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| author | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-04-09 23:59:49 -0700 |
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| committer | www-data <www-data@mail.pglaf.org> | 2026-04-09 23:59:49 -0700 |
| commit | 75f9119eb7326adcf6c8aacd0d4b86dd9e17a519 (patch) | |
| tree | 713e03e7610917017590651c11b018ae0f051215 /78411-h | |
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diff --git a/78411-h/78411-h.htm b/78411-h/78411-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ef8b64 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/78411-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,12613 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html> +<html lang="en"> +<head> + <meta charset="UTF-8"> + <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1"> + <title> + A warrior who fought Custer | Project Gutenberg + </title> + <link rel="icon" href="images/cover.jpg" type="image/x-cover"> + <style> + +body { + margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + +h1,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; +} + +h2 {clear: both;text-align: left; +} +h3 {clear: both;text-align: center; font-weight: normal; font-size: 110%; +} +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +hr { + width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: 33.5%; + margin-right: 33.5%; + clear: both; +} + +hr.chap {width: 65%; margin-left: 17.5%; margin-right: 17.5%;} +@media print { hr.chap {display: none; 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padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -.4em;} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +blockquote { + margin-top: 0; + margin-bottom: 0; + margin-left: 5%; + margin-right: 10%; +} + + +.center {text-align: center;} + +.right {text-align: right;} + +.smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + +.allsmcap {font-variant: small-caps; text-transform: lowercase;} + +figcaption {font-weight: normal;} +figcaption p {margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: .2em; text-align: inherit; text-indent: 0em;} + +/* Images */ + +img { + max-width: 100%; + height: auto; +} +img.w100 {width: 100%;} + + +.figcenter { + margin: auto; + text-align: center; + page-break-inside: avoid; + max-width: 100%; +} + + +/* Footnotes */ +.footnotes {border: 1px dashed;} + +.footnote {margin-left: 10%; margin-right: 10%; font-size: 0.9em;} + +.footnote .label {position: absolute; right: 84%; text-align: right;} + +.fnanchor { + vertical-align: super; + font-size: .8em; + text-decoration: + none; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding:0.5em; + margin-bottom:5em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; +} + +p { + margin-top: .51em; + text-align: justify; + text-indent: 1em; + margin-bottom: .49em; +} + +/* Transcriber's notes */ +.transnote {background-color: #E6E6FA; + color: black; + font-size:small; + padding: 2em; + margin-bottom:2em; + font-family:sans-serif, serif; +} + +.pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + color: #A9A9A9; + left: 92%; + font-size: small; + text-align: right; + font-style: normal; + font-weight: normal; + font-variant: normal; + text-indent: 0; +} /* page numbers */ + + +/*spacing between words and letters */ +.letter-sp1 {letter-spacing: .1em;} +.letter-sp2 {letter-spacing: .2em;} +.word-sp {word-spacing: .4em;} +.word-sp1 {word-spacing: .3em;} + +/* spacing */ +.phalfb {padding-bottom: .5em;} +.p1b {padding-bottom: 1em;} +.p1t {padding-top: 1em;} +.p2t {padding-top: 2em;} +.p4b {padding-bottom: 4em;} +.p50l {padding-left: 50%;} +.p2r {padding-right: 2em;} +.phalfl {padding-left: .5em;} +.p1l {padding-left: 1em;} + +.linesp {line-height: 1.5em;} /*this is to make more space between lines in a span*/ + + +/* font size */ +.fs275 {font-size: 275%;} +.fs175 {font-size: 175%;} +.fs150 {font-size: 150%;} +.fs125 {font-size: 125%;} +.fs110 {font-size: 110%;} +.fs100 {font-size: 100%;} +.fs90 {font-size: 90%;} +.fs80 {font-size: 80%;} +.fs75 {font-size: 75%;} +.fs60 {font-size: 60%;} + +/*tables*/ +.botalign {vertical-align: bottom;} + +/* font style */ +.fnormal {font-weight: normal;} +.boldfont {font-family: Impact, sans-serif;} + + +/* width */ +.wd100 {width: 100%;} + +/* Illustration classes */ +.illowe5 {width: 5em;} +.illowp60 {width: 60%;} + +/* hovers */ +.corr { + text-decoration: none; + border-bottom: thin dashed blue + } + + +/* paragraphs */ +.hanging { + padding-left: 2em; + text-indent: -2em + } + +.left {text-align: left;} +.noindent {text-indent:0em;} + +/*ebook */ +.x-ebookmaker .illowp60 {width: 80%;} +.illowp100 {width: 100%;} + </style> +</head> +<body> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78411 ***</div> + + + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_frontispiece" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_frontispiece.jpg" alt="Wooden Leg holding a rifle"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Wooden Leg, a warrior who fought Custer, holding a + rifle captured by a Cheyenne companion warrior at + Custer’s last battle</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<h1 class="boldfont fs275 letter-sp1 word-sp"> +A WARRIOR WHO<br> +FOUGHT CUSTER</h1> +<p class="noindent center boldfont letter-sp1 word-sp"> +Interpreted by</p> +<p class="noindent center boldfont fs150 letter-sp1 word-sp"> +THOMAS B. MARQUIS</p> +<hr class="r5"> +<hr class="r5thick"> +<p class="noindent center boldfont letter-sp2 fs125 p1b p1t"> +<i>Illustrated</i></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowe5" id="colophon"> + <img class="w100" src="images/colophon.jpg" alt="Colophon"> +</figure> +<p class="noindent center boldfont fs150 letter-sp1 word-sp p1t"> +MINNEAPOLIS<br> +THE MIDWEST COMPANY<br> +MCMXXXI +</p> +<hr class="r5thickbot"> +<hr class="r5bot"> + +</div> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> + +<div class="chapter"> +<p class="center p4b linesp"> +<span class="smcap">Copyright, 1931, by</span><br> +THE MIDWEST COMPANY</p> +<p class="center"> +Printed in the United States +</p> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <p class="word-sp1 noindent allsmcap phalfb"> + “I OFTEN THINK THAT IF I WERE AN INDIAN I WOULD GREATLY + PREFER TO CAST MY LOT AMONG THOSE OF MY PEOPLE WHO + ADHERED TO THE FREE OPEN PLAINS RATHER THAN SUBMIT TO THE + CONFINED LIMITS OF A RESERVATION, THERE TO BE THE RECIPIENT + OF THE BLESSED BENEFITS OF CIVILIZATION, WITH ITS VICES + THROWN IN WITHOUT STINT OR MEASURE.” + </p> +</div> + +<blockquote> +<p class="noindent fs80 word-sp1">—<i>From page 18 of General Custer’s book</i>, <span class="smcap">My Life on the Plains</span>, +<i>published 1876, a few months before his death</i>.</p> +</blockquote> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_v">[Pg v]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak left fnormal fs110" id="The_Authors_Statement"> + <i>The Author’s Statement.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The Indian story of Custer’s last battle has never +been told, except in a few fragmentary interviews +that have been distorted into extravagant fiction. +There were no white men survivors of that most +thrilling of American frontier tragedies, so the +veteran hostile red warriors have exclusive possession +of the key to the mystery as to how it happened.</p> + +<p>The present author, sixty-one years old and a resident +of Montana throughout the past forty-one +years, decided in 1922 to apply himself at probing +into this matter. He served a few months as +agency physician for the Northern Cheyennes, a +tribe allied with the Sioux in the annihilation of +Custer. Since then, the investigator has been in +close association with these Indians. He has learned +the old-time plains Indian sign-talk to a degree enabling +him to dispense with interpreters, except in +rare instances. He has held out continual invitation +for Custer-battle veteran warriors to visit his +home, partake of his food and smoke his tobacco. +After a long siege, they began to come. Later, they +began to talk, but only a little. Still later, after they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vi">[Pg vi]</span>had found out that this ingratiating white man was +not scheming to entrap them into fatal admissions, +they told the whole story. Not only did they answer +all questions, but they added spontaneous information +concerning every detail of the battle and of the +entire hostile Indian movements during that eventful +summer of 1876.</p> + +<p>Sixteen hundred of these Montana Cheyennes +were with the Sioux horde in the battle camps beside +the Little Bighorn river. All of the Sioux were +settled soon afterward in the Dakotas, and they +stayed there. The Cheyennes were located on a reservation +in the heart of the region where had been +the conflicts. During the subsequent more than fifty +years they have viewed over and over the central +historic spots. Thus they have kept their memories +fresh or have kept each other prompted into true +recollections. This advantageous condition has rendered +them the best of first-hand authorities. Up to +late 1930, seventeen Cheyennes who were adult +warriors at Custer battle were yet alive.</p> + +<p>Wooden Leg became the author’s favorite narrator. +It seemed that his lifetime biography should +surround his special battle story, so that readers +might learn what kind of people were the hostile Indians +of that day. Hour after hour, on scores of +different occasions in recent years, the elderly white +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_vii">[Pg vii]</span>man doctor has sat enthralled by the well-connected +and vivid sign-talk recountings of this companion so +congenial. Wooden Leg’s gestures often were supplemented +by his dainty pencil drawings and by his +sketched maps—papers now treasured as precious +documents. A few stray English words from his extremely +scant vocabulary of them were besprinkled +through the efforts at full expression.</p> + +<p>The principal story-teller’s statements of essential +facts have been amalgamated with those of his fellow +tribesmen who fought as companions with him. +Groups of them, with him as the leader, took the +author many times into assemblage. Thus all points +of importance have been checked and corroborated +or corrected. The helpers have been Limpy, Pine, +Bobtail Horse, Sun Bear, Black Horse, Two Feathers, +Wolf Chief, Little Sun, Blackbird, Big Beaver, White +Moon, White Wolf, Big Crow, Medicine Bull, the +younger Little Wolf and other old men, as well as +some old women and a few Sioux, all of whom were +with the hostile Indians when Custer came.</p> + +<p class="right p2r"> + <span class="smcap">Thomas B. Marquis</span>, M.D. +</p> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal left fs110" id="Contents"> + <i>Contents.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + + +<table class="autotable wd100"> +<tr> +<th class="tdr" style="width:4em">CHAPTER</th> +<th class="tdl"></th> +<th class="tdr">PAGE</th> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#I">I</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Boyhood Wild Days</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">1</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr p2r"><a href="#II">II</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Roamers in the Game Lands</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">20</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#III">III</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Cheyenne Ways of Life</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">56</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#IV">IV</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Worshiping the Great Medicine</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">123</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#V">V</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Off the Reservation</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">155</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#VI">VI</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Swarming of Angered Indians</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">177</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#VII">VII</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Soldiers from the Southward</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">193</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#VIII">VIII</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">On the Little Bighorn</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">208</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#IX">IX</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">The Coming of Custer</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">217</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#X">X</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">The Spoils of Battle</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">258</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XI">XI</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l"><ins class="corr" title="Transcriber’s Note—Original text: 'Roving after the Victory'" id="tn-toc">Rovings after the Victory</ins></span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">272</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XII">XII</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Surrender of the Cheyennes</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">295</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XIII">XIII</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Taken to the South</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">310</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XIV">XIV</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Home Again on Tongue River</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">325</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XV">XV</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">A Tamed Old Man</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">348</td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"><a href="#XVI">XVI</a></td> +<td class="tdl"> <span class="smcap p1l">Clearing the Docket</span></td> +<td class="tdr botalign">375</td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal left fs110" id="Illustrations"> + <i>Illustrations.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + + +<table class="autotable fs90 wd100"> +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Wooden Leg, a warrior who fought Custer, holding a rifle +captured by a Cheyenne companion warrior at Custer’s last battle</td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><i><a href="#i_frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></i></td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr" colspan="2"><span class="fs75">FACING PAGE</span></td> +</tr> + + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Stone pen used by old-time Indians as lookout shelter for +sentinel. This one is on a hill overlooking Tongue river, near Ashland, Montana</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_028fp">28</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Cheyenne women setting up a tepee</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_076fp">76</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">A Cheyenne sweat lodge</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_112fp">112</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">A Cheyenne woman tanning</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_112fpb">112</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Wooden Leg making Custer battle drawings for the author</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_220fp">220</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Limpy, a Cheyenne veteran of Custer’s last battle, standing +at the Little Bighorn ford where the Indians crossed to meet the Custer soldiers</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_240fp">240</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Big Beaver, a veteran Cheyenne warrior, standing at the +spot where he saw the last Custer soldier killed, June 25, 1876</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_296fp">296</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> + +<td class="tdj">Wooden Leg, his wife and their daughter, in 1914</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_360fp">360</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr"> </td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdc fs110" colspan="3">MAPS</td> + +</tr> + +<tr> + +<td class="tdj">Camp sites and other salient points in vicinity of Custer battlefield, Montana</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_387">387</a></td> +</tr> + +<tr> +<td class="tdj">Sketch map of hostile Indians’ course of travel in Montana, 1876</td> +<td class="tdr"></td> +<td class="tdr botalign"><a href="#i_389">389</a></td> +</tr> +</table> + + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</span></p> + + + <p class="center fs175" > + <b>A WARRIOR WHO FOUGHT + CUSTER</b> + </p> + + + + +<h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="I"> + <span class="p50l">I</span><br> + <i>Boyhood Wild Days.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Seventy-three years ago (1858) I was born when +my people were camped by the waters of the Cheyenne +river, in the Black Hills. Both of my parents +were of the Northern Cheyenne tribe of Indians. My +father had two names, as often is the case among us. +He sometimes was called Many Bullet Wounds, because +of such marks of warfare on his body. But +his preferred name was White Buffalo Shaking Off the +Dust. My mother’s name was Eagle Feather on the +Forehead. Marriage during the old Indian days did +not change any woman’s name, so all through her +lifetime this same term was used for her.</p> + +<p>My father’s father went to Washington, as a delegate +from our tribe, before I was born. He was known +as No Braids. The differing words to indicate my +grandfather, my father, my mother, and myself show +our old way of keeping individuality, regardless of +parentage or marriage. My brothers and sisters each +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</span>had a name different from mine and from our father +and mother.</p> + +<p>I was known, during my boyhood, as Eats From +the Hand. But this baby name was set aside during +my youth. The change came about in this manner:</p> + +<p>On a certain occasion, many years before my birth, +the Cheyennes were camped on the western side of +the middle part of Powder river. At this same time +the Crows were assembled on a branch of what now +is known as the Mizpah river, which flows into the +lower part of the Powder river. They were only two +or three days of travel from our camp. The Cheyennes +organized a war party and went to fight the +Crows. As a result of the battle the Cheyennes +captured five Crow women and one boy about ten +years old. The women were made wives for their +captors. The boy was adopted as a son of one of +them. All of these captives stayed permanently thereafter +with our people.</p> + +<p>The Crow boy liked Eagle Feather on the Forehead, +who then was only a little older than he. He +said, “This girl is my sister.” She accepted him as +a brother. In later years the girl was married to +White Buffalo Shakes Off the Dust, and these became +my parents. The Crow boy came to manhood and +married a Cheyenne girl. Myself and my brothers +and sisters were taught to look upon him as our uncle, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</span>since he had been an adopted brother of my mother. +He was an admirable man, brave and capable. All of +the Cheyennes had a high regard for him. He knew +he was born a Crow, but he never showed any desire +to leave us for returning to them. He went, though, +to the Southern Cheyennes, following the great warrior +Roman Nose. He died there, in Oklahoma, a +very old man.</p> + +<p>This Crow-Cheyenne Indian man was a wonderful +traveler on foot. Even as a boy he could outwalk +and wear down most of the young men who journeyed +with him. His capabilities in this regard were so +noticeable that people said: “His legs must be made +of wood, since he never becomes tired.” Then they +fixed upon him a name, Kum-mok-quiv-vi-ok-ta—Wooden +Leg.</p> + +<p>I also was a youthful wonder in the matter of +walking. By the time I was fifteen years old I could +go all day following in the footsteps of my uncle +Wooden Leg. I was tall and gaunt, and I grew yet +taller in young manhood. Friends began jokingly +to apply to me the name of this enduring uncle, who +then had become a middle-aged or elderly man. I +liked the name, I liked the man who bore it, and I +liked the honor of comparison with him. I told my +father I wished to be known as Wooden Leg. It was +a common custom to pass down names to junior relatives. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</span>My father told me that when the right time +came he would confer upon me the new name. The +time came when I was about seventeen years old.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes then were camped far up the +Tongue river, on a small creek branch at its western +side. It was in winter, there was deep snow and the +weather was cold. One morning we discovered that +twenty of our horses were missing. A blizzard was +whirling, so we could only get glimpses of the trail +of the thieves. We supposed them to be Crow Indians, +of course. Thirteen Cheyennes, including +myself, mounted ponies and set off in pursuit. We +struggled all day through the blinding snowstorm. +We got the general direction of the trail, so we kept +on going during all of the succeeding night. None +of us slept. The following morning was clear, but +a cold north breeze was sifting the snow along as if +it were sand. We then were far up the valley of the +Little Bighorn river.</p> + +<p>We saw two Indians driving a band of horses out +of the valley and upon the benches to the westward. +It was evident they were Crows urging our lost animals +toward their camp west of the Bighorn. We approached +them as rapidly as possible while concealing +our presence. When we arrived on the benchland +we found the two men had stopped in a sheltered +gulch, had dismounted and were preparing to light +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</span>their pipe for a smoke. We charged upon them. +One of them got to his horse and dashed away, but +Black Eagle’s rifle brought him down dead. The +other one was surrounded and cut to death with +knives and hatchets. We got back all of our horses +and their two horses in addition.</p> + +<p>My companions informed my father that I had +shown great bravery in rushing upon and helping to +dispatch our Crow enemy. My father gave a feast +to honor me, and at this feast he proclaimed: “Henceforth +the name of this son of mine is Wooden Leg.”</p> + +<p>As a little boy I used to ride in a travois basket +when the tribe moved camp. Two long lodgepoles +were crossed over the shoulders or tied to the sides +of a horse. Thus they were dragged over the country. +Buffalo skins were used to stretch across between the +widely gaping poles behind the horse. Upon or into +these bagging skins were placed all of the family +property, in rawhide satchels or as separate loose +articles. The smaller children also rode there. I +have fond recollections of this kind of traveling. +Many an hour I have slept in that kind of gentle bed. +Roads were not needed for this kind of vehicle. A +travois can be taken anywhere a horse will go, and +there never is any jolting. The spring of the poles +and the skin takes up all of the shocks.