suggested another. + +"There is a tradition," remarked Anookasan, +that many years ago a party of hunters went +up the river on a scout like this of ours. They +never returned. Afterward, in the summer, +their bones were found near the home of a +strange creature, said to be a little man, but +he had hair all over him. The Isantees call +him Chanotedah. Our old men give him the +name Oglugechana. This singular being is +said to be no larger than a new-born babe. He +speaks an unknown tongue. + +"The home of Oglugechana is usually a hol- +low stump, around which all of the nearest trees +are felled by lightning. There is an open spot +in the deep woods wherever he dwells. His +weapons are the plumes of various birds. Great +numbers of these variegated feathers are to be +found in the deserted lodge of the little man. + +"It is told by the old men that Oglugechana +has a weird music by which he sometimes be- +witches lone travelers. He leads them hither and +thither about his place until they have lost their +senses. Then he speaks to them. He may +make of them great war-prophets or medicine- +men, but his commands are hard to fulfill. If +any one sees him and comes away before he is +bewildered, the man dies as soon as he smells +the camp-fire, or when he enters his home his +nearest relative dies suddenly." + +The warrior who related this legend assumed +the air of one who narrates authentic history, +and his listeners appeared to be seriously im- +pressed. What we call the supernatural was as +real to them as any part of their lives. + +"This thing does not stop to breathe at all. +His music seems to go on endlessly," said one, +with considerable uneasiness. + +"It comes from the heavy timber north of +us, under the high cliff," reported a warrior +who had stepped outside of the rude temporary +structure to inform himself more clearly of the +direction of the sound. + +"Anookasan, you are our leader--tell us +what we should do! We will follow you. I +believe we ought to leave this spot immediately. +This is perhaps the spirit of some dead enemy," +suggested another. Meanwhile, the red pipe +was refilled and sent around the circle to calm +their disturbed spirits. + +When the calumet returned at last to the one +addressed, he took it in a preoccupied manner, +and spoke between labored pulls on the stem. + +"I am just like yourselves--nothing more +than flesh--with a spirit that is as ready to +leave me as water to run from a punctured +water-bag! When we think thus, we are weak. +Let us rather think upon the brave deeds of +our ancestors! This singing spirit has a gentle +voice; I am ready to follow and learn if it +be an enemy or no. Let us all be found to- +gether next summer if need be!" + +"Ho, ho, ho!" was the full-throated re- +sponse. + +"All put on your war-paint," suggested +Anookasan. "Have your knives and arrows +ready!" + +They did so, and all stole silently through the +black forest in the direction of the mysterious +sound. Clearer and clearer it came through the +frosty air; but it was a foreign sound to the +savage ear. Now it seemed to them almost +like a distant water-fall; then it recalled the +low hum of summer insects and the drowsy +drone of the bumblebee. Thump, thump, +thump! was the regular accompaniment. + +Nearer and nearer to the cliff they came, +deeper into the wild heart of the woods. At +last out of the gray, formless night a dark shape +appeared! It looked to them like a huge buf- +falo bull standing motionless in the forest, and +from his throat there apparently proceeded the +thump of the medicine drum, and the song of +the beguiling spirit! + +All of a sudden a spark went up into the air. +As they continued to approach, there became +visible a deep glow about the middle of the +dark object. Whatever it was, they had never +heard of anything like it in all their lives! + +Anookasan was a little in advance of his com- +panions, and it was he who finally discovered a +wall of logs laid one upon another. Half way +up there seemed to be stretched a par-fleche +(raw-hide), from which a dim light emanated. +He still thought of Oglugechana, who dwells +within a hollow tree, and determined to sur- +prise and if possible to overpower this wonder- +working old man. + +All now took their knives in their hands and +advanced with their leader to the attack upon +the log hut. "Wa-wa-wa-wa, woo, woo!" +they cried. Zip, zip! went the par-fleche door +and window, and they all rushed in! + +There sat a man upon a roughly hewn stool. +He was attired in wolfskins and wore a fox- +skin cap upon his head. The larger portion of +his face was clothed with natural fur. A rudely +made cedar fiddle was tucked under his furred +chin. Supporting it with his left hand, he +sawed it vigorously with a bow that was not +unlike an Indian boy's miniature weapon, while +his moccasined left foot came down upon the +sod floor in time with the music. When the +shrill war-whoop came, and the door and win- +dow were cut in strips by the knives of the In- +dians, he did not even cease playing, but in- +stinctively he closed his eyes, so as not to behold +the horror of his own end. + + + +II + +It was long ago, upon the rolling prairie +south of the Devil's Lake, that a motley +body of hunters gathered near a mighty +herd of the bison, in the Moon of Falling +Leaves. These were the first generation of the +Canadian mixed-bloods, who sprang up in such +numbers as to form almost a new people. +These semi-wild Americans soon became a ne- +cessity to the Hudson Bay Company, as they +were the greatest hunters of the bison, and +made more use of this wonderful animal than +even their aboriginal ancestors. + +A curious race of people this, in their make-up +and their customs! Their shaggy black hair +was allowed to grow long, reaching to their +broad shoulders, then cut off abruptly, making +their heads look like a thatched house. Their +dark faces were in most cases well covered with +hair, their teeth large and white, and their eyes +usually liquid black, although occasionally one +had a tiger-brown or cold-gray eye. Their cos- +tume was a buckskin shirt with abundance of +fringes, buckskin pantaloons with short leg- +gins, a gay sash, and a cap of fox-fur. Their +arms consisted of flint-lock guns, hatchets, and +butcher-knives. Their ponies were small, but +as hardy as themselves. + +As these men gathered in the neighborhood +of an immense herd of buffaloes, they busied +themselves in adjusting the girths of their +beautifully beaded pillow-like saddles. Among +them there were exceptional riders and hunters. +It was said that few could equal Antoine Mich- +aud in feats of riding into and through the +herd. There he stood, all alone, the observed +of many others. It was his habit to give sev- +eral Indian yells when the onset began, so as +to insure a successful hunt. + +In this instance, Antoine gave his usual +whoops, and when they had almost reached the +herd, he lifted his flint-lock over his head and +plunged into the black moving mass. With +a sound like the distant rumbling of thunder, +those tens of thousands of buffalo hoofs were +pounding the earth in retreat. Thus Antoine +disappeared! + +His wild steed dashed into the midst of the +vast herd. Fortunately for him, the animals +kept clear of him; but alas! the gap through +which he had entered instantly closed again. + +He yelled frantically to secure an outlet, but +without effect. He had tied a red bandanna +around his head to keep the hair off his face, +and he now took this off and swung it crazily +about him to scatter the buffalo, but it availed +him nothing. + +With such a mighty herd in flight, the speed +could not be great; therefore the "Bois Brule" +settled himself to the situation, allowing his +pony to canter along slowly to save his strength. +It required much tact and presence of mind to +keep an open space, for the few paces of ob- +struction behind had gradually grown into a +mile. + +The mighty host moved continually south- +ward, walking and running alternately. As the +sun neared the western horizon, it fired the sky +above them, and all the distant hills and prairies +were in the glow of it, but immediately about +them was a thick cloud of dust, and the ground +appeared like a fire-swept plain. + +Suddenly Antoine was aware of a tremendous +push from behind. The animals smelled the +cool water of a spring which formed a large +bog in the midst of the plain. This solitary +pond or marsh was a watering-place for the +wild animals. All pushed and edged toward +it; it was impossible for any one to withstand +the combined strength of so many. + +Antoine and his steed were in imminent dan- +ger of being pushed into the mire and trampled +upon, but a mere chance brought them upon +solid ground. As they were crowded across the +marsh, his pony drank heartily, and he, for the +first time, let go his bridle, put his two palms +together for a dipper, and drank greedily of +the bitter water. He had not eaten since early +morning, so he now pulled up some bulrushes +and ate of the tender bulbs, while the pony +grazed as best he could on the tops of the tall +grass. + +It was now dark. The night was well- +nigh intolerable for Antoine. The buffalo were +about him in countless numbers, regarding him +with vicious glances. It was only by reason +of the natural offensiveness of man that they +gave him any space. The bellowing of the +bulls became general, and there was a marked +uneasiness on the part of the herd. This was +a sign of approaching storm, therefore the un- +fortunate hunter had this additional cause for +anxiety. Upon the western horizon were seen +some flashes of lightning. + +The cloud which had been a mere speck upon +the horizon had now increased to large propor- +tions. Suddenly the wind came, and lightning +flashes became more frequent, showing the un- +gainly forms of the animals like strange mon- +sters in the white light. The colossal herd was +again in violent motion. It was a blind rush +for shelter, and no heed was paid to buffalo +wallows or even deep gulches. All was in the +deepest of darkness. There seemed to be +groaning in heaven and earth--millions of +hoofs and throats roaring in unison! + +As a shipwrecked man clings to a mere frag- +ment of wood, so Antoine, although almost +exhausted with fatigue, still stuck to the back +of his equally plucky pony. Death was immi- +nent for them both. As the mad rush con- +tinued, every flash displayed heaps of bison in +death struggle under the hoofs of their com- +panions. + +From time to time Antoine crossed himself +and whispered a prayer to the Virgin; and +again he spoke to his horse after the fashion +of an Indian: + +"Be brave, be strong, my horse! If we sur- +vive this trial, you shall have great honor!" + +The stampede continued until they reached +the bottom lands, and, like a rushing stream, +their course was turned aside by the steep bank +of a creek or small river. Then they moved +more slowly in wide sweeps or circles, until the +storm ceased, and the exhausted hunter, still +in his saddle, took some snatches of sleep. + +When he awoke and looked about him again +it was morning. The herd had entered the +strip of timber which lay on both sides of the +river, and it was here that Antoine conceived +his first distinct hope of saving himself. + +"Waw, waw, waw!" was the hoarse cry +that came to his ears, apparently from a human +being in distress. Antoine strained his eyes +and craned his neck to see who it could be. +Through an opening in the branches ahead he +perceived a large grizzly bear, lying along an +inclined limb and hugging it desperately to +maintain his position. The herd had now thor- +oughly pervaded the timber, and the bear was +likewise hemmed in. He had taken to his unac- +customed refuge after making a brave stand +against several bulls, one of which lay dead +near by, while he himself was bleeding from +many wounds. + +Antoine had been assiduously looking for a +friendly tree, by means of which he hoped to +effect his escape from captivity by the army of +bison. His horse, by chance, made his way +directly under the very box-elder that was sus- +taining the bear and there was a convenient +branch just within his reach. The Bois Brule +was not then in an aggressive mood, and he saw +at a glance that the occupant of the tree would +not interfere with him. They were, in fact, +companions in distress. Antoine tried to give +a war-whoop as he sprang desperately from the +pony's back and seized the cross limb with both +his hands. + +The hunter dangled in the air for a minute +that to him seemed a year. Then he gathered +up all the strength that was in him, and with +one grand effort he pulled himself up on the +limb. + +If he had failed in this, he would have fallen +to the ground under the hoofs of the buffaloes, +and at their mercy. + +After he had adjusted his seat as comfort- +ably as he could, Antoine surveyed the situation. +He had at least escaped from sudden and cer- +tain death. It grieved him that he had been +forced to abandon his horse, and he had no +idea how far he had come nor any means of +returning to his friends, who had, no doubt, +given him up for lost. His immediate needs +were rest and food. + +Accordingly he selected a fat cow and emp- +tied into her sides one barrel of his gun, which +had been slung across his chest. He went on +shooting until he had killed many fat cows, +greatly to the discomfiture of his neighbor, the +bear, while the bison vainly struggled among +themselves to keep the fatal spot clear. + +By the middle of the afternoon the main +body of the herd had passed, and Antoine was +sure that his captivity had at last come to an +end. Then he swung himself from his limb to +the ground, and walked stiffly to the carcass of +the nearest cow, which he dressed and prepared +himself a meal. But first he took a piece of +liver on a long pole to the bear! + +Antoine finally decided to settle in the re- +cesses of the heavy timber for the winter, as he +was on foot and alone, and not able to travel +any great distance. He jerked the meat of all +the animals he had killed, and prepared their +skins for bedding and clothing. The Bois +Brule and Ami, as he called the bear, soon be- +came necessary to one another. The former +considered the bear very good company, and +the latter had learned that man's business, after +all, is not to kill every animal he meets. He +had been fed and kindly treated, when helpless +from his wounds, and this he could not forget. + +Antoine was soon busy erecting a small log +hut, while the other partner kept a sharp look- +out, and, after his hurts were healed, often +brought in some small game. The two had a +perfect understanding without many words; at +least, the speech was all upon one side! In his +leisure moments Antoine had occupied himself +with whittling out a rude fiddle of cedar-wood, +strung with the guts of a wild cat that he had +killed. Every evening that winter he would sit +down after supper and play all the old familiar +pieces, varied with improvisations of his own. +At first, the music and the incessant pounding +time with his foot annoyed the bear. At times, +too, the Canadian would call out the figures for +the dance. All this Ami became accustomed to +in time, and even showed no small interest in +the buzzing of the little cedar box. Not infre- +quently, he was out in the evening, and the +human partner was left alone. It chanced, +quite fortunately, that the bear was absent on +the night that the red folk rudely invaded the +lonely hut. + +The calmness of the strange being had stayed +their hands. They had never before seen a +man of other race than their own! + +"Is this Chanotedah? Is he man, or beast?" +the warriors asked one another. + +"Ho, wake up, koda!" exclaimed Anooka- +san. "Maybe he is of the porcupine tribe, +ashamed to look at us!" + +At this moment they spied the haunch of +venison which swung from a cross-stick over +a fine bed of coals, in front of the rude mud +chimney. + +"Ho, koda has something to eat! Sit down, +sit down!" they shouted to one another. + +Now Antoine opened his eyes for the first +time upon his unlooked-for guests. They were +a haggard and hungry-looking set. Anookasan +extended his hand, and Antoine gave it a hearty +shake. He set his fiddle against the wall and +began to cut up the smoking venison into gen- +erous pieces and place it before them. All ate +like famished men, while the firelight intensified +the red paint upon their wild and warlike faces. + +When he had satisfied his first hunger, +Anookasan spoke in signs. "Friend, we have +never before heard a song like that of your +little cedar box! We had supposed it to be a +spirit, or some harmful thing, hence our attack +upon it. We never saw any people of your +sort. What is your tribe?" + +Antoine explained his plight in the same +manner, and the two soon came to an under- +standing. The Canadian told the starving hun- +ters of a buffalo herd a little way to the north, +and one of their number was dispatched home- +ward with the news. In two days the entire +band reached Antoine's place. The Bois Brule +was treated with kindness and honor, and the +tribe gave him a wife. Suffice it to say that +Antoine lived and died among the Yanktons +at a good old age; but Ami could not brook +the invasion upon their hermit life. He was +never seen after that first evening. + + + +IV + + + THE FAMINE + +On the Assiniboine River in western +Manitoba there stands an old, his- +toric trading-post, whose crumbling +walls crown a high promontory in the angle +formed by its junction with a tributary stream. +This is Fort Ellis, a mistress of the wilderness +and lodestone of savage tribes between the +years 1830 and 1870. + +Hither at that early day the Indians brought +their buffalo robes and beaver skins to exchange +for merchandise, ammunition, and the "spirit +water." Among the others there presently ap- +peared a band of renegade Sioux--the exiles, +as they called themselves--under White Lodge, +whose father, Little Crow, had been a leader +in the outbreak of 1862. Now the great war- +chief was dead, and his people were prisoners +or fugitives. The shrewd Scotch trader, Mc- +Leod, soon discovered that the Sioux were +skilled hunters, and therefore he exerted him- +self to befriend them, as well as to encourage a +feeling of good will between them and the Ca- +nadian tribes who were accustomed to make the +old fort their summer rendezvous. + +Now the autumn had come, after a long sum- +mer of feasts and dances, and the three tribes +broke up and dispersed as usual in various di- +rections. White Lodge had twin daughters, +very handsome, whose ears had been kept burn- +ing with the proposals of many suitors, but none +had received any definite encouragement. There +were one or two who would have been quite +willing to forsake their own tribes and follow +the exiles had they not feared too much the +ridicule of the braves. Even Angus McLeod, +the trader's eldest son, had need of all his +patience and caution, for he had never seen +any woman he admired so much as the piquant +Magaskawee, called The Swan, one of these +belles of the forest. + +The Sioux journeyed northward, toward the +Mouse River. They had wintered on that +stream before, and it was then the feeding +ground of large herds of buffalo. When it was +discovered that the herds were moving west- +ward, across the Missouri, there was no little +apprehension. The shrewd medicine-man be- +came aware of the situation, and hastened to +announce his prophecy: + +"The Great Mystery has appeared to me in +a dream! He showed me men with haggard +and thin faces. I interpret this to mean a +scarcity of food during the winter." + +The chief called his counselors together and +set before them the dream of the priest, whose +prophecy, he said, was already being fulfilled in +part by the westward movement of the buffalo. +It was agreed that they should lay up all the +dried meat they could obtain; but even for +this they were too late. The storms were al- +ready at hand, and that winter was more severe +than any that the old men could recall in their +traditions. The braves killed all the small +game for a wide circuit around the camp, but +the buffalo had now crossed the river, and that +country was not favorable for deer. The more +enterprising young men organized hunting ex- +peditions to various parts of the open prairie, +but each time they returned with empty hands. + +The "Moon of Sore Eyes," or March, had +come at last, and Wazeah, the God of Storm, +was still angry. Their scant provision of dried +meat had held out wonderfully, but it was now +all but consumed. The Sioux had but little am- +munition, and the snow was still so deep that +it was impossible for them to move away to +any other region in search of game. The worst +was feared; indeed, some of the children and +feeble old people had already succumbed. + +White Lodge again called his men together +in council, and it was determined to send a mes- +senger to Fort Ellis to ask for relief. A young +man called Face-the-Wind was chosen for his +exceptional qualities of speed and endurance +upon long journeys. The old medicine-man, +whose shrewd prophecy had gained for him the +confidence of the people, now came forward. +He had closely observed the appearance of the +messenger selected, and had taken note of the +storm and distance. Accordingly he said: + +"My children, the Great Mystery is of- +fended, and this is the cause of all our suffering! +I see a shadow hanging over our messenger, but +I will pray to the Great Spirit--perhaps he +may yet save him!--Great Mystery, be thou +merciful! Strengthen this young man for his +journey, that he may be able to finish it and to +send us aid! If we see the sun of summer +again, we will offer the choicest of our meats to +thee, and do thee great honor!" + +During this invocation, as occasionally hap- +pens in March, a loud peal of thunder was +heard. This coincidence threw the prophet al- +most into a frenzy, and the poor people were +all of a tremble. Face-the-Wind believed that +the prayer was directly answered, and though +weakened by fasting and unfit for the task be- +fore him, he was encouraged to make the at- +tempt. + +He set out on the following day at dawn, +and on the third day staggered into the fort, +looking like a specter and almost frightening +the people. He was taken to McLeod's house +and given good care. The poor fellow, deli- +rious with hunger, fancied himself engaged in +mortal combat with Eyah, the god of famine, +who has a mouth extending from ear to ear. +Wherever he goes there is famine, for he swal- +lows all that he sees, even whole nations! + +The legend has it that Eyah fears nothing +but the jingling of metal: so finally the dying +man looked up into McLeod's face and cried: +"Ring your bell in his face, Wahadah!" + + +The kind-hearted factor could not refuse, and +as the great bell used to mark the hours of work +and of meals pealed out untimely upon the +frosty air, the Indian started up and in that +moment breathed his last. He had given no +news, and McLeod and his sons could only +guess at the state of affairs upon the Mouse +River. + +While the men were in council with her +father, Magaskawee had turned over the con- +tents of her work-bag. She had found a small +roll of birch-bark in which she kept her porcu- +pine quills for embroidery, and pulled the deli- +cate layers apart. The White Swan was not +altogether the untutored Indian maiden, for +she had lived in the family of a missionary in +the States, and had learned both to speak and +write some English. There was no ink, no pen +or pencil, but with her bone awl she pressed +upon the white side of the bark the following +words: + +MR. ANGUS McLEOD:-- + + +We are near the hollow rock on the Mouse River. The +buffalo went away across the Missouri, and our powder and +shot are gone. We are starving. Good-bye, if I don't see +you again. + +MAGASKAWEE. + + +The girl entrusted this little note to her +grandmother, and she in turn gave it to the +messenger. But he, as we know, was unable +to deliver it. + +"Angus, tell the boys to bury the poor fel- +low to-morrow. I dare say he brought us some +news from White Lodge, but we have got to +go to the happy hunting-grounds to get it, or +wait till the exile band returns in the spring. +Evidently," continued McLeod, "he fell sick +on the way: or else he was starving!" + +This last suggestion horrified Angus. "I +believe, father," he exclaimed, "that we ought +to examine his bundle." + +A small oblong packet was brought forth +from the dead man's belt and carefully un- +rolled. + +There were several pairs of moccasins, and +within one of these Angus found something +wrapped up nicely. He proceeded to unwind +the long strings of deerskin with which it was +securely tied, and brought forth a thin sheet +of birch-bark. At first, there seemed to be noth- +ing more, but a closer scrutiny revealed the im- +pression of the awl, and the bit of nature's +parchment was brought nearer to his face, and +scanned with a zeal equal to that of any student +of ancient hieroglyphics. + +"This tells the whole story, father!" ex- +claimed the young man at last. "Magaska- +wee's note--just listen!" and he read it aloud. +"I shall start to-morrow. We can take +enough provision and ammunition on two sleds, +with six dogs to each. I shall want three good +men to go with me." Angus spoke with deci- +sion. + +"Well, we can't afford to lose our best hunt- +ers; and you might also bring home with you +what furs and robes they have on hand," was +his father's prudent reply. + +"I don't care particularly for the skins," +Angus declared; but he at once began hurried +preparations for departure. + +In the meantime affairs grew daily more +desperate in the exile village on the far-away +Mouse River, and a sort of Indian hopelessness +and resignation settled down upon the little +community. There were few who really ex- +pected their messenger to reach the fort, or be- +lieved that even if he did so, relief would be +sent in time to save them. White Lodge, the +father of his people, was determined to share +with them the last mouthful of food, and every +morning Winona and Magaskawee went with +scanty portions in their hands to those whose +supply had entirely failed. + +On the outskirts of the camp there dwelt an +old woman with an orphan grandchild, who +had been denying herself for some time in order +that the child might live longer. This poor +teepee the girls visited often, and one on each +side they raised the exhausted woman and +poured into her mouth the warm broth they +had brought with them. + +It was on the very day Face-the-Wind +reached Fort Ellis that a young hunter who had +ventured further from the camp than any one +else had the luck to bring down a solitary deer +with his bow and arrow. In his weakness he +had reached camp very late, bearing the deer +with the utmost difficulty upon his shoulders. +It was instantly separated into as many pieces +as there were lodges of the famishing Sioux. +These delicious morsels were hastily cooked and +eagerly devoured, but among so many there +was scarcely more than a mouthful to the share +of each, and the brave youth himself did not +receive enough to appease in the least his crav- +ing! + +On the eve of Angus' departure for the exile +village, Three Stars, a devoted suitor of Wi- +nona's, accompanied by another Assiniboine +brave, appeared unexpectedly at the fort. He +at once asked permission to join the relief party, +and they set out at daybreak. + +The lead-dog was the old reliable Mack, who +had been in service for several seasons on win- +ter trips. All of the white men were clad in +buckskin shirts and pantaloons, with long +fringes down the sides, fur caps and fur-lined +moccasins. Their guns were fastened to the +long, toboggan-like sleds. + +The snow had thawed a little and formed an +icy crust, and over this fresh snow had fallen, +which a northwest wind swept over the surface +like ashes after a prairie fire. The sun appeared +for a little time in the morning, but it seemed +as if he were cutting short his course on account +of the bleak day, and had protected himself +with pale rings of fire. + +The dogs laid back their ears, drew in their +tails, and struck into their customary trot, but +even old Mack looked back frequently, as if +reluctant to face such a pricking and scarifying +wind. The men felt the cold still more keenly, +although they had taken care to cover every bit +of the face except one eye, and that was com- +pletely blinded at times by the granulated snow. + +The sun early retreated behind a wall of cloud, +and the wind moaned and wailed like a living +creature in anguish. At last they approached the +creek where they had planned to camp for the +night. There was nothing to be seen but a few +stunted willows half buried in the drifts, but +the banks of the little stream afforded some pro- +tection from the wind. + +"Whoa!" shouted the leader, and the dogs +all stopped, sitting down on their haunches. +"Come, Mack!" (with a wave of the hand), +"lead your fellows down to the creek!" + +The old dog started down at the word, and +all the rest followed. A space was quickly +cleared of snow, while one man scoured the +thickets in search of brush for fuel. In a few +minutes the tent was up and a fire kindled in +the center, while the floor was thickly strewn +with twigs of willow, over which buffalo robes +were spread. Three Stars attended to supper, +and soon in the midst of the snapping willow +fire a kettle was boiling. All partook of strong +tea, dried meat of buffalo, and pemmican, a mix- +ture of pounded dried meat with wild cherries +and melted fat. The dogs, to whom one-half +the tent was assigned, enjoyed a hearty meal +and fell into a deep sleep, lying one against an- +other. + +After supper Jerry drove two sticks into the +ground, one on each side of the fire, and con- +nected the two by a third one over the blaze. +Upon this all hung their socks to dry--most +of them merely square pieces of blanket cut to +serve that purpose. Soon each man rolled him- +self in his own buffalo robe and fell asleep. + +All night the wind raged. The lonely tee- +pee now and then shuddered violently, as a +stronger blast than usual almost lifted it from +the ground. No one stirred except from time +to time one of the dogs, who got up snarling +and sniffing the cold air, turned himself round +several times as if on a pivot, and finally lay +down for another nap. + +In the morning the travelers one by one +raised their heads and looked through the +smoke-hole, then fell back again with a grunt. +All the world appeared without form and void. +Presently, however, the light of the sun was +seen as if through a painted window, and by +afternoon they were able to go on, the wind +having partially subsided. This was only a +taste of the weather encountered by the party +on their unseasonable trip; but had it been ten +times harder, it would never have occurred to +Angus to turn back. + +On the third day the rescuers approached +the camp of the exiles. There was an ominous +quiet; no creature was to be seen; but the smoke +which ascended into the air in perpendicular +columns assured them that some, at least, were +still alive. The party happened to reach first +the teepee of the poor old woman who had been +so faithfully ministered to by the twin sisters. +They had no longer any food to give, but they +had come to build her fire, if she should have +survived the night. At the very door of the +lodge they heard the jingle of dog-bells, but +they had not time to announce the joyful news +before the men were in sight. + +In another minute Angus and Three Stars +were beside them, holding their wasted hands. + + + + +V + + +THE CHIEF SOLDIER + +Just outside of a fine large wigwam of +smoke-tanned buffalo-skins stood Tawasu- +ota, very early upon an August morning +of the year 1862. Behind the wigwam there +might have been seen a thrifty patch of growing +maize, whose tall, graceful stalks resembled as +many warriors in dancing-dresses and tasseled +head-gear. + +"Thanks be to the 'Great Mystery,' I have +been successful in the fortunes of war! None +can say that Tawasuota is a coward. I have +done well; so well that our chief, Little Crow, +has offered me the honored position of his chief +soldier, ta akich-itah!" he said to himself with +satisfaction. + +The sun was just over the eastem bank of the +Minnesota River, and he could distinctly see +upon the level prairie the dwellings of logs +which had sprung up there during the year, +since Little Crow's last treaty with the whites. +"Ugh! they are taking from us our beautiful +and game-teeming country!" was his thought +as he gazed upon them. + +At that moment, out of the conical white +teepee, in shape like a new-born mushroom, +there burst two little frisky boys, leaping and +whooping. They were clad gracefully in gar- +ments of fine deerskin, and each wore a minia- +ture feather upon his head, marking them as +children of a distinguished warrior. + +They danced nimbly around their father, +while he stood with all the dignity of a buck +elk, viewing the landscape reddened by sunrise +and the dwellers therein, the old and the new, +the red and the white. He noticed that they +were still unmingled; the river divided them. + +At last he took the dancing little embryo +warriors one in either hand, and lifted them to +his majestic shoulders. There he placed them +in perfect poise. His haughty spirit found a +moment's happiness in fatherhood. + +Suddenly Tawasuota set the two boys on the +ground again, and signed to them to enter the +teepee. Apparently all was quiet. The camps +and villages of the Minnesota reservation were +undisturbed, so far as he could see, save by the +awakening of nature; and the early risers +among his people moved about in seeming se- +curity, while the smoke of their morning fires +arose one by one into the blue. Still the war- +rior gazed steadily westward, up the river, +whence his quick ear had caught the faint but +ominous sound of a distant war-whoop. + +The ridge beyond the Wahpeton village +bounded the view, and between this point and +his own village were the agency buildings and +the traders' stores. The Indian's keen eye +swept the horizon, and finally alighted once +more upon the home of his new neighbor across +the river, the flaxen-haired white man with +many children, who with his white squaw and +his little ones worked from sunrise to sunset, +much like the beaver family. + +Ah! the distant war-whoop once more saluted +his ear, but this time nearer and more distinct. + +"What! the Rice Creek band is coming in +full war-paint! Can it be another Ojibway at- +tack? Ugh, ugh! I will show their warriors +again this day what it is to fight!" he exclaimed +aloud. + +The white traders and Government employ- +ees, those of them who were up and about, +heard and saw the advancing column of war- +riors. Yet they showed no sign of anxiety or +fear. Most of them thought that there might +be some report of Ojibways coming to attack +the Sioux,--a not uncommon incident,--and +that those warriors were on their way to the +post to replenish their powder-horns. A few +of the younger men were delighted with the +prospect of witnessing an Indian fight. + +On swept the armed band, in numbers in- +creasing at every village. + +It was true that there had been a growing +feeling of distrust among the Indians, because +their annuities had been withheld for a long +time, and the money payments had been delayed +again and again. There were many in great +need. The traders had given them credit to +some extent (charging them four times the +value of the article purchased), and had like- +wise induced Little Crow to sign over to them +ninety-eight thousand dollars, the purchase-price +of that part of their reservation lying north +of the Minnesota, and already occupied by the +whites. + +This act had made the chief very unpop- +ular, and he was ready for a desperate ven- +ture to regain his influence. Certain warriors +among the upper bands of Sioux had even +threatened his life, but no one spoke openly of +a break with the whites. + +When, therefore, the news came to Little +Crow that some roving hunters of the Rice +Creek band had killed in a brawl two families +of white settlers, he saw his opportunity to show +once for all to the disaffected that he had no +love for the white man. Immediately he sprang +upon his white horse, and prepared to make +their cause a general one among his people. + +Tawasuota had scarcely finished his hasty +preparations for war, by painting his face and +seeing to the loading of his gun, when he heard +the voice of Little Crow outside his lodge. + +"You are now my head soldier," said the +chief, "and this is your first duty. Little Six +and his band have inaugurated the war against +the whites. They have already wiped out two +families, and are now on their way to the agency. +Let my chief soldier fire the first shot. + +"Those Indians who have cut their hair and +donned the white man's clothing may give the +warning; so make haste! If you fall to-day, +there is no better day on which to die, and the +women of our tribe will weep proud tears for +Tawasuota. I leave it with you to lead my +warriors." With these words the wily chief +galloped away to meet the war-party. + +"Here comes Little Crow, the friend of the +white man!" exclaimed a warrior, as he ap- +proached. + +"Friends and warriors, you will learn to-day +who are the friends of the white man, and none +will dare again to insinuate that I have been +against the interests of my own people," he +replied. + +After a brief consultation with the chiefs he +advised the traders: + +"Do not hesitate to fill the powder-horns of +my warriors; they may be compelled to fight all +day." + +Soon loud yells were heard along the road +to the Indian village. + +"Ho, ho! Tawasuota u ye do!" (He is +coming; he is coming!") shouted the warriors +in chorus. + +The famous war-chief dismounted in silence, +gun in hand, and walked directly toward the +larger store. + +"Friend," he exclaimed, "we may both meet +the 'Great Mystery' to-day, but you must go +first." + +There was a loud report, and the unsuspect- +ing white man lay dead. It was James Lynd, +one of the early traders, and a good friend to +the Indians. + +No sooner had Tawasuota fired the fatal shot +than every other Indian discharged his piece. +Hither and thither ran the frantic people, seek- +ing safety, but seeking it in vain. They were +wholly unprepared and at the mercy of the foe. + +The friendly Indians, too, were taken entirely +by surprise. They had often heard wild talk +of revolt, but it had never had the indorsement +of intelligent chiefs, or of such a number as to +carry any weight to their minds. Christian In- +dians rushed in every direction to save, if pos- +sible, at least the wives and children of the Gov- +ernment employees. Meanwhile, the new white +settlements along the Minnesota River were +utterly unconscious of any danger. Not a soul +dreamed of the terrible calamity that each pass- +ing moment was bringing nearer and nearer. + +Tawasuota stepped aside, and took up his +pipe. He seemed almost oblivious of what he +had done. While the massacre still raged about +him in all its awful cruelty, he sat smoking and +trying to think collectedly, but his mind was +confused, and in his secret thoughts he rebelled +against Little Crow. It was a cowardly deed +that he had been ordered to commit, he +thought; for he had won his reputation solely +by brave deeds in battle, and this was more like +murdering one of his own tribesmen--this kill- +ing of an unarmed white man. Up to this time +the killing of a white man was not counted the +deed of a warrior; it was murder. + +The lesser braves might now satisfy their +spite against the traders to their hearts' con- +tent, but Tawasuota had been upon the best of +terms with all of them. + +Suddenly a ringing shout was heard. The +chief soldier looked up, and beheld a white man, +nearly nude, leap from the roof of the larger +store and alight upon the ground hard by +him. + +He had emptied one barrel of his gun, and, +if he chose to do so, could have killed Myrick +then and there; but he made no move, exclaim- +ing: + +"Ho, ho! Nina iyaye!" ("Run, run!") + +Away sped the white man in the direction of +the woods and the river. + +"Ah, he is swift; he will save himself," +thought Tawasuota. + +All the Indians had now spied the fugitive; +they yelled and fired at him again and again, +as if they were shooting at a running deer; but +he only ran faster. Just as he had reached the +very edge of the sheltering timber a single shot +rang out, and he fell headlong. + +A loud war-whoop went up, for many be- +lieved that this was one of the men who had +stolen their trust funds. + +Tawasuota continued to sit and smoke in the +shade while the carnage and plunder that he +had set on foot proceeded on all sides of him. +Presently men began to form small parties to +cross the river on their mission of death, but +he refused to join any of them. At last, several +of the older warriors came up to smoke with +him. + +"Ho, nephew," said one of them with much +gravity, "you have precipitated a dreadful ca- +lamity. This means the loss of our country, +the destruction of our nation. What were you +thinking of?" + +It was the Wahpeton chief who spoke, a +blood-relation to Tawasuota. He did not at +once reply, but filled his pipe in silence, and +handed it to the man who thus reproached him. +It was a just rebuke; for he was a brave man, +and he could have refused the request of his +chief to open the massacre. + +At this moment it was announced that a body +of white soldiers were on the march from Fort +Ridgeley. A large body of warriors set out to +meet them. + +"Nephew, you have spilled the first blood +of the white man; go, join in battle with the sol- +diers. They are armed; they can defend them- +selves," remarked the old chief, and Tawasuota +replied: + +"Uncle, you speak truth; I have committed +the act of a coward. It was not of my own +will I did it; nevertheless, I have raised my +weapon, and I will fight the whites as long as +I live. If I am ever taken, they will first have +to kill me." He arose, took up his gun, and +joined the war-party. + +The dreadful day of massacre was almost +ended. The terrified Sioux women and children +had fled up the river before the approaching +troops. Long shafts of light from the setting +sun painted every hill; one side red as with +blood, the other dark as the shadow of death. +A cloud of smoke from burning homes hung +over the beautiful river. Even the permanent +dwellings of the Indians were empty, and all +the teepees which had dotted with their white +cones the west bank of the Minnesota had dis- +appeared. Here and there were small groups +of warriors returning from their bloody work, +and among them was Tawasuota. + +He looked long at the spot where his home +had stood; but it was gone, and with it his +family. Ah, the beautiful country of his an- +cestors! he must depart from it forever, for he +knew now that the white man would occupy +that land. Sadly he sang the spirit-song, and +made his appeal to the "Great Mystery," ex- +cusing himself by the plea that what he had done +had been in the path of duty. There was no +glory in it for him; he could wear no eagle +feather, nor could he ever recount the deed. It +was dreadful to him--the thought that he had +fired upon an unarmed and helpless man. + +The chief soldier followed the broad trail +of the fleeing host, and after some hours he +came upon a camp. There were no war-songs +nor dances there, as was their wont after a bat- +tle, but a strange stillness reigned. Even the +dogs scarcely barked at his approach; every- +thing seemed conscious of the awful carnage +of the day. + +He stopped at a tent and inquired after his +beautiful wife and two little sons, whom he had +already trained to uphold their father's repu- +tation, but was directed to his mother's teepee. + +"Ah, my son, my son, what have you done?" +cried his old mother when she saw him. +"Come in, come in; let us eat together once +more ; for I have a foreboding that it is for +the last time. Alas, what have you done?" + +Tawasuota silently entered the tent of his +widowed mother, and his three sisters gave him +the place of honor. + +"Mother, it is not right to blame our +brother," said the eldest. "He was the chief's +head soldier; and if he had disobeyed his orders, +he would have been called a coward. That he +could not bear." + +Food was handed him, and he swallowed a +few mouthfuls, and gave back the dish. + +"You have not yet told me where she is, +and the children," he said with a deep sigh. + +"My son, my son, I have not, because it will +give you pain. I wanted you to eat first! She +has been taken away by her own mother to Fari- +bault, among the white people. I could not +persuade them to wait until you came. Her peo- +ple are lovers of the whites. They have even +accepted their religion," grieved the good old +mother. + +Tawasuota's head dropped upon his chest, +and he sat silent for a long time. The mother +and three sisters were also silent, for they knew +how heavy his grief must be. At last he spoke. + +"Mother, I am too proud to desert the tribe +now and join my wife among the white people. +My brother-in-law may lie in my behalf, and +say that my hands are not stained with blood; +but the spirits of those who died to-day would +rebuke me, and the rebuke would be just. No, +I must fight the whites until I die; and neither +have I fought without cause; but I must see +my sons once more before I go." + +When Tawasuota left his mother's teepee +he walked fast across the circle toward the coun- +cil lodge to see Little Crow. He drew his +blanket closely about him, with his gun under- +neath. The keen eye of the wily chief detected +the severe expression upon the face of his guest, +and he hastened to speak first. + +"There are times in the life of every great +man when he must face hardship and put self +aside for the good of his people. You have +done well to-day!" + +"I care little for myself," replied Tawasu- +ota, "but my heart is heavy to-night. My wife +and two boys have been taken away among the +whites by my mother-in-law. I fear for their +safety, when it is known what we have done." + +"Ugh, that old woman is too hasty in ac- +cepting the ways of the stranger people!" ex- +claimed the chief. + +"I am now on my way to see them," declared +Tawasuota. + +"Ugh, ugh, I shall need you to-morrow! +My plan is to attack the soldiers at Fort Ridge- +ley with a strong force. There are not many. +Then we shall attack New Ulm and other +towns. We will drive them all back into Saint +Paul and Fort Snelling." Little Crow spoke +with energy. + +"You must stay," he added, "and lead the +attack either at the fort or at New Ulm." + +For some minutes the chief soldier sat in +silence. + +At last he said simply, "I will do it." + +On the following day the attack was made, +but it was unsuccessful. The whole State was +now alarmed, and all the frontier settlers left +alive had flocked to the larger and more pro- +tected towns. It had also developed during the +day that there was a large party of Sioux who +were ready to surrender, thereby showing that +they had not been party to the massacre nor in- +dorsed the hasty action of the tribe. + +At evening Tawasuota saw that there would +be a long war with the whites, and that the In- +dians must remove their families out of danger. +The feeling against all Indians was great. +Night had brought him no relief of mind, but +it promised to shield him in a hazardous under- +taking. He consulted no one, but set out for +the distant village of Faribault. + +He kept to the flats back of the Minnesota, +away from the well-traveled roads, and moved +on at a good gait, for he realized that he had +to cover a hundred miles in as few hours as +possible. Every day that passed would make +it more difficult for him to rejoin his family. + +Although he kept as far as he could from the +settlements, he would come now and then upon +a solitary frame house, razed to the ground by +the war-parties of the day before. The mem- +bers of the ill-fated family were to be seen scat- +tered in and about the place; and their white, +upturned faces told him that his race must pay +for the deed. + +The dog that howled pitifully over the dead +was often the only survivor of the farmer's +household. + +Occasionally Tawasuota heard at a distance +the wagons of the fugitives, loaded with women +and children, while armed men walked before +and behind. These caravans were usually +drawn by oxen and moved slowly toward some +large town. + +When the dawn appeared in the east, the +chief soldier was compelled to conceal himself +in a secluded place. He rolled up in his +blanket, lay down in a dry creek-bed among the +red willows and immediately fell asleep. + +With the next evening he resumed his jour- +ney, and reached Faribault toward midnight. +Even here every approach was guarded against +the possibility of an Indian attack. But there +was much forest, and he knew the country well. +He reconnoitred, and soon found the Indian +community, but dared not approach and enter, +for these Indians had allied themselves with +the whites; they would be charged with treach- +ery if it were known that they had received a +hostile Sioux, and none were so hated by the +white people as Little Crow and his war-chief. + +He chose a concealed position from which +he might watch the movements of his wife, if +she were indeed there, and had not been way- +laid and slain on the journey hither. + +That night was the hardest one that the war- +rior had ever known. If he slept, it was only +to dream of the war-whoop and attack; but at +last he found himself broad awake, the sun well +up, and yes! there were his two little sons, play- +ing outside their teepee as of old. The next +moment he heard the voice of his wife from the +deep woods wailing for her husband! + +"Oh, take us, husband, take us with you! let +us all die together!" she pleaded as she clung +to him whom she had regarded as already +dead; for she knew of the price that had been +put upon his head, and that some of the half- +breeds loved money better than the blood of +their Indian mothers. + +Tawasuota stood for a minute without speak- +ing, while his huge frame trembled like a mighty +pine beneath the thunderbolt. + +"No," he said at last. "I shall go, but you +must remain. You are a woman, and the white +people need not know that your little boys are +mine. Bring them here to me this evening that +I may kiss them farewell." + +The sun was hovering among the treetops +when they met again. + +"Atay! atay!" ("Papa, papa!") the little +fellows cried out in spite of her cautions; but +the mother put her finger to her lips, and they +became silent. Tawasuota took each boy in his +arms, and held him close for a few moments; +he smiled to them, but large tears rolled down +his cheeks. Then he disappeared in the shad- +ows, and they never saw him again. + +The chief soldier lived and died a warrior +and an enemy to the white man; but one of his +two sons became in after-years a minister of the +Christian gospel, under the "Long-Haired +Praying Man," Bishop Whipple, of Minnesota. + + + + +VI + + +THE WHITE MAN'S ERRAND + +Upon the wide tableland that lies at the +back of a certain Indian agency, a camp +of a thousand teepees was pitched in a +circle, according to the ancient usage. In the +center of the circle stood the council lodge, where +there were gathered together of an afternoon all +the men of years and distinction, some in blank- +ets, some in uniform, and still others clad in +beggarly white man's clothing. But the minds +of all were alike upon the days of their youth +and freedom. + +Around the council fire they passed and re- +passed the pipe of peace, and when the big drum +was struck they sang the accompaniment with +sad yet pleasant thoughts of the life that is past. +Between the songs stories of brave deeds and +dangerous exploits were related by the actors in +turn, with as much spirit and zest as if they were +still living in those days. + +"Tum, tum, tum," the drum was sounded. + +"Oow, oow!" they hooted in a joyous chorus +at the close of each refrain. + +"Ho!" exclaimed finally the master of cere- +monies for the evening. "It is Zuyamani's story +of his great ride that we should now hear! It +was not far from this place, upon the Missouri +River, and within the recollection of many of +us that this occurred. Ye young men must +hear!" + +"Ho, ho!" was the ready response of all pres- +ent, and the drum was struck once according to +custom. The pipe was filled and handed to Zuy- +amani, who gravely smoked for a few moments +in silence. Then he related his contribution to +the unwritten history of our frontier in these +words: + +"It was during the winter following that sum- +mer in which General Sibley pursued many of our +people across the Muddy River (1863), that we +Hunkpatees, friendly Sioux, were camping at a +place called 'Hunt-the-Deer,' about two miles +from Fort Rice, Dakota Territory. + +"The Chief Soldier of the garrison called one +day upon the leading chiefs of our band. To +each one he said: 'Lend me your bravest war- +rior!' Each chief called his principal warriors +together and laid the matter before them. + +"'The Chief Soldier at this place,' they ex- +plained, 'wants to send a message to Fort Ber- +thold, where the Rees and Mandans live, to an- +other Chief Soldier there. The soldiers of the +Great Father do not know the way, neither could +any of them get through the lines. He asks for +a brave man to carry his message.' + +"The Mandans and the Rees were our hered- +itary enemies, but this was not the principal rea- +son for our hesitation. We had declared alle- +giance to the Great Father at Washington; we +had taken our stand against the fighting men +of our own nation, and the hostile Sioux were +worse than enemies to us at this time! + +"Each chief had only called on his leading +warriors, and each in turn reported his failure to +secure a volunteer. + +"Then the Chief Soldier sent again and said: +'Is there not a young man among you who dares +to face death? If he reaches the fort with my +message, he will need to be quick-witted as well +as brave, and the Great Father will not forget +him!' + +"Now all the chiefs together called all the +young men in a great council, and submitted to +them the demand of the Great Father's servant. +We knew well that the country between us and +Fort Berthold, about one hundred and fifty miles +distant, was alive with hostile Sioux, and that if +any of us should be caught and recognized by +them, he would surely be put to death. It would +not be easy to deceive them by professing hostil- +ity to the Government, for the record of each +individual Indian is well known. The warriors +were still unwilling to go, for they argued thus: +'This is a white man's errand, and will not be +recorded as a brave deed upon the honor roll +of our people.' I think many would have vol- +unteered but for that belief. At that time we +had not a high opinion of the white man. + +"Since all the rest were silent, it came into +my mind to offer my services. The warriors +looked at me in astonishment, for I was a very +young man and had no experience. + +"Our chief, Two Bears, who was my own +uncle, finally presented my name to the command- +ing officer. He praised my courage and begged +me to be vigilant. The interpreter told him +that I had never been upon the war-path and +would be knocked over like a rabbit, but as no +one else would go, he was obliged to accept me +as his messenger. He gave me a fine horse and +saddle; also a rifle and soldier's uniform. I +would not take the gun nor wear the blue coat. +I accepted only a revolver, and I took my bow +and quiver full of arrows, and wore my usual +dress. I hid the letter in my moccasin. + +"I set out before daybreak the next morning. +The snow was deep. I rode up the river, on +the west bank, keeping a very close watch all the +way, but seeing nothing. I had been provided +with a pair of field glasses, and I surveyed the +country on all sides from the top of every hill. +Having traveled all day and part of the night, +I rested my horse and I took a little sleep. + +"After eating a small quantity of pemmican, +I made a very early start in the morning. It was +scarcely light when I headed for a near-by ridge +from which to survey the country beyond. Just +as I ascended the rise I found myself almost sur- +rounded by loose ponies, evidently belonging to +a winter camp of the hostile Sioux. + +"I readjusted my saddle, tightened the girths, +and prepared to ride swiftly around the camp. +I saw some men already out after ponies. No +one appeared to have seen me as yet, but I felt +that as soon as it became lighter they could not +help observing me. I turned to make the circuit +of the camp, which was a very large one, and +as soon as I reached the timbered bottom lands +I began to congratulate myself that I had not +been seen. + +"As I entered the woods at the crossing of a +dry creek, I noticed that my horse was nervous. +I knew that horses are quick to discover animals +or men by scent, and I became nervous, too. + +"The animal put his four feet together and +almost slid down the steep bank. As he came +out on the opposite side he swerved suddenly and +started to run. Then I saw a man watching me +from behind a tree. Fortunately for me, he +carried no weapon. He was out after ponies, +and had only a lariat wound upon one shoulder. + +"He beckoned and made signs for me to stop, +but I spurred my horse and took flight at once. +I could hear him yelling far behind me, no doubt +to arouse the camp and set them on my trail. + +"As I fled westward, I came upon another +man, mounted, and driving his ponies before him. +He yelled and hooted in vain; then turned and +rode after me. Two others had started in pur- +suit, but my horse was a good one, and I easily +outdistanced them at the start. + +"After I had fairly circled the camp, I turned +again toward the river, hoping to regain the bot- +tom lands. The traveling was bad. Sometimes +we came to deep gulches filled with snow, where +my horse would sink in up to his body and seem +unable to move. When I jumped off his back +and struck him once or twice, he would make +several desperate leaps and recover his footing. +My pursuers were equally hindered, but by this +time the pursuit was general, and in order to +terrify me they yelled continually and fired their +guns into the air. Now and then I came to a +gulch which I had to follow up in search of a +place to cross, and at such times they gained on +me. I began to despair, for I knew that the +white man's horses have not the endurance of +our Indian ponies, and I expected to be chased +most of the day. + +"Finally I came to a ravine that seemed im- +possible to cross. As I followed it up, it became +evident that some of them had known of this +trap, and had cut in ahead of me. I felt that I +must soon abandon my horse and slide down the +steep sides of the gulch to save myself. + +"However, I made one last effort to pass my +enemies. They came within gunshot and several +fired at me, although all our horses were going +at full speed. They missed me, and being at +last clear of them, I came to a place where I +could cross, and the pursuit stopped." + +When Zuyamani reached this point in his +recital, the great drum was struck several times, +and all the men cheered him. + +"The days are short in winter," he went on +after a short pause, "and just now the sun sank +behind the hills. I did not linger. I continued +my journey by night, and reached Fort Berthold +before midnight. I had been so thoroughly +frightened and was so much exhausted that I +did not want to talk, and as soon as I had de- +livered my letters to the post commander, I went +to the interpreter's quarters to sleep. + +"The interpreter, however, announced my +arrival, and that same night many Ree, Gros +Ventre, and Mandan warriors came to call upon +me. Among them was a great chief of the Rees, +called Poor Dog. + +"'You must be,' said he to me, 'either a very +young man, or a fool! You have not told us +about your close escape, but a runner came in at +dusk and told us of the pursuit. He reported +that you had been killed by the hostiles, for he +heard many guns fired about the middle of the +afternoon. These white men will never give +you any credit for your wonderful ride, nor will +they compensate you for the risks you have +taken in their service. They will not give you +so much as one eagle feather for what you have +done!' + +"The next day I was sent for to go to head- +quarters, and there I related my all-day pursuit +by the hostile Sioux. The commanding officer +advised me to remain at the fort fifteen days +before making the return trip, thinking that by +that time my enemies might cease to look for me. + +"At the end of the fortnight he wrote his +letters, and I told him that I was ready to start. +'I will give you,' he said, 'twenty Rees and +Gros Ventres to escort you past the hostile +camp.' We set out very early and rode all day, +so that night overtook us just before we reached +the camp. + +"At nightfall we sent two scouts ahead, but +before they left us they took the oath of the +pipe in token of their loyalty. You all know the +ancient war custom. A lighted pipe was held +toward them and each one solemnly touched it, +after which it was passed as usual. + +"We followed more slowly, and at about +midnight we came to the place where our scouts +had agreed to meet us. They were to return +from a reconnaissance of the camp and report +on what they had seen. It was a lonely spot, +and the night was very cold and still. We sat +there in the snowy woods near a little creek and +smoked in silence while we waited. I had plenty +of time to reflect upon my position. These +Gros Ventres and Rees have been our enemies +for generations. I was one man to twenty! +They had their orders from the commander of +the fort, and that was my only safeguard. + +"Soon we heard the howl of a wolf a little +to the westward. Immediately one of the party +answered in the same manner. I could not have +told it from the howl of a real wolf. Then we +heard a hooting owl down the creek. Another +of our party hooted like an owl. + +"Presently the wolf's voice sounded nearer, +while the owl's hoot came nearer in the opposite +direction. Then we heard the footsteps of +ponies on the crisp, frosty air. The scout who +had been imitating the wolf came in first, and +the owl soon followed. The warriors made a +ring and again filled the pipe, and the scouts +took the oath for the second time. + +"After smoking, they reported a trail going +up a stream tributary to the Missouri, but +whether going out or coming in it was impos- +sible to tell in the dark. It was several days +old. This was discussed for some time. The +question was whether some had gone out in +search of meat, or whether some additional men +had come into camp. + +"The Bunch of Stars was already a little west +of the middle sky when we set out again. They +agreed to take me a short distance beyond this +creek and there leave me, as they were afraid +to go any further. On the bank of the creek +we took a farewell smoke. There was a faint +glow in the east, showing that it was almost +morning. The warriors sang a 'Strong Heart' +song for me in an undertone as I went on alone. + +"I tried to make a wide circuit of the camp, +but I passed their ponies grazing all over the +side hills at a considerable distance, and I went +as quietly as possible, so as not to frighten them. +When I had fairly passed the camp I came down +to the road again, and I let my horse fly! + +"I had been cautioned at the post that the +crossings of the creeks on either side of the +camp were the most dangerous places, since they +would be likely to watch for me there. I had +left the second crossing far behind, and I felt +quite safe; but I was tired and chilled by the +long ride. My horse, too, began to show signs +of fatigue. In a deep ravine where there was +plenty of dry wood and shelter, I cleared the +ground of snow and kindled a small fire. Then +I gave the horse his last ration of oats, and I +ate the last of the pemmican that the Ree scouts +had given me. + +"Suddenly he pricked up his ears in the di- +rection of home. He ate a mouthful and listened +again. I began to grow nervous, and I listened, +too. Soon I heard the footsteps of horses in +the snow at a considerable distance. + +"Hastily I mounted and took flight along +the ravine until I had to come out upon the +open plain, in full view of a party of about +thirty Sioux in war-paint, coming back from the +direction of Fort Rice. They immediately gave +chase, yelling and flourishing their guns and +tomahawks over their heads. I urged my horse +to his best speed, for I felt that if they should +overtake me, nothing could save me! My +friend, White Elk, here, was one of that war- +party. + +"I saw that I had a fair lead and the best +horse, and was gaining upon them, when about +two miles out I met some more of the party +who had lingered behind the rest. I was sur- +rounded! + +"I turned toward the north, to a deep gulch +that I knew I should find there, and I led my +horse along a narrow and slippery ridge to a +deep hole. Here I took up my position. I +guarded the pass with my bow and arrows, and +they could not reach me unless they should fol- +low the ridge in single file. I knew that they +would not storm my position, for that is not the +Indian way of fighting, but I supposed that +they would try to tire me out. They yelled and +hooted, and shot many bullets and arrows over +my head to terrify me into surrender, but I re- +mained motionless and silent. + +"Night came, with a full round moon. All +was light as day except the place where I stood, +half frozen and not daring to move. The bot- +tom of the gulch was as black as a well and +almost as cold. The wolves howled all around +me in the stillness. + +At last I heard the footsteps of horses re- +treating, and then no other sound. Still I dared +not come out. I must have slept, for it was +dawn when I seemed to hear faintly the yelling +of warriors, and then I heard my own name. + +"'Zuyamani, tokiya nunka huwo?' (Where +are you, Zuyamani?) they shouted. A party +of my friends had come out to meet me and had +followed our trail. I was scarcely able to walk +when I came out, but they filled the pipe and +held it up to me, as is done in recognition of +distinguished service. They escorted me into +the post, singing war songs and songs of brave +deeds, and there I delivered up his letters to the +Chief Soldier." + +Again the drum was struck and the old men +cheered Zuyamani, who added: + +"I think that Poor Dog was right, for the +Great Father never gave me any credit, nor did +he ever reward me for what I had done. Yet +I have not been without honor, for my own +people have not forgotten me, even though I +went upon the white man's errand." + + + + +VII + + +THE GRAVE OF THE DOG + +The full moon was just clear of the high +mountain ranges. Surrounded by a +ring of bluish haze, it looked almost +as if it were frozen against the impalpable blue- +black of the reckless midwinter sky. + +The game scout moved slowly homeward, +well wrapped in his long buffalo robe, which was +securely belted to his strong loins; his quiver +tightly tied to his shoulders so as not to impede +his progress. It was enough to carry upon his +feet two strong snow-shoes; for the snow was +deep and its crust too thin to bear his weight. + +As he emerged from the lowlands into the +upper regions, he loomed up a gigantic figure +against the clear, moonlit horizon. His pic- +turesque foxskin cap with all its trimmings was +incrusted with frost from the breath of his nos- +trils, and his lagging footfall sounded crisply. +The distance he had that day covered was enough +for any human endurance; yet he was neither +faint nor hungry; but his feet were frozen into +the psay, the snow-shoes, so that he could not +run faster than an easy slip and slide. + +At last he reached the much-coveted point-- +the crown of the last ascent; and when he smelled +fire and the savory odor of the jerked buffalo +meat, it well-nigh caused him to waver! But he +must not fail to follow the custom of untold ages, +and give the game scout's wolf call before enter- +ing camp. + +Accordingly he paused upon the highest point +of the ridge and uttered a cry to which the +hungry cry of a real wolf would have seemed +but a coyote's yelp in comparison! Then it was +that the rest of the buffalo hunters knew that +their game scout was returning with welcome +news; for the unsuccessful scout enters the camp +silently. + +A second time he gave the call to assure his +hearers that their ears did not deceive them. The +gray wolves received the news with perfect un- +derstanding. It meant food! "Woo-o-o-o! +woo-o-o-o!" came from all directions, especially +from the opposite ridge. Thus the ghostly, cold, +weird night was enlivened with the music from +many wild throats. + +Down the gradual slope the scout hastened; +his footfall was the only sound that broke the +stillness after the answers to his call had ceased. +As he crossed a little ridge an immense wolf +suddenly confronted him, and instead of retreat- +ing, calmly sat up and gazed steadfastly into +his face. + +"Welcome, welcome, friend!" the hunter +spoke as he passed. + +In the meantime, the hunters at the temporary +camp were aroused to a high pitch of excitement. +Some turned their buffalo robes and put them +on in such a way as to convert themselves into +make-believe bison, and began to tread the snow, +while others were singing the buffalo song, that +their spirits might be charmed and allured within +the circle of the camp-fires. The scout, too, was +singing his buffalo bull song in a guttural, lowing +chant as he neared the hunting camp. Within +arrow-shot he paused again, while the usual cere- +monies were enacted for his reception. This +done, he was seated with the leaders in a chosen +place. + +"It was a long run," he said, "but there were +no difficulties. I found the first herd directly +north of here. The second herd, a great one, +is northeast, near Shell Lake. The snow is deep. +The buffalo can only follow their leader in their +retreat." + +"Hi, hi, hi!" the hunters exclaimed solemnly +in token of gratitude, raising their hands heaven- +ward and then pointing them toward the ground. + +"Ho, kola! one more round of the buffalo- +pipe, then we shall retire, to rise before daybreak +for the hunt," advised one of the leaders. Si- +lently they partook in turn of the long-stemmed +pipe, and one by one, with a dignified "Ho!" +departed to their teepees. + +The scout betook himself to his little old buf- +falo teepee, which he used for winter hunting +expeditions. His faithful Shunka, who had been +all this time its only occupant, met him at the +entrance as dogs alone know how to welcome a +lifelong friend. As his master entered he +stretched himself in his old-time way, from the +tip of his tail to that of his tongue, and finished +by curling both ends upward. + +"Ho, mita shunka, eat this; for you must +be hungry!" So saying, the scout laid before +his canine friend the last piece of his dried buf- +falo meat. It was the sweetest meal ever eaten +by a dog, judging by his long smacking of his +lips after he had swallowed it! + +The hunting party was soon lost in heavy +slumber. Not a sound could be heard save the +gnawing of the ponies upon the cottonwood +bark, which was provided for them instead of +hay in the winter time. + +All about Shell Lake the bison were gathered +in great herds. The unmistakable signs of the +sky had warned them of approaching bad +weather. The moon's robe was girdled with the +rainbow wampum of heaven. The very music +of the snow under their feet had given them +warning. On the north side of Shell Lake there +were several deep gulches, which were the homes +of every wanderer of the plains at such a time +at this. When there was a change toward severe +weather, all the four-footed people headed for +this lake. Here was a heavy growth of reeds, +rushes, and coarse grass, making good shelters, +and also springs, which afforded water after the +lake was frozen solid. Hence great numbers of +the bison had gathered here. + +When Wapashaw, the game scout, had rolled +himself in his warm buffalo