</p> + +<p>When I was six years old I asked my father: “Will +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</span>you give me a horse?” “Yes, you may have any +horse of mine that you want, but you must catch +him,” he replied. He gave me a rawhide lariat rope. +He and my mother and some other older people +laughed about it, but I took the matter seriously. +With the lariat looped and coiled I went out among +the herd to search for horses belonging to my father. +I selected a small pony as being my choice. I maneuvered +a long time before I could get the loop about +its neck. It struggled, but I hung on. When it +quieted down I followed carefully along the line, talking +soothingly, until it allowed me to pat its neck. +After a while I got into its mouth and around its +lower jaw a loop of the rawhide, according to the old +Indian way of making a bridle. When it had calmed +after this new advance I began to make strokes upon +its back. Then I tucked the long coil into my belt, +the same as I had seen men do, and I climbed quickly +upon the little animal. It shied, and I fell off. But +I still had my rope, this uncoiling from my belt as +the pony moved away. I seized the tether and followed +again its guidance to the coveted mount. +More petting and soothing talk. Another attempt at +riding. Off again. Before making a third try I spent +a long time at the gentle taming procedures. Nevertheless, +the pony shied and then bucked after I had +mounted it. But I grabbed its mane and stuck to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</span>my seat. Within a few minutes I had control. I rode +to my father’s lodge.</p> + +<p>“Yes, that is your pony, to keep,” he told me.</p> + +<p>Bands of us boys went out at times on horseback +to hunt wolves. We had only the bows and arrows. +We killed many wolves with the arrows. My father +had given me a good bow and a supply of arrows when +I was nine or ten years old. We then were in the +Black Hills country.</p> + +<p>The only trading post I ever saw during those years +was somewhere on the Geese river.⁠<a id="FNanchor_1_1" href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> The trader +was known to us as Big Nosed White Man. I was +twelve years old the first time I went there, and I +never was at any other trading place during those +times. My father got me a rifle at this place. It +used powder and bullets and caps, not cartridges. +I learned how to make bullets for it.</p> + +<p>I recollect very clearly one certain boyhood hunting +experience. We were camped on Otter creek +about two miles from the present white man town of +Ashland, Montana, situated by the Tongue river. It +was midwinter, the snow was deep, the weather was +cold. My mother said to me: “We have no meat.”</p> + +<p>Another boy and I set off for a hunt. We were +about the same age, fifteen years old. We each had +on a shirt, leggings and moccasins, all of buckskin +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</span>or other skin. The leggings had no seat in them, as +was the Indian way of clothing the lower limbs. We +had no head coverings nor any mittens for our hands. +Although we were accustomed to hardship, this was +a cold day for us. We waded and wallowed through +snow up to our knees and our thighs. I had my +muzzle-loading rifle and a bow and arrows. My companion +had only his bow and arrows.</p> + +<p>A brush rabbit sat huddled under a shelter in a +brier patch. I fumbled out an arrow and placed it +upon the bow. My numb fingers scarcely could hold +the arrow alone, surely could not draw the bow to +a tensity enough for accurate shooting. The arrow +missed. I rubbed and slapped together my hands to +make them warm and mobile. Then I strung another +pointed missile and took a careful aim. This time +the rabbit’s body was perforated. We laid it beside +our trail and went on in pursuit of more game.</p> + +<p>We saw four buffaloes on the land where now +stand the Mennonite missionary houses. They also +saw us, and they ran away. They crossed Tongue +river on the ice, and soon afterward we got a view of +them clambering up the hillside beyond the river and +going on to the timbered benchland out of our sight. +No chance to shoot at them. We trudged on, though, +rubbing and pounding our hands and our bodies in +order to keep from freezing. We crossed the river +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</span>on the ice and came out from the bordering timber +near the present-day home of my friend Joe Crow.</p> + +<p>A deer jumped out and stood looking at us. The +first shot from my rifle brought it down. We rushed +to it and cut its throat. We hurriedly cut open the +body and jammed our hands inside, to get them warm. +Many a time I have done that same thing in other instances. +After this limbering of the fingers we +skinned the animal and cut off all of the meat from +the bones. The meat was wrapped into the skin, then +we set off on the back trail for the home camp. We +took turns at carrying the burden. As we plodded +along we paused to pick up the dead rabbit. About +dark we arrived at our lodges, very tired but contented.</p> + +<p>On another winter hunt I went alone. My mother +said, “We have no meat.” So I took a packhorse +and started out. The snow was deep. I led the +horse as I walked, to keep warm. It was a long and +tiresome day. I was becoming discouraged when I +found the tracks of a buffalo. I followed them, and +finally I got into the right position and killed the animal +with a rifle. It was hard work, me alone skinning +off the hide, cutting off the meat, rolling the +bundle and packing my horse. I got through with it, +though, and set out for the home lodge. My legs +carried me there, but it was after dark when I gave +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</span>the horse’s leading rope to my mother. All of our +family laughed in joy, for we had plenty of meat.</p> + +<p>But I was in great bodily distress. I was snow-blind +and the soles of my feet were frozen. The firelight +dazzled my eyes to the utmost painfulness. My +feet tortured me as they began to get warm in the +comfortable lodge. My mother sent for the doctor, +a medicine man named Red Bear. He got snow and +rubbed the soles of my feet. He took snowflakes between +his lips, puffed flicks of them into my eyes, +and also he flipped snowflakes from his fingertips +into my eyes. Pretty soon I felt much better. Before +he went away that night I was entirely cured. He +was a wise medicine man for sick people. Many of +our doctors in the old times made wonderful cures.</p> + +<p>One time when I was on a hunting trip with others +in the Bighorn mountains I saw an eagle capture and +carry away a buffalo calf. The big bird took the +little animal far up to the top of a cliff, where there +was an eagle nest. We sat on our horses and +watched, to see what would happen. Ordinarily a +capturing eagle would drop its prey from high in the +air, so it would be killed by the fall to the ground. +But this did not happen in this case. As long as +we stayed there watching, we still could see the +buffalo calf standing up there on the cliff and wiggling +its tail.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</span></p> + +<p>A band of soldiers fought our Cheyennes back and +forth across a river one time when I was seven or +eight years old. It was the Lodgepole river, near +where it flows into Geese river. Members of our +Crazy Dog warrior society did all of our fighting that +day. The Elk warriors and the Fox warriors stayed +back with the body of our people who were looking +on. My father belonged to the Elk warriors, so he +was an onlooker. Roman Nose and High-Backed +Wolf were the specially brave Crazy Dogs on that +day.</p> + +<p>The Shoshones, the Crows and the Pawnees were +the tribes we fought most during my time of growing +up to manhood. The Pawnees, though, were too +far away from the regions where I spent a large part +of my early life—the Black Hills, the Powder, +Tongue and Bighorn countries. So my own youthful +warrior experiences were mostly in combat against +the Crows and the Shoshones. One incident out of +many in this kind of warfare will show how it was +carried on.</p> + +<p>A band of Shoshones came at night and stole some +of our horses. We were camped on a divide between +the upper part of Tongue river and the Little Bighorn. +Deep snow and winter weather. I then was +sixteen years old. I went with the party of Cheyennes +who took the trail of the thieves. After traveling +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</span>all day and into the night we found a small camp +of Shoshones. Most of them, alarmed by their dogs, +had fled when we made our attack upon them. But +repeated shots kept coming from one certain lodge. +We concentrated our assault upon this lodge. Two +Cheyennes were killed and another one mortally +wounded before we could suppress this destructive +defense. White Wolf, eleven years older than I was +and yet living as my neighbor on Tongue river, was +the brave warrior who dealt the fatal blow to that +Shoshone. White Wolf crept along the ground and +into the lodge. He had in his right hand a six-shooter. +It was totally dark in there, and he +fumbled about the interior, seeking whomsoever he +might find. His gun bumped into somebody, and he +pulled the trigger. Later developments revealed +this was the only occupant of the lodge. The victim +was an old man. He was the only Shoshone we killed +in that fight, so far as we could learn. But we won +the battle and got back our horses.</p> + +<p>We cut up the body of the old Shoshone man. We +cut off his hands, his feet, his head. We ripped open +his breast and his belly. I stood there and looked at +his heart and his liver. We tore down the lodge, built +a bonfire of it and its contents and piled the remnants +of the dead body upon this bonfire. We stayed there +until nothing was left but ashes and coals.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</span></p> + +<p>The Cheyennes during my youth associated much +with the Ogallala Sioux, the Arapahoes and the +Minneconjoux Sioux. Many Cheyennes learned the +speech of these other tribes, and in turn they had +many members who used ours. Most of my outside +mingling was with the Ogallalas. By the time I was +grown to full stature I could talk Sioux about as well +as I could talk Cheyenne. I still can use either language.</p> + +<p>Forty army mules were brought into our camp on +Rosebud creek when I was about nine years old. +Three Cheyennes got them. These three were +Wrapped Braids, Old Bear and Pipe, a half-man-and-half-woman +Cheyenne. They had chased away a lone +soldier herding the mules near a soldier fort on the +Bighorn river.⁠<a id="FNanchor_2_2" href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> There were many attacks on this +and other forts by the Cheyennes and the Sioux, but +I was too young to take part in them.</p> + +<p>Some Crow chiefs visited our camp on Rosebud +creek. The Crows were our enemies, but our people +treated these visitors well, as was the Indian custom +when enemies came peaceably. After a feast and a +smoke had been given them they told our chiefs that +the big chief of the soldiers at the Bighorn fort had +sent them to make peace with us and invite us to join +the Crows and the soldiers in warring against the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</span>Sioux. They said the soldiers would give us lots of +presents if we would be friendly with them. All of +our camp moved over there. We were given some +blankets, many boxes of crackers, and our women +received beads and other gifts. We then went back +to the Rosebud valley. I do not know what was done +about making peace, but I know that our young men +warriors kept on doing as they had been doing.</p> + +<p>Another soldier fort that was being fought by the +Ogallala Sioux and some of the Cheyennes was on +what we called Buffalo creek.⁠<a id="FNanchor_3_3" href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> Little Wolf was +then our most important old man chief. Crazy Head +was next in importance among us. Red Cloud was +the leading old man chief of the Ogallalas, with Crazy +Horse as their principal warrior chief. At a time +when our whole tribe were in camp on Rosebud creek, +just below the mouth of Lame Deer creek, and when +the Ogallalas were on Tongue river, just below where +Birney, Montana, is now situated, some of their +people came over the divide to us and asked the +Cheyennes to join them in a great attack on the Buffalo +creek fort. Our chiefs considered the matter. +It was decided that whatever young men of us might +wish to go would be allowed to do so. Our camp +then was moved up Lame Deer creek to the base +of the divide, a short day’s ride from the Ogallalas +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</span>on Tongue river. Our great medicine man, Crazy +Mule, showed that he could cause bullets shot at him +to fall harmless at his feet. A hundred or more of +our young men said they could go to fight the soldiers +if Crazy Mule would go with them. He agreed to +go. Our second chief, Crazy Head, led the band of +warriors. Little Wolf stayed in our camp.</p> + +<p>My oldest brother, named Strong Wind Blowing, +was killed in that midwinter battle with the soldiers.⁠<a id="FNanchor_4_4" href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> +He was about sixteen years old. Chief Little Wolf’s +younger brother also was killed. These two were the +only Cheyennes who fell that day. I do not know +how many Sioux may have been cut down by the +soldier bullets, but I believe there were not many. +Our returning warriors said that more than a hundred +white men lost their lives, that Crazy Mule’s +medicine caused them to fall down dead without need +for the Indians to kill them.⁠<a id="FNanchor_5_5" href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> There was rejoicing +in our camp on account of the victory. But our +family and all relatives of the two dead Cheyennes +were in mourning. We wept and prayed for the +spirits of our lost ones.</p> + +<p>Some time after that battle a half-breed Indian +came as a messenger from the soldier fort chief to +the Cheyennes. He said, “Come, friends, and let us +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</span>have peace.” Little Wolf told us we ought to go, so +the whole tribe moved near to them. Little Wolf +and others of our chiefs had a council with the soldier +chiefs. The big chief of the soldiers said to Little +Wolf: “We are going away from this country. I +give to you all of these soldier houses. Your people +may live in them and learn how to cultivate the +land.” A separate council of our chiefs was held. +They replied, “Yes, we will take the houses.”</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes were pleased. “That one will be +my house,” some one of them would say, pointing +out a certain building. “I want that one,” another +would claim, indicating some other structure. But +Little Wolf was not satisfied. He meditated and expressed +his disapproval. “We can not live here,” +he urged. “It is impossible for Indians to live in the +same houses all the time and get enough buffalo and +other meat to sustain them.” The women especially +implored him to change his mind. The question was +settled fully one morning when Little Wolf set fire +to the fort. He went from building to building, +carrying his firebrands. He did not cease his efforts +until the entire evidence of white man occupation was +in ashes.⁠<a id="FNanchor_6_6" href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a></p> + +<p>Little Wolf had been a big tribal chief, the most +influential one, for about two years before that time. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</span>In his earlier manhood years he was for a long time +chosen over and over again as the leading chief of +the Elk warrior society. If during his time any +Cheyenne was looked upon as the bravest man of all, +he was the man. He never was afraid to speak the +truth. The people all believed him. He was a gentle +and charitable man, but if insulted to anger he was +likely to hurt somebody. In either disturbed or undisturbed +mood everybody knew he meant just what +he said. He was my uncle by marriage, one of his +two wives being a sister of my father. He used to +tell me many thrilling stories, both at his lodge and +at my father’s lodge. I recall one in particular, +when he had a hand-to-hand combat with a Shoshone. +Each had a sheathknife. They grappled and +wrestled and slashed one another. Finally Little +Wolf pinioned the arms of the Shoshone, threw him +to the ground, plunged upon him and stabbed him to +death. He gave me a great deal of good advice, both +as to warfare and as to how to carry myself uprightly +as a man among my own people. My conduct all +throughout my life has been influenced by his teachings, +more than by those of any other preceptor except +my own father.</p> + +<p>I think my body grew more rapidly than did my +mind. By the time I was eighteen years old I was +among the tallest men of the tribe. I believe there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</span>were but two who stood a little above me. Both of +these two were killed in the great battle against the +soldiers of Custer. Then remained myself and Tall +Bull as the two topmost in stature. We were the same +in height, were about the same age, but he was distinctly +the heavier. We were close associates during +youth and manhood. He died at Lame Deer eight or +ten years ago. I do not know by any measurement +just what was my height when I was a young man. +I think I have grown shorter as old age has crept +upon me. My friend the white man doctor measures +me now at six feet two inches and weighs me at 235 +pounds.</p> + +<p>Our tribe during my growing years moved here +and there throughout the region between the Black +Hills and the Bighorn mountains and Bighorn river. +We never went north of the Elk river (the Yellowstone) +except on two occasions when some of the +tribe went across for only a few days each time. The +places of crossing were just above and just below +the mouth of the Bighorn. Only one time was the +tribal camp circle made west of the Bighorn river. +We considered that country as belonging to the +Crows. Our war parties went there, but our campings +were eastward from this stream. I do not know +why we crossed to that side on this occasion. We +had been having a series of ceremonial dances at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</span>successive camping places, and it may be that this +invasion of Crow land was intended as a challenge.</p> + +<p>I was about fourteen years old, I believe. The +season was what in later life I have come to know +as June. It was the time for our usual early-summer +religious devotions. A medicine dance had been led +by White Horse, an old man, when we were just below +where Greasy Grass creek flows into the Little +Bighorn. We stayed there five sleeps. Then we +moved a few miles down the Little Bighorn, where +Crazy Mule led a buffalo dance. Camped there four +sleeps. Moved again down the Little Bighorn, this +time placing our camp circle on the exact spot where +it was located four years later, at the time we killed +all of the soldiers. Bear Sits Down gave a buffalo +dance at this place. Four sleeps here. The movement +was continued on down the Little Bighorn to +its mouth, where we crossed the Bighorn and set up +our camp circle on its west side. Here Brave Wolf +led a Great Medicine or Great Spirit dance, the ceremony +known to the white people as a sun dance. +Four sleeps we stayed here, then we crossed back to +the east side of the Bighorn. That was the only +time our people as a tribe ever crossed that river.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_1_1" href="#FNanchor_1_1" class="label">[1]</a> North Platte river.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_2_2" href="#FNanchor_2_2" class="label">[2]</a> Fort C. F. Smith.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_3_3" href="#FNanchor_3_3" class="label">[3]</a> Fort Phil Kearny, on Little Piney creek.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_4_4" href="#FNanchor_4_4" class="label">[4]</a> Fort Phil Kearny fight, December, 1866.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_5_5" href="#FNanchor_5_5" class="label">[5]</a> Suicidal acts, to avoid capture alive?—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_6_6" href="#FNanchor_6_6" class="label">[6]</a> Autumn, 1868.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="II"> + <span class="p50l">II</span> + <br> + <i>Roamers in the Game Lands.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The first agency for our Northern Cheyennes that +I heard anything about was said to have been at +the mouth of the Cheyenne river, east of the Black +Hills. But I never was there. Afterward it was +located south of the Black Hills, near the present +Pine Ridge agency for the Ogallala Sioux. I have +been told the white people called this the Red Cloud +agency, but the Cheyennes knew it as the White +River agency. I was at this place two times, but +only for a few days in each instance. My father’s +family was almost all of the time with other Cheyennes +moving about over the country between the +Black Hills and the Bighorn river. Here we hunted +the game and the enemy Crows and Shoshones, and +here we lived in every way the life of the plains Indians +of those times. It was not an idle existence. +We were busy much of the time, fighting our enemies +or gathering food and clothing and sheltering +skins.</p> + +<p>As we were camped on lower Tongue river, when +I was about nine years old, one morning a herald +startled the people by his cry:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</span></p> + +<p>“Our horses all are gone!”</p> + +<p>There followed a lively stir among the young men. +A party of them, mounted on a few horses that had +been overlooked by the raiders, hurried away on the +trail. A thin snow helped them. In the late afternoon +they caught up with the lost herd, apparently +abandoned. But after a search of the vicinity they +discovered that somebody was in a canyon cave there. +One of the Cheyennes crawled into the cave, in an +endeavor to verify the supposition. The verification +came in the form of an arrow that hit him in the +right eye. He quickly backed out. “Everybody +bring wood,” the Cheyenne leader ordered. They +built a fire at the cave’s opening. With blankets +they fanned the flames and the smoke into the hole. +The prisoners fanned outward and thrust sticks at +the fire heap to push it away. “Bring more wood,” +the leader called. The one-sided contest went on +until two Crow Indian men burst out from the cave +almost suffocated and in desperation. The first one +out was beaten and stabbed to death by the surrounding +Cheyennes. The second one got past +them, sprang upon one of their horses and dashed +away. The Cheyennes pursued him. He happened +to mount a slow animal, so it was not long before +the chase developed into a beating by pony whip +handles. The Crow suddenly jerked his mount to a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</span>standstill. At the same moment he flashed out his +sheathknife and made a vicious sidewise stab. The +blade buried itself in the breast of a Cheyenne, who +fell dead. The other Cheyennes rushed upon the +Crow. In a twinkling he had received many death +blows from various weapons. Somebody scalped +him, and then they cut off his feet, hands and head. +I was not with this party, but I was in the camp. +I heard all about it when they returned.