robe and was sound +asleep, his faithful companion hunter, the great +Esquimaux wolf dog, silently rose and again +stretched himself, then stood quiet for a moment +as if meditating. It was clear that he knew well +what he had planned to do, but was considering +how he should do it without arousing any sus- +picion of his movements. This is a dog's art, +and the night tricks and marauding must always +be the joy and secret of his life! + +Softly he emerged from the lodge and gave +a sweeping glance around to assure him that +there were none to spy upon him. Suspiciously +he sniffed the air, as if to ascertain whether +there could be any danger to his sleeping master +while he should be away. + +His purpose was still a secret. It may be that +it was not entirely a selfish one, or merely the +satisfying of his inherited traits. Having fully +convinced himself of the safety of the unguarded +camp, he went forth into the biting cold. The +moon was now well up on the prairies of the sky. +There were no cloud hills in the blue field above +to conceal her from view. Her brilliant light +set on fire every snow gem upon the plains and +hillsides about the hunters' camp. + +Up the long ascent he trotted in a northerly +direction, yet not following his master's trail. +He was large and formidable in strength, com- +bining the features of his wild brothers of the +plains with those of the dogs who keep company +with the red men. His jet-black hair and sharp +ears and nose appeared to immense advantage +against the spotless and jeweled snow, until pres- +ently his own warm breath had coated him with +heavy frost. + +After a time Shunka struck into his master's +trail and followed it all the way, only taking a +short cut here and there when by dog instinct +he knew that a man must go around such a point +to get to his destination. He met many travelers +during the night, but none had dared to approach +him, though some few followed at a distance, +as if to discover his purpose. + +At last he reached Shell Lake, and there be- +held a great gathering of the herds! They stood +in groups, like enormous rocks, no longer black, +but white with frost. Every one of them emitted +a white steam, quickly frozen into a fine snow +in the air. + +Shunka sat upon his haunches and gazed. + +"Wough, this is it!" he said to himself. He +had kept still when the game scout gave the wolf +call, though the camp was in an uproar, and +from the adjacent hills the wild hunters were +equally joyous, because they understood the +meaning of the unwonted noise. Yet his curios- +ity was not fully satisfied, and he had set out to +discover the truth, and it may be to protect or +serve his master in case of danger. + +At daybreak the great dog meekly entered his +master's rude teepee, and found him already pre- +paring for the prospective hunt. He was filling +his inside moccasins full of buffalo hair to serve +as stockings, over which he put on his large buf- +falo moccasins with the hair inside, and adjusted +his warm leggings. He then adjusted his snow- +shoes and filled his quiver full of good arrows. +The dog quietly lay down in a warm place, mak- +ing himself as small as possible, as if to escape +observation, and calmly watched his master. + +"Ho, ho, ho, kola! Enakanee, enakanee!" +shouted the game herald. "It is always best +to get the game early; then their spirits can take +flight with the coming of a new day!" + +All had now donned their snow-shoes. There +was no food left; therefore no delay to prepare +breakfast. + +"It is very propitious for our hunt," one ex- +claimed; "everything is in our favor. There is +a good crust on the snow, and the promise of a +good clear day!" + +Soon all the hunters were running in single +file upon the trail of the scout, each Indian closely +followed by his trusty hunting dog. In less than +two hours they stood just back of the low ridge +which rounded the south side of Shell Lake. +The narrow strip of land between its twin +divisions was literally filled with the bison. In +the gulches beyond, between the dark lines of +timber, there were also scattered groups; but the +hunters at once saw their advantage over the +herd upon the peninsula. + +"Hechetu, kola! This is well, friends!" ex- +claimed the first to speak. "These can be forced +to cross the slippery ice and the mire around the +springs. This will help us to get more meat. +Our people are hungry, and we must kill many +in order to feed them!" + +"Ho, ho, ho!" agreed all the hunters. + +"And it is here that we can use our companion +hunters best, for the shunkas will intimidate and +bewilder the buffalo women," said an old man. + +"Ugh, he is always right! Our dogs must +help us here. The meat will be theirs as well +as ours," another added. + +"Tosh, kola! The game scout's dog is the +greatest shunka of them all! He has a mind near +like that of a man. Let him lead the attack of +his fellows, while we crawl up on the opposite +side and surround the buffalo upon the slippery +ice and in the deceitful mire," spoke up a third. +So it was agreed that the game scout and his +Shunka should lead the attack of the dogs. + +"Woo, woo, woo!" was the hoarse signal +from the throat of the game scout; but his voice +was drowned by the howling and barking of the +savage dogs as they made their charge. In a +moment all was confusion among the buffalo. +Some started this way, others that, and the great +mass swayed to and fro uncertainly. A few were +ready to fight, but the snow was too deep for a +countercharge upon the dogs, save on the ice just +in front of them, where the wind had always full +sweep. There all was slippery and shining! In +their excitement and confusion the bison rushed +upon this uncertain plain. + +Their weight and the momentum of their rush +carried them hopelessly far out, where they were +again confused as to which way to go, and many +were stuck in the mire which was concealed by +the snow, except here and there an opening above +a spring from which there issued a steaming +vapor. The game scout and his valiant dog led +on the force of canines with deafening war-cries, +and one could see black heads here and there pop- +ping from behind the embankments. As the +herd finally swept toward the opposite shore, +many dead were left behind. Pierced by the ar- +rows of the hunters, they lay like black mounds +upon the glassy plain. + +It was a great hunt! "Once more the camp +will be fed," they thought, "and this good for- +tune will help us to reach the spring alive!" + +A chant of rejoicing rang out from the op- +posite shore, while the game scout unsheathed +his big knife and began the work which is ever +the sequel of the hunt--to dress the game; al- +though the survivors of the slaughter had +scarcely disappeared behind the hills. The dogs +had all run back to their respective masters, and +this left the scout and his companion Shunka +alone. Some were appointed to start a camp +in a neighboring gulch among the trees, so that +the hunters might bring their meat there and eat +before setting out for the great camp on the Big +River. + +All were busily skinning and cutting up the +meat into pieces convenient for carrying, when +suddenly a hunter called the attention of those +near him to an ominous change in the atmos- +phere. + +"There are signs of a blizzard! We must +hurry into the near woods before it reaches us!" +he shouted. + +Some heard him; others did not. Those who +saw or heard passed on the signal and hurried +toward the wood, where others had already ar- +ranged rude shelters and gathered piles of dry +wood for fuel. + +Around the several camp-fires the hunters sat +or stood, while slices of savory meat were broiled +and eaten with a relish by the half-starved men. + +"Ho, kola! Eat this, friend!" said they to +one another as one finished broiling a steak of +the bison and offered it to his neighbor. + +But the storm had now fairly enveloped them +in whirling whiteness. "Woo, woo!" they +called to those who had not yet reached camp. +One after another answered and emerged from +the blinding pall of snow. At last none were +missing save the game scout and his Shunka! + +The hunters passed the time in eating and tell- +ing stories until a late hour, occasionally giving +a united shout to guide the lost one should he +chance to pass near their camp. + +"Fear not for our scout, friends!" finally ex- +claimed a leader among them. "He is a brave +and experienced man. He will find a safe rest- +ing-place, and join us when the wind ceases to +rage." So they all wrapped themselves in their +robes and lay down to sleep. + +All that night and the following day it was +impossible to give succor, and the hunters felt +much concern for the absent. Late in the second +night the great storm subsided. + +"Ho, ho! Iyotanka! Rise up!" So the +first hunter to awaken aroused all the others. + +As after every other storm, it was wonderfully +still; so still that one could hear distinctly the +pounding feet of the jack-rabbits coming down +over the slopes to the willows for food. All dry +vegetation was buried beneath the deep snow, +and everywhere they saw this white-robed crea- +ture of the prairie coming down to the woods. + +Now the air was full of the wolf and coyote +game call, and they were seen in great numbers +upon the ice. + +"See, see! the hungry wolves are dragging +the carcasses away! Harken to the war cries of +the scout's Shunka! Hurry, hurry!" they urged +one another in chorus. + +Away they ran and out upon the lake; now +upon the wind-swept ice, now upon the crusted +snow; running when they could, sliding when +they must. There was certainly a great concourse +of the wolves, whirling in frantic circles, but con- +tinually moving toward the farther end of the +lake. They could hear distinctly the hoarse bark +of the scout's Shunka, and occasionally the muf- +fled war-whoop of a man, as if it came from +under the ice! + +As they approached nearer the scene they +could hear more distinctly the voice of their +friend, but still as it were from underground. +When they reached the spot to which the wolves +had dragged two of the carcasses of the buffalo, +Shunka was seen to stand by one of them, but +at that moment he staggered and fell. The hunt- +ers took out their knives and ripped up the +frozen hide covering the abdominal cavity. It +revealed a warm nest of hay and buffalo hair +in which the scout lay, wrapped in his own +robe! + +He had placed his dog in one of the carcasses +and himself in another for protection from the +storm; but the dog was wiser than the man, for +he kept his entrance open. The man lapped the +hide over and it froze solidly, shutting him se- +curely in. When the hungry wolves came +Shunka promptly extricated himself and held +them off as long as he could; meanwhile, sliding +and pulling, the wolves continued to drag over +the slippery ice the body of the buffalo in which +his master had taken refuge. The poor, faithful +dog, with no care for his own safety, stood by +his imprisoned master until the hunters came up. +But it was too late, for he had received more +than one mortal wound. + +As soon as the scout got out, with a face more +anxious for another than for himself, he ex- +claimed: + +"Where is Shunka, the bravest of his tribe?" + +"Ho, kola, it is so, indeed; and here he lies," +replied one sadly. + +His master knelt by his side, gently stroking +the face of the dog. + +"Ah, my friend; you go where all spirits live! +The Great Mystery has a home for every living +creature. May he permit our meeting there!" + +At daybreak the scout carried him up to one +of the pretty round hills overlooking the lake, +and built up around him walls of loose stone. +Red paints were scattered over the snow, in ac- +cordance with Indian custom, and the farewell +song was sung. + +Since that day the place has been known to +the Sioux as Shunkahanakapi--the Grave of the +Dog. + +PART TWO + +THE WOMAN + + I + + + WINONA, THE WOMAN-CHILD + + + Hush, hushaby, little woman! + Be brave and weep not! + The spirits sleep not; + 'Tis they who ordain + To woman, pain. + + Hush, hushaby, little woman! + Now, all things bearing, + A new gift sharing + From those above-- + + To woman, love. + --Sioux Lullaby. + + +"Chinto, weyanna! Yes, indeed; she +is a real little woman," declares the old +grandmother, as she receives and crit- +ically examines the tiny bit of humanity. + +There is no remark as to the color of its hair +or eyes, both so black as almost to be blue, but +the old woman scans sharply the delicate pro- +file of the baby face. + +"Ah, she has the nose of her ancestors! Lips +thin as a leaf, and eyes bright as stars in mid- +winter!" she exclaims, as she passes on the furry +bundle to the other grandmother for her inspec- +tion. + +"Tokee! she is pretty enough to win a twinkle +rom the evening star," remarks that smiling +personage. + +"And what shall her name be? + +"Winona, the First-born, of course. That +is hers by right of birth." + +"Still, it may not fit her. One must prove +herself worthy in order to retain that honorable +name." + +"Ugh," retorts the first grandmother, "she +can at least bear it on probation!" + +"Tosh, tosh," the other assents. + +Thus the unconscious little Winona has +passed the first stage of the Indian's christen- +ing. + +Presently she is folded into a soft white doe- +skin, well lined with the loose down of cattails, +and snugly laced into an upright oaken cradle, +the front of which is a richly embroidered buck- +skin bag, with porcupine quills and deers' hoofs +suspended from its profuse fringes. This gay +cradle is strapped upon the second grand- +mother's back, and that dignitary walks off with +the newcomer. + +"You must come with me," she says. "We +shall go among the father and mother trees, and +hear them speak with their thousand tongues, +that you may know their language forever. I +will hang the cradle of the woman-child upon +Utuhu, the oak; and she shall hear the love-sighs +of the pine maiden!" + +In this fashion Winona is introduced to nature +and becomes at once "nature-born," in accord +with the beliefs and practices of the wild red +man. + +"Here she is! Take her," says the old +woman on her return from the woods. She pre- +sents the child to its mother, who is sitting in +the shade of an elm-tree as quietly as if she had +not just passed through woman's severest or- +deal in giving a daughter to the brave Cheton- +ska! + +"She has a winsome face, as meek and in- +nocent as the face of an ermine," graciously adds +the grandmother. + +The mother does not speak. Silently and al- +most reverently she takes her new and first-born +daughter into her arms. She gazes into its vel- +vety little face of a dusky red tint, and uncon- +sciously presses the closely swaddled form to her +breast. She feels the mother-instinct seize upon +her strongly for the first time. Here is a new +life, a new hope, a possible link between herself +and a new race! + +Ah, a smile plays upon her lips, as she realizes +that she has kissed her child! In its eyes and +mouth she discerns clearly the features she has +loved in the strong countenance of another, +though in the little woman's face they are soft- +ened and retouched by the hand of the "Great +Mystery." + +The baby girl is called Winona for some +months, when the medicine-man is summoned +and requested to name publicly the first-born +daughter of Chetonska, the White Hawk; but +not until he has received a present of a good +pony with a finely painted buffalo-robe. It is +usual to confer another name besides that of +the "First-born," which may be resumed later +if the maiden proves worthy. The name Wi- +nona implies much of honor. It means char- +itable, kind, helpful; all that an eldest sister +should be! + +The herald goes around the ring of lodges +announcing in singsong fashion the christening, +and inviting everybody to a feast in honor of +the event. A real American christening is al- +ways a gala occasion, when much savage wealth +is distributed among the poor and old people. +Winona has only just walked, and this fact is +also announced with additional gifts. A well- +born child is ever before the tribal eye and in the +tribal ear, as every little step in its progress +toward manhood or womanhood--the first time +of walking or swimming, first shot with bow and +arrow (if a boy), first pair of moccasins made +(if a girl)--is announced publicly with feasting +and the giving of presents. + +So Winona receives her individual name of +Tatiyopa, or Her Door. It is symbolic, like +most Indian names, and implies that the door +of the bearer is hospitable and her home attrac- +tive. + +The two grandmothers, who have carried the +little maiden upon their backs, now tell and sing +to her by turns all the legends of their most noted +female ancestors, from the twin sisters of the +old story, the maidens who married among the +star people of the sky, down to their own +mothers. All her lullabies are feminine, and +designed to impress upon her tender mind the +life and duties of her sex. + +As soon as she is old enough to play with +dolls she plays mother in all seriousness and +gravity. She is dressed like a miniature woman +(and her dolls are clad likewise), in garments +of doeskin to her ankles, adorned with long +fringes, embroidered with porcupine quills, and +dyed with root dyes in various colors. Her lit- +tle blanket or robe, with which she shyly drapes +or screens her head and shoulders, is the skin +of a buffalo calf or a deer, soft, white, embroi- +dered on the smooth side, and often with the +head and hoofs left on. + +"You must never forget, my little daughter, +that you are a woman like myself. Do always +those things that you see me do," her mother +often admonishes her. + +Even the language of the Sioux has its fem- +inine dialect, and the tiny girl would be greatly +abashed were it ever needful to correct her for +using a masculine termination. + +This mother makes for her little daughter a +miniature copy of every rude tool that she uses +in her taily tasks. There is a little scraper of +elk-horn to scrape rawhides preparatory to tan- +ning them, another scraper of a different shape +for tanning, bone knives, and stone mallets for +pounding choke-cherries and jerked meat. + +While her mother is bending over a large +buffalo-hide stretched and pinned upon the +ground, standing upon it and scraping off the +fleshy portion as nimbly as a carpenter shaves +a board with his plane, Winona, at five years of +age, stands upon a corner of the great hide and +industriously scrapes away with her tiny instru- +ment! When the mother stops to sharpen her +tool, the little woman always sharpens hers also. +Perhaps there is water to be fetched in bags +made from the dried pericardium of an animal; +the girl brings some in a smaller water-bag. +When her mother goes for wood she carries one +or two sticks on her back. She pitches her play +teepee to form an exact copy of her mother's. +Her little belongings are nearly all practical, +and her very play is real! + +Thus, before she is ten years old, Winona be- +gins to see life honestly and in earnest; to con- +sider herself a factor in the life of her people--a +link in the genealogy of her race. Yet her effort +is not forced, her work not done from necessity; +it is normal and a development of the play-in- +stinct of the young creature. This sort of train- +ing leads very early to a genuine desire to serve +and to do for others. The little Winona loves +to give and to please; to be generous and gra- +cious. There is no thought of trafficking or +economizing in labor and in love. + +"Mother, I want to be like the beavers, the +ants, and the spiders, because my grandmother +says those are the people most worthy of imita- +tion for their industry. She also tells me that +I should watch the bee, the one that has so many +daughters, and allows no young men to come +around her daughters while they are at work +making sweets," exclaims the little maiden. + +"Truly their industry helps us much, for we +often take from their hoard," remarks the +mother. + +"That is not right, is it mother, if they do +not wish to share with us?" asks Winona. +"But I think the bee is stingy if she has so much +and will not share with any one else! When I +grow up, I shall help the poor! I shall have a +big teepee and invite old people often, for when +people get old they seem to be always hungry, +and I think we ought to feed them." + +"My little daughter will please me and her +father if she proves to be industrious and skillful +with her needle and in all woman's work. Then +she can have a fine teepee and make it all cheer- +ful within. The indolent woman has a small +teepee, and it is very smoky. All her children +will have sore eyes, and her husband will soon +become ill-tempered," declares the mother, in all +seriousness. + +"And, daughter, there is something more +than this needed to make a cheerful home. +You must have a good heart, be patient, and +speak but little. Every creature that talks too +much is sure to make trouble," she concludes, +wisely. + +One day this careful mother has completed a +beautiful little teepee of the skin of a buffalo +calf, worked with red porcupine quills in a row +of rings just below the smoke-flaps and on each +side of the front opening. In the center of each +ring is a tassel of red and white horse-hair. The +tip of each smoke-flap is decorated with the same +material, and the doorflap also. + +Within there are neatly arranged raw-hide +boxes for housekeeping, and square bags of soft +buckskin adorned with blue and white beads. +On either side of the fireplace are spread the +tanned skins of a buffalo calf and a deer; but +there is no bear, wolf, or wildcat skin, for on +these the foot of a woman must never tread! +They are for men, and symbolical of manly vir- +tues. There are dolls of all sizes, and a play +travois leans against the white wall of the minia- +ture lodge. Even the pet pup is called in to +complete the fanciful home of the little woman. + +"Now, my daughter," says the mother, "you +must keep your lodge in order!" + +Here the little woman is allowed to invite +other little women, her playmates. This is +where the grandmothers hold sway, chaperoning +their young charges, who must never be long out +of their sight. The little visitors bring their +work-bags of various skins, artistically made and +trimmed. These contain moccasins and other +garments for their dolls, on which they love to +occupy themselves. + +The brightly-painted rawhide boxes are re- +served for food, and in these the girls bring va- +rious prepared meats and other delicacies. This +is perhaps the most agreeable part of the play +to the chaperon, who is treated as an honored +guest at the feast! + +Winona seldom plays with boys, even her own +brothers and cousins, and after she reaches +twelve or fourteen years of age she scarcely +speaks to them. Modesty is a virtue which is +deeply impressed upon her from early childhood, +and the bashfully drooping head, the averted +look, the voice low and seldom heard, these are +graces much esteemed in a maiden. + +She is taught to pay great attention to the +care of her long, glossy locks, combing, plaiting, +and perfuming them with sweet-scented leaves +steeped in oil. Her personal appearance is well +understood to be a matter of real moment, and +rich dress and ornaments are highly prized. +Fortunately they never go out of fashion, and +once owned are permanent possessions, unless +parted with as ceremonial gifts on some great +occasion of mourning or festivity. + +When she reaches a marriageable age her +father allows her to give a feast to all the other +girls of her immediate clan, and this "Feast of +Virgins" may only be attended by those of spot- +less reputation. To have given or attended a +number of them is regarded as a choice honor. + +Tatiyopa, by the time she is fifteen, has al- +ready a name for skill in needlework, and gen- +erosity in distributing the articles of her own +making. She is now generally called Winona-- +the charitable and kind! She believes that it +is woman's work to make and keep a home that +will be worthy of the bravest, and hospitable to +all, and in this simple faith she enters upon the +realities of her womanhood. + + + + +II + + + WINONA, THE CHILD-WOMAN + + Braver than the bravest, + You sought honors at death's door; + Could you not remember + One who weeps at home-- + Could you not remember me? + + Braver than the bravest, + You sought honors more than love; + Dear, I weep, yet I am not a coward; + My heart weeps for thee-- + My heart weeps when I remember thee! + --Sioux Love Song. + + +The sky is blue overhead, peeping +through window-like openings in a +roof of green leaves. Right between +a great pine and a birch tree their soft doeskin +shawls are spread, and there sit two Sioux maid- +ens amid their fineries--variously colored por- +cupine quills for embroidery laid upon sheets +of thin birch-bark, and moccasin tops worked +in colors like autumn leaves. It is Winona and +her friend Miniyata. + +They have arrived at the period during which +the young girl is carefully secluded from her +brothers and cousins and future lovers, and re- +tires, as it were, into the nunnery of the woods, +behind a veil of thick foliage. Thus she is +expected to develop fully her womanly qualities. +In meditation and solitude, entirely alone or +with a chosen companion of her own sex and +age, she gains a secret strength, as she studies +the art of womanhood from nature herself. + +Winona has the robust beauty of the wild +lily of the prairie, pure and strong in her deep +colors of yellow and scarlet against the savage +plain and horizon, basking in the open sun like +a child, yet soft and woman-like, with droop- +ing head when observed. Both girls are beau- +tifully robed in loose gowns of soft doeskin, +girded about the waist with the usual very wide +leather belt. + +"Come, let us practice our sacred dance," +says one to the other. Each crowns her glossy +head with a wreath of wild flowers, and they +dance with slow steps around the white birch, +singing meanwhile the sacred songs. + +Now upon the lake that stretches blue to the +eastward there appears a distant canoe, a mere +speck, no bigger than a bird far off against the +shining sky. + +"See the lifting of the paddles!" exclaims +Winona. + +" Like the leaping of a trout upon the +water!" suggests Miniyata. + +"I hope they will not discover us, yet I would +like to know who they are," remarks the other, +innocently. + +The birch canoe approaches swiftly, with two +young men plying the light cedar paddles. + +The girls now settle down to their needle- +work, quite as if they had never laughed or +danced or woven garlands, bending over their +embroidery in perfect silence. Surely they would +not wish to attract attention, for the two sturdy +young warriors have already landed. + +They pick up the canoe and lay it well up on +the bank, out of sight. Then one procures a +strong pole. They lift a buck deer from the +canoe--not a mark upon it, save for the bullet +wound; the deer looks as if it were sleeping! +They tie the hind legs together and the fore +legs also and carry it between them on the pole. + +Quickly and cleverly they do all this; and +now they start forward and come unexpectedly +upon the maidens' retreat! They pause for an +instant in mute apology, but the girls smile their +forgiveness, and the youths hurry on toward the +village. + +Winona has now attended her first maidens' +feast and is considered eligible to marriage. She +may receive young men, but not in public or in +a social way, for such was not the custom of the +Sioux. When he speaks, she need not answer +him unless she chooses. + +The Indian woman in her quiet way preserves +the dignity of the home. From our standpoint +the white man is a law-breaker! The "Great +Mystery," we say, does not adorn the woman +above the man. His law is spreading horns, +or flowing mane, or gorgeous plumage for the +male; the female he made plain, but comely, +modest and gentle. She is the foundation of +man's dignity and honor. Upon her rests the +life of the home and of the family. I have +often thought that there is much in this philos- +ophy of an untutored people. Had her husband +remained long enough in one place, the Indian +woman, I believe, would have developed no +mean civilization and culture of her own. + +It was no disgrace to the chief's daughter in +the old days to work with her hands. Indeed, +their standard of worth was the willingness to +work, but not for the sake of accumulation, only +in order to give. Winona has learned to pre- +pare skins, to remove the hair and tan the skin +of a deer so that it may be made into moccasins +within three days. She has a bone tool for each +stage of the conversion of the stiff raw-hide into +velvety leather. She has been taught the art +of painting tents and raw-hide cases, and the +manufacture of garments of all kinds. + +Generosity is a trait that is highly developed +in the Sioux woman. She makes many mocca- +sins and other articles of clothing for her male +relatives, or for any who are not well provided. +She loves to see her brother the best dressed +among the young men, and the moccasins espe- +cially of a young brave are the pride of his +woman-kind. + +Her own person is neatly attired, but ordi- +narily with great simplicity. Her doeskin gown +has wide, flowing sleeves; the neck is low, +but not so low as is the evening dress of so- +ciety. + +Her moccasins are plain; her leggins close- +fitting and not as high as her brother's. She +parts her smooth, jet-black hair in the middle +and plaits it in two. In the old days she used +to do it in one plait wound around with wam- +pum. Her ornaments, sparingly worn, are +beads, elks' teeth, and a touch of red paint. No +feathers are worn by the woman, unless in a +sacred dance. + +She is supposed to be always occupied with +some feminine pursuit or engaged in some social +affair, which also is strictly feminine as a rule. +Even her language is peculiar to her sex, some +words being used by women only, while others +have a feminine termination. + +There is an etiquette of sitting and standing, +which is strictly observed. The woman must +never raise her knees or cross her feet when +seated. She seats herself on the ground side- +wise, with both feet under her. + +Notwithstanding her modesty and undemon- +strative ways, there is no lack of mirth and +relaxation for Winona among her girl compan- +ions. + +In summer, swimming and playing in the +water is a favorite amusement. She even imi- +tates with the soles of her feet the peculiar, +resonant sound that the beaver makes with her +large, flat tail upon the surface of the water. +She is a graceful swimmer, keeping the feet +together and waving them backward and for- +ward like the tail of a fish. + +Nearly all her games are different from those +of the men. She has a sport of wand-throwing +which develops fine muscles of the shoulder and +back. The wands are about eight feet long, +and taper gradually from an inch and a half to +half an inch in diameter. Some of them are +artistically made, with heads of bone and horn, +so that it is remarkable to what a distance they +may be made to slide over the ground. In the +feminine game of ball, which is something like +"shinny," the ball is driven with curved sticks +between two goals. It is played with from two +or three to a hundred on a side, and a game be- +tween two bands or villages is a picturesque +event. + +A common indoor diversion is the "deer's +foot" game, played with six deer hoofs on a +string, ending in a bone or steel awl. The ob- +ject is to throw it in such a way as to catch one +or more hoofs on the point of the awl, a feat +which requires no little dexterity. Another is +played with marked plum-stones in a bowl, +which are thrown like dice and count according +to the side that is turned uppermost. + +Winona's wooing is a typical one. As with +any other people, love-making is more or less +in vogue at all times of the year, but more espe- +cially at midsummer, during the characteristic +reunions and festivities of that season. The +young men go about usually in pairs, and the +maidens do likewise. They may meet by chance +at any time of day, in the woods or at the +spring, but oftenest seek to do so after dark, +just outside the teepee. The girl has her com- +panion, and he has his, for the sake of propriety +or protection. The conversation is carried on +in a whisper, so that even these chaperons do +not hear. + +At the sound of the drum on summer even- +ings, dances are begun within the circular rows +of teepees, but without the circle the young men +promenade in pairs. Each provides himself +with the plaintive flute and plays the simple +cadences of his people, while his person is com- +pletely covered with his fine robe, so that he +cannot be recognized by the passerby. At +every pause in the melody he gives his yodel-like +love-call, to which the girls respond with their +musical, sing-song laughter. + +Matosapa has loved Winona since the time +he saw her at the lakeside in her parlor among +the pines. But he has not had much opportu- +nity to speak until on such a night, after the +dances are over. There is no outside fire; but +a dim light from within the skin teepees sheds +a mellow glow over the camp, mingling with +the light of a young moon. Thus these lovers +go about like ghosts. Matosapa has already +circled the teepees with his inseparable brother- +friend, Brave Elk. + +"Friend, do me an honor to-night!" he ex- +claims, at last. "Open this first door for me, +since this will be the first time I shall speak to a +woman!" + +"Ah," suggests Brave Elk, "I hope you have +selected a girl whose grandmother has no cross +dogs!" + +"The prize that is won at great risk is usually +valued most," replies Matosapa. + +"Ho, kola! I shall touch the door-flap as +softly as the swallow alights upon her nest. But +I warn you, do not let your heart beat too loudly, +for the old woman's ears are still good!" + +So, joking and laughing, they proceed toward +a large buffalo tent with a horse's tail suspended +from the highest pole to indicate the rank of +the owner. They have ceased to blow the flute +some paces back, and walk noiselessly as a pan- +ther in quest of a doe. + +Brave Elk opens the door. Matosapa enters +the tent. As was the wont of the Sioux, the +well-born maid has a little teepee within a tee- +pee--a private apartment of her own. He +passes the sleeping family to this inner shrine. +There he gently wakens Winona with proper +apologies. This is not unusual or strange to +her innocence, for it was the custom of the peo- +ple. He sits at the door, while his friend waits +outside, and tells his love in a whisper. To this +she does not reply at once; even if she loves +him, it is proper that she should be silent. The +lover does not know whether he is favorably +received or not, upon this his first visit. He +must now seek her outside upon every favorable +occasion. No gifts are offered at this stage +of the affair; the trafficking in ponies and "buy- +ing" a wife is entirely a modern custom. + +Matosapa has improved every opportunity, +until Winona has at last shyly admitted her will- +ingness to listen. For a whole year he has +been compelled at intervals to repeat the story +of his love. Through the autumn hunting of the +buffalo and the long, cold winter he often pre- +sents her kinsfolk with his game. + +At the next midsummer the parents on both +sides are made acquainted with the betrothal, +and they at once begin preparations for the com- +ing wedding. Provisions and delicacies of all +kinds are laid aside for a feast. Matosapa's +sisters and his girl cousins are told of the ap- +proaching event, and they too prepare for it, +since it is their duty to dress or adorn the bride +with garments made by their own hands. + +With the Sioux of the old days, the great +natural crises of human life, marriage and birth, +were considered sacred and hedged about with +great privacy. Therefore the union is publicly +celebrated after and not before its consum- +mation. Suddenly the young couple disappear. +They go out into the wilderness together, and +spend some days or weeks away from the camp. +This is their honeymoon, away from all curious +or prying eyes. In due time they quietly return, +he to his home and she to hers, and now at last +the marriage is announced and invitations are +given to the feast. + +The bride is ceremoniously delivered to her +husband's people, together with presents of rich +clothing collected from all her clan, which she +afterward distributes among her new relations. +Winona is carried in a travois handsomely dec- +orated, and is received with equal ceremony. +For several days following she is dressed and +painted by the female relatives of the groom, +each in her turn, while in both clans the wedding +feast is celebrated. + +To illustrate womanly nobility of nature, let +me tell the story of Dowanhotaninwin, Her- +Singing-Heard. The maiden was deprived of +both father and mother when scarcely ten years +old, by an attack of the Sacs and Foxes while +they were on a hunting expedition. Left alone +with her grandmother, she was carefully reared +and trained by this sage of the wild life. + +Nature had given her more than her share +of attractiveness, and she was womanly and win- +ning as she was handsome. Yet she remained +unmarried for nearly thirty years--a most un- +usual thing among us; and although she had +worthy suitors in every branch of the Sioux na- +tion, she quietly refused every offer. + +Certain warriors who had distinguished them- +selves against the particular tribe who had made +her an orphan, persistently sought her hand in +marriage, but failed utterly. + +One summer the Sioux and the Sacs and +Foxes were brought together under a flag of +truce by the Commissioners of the Great White +Father, for the purpose of making a treaty with +them. During the short period of friendly in- +tercourse and social dance and feast, a noble +warrior of the enemy's tribe courted Dowan- +hotaninwin. + +Several of her old lovers were vying with +one another to win her at the same time, that she +might have inter-tribal celebration of her wed- +ding. + +Behold! the maiden accepted the foe of her +childhood--one of those who had cruelly de- +prived her of her parents! + +By night she fled to the Sac and Fox camp +with her lover. It seemed at first an insult to +the Sioux, and there was almost an outbreak +among the young men of the tribe, who were +barely restrained by their respect for the Com- +missioners of the Great Father. + +But her aged grandfather explained the mat- +ter publicly in this fashion: + +"Young men, hear ye! Your hearts are +strong; let them not be troubled by the act of +a young woman of your tribe! This has been +her secret wish since she became a woman. She +deprecates all tribal warfare. Her young heart +never forgot its early sorrow; yet she has never +blamed the Sacs and Foxes or held them re- +sponsible for the deed. She blames rather the +customs of war among us. She believes in the +formation of a blood brotherhood strong enough +to prevent all this cruel and useless enmity. This +was her high purpose, and to this end she re- +served her hand. Forgive her, forgive her, I +pray!" + +In the morning there was a great commotion. +The herald of the Sacs and Foxes entered the +Sioux camp, attired in ceremonial garb and +bearing in one hand an American flag and in the +other a peace-pipe. He made the rounds singing +a peace song, and delivering to all an invitation +to attend the wedding feast of Dowanhotaninwin +and their chief's son. Thus all was well. The +simplicity, high purpose, and bravery of the girl +won the hearts of the two tribes, and as long +as she lived she was able to keep the peace be- +tween them. + + + + +III + + +SNANA'S FAWN + +The Little Missouri was in her spring +fullness, and the hills among which +she found her way to the Great Muddy +were profusely adorned with colors, much like +those worn by the wild red man upon a holiday! +Looking toward the sunrise, one saw mysteri- +ous, deep shadows and bright prominences, +while on the opposite side there was really an +extravagant array of variegated hues. Between +the gorgeous buttes and rainbow-tinted ridges +there were narrow plains, broken here and there +by dry creeks or gulches, and these again were +clothed scantily with poplars and sad-colored +bull-berry bushes, while the bare spots were pur- +ple with the wild Dakota crocuses. + +Upon the lowest of a series of natural ter- +races there stood on this May morning a young +Sioux girl, whose graceful movements were not +unlike those of a doe which chanced to be lurk- +ing in a neighboring gulch. On the upper plains, +not far away, were her young companions, all +busily employed with the wewoptay, as it was +called--the sharp-pointed stick with which the +Sioux women dig wild turnips. They were +gayly gossiping together, or each humming a +love-song as she worked, only Snana stood some- +what apart from the rest; in fact, concealed +by the crest of the ridge. + +She had paused in her digging and stood fac- +ing the sun-kissed buttes. Above them in the +clear blue sky the father sun was traveling up- +ward as in haste, while to her receptive spirit +there appealed an awful, unknown force, the +silent speech of the Great Mystery, to which it +seemed to her the whole world must be listen- +ing! + +"O Great Mystery! the father of earthly +things is coming to quicken us into life. Have +pity on me, I pray thee! May I some day be- +come the mother of a great and brave race of +warriors!" So the maiden prayed silently. + +It was now full-born day. The sun shone +hot upon the bare ground, and the drops stood +upon Snana's forehead as she plied her long +pole. There was a cool spring in the dry creek +bed near by, well hidden by a clump of choke- +cherry bushes, and she turned thither to cool +her thirsty throat. In the depths of the ravine +her eye caught a familiar footprint--the track +of a doe with the young fawn beside it. The +hunting instinct arose within. + +"It will be a great feat if I can find and take +from her the babe. The little tawny skin shall +be beautifully dressed by my mother. The legs +and the nose shall be embossed with porcupine +quills. It will be my work-bag," she said to +herself. + +As she stole forward on the fresh trail she +scanned every nook, every clump of bushes. +There was a sudden rustle from within a grove +of wild plum trees, thickly festooned with grape +and clematis, and the doe mother bounded away +as carelessly as if she were never to return. + +Ah, a mother's ruse! Snana entered the +thorny enclosure, which was almost a rude tee- +pee, and, tucked away in the furthermost corner, +lay something with a trout-like, speckled, tawny +coat. She bent over it. The fawn was appar- +ently sleeping. Presently its eyes moved a bit, +and a shiver passed through its subtle body. + +"Thou shalt not die; thy skin shall not be- +come my work-bag!" unconsciously the maiden +spoke. The mother sympathy had taken hold +on her mind. She picked the fawn up tenderly, +bound its legs, and put it on her back to carry +like an Indian babe in the folds of her robe. + +"I cannot leave you alone, Tachinchala. +Your mother is not here. Our hunters will soon +return by this road, and your mother has left +behind her two plain tracks leading to this +thicket," she murmured. + +The wild creature struggled vigorously for +a minute, and then became quiet. Its graceful +head protruded from the elkskin robe just over +Snana's shoulder. She was slowly climbing the +slope with her burden, when suddenly like an +apparition the doe-mother stood before her. +The fawn called loudly when it was first seized, +and the mother was not too far away to hear. +Now she called frantically for her child, at the +same time stamping with her delicate fore-feet. + +"Yes, sister, you are right; she is yours; but +you cannot save her to-day! The hunters will +soon be here. Let me keep her for you; I will +return her to you safely. And hear me, O sis- +ter of the woods, that some day I may become +the mother of a noble race of warriors and of +fine women, as handsome as you are!" + +At this moment the quick eyes of the Indian +girl detected something strange in the doe's +actions. She glanced in every direction and be- +hold! a grizzly bear was cautiously approach- +ing the group from a considerable distance. + +"Run, run, sister! I shall save your child if +I can," she cried, and flew for the nearest scrub +oak on the edge of the bank. Up the tree she +scrambled, with the fawn still securely bound to +her back. The grizzly came on with teeth ex- +posed, and the doe-mother in her flight came +between him and the tree, giving a series of +indignant snorts as she ran, and so distracted +Mato from his object of attack; but only for a +few seconds--then on he came! + +"Desist, O brave Mato! It does not become +a great medicine-man to attack a helpless woman +with a burden upon her back!" + +Snana spoke as if the huge brute could un- +derstand her, and indeed the Indians hold that +wild animals understand intuitively when ap- +pealed to by human beings in distress. Yet he +replied only with a hoarse growl, as rising upon +his hind legs he shook the little tree vigorously. + +"Ye, ye, heyupi ye!" Snana called loudly +to her companion turnip-diggers. Her cry soon +brought all the women into sight upon a near-by +ridge, and they immediately gave a general +alarm. Mato saw them, but appeared not at +all concerned and was still intent upon dislodg- +ing the girl, who clung frantically to her +perch. + +Presently there appeared upon the little knoll +several warriors, mounted and uttering the usual +war-whoop, as if they were about to swoop down +upon a human enemy. This touched the dignity +of Mato, and he immediately prepared to accept +the challenge. Every Indian was alive to the +possibilities of the occasion, for it is well known +that Mato, or grizzly bear, alone among animals +is given the rank of a warrior, so that whoever +conquers him may wear an eagle feather. + +"Woo! woo!" the warriors shouted, as +they maneuvered to draw him into the open +plain. + +He answered with hoarse growls, threatening +a rider who had ventured too near. But arrows +were many and well-aimed, and in a few minutes +the great and warlike Mato lay dead at the foot +of the tree. + +The men ran forward and counted their coups +on him, just as when an enemy is fallen. Then +they looked at one another and placed their +hands over their mouths as the young girl de- +scended the tree with a fawn bound upon her +back. + +"So that was the bait!" they cried. "And +will you not make a feast with that fawn for +us who came to your rescue? " + +"The fawn is young and tender, and we have +not eaten meat for two days. It will be a gen- +erous thing to do," added her father, who was +among them. + +"Ye-e-e!" she cried out in distress. "Do +not ask it! I have seen this fawn's mother. I +have promised to keep her child safe. See! +I have saved its life, even when my own was in +danger." + +"Ho, ho, wakan ye lo! (Yes, yes, 'tis holy +or mysterious)," they exclaimed approvingly. + +It was no small trouble for Snana to keep her +trust. As may well be supposed, all the dogs +of the teepee village must be watched and kept +at a distance. Neither was it easy to feed the +little captive; but in gaining its confidence the +girl was an adept. The fawn soon followed her +everywhere, and called to her when hungry +exactly as she had called to her own mother. + +After several days, when her fright at the +encounter with the bear had somewhat worn off, +Snana took her pet into the woods and back to +the very spot in which she had found it. In +the furthest corner of the wild plum grove she +laid it down, gently stroked its soft forehead, +and smoothed the leaflike ears. The little +thing closed its eyes. Once more the Sioux +girl bent over and laid her cheek against the +fawn's head; then reluctantly she moved away, +hoping and yet dreading that the mother would +return. She crouched under a clump of bushes +near by, and gave the doe call. It was a reckless +thing for her to do, for such a call might bring +upon her a mountain lion or ever-watchful silver- +tip; but Snana did not think of that. + +In a few minutes she