</p> + +<p>I saw the killing of another Crow, though, when +we were at this same camp on Tongue river. One +morning a Cheyenne horse was discovered dragging +a rawhide lariat looped about its lower jaw. This +was peculiarly the Crow way of bridling a horse, the +Sioux and Cheyennes ordinarily making a headstall +and mouth bit with the rope. Evidently some Crow +had captured our horse and it had escaped from +him during the night. There was a scurrying out to +inspect and count our herd. Apparently no others +were missing. The inquiry was directed then toward +an examination of the ground on the outskirts +of the area where the ponies were grazing. Three +strange horses had come from the hills to the westward +and gone away in a gallop. Another trail was +of human footprints, these imprinted as if the maker +of them had been lame and had been using a stick +for support. This trail led to a hillside cliff. There +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</span>under the shelter of an overhanging stone roof lay +a Crow Indian man apparently dead or sound asleep. +A Cheyenne leveled his rifle at close range and fired. +The Crow partly jumped up to a sitting attitude and +then fell back dead. Investigation showed him to +have a broken leg and a broken arm. The horse +he had captured was not well tamed, and it had +bucked him off. Perhaps it first had carried him +away from his companions, and perhaps either he +or the horse had made a noise that might have +alarmed the camp, whereupon the two other marauders +had abandoned him and fled. As I now reflect +back sixty years, I pity that unfortunate Crow +Indian. But at that time I felt no pity.</p> + +<p>Nine Crows came and stole a band of our horses +at a time when we were camped far up the Tongue +river. I then was about sixteen years old. I joined +the pursuing party of Cheyennes. We rode fast and +far, following the trail over hills and valleys toward +the Bighorn river. Some of our horses, including +mine, played out. Four of us turned to go back +while the others went on after the Crows. Porcupine +was the oldest of my returning group of four. Night +was coming upon us, so we stopped to sleep and to +rest our horses. During the night a sound of moving +horses awakened us. We kept quiet, listening +and looking. Porcupine saw someone on horseback +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</span>about a hundred yards distant from us. He called +out a challenge: “Cheyenne? Crow?” The rider +lashed his mount to dash away. Porcupine fired his +rifle in the direction of the fleeing prowler. We +learned nothing then of the outcome of this incident. +But several months later an Arapaho friend told us +of the ending. He had been hunting in this region, +and right where we had slept that night he found +the dead body of a Crow shot through from back +to front.</p> + +<p>The others who had gone on after the Crows driving +our herd caught up with them just below the old +soldier fort on the Bighorn river. My older brother +was with them, and he told me what happened there. +The horse band was across on the west side, and four +Crows were having a playful time at bathing in the +river. They were swimming, splashing, joking, +laughing. The dozen or more Cheyennes kept themselves +hidden and hurriedly dressed themselves for +a fight while their horses rested a few minutes. Then +they burst into their war-songs and charged into the +water upon the surprised and defenseless bathers. +Three Crows were killed, one escaped. All of our +horses were recovered and three of theirs were added +to the band. The third Crow killed was an old man, +but he was very active. He dodged, jumped, dived. +But the Cheyennes had too many spears jabbing at +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</span>him and too many bullets flying toward him. My +brother’s six-shooter put the fatal blow upon him.</p> + +<p>The following year, when our tepees were assembled +on the west side of Tongue river just across +from the mouth of Hanging Woman creek, my father +and I went out one day to get an antelope. He was +about to shoot at one when the animal and some +others with it suddenly ran away. We were hidden, +so it seemed certain their fright came from someone +else. We crept and peeped. Pretty soon we saw a +group of Indian hunters on horseback.</p> + +<p>“They are Crows,” my father excitedly whispered.</p> + +<p>Oh, what clever dodging we did! We got to our +horses, mounted them, kept them moving through +gullies and brushy spots until we reached the home +camp. A band of Cheyennes joined us to attack the +Crows. At a long distance off we followed them +until our horses tired out. By this time we were +at the upper branches of the Rosebud. We gave up +the chase. Nobody hurt.</p> + +<p>Great herds of buffalo west of the Bighorn used +to draw the Cheyennes over into that Crow country +for the hunt. We camped on the eastern side, but +our hunting parties crossed the river and went as +far as Shooting at the Bank creek.⁠<a id="FNanchor_7_7" href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> Each hunter led +one or more pack horses to carry the meat and skins +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</span>taken. Many times I have swam the Bighorn or +some other river while holding in my teeth the leading +rope of my riding pony. The pack horse rope +would be held in the same way or might be tied to +the tail of this leader. My clothing would be compressed +into a bundle and strapped to the back of +my head.</p> + +<p>As we were camped on the east side of the Bighorn, +about two years before the great Custer battle, three +Crows were seen one day chasing antelope on our +side of the river. Report of their presence there was +brought to our camp. An old man herald mounted +his pony and went about the camp circle calling out:</p> + +<p>“Crows are after our antelope herds. They may +steal our horses.”</p> + +<p>Six Cheyenne young men got their war clothing +packs, mounted their war ponies and set out to find +the bold Crows. I was not with them, but a special +friend of mine was one of the pursuing party and +he told me of their experience. They crossed the +Bighorn river just below where had been the soldier +fort. During the course of the pursuit they killed +two Crows. The third one was followed on to the +main Crow camp beside Shooting at the Bank creek. +The six Cheyennes lingered there to spy upon the +camp. The lingering was a little too extended, for +soon they found themselves engaged in a fight with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</span>a much larger band of Crows. A Cheyenne wearing +a double tailed warbonnet had his horse shot down, +then the man himself was shot through the thigh, +this disability rendering him an easy mark for fatal +blows that soon fell upon him. A second Cheyenne +was killed by arrows or bullets. A third one met +death by the same means. The other three escaped +and made their way back to our side of the river and +to the home camp circle.</p> + +<p>During this same summer the Crows made a raid +one night on our horse herd. Of course, when daylight +revealed the situation a war party of Cheyennes +went out for revengeful retaliation. I was not in +camp at this time, being on a hunting trip toward +the mountains, but Braid told me of what happened. +He was one of the band of avenging Cheyennes. The +Crows drove all of the horses to their camp on Shooting +at the Bank creek. The Cheyennes hid themselves +to watch for some opportunity for reprisal. +But the crafty Crows evidently discovered them or +had planned thus to entrap them. Notice came only +when a horde of them charged out for a fight. Two +of the Crows were killed and two Cheyennes also met +death. Braid’s horse was shot down and he himself +was hit by a bullet that broke the bones in the lower +part of one of his legs. A companion on horseback +took Braid up behind him and the two got away into +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</span>safety. All of the Cheyennes then fled from the field. +Braid is yet alive, at the age of eighty-nine years, his +home being on the Rosebud side of this Tongue River +reservation. The white people call him Arthur +Brady.</p> + +<p>About a year before these events just related a +big camp of Cheyennes was located on the Little Bighorn +a short distance below where Greasy Grass creek +empties into it. Fresh footprints of unknown horses +near the camp site aroused suspicion. Crows? Shoshones? +People conjectured. An old man herald +rode about and notified everybody. That night all +of the horses were brought into the camp circle and +picketed among the lodges. Many watchful people +slept lightly or awakened from time to time and +peered out from the tepee flaps. Last Bull, asleep +in a small tepee with his wife, was startled by the +snorting of a mule he had picketed near by. The +mule snorted again, then a third time. Last Bull +saw a human form crawling along toward his mule. +The aroused man had no gun, so he crept under his +tepee wall and into the next one, there to borrow a +six-shooter from an old woman.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_028fp"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_028fp.jpg" alt="A stone pen overlooking the Tongue river"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Stone pen (in foreground) used by old-time Indians + as lookout shelter for sentinel. This one is on a hill + overlooking Tongue river, near Ashland, Montana</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Fire Wolf saw the wriggling form cut the rope and +move off leading the mule. He bravely jumped out, +without any weapon, and seized the intruder. They +grappled and struggled. The stranger had a rifle. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</span>During the scuffle it was discharged. The noise +aroused the camp. Cheyennes came running. Cries +rang out:</p> + +<p>“Kill the Crow! Kill the Crow!”</p> + +<p>The thief jerked out a sheathknife and stabbed +Fire Wolf again and again until the Cheyenne had +to let loose his hold. The freed man sprang to +his feet and ran, leaving the mule. A shot from Last +Bull’s borrowed six-shooter brought him down. A +dozen Cheyennes closed in upon him and beat him +to death. Fire Wolf had some bad knife wounds, +but he recovered. The clothing, the bodily decorations +in general and the mode of hair dressing revealed +the dead Indian as being not a Crow. He +was a Flathead, perhaps a visitor among the Crows +or a member of a band visiting and hunting with +them.</p> + +<p>A battle with the Shoshones was fought near the +headwaters of Powder river when I was about fifteen +years old (1873). A small band of Cheyennes had +their lodges a day’s journey farther up the river from +the main body of the tribe. I was with the small +band. Four or five Shoshones came at night to our +little camp and stole our horses. We walked to the +main camp and told of the raid. All were for immediate +war against the whole Shoshone tribe. “Kill +all of the Shoshones,” was the common cry. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</span>main camp moved on up the river to our small encampment. +There preparations were made for the +warfare. That very night thirty-two Shoshone warriors +came into the view of our night sentinels. Evidently +the enemies had planned to wipe out our little +band, not knowing of the presence now of the whole +tribe.</p> + +<p>The sentinels raised an alarm. Yet the Shoshones +did not offer to retreat until they found themselves +overwhelmed by a great body of our warriors. Their +horses were tired from the journey to our camp while +ours were just taken from their picket ropes. Perhaps +the raiders had been saying, “We shall kill all +of the Cheyennes here,” but now they plunged their +horses into a long and deep canyon in their effort to +get away from us. The Cheyennes strung themselves +all along both sides of the canyon. Shooting was +kept up during the balance of the night and until +an hour or more after daylight. Two of the enemy +escaped. Thirty of them were killed in the canyon. +Seven of our Cheyennes also lost their lives. We +recovered the horses the four had stolen. This fight +was on a small creek flowing into the west side of +Powder river from the mountains near by.</p> + +<p>White Bull was leading a hunting party one time +in the Elk river country. I was yet a small boy, so +I was not with them. Their scouts observed the distant +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</span>herds of buffalo excited. Crows? Shoshones? +White soldiers? The Cheyennes hid themselves for +the night. In the early morning they found moccasin +tracks by a creek. The moccasin trail led to +a Blackfeet camp. There the Cheyennes stirred up +a fight, but I believe nobody was killed. The great +warrior Roman Nose rode back and forth in front +of the Blackfeet and defied them. All of them were +said to have shot at him without a bullet or arrow +having harmed him. He had a powerful spirit or +medicine protection for himself. White Bull had +taught him this medicine.</p> + +<p>Soldiers got after a small band of mingled Cheyennes +and Sioux near the Black Hills one time. We +were running away when a Cheyenne was killed. +Two Sioux, another Cheyenne and myself went back +to recover his dead body. We got off our horses and +crept over a hill. We four took our dead companion +by his hands and feet and dragged him over the knoll. +There we rolled him into a blanket and we took the +four corners. Bullets were whistling all about us. +The blanket ripped and the body fell through the +opening. We again took hold of the hands and feet, +and in this way we got him to our horses and delivered +him to his own people.</p> + +<p>Several months before the great battle with Long +Hair (General Custer) and his soldiers, some Cheyennes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</span>coming from the agency on White river told +us that the white men were going to come out and +fight us. As parties went out for hunting, a lookout +was kept for these white enemies. My brother, myself +and two other Cheyenne young men went on a +special scouting journey. We were camped then far +up the Powder river. At night we four slept out +in the open country. Early in the morning a fifth +Cheyenne came to us. “Soldiers are near us,” he +said. We learned our horses were missing. The +soldiers had taken them. We all ran away afoot. +We scattered in different directions, except my +brother and me, who went together into a canyon. +Soldiers rode along on both sides of the canyon and +shot at us. We shot back at them, first using up our +bullets and then resorting to our arrows. We kept +creeping along the canyon. The soldiers gradually +dropped away. We were not harmed nor did we +know of our having harmed any of them. When +they left us we carefully worked our way on up the +canyon and over a hill toward our camp. Breathing +hard, almost exhausted, frightened to the verge of +collapse, we stopped for a few minutes of rest. Then +we hurried on. At the outskirts of the camp circle +we paused to send a warning wolf howl. The people +all gathered about us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</span></p> + +<p>“What has happened?” they asked.</p> + +<p>We told of our experience. At the same time the +other returned young men were giving the same kind +of information. The chiefs ordered everybody to +pack up, and the camp was moved far on down the +Powder river. Some of us stayed back to watch the +soldiers. One night I saw them in their camp. Two +sentinels were walking back and forth near their +horses. I or any of my companions could have killed +either or both of them. But this would have endangered +our people, so we did nothing of that kind. +We stole back our horses, though. I got the same +horse they had taken from me a few nights before +this. Our camp kept on moving, and the soldiers +never found us on this hunt.</p> + +<p>A great band of Southern Cheyennes came for a +visit to us in the Black Hills about two years before +the Custer battle on the Little Bighorn. All of us +joined together then for a long hunting journey to the +westward, to the Powder river, the Tongue and the +Little Bighorn. Many thousands of buffalo, deer, +antelope. Many skins, much meat, everybody happy +and prosperous and in health. On the Little Bighorn +river we had one day of Great Medicine thanksgiving +dancing just below the mouth of Greasy Grass +creek. Further down the valley the camp divided, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</span>half of the people going northwestward to trouble the +Crows while the other half took a southwestward +course toward the country of the Shoshones.</p> + +<p>I went to the Shoshone country. We did not see +any of those Indians, but a few of us saw their agency. +We saw also the soldier houses there. We kept clear +of the soldiers, and I think they never knew we were +in that region until after we had gone. We rounded +up and drove off a herd of white man cattle and killed +every beef. Game was scarce there, and we needed +the food.</p> + +<p>We followed the mountains to upper Powder river, +where we joined again with the Cheyennes who had +separated from us on the Little Bighorn. After a +few days of feasting in the great combined camp, +there began to be departures in bands, bands, bands, +for return to the agency south of the Black Hills. +My small remaining group went to Otter creek, a +tributary of the lower Tongue river. Good hunting, +lots of game, on this creek. We followed it to its +head and moved on eastward to Powder river. We +went up that stream and diverted to the Little Powder +river. Here other Cheyennes came to us. Then +more arrived, and yet more. Again a great band of +us were roaming together.</p> + +<p>An early autumn snowstorm in the upper Powder +river region put a check upon our great summer +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</span>movements. Separations came again. Indians went +back again to the agency for the winter. My band +moved over to the upper Tongue river. Here, only a +short distance down that stream from the present +white man town of Sheridan, Wyoming, buffalo in +great throngs were feeding. We had but to kill and +eat. As I now think back upon those days, it seems +that no people in the world ever were any richer than +we were. That is all anybody actually needs—a good +shelter, plenty of food, plenty of fuel, plenty of good +water. We stayed all winter in this vicinity. My +father and his family never cared to live at the agency.</p> + +<p>In every herd of buffaloes the adult males were +about equal in size and of the same dark brown color. +All buffalo cows likewise were about equal in size, +smaller than the bulls. The sucking calves were of +yellow color. At the age of one year they began to +change to the darker yellow and then to brown and +dark brown or black.</p> + +<p>A white buffalo was killed by the Cheyennes on a +branch of the upper Powder river. That was when +I was a boy, about the time the soldier fort was there. +Many Cheyennes were after the animal, but Left +Handed Shooter killed it. Such animal was regarded +as a spirit being or a “medicine” animal. The assembled +Cheyennes stood back from this one in respectful +awe. Left Handed Shooter could not persuade +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</span>anyone to help him in skinning it. He alone +took the hide from the whole body, separating off +the head and horns.</p> + +<p>Four medicine women were called to Left Handed +Shooter’s lodge. They pegged down the sacred skin, +dried it, scraped it with their elkhorn scrapers, did +all of the work of tanning it as a robe with the hair +left on it. An old medicine man then took it to his +lodge. There he painted it. He put upon the smooth +inside many black suns, many black moons, many +stripes, all in groups of four, the Indian sacred +number.</p> + +<p>The painted skin then was hung upon a tall pole. +The horned head was put upon another pole near +by. All of the spirit men or medicine men came, all +of the people assembled. There were many long +prayers, to the Great Medicine above and to the spirits +below. Finally an old man announced:</p> + +<p>“We give this tanned white robe to the Great Medicine +above. We give the head and horns to the spirits +below.”</p> + +<p>The robe was taken down from the pole and was +carefully folded. Medicine men and women then respectfully +carried it with the head and horns to the +top of a hill. There these revered objects were left +as gifts to the unseen rulers of the Indian world. The +meat of the animal was not considered as sacred. It +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</span>was eaten, the same as if it were any other buffalo +flesh.</p> + +<p>After that time another white buffalo was seen and +chased by Cheyennes on Tongue river below the present +town of Sheridan, Wyoming. It was a fleet-footed +and long-winded animal. All of the Cheyenne horses +were exhausted in the chase. The coveted buffalo +escaped us, and I never heard of anyone having seen +it afterward.</p> + +<p>I killed a buffalo cow having white hair covering +the upper and inner thighs, the back part of the belly, +the udder, and having white teats. My mother took +great care in tanning it and made of it a fine robe +for me. It either was taken or was burned by the +soldiers who drove us from our camp on the Powder +river a few months before the Custer soldiers came.</p> + +<p>A black buffalo calf was killed by Exhausted Elk +far up the Tongue river. It being black instead of +the usual yellow color of the calves caused it to be +treated as a spirit animal. Four medicine women +tanned its skin, assembled medicine men held ceremonies, +the congregated people looked upon it with +veneration. The skin was painted and placed upon +a hill as a sacrifice gift to the Great Medicine, the +same as was done with the skin of the white buffalo. +Also, its flesh was eaten as if it were only an ordinary +buffalo calf.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</span></p> + +<p>A half-bull-half-cow buffalo was killed one time +by the Cheyennes. My father helped in the killing +of it. This animal was of enormous size. It was big, +fat, had a tall back, long horns, and its hump was +almost double the size of the average buffalo bull. +My father called friends to his lodge for a feast upon +this meat. It was not regarded as a medicine animal. +The heart and the liver were cut into big slices to be +eaten raw, as Indians usually ate these parts. Only +the old medicine men ate of these slices at my father’s +feast.</p> + +<p>There always was some danger mixed with the +pleasures of wild game hunting. I remember a Cheyenne +who was gored terribly by a buffalo bull. He +recovered, though. After that he became known as +Buffalo Not Kill Him. Walking Whirlwind, a young +man about my age, had his shoulder torn by a bear. +He also recovered.</p> + +<p>A bear attacked three old Cheyenne women as they +were picking berries on Tongue river. One of the +women was badly clawed. The two companions put +her upon a horse and took her to camp. She died just +after her arrival there. At that same time one of +our men was out hunting. He saw a bear, shot it +and killed it. As he approached the dead animal he +observed dried blood all about its nose and its cheeks. +This strange condition puzzled him. In skinning the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</span>bear he carefully preserved the bloody muzzle. When +he arrived in camp with his meat packed in the skin +he learned of the killing of the old woman. Everybody +agreed this must have been the bear that killed +her.</p> + +<p>Two Cheyenne men, Bear Dung and Sun Road, +went buffalo hunting from a camp of ours on the +lower Rosebud. As they were circling about a milling +herd a bull sunk its horns into the belly of Bear +Dung’s horse, ripped it open, lifted and tossed aside +the animal. Bear Dung went sprawling to the ground. +The bull immediately plunged at the man and gored +him to death. Sun Road hurried into camp and told +of the sad occurrence. The dead man’s women relatives +took out a travois and brought him to camp. +He was a brother of Buffalo Hump, an old Cheyenne +now living on the Rosebud. Sun Road also is still +alive, his home being on the Rosebud side of our +reservation.</p> + +<p>Competitive sports used to interest us. Horse +races, foot races, wrestling matches, target shooting +with guns or with arrows, tossing the arrows by hand, +swimming, jumping and other like contests were entered +upon. In the tribe such competition usually +was between men representing the three warrior +societies. These were the Elk warriors, the Crazy +Dog warriors and the Fox warriors. If any Sioux +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</span>tribe or big band camped jointly with us the matches +were between representative members of the two +tribes. Bets were made on every kind of contest. +The stakes were of guns, ammunition, bows and arrows, +blankets, horses, robes, jewelry, shirts, leggings, +moccasins, everything in the line of personal property. +The betting always was on even terms. Articles +were piled upon a blanket, matched articles in +apposition to each other. The winners took all and +shouted over the victory.</p> + +<p>The Elk warriors, the society to which I belonged, +had the best runners. Our speediest man on foot +was named Apache. He was almost as tall as I was +and he was much heavier. He had remarkably big +thighs. One time at a double camping with the Ogallalas +on upper Powder river a foot race was arranged +between the two tribal champions. The Ogallala fast +man was tall and slender. His name was Black Legs. +The distance they were to run was about a mile, I +believe, although at that time we had no measurements +for distance. Four friends of each man accompanied +the two racers to the starting point. A +revolver shot told them when to go. Near the finish +the Sioux fell exhausted. Our man Apache was very +tired, but he ran on to the end of the route. Of +course, the Cheyennes took all of the stakes, let out +a chorus of cheers and fired their guns into the air. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</span>“The Cheyenne medicine broke his legs,” the Sioux +said when their man collapsed.</p> + +<p>The old Chief Little Wolf had been a great runner +when he was a young man. The longer the distance +the better it suited him. As the Cheyennes and the +Ogallalas were traveling together in moving camp +there was much bantering such as, “I think the Sioux +can travel faster than the Cheyennes can,” or, “It +appears the Cheyennes must go a little more slowly +in order not to run away from their friends the +Sioux.” Finally a young Sioux jokingly challenged +Little Wolf to a foot race.</p> + +<p>“How,” assented Little Wolf, “I’ll run with you.”</p> + +<p>The caravan was stopped and arrangements were +made for the race. Little Wolf then was past fifty +years of age, while his Sioux challenger was just entering +young manhood. Nevertheless, the Cheyennes +backed their chief heavily. A great pile of bets were +placed upon the containing blankets. Four Cheyennes +and four Sioux went with the two men to the +agreed starting point, which must have been three +or four miles away. At the crack of a revolver shot +the race began. Up to the last mile the young Sioux +kept well in the lead. Then he began to move more +slowly. It appeared Little Wolf never changed his +pace. So he closed up toward the leader. In the +last part of the last mile he went ahead, still running +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</span>at what appeared to be his same rate while the other +man’s speed continued to lessen. By a broad hundred +yards Little Wolf won the contest. Many of the +Sioux, even some who had lost bets, joined the Cheyennes +in cheering for the old man.</p> + +<p>A good wrestler and general strong man was Little +Hawk. He and Buffalo Hump and Brave Wolf made +up a playful raiding group in the camp one time +after a great hunting party had brought in lots of +buffalo beef. All about the camp circle there were +drying poles loaded with meat. The three young +men had not been fortunate in the chase, so they decided +to borrow from their friends. They went to +a certain tepee.</p> + +<p>“We need meat,” they announced. “Your drying +poles are too full, and we think our wants can be +supplied there. But Little Hawk wants to wrestle +for it. If anybody here can throw him we shall not +take any food from this lodge.”</p> + +<p>Nobody there wanted to accept this challenge. +The young men took some meat and went on to another +tepee. There they made the same kind of +announcement and proposition. There likewise all +of the men present feared to grapple with Little +Hawk, and there also the three joking robbers helped +themselves from the bountiful store. At the next +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</span>tepee the transaction was more complex. After some +exchange of talk the spokesman of the lodge said:</p> + +<p>“Big Thigh is here. He says he will wrestle you.”</p> + +<p>The conditions of the match were agreed upon. +The two men stripped to their breechcloths. A group +of onlookers assembled. The group soon became a +great crowd. Big Thigh and Little Hawk appeared +equally confident. Both of them rushed into the +grapple. They tugged and shoved and tripped. The +advantage seemed to shift back and forth. The +throng of spectators whooped and danced. There +was some partisan cheering, but most of it was merely +the expression of delight at witnessing this tribal +championship battle. After several minutes of fierce +and continuous struggling Little Hawk began to +weaken and wilt. Big Thigh pinioned the arms of +his antagonist and bore him face downward to the +ground. The victor sat astride the back of the vanquished +and sprinkled handfuls of dirt upon him. +He also picked up a folded blanket lying near by and +used this as a soft club in pretense at beating into +complete submission the defeated Little Hawk. +Shouts of congratulation greeted the conqueror while +jeers were heaped upon the under dog and his two +confederates. Brave Wolf and Buffalo Hump, ridiculed +to complete embarrassment and compelled to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</span>replace their looted buffalo meat, quickly took themselves +into hiding.</p> + +<p>Our target shooting was with rifles, revolvers and +arrows. For the arrow contests an erect wooden +figure of a man was the customary mark. Sometimes +the arrows were shot from the bow, sometimes they +were tossed by hand. Both accuracy and extent of +penetration counted in either form of this archery. +Shooting arrows for long distance was another test +of capability. Here a strong bow and a powerful +arm and hand were important elements for success. +In all of these games the regular rule allowed four +successive shots for each contestant. Fine points in +the manipulation of arrows were brought out in the +sidewise tossing of them at short distances, each toss +being made in attempt at the exact crossing of another +arrow thrown out by an opponent.</p> + +<p>Most of our few rifles were muzzle loaders and our +revolvers usually were of the kind using caps and +moulded bullets. The target for practice with them +ordinarily was a black ring as broad as a large hand +marked upon an animal’s dried shoulderblade or +upon a barked tree. Teams of three or more men +on each side often were arrayed against each other +for either the arrow or gun contests. Usually the +teams represented their respective warrior societies. +On many occasions, though, there were personal engagements. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</span>In these there might be sought only +an honorable distinction or there might be betting +added as an incentive to achievement. An incident +of this character that was much talked about among +the Cheyennes came up at a time when we were +camped on the Powder river.</p> + +<p>Jules Seminole brought a keg of whisky to the +camp. He got it at some white man trading post. +He was a southern half-breed married to one of our +Northern Cheyenne women and accounted as belonging +to our tribe. One of our young men solicited +him:</p> + +<p>“Give me a drink of your whisky.”</p> + +<p>“No, but I’ll bet a drink that I can beat you at +shooting,” Seminole proposed. “What have you +to bet?”</p> + +<p>The young man feared defeat. But he went canvassing +here and there in an effort to find someone +who would take up Seminole’s challenge. One after +another declined to contest. Finally, in jest rather +than in earnest, he put the case before an old medicine +man who was totally blind in one eye and partly +blind in the other.</p> + +<p>“I’ll bet a good buffalo robe against the whole keg +of whisky that I can beat you at shooting,” the old +man declared to Seminole.</p> + +<p>Seminole evidently suspected some kind of trick. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</span>He hesitated, but the urgings of the gathered crowd +carried him into acceptance of this counter proposition.</p> + +<p>A tree was barked and a black circle target drawn +upon this clean surface. Seminole shot first. He +had a cartridge rifle. The bullet imbedded itself +an inch or so below the black circle.</p> + +<p>“Get me a pin,” the old medicine man requested +of his young helper.</p> + +<p>The pin was brought. The aged Cheyenne placed +it point forward upon his right palm. He held this +palm upward in front of his eyes. His squint wrinkles +deepened and his lips formed themselves into a +pucker. A sudden puff of his breath caused the pin +to vanish. Nobody knew what had become of it.</p> + +<p>“Examine the target,” the performer told them.</p> + +<p>There it was, buried to its head just inside the circle. +The people all wondered. The keg of whisky +was conceded to its new owner.</p> + +<p>“I’ll bet a horse against the whisky that you can’t +do anything like that again,” Seminole dared him.</p> + +<p>“How,” came instantly a responsive agreement.</p> + +<p>The target was placed more distant, this at the +request of Seminole and by assent of his competitor. +Onlookers became involved in the betting. The +medicine man found many backers of his mysterious +powers. The half-breed adjusted his sights. He +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</span>took an unusually long and careful and steady aim. +“Bang!” His bullet struck within an inch of the +circle’s center. His betting supporters were gleeful, +the opposition were in doubt. They awaited anxiously +the next move of their champion.</p> + +<p>“Bring me a claw of a redbird,” he calmly ordered.</p> + +<p>A dozen young men put themselves into his service. +They wanted to help him in drinking the +whisky. Within a minute he had the required object.</p> + +<p>The redbird claw was placed upon the same upturned +palm where had been the pin. “The target +is too far,” came a complaint. Then: “Yes, I can +see it now.” Puff! The claw was gone. Where? +Right into the central black spot of the black circle +target!</p> + +<p>All comers had a drink of the whisky. A tin cup +was brought and the old medicine man dipped in +and passed out hot liquid mouthfuls to hundreds of +Cheyennes. Nobody got enough to make him drunk. +I spat out my mouthful. It did not taste good.</p> + +<p>Red Haired Bear and his wife were traveling with +their lone lodge one time in the Black Hills. At their +noon camp he saw deer tracks and set off to follow +them. They led him up a dry coulee and into the +timber. There a strong and disagreeable odor was +wafted to him. He grasped his gun more firmly and +went on. Just then a big snake stood up and flashed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</span>its tongue at him. Its head was above his head and +its body resembled a tree. It struck him—one, two, +three, four times. It backed off and poised as if to +strike again. He was sickened, but he aimed his gun.</p> + +<p>“Great Medicine, help me,” he prayed.</p> + +<p>“Yes, be brave and I will help you,” a reply came +from above.</p> + +<p>He bethought himself not to shoot at its head, since +the bullet might glance off harmless. He shot it +through the neck. The immense serpent threshed +about in terrible fashion, crushing bushes and tearing +up the earth. But it gradually quieted down, and +finally it lay dead.</p> + +<p>The faint and terrified man took the back trail for +his camp. He had four gullies to cross. He got over +the first one without much difficulty. The second +one troubled him. Just before he started across the +third one he almost fainted. But he braced up and +went over it. He was dizzy and wobbling as he approached +the fourth gully. “Be brave now,” the +Great Medicine said to him. He had dropped his +gun, but the encouraging words led him to pick it +up and go on. He staggered into and out of this +fourth obstacle. At the camp he told his wife of +what had occurred. She gave him a big dose of +gunpowder in water. Then he vomited, the vomit +having the same odor as had come from the snake. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</span>A second dose of gunpowder brought up more of the +poison. A third treatment had the same effect, but +the odor now was almost gone. The fourth time he +took the mixture it stayed down in his stomach. Then +he felt all right. Red Haired Bear himself told me +of this experience. But he was not a reliable man, +so I never was sure whether it was true or not.</p> + +<p>White Frog and Red Hat told a story of them +having an adventure of this same kind. They had +been to the trading post, where they had taken their +pack horses loaded with skins of beaver, buffalo and +antelope. While returning they arrived at Tongue +river just above the mouth of Crow creek. The water +was high. They dismounted, waded and led their +horses to an island. For crossing the next channel +they drove the horses ahead of them. The men were +naked and were holding their clothing over their +heads as they waded.</p> + +<p>A monstrous snake rose up from the water and +threatened them. “It will eat up both of us,” they +exclaimed together. They prayed the Great Medicine +to pity them. At once there came a flood of +rain and a whirling wind. The wind picked up the +snake, dragged it along the water’s surface for a short +distance, then lifted it into the air. It went up, up, +up, and soon it was gone from their sight. White +Frog and Red Hat agreed in their stories to us that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</span>the snake was so big it looked like a floating log. +One Cheyenne who heard them said it might have +been a floating log that looked like a snake.</p> + +<p>When Black Wolf went one time on a deer hunt +he saw two women sitting on the edge of a cliff. Both +women were beautiful in face and form. As they +sat there dangling their feet over the cliff they beckoned +to him. He went to them and sat down beside +them. Pretty soon his nostrils perceived a strong +odor of deer. At the foot of the cliff, in a pool of +clear water, he saw a reflection of himself with two +deer beside him. “You are only two deer,” he accused +the women. At that they both jumped up. +They changed instantly into deer and went bounding +away into the timber.</p> + +<p>A Southern Cheyenne out hunting saw a lovely +woman by a grove of trees, braiding her hair. She +looked at him and smiled. That was enough to draw +him straight to her. But when he took hold of her +he smelled her flesh.</p> + +<p>“Oh, you deceitful deer!” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>She struggled then to free herself from him. But +he held firm. He tied her hands together and tied +her feet together. The deer woman declared:</p> + +<p>“If you keep me thus tied you will die. If you let +me go loose you will live to be old and always will +be in good luck.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</span></p> + +<p>He decided to let her go free. She ran away as a +doe deer. When the man arrived at his home lodge +he was wildly insane. Medicine men were called. +He told them the story of his meeting the deer +woman. The medicine men prayed for him. His +right mind soon came back to him.</p> + +<p>I had one time a strange adventure with a deer. +I shot it with my rifle, the bullet passing through it +from the rump forward. It ran away, I followed. I +shot again, this time the bullet going through its +chest, right to left. It turned around. Another shot +made another hole through its chest, left to right. A +fourth and a fifth bullet likewise was sent into and +out of its front body. It ran to a bushy grove. In +this grove I found it lying down. It was facing me. +It was not only alive, but it appeared not to have been +hurt at all. I hesitated and trembled a little as I +drew my six-shooter. At close range I aimed at the +middle of its forehead. The bullet brought blood +from the exact point where I had aimed. But the +deer appeared unharmed. I fired again, aiming at +the same spot, and a new trickle of blood flowed out. +Still the animal gave no sign of having been injured. +I stood there and thought about the case. I decided +to shoot once more—an eighth effort. That is two +times the Indian sacred number four. I moved up +close and put my revolver’s muzzle near the middle +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</span>of the ridge above the deer’s right eye. Holding myself +steady, I pulled the trigger. Instantly afterward +the animal’s body became limp. It was dead.</p> + +<p>I do not entirely understand that. It may be I +was dreaming, but it does not seem like a dream.⁠<a id="FNanchor_8_8" href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> +The Cheyennes consider all deer as having strong +spirit powers. Medicine men like to get their medicine +strength.</p> + +<p>An old Cheyenne man and his wife told me a story, +when I was a boy, about a big stone that stands near +Antelope creek west of the Black Hills. They said +that at some time, long ago, some Indian girls were +at play there. They were poking a forked stick into +a hole, in search for beaver. They touched something, +twisted, pulled, and brought out some hair +on the end of the stick. They supposed it to be the +hair of a wolf, a coyote or a porcupine. As they +talked of it, a bear of immense size came from the +hole. It chased the girls, capturing many of them +and tearing them to pieces. Two sisters escaped. +The bear followed them, going to their home tepee, +but it did not harm them. When night came, the +two girls crept out. They met two young men and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</span>told them of the frightful animal. “It can not be +killed by any shot in its head nor its heart nor in +other parts of its body,” they told the two young men, +“but a shot through its foot, from the bottom upward, +will kill it.” The young men considered the +case. Then they said to the two girls: “All of us +will hide here and wait.”</p> + +<p>When the bear awakened in the morning it learned +the two girls were gone. It moved about inside and +then outside, smelling of the ground. Sniff, sniff, +sniff, sniff. It set off on the trail of the girls, following +to the base of the great stone. There it sat +down upon its haunches and looked upward toward +the stone’s top. Pretty soon it began climbing up +the steep side. A little distance up, its feet slipped +and it slid down. It tried again, this time going +higher, but it slid down again. Trials were made at +many places. But always the effort was a failure.</p> + +<p>The two young men and the two girls were hidden +close by. One of the young men shot an arrow at +the bottom of the bear’s foot as it was clambering up +the stone. When it went up again he shot another +arrow. On another effort of the bear a third arrow +was sent after it. The three arrows whizzed past +the bear and went on high into the air. They came +down without doing any damage. The fourth arrow +flashed past very close to the bear’s left hind foot. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</span>The animal slid down and ran away. The arrow +kept on going up, up, and it never came down.</p> + +<p>I have seen many times the long upright marks +of the bear’s claws on this great column of stone. +They are deep seams or furrows. It must have been +a monster of a bear. As far back as I can remember, +all of the Indians called this stone Bear Tepee or +Bear Lodge.⁠<a id="FNanchor_9_9" href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a></p> + +<p>An old Cheyenne man and I were traveling together +one time past the Bear Tepee. He told me a +story about it. He said that a long time ago—nobody +knew how long—an Indian man journeying alone +chose to sleep at the base of this tall stone. A buffalo +head was lying near him. He slept four nights. +During that time the Great Medicine took both him +and the buffalo head to the top of the high rock. +When the man awakened he could find no way to get +down. He was hungry and thirsty, but he had neither +food nor water. He was greatly distressed in mind. +He thought of his wife and his children. He wept +and prayed all day. At night, exhausted, he slept +again. During that night the Great Medicine gently +took him down again to his leaf bed on the ground. +The buffalo head was left at the top, near the edge. +That Indian man was said by some people to have +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</span>been an Apache, others said he was a Shoshone, yet +others declared he was a Cheyenne.</p> + +<p>I saw that buffalo head many times. The first +time was when I was with the old man and he told +me the story of it. He had a spyglass and we looked +through it. We could see plainly that it was the +head of a buffalo. I was a small boy at that time, +eight or ten years old. The Bear Tepee is four or +five hundred feet high, maybe higher, and its sides +are straight up and down. How else could a buffalo +head get up there except it be placed there by the +Great Medicine?</p> + +<p>I have heard many old Cheyennes say that a long +time ago the Great Medicine used to come down to +the earth and talk with people. They said He had +camped and visited and smoked with the old-time +Cheyennes. Lots of times I have heard them talk +about Him having given to our people the Black +Hills and all of the gold there.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_7_7" href="#FNanchor_7_7" class="label">[7]</a> Pryor creek.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_8_8" href="#FNanchor_8_8" class="label">[8]</a> In telling all of these fanciful stories. Wooden Leg exhibited a +queer mingling of belief and doubt. They show an odd mental streak +in a man having a large stock of level-headed common sense, and whose +statements of fact as to genuine occurrences are worthy of full credit. +He is the kind of man who could not tell a lie without at once retracting +and correcting his misstatement, if he knew it to be such.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_9_9" href="#FNanchor_9_9" class="label">[9]</a> Modern whites know this as “Devil’s Tower.”</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="III"> + <span class="p50l">III</span> + <br> + <i>Cheyenne Ways of Life.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The warrior societies were the foundation of tribal +government among the Cheyennes. That is, the +members of the warrior societies elected the chiefs +who governed the people. Every ten years the whole +tribe would get together for the special purpose of +choosing forty big chiefs. These forty then would +select four past chiefs, or “old men” chiefs, to serve +as supreme advisers to them and to the tribe. There +were not any hereditary chiefs among the Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>The Elk warriors, the Crazy Dog warriors and the +Fox warriors were the ruling societies of the Northern +Cheyennes. Other like organizations had been in +existence before my time, but during all of the period +of my boyhood and manhood those three were the +only active ones in our northern branch of the double +tribe. Each warrior society had a leading war chief +and nine little war chiefs. So, there were many +men who might claim the title of chief. All together +there were seventy-four such officials, counting both +the tribal rulers and the warrior society rulers. There +were four “old men” tribal chiefs, forty tribal big +chiefs, three leading warrior chiefs and twenty-seven +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</span>little warrior chiefs. Ordinarily they were ranked or +held in respect in this order, the old men chiefs first, +the little warrior chiefs last.</p> + +<p>The warrior chiefs had original authority only in +their societies, each in his own special organization. +By alternation, though, the tribal chiefs delegated +governmental power to the warrior chiefs. That is, +one group or another of the warrior chiefs and their +followers were called upon to serve as active subordinate +officials to carry out the orders promulgated by +the big chiefs. Such warrior society group, when on +this duty, were like the white man’s sheriffs, policemen, +soldiers.