heard the light patter +of hoofs, and caught a glimpse of a doe running +straight toward the fawn's hiding-place. When +she stole near enough to see, the doe and the +fawn were examining one another carefully, as +if fearing some treachery. At last both were +apparently satisfied. The doe caressed her nat- +ural child, and the little one accepted the milk +she offered. + +In the Sioux maiden's mind there was tur- +moil. A close attachment to the little wild +creature had already taken root there, contend- +ing with the sense of justice that was strong +within her. Now womanly sympathy for the +mother was in control, and now a desire to +possess and protect her helpless pet. + +"I can take care of her against all hunters, +both animal and human. They are ever ready +to seize the helpless fawn for food. Her life +will be often exposed. You cannot save her +from disaster. O, Takcha, my sister, let me +still keep her for you!" she finally appealed to +the poor doe, who was nervously watching the +intruder, and apparently thinking how she might +best escape with the fawn. + +Just at this moment there came a low call +from the wood. It was a doe call; but the +wild mother and her new friend both knew that +it was not the call of a real doe. + +"It is a Sioux hunter!" whispered the girl. +"You must go, my sister! Be off; I will take +your child to safety!" + +While she was yet speaking, the doe seemed +to realize the danger. She stopped only an +instant to lick fondly the tawny coat of the +little one, who had just finished her dinner; +then she bounded away. + +As Snana emerged from the bushes with her +charge, a young hunter met her face to face, +and stared at her curiously. He was not of her +father's camp, but a stranger. + +"Ugh, you have my game." + +"Tosh!" she replied coquettishly. + +It was so often said among the Indians that +the doe was wont to put on human form to mis- +lead the hunter, that it looked strange to see +a woman with a fawn, and the young man could +not forbear to gaze upon Snana. + +"You are not the real mother in maiden's +guise? Tell me truly if you are of human +blood," he demanded rudely. + +"I am a Sioux maiden! Do you not know +my father?" she replied. + +"Ah, but who is your father? What is his +name?" he insisted, nervously fingering his +arrows. + +"Do not be a coward! Surely you should +know a maid of your own race," she replied re- +proachfully. + +"Ah, you know the tricks of the doe! What +is thy name?" + +"Hast thou forgotten the etiquette of thy +people, and wouldst compel me to pronounce +my own name? I refuse; thou art jesting!" +she retorted with a smile. + +"Thou dost give the tricky answers of a doe. +I cannot wait; I must act before I lose my nat- +ural mind. But already I am yours. Whatever +purpose you may have in thus charming a poor +hunter, be merciful," and, throwing aside his +quiver, he sat down. + +The maiden stole a glance at his face, and +then another. He was handsome. Softly she +reentered the thicket and laid down the little +fawn. + +"Promise me never to hunt here again!" +she said earnestly, as she came forth without +her pretty burden, and he exacted another prom- +ise in return. Thus Snana lost her fawn, and +found a lover. + + + + +IV + + +SHE-WHO-HAS-A-SOUL + +It was a long time ago, nearly two hundred +years ago, that some of our people were +living upon the shores of the Great Lake, +Lake Superior. The chief of this band was +called Tatankaota, Many Buffaloes. + +One day the young son of Tatankaota led a +war-party against the Ojibways, who occupied +the country east of us, toward the rising sun. + +When they had gone a day's journey in the +direction of Sault Ste. Marie, in our language +Skesketatanka, the warriors took up their posi- +tion on the lake shore, at a point which the +Ojibways were accustomed to pass in their +canoes. + +Long they gazed, and scanned the surface of +the water, watching for the coming of the foe. +The sun had risen above the dark pines, over +the great ridge of woodland across the bay. It +was the awakening of all living things. The +birds were singing, and shining fishes leaped +out of the water as if at play. At last, far off, +there came the warning cry of the loon to stir +their expectant ears. + +"Warriors, look close to the horizon! This +brother of ours does not lie. The enemy +comes!" exclaimed their leader. + +Presently upon the sparkling face of the water +there appeared a moving canoe. There was but +one, and it was coming directly toward them. + +"Hahatonwan! Hahatonwan! (The Ojib- +ways! the Ojibways!)" they exclaimed with one +voice, and, grasping their weapons, they hastily +concealed themselves in the bushes. + +"Spare none--take no captives!" ordered +the chief's son. + +Nearer and nearer approached the strange +canoe. The glistening blades of its paddles +flashed as it were the signal of good news, or +a welcome challenge. All impatiently waited +until it should come within arrow-shot. + +"Surely it is an Ojibway canoe," one mur- +mured. "Yet look! the stroke is ungainly!" +Now, among all the tribes only the Ojibway's +art is perfect in paddling a birch canoe. This +was a powerful stroke, but harsh and un- +steady. + +"See! there are no feathers on this man's +head!" exclaimed the son of the chief. "Hold, +warriors, he wears a woman's dress, and I see +no weapon. No courage is needed to take his life, +therefore let it be spared! I command that +only coups (or blows) be counted on him, and +he shall tell us whence he comes, and on what +errand." + +The signal was given; the warriors sprang +to their feet, and like wolves they sped from +the forest, out upon the white, sandy beach +and straight into the sparkling waters of the +lake, giving the shrill war-cry, the warning of +death! + +The solitary oarsman made no outcry--he +offered no defense! Kneeling calmly in the +prow of the little vessel, he merely ceased pad- +dling and seemed to await with patience the +deadly blow of the tomahawk. + +The son of Tatankaota was foremost in the +charge, but suddenly an impulse seized him to +stop his warriors, lest one in the heat of excite- +ment should do a mischief to the stranger. The +canoe with its occupant was now very near, and +it could be seen that the expression of his face +was very gentle and even benignant. None +could doubt his utter harmlessness; and the +chief's son afterward declared that at this mo- +ment he felt a premonition of some event, but +whether good or evil he could not tell. + +No blows were struck--no coups counted. +The young man bade his warriors take up the +canoe and carry it to the shore; and although +they murmured somewhat among themselves, +they did as he commanded them. They seized +the light bark and bore it dripping to a hill +covered with tall pines, and overlooking the +waters of the Great Lake. + +Then the warriors lifted their war-clubs over +their heads and sang, standing around the canoe +in which the black-robed stranger was still +kneeling. Looking at him closely, they per- +ceived that he was of a peculiar complexion, +pale and inclined to red. He wore a necklace +of beads, from which hung a cross bearing the +form of a man. His garments were strange, +and most like the robes of woman. All of these +things perplexed them greatly. + +Presently the Black Robe told them by signs, +in response to their inquiries, that he came from +the rising sun, even beyond the Great Salt Water, +and he seemed to say that he formerly came +from the sky. Upon this the warriors believed +that he must be a prophet or mysterious man. + +Their leader directed them to take up again the +canoe with the man in it, and appointed the +warriors to carry it by turns until they should +reach his father's village. This was done ac- +cording to the ancient custom, as a mark of re- +spect and honor. They took it up forthwith, +and traveled with all convenient speed along the +lake shore, through forests and across streams +to a place called the Maiden's Retreat, a short +distance from the village. + +Thence the chief's son sent a messenger to +announce to his father that he was bringing +home a stranger, and to ask whether or not he +should be allowed to enter the village. "His +appearance," declared the scout, "is unlike that +of any man we have ever seen, and his ways +are mysterious!" + +When the chief heard these words, he imme- +diately called his council-men together to decide +what was to be done, for he feared by admitting +the mysterious stranger to bring some disaster +upon his people. Finally he went out with his +wisest men to meet his son's war-party. They +looked with astonishment upon the Black Robe. + +"Dispatch him! Dispatch him! Show him +no mercy!" cried some of the council-men. + +"Let him go on his way unharmed. Trouble +him not," advised others. + +"It is well known that the evil spirits some- +times take the form of a man or animal. From +his strange appearance I judge this to be such +a one. He should be put to death, lest some +harm befall our people," an old man urged. + +By this time several of the women of the +village had reached the spot. Among them was +She-who-has-a-Soul, the chief's youngest daugh- +ter, who tradition says was a maiden of much +beauty, and of a generous heart. The stranger +was evidently footsore from much travel and + +weakened by fasting. When she saw that the +poor man clasped his hands and looked skyward +as he uttered words in an unknown tongue, she +pleaded with her father that a stranger who has +entered their midst unchallenged may claim the +hospitality of the people, according to the an- +cient custom. + +"Father, he is weary and in want of food. +Hold him no longer! Delay your council until +he is refreshed!" These were the words of +She-who-has-a-Soul, and her father could not +refuse her prayer. The Black Robe was re- +leased, and the Sioux maiden led him to her +father's teepee. + +Now the warriors had been surprised and in- +deed displeased to find him dressed after the +fashion of a woman, and they looked upon him +with suspicion. But from the moment that she +first beheld him, the heart of the maiden had +turned toward this strange and seemingly un- +fortunate man. It appeared to her that great +reverence and meekness were in his face, and +with it all she was struck by his utter fearless- +ness, his apparent unconsciousness of danger. + +The chief's daughter, having gained her +father's permission, invited the Black Robe to +his great buffalo-skin tent, and spreading a fine +robe, she gently asked him to be seated. With +the aid of her mother, she prepared wild rice +sweetened with maple sugar and some broiled +venison for his repast. The youthful warriors +were astonished to observe these attentions, but +the maiden heeded them not. She anointed the +blistered feet of the holy man with perfumed +otter oil, and put upon him a pair of moccasins +beautifully worked by her own hands. + +It was only an act of charity on her part, but +the young men were displeased, and again urged +that the stranger should at once be turned away. +Some even suggested harsher measures; but +they were overruled by the chief, softened by +the persuasions of a well-beloved daughter. + +During the few days that the Black Robe +remained in the Sioux village he preached ear- +nestly to the maiden, for she had been permitted +to converse with him by signs, that she might +try to ascertain what manner of man he was. +He told her of the coming of a "Great +Prophet" from the sky, and of his words that +he had left with the people. The cross with +the figure of a man he explained as his totem +which he had told them to carry. He also said +that those who love him are commanded to go +among strange peoples to tell the news, and that +all who believe must be marked with holy water +and accept the totem. + +He asked by signs if She-who-has-a-Soul be- +lieved the story. To this she replied: + +"It is a sweet story--a likely legend! I do +believe!" + +Then the good father took out a small cross, +and having pressed it to his heart and crossed +his forehead and breast, he gave it to her. +Finally he dipped his finger in water and touched +the forehead of the maiden, repeating mean- +while some words in an unknown tongue. + +The mother was troubled, for she feared that +the stranger was trying to bewitch her daugh- +ter, but the chief decided thus: + +"This is a praying-man, and he is not of +our people; his customs are different, but they +are not evil. Warriors, take him back to the +spot where you saw him first! It is my desire, +and the good custom of our tribe requires that +you free him without injury!" + +Accordingly they formed a large party, and +carried the Black Robe in his canoe back to +the shore of the Great Lake, to the place where +they had met him, and he was allowed to depart +thence whithersoever he would. He took his +leave with signs of gratitude for their hospi- +tality, and especially for the kindness of the +beautiful Sioux maiden. She seemed to have +understood his mission better than any one else, +and as long as she lived she kept his queer +trinket--as it seemed to the others--and per- +formed the strange acts that he had taught her. + +Furthermore, it was through the pleadings +of She-who-has-a-Soul that the chief Tatankaota +advised his people in after days to befriend the +white strangers, and though many of the other +chiefs opposed him in this, his counsels pre- +vailed. Hence it was that both the French and +English received much kindness from our peo- +ple, mainly through the influence of this one +woman! + +Such was the first coming of the white man +among us, as it is told in our traditions. Other +praying-men came later, and many of the Sioux +allowed themselves to be baptized. True, there +have been Indian wars, but not without reason; +and it is pleasant to remember that the Sioux +were hospitable to the first white "praying- +man," and that it was a tender-hearted maiden +of my people who first took in her hands the +cross of the new religion. + + + + +V + + +THE PEACE-MAKER + +One of the most remarkable women of +her day and nation was Eyatonkawee, +She-whose-Voice-is-heard-afar. It is +matter of history among the Wakpaykootay +band of Sioux, the Dwellers among the Leaves, +that when Eyatonkawee was a very young +woman she was once victorious in a hand-to- +hand combat with the enemy in the woods of +Minnesota, where her people were hunting the +deer. At such times they often met with stray +parties of Sacs and Foxes from the prairies of +Iowa and Illinois. + +Now, the custom was among our people that +the doer of a notable warlike deed was held in +highest honor, and these deeds were kept con- +stantly in memory by being recited in public, +before many witnesses. The greatest exploit +was that one involving most personal courage +and physical address, and he whose record was +adjudged best might claim certain privileges, +not the least of which was the right to interfere +in any quarrel and separate the combatants. +The peace-maker might resort to force, if need +be, and no one dared to utter a protest who +could not say that he had himself achieved an +equal fame. + +There was a man called Tamahay, known to +Minnesota history as the "One-eyed Sioux," +who was a notable character on the frontier in +the early part of the nineteenth century. He +was very reckless, and could boast of many a +perilous adventure. He was the only Sioux who, +in the War of 1812, fought for the Americans, +while all the rest of his people sided with the +British, mainly through the influence of the Eng- +lish traders among them at that time. This +same "One-eyed Sioux" became a warm friend +of Lieutenant Pike, who discovered the sources +of the Mississippi, and for whom Pike's Peak +is named. Some say that the Indian took his +friend's name, for Tamahay in English means +Pike or Pickerel. + +Unfortunately, in later life this brave man +became a drunkard, and after the Americans +took possession of his country almost any one +of them would supply him with liquor in recog- +nition of his notable services as a scout and +soldier. Thus he was at times no less dangerous +in camp than in battle. + +Now, Eyatonkawee, being a young widow, +had married the son of a lesser chief in Tama- +hay's band, and was living among strangers. +Moreover, she was yet young and modest. + +One day this bashful matron heard loud war- +whoops and the screams of women. Looking +forth, she saw the people fleeing hither and +thither, while Tamahay, half intoxicated, rushed +from his teepee painted for war, armed with +tomahawk and scalping-knife, and approached +another warrior as if to slay him. At this sight +her heart became strong, and she quickly sprang +between them with her woman's knife in her +hand. + +"It was a Sac warrior of like proportions +and bravery with your own, who, having slain +several of the Sioux, thus approached me with +uplifted tomahawk!" she exclaimed in a clear +voice, and went on to recite her victory on that +famous day so that the terrified people paused +to hear. + +Tamahay was greatly astonished, but he was +not too drunk to realize that he must give way +at once, or be subject to the humiliation of a +blow from the woman-warrior who challenged +him thus. The whole camp was listening; and +being unable, in spite of his giant frame and +well-known record, to cite a greater deed than +hers, he retreated with as good a grace as pos- +sible. Thus Eyatonkawee recounted her brave +deed for the first time, in order to save a man's +life. From that day her name was great as a +peace-maker--greater even than when she had +first defended so gallantly her babe and home! + +Many years afterward, when she had at- +tained middle age, this woman averted a serious +danger from her people. + +Chief Little Crow the elder was dead, and as +he had two wives of two different bands, the +succession was disputed among the half-brothers +and their adherents. Finally the two sons of +the wife belonging to the Wabashaw band +plotted against the son of the woman of the +Kaposia band, His-Red-Nation by name, after- +ward called Little Crow--the man who led the +Minnesota massacre. + +They obtained a quantity of whisky and made +a great feast to which many were invited, in- +tending when all were more or less intoxicated +to precipitate a fight in which he should be +killed. It would be easy afterward to excuse +themselves by saying that it was an accident. + +Mendota, near what is now the thriving city +of Saint Paul, then a queen of trading-posts +in the Northwest, was the rendezvous of the +Sioux. The event brought many together, for +all warriors of note were bidden from far and +near, and even the great traders of the day +were present, for the succession to the chieftain- +ship was one which vitally affected their inter- +ests. During the early part of the day all +went well, with speeches and eulogies of the +dead chief, flowing and eloquent, such as only +a native orator can utter. Presently two goodly +kegs of whisky were rolled into the council +teepee. + +Eyatonkawee was among the women, and +heard their expressions of anxiety as the voices +of the men rose louder and more threatening. +Some carried their children away into the woods +for safety, while others sought speech with their +husbands outside the council lodge and besought +them to come away in time. But more than +this was needed to cope with the emergency. +Suddenly a familiar form appeared in the door +of the council lodge. + +"Is it becoming in a warrior to spill the blood +of his tribesmen? Are there no longer any +Ojibways?" + +It was the voice of Eyatonkawee, that strong- +hearted woman! Advancing at the critical mo- +ment to the middle of the ring of warriors, she +once more recited her "brave deed" with all +the accompaniment of action and gesture, and +to such effect that the disorderly feast broke +up in confusion, and there was peace between +the rival bands of Sioux. + +There was seldom a dangerous quarrel among +the Indians in those days that was not precipi- +tated by the use of strong liquor, and this sim- +ple Indian woman, whose good judgment was +equal to her courage, fully recognized this fact. +All her life, and especially after her favorite +brother had been killed in a drunken brawl in +the early days of the American Fur Company, +she was a determined enemy to strong drink, +and it is said did more to prevent its use among +her immediate band than any other person. Be- +ing a woman, her sole means of recognition was +the "brave deed" which she so wonderfully +described and enacted before the people. + +During the lifetime of She-whose-Voice-is- +heard-afar--and she died only a few years ago +--it behooved the Sioux men, if they drank at +all, to drink secretly and in moderation. There +are many who remember her brave entrance +upon the scene of carousal, and her dramatic +recital of the immortal deed of her youth. + +"Hanta! hanta wo! (Out of the way!)" +exclaim the dismayed warriors, scrambling in +every direction to avoid the upraised arm of +the terrible old woman, who bursts suddenly +upon them with disheveled hair, her gown torn +and streaked here and there with what looks +like fresh blood, her leather leggins loose and +ungartered, as if newly come from the famous +struggle. One of the men has a keg of whisky +for which he has given a pony, and the others +have been invited in for a night of pleasure. +But scarcely has the first round been drunk to +the toast of "great deeds," when Eyatonkawee +is upon them, her great knife held high in her +wrinkled left hand, her tomahawk in the right. +Her black eyes gleam as she declaims in a voice +strong, unterrified: + +"Look! look! brothers and husbands--the Sacs and Foxes are upon us! +Behold, our braves are surprised--they are unprepared! +Hear the mothers, the wives and the children screaming in affright! + +"Your brave sister, Eyatonkawee, she, the newly made mother, +is serving the smoking venison to her husband, + +just returned from the chase! +Ah, he plunges into the thickest of the enemy! +He falls, he falls, in full view of his young wife! + +"She desperately presses her babe to her breast, +while on they come yelling and triumphant! +The foremost of them all enters her white buffalo-skin teepee: +Tossing her babe at the warrior's feet, she stands before him, defiant; +But he straightway levels his spear at her bosom. +Quickly she springs aside, and as quickly deals a deadly blow with her ax: +Falls at her feet the mighty warrior! + +"Closely following on comes another, +unknowing what fate has met his fellow! +He too enters her teepee, and upon his feather-decked head her ax falls-- +Only his death-groan replies! + +"Another of heroic size and great prowess, +as witnessed by his war-bonnet of eagle-feathers, +Rushes on, yelling and whooping--for they believe that victory is with them! +The third great warrior who has dared to enter Eyatonkawee's teepee uninvited, +he has already dispatched her husband! +He it is whose terrible war-cry has scattered her sisters +among the trees of the forest! + +"On he comes with confidence and a brave heart, +seeking one more bloody deed-- +One more feather to win for his head! +Behold, he lifts above her woman's head his battle-ax! +No hope, no chance for her life! . . . +Ah! he strikes beyond her--only the handle of the ax falls +heavily upon her tired shoulder! +Her ready knife finds his wicked heart,-- +Down he falls at her feet! + +"Now the din of war grows fainter and further. +The Sioux recover heart, and drive the enemy headlong from their lodges: +Your sister stands victorious over three! +"She takes her baby boy, and makes him count with his tiny +hands the first 'coup' on each dead hero; +Hence he wears the 'first feathers' while yet in his oaken cradle. + +"The bravest of the whole Sioux nation have given the war-whoop +in your sister's honor, and have said: +'Tis Eyatonkawee who is not satisfied with downing +the mighty oaks with her ax-- +She took the mighty Sacs and Foxes for trees, +and she felled them with a will!'" + + +In such fashion the old woman was wont to +chant her story, and not a warrior there could +tell one to surpass it! The custom was strong, +and there was not one to prevent her when she +struck open