</p> + +<p>Promotion in public life followed the line from +private member of a warrior society to little chief of +the same, then to leading chief, then to big chief of +the tribe, finally to old man chief. Of course, all of +the tribal and old men chiefs were members of one +or another of the warrior societies. It often occurred +that in time of battle or in organized great hunting +expeditions a tribal big chief or an old man chief had, +during such time, the low standing of a mere private +person subordinate to the rule of the warrior chiefs. +And, in many instances some man might be at the +same time both a warrior chief and a tribal big chief +or even an old man chief. Little Wolf had this honor +put upon him. Even after he had become one of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</span>the four old men chiefs he was kept in office as leading +chief of the Elk warriors.</p> + +<p>Four unmarried and virtuous young women were +chosen as honorary members of each warrior society. +If one of these entered into marriage or became unchaste +she lost her membership and some other young +woman was chosen in her place. The young women +took no active part in the proceedings. They were +allowed merely to sit inside the lodge of assemblage, +there quietly looking on. At the society dances no +women were permitted to do any of the work. Two +little chiefs were appointed on each occasion to do +the cooking, to serve the feast or to perform any +other menial service necessary. The meetings or +dances were held in privately owned lodges of members. +The coverings were lifted or were removed so +that spectators might view the affair from the outside. +The three different societies had the same +character of organization, and their social and military +operations were carried out on the same general +lines. A man could join only one of them.</p> + +<p>I joined the Elk warriors when I was fourteen +years old. We were camped then at Antelope creek, +near the Black Hills. Their herald chiefs were going +about the camp circle calling, “All Elk warriors come +for a dance and a feast.” They were gathering at a +large tepee made of two family lodges combined into +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</span>one. Left Handed Shooter, at that time leading chief +of the Elks, came to my father’s lodge and said to me:</p> + +<p>“We want you to join the Elk warriors.”</p> + +<p>Oh, how important I felt at receiving this invitation! +I had been longing for it, waiting to be asked, +wishing I might grow older more rapidly in order +to get this honorable standing already held by my +father and my two older brothers. Seventy or more +Elks were dancing. Occasionally one fired a gunshot +into the air. As they danced they were scraping +their “rattlesnake sticks,” the special emblem of Elk +membership. Each of these sticks was made of hard +wood, in the form of a stubby rattlesnake seven or +eight inches long. On each stick was cut forty +notches. Another stick was used for scraping back +and forth along the notches. The combined operation +of many instruments made a noise resembling +the rattlesnake’s warning hum. Each member owned +his personal wooden stick, but there was one made +from an elkhorn that was kept always by someone +as a trustee for the society. No payment nor gift was +necessary for admission into a warrior organization.</p> + +<p>In the camp circles, in the tribal movings from +place to place, in the great tribal hunts, in the times +of Great Medicine or other general ceremonial dances—in +fact, at all times of our lives some one or other +warrior society was authorized or commanded by the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</span>tribal chiefs to take charge of the government. Ordinarily +there was shift of the delegated authority by +regular rotation, but such change in regular order +was not always the case. The conclave of big chiefs +decided which society should have it. A society might +be appointed to act for one day, two days, three +days, any stated length of time, or they might be +appointed to serve during the continuation of some +certain event. At any time their appointment might +be revoked by the big chiefs and another society +named in their stead. Anyhow, some one or other +warrior band was on duty at all times to put into +execution the will of the big chiefs.</p> + +<p>Perhaps at some time the Crazy Dog warriors +might be acting as the policemen at this particular +place of camping. Perhaps the four old men chiefs +might determine that a general buffalo hunt ought +to be entered upon. A herald on horseback was sent +about the camp to proclaim:</p> + +<p>“All chiefs, open your ears and listen. Come to +the council lodge.”</p> + +<p>There the matter was discussed. Perhaps it was +decided first to move camp farther down the river, or +up the river, or over to the next valley, or yet farther +away. The big chiefs then considered which warrior +society should conduct the camp movement. Perhaps +they agreed upon the Fox warriors. The leading +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</span>chief and the little chiefs of this society were notified +there at the council. The old man herald went out to +ride again about the camps and call out:</p> + +<p>“All Cheyennes, open your ears and listen. Tomorrow +morning we move to Tongue river. Have +your lodges down and yourselves and your horses +ready. The Fox warriors will lead us.”</p> + +<p>The next morning, as all were preparing for the +move, the Fox warriors assembled out forward in +the direction of the intended movement. The old +man herald instructed them: “You are the leaders +today. Make all of the people obey you. Make +them stay in their proper places. If any of them disobey +our ordinary rules of travel you may pony-whip +them, you may shoot their horses, you may kill their +dogs, you may break their guns or their bows, you +may punish them in any way that seems to you best, +except you are not allowed to kill any Cheyenne.” +The Crazy Dog warriors, who had been policemen in +the camp, now went off duty and became merely +Cheyenne individuals. The leading chief of the Fox +warriors was the most important man of that day, +his little chiefs and their subordinate warriors were +his helpers. The tribal old men chiefs and big chiefs +led the camp movement, the Fox warrior band immediately +following them or sending their members +from time to time back along the caravan to keep +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</span>order. The big chiefs in front decided when it was +time to stop for a rest, when to move on again, when +and where to camp. The Fox soldiers transmitted +and enforced their orders. When the big chiefs chose +a spot for the camp their herald stationed himself +where he could tell all of the oncoming people, +“Camp here.” If there were any disputes about +special location of lodges the Fox warriors settled the +disputes. In fact, though, there rarely were any such +disputes. Every camp circle of the Cheyennes was +arranged very much like their preceding circles. +Families or related families or clans set up their +lodges at all times in about the same location with +regard to each other. Always the horseshoe incomplete +circle opened to the east. Always every individual +lodge in the camp likewise had its entrance +opening toward the east—toward the rising sun.</p> + +<p>To organize for the tribal buffalo hunt another +council was called. This or any other council usually +was held at and after darkness, by the light of a great +bonfire. The big chiefs regularly would tell the leading +warrior chiefs, “We want four good and reliable +warriors to scout and discover the location of a buffalo +herd.” When the warrior leaders had nominated +these four the old man herald moved on horseback +through the camp calling out their names and the +duty put upon them. They went to the council and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</span>there received their instructions through their warrior +chiefs. They performed the scout duty according +to their orders—nobody ever dared refuse to go—and +upon their return a report was made to the +old man herald. Meantime, perhaps the big chiefs +decided that the Elk warriors should conduct the +buffalo hunting party. The herald went out and +proclaimed:</p> + +<p>“All Cheyennes, open your ears and listen. Many +buffalo have been discovered by our scouts. Sharpen +your knives and your arrow points. See that your +guns are in good order. Have your riding horses and +your pack horses ready. Tomorrow morning we go. +The Elk warriors will lead and conduct the hunt.”</p> + +<p>The Elks then actually led the party. Nobody +but big chiefs were allowed to go in front of them. +The Elk warriors did all of the scouting for game +and watching for enemies while the party was on +the move. Any non-Elk intruder would be pony-whipped, +or worse. If any Elk himself disobeyed +the orders of his warrior chiefs this disobedient one +was punished, either by his fellow Elks upon their +own initiative or by command of the warrior chiefs. +The effort at all times was to carry out well whatever +governmental task was placed upon the warriors, +either on the hunts, at the camps, during a journey, +in time of battle or under any conditions where +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</span>they were vested with authority. The three societies +competed against each other for efficiency in governmental +action as well as in all other affairs appertaining +to respectable manhood. There was competition +also within each society, every ambitious +member trying to outdo his fellows in all worthy +activities.</p> + +<p>The Fox warriors were leading a buffalo hunt one +time when I was about sixteen years old. We then +were on Crow creek, northeast of where Sheridan, +Wyoming, now stands. Last Bull was the leading +chief of the Fox soldiers. I was riding with three +other youths about my age.</p> + +<p>“Oh, lots of buffalo!” one boy suddenly exclaimed.</p> + +<p>We skirted around the band of hunters and got +forward. A Fox warrior saw us crowding ahead. +We also saw him, and we whirled our horses to go +back. Two or three of the Foxes followed us. We +scattered. I made a dash for Tongue river. It was +frozen solid. My horse slipped and slid, but I got +across. My pursuers stopped at the stream, but I +kept on going away from them. I did not know what +became of the other three boys. I was scared. My +heart was thumping, thumping, pounding my breast. +I expected to be pony-whipped, to have my horse +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</span>killed and my clothing torn to pieces. But it appeared +they never found out our identity.</p> + +<p>Another time, about a year later, I got into the +same kind of trouble. This time we were moving +camp. The Crazy Dog warriors were in the lead +and conducting the movement. We were traveling +up the Tongue river, far up, above the present Sheridan, +and were about to go over the divide to the upper +Powder river. Two other youths and myself +forgot the rules. We rode forward from our proper +place in the procession and went on out to a hilltop, +there to have a look over the country, as every Indian +naturally likes to do.</p> + +<p>Four Crazy Dog warriors were right after us. They +were riding fast. The other two boys got away, but +my pony played out on me. I had to stop and dismount. +I was frightened to distraction, but my mind +was made up to take bravely whatever punishment +they might inflict. Nevertheless, I became mentally +upset when four determined-looking Fox warrior policemen +dashed up to me.</p> + +<p>“Do not whip me,” I begged. “Kill my horse. +You may have all of my clothing. Here—take my +gun and break it into pieces.”</p> + +<p>But after a talk among themselves they decided +not to do any of these penal acts. They scolded me +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</span>and said I was a foolish little boy. They asked my +name, and I told them. That was the last time I +ever flagrantly violated any of the laws of travel or +the hunt.</p> + +<p>A guard line usually was thrown out by the warrior +policemen when any buffalo herd was about to +be attacked. It was required that all of the hunters +remain behind this line until every preparation was +made and until the appointed managers gave the word +for a general advance. Of course, all were excited, +anxious to get at the game. Or, somebody might +think the policemen were too slow in completing the +preparatory steps. So, occasionally an impatient +hunter became obtrusive. This one was pretty sure +to bring upon himself a lashing with pony whip +thongs or a clubbing with the reversed heavy handle. +Finally would come the signal:</p> + +<p>“Go!” Then the wild Indian chase was on.</p> + +<p>Special warrior society hunts often were engaged +upon. For these only the members of the one particular +organization were eligible. The societies +contested against each other in this regard, each trying +to beat the others in quantity of meat and skins +brought back to camp. Left Handed Shooter, leading +chief of the Elk warriors, one time appointed me +as one of the four preliminary scouts to locate buffalo +for an exclusively Elk warrior hunt. We went out +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</span>at night. Winter weather, snow on the ground. +Early in the morning we found a big herd. We returned +to camp and reported the discovery. An +old man herald called the Elk warriors and shouted +out information of our report and of the proposed +hunting party.</p> + +<p>Old Bear, a big chief, got four or five other Cheyennes +to slip out with him for a premature raid upon +the herd we had located for our Elk warrior adventure. +Little Wolf, at that time a little warrior chief, +took with him a band of Elks and followed the lawbreakers. +Little Wolf opened the attack upon them +by sending an arrow that killed Old Bear’s horse. +The Elk band pony-whipped all of the Old Bear +group, including the big chief himself, and made +them go back and stay in camp.</p> + +<p>Feathered Wolf, an Elk warrior, one time attached +himself uninvited to a hunting party of Crazy +Dog warriors. He was leading two pack horses for +carrying the meat he expected to get. Some Crazy +Dogs warned him:</p> + +<p>“You do not belong with us. You ought to go +back.”</p> + +<p>“But I am badly in need of meat,” he pleaded.</p> + +<p>Others came and urged him to return. They talked +of punishing him by whipping, but they did nothing. +They ended merely by telling him:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</span></p> + +<p>“You are crazy.”</p> + +<p>He mingled with the hunters and shot away all of +his arrows as they chased the herd. When the killing +was done he said:</p> + +<p>“I killed one buffalo and helped in the killing of +another. You should give me plenty of meat.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, we’ll give you some of it,” different ones +promised him.</p> + +<p>But nobody gave him any. He had to go back +to his home lodge with his two pack horses empty +and himself hungry.</p> + +<p>At his lodge that evening he announced a smoking +circle. He stood out in front of his tepee and called +invitations to many members of the Crazy Dog society. +It was supposed he hoped thus to lead them +into making gifts of the appetizing food. But all +of the invited ones were busy at something else, so +he had to smoke alone and the drying poles beside +his tepee remained bare. His wife brought him the +smoking outfit. “Ah, kinnikinick,” he chuckled contentedly. +He filled his pipe and smoked it to the +last ashes. Pretty soon he became pale, weak, sick, +then he vomited. His wife too had punished him. +She had given him the strongest tobacco she could +find in the camp.</p> + +<p>Two certain men were observed one time to have +a big supply of buffalo meat hanging on the drying +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</span>poles by their tepees. There had been a special warrior +society hunt that day, but these men did not belong +to that society. Investigation showed they had +obtained their store from one of the animals killed +in a side coulee and overlooked by the lawful hunters. +The meat was taken from the two men, their guns +were broken, their pack saddles were cut up, their +lodges were torn down and burned.</p> + +<p>Half a dozen Sioux pushed themselves one time +into an Elk warrior hunt. We always were friendly +with the Sioux, about the same as if they were Cheyennes, +but these were out of place at this particular +time, and they knew it. Little Wolf led a party of +his Elks in whipping them away. Two or three of +the uninvited guests had blood running from head +cuts made by the heavy handles of the pony whips. +The Sioux—the plains Indians generally—had laws +and customs similar to ours, so it was considered +they had incurred our penalty. Often a disobedient +Cheyenne or an intruding hunter might gain immunity +from a whipping by prompt confession of +guilt and by voluntary yielding of horses to be killed +or of other property to be destroyed.</p> + +<p>The arrow was the preferred weapon when on a +tribal hunt in a buffalo herd or when a large party +were joined in the pursuit. Each rider shot arrow +after arrow into whatever animal was convenient to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</span>him during the tumult of the running chase. When +it was ended he had one or more arrows in various +dead buffalo scattered over the area covered by the +flight of the herd. Every man kept his own arrows +always marked in some peculiar manner whereby they +could be identified, so when the field was reviewed +after the termination of the killing he could find out +which buffalo he had killed or had helped to kill. It +could be learned in each instance which arrow was +the fatal one and which were of little or no importance. +Thus the claims to skin and meat could be +settled. In case of disagreement, the chiefs decided +the question. Gun bullets could not be distinguished +the one from the other, so the guns were used only +when one man was hunting alone or when a small +party of special friends hunted together. The guns +also had to have powder and lead and caps, which +we did not always have on hand. We could make +the arrows, or we often recovered them from the dead +animal.</p> + +<p>Different tribes had different ways of making their +arrows. All arrows belonging to members of any +certain tribe were made according to a certain general +plan, so that by examination of any arrow it +could be learned to what tribe the owner belonged. +I used to be able to distinguish several different tribal +forms from one another. I can recollect now the distinguishing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</span>features of four of them: The Crow, +Sioux, Pawnee and Cheyenne.</p> + +<p>The Crow butt end was whittled to a sharp ridge +and the notch was cut across this ridge, the same as +was done by the Cheyennes. Their metal or stone +point was a long triangle with its shortest side at +the arrow’s shaft and with all three sides formed +in exactly straight lines, these features likewise the +same as in the Cheyenne arrows. Both of these had +the slender neck whittled from the notch end in a +long taper to the main shaft. But the distinction +was in the size of the shaft. The Crow shaft always +was fat and heavy. The Cheyenne shaft was slender.</p> + +<p>The Sioux arrow had its notch extremity cut flat +across the end, in this respect differing from all of +the others, which were beveled on two sides to make +a sharp ridge for the notch. The neck of the Sioux +arrow was begun just below the notch by a circular +cut straight into the wood. Then, beginning further +down, the neck was shaved and tapered carefully up +to this straight cut. The Sioux metal or stone points +differed from all others. The form in general was +the same long triangle, but the short side at the arrow’s +shaft had a deep concave curve. Thus it had +two horns or barbs. Here was the particular brand +of the Sioux arrow.</p> + +<p>The Pawnees had the flat butt end and its notch +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</span>the same as the Sioux. But the neck below the notch +was tapered like a Crow or a Cheyenne arrow. The +triangle points were also the same as on the Crow and +Cheyenne arrows, having no horns or barbs.</p> + +<p>The Cheyenne arrow was distinguished from the +Pawnee by its notch cut into a sharp ridge instead +of into a flat surface butt end. Its tapering neck, its +sharp ridge butt end and its straight line point separated +it from the Sioux. The diameter of the shaft +rendered it readily distinguishable from the Crow. +Moreover, the Cheyennes had one peculiar brand +that plainly indicated their arrows. This characteristic +was in the three wavy lines symmetrically spaced +around the shaft and painted all the way along it +from the feathers to the base of the hard point. These +special wavy stripes were designed as having a spirit +or medicine influence, to help in killing the buffalo. +Communication with the Great Medicine above us is +supposed to be made in wavy lines, not straight lines.</p> + +<p>All Indian arrows I ever saw have three rows of +clipped feathers set symmetrically into slots in the +neck and upper shaft for a distance of five or six +inches. Between these feather rows are three straight +lines painted in color, usually red. The shaft may +be painted according to the fancy of the individual, +or according to his personal mode of branding it. +Old Cheyennes told me that in past times all Cheyenne +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</span>arrows were painted blue. This was done by +way of respectful regard for the blue waters of a +certain highly revered lake in the Black Hills. During +my days most arrow points were metal, although +a few men, especially the older men, continued to +make them of stone. All Indian arrows were of the +same length—that is, every man made his own arrows +to measure exactly from his armpit to the tips +of his fingers.</p> + +<p>Other weapons differed in the different tribes, and +sometimes a certain form of weapon was characteristic +of a certain tribe. The Sioux were the only Indians +I knew who made regular use of the stone war-club +made by attaching an oval stone to the end of +a stick wrapped with rawhide. The Cheyennes rarely +carried one of these, while a Sioux appeared not +fully equipped unless he had one tucked into his belt. +Instead, the Cheyenne counterpart implement was +a hatchet or small ax. Sometimes the hatchet was +transformed into a fancy pipe for ceremonial smoking. +The metal head was drilled for the bowl and +a little round canal was burned through the central +length of the handle to serve as a pipestem.</p> + +<p>Spears were used by the Cheyennes. The long +and slender points might be of metal or they might +be of stone or of bone, the rib of a buffalo or a bone +from some other animal serving well for such purpose. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</span>The shaft was decorated, of course. Great +care often was taken in its coloring and general design. +A regular feature of the plan was the eagle +feather attachments. One eagle feather having a +black tip dangled from the shaft near the hard point’s +base. Two eagle feathers floated from a slender +buckskin thong tied to the upper end of the shaft.</p> + +<p>The Sioux had knife sticks for fighting. These +had long shafts, the same as a spear. But instead of +the attached point at the end there were three blades +at the shaft’s side and near its end. The blades were +in a row, close together, and were tied there by rawhide +after having been set into a slot. They projected +out three or four inches from the heavy shaft. +Sometimes the edges were straight, sometimes they +were pointed so that they resembled a section of sickle +bar for a mowing machine. Always they were kept +sharpened to a keen edge.</p> + +<p>The earrings of an Indian often indicated his tribal +stock. A Cheyenne ear had but one piercing, only +one ring, and this ring was looped directly through +or close up to the ear. The Crow likewise had but +one piercing and only one ring or shell disc, but this +was suspended below the ear by an intervening +strand. The one piercing of the Sioux ear had a long +loop directly through it, and from the bottom of this +long loop dangled another loop of the same kind. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</span>The Pawnees, Kiowas and Apaches had various piercings +around the edge of the ear lobe, each piercing +having in it a small ring. The Arapahoes and the +Utes had ear decorations resembling the Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>The Sioux wore necklaces, regularly in single +strands. The Crow necklaces ordinarily were in multiple +strands. In the old times the Cheyennes did +not wear decorative necklaces, but later they adopted +the fashion to some extent. Mostly they designed +them in single strands, like the Sioux standard plan. +But the multiple curved loops of the Crows became +also fashionable among us. Eagle feathers stuck up +from the back hair of many a Sioux. The number of +such feathers worn by any one man was supposed to +denote the number of enemies he had killed. The +Cheyennes never adopted this custom.</p> + +<p>All Indian lodges coming under my observation +were built on the same general lines. The conical +tepee was the standard form. Buffalo skin was the +standard material for covering the poles. The size +was regulated according to the quantity of skins available +or according to the number of persons in the +household or according to some other special condition. +But there were tribal differences that enabled +an informed observer to distinguish camps or even to +classify a lone tepee.</p> + +<p>The Sioux lodge was unusually tall and was narrow +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</span>at the base. Its flap opening at the top was large +and long. The Pawnee lodge was the opposite of +the Sioux. It was remarkably low and broad, and +it had a short and small top flap opening. The Cheyennes +and the Arapahoes had tepee plans alike, in +general form midway between the Sioux and the +Pawnee structure. The camp circle as a whole was +in all cases the same—a horseshoe with its opening +to the east. All Indians had also the same custom +of placing each tepee with its entrance opening facing +the rising sun.</p> + +<p>Inside the Cheyenne lodge an old woman slept just +at the left side of the entrance. Next past her, still +on the left side, the lodge’s owner and his wife had +their bed. If the family was large the girls slept +near the father and mother while the boys were located +across on the opposite side of the earth floor. +Other adults, or whatever guests might be there, +were placed between the spaces allotted to the boys +and the girls or were put between the boys and the +right hand side of the entrance opening.</p> + +<p>An old woman was an important part of every +household organization. This was the custom among +all of the plains Indians, especially in families where +girls were growing up. This old woman saw that +each occupant of the lodge used only his or her own +proper bed or place of waking repose. She compelled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</span>each to keep his or her personal belongings +beside or at the head of the owner’s assigned space. +She was at the same time the household policeman, +the night watchman and the drudge. Ordinarily her +badge of office was a club. She was conceded the +authority to use this club in enforcing the rules of +the lodge.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_076fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_076fp.jpg" alt="Two women setting up a teepee"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Cheyenne women setting up a tepee</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>From fifteen to seventeen buffalo skins were united +to make a covering for the usual Cheyenne lodge. +When skins were plentiful not many lodges had less +than fifteen, regardless of the condition that some +of the tepees might have in each only a young married +couple, with perhaps an old woman or some +other one or two added people. On the other hand, +rarely was a lodge larger than seventeen skins, even +if twenty people were sheltered there. The larger +lodges had to have heavier poles, and, in moving, +these with the skins had to be transported by the +horses. Too much of such burden hindered the progress +of the camp movement. Big lodges made pleasant +abodes, but they were troublesome in traveling. +The average and usual Cheyenne tepee was twelve to +fifteen feet in diameter across its earth floor. The +height from the floor’s center to the tepee’s peak was +the same as the diameter of the floor. That was +the regular standard architectural plan of a Cheyenne +lodge.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</span></p> + +<p>The camp circle of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, +all assembled, enclosed a space about one-fourth or +one-third of a mile in diameter. It usually straddled +a small stream of water. If the location permitted, a +position was taken near to a larger stream into which +the small one emptied. Hunting parties or war +parties of men made themselves temporary night +shelters of willow wands stuck into the ground, bent +over and tied together for a dome roof, then covered +with robes. Or, such parties crept into caves or +sought the protection of heavy brush and thick foliage. +The main camp never went into high mountains +during the winter. Too much snow. Mountain +campings were made during the summer season.</p> + +<p>For moving the village, the usual time for leaving +the old site was about nine o’clock in the morning, I +believe. Not much if any preparation was made until +that morning came. The arrival at the next stop +would be about the middle of the afternoon. Long +before dark the whole village would be set up and +everybody would be at home, as if this had been the +dwelling place for many months. A thousand or +several thousand people might travel along that way +from day to day, actually moving their towns or cities, +taking all of their property, their wives and children +and old people, their horses and their dogs, everything +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</span>that made up a full home life. I think that is +better than the white people can do.</p> + +<p>The women did all of the work of moving. They +took down the lodges, packed and attended to the +transportation of them and all of the household effects, +set up the lodges at the new location and put +all of the furnishing and personal baggage in the +right places in each lodge. The whole removal was +accomplished during a part of one day. In such traveling +we sometimes could outrun the soldiers, notwithstanding +they had only themselves and their +horses to care for. We often got our homes and all +of our people and their belongings across rivers where +the soldiers could not or did not follow us.</p> + +<p>The women brought wood, cut it, kept the fires +burning, cooked the food, cared for the children, did +all of the home work. The men took care of the +horses, guarded against enemies and fought them +when necessary or when desirable, hunted the wild +game, brought in the meat and the skins. Ordinarily +a man did not toil at domestic tasks nor did a woman +hunt or fight. In emergency, though, either a man +or a woman might aid or take the place of the other.</p> + +<p>Women used saddles for riding. They sat astride. +The saddles were made by them, the tree of elkhorn +or of hard wood, this wrapped with buffalo rawhide +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</span>sewed in place with shredded tendon sinew thread. +They also made pack saddles of the same material, +but having a different form. Old men likewise used +saddles. But young men always rode bareback. I +learned to use a saddle as a scout at Fort Keogh after +our Indian roaming and fighting days were past. +The white people say we mount a horse from the +wrong side, but I never changed that. They say too +that we do not know how to sharpen a knife. In +doing this we grind only one side of the knife’s edge. +But we make them keen by that method. I see no +need for grinding both sides of a knife’s blade.</p> + +<p>I did not smoke during my boyhood. As a youth I +took occasional tastes, but the habit was not formed. +The Cheyennes of those days did not chew tobacco. +My father gave me a medicine pipe, for devotional or +ceremonial smoking, when I was seventeen years +old. He himself made it. The bowl was of red stone. +My mother made me a long buckskin pouch and +beaded it, this to contain my pipe and tobacco—or, +the mixture that commonly is known as kinnikinick. +This mixture was half tobacco—plug tobacco shaved +off and dried—and half dried inner bark of the red +willow. In the South our people used some other +kind of bark, as our northern red willow did not grow +there.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</span></p> + +<p>Old-time pipes, before my days, were made of deer +leg bone. The bone was wrapped with rawhide strips +taken from the back of a buffalo’s head. This wrapping +was partly for the spirit influence and partly to +keep the bone from breaking when heated by the +smoking.</p> + +<p>We wore clothing, winter and summer. We had +light summer moccasins and heavy winter moccasins. +These always were cut low and had but one string, +whereas the Sioux moccasins were cut high, to lap +around the legs, and had two or more strings. One +time I saw some white children barefooted. I pitied +them, supposing them to be very poor. When I was +a small boy, a soldier at the fort on Buffalo creek gave +me a hat. Not long afterward I lost it. I was eighteen +years old before I got another one. It was not customary +for men, except old men, to wear any special +head covering. Women all went bareheaded or covered +the head with a shawl or a blanket or a robe.</p> + +<p>The buffalo hat was worn by old men. It was +made of buffalo rawhide. A broad oval segment of +the skin was used. An irregular circle was marked +on this surface, the drawing made to accord with the +shape of the head. From the center to the outer rim +of this circle several cuts were made. The cut flaps +were lifted to stand upright. This left the crown +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</span>wide open and its rim surrounded by the upstanding +diamond points. A leather thong under the chin held +the hat in place.</p> + +<p>Our people learned from the Crows this way of +making hats. That is, we discovered the idea from +them. One time, when the Cheyennes were camped +on Tongue river above the present Sheridan, the +Crows stole some horses from us. As the Cheyennes +pursued them the Crows abandoned the horses and +fled. They lost two hats, and the Cheyennes found +these. They were used as patterns. My father used +to wear a cloth over his open-top hat, to shield his +head from the sun’s heat. Every old man made his +own hat.</p> + +<p>Buffalo robes from adult animals served as overcoats +for men or women. Buffalo calf or deer robes +were used by the children. Buffalo hair sometimes +was stuffed into the moccasins to keep the feet warm. +Grease paint was used on the face for the principal +purpose of shielding the skin from cold during the +winter and from sunburn during the summer. The +most common color was a brownish red, but personal +fancy might choose some other color or some combination. +Each warrior also had his particular mode +of painting himself, his spirit or medicine ornamentation, +when preparing for battle or for death or for +social mingling.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</span></p> + +<p>All of the best clothing was taken along with him +when any warrior set out upon a search for conflict. +The articles were put into a special bag—ordinarily +a beautifully beaded buckskin pouch, but perhaps +a rawhide one—and this was slung at one side of his +horse. The bag also contained extra moccasins—beaded +moccasins—warbonnet, paints, a mirror, special +medicine objects, or anything else of this nature. +If a battle seemed about to occur, the warrior’s first +important preparatory act was to jerk off all his ordinary +clothing. He then hurriedly got out his fine +garments. If he had time to do so he rebraided his +hair, painted his face in his own peculiar way, did +everything needful to prepare himself for presenting +his most splendid personal appearance. That is, he +got himself ready to die.</p> + +<p>The idea of full dress in preparation for a battle +comes not from a belief that it will add to the fighting +ability. The preparation is for death, in case +that should be the result of the conflict. Every +Indian wants to look his best when he goes to meet +the Great Spirit, so the dressing up is done whether +the imminent danger is an oncoming battle or a sickness +or injury at times of peace. Some Indian tribes +did not pay full attention to this matter, some of +them seeming not to care whether they took life risks +while naked or while only partly clad or shabbily +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</span>clad. But the Cheyennes and the Sioux were careful +in following out the procedure. When any of them +got into a fight not expected, with no opportunity +to dress properly, they usually ran away and avoided +close contact and its consequent risks. Enemy people +not understanding their ways might suppose +them to be cowards because of such flight. In fact, +these same apparent cowards might be the bravest +of the brave when they have on their good clothing +and feel that they may present a respectable appearance +if called from this life to meet the Great Spirit.</p> + +<p>The naked fighters, among the Cheyennes and the +Sioux, were such warriors as specially fortified themselves +by prayer and other devotional exercises. +They had special instruction from medicine men. +Their naked bodies were painted in peculiar ways, +each according to the direction of his favorite spiritual +guide, and each had his own medicine charms +given to him by this guide. A warrior thus made +ready for battle was supposed to be proof against the +weapons of the enemy. He placed himself in the +forefront of the attack or the defense. His thought +was: “I am so protected by my medicine that I do not +need to dress for death. No bullet nor arrow can +harm me now.” On the other hand, a warrior not +made ready by special religious exercise and appliances +had in his heart the thought: “A bullet or an +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</span>arrow may hit me and kill me. I must dress myself +so as to please the Great Spirit if I should go now to +Him.”</p> + +<p>Warbonnets were not worn by all warriors. In +fact, there were only a few such distinguished men in +each warrior society of our tribe. It was expected +that one should be a student of the fighting art for +several years, or else that he be an unusually apt +learner, before he should put on the crown of eagle +feathers. He then did so upon his own initiative, or +perhaps because of the commendatory urgings of his +seniors. The act meant a profession of fully acquired +ability in warfare, a claim of special accomplishment +in using cunning and common sense and +cool calculation coupled with the bravery attributed +to all warriors. The wearer was supposed never to +ask mercy in battle. If some immature young man +pretended to such high standing before it seemed to +his companions that he ought to do so, he was twitted +and shamed into awaiting his proper time. I first +put on my warbonnet when I was thirty-three years +old, fourteen years after I had quit the roaming life. +After a man had been accepted as a warbonnet man +he remained so throughout his lifetime. War chiefs +and tribal chiefs ordinarily were warbonnet men, but +this was not a requirement for these positions. Pure +modesty might keep the bravest and most capable +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</span>fighter from making the claim. Also, an admittedly +worthy wearer of the warbonnet might not be chosen +for or might refuse all official positions. The +feathered headpiece, then, was not a sign of public +office. It was a token of individual and personal feeling +as to his own fighting capabilities.</p> + +<p>The warbonnet was made by the man who was to +wear it. His wife, mother or sister made only the +beaded band for the forehead. The man made also +whatever spirit charm objects he might use, or he got +a medicine man to make them for him. The women +made all of the war shirts, leggings, moccasins and +such clothing for the men. They also made all of +the common clothing for the men, for themselves, +and for all members of the household. The men +made their own pipes, weapons, lariat ropes and such +other articles as were used by men only.</p> + +<p>Our hand mirrors were not used entirely for dressing +and painting. We made use of them for signaling. +Two persons who understood each other could +exchange thoughts in this way over long distances, +and even when they could not see each other. Some +kinds of such signals were understood by all of our +people. The little glass was often useful in approaching +a camp when the traveler was in doubt +whether it was an assemblage of his own people or +of an enemy or unknown people. In such cases, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</span>flashes of inquiry and flashes of response, or lack +of responses, settled the doubt.</p> + +<p>My father bought me a rifle and a six-shooter when +I was about sixteen years old. He got them at a +trader’s store somewhere, when he went away on a +journey to the place. He exchanged buffalo robes +for them. The rifle was a muzzle loader, using powder, +bullet and caps. The six-shooter also was loaded +in the same way. Before that time I had learned to +shoot with other people’s guns, but these were the +first ones I ever owned.</p> + +<p>Some Indians used to cut off the rifle barrels, to +make them lighter for carrying on horseback. It was +supposed they would shoot just as well with the short +barrel. We never cut off the stock. The shortened +rifles were used in chasing buffalo on horseback. +Such weapons could be handled with one hand while +the horse was controlled with the other. They were +known to us as the “buffalo gun.”</p> + +<p>An old-time way of killing buffalo was by chasing +them in winter over a steep bluff into a deep snowdrift. +As they floundered there they could be speared +or beaten to death. A few times I was in that kind of +hunt. I heard old people tell of having used snowshoes +to go after buffalo, but I never saw any of that +kind of hunting. We always stripped the meat from +the bones while butchering. The only bones we took +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</span>were the ribs. We sometimes used the legs as mauls +to break up the ribs. Oh, how good was buffalo rib +roast!</p> + +<p>Four arrows was the regular allowance for the +killing of one buffalo during a horseback chase. The +need of more than that number was discreditable to +the skill of the bowman. Less than that was a matter +for boasting. If one killed a buffalo with only one +arrow, that was wonderful.</p> + +<p>I have helped in the chasing of antelope bands +over a cliff. In the Black Hills was one special place +where we worked for our meat in that manner. The +creek near by was called Antelope creek. The first +time I went there an old man accompanied me. We +located ourselves in hiding near the base of the cliff, +with women and old people and children. Two young +men rounded up a herd and drove them over for us. +Many of them were killed or got broken legs. We +clubbed to death the injured ones.</p> + +<p>We could get food, clothing and shelter from the +buffalo only. Saddles and harness, halters and bridles, +were made by using their rawhide. Stout thongs +for all purposes were cut from them. For a rawhide +lariat rope, long strands were cut by following +around the outside of a buffalo rawhide. Three or +four of these strands were plaited together. Buffalo +hair, particularly from the neck of a bull, also was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</span>spun into long strands and plaited to make a lariat. +The buffalo, then, was very important to us in our +mode of life. When any man went out specially hunting +them he usually led two or three pack horses to +bring in his gathered supply of food and skins.</p> + +<p>Fishing lines were made of horsehair. The hairs +were tied to make long threads, and these were +plaited together. We got metal hooks from the white +men traders. I have caught rabbits also with baited +hooks on the horsehair lines. I heard of eagles having +been captured in that way. But I never tried it +on an eagle. The Arapahoes used to be great eagle +hunters. Old men told me the Cheyennes in past +times had caught them from pits. The pit was covered +with sticks, and a dead rabbit or some other +tempting flesh bait was placed upon the sticks over +the center of the pit. The hunter hid himself below +the bait. When an eagle alighted he seized its +legs, jerked it down, grabbed its head and wrung +its neck.</p> + +<p>Twisting rabbits out of a hollow log, using a forked +stick to get the hold for pulling them, was a boyhood +game. I set my muzzle loader rifle one time +on the upper Rosebud as a trap and caught a fox. +I have caught coyotes by that same means. The taking +of the bait pulled the trigger and shot the animal. +A piece of fat meat was the best lure for them. I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</span>have poisoned lots of wolves and got their pelts. +A good way is to put the poisoned meat upon the top +of a stick stuck into the snow, the meat being about +on a level with a wolf’s body. The trapper goes back +next day and follows the trial of whatever wolf might +have gone away from the stick.</p> + +<p>My first choice of meat was antelope. Buffalo +was a close second choice. Deer and elk came next. +It appeared, though, that no Indian ever got actually +turned against buffalo flesh. Beaver, rabbit, prairie +chickens, bear, fish and turtles are good. Otter or +wolf are not good, except wolf pups taste good if one +be hungry. Dogs are the same as wolves. An old +dog or an old wolf being boiled sickens me. Boiling +pups give out almost as bad an odor.</p> + +<p>Salt was in use by the Cheyennes before I was +born. We used it when we had it, but we did not always +have it. There was a stream known to the +Indians as Salt creek somewhere in the South. From +there the Southern Cheyennes used to bring to us +great chunks of salt. We sometimes smoked our +meat, partly to help in preserving it and partly because +the flavor was an agreeable change at times.</p> + +<p>Steel and flint was the usual source of fire. +Neither my older brother nor myself had these, but +my father had a good pair. We used to borrow from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</span>him. In the usual personal traveling pack was a +small box or bag containing steel, flint and kindling. +Dried buffalo dung, usually known as “buffalo +chips,” makes good kindling when it is pulverized. +Spark, kindle, blow, spark, kindle, blow, until a +small blaze is started. Then put on twigs or grass, +then small wood, then large wood. Buffalo chips +in their natural chunks made good wood.</p> + +<p>The Crows used to have a custom of making a pile +of buffalo chips to be kicked to pieces by whoever +might come to camp pretending to bear an important +message. This was by way of oath that he would +tell the truth. There was no such custom among the +Cheyennes. Our way was to build a bonfire and +call the chiefs. No oath of any kind was taken. It +was supposed the truth would be told without special +promise. Perhaps that was not the case with the +Crows.