with a single blow of her ax the keg +of whisky, and the precious liquor trickled upon +the ground. + +"So trickles under the ax of Eyatonkawee the +blood of an enemy to the Sioux!" + + + + +VI + + +BLUE SKY + +Many years ago a large body of the +Sioux were encamped at midsummer +in the valley of the Cheyenne. It +was customary at that period for the Indians +to tie up their ponies over night within the +circle of the teepees, whenever they were in +disputed territory, for they considered it no +wrong to steal the horses of the enemy. Hence +this long procession of young men and maidens, +returning at sunset to the camp with great bun- +dles of green grass hanging gracefully from their +saddles! + +The "green grass parade" became a regular +custom, and in fact a full-dress affair, since it +was found to afford unusual opportunities for +courtship. + +Blue Sky, the pretty daughter of the Sioux +chief, put on her best doeskin gown trimmed +with elks' teeth, and investing her favorite +spotted pony with his beaded saddle-blanket, +she went forth in company with one of her +maiden friends. Soon two young warriors over- +took the pair; and as they approached they +covered their heads with their robes, exposing +only the upper part of the face disguised with +paint and the single eagle feather standing +upright. One carried a bow and quiver full of +arrows; the other, a war-club suspended from +his right arm. + +"Ah, hay, hun, hay!" saluted one of them; +but the modest maidens said never a word! It +was not their way to speak; only the gay calico +ponies pranced about and sportively threw back +their ears to snap at the horses of the two young +men. + +"'Tis a brave welcome your horses are giving +us!" he continued, while the two girls merely +looked at one another with perfect understand- +ing. + +Presently Matoska urged his pony close to +the Blue Sky's side. + +"It may be that I am overbold," he mur- +mured in her ear, "to repeat so soon my tale +of love! I know well that I risk a reprimand, +if not in words, then by a look or action!" + +He paused to note the effect of his speech; +but alas! it is the hard rule of savage courtship +that the maiden may with propriety and dignity +keep silence as long as she wishes, and it is often +exasperatingly long. + +"I have spoken to no maiden," he resumed, +because I wished to win the war-bonnet before +doing so. But to you I was forced to yield!" +Again he paused, as if fearing to appear unduly +hasty; but deliberate as were speech and man- +ner, his eyes betrayed him. They were full of +intense eagerness mingled with anxiety. + +"Sometimes I have imagined that I am in the +world with you alone, traveling over the prairie +of life, or sitting in our lonely white teepee, +as the oriole sits with his mate before their +swaying home. Yet I seemed to be never lonely, +because you were there!" He finished his plea, +and with outward calmness awaited her reply. + +The maiden had not lost a word, but she was +still thinking. She thought that a man is much +like the wind of the north, only pleasant and +comfortable in midsummer! She feared that +she might some time have to furnish all the fuel +for their love's fires; therefore she held her +peace. Matoska waited for several minutes and +then silently withdrew, bearing his disappoint- +ment with dignity. + +Meanwhile the camp was astir with the re- +turning youths and maidens, their horses' sides +fringed with the long meadow grass, singing +plaintive serenades around the circular rows of +teepees before they broke up for the night. + +It was a clear and quiet night; the evening +fires were kindled and every teepee transformed +into an immense Chinese lantern. There was +a glowing ring two miles in circumference, with +the wooded river bottom on one side and the +vast prairie on the other. The Black Hills +loomed up in the distance, and the rapids of the +wild Cheyenne sent forth a varying peal of +music on the wind. The people enjoyed their +evening meal, and in the pauses of their talk +and laughter the ponies could be heard munch- +ing at the bundles of green grass just outside +the teepees. + +Suddenly a chorus of yells broke cruelly the +peace of the camp, followed by the dashing +charge of the Crow Indian horsemen! It was +met as bravely and quickly by the Sioux; and +in the clear, pale moonlight the dusky warriors +fought, with the occasional flash of a firearm, +while silent weapons flew thick in the air like +dragon-flies at sunset. + +The brave mothers, wives, and sisters gave +their shrill war-cry to inspire their men, and +show the enemy that even the Sioux women can- +not be daunted by such a fearful surprise! + +When the morning sun sent its golden shafts +among the teepees, they saw it through glisten- +ing tears--happy tears, they said, because the +brave dead had met their end in gallant fight +--the very end they craved! And among those +who fell that night was Brave Hawk, the hand- +some brother of the Blue Sky. + +In a few days the camp was moved to a point +further up the Cheyenne and deeper into the +bosom of the hills, leaving behind the deco- +rated grave lodges belonging to the honored +dead. A great council teepee was pitched, and +here the people met to credit those who had +earned them with the honors of the fight, that +they might thereafter wear the eagle feathers +which they had won. + +"The first honor," declared the master of +ceremonies, "belongs to Brave Hawk, who fell +in the battle! He it was who compelled the +Crows to retreat, when he bravely charged upon +them and knocked from his horse the Crow +chief, their war leader." + +"Ho, it is true!" exclaimed the warriors in +chorus. + +"The second honor," he resumed, "belongs +to Matoska, the White Bear!" + +"Hun, hun, hay!" interposed another, "it +is I, Red Owl, who touched the body of the +Crow chief second to Brave Hawk!" + +It was a definite challenge. + +"The warriors who witnessed the act give +the coup to Matoska, friend!" persisted the +spokesman. + +Red Owl was a brave youth and a close rival +of Matoska, both for war honors and for the +hand of the prettiest maiden in the tribe. He +had hoped to be recognized as one who fought +in defense of their homes by the side of Brave +Hawk; that would please the Blue Sky, he +thought; but the honor was conferred upon his +rival! + +There was a cloud of suppressed irritation on +his dusky face as he sullenly departed to his +own tent--an action which displeased the coun- +cil-men. Matoska had not spoken, and this +caused him to appear to the better advantage. +The worst of it was that Blue Sky herself had +entered the ring with the "orphan steed," as +it was called--the war-horse of her dead +brother, and had therefore seen and heard every- +thing! Tanagila, or Hummingbird, the beau- +tiful charger, decorated according to custom +with the honors won by his master, was led away +by the girl amidst resounding war-whoops. + +Unable to remain quiet, Red Owl went out +into the hills to fast and pray. It was sunset of +the next day when he again approached the +village, and behind a little ridge came suddenly +upon Matoska and the girl standing together. +It was the first time that they had met since +the "green grass parade," and now only by ac- +cident, as the sister of Brave Hawk was in deep +mourning. However, the lover had embraced +his opportunity, and the maiden had said that +she was willing to think of the matter. No +more words were spoken. + +That very night the council drum was struck +three times, followed by the warriors' cheer. +Everybody knew what that meant. It was an +invitation to the young men to go upon the +war-path against the Crows! + +Blue Sky was unconsciously startled by this +sudden announcement. For the first time in her +life she felt a fear that she could not explain. +The truth was that she loved, and was not yet +fully aware of it. In spite of her fresh grief, +she had been inexplicably happy since her last +meeting with Matoska, for she had seen in him +that which is so beautiful, so compelling in man +to the eyes of the woman who loves. He, too, +now cherished a real hope, and felt as if he +could rush into the thickest of the battle to +avenge the brother of his beloved! + +In a few days the war-party had reached the +Big Horn and sent out advance scouts, who re- +ported a large Crow encampment. Their hun- +dreds of horses covered the flats like a great +herd of buffalo, they said. It was immediately +decided to attack at daybreak, and on a given +signal they dashed impetuously upon the for- +midable camp. Some stampeded and drove +off a number of horses, while the main body +plunged into the midst of the Crows. + +But the enemy were not easily surprised. +They knew well the Sioux tactics, and there was +a desperate struggle for supremacy. War-club +was raised against war-club, and the death-song +of the arrow filled the air! Presently the Sioux +were forced to retreat, with the Crows in hot +pursuit, like wolves after their prey. + +Red Owl and Matoska had been among the +foremost in the charge, and now they acted as +a rear-guard, bravely defending the retreat of +their little army, to the admiration of the enemy. +At last a Crow raised his spear against Matoska, +who in a flash dismounted him with a stroke of +his oaken bow; but alas! the blow snapped +the bow-string and left him defenseless. At the +same instant his horse uttered a scream and fell, +throwing its rider headlong! + +There was no one near except Red Owl, who +clapped his heels to his pony and joined in the +retreat, leaving Matoska behind. He arose, +threw down his quiver, and advanced alone to +meet the oncoming rush of the Crows! + +The Sioux had seen him fall. In a few mo- +ments he was surrounded by the enemy, and +they saw him no more. + +The pursuit was stopped, and they paused +upon a hilltop to collect the remnant of their +force. Red Owl was the last to come up, and +it was observed that he did not look like himself. + +"Tell us, what were Matoska's last words?" +they asked him. + +But he silently dismounted and sent an arrow +through his faithful steed, to the astonishment +of the warriors. Immediately afterward he +took out his knife and stabbed himself to the +heart. + +"Ah!" they exclaimed, "he could not live +to share our humiliation!" + +The war-party returned defeated and cast +down by this unexpected ending to their adven- +ture, having lost some of their bravest and best +men. The camp was instantly thrown into +mourning. Many were in heavy grief, but none +was more deeply stricken than the maiden called +the Blue Sky, the daughter of their chief. + +She remained within her teepee and wept in +secret, for none knew that she had the right to +mourn. Yet she believed that her lover had +met with misfortune, but not death. Although +his name was announced among those warriors +who fell in the field, her own heart assured her +that it was not so. "I must go to him," she +said to herself. "I must know certainly whether +he is still among the living!" + +The next evening, while the village was yet +in the confusion of great trouble and sorrow, +Blue Sky rode out upon her favorite pony as +if to take him to water as usual, but none saw +her return! She hastened to the spot where +she had concealed two sacks of provisions and +her extra moccasins and materials for sewing. +She had no weapon, save her knife and a small +hatchet. She knew the country between the +Black Hills and the Big Horn, and knew that +it was full of perils for man and much more for +woman. Yet by traveling only at night and +concealing herself in the daytime she hoped to +avoid these dangers, and she rode bravely forth +on the trail of the returning warriors. + +Her dog, Wapayna, had followed the maiden, +and she was not sorry to have so faithful a +companion. She cautioned him not to bark at +or attack strange animals unless they attacked +first, and he seemed to understand the propriety +of remaining on guard whenever his mistress +was asleep. + +She reached the Powder River country in +safety, and here she had more than once to +pick her way among the buffaloes. These wily +animals seemed to realize that she was only a +woman and unarmed, so that they scarcely kept +out of her path. She also crossed the trails of +riders, some of them quite fresh, but was fortu- +nate enough not to meet any of them. + +At last the maiden attained the divide be- +tween the Tongue and the Big Horn rivers. +Her heart beat fast, and the sudden sense of her +strange mission almost overwhelmed her. She +remembered the only time in her life that the +Sioux were upon that river, and so had that bit +of friendly welcome from the valley--a recol- +lection of childhood! + +It was near morning; the moon had set and +for a short time darkness prevailed, but the +girl's eyes had by this time become accustomed +to the dark. She knew the day was at hand, +and with its first beams she was safely tucked +into one of those round turns left by the river +long ago in changing its bed, now become a +little grassy hollow sheltered by steep banks, +and hidden by a fringe of trees. Here she +picketed her pony, and took her own rest. Not +until the afternoon shadows were long did she +awake and go forth with determination to seek +for the battlefield and for the Crow encamp- +ment. + +It was not long before she came upon the +bodies of fallen horses and men. There was +Matoska's white charger, with a Sioux arrow in +his side, and she divined the treachery of Red +Owl! But he was dead, and his death had +atoned for the crime. The body of her lover +was nowhere to be found; yet how should they +have taken the bravest of the Sioux a cap- +tive? + +"If he had but one arrow left, he would stand +and fight! If his bow-string were broken, he +would still welcome death with a strong heart," +she thought. + +The evening was approaching and the Crow +village in plain sight. Blue Sky arranged her +hair and dress as well as she could like that of +a Crow woman, and with an extra robe she +made for herself a bundle that looked as if it +held a baby in its many wrappings. The com- +munity was still celebrating its recent victory +over the Sioux, and the camp was alive with +songs and dances. In the darkness she ap- +proached unnoticed, and singing in an under- +tone a Crow lullaby, walked back and forth +among the lodges, watching eagerly for any +signs of him she sought. + +At last she came near to the council lodge. +There she beheld his face like an apparition +through the dusk and the fire-light! He was +sitting within, dressed in the gala costume of a +Crow. + +"O, he is living! he is living!" thought the +brave maiden. "O, what shall I do?" Un- +consciously she crept nearer and nearer, until +the sharp eyes of an Indian detected the slight +difference in her manner and dress, and he at +once gave the alarm. + +"Wah, wah! Epsaraka! Epsaraka! A +Sioux! A Sioux!" + +In an instant the whole camp had surrounded +the girl, who stood in their midst a prisoner, +yet undaunted, for she had seen her lover, and +the spirit of her ancestors rose within her. + +An interpreter was brought, a man who was +half Crow and half Sioux. + +"Young and pretty daughter of the Sioux!" +exclaimed the chief, "tell us how you came here +in our midst undetected, and why!" + +"Because," replied the Blue Sky, "your +brave warriors have slain my only brother, and +captured my lover, whom you now hold a pris- +oner. It is for his sake that I have thus risked +my life and honor!" + +"Ho, ho! You are the bravest woman I +have ever seen. Your lover wag betrayed into +our hands by the treachery of one of his own +tribe, who shot his horse from behind. He +faced us without fear, but it was not his courage +that saved his life. He resembles my own son, +who lately fell in battle, and according to the +custom I have adopted him as my son!" + +Thus the brave maiden captured the heart +of the wily Crow, and was finally allowed to +return home with her lover, bearing many and +rich presents. Her name is remembered among +the two tribes, for this act of hers resulted in a +treaty of peace between them which was kept +for a generation. + + + + +VII + + +THE FAITHFULNESS OF LONG EARS + +Away beyond the Thin Hills, above the +Big Lone Tree upon the Powder River, +the Uncpapa Sioux had celebrated their +Sun Dance, some forty years ago. It was mid- +summer and the red folk were happy. They +lacked for nothing. The yellowish green flat +on either side of the Powder was studded with +wild flowers, and the cottonwood trees were in +full leaf. One large circle of buffalo skin tee- +pees formed the movable village. The Big +Horn Mountains loomed up against the deep +blue sky to the westward, and the Black Hills +appeared in the far southeast. + +The tribal rites had all been observed, and +the usual summer festivities enjoyed to the full. +The camp as it broke up divided itself in three +parts, each of which had determined to seek a +favorite hunting-ground. + +One band journeyed west, toward the Tongue +River. One followed a tributary of the Pow- +der to the south. The third merely changed +camp, on account of the grazing for ponies, +and for four days remained near the old +place. + +The party that went west did not fail to real- +ize the perilous nature of their wanderings, for +they were trespassing upon the country of the +warlike Crows. + +On the third day at sunrise, the Sioux crier's +voice resounded in the valley of the Powder, +announcing that the lodges must be razed and +the villagers must take up their march. + +Breakfast of jerked buffalo meat had been +served and the women were adjusting their +packs, not without much chatter and apparent +confusion. Weeko (Beautiful Woman), the +young wife of the war-chief Shunkaska, who +had made many presents at the dances in honor +of her twin boys, now gave one of her remain- +ing ponies to a poor old woman whose only +beast of burden, a large dog, had died during +the night. + +This made it necessary to shift the packs of +the others. Nakpa, or Long Ears, her kitten- +like gray mule, which had heretofore been hon- +ored with the precious burden of the twin babies, +was to be given a heavier and more cumbersome +load. Weeko's two-year-old spotted pony was +selected to carry the babies. + +Accordingly, the two children, in their gor- +geously beaded buckskin hoods, were sus- +pended upon either side of the pony's saddle. +As Weeko's first-born, they were beautifully +dressed; even the saddle and bridle were dain- +tily worked by her own hands. + +The caravan was now in motion, and Weeko +started all her ponies after the leader, while +she adjusted the mule's clumsy burden of ket- +tles and other household gear. In a mo- +ment: + +"Go on, let us see how you move with your +new load! Go on!" she exclaimed again, with +a light blow of the horse-hair lariat, as the an- +imal stood perfectly still. + +Nakpa simply gave an angry side glance at +her load and shifted her position once or twice. +Then she threw herself headlong into the air +and landed stiff-legged, uttering at the same time +her unearthly protest. First she dove straight +through the crowd, then proceeded in a circle, +her heels describing wonderful curves and +sweeps in the air. Her pack, too, began to +come to pieces and to take forced flights from +her undignified body and heels, in the midst of +the screams of women and children, the barking +of dogs, and the war-whoops of the amused +young braves. + +The cowskin tent became detached from her +saddle, and a moment later Nakpa stood free. +Her sides worked like a bellows as she stood +there meekly indignant, apparently considering +herself to be the victim of an uncalled-for mis- +understanding. + +"I should put an arrow through her at once, +only she is not worth a good arrow," said +Shunkaska, or White Dog, the husband of +Weeko. At his wife's answer, he opened his +eyes in surprised displeasure. + +"No, she shall have her own pack again. +She wants her twins. I ought never to have +taken them from her!" + +Weeko approached Nakpa as she stood alone +and unfriended in the face of her little world, +all of whom considered that she had committed +the unpardonable sin. As for her, she evidently +felt that her misfortunes had not been of her +own making. She gave a hesitating, sidelong +look at her mistress. + +"Nakpa, you should not have acted so. I +knew you were stronger than the others, there- +fore I gave you that load," said Weeko in a +conciliatory tone, and patted her on the nose. +"Come, now, you shall have your own pet +pack," and she led her back to where the young +pony stood silently with the babies. + +Nakpa threw back her ears and cast savage +looks at him, while Shunkaska, with no small +annoyance, gathered together as much as he +could of their scattered household effects. The +sleeping brown-skinned babies in their chrysalis- +like hoods were gently lowered from the pony's +back and attached securely to Nakpa's padded +wooden saddle. The family pots and kettles +were divided among the pack ponies. Order +was restored and the village once more in mo- +tion. + +"Come now, Nakpa; you have your wish. +You must take good care of my babies. Be +good, because I have trusted you," murmured +the young mother in her softest tones. + +"Really, Weeko, you have some common +ground with Nakpa, for you both always want +to have your own way, and stick to it, too! I +tell you, I fear this Long Ears. She is not to +be trusted with babies," remarked Shunkaska, +with a good deal of severity. + But his wife made no reply, for she well +knew that though he might criticise, he would +not actually interfere with her domestic ar- +rangements. + +He now started ahead to join the men in ad- +vance of the slow-moving procession, thus leav- +ing her in undivided charge of her household. +One or two of the pack ponies were not well- +trained and required all her attention. Nakpa +had been a faithful servant until her escapade +of the morning, and she was now obviously sat- +isfied with her mistress' arrangements. She +walked alongside with her lariat dragging, and +perfectly free to do as she pleased. + +Some hours later, the party ascended a slope +from the river bottom to cross over the divide +which lay between the Powder River and a trib- +utary stream. They had hitherto followed that +river in a westerly direction, but here it took +its course southward, winding in a blue streak +until lost to view among the foot-hills of the +Big Horn Mountains. The ford was deep, with +a swift current. Here and there a bald butte +stood out in full relief against the brilliant blue +sky. The Sioux followed a deep ravine until +they came almost up to the second row of +terraces. + +"Whoo! whoo!" came the blood-curdling +signal of danger from the front. It was no un- +familiar sound--the rovers knew it only too +well. It meant sudden death--or at best a cruel +struggle and frantic flight. + +Terrified, yet self-possessed, the women +turned to fly while yet there was time. Instantly +the mother looked to Nakpa, who carried on +either side of the saddle her precious boys. She +hurriedly examined the fastenings to see that +all was secure, and then caught her swiftest +pony, for, like all Indian women, she knew just +what was happening, and that while her hus- +band was engaged in front with the enemy, she +must seek safety with her babies. + +Hardly was she in the saddle when a heart- +rending war-whoop sounded on their flank, and +she knew that they were surrounded! Instinct- +ively she reached for her husband's second +quiver of arrows, which was carried by one of +the pack ponies. Alas! the Crow warriors were +already upon them! The ponies became un- +manageable, and the wild screams of women +and children pierced the awful confusion. + +Quick as a flash, Weeko turned again to her +babies, but Nakpa had already disappeared! + +Then, maddened by fright and the loss of her +children, Weeko became forgetful of her sex +and tenderness, for she sternly grasped her hus- +band's bow in her left hand to do battle. + +That charge of the Crows was a disastrous +one, but the Sioux were equally brave and des- +perate. Charges and counter-charges were +made, and the slain were many on both sides. +The fight lasted until darkness