</p> + +<p>I have heard of another Crow custom different +from the Cheyenne way. I have been told that when +a Crow stole a horse or found any article it was expected +of him that he give it away. It was considered +not right for him to keep it. A Cheyenne might present +a stolen horse or a found article to a relative or +a friend, but it was regarded as entirely fair and +proper for him to keep it for himself if he chose to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</span>do so. Ordinarily he kept it. I admire the old Crow +way of acting in that respect. Such conduct makes +a good and unselfish heart.</p> + +<p>The Sioux often buried their dead on scaffolds, +but I never saw any Cheyenne burials in that way. +Sometimes our dead were put upon platforms on tree +branches. Mostly, though, they were placed in small +hillside rocky caves if these were convenient. In +later times, and in many instances at the present day +on our reservation, the dead body was deposited on +the surface of the ground on a rocky hill or in some +place out of the way of usual travel. The body was +well wrapped in blankets or skins, and it may or may +not have been put into a wooden box. In either case +a heap of stones was piled over it to shield it from +animals.</p> + +<p>Our women used to cut their legs and arms, usually +in crosswise slashes, as an act of mourning. Some +of them—the older ones—yet do this. A married +woman cut off her hair, in ragged form, if her husband +died. In mourning for other relatives the hair +might be worn loose and uncombed for a long or a +short time. Men did not cut the flesh in mourning. +They let loose the hair or cut off their braids. Men +who had lost relatives often cut off also the manes +and the tails of their horses as a sign of mourning.</p> + +<p>There was no marriage ceremony among the Cheyennes. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</span>Such union was mainly a simple agreement +between the two principal parties. In far back old +times young men purchased their brides, but during +my days this was not the custom among us. In our +later practice presents might be given by the young +man, these ordinarily to the girl’s brothers. But +these were given after the marriage, as an indication +of good will, not as a purchase price. Reciprocal +gifts often were made to the newly married couple.</p> + +<p>The older way of entering upon the preliminary +steps toward marriage was for the young man first to +consult his own father. An old woman relative was +enlisted as an emissary. “Tell the girl’s father I will +give him four horses (or some other number of +horses) for his daughter as a wife for my son.” The +old woman went and negotiated with the father and +his daughter. If the offer or some modification of it +were agreed upon, the initiative father gathered together +or borrowed from relatives such horses or +blankets or other gifts as were required. These were +taken to the lodge of the girl’s father. The prospective +bride was put upon a blanket. Her personal +belongings were put there with her or were wrapped +in another package. She and her property were +carried to the lodge of the young man’s father and +placed inside, the carriers leaving her there and going +elsewhere. The young man seized her as his wife. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</span>All of the supposed purchase gifts often were bestowed +upon the young couple. Relatives of the two +parties exchanged presents and compliments. The +old woman emissary got a horse. Gifts all around +were made in accordance with the ability of the people +interested and in accordance with the degree of +satisfaction felt because of the event.</p> + +<p>Our most common custom was for the young man +to do all of his own managing of the affair. In the +night time he crept stealthily to the vicinity of the +loved one’s parental tepee. He looked and listened—listened +long and intently. He crept closer, still +closer, until he was at the outside wall of that side +of the lodge where slept the one he was seeking. He +whispered, perhaps had to whisper more loudly, to +awaken her. They conversed in whispers, possibly +the first time they ever had spoken directly to each +other, although all their lives they had lived in the +same camps.</p> + +<p>“Will—will—will you marry me?”</p> + +<p>“Y-y-yes.”</p> + +<p>She crept out and joined him. They went together +to the lodge of the young man’s brother or sister or +to a place where dwelt elder relatives of his.</p> + +<p>The next morning two intruders were discovered +there, a young man and his young wife. The discovery +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</span>was announced, all parties interested were informed. +Not often was the information displeasing. +Ordinarily all concerned were contented and manifested +their contentment in the usual exchange of +gifts.</p> + +<p>The newly married couple lived temporarily at the +lodge of relatives on one or the other side, preferably +with a brother or a sister of the husband. This +was but a fleeting residence. The first important duty +of the husband was to get skins for a tepee, either by +borrowing them or by taking them in the hunt. Then +it was the duty of the young wife to tan and sew together +these skins and set up a home lodge.</p> + +<p>Plural wives were kept by many of the old Cheyennes. +The one family lodge sheltered the entire +combined family. Commonly the two or more wives +were born sisters. This condition checked or prevented +the jealous quarreling likely to occur were +they from different families. Two wives ordinarily +was the limit. But in my time I knew two different +men who each had three wives living with him. In +each of these instances the three wives were sisters. +The two men were named Red Arms and Plum Tree. +Both of them and their entire families were in the +Cheyenne camp on the Little Bighorn when we had +the great battle there. Plum Tree was the father of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</span>Sun Bear and Two Feathers. Both of these sons of +his fought the soldiers at that time, and Two Feathers +is yet living here on the Tongue river.</p> + +<p>Captive women from other tribes were made wives +of our men. There were many of such among us. +Spotted Hawk’s mother was a Ute woman captured +by our people when she was a small girl. The old +Chief Dull Knife, or Rabbit, or Morning Star, had as +his wife a Pawnee captive woman. At the time she +came to us, two other Pawnee women were brought +and were taken into marriage for bringing up Cheyenne +children. Crow women stolen long ago by our +warriors in raids were mothers of some important +Cheyennes, including Big Foot, Big Thigh and the +Chiefs Crazy Head and Little Horse. I do not know +of any Cheyenne women having been captured from +us by the Crows. The Pawnees and the Shoshones +got away with some of them.</p> + +<p>An unfaithful wife did not incur any public +penalty, according to the laws of the Cheyennes and +the Sioux. Her husband might inflict some penalty. +That was permissible, but he was not conceded the +right to kill her. I knew one man who cut a great +gash in his wife’s forehead because of her going with +another man. Ordinarily, though, the loss of his +wife’s affection was looked upon as a joke on the +husband, and he kept quiet about it or pretended that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</span>he did not bewail the loss. The Arapahoes had a +tribal punishment for a wife’s unfaithfulness. They +cut off the end of the woman’s nose. Then any +future observer might have notice of her frailty when +contemplating the taking of her as his wife.</p> + +<p>Fighting between Cheyennes, either men or +women, was forbidden by the tribal laws. In case +of a fight some chief near at hand would call out: +“Warriors, separate these fighters and whip them.” +The warrior policemen then on duty would respond +to the call. A band of them would give such punishment +as seemed to them fitting. If the fighters renewed +their strife they might have punishment added, +might have their tepees torn down, their horses +killed, property damage done to them in some other +way, any suitable and sufficient punishment—except, +no policeman warrior nor anyone else lawfully could +kill a Cheyenne.</p> + +<p>Pony whips, either the lashes or the heavy stick +handles, were the customary attacking weapons in a +personal fight. Cheyennes did not use fists as the +white people do. Not often did any two women fight. +If they did, they merely scratched and pulled hair. +It was more of a comic show than an alarming sight +to see two women clawing each other. I never +heard of any Cheyenne woman killing another nor +maliciously killing a man. Nor did the men kill +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</span>women. I used to hear old people talk about a Cheyenne +named Wounded Elk who had beaten his wife +and then shot her, killing her. I never heard of any +other like case. That incident happened before I +was born.</p> + +<p>Suicides were not uncommon among us. Men shot +themselves, women hung themselves. Foolish ones +yet do such acts. Several years ago my neighbor and +friend Whirlwind shot himself to death. Five or six +years ago a woman hanged herself at Lame Deer. +Many of these sad occurrences, particularly among the +women, have come to pass during my lifetime.</p> + +<p>A sister of Bobtail Horse and Hollow Wood hung +herself when I was yet a small boy and our people +were camped on a branch of the Tongue river. Her +mother had scolded and threatened her, but had not +struck her, as the striking of any child was not customary +among the Cheyennes. But the girl was +ashamed and crestfallen because of the scolding. +She brooded a while, then she disappeared. Searchers +failed to find her. Two years later, a Cheyenne +young man hunting deer in that vicinity found the +remains of her body suspended by the neck from a +tree limb. Several years before that time another +young woman had done this same act near there on +this same stream. From this first incident, and confirmed +by the later one, the creek got a permanent +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</span>name. It became known as Hanging Woman creek. +It flows into Tongue river from the east side, just +above the present white man village of Birney, +Montana.</p> + +<p>As we were in camp one time on the Rosebud, below +Lame Deer creek, another boy and I went rambling +afoot among the timber by the stream. We +suddenly came upon a woman dangling and strangling. +I had no knife. The other boy had one.</p> + +<p>“Cut the rope,” I urged him.</p> + +<p>He already was about to do this. We let the +woman down upon the ground. I ran to the creek +near by, got a mouthful of water, hurried back and +squirted the water into her face. I stayed beside her +while my companion rushed into the camp to tell her +people. A band of women came, bringing a blanket. +They put the disabled one upon the blanket and +carried her to her home lodge. A medicine man was +called. The next day I saw the woman. She gave +no indication then of having had any unusual experience.</p> + +<p>A widow Cheyenne woman was living in our camp +at a time when we had stopped on the east side of the +upper Little Bighorn river. Her husband had been +killed three or four years before then, in the battle +where Cheyennes and Sioux had won a great victory +over the soldiers. (Fort Phil Kearny, 1866.) From +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</span>this Little Bighorn camp my older brother and another +boy and myself went out riding. I then was +about twelve years old. Ahead of us, on a branching +creek, we saw a woman walking rapidly afoot. +She had a blanket over her head and shoulders. +She turned into a thickly wooded gulch beside the +creek and disappeared into the timber. We wondered +a little at her strange actions, but we felt it not proper +to follow her. Pretty soon three other boys came +galloping their horses.</p> + +<p>“Did you see any lone woman around here?” they +asked anxiously.</p> + +<p>“Yes, she went there,” and we indicated the +wooded gulch.</p> + +<p>My two companions followed them. I went to a +plum patch. As I stood there eating plums I saw a +man and a woman hurrying up toward the gulch. +Both of them were crying. I followed them.</p> + +<p>The five boys were trying to revive the woman being +sought, who had hanged herself. But she now +was dead. The body was rolled into the blanket she +had been wearing and she was taken into camp.</p> + +<p>This widow had been dependent upon friends for +her support since her husband’s death. She had a +daughter eight or nine years old. One day the young +widow asked her mother for a certain fine robe. The +mother refused. The request was urged. Still the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</span>mother for some reason said, “No.” The aggrieved +and disconsolate young woman was so downcast by +this apparent coldness of her mother that she went +out and hanged herself.</p> + +<p>My mother’s sister hung herself in their family +lodge when we were in camp one time on Powder +river. I was nine years old. Our family lodge was +right beside the one where dwelt this aunt of mine. +My mother heard the noise of the struggling and +strangling. The sister’s tepee entrance flap was tied +shut, but my mother burst through it. She found +my aunt suspended by a rawhide rope tied high upon +a pole of the lodge. She hastily cut the rope and +cut it again from her sister’s neck. White Bull, a +medicine man, was called. His medicine then was +the tusks of a bear. He held these over and around +my aunt while he got down upon his hands and knees +and grunted like a bear. He kept this up until she +suddenly had a hard coughing spell and brought up +a chunk of something that had been choking her. +She soon stood up and was all right. White Bull was +a good medicine man. He saved the lives of lots of +Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>Only one wildly insane Cheyenne person did I ever +see. As I was out on a hill beside the camp one day +I heard a woman screaming. I looked in the direction +of the sound and saw a woman outside a lodge +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</span>charging about here and there and tearing off her +clothing. People were running to the scene. I +hastened down there. A chief called out:</p> + +<p>“Warriors, come.”</p> + +<p>Warrior policemen rushed there from all parts of +the camp. They seized the woman and held her while +medicine men were summoned. I stood there among +the surrounding crowd and watched the proceedings. +Finally the medicine men caused her to gag and +choke and cough out the tail of a deer. At once she +came into her right mind. Our medicine men always +could cure that kind of sickness.</p> + +<p>This woman had another attack of this same kind +some months after that first one. The medicine men +gave her the same kind of treatment. Again she spat +out the tail of a deer and instantly became sane. Not +long after that she got married. She had a third +attack a month or so after the marriage. Her husband +did not send for any medicine man this time. +He himself tied her and whipped her. He beat and +lashed his wife until she spat out a deer tail. This +cured her right away. I never heard of her going insane +after that time.</p> + +<p>The killing of any Cheyenne was the most serious +offense against our tribal laws. The punishment was +prompt. A council of the big chiefs and the warrior +chiefs was called at once. The case was inquired +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</span>into. If guilt was evident, the offender began without +delay the payment of his penalty. Sometimes action +was taken without the council being assembled, +the situation being so clear that unanimity of feeling +was expressed either for or against the person charged +with the crime. The defendant was not permitted to +be present at the trial council. When the decision +was rendered he was notified at his lodge by the warrior +policemen. If found guilty they proceeded at +once to put into effect the regular fixed and standard +punishment.</p> + +<p>“Get ready to go,” they ordered him.</p> + +<p>Banishment for four years was the main penalty. +It had to be entered upon that same day. If the +offender protested or dallied, he might suffer the additional +infliction of being whipped, of having his +horses killed or his tepee destroyed. If he acceded +willingly, he was allowed to take along his possessions. +In any case, he had to go. His wife or his +children might go with him or remain with the tribe, +as they might choose. If he had a medicine pipe, that +sacred object regularly possessed by every adult male +Cheyenne, his very first act of entrance upon the +banishment was the smashing to fragments of this +most revered talisman. Everything else he owned +he might take along with him. But he must not have +the devotional medicine pipe.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</span></p> + +<p>Two or three miles from the main camp was considered +a sufficient distance for the banished one. +Relatives might visit him there or take food to him, +but it was not allowable for them to remain long, +and in no case should they remain after sundown. +The chief spiritual guide or medicine man of the +tribe withdrew the sacred protection, so the outlawed +one was altogether out of touch with the Great Medicine. +He kept watch of the camp movements, and he +could follow at a distance with his lone tepee and set +it up at a distance within sight of but out of convenient +hearing of the new camp location. He hunted +alone. If in the course of his hunting he accidentally +came close to other Cheyennes, it was expected he +should hasten away from them. The warrior policemen +would whip him, or they might kill him, if he +should offer to intrude himself. It was not permissible +for anyone to speak to him nor in any other +manner extend to him a friendly recognition. He was +entirely avoided—or, it was required of him that he +entirely avoid all other Cheyennes. Day after day, +month after month, summer and winter, fair or foul +weather, for four complete years he lived altogether +the life of a scorned hermit. He was conceded the +right to join some other tribe, but he did not do this. +The great obstacle was, the people of the other tribe +surely would ask: “Whence came you, and why?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</span></p> + +<p>When the four years ended, the absolved man came +back and took temporary abode in the lodge of relatives. +Soon he set up his own lodge. He was admitted +then to the principal rights, privileges and +immunities of a recognized member of the tribe. But +to this rehabilitation there were some important exceptions. +For one, he never thereafter was allowed +to have a medicine pipe nor to take part in any smoking +circle. He was tolerated in personal presence +there, if he chose thus to place himself, but as the +pipe was being moved along from one to another it +always went on past him, just as if he were not there +at all. Nobody abused him. They simply ignored +him. Hence, he ordinarily kept entirely away from +such gatherings.</p> + +<p>An insignificant little pipe having a short stem +was conceded to him as an individual comfort. But +he had to smoke always alone. Such little pipes were +made of stone or of the leg bone of a deer or of some +other material not used for making the venerated +pipe used in formal smoking. When I was a little boy +I used to see one certain very old man who smoked +one of these little short-stemmed pipes. I did not +understand why he should do this. I asked my father +about it. He told me: “He killed a Cheyenne.”</p> + +<p>Social ostracism in various ways haunted the subsequent +life of the murderer otherwise cleansed from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</span>his stain. If he came hungry to any lodge he was +fed. But when he was gone, the spoon or dish he had +used was destroyed. If he sat upon a robe, nobody +else ever afterward would sit upon it. If he became +needy, gifts were taken to his lodge, but this was +done by way of pity rather than by way of friendly +feeling. By exemplary conduct he might partly restore +his standing, but it never was fully restored.</p> + +<p>One time, when I was a boy five or six years old, +all of the Northern Cheyennes and all of the Southern +Cheyennes were camped together by the Giving +White Medal river.⁠<a id="FNanchor_10_10" href="#Footnote_10_10" class="fnanchor">[10]</a> Each of the tribes had its +sacred medicine tepee, the Northern Cheyennes for +their Buffalo Head and the Southern Cheyennes for +their Medicine Arrows. The great double camps remained +together several days. There were many ceremonies, +many social dances and other affairs, much +going back and forth between the two camps in the +renewal of old acquaintance and the making of new +acquaintance.</p> + +<p>Chief of Many Buffalo and Rolling Wheel were +two men belonging then to our Northern Cheyenne +tribe. Chief of Many Buffalo was not married. Rolling +Wheel had a wife and a small boy. This wife was +tempted by the single man, and she took her boy and +went to live with him. Rolling Wheel complained to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</span>the chiefs. He asked that Chief of Many Buffalo +be compelled to give him a certain running horse, the +swiftest animal in the whole tribal herd.</p> + +<p>“Yes, he must give you that horse,” the chiefs decided.</p> + +<p>An old man was sent to notify Chief of Many Buffalo. +The owner of the racer announced that he +would keep it, that he had concluded he did not want +the woman. He sent her away to her father’s lodge. +“That makes no difference,” the old man said. +“Rolling Wheel now owns that horse.”</p> + +<p>He went and informed the aggrieved husband of +the situation. He told him:</p> + +<p>“The horse belongs to you. Go and get it.”</p> + +<p>“I go now,” Rolling Wheel replied.</p> + +<p>He took his lariat rope and went out among the +herd. There on a little knoll stood Chief of Many +Buffalo, armed with a rifle.</p> + +<p>“Go away,” the armed man commanded.</p> + +<p>But Rolling Wheel kept on after the horse. The +rifle flashed and barked. The man with the lariat +tumbled forward dead. Chief of Many Buffalo was +a murderer.</p> + +<p>This banished man was not allowed to have any +tepee. For four years he slept in caves or in other +natural shelters he might find in the neighborhood of +our camping places. At the end of his term of isolation +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</span>he left us and went to the Southern Cheyennes. +There he married a widow of that tribe. Soon afterward +he brought her and her two children to join us. +They made their permanent home with our people. +I remember clearly the time of their arrival at our +camp. I was ten years old. We were on Crow creek, +a stream that flows into Tongue river just north of +the present Sheridan.</p> + +<p>The misguided wife of the dead Rolling Wheel remained +for several years an inhabitant of her father’s +lodge. Finally she was married to another Cheyenne. +She was my aunt, a sister of my father, White +Buffalo Shaking Off the Dust.</p> + +<p>A Cheyenne named Hawk came to us when I was +a small boy. I heard people talk of him. They said +he had been away four years, in consequence of his +having killed Sharp Nose. From the repeated stories +I learned the details.</p> + +<p>The two men had been out together capturing wild +horses or on a raid upon an enemy herd. They +brought home three horses, one of them considered a +specially good animal and the other two of inferior +grade. Each one wanted to keep the first choice and +give the two others to his companion. They quarreled. +It appeared that Sharp Nose had the better +claim to preference, but Hawk had possession of the +disputed animal. He had it picketed beside his lodge.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</span></p> + +<p>Sharp Nose on horseback and his father afoot went +there to argue further about the matter. Hawk sat +just outside his tepee entrance. He had his bow and +arrows. As the two approached, he stood up and +declared:</p> + +<p>“I am going to kill you right now.”</p> + +<p>His arrow went through the body of the young man +on horseback. Sharp Nose plunged forward and fell +dead to the ground. His father shouted imprecations +upon the hot-headed killer. The father of Hawk +intervened to take a part in the affair. This old man +went into their tepee and came out with a muzzle-loading +rifle in his hands. The father of the dead +Sharp Nose turned and walked away toward the +camp boundaries. The rifle was leveled and fired at +him. He staggered, evidently wounded, but he did +not fall. The shooter reloaded his rifle with powder, +bullet and cap. By that time the retreating victim +was far off and still walking away. A second shot +was sent after him. This time the result was fatal.</p> + +<p>Hawk and his father were banished at once, not +being allowed to take with them any property whatever. +I used to gaze upon the returned Hawk with +awe-stricken feelings. People whispered, “He killed +a Cheyenne.” I do not remember ever having seen +his father. I believe the old man died while they +were in exile. The killing had been done somewhere +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</span>between Cherry creek and the Arickaree river (northeastern +Colorado). When Hawk joined the tribe +again we were near the agency south of the Black +Hills.</p> + +<p>No property indemnity payment nor any other +substitute penalty could take the place of the four +years of banishment put upon a willful killer. If a +killing were accidental, the survivor might be compelled +to give horses and other presents to the relatives +of the deceased, or he voluntarily and promptly +might do his best to make amends to them in that +manner. If no blame whatever rested upon him, he +need pay nothing. Yet, it was customary for him to +show in some such way his sadness of heart because +of the occurrence.</p> + +<p>Two youths, brothers, found one time a wolf’s den. +One of them took his lariat and crawled into the hillside +cave to get pups. He felt about in the darkness, +got the rope about a pup’s hind feet and dragged it +out. They knocked it in the head and he went back +after another one. This time, either a pup or an old +wolf bit his hand. He retreated. Outside he got a +forked stick. With this projecting out in front of +him, he returned to the attack upon the wolves. The +forked end got engaged in the hair and skin of the +wolf. The youth twisted and tugged, backing out +and dragging after him the snarling and snapping +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</span>animal. The brother stood with his rifle poised and +ready to shoot. Limbs of brush diverted his aim, and +the bullet crashed into the head of the other boy. +The shocked and weeping brother put the dead body +upon a horse and took it to their home lodge. People +flocked there to see and to hear.</p> + +<p>“You killed him in anger,” somebody accused.</p> + +<p>“No, it was an accident,” he sobbed out. And he +explained how it had occurred.</p> + +<p>A group of warrior policemen went with him out +to the wolf’s den. There he rehearsed for their observation +all of the incidents of the happening. They +became fully satisfied that he had no intention to kill +his brother, that it truly was entirely accidental. The +youth was released with no penalty whatever.</p> + +<p>As we were camped one time on the upper Powder +river, when I was about thirteen years old, Wolf Medicine +and other men loaded their pack horses with +buffalo robes and other skins and went to the trader +post at the southward (Fort Laramie) for buying +some supplies. They got tobacco, caps, powder, lead, +sugar, and goods of that character. Wolf Medicine +brought a sack of flour. Our women were just then +learning how to make bread. Wolf Medicine’s wife +knew how to make it so it tasted good. He was a +little chief of the Elk warriors, and he wanted to give +them a feast. He said to his wife:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</span></p> + +<p>“Make plenty of bread. I shall invite all Elks to +come.”</p> + +<p>“How,” she assented, and she went immediately +at mixing flour and water. Then: “Oh, I have no +soda.”</p> + +<p>A young woman there said: “My mother has soda. +I will go and get some.” She went to her home +lodge and told her mother. This woman rummaged +among her packages, looking into one after another. +“Here it is,” she finally announced. The young +woman took the white powder to the wife of Wolf +Medicine. As the good cook proceeded with her +work, her proud husband went out to the front of his +lodge and stood there calling:</p> + +<p>“All Elk warriors, come. Wolf Medicine has a +feast of bread.”</p> + +<p>That brought them in droves. The wife engaged +some helpers. They fried many slices of bacon and +they boiled a great potful of coffee. When the food +was being eaten everybody said: “Wolf Medicine’s +wife can make good bread.” The hearts of the husband +and the wife were made glad by the compliments +showered upon them.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_112fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_112fp.jpg" alt="A Cheyenne sweat lodge"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">A Cheyenne sweat lodge</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_112fpb" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_112fpb.jpg" alt="A Cheyenne woman tanning"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">A Cheyenne woman tanning</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>After the feast, Wolf Medicine brought a supply +of tobacco. The assemblage was converted into a +grand smoking party. They passed the pipe and +chatted and told stories. After a while somebody +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</span>said: “I feel sick. My stomach pains me.” Just +then the neighbor woman came running and screaming:</p> + +<p>“I gave you the wrong powder! It is the wolf +poison!”</p> + +<p>The commotion aroused and brought the whole +population of the camp. The victims were wallowing +and groaning. An old man herald went among +them calling out: “Make yourselves vomit.” Some +already had done this, others began at once to gag +their throats with fingers poked into them. Two +men, Old Bear and White Elk, did not do this. Instead, +they took doses of gunpowder in water. Both +of these men had convulsions and were sick a long +time, but they finally recovered full health. All of +the others got relief soon after the gagging and vomiting. +One of them was my father. As a test, some +remnants of bread was given to two dogs. Both of +the dogs went into convulsions and died. The woman +who had provided the supposed soda was not +punished. On the contrary, she was for a long time +afterward so distressed in mind that people sympathized +with and tried to console her.</p> + +<p>A certain half-Sioux-half-Cheyenne man was +married to a Cheyenne woman and they lived with +our tribe. He killed one of our Cheyennes, served +his exile term of four years and returned to a small +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</span>village of Cheyennes where were his relatives. That +was considered right, but his next movement was considered +not right. He went to visit another Cheyenne +village where were many relatives of the man +he had killed. Warning was sent to him not to come +there, that he would be killed, but he heeded not the +notice, or he designed to show special bravery that +might win a good standing. Two Cheyenne men accompanied +him to the visited camp.</p> + +<p>The three companions went from lodge to lodge, +being received courteously and fed at the various stopping +places. A brother of the man who had been +killed sat in his own lodge, there meditating and saying +nothing to anybody. He kept beside him a loaded +rifle. From time to time, as the three men moved +among the lodges he watched them from the interior +of his tepee. People began to taunt him:</p> + +<p>“You are afraid.”</p> + +<p>“No, I will kill him today.”</p> + +<p>The Sioux-Cheyenne walked at all times between +the two Cheyenne companions when the three went +from any one lodge to another. But as they were +passing across one open area the middle man stopped +and bent himself forward to tie a loose moccasin +string. In a moment the bang of a rifle shot rang out +from the watcher’s tepee. The half-Sioux pitched +headfirst to the ground. His death was regarded by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</span>all as an earned infliction. The chiefs agreed: “He +ought not to have come so soon to this place where +are his victim’s relatives. His slayer did right.”</p> + +<p>An Ogallala Sioux man had one of our women as +his wife. They lived with our people. The couple +had much domestic trouble. It was said the husband +grossly abused his wife. The matter came to a climax +as our Cheyennes were camped on the Giving +White Medal river. I was a baby or a small child, +and my knowledge of it comes only from hearsay +stories. But in later times I knew the people involved.</p> + +<p>The maltreated wife had two brothers, Dirty Moccasins +and Tall White Man—not the present old man +Tall White Man, but another Cheyenne dead many +years ago. These two brothers decided to end the +continual humiliation of their sister. They got their +bows and arrows and went man-hunting. Each of +them sent an arrow through the body of the offending +Sioux and put out the lights of his life. They were +not banished. Besides their having the natural sympathy +of the people, the dead man was a Sioux, not +a Cheyenne. Nevertheless, ever after that, Dirty +Moccasins smoked only a deer bone pipe and Tall +White Man used always a little stone one. For many +years I saw him as a scrawny and feeble old man +smoking the tiny short-stemmed stone pipe.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</span></p> + +<p>The Sioux and his wife had a ten-year-old daughter. +When she grew to womanhood she married a +Cheyenne man named Elk Creek. This couple had +three daughters, grandchildren of the Sioux killed +by the two brothers. One of these grandchildren +married Round Stone, another married a Fort Keogh +soldier named Thompson, the third is the wife of +Willis Rowland, our present interpreter at the Lame +Deer agency.</p> + +<p>I heard a story about two Sioux in a Sioux camp +who quarreled concerning the ownership of a horse. +One of them had possession of the animal. The other +sat in his lodge and brooded over what he regarded +as a wrong done to him. He planned an unusual +mode of carrying out revenge. He went to a Cheyenne +camp near by and inquired there for a medicine +man. A Cheyenne led him to a certain lodge.</p> + +<p>“I have important business,” the Sioux announced. +“Come out where nobody can hear us.”</p> + +<p>The three went out of the camp, to a hilltop. The +young Cheyenne served as negotiator between the +Sioux and the medicine man.</p> + +<p>“I want him to kill a Sioux,” the visitor proposed.</p> + +<p>There was some exchange of talk about the compensation +to the medicine man. Finally, an agreement +was reached. The medicine man received a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</span>blanket, some moccasins and clothing, some food and +a keen-bladed and sharp-pointed sheathknife. A day +was consumed in settling the conditions. While this +was going on, the Sioux camp moved away and was +set up elsewhere. The angry Sioux and the medicine +man followed them. The lodge of the enemy was +pointed out. The medicine man drew the figure of a +man upon the outside wall of the lodge. At the right +place he made a special picture of the heart. Then +he told the angry Sioux:</p> + +<p>“Take this knife. At dawn tomorrow morning +you must stab the heart picture I have drawn. Then +bring to me the knife.”</p> + +<p>The commanded procedure was carried out. The +wielder of the weapon was astonished when blood +flowed freely from the stabbed picture heart. He +ran away and told the medicine man, told him of the +blood and returned to him the knife.</p> + +<p>“Good. He will die tonight,” came the assuring +declaration.</p> + +<p>As the medicine man went back to the Cheyennes +he congratulated himself on the clever trick he had +played upon his confiding employer. “Good knife, +good blanket, good clothing, all for me,” he +chuckled. But: That same night the enemy Sioux +man actually became ill. He vomited blood, and before +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</span>morning he was dead. I do not like that kind +of medicine actions. Such use of the powers makes +bad Indians.</p> + +<p>The warrior days of a Cheyenne man began at the +age of about sixteen or seventeen, or sometimes a +little earlier for such activities as were not very difficult +or risky. They ended somewhere between thirty-five +and forty, according to particular circumstances. +The regular rule was, every man was classed as a +warrior and expected to serve as such until he had a +son old enough to take his place. Then the father retired +from aggressive fighting and the son took up +the weapons for that family. If a man came into +early middle age without any son, he adopted one. +If he had more than one son, he might allow the additional +one or more to be adopted by another man who +had none. By following this system, all of the offensive +fighting was done by young men, mostly the unmarried +young men. The fathers and the older men +ordinarily stayed in the background, to help or to +shield the women and children. Or, if it was practicable, +the fathers and old men and women followed +out the young warriors and stayed at a safe distance +behind, there to sing cheering songs and to call out +advice and encouragement. If a warrior’s father or +some other old person put himself unnecessarily forward +in a battle he was likely to be criticised for his +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</span>needless risk, and also the young warriors felt aggrieved +at his taking from them whatever of honors +might be gained in the combat. In general, the +young men were supposed to be more valuable as +fighters and less valuable as wise counselors, while +the older men were estimated in the opposite way. +It was considered as being not right for an important +older man to place himself as a target for the missiles +of the enemy, if he could avoid such exposure. +Even in a surprise attack upon us, it was expected +the seniors should run away, if they could get away, +while the more lively and supposedly more ambitious +young men met the attack.</p> + +<p>Our war chiefs—that is, the three leading chiefs +and the twenty-seven little chiefs of our three warrior +societies—were more useful as instructors in +quiet assemblage than as directors of operation in +times of battle. There were frequent gatherings of +the warrior societies, each in its own gathering, +where the chiefs exchanged ideas about methods of +combat and about daily care of the personal self, +and where the listening young warriors learned their +lessons. If some aggressive war was contemplated, +these chiefs agreed upon the plans. But when any +battle actually began it was a case of every man for +himself. There were then no ordered groupings, +no systematic movements in concert, no compulsory +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</span>goings and comings. Warriors of all societies mingled +indiscriminately, every individual went where +and when he chose, every one looked out for himself +only, or each helped a friend if such help were +needed and if the able one’s personal inclination +just then was toward friendly helpfulness. The warrior +chiefs called out advice, perhaps a reminder of +some rule of action theretofore discussed in the +gatherings, or perhaps some special suggestion that +exactly fitted the immediate situation, such as, +“Yonder is one whose horse is down; go right in +after him.” Ordinarily the advice of the chiefs was +heeded. But the obedience was a voluntary one. +In battle, the chiefs had not authority to issue commands +that must be obeyed.</p> + +<p>Special war parties made up of members of some +certain warrior society often went out seeking conflict +with the enemy. The warrior societies competed +with each other for effectiveness in this kind of +activity, as well as in all other activities regarded as +commendable. At times, the members of some certain +warrior society would be selected by the tribal +chiefs to do all of the tribal fighting in some case +where the opposition was looked upon as being not +great enough to make necessary the use of the entire +tribal military forces. If this appointed segment of +our fighters did well they were acclaimed. If they +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</span>did not do well, especially if other warriors had to go +to their assistance, the original combatants were +discredited. Ordinarily, whatever warrior society +was on duty as camp policemen had also the duty as +special camp defenders. It was their business to be +the first ones out to meet any attack upon the camp. +Members of the other societies added their help if +necessary, refrained from doing so if they were not +needed. If the enemy onset was sufficient to render +needful the resistance of all of the warriors in the +camp, all of them were called by the heralds of the +tribal chiefs. In cases of extreme danger, even the +old men and some of the women might use whatever +weapons they could seize and wield.</p> + +<p>The Sioux tribes had ways closely resembling those +of the Cheyennes. We traveled and visited much +with them, particularly with the Ogallalas, sometimes +with the Minneconjoux. The Sioux tribal governments +were almost the same as ours. Each of +them had numerous tribal chiefs, each had various +warrior societies and chiefs of them. Their warriors +dressed for death in battle, all of their people dressed +for death in time of peace, according to the same customs +among us. Their warrior training by precept +and by discipline was similar to our system. They +fought their battles as a band of individuals, the same +as we fought ours, and the same as was the way of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</span>all Indians I ever knew. They had war dances and +medicine dances differing only a little from our ceremonies +of this kind. So when white people learn the +ways of the Cheyennes they have learned also a great +deal of the ways of the Sioux and of other Indians in +this part of the world.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_10_10" href="#FNanchor_10_10" class="label">[10]</a> Smoky Hill river (?).</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="IV"> + <span class="p50l">IV</span> + <br> + <i>Worshiping The Great Medicine.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>I made medicine the first time when I was seventeen +years old (1875). It was during the month of +May, I believe, although we did not divide the years +into months or weeks as the white people later taught +us to divide them. Our family was in a camp of fourteen +or fifteen lodges of Cheyennes in the hills at the +head of Otter creek, a stream flowing into the eastern +side of Tongue river. The main camp of the tribe was +on Powder river, east of our location.</p> + +<p>To “make medicine” is to engage upon a special +period of fasting, thanksgiving, prayer and self denial, +even of self torture. The procedure is entirely +a devotional exercise. The purpose is to subdue the +passions of the flesh and to improve the spiritual self. +The bodily abstinence and the mental concentration +upon lofty thoughts cleanses both the body and the +soul and puts them into or keeps them in health. +Then the individual mind gets closer toward conformity +with the mind of the Great Medicine above us.</p> + +<p>I said to my father: “All during my boyhood and +youth the Great Medicine has been good to me. I +have fond parents and kind brothers and sisters. I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</span>have had plenty of food and have had no bad sickness. +No bullet nor arrow has hit me. No serious +injury of any kind has fallen upon me. I ought to do +something to show my gratitude for all of these +favors.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, my son, you owe a debt for them,” my father +agreed.</p> + +<p>Red Haired Bear, a good medicine man or spiritual +adviser, was in our small camp. His wife was my +mother’s sister. I went to him.</p> + +<p>“I want to make medicine,” I told him. “I think +I have lived in a way good enough to render me +worthy. I want to become still better. I want to +thank the Great Medicine and ask His continued favor. +I want to become able to kill all enemies I may +meet and to be shielded from their assaults upon me. +I do not want to die in any manner until I reach old +age. I wish you would help me.”</p> + +<p>“How,” he responded encouragingly. “What +number of days do you think you can endure?”</p> + +<p>“The whole four days,” I replied confidently.</p> + +<p>“How,” he glowed. “I will help you.”</p> + +<p>He warned me it was a difficult undertaking for +any young man. He urged me to be brave. He said +the bravest ones always got the greatest spiritual +benefit. I asserted myself as feeling equal to any distress +that might come to me.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</span></p> + +<p>“That is good,” he cheered me on. “You shall +have the strongest of trials. You shall stay out one +night without any shelter, the next night you may +have a little cone tepee, the third night you may build +for yourself a willow dome lodge.”</p> + +<p>This proposition put a check upon my eagerness. +I had not thought of being unprotected from bad +weather during any part of the time. It occurred to +my mind that a rainstorm might interfere with the +devotions. Even with a little cone tepee over me, a +strong wind might upset the entire programme. My +medicine might be broken by accidents like these. I +asked if a willow dome lodge could be used during +the entire procedure.</p> + +<p>“How. It shall be as you desire.”</p> + +<p>He started me out to cut willow wands for making +the medicine lodge. He told me I must get seventeen +of them, each a clean and strong and long piece +of pliable green wood. I carefully gathered them, +selecting and rejecting. I tied them into a pack bundle. +Throwing the bundle upon my back and taking +a crowbar in my hands, I carried the burden far up a +gulch and into the timber at the hilltop. I chose a +spot for the lodge and put down my load. With the +crowbar I punched in the ground sixteen holes +around a circle about eight feet in diameter. Into +these holes I set upright sixteen of the wands. I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</span>then bent their tops across, pairing them and tying +together the pairs. The skeleton dome was completed +by weaving through the coupled tops the +seventeenth strand, this running from east to west. I +returned then to Red Haired Bear for further instructions.</p> + +<p>“Get a buffalo head,” he ordered me.</p> + +<p>I searched the neighborhood until I found one. +Under his directions I heaped up dirt into a low +mound about eight feet due east from where was to +be the eastern entrance opening of the lodge. Upon +this mound was placed the buffalo head, it being set +to face toward the lodge. I cleared off all grass and +twigs to make a clean path between the buffalo head +and the lodge opening. I gathered armfuls of sweet +sagegrass and spread it as a carpet upon the floor of +the enclosed circle. The two of us returned then to +Red Haired Bear’s lodge.</p> + +<p>The medicine man painted my whole body. Red +clay mixed into water, in a dish, was used for most of +the painting. Four times he took portions of the +powdered red earth, each separate time casting the +portion upon the water’s surface and uttering low +prayers as he stirred it into