came. Then +the Crows departed and the Sioux buried their +dead. + +When the Crows made their flank charge, +Nakpa apparently appreciated the situation. To +save herself and the babies, she took a desperate +chance. She fled straight through the attack- +ing force. + +When the warriors came howling upon +her in great numbers, she at once started +back the way she had come, to the camp left +behind. They had traveled nearly three days. +To be sure, they did not travel more than fifteen +miles a day, but it was full forty miles to cover +before dark. + +"Look! look!" exclaimed a warrior, "two +babies hung from the saddle of a mule!" + +No one heeded this man's call, and his arrow +did not touch Nakpa or either of the boys, but +it struck the thick part of the saddle over the +mule's back. + +"Lasso her! lasso her!" he yelled once +more; but Nakpa was too cunning for them. +She dodged in and out with active heels, and +they could not afford to waste many arrows on +a mule at that stage of the fight. Down the +ravine, then over the expanse of prairie dotted +with gray-green sage-brush, she sped with her +unconscious burden. + +"Whoo! whoo!" yelled another Crow to +his comrades, "the Sioux have dispatched a +runner to get reinforcements! There he goes, +down on the flat! Now he has almost reached +the river bottom!" + +It was only Nakpa. She laid back her cars +and stretched out more and more to gain the +river, for she realized that when she had crossed +the ford the Crows would not pursue her far- +ther. + +Now she had reached the bank. With the +intense heat from her exertions, she was ex- +tremely nervous, and she imagined a warrior +beind every bush. Yet she had enough sense +left to realize that she must not satisfy her +thirst. She tried the bottom with her fore-foot, +then waded carefully into the deep stream. + +She kept her big ears well to the front as +she swam to catch the slightest sound. As she +stepped on the opposite shore, she shook herself +and the boys vigorously, then pulled a few +mouthfuls of grass and started on. + +Soon one of the babies began to cry, and the +other was not long in joining him. Nakpa did +not know what to do. She gave a gentle whinny +and both babies apparently stopped to listen; +then she took up an easy gait as if to put them +to sleep. + +These tactics answered only for a time. As +she fairly flew over the lowlands, the babies' +hunger increased and they screamed so loud that +a passing coyote had to sit upon his haunches +and wonder what in the world the fleeing long- +eared horse was carrying on his saddle. Even +magpies and crows flew near as if to ascertain +the meaning of this curious sound. + +Nakpa now came to the Little Trail Creek, +a tributary of the Powder, not far from the old +camp. No need of wasting any time here, she +thought. Then she swerved aside so suddenly +as almost to jerk her babies out of their cradles. +Two gray wolves, one on each side, approached +her, growling low--their white teeth show- +ing. + +Never in her humble life had Nakpa been +in more desperate straits. The larger of the +wolves came fiercely forward to engage her +attention, while his mate was to attack her be- +hind and cut her hamstrings. But for once the +pair had made a miscalculation. The mule used +her front hoofs vigorously on the foremost wolf, +while her hind ones were doing even more +effective work. The larger wolf soon went +limping away with a broken hip, and the one +in the rear received a deep cut on the jaw which +proved an effectual discouragement. + +A little further on, an Indian hunter drew +near on horseback, but Nakpa did not pause or +slacken her pace. On she fled through the long +dry grass of the river bottoms, while her babies +slept again from sheer exhaustion. Toward +sunset, she entered the Sioux camp amid great +excitement, for some one had spied her afar +off, and the boys and the dogs announced her +coming. + +"Whoo, whoo! Weeko's Nakpa has come +back with the twins! Whoo, whoo!" exclaimed +the men. "Tokee! tokee!" cried the women. + +A sister to Weeko who was in the village +came forward and released the children, as +Nakpa gave a low whinny and stopped. Ten- +derly Zeezeewin nursed them at her own moth- +erly bosom, assisted by another young mother +of the band. + +"Ugh, there is a Crow arrow sticking in the +saddle! A fight! a fight!" exclaimed the war- +riors. + +"Sing a Brave-Heart song for the Long-Eared +one! She has escaped alone with her charge. +She is entitled to wear an eagle's feather! Look +at the arrow in her saddle! and more, she has +a knife wound in her jaw and an arrow cut +on her hind leg.--No, those are the marks of +a wolf's teeth! She has passed through many +dangers and saved two chief's sons, who will +some day make the Crows sorry for this day's +work!" + +The speaker was an old man who thus ad- +dressed the fast gathering throng. + +Zeezeewin now came forward again with an +eagle feather and some white paint in her hands. +The young men rubbed Nakpa down, and the +feather, marked with red to indicate her wounds, +was fastened to her mane. Shoulders and hips +were touched with red paint to show her en- +durance in running. Then the crier, praising +her brave deed in heroic verse, led her around +the camp, inside of the circle of teepees. All +the people stood outside their lodges and lis- +tened respectfully, for the Dakota loves well to +honor the faithful and the brave. + +During the next day, riders came in from the +ill-fated party, bringing the sad news of the +fight and heavy loss. Late in the afternoon +came Weeko, her face swollen with crying, her +beautiful hair cut short in mourning, her gar- +ments torn and covered with dust and blood. +Her husband had fallen in the fight, and her +twin boys she supposed to have been taken cap- +tive by the Crows. Singing in a hoarse voice +the praises of her departed warrior, she entered +the camp. As she approached her sister's tee- +pee, there stood Nakpa, still wearing her hon- +orable decorations. At the same moment, +Zeezeewin came out to meet her with both +babies in her arms. + +"Mechinkshee! meechinkshee! (my sons, +my sons!)" was all that the poor mother could +say, as she all but fell from her saddle to the +ground. The despised Long Ears had not be- +trayed her trust. + + + + +VIII + + +THE WAR MAIDEN + +The old man, Smoky Day, was for +many years the best-known story-teller +and historian of his tribe. He it was +who told me the story of the War Maiden. +In the old days it was unusual but not unheard +of for a woman to go upon the war-path--per- +haps a young girl, the last of her line, or a +widow whose well-loved husband had fallen on +the field--and there could be no greater incen- +tive to feats of desperate daring on the part of +the warriors. +"A long time ago," said old Smoky Day, +"the Unkpapa and the Cut-Head bands of +Sioux united their camps upon a vast prairie +east of the Minne Wakan (now called Devil's +Lake). It was midsummer, and the people +shared in the happiness of every living thing. +We had food in abundance, for bison in count- +less numbers overspread the plain. + +"The teepee village was laid out in two great +rings, and all was in readiness for the midsum- +mer entertainments. There were ball games, +feasts and dances every day, and late into the +night. You have heard of the festivities of +those days; there are none like them now," said +the old man, and he sighed heavily as he laid +down the red pipe which was to be passed from +hand to hand during the recital. + +"The head chief of the Unkpapas then was +Tamakoche (His Country). He was in his +time a notable warrior, a hunter and a feast- +maker, much beloved by his people. He was +the father of three sons, but he was so anxious +to make them warriors of great reputation that +they had all, despising danger, been killed in +battle. + +"The chief had also a very pretty daughter, +whose name was Makatah. Since all his sons +were slain he had placed his affections solely +upon the girl, and she grew up listening to the +praises of the brave deeds of her brothers, which +her father never tired of chanting when they +were together in the lodge. At times Makatah +was called upon to dance to the 'Strong-Heart' +songs. Thus even as a child she loved the +thought of war, although she was the prettiest +and most modest maiden in the two tribes. As +she grew into womanhood she became the belle +of her father's village, and her beauty and spirit +were talked of even among the neighboring +bands of Sioux. But it appeared that Makatah +did not care to marry. She had only two am- +bitions. One was to prove to her father that, +though only a maid, she had the heart of a war- +rior. The other was to visit the graves of her +brothers--that is, the country of the enemy. + +"At this pleasant reunion of two kindred peo- +ples one of the principal events was the Feast +of Virgins, given by Makatah. All young +maidens of virtue and good repute were invited +to be present; but woe to her who should dare +to pollute the sacred feast! If her right to be +there were challenged by any it meant a public +disgrace. The two arrows and the red stone +upon which the virgins took their oath of chas- +tity were especially prepared for the occasion. +Every girl was beautifully dressed, for at that +time the white doeskin gowns, with a profusion +of fringes and colored embroidery, were the +gala attire of the Sioux maidens. Red paint was +added, and ornaments of furs and wampum. +Many youths eagerly surveyed the maiden gath- +ering, at which the daughter of Tamakoche out- +shone all the rest. + +"Several eligible warriors now pressed their +suits at the chieftain's lodge, and among them +were one or two whom he would have gladly +called son-in-law; but no! Makatah would not +listen to words of courtship. She had vowed, +she said, to the spirits of her three brothers-- +each of whom fell in the country of the Crows +--that she would see that country before she +became a wife. + +"Red Horn, who was something of a leader +among the young men, was a persistent and de- +termined suitor. He had urged every influential +friend of his and hers to persuade her to listen +to him. His presents were more valuable than +those of any one else. He even made use of +his father's position as a leading chief of the +Cut-Head band to force a decision in his favor; +and while the maiden remained indifferent her +father seemed inclined to countenance this +young man's pretensions. + +"She had many other lovers, as I have said," +the old man added, "and among them was one +Little Eagle, an orphan and a poor young man, +unknown and unproved as a warrior. He was so +insignificant that nobody thought much about +him, and if Makatah regarded him with any +favor the matter was her secret, for it is certain +that she did not openly encourage him. + +"One day it was reported in the village that +their neighbors, the Cut-Head Sioux, would or- +ganize a great attack upon the Crows at the +mouth of the Redwater, a tributary of the Mis- +souri. Makatah immediately inquired of her +male cousins whether any of them expected to +join the war-party. + +"'Three of us will go,' they replied. + +"'Then,' said the girl, 'I beg that you will +allow me to go with you! I have a good horse, +and I shall not handicap you in battle. I only +ask your protection in camp as your kinswoman +and a maid of the war-party.' + +"'If our uncle Tamakoche sanctions your +going,' they replied, 'we shall be proud to have +our cousin with us, to inspire us to brave +deeds!' + +"The maiden now sought her father and +asked his permission to accompany the war- +party. + +"'I wish,' said she, 'to visit the graves of my +brothers! I shall carry with me their war-bon- +nets and their weapons, to give to certain young +men on the eve of battle, according to the an- +cient custom. Long ago I resolved to do this, +and the time is now come.' + +"The chief was at this time well advanced +in years, and had been sitting quite alone in his +lodge, thinking upon the days of his youth, when +he was noted for daring and success in battle. +In silence he listened as he filled his pipe, and +seemed to meditate while he smoked the fra- +grant tobacco. At last he spoke with tears in +his eyes. + +"'Daughter, I am an old man! My heart +beats in my throat, and my old eyes cannot keep +back the tears. My three sons, on whom I had +placed all my hopes, are gone to a far country! +You are the only child left to my old age, and +you, too, are brave--as brave as any of your +brothers. If you go I fear that you may not +return to me; yet I cannot refuse you my per- +mission!" + +"The old man began to chant a war-song, +and some of his people, hearing him, came in to +learn what was in his mind. He told them all, +and immediately many young men volunteered +for the war-party, in order to have the honor +of going with the daughter of their chief. + +"Several of Makatah's suitors were among +them, and each watched eagerly for an oppor- +tunity to ride at her side. At night she pitched +her little teepee within the circle of her cousins' +campfires, and there she slept without fear. +Courteous youths brought to her every morning +and evening fresh venison for her repast. Yet +there was no courting, for all attentions paid to +a maiden when on the war-path must be those +of a brother to a sister, and all must be equally +received by her. + +"Two days later, when the two parties of +Sioux met on the plains, the maiden's presence +was heralded throughout the camp, as an in- +spiration to the young and untried warriors of +both bands to distinguish themselves in the field. +It is true that some of the older men considered +it unwise to allow Makatah to accompany the +war-party. + +"'The girl,' said they to one another, 'is +very ambitious as well as brave. She will surely +risk her own life in battle, which will make the +young men desperate, and we shall lose many +of them!' + +"Nevertheless they loved her and her father; +therefore they did not protest openly. + +"On the third day the Sioux scouts returned +with the word that the Crows were camping, +as had been supposed, at the confluence of the +Redwater and the Missouri Rivers. It was a +great camp. All the Crow tribe were there, +they said, with their thousands of fine horses. + +"There was excitement in the Sioux camp, +and all of the head men immediately met in +council. It was determined to make the attack +early on the following morning, just as the sun +came over the hills. The councilors agreed that +in honor of the great chief, her father, as well +as in recognition of her own courage, Makatah +should be permitted to lead the charge at the +outset, but that she must drop behind as they +neared the enemy. The maiden, who had one +of the fleetest ponies in that part of the country, +had no intention of falling back, but she did +not tell any one what was in her mind. + +"That evening every warrior sang his war- +song, and announced the particular war-charm +or 'medicine' of his clan, according to the cus- +tom. The youths were vying with one another +in brave tales of what they would do on the +morrow. The voice of Red Horn was loud +among the boasters, for he was known to be a +vain youth, although truly not without reputa- +tion. Little Eagle, who was also of the com- +pany, remained modestly silent, as indeed be- +came one without experience in the field. In +the midst of the clamor there fell a silence. + +"'Hush! hush!' they whispered. 'Look, +look! The War Maiden comes!' + +"All eyes were turned upon Makatah, who +rode her fine buckskin steed with a single lariat. +He held his head proudly, and his saddle was +heavy with fringes and gay with colored em- +broidery. The maiden was attired in her best +and wore her own father's war-bonnet, while +she carried in her hands two which had be- +longed to two of her dead brothers. Singing +in a clear voice the songs of her clan, she com- +pleted the circle, according to custom, before +she singled out one of the young braves for spe- +cial honor by giving him the bonnet which she +held in her right hand. She then crossed over +to the Cut-Heads, and presented the other bon- +net to one of their young men. She was very +handsome; even the old men's blood was stirred +by her brave appearance! + +"At daybreak the two war-parties of the +Sioux, mounted on their best horses, stood side +by side, ready for the word to charge. All of +the warriors were painted for the battle--pre- +pared for death--their nearly nude bodies deco- +rated with their individual war-totems. Their +well-filled quivers were fastened to their sides, +and each tightly grasped his oaken bow. + +"The young man with the finest voice had +been chosen to give the signal--a single high- +pitched yell. This was an imitation of the one +long howl of the gray wolf before he makes +the attack. It was an ancient custom of our +people. + +"'Woo-o-o-o!'--at last it came! As the +sound ceased a shrill war-whoop from five hun- +dred throats burst forth in chorus, and at the +same instant Makatah, upon her splendid buck- +skin pony, shot far out upon the plain, like an +arrow as it leaves the bow. It was a glorious +sight! No man has ever looked upon the like +again!" + +The eyes of the old man sparkled as he spoke, +and his bent shoulders straightened. + +"The white doeskin gown of the War +Maiden," he continued, "was trimmed with +elk's teeth and tails of ermine. Her long black +hair hung loose, bound only with a strip of +otter-skin, and with her eagle-feather war-bonnet +floated far behind. In her hand she held a long +coup-staff decorated with eagle-feathers. Thus +she went forth in advance of them all! + +"War cries of men and screams of terrified +women and children were borne upon the clear +morning air as our warriors neared the Crow +camp. The charge was made over a wide plain, +and the Crows came yelling from their lodges, +fully armed, to meet the attacking party. In +spite of the surprise they easily held their own, +and even began to press us hard, as their num- +ber was much greater than that of the Sioux. + +"The fight was a long and hard one. +Toward the end of the day the enemy made a +counter-charge. By that time many of our po- +nies had fallen or were exhausted. The Sioux +retreated, and the slaughter was great. The +Cut-Heads fled womanlike; but the people +of Tamakoche fought gallantly to the very +last. + +"Makatah remained with her father's peo- +ple. Many cried out to her, 'Go back! Go +back!' but she paid no attention. She carried +no weapon throughout the day--nothing but +her coup-staff--but by her presence and her cries +of encouragement or praise she urged on the +men to deeds of desperate valor. + +"Finally, however, the Sioux braves were +hotly pursued and the retreat became general. +Now at last Makatah tried to follow; but +her pony was tired, and the maiden fell farther +and farther behind. Many of her lovers passed +her silently, intent upon saving their own lives. +Only a few still remained behind, fighting des- +perately to cover the retreat, when Red Horn +came up with the girl. His pony was still fresh. +He might have put her up behind him and car- +ried her to safety, but he did not even look at +her as he galloped by. + +"Makatah did not call out, but she could not +help looking after him. He had declared his +love for her more loudly than any of the others, +and she now gave herself up to die. + +"Presently another overtook the maiden. It +was Little Eagle, unhurt and smiling. + +"'Take my horse!' he said to her. 'I shall +remain here and fight!' + +"The maiden looked at him and shook her +head, but he sprang off and lifted her upon his +horse. He struck him a smart blow upon the +flank that sent him at full speed in the direction +of the Sioux encampment. Then he seized the +exhausted buckskin by the lariat, and turned +back to join the rear-guard. + +"That little group still withstood in some +fashion the all but irresistible onset of the +Crows. When their comrade came back to +them, leading the War Maiden's pony, they +were inspired to fresh endeavor, and though +few in number they made a counter-charge with +such fury that the Crows in their turn were +forced to retreat! + +"The Sioux got fresh mounts and returned +to the field, and by sunset the day was won! +Little Eagle was among the first who rode +straight through the Crow camp, causing terror +and consternation. It was afterward remem- +bered that he looked unlike his former self and +was scarcely recognized by the warriors for the +modest youth they had so little regarded. + +"It was this famous battle which drove that +warlike nation, the Crows, to go away from the +Missouri and to make their home up the Yel- +lowstone River and in the Bighorn country. +But many of our men fell, and among them the +brave Little Eagle! + +"The sun was almost over the hills when the +Sioux gathered about their campfires, recounting +the honors won in battle, and naming the brave +dead. Then came the singing of dirges and +weeping for the slain! The sadness of loss was +mingled with exultation. + +"Hush! listen! the singing and wailing have +ceased suddenly at both camps. There is one +voice coming around the circle of campfires. It +is the voice of a woman! Stripped of all her +ornaments, her dress shorn of its fringes, her +ankles bare, her hair cropped close to her neck, +leading a pony with mane and tail cut short, she +is mourning as widows mourn. It is Makatah! + +"Publicly, with many tears, she declared her- +self the widow of the brave Little Eagle, +although she had never been his wife! He it +was, she said with truth, who had saved her peo- +ple's honor and her life at the cost of his own. +He was a true man! + +"'Ho, ho!' was the response from many of the older warriors; +but the young men, the lovers of Makatah, were surprised +and sat in silence. + +"The War Maiden lived to be a very old woman, +but she remained true to her vow. She never +accepted a husband; and all her lifetime +she was known as the widow of the brave Little Eagle." + + + +THE END + + + + +GLOSSARY + +A-no-ka-san, white on both sides (Bald Eagle). +A-tay, father. +Cha-ton'-ska, White Hawk. +Chin-o-te-dah, Lives-in-the-Wood. +Chin-to, yes, indeed. +E-na-ka-nee, hurry. +E-ya-tonk-a-wee, She-whose-Voice-is-heard-afar. +E-yo-tank-a, rise up, or sit down. +Ha-ha-ton-wan, Ojibway. +Ha-na-ka-pe, a grave. +Han-ta-wo, Out of the way! +He-che-tu, it is well. +He-yu-pe-ya, come here! +Hi! an exclamation of thanks. +Hunk-pa-tees, a band of Sioux. +Ka-po-sia, Light Lodges, a band of Sioux. +Ke-chu-wa, darling. +Ko-da, friend. +Ma-ga-ska-wee, Swan Maiden. +Ma-ka-tah, Earth Woman. +Ma-to, bear. +Ma-to-ska, White Bear. +Ma-to-sa-pa, Black Bear. +Me-chink-she, my son or sons. +Me-ta, my. +Min-ne-wa-kan, Sacred Water (Devil's Lake.) +Min-ne-ya-ta, By-the-Water. +Nak-pa, Ears or Long Ears. +Ne-na e-ya-ya! run fast! +O-glu-ge-chan-a, Mysterious Wood-Dweller. +Psay, snow-shoes. +Shunk-a, dog. +Shunk-a-ska, White Dog. +Shunk-ik-chek-a, domestic dog. +Ske-ske-ta-tonk-a, Sault Sainte Marie. +Sna-na, Rattle. +Sta-su, Shield (Arickaree). +Ta-ake-che-ta, his soldier. +Ta-chin-cha-la, fawn. +Tak-cha, doe. +Ta-lu-ta, Scarlet. +Ta-ma-hay, Pike. +Ta-ma-ko-che, His Country. +Ta-na-ge-la, Humming-Bird. +Ta-tank-a-o-ta, Many Buffaloes. +Ta-te-yo-pa, Her Door. +Ta-to-ka, Antelope. +Ta-wa-su-o-ta, Many Hailstones. +Tee-pee, tent. +Te-yo-tee-pee, Council lodge. +To-ke-ya nun-ka hu-wo? where are you? +Tunk-a-she-dah, grandfather. +Un-chee-dah, grandmother. +Unk-pa-pa, a band of Sioux. +U-ya-yo! come here! +Wa-ba-shaw, Red Hat (name of a Sioux chief). +Wa-ha-dah, Buyer of Furs. +Wah-pay-ton, a band of Sioux. +Wa-ho, Howler. +Wa-kan, sacred, mysterious. +Wak-pay-ku-tay, a band of Sioux. +Wa-pay-na, Little Barker. +Wee-ko, Beautiful Woman. +We-no-na, Firstborn Daughter. +We-sha-wee, Red Girl. +We-wop-tay, a sharpened pole. +We-yan-na, little woman. +We-zee, Smoky Lodge. +Yank-ton-nais, a band of Sioux. +Zee-zee-win, Yellow Woman. +Zu-ya-ma-ni, Walks-to-War. + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Etext of Old Indian Days + + diff --git a/old/inday10.zip b/old/inday10.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..731a457 --- /dev/null +++ b/old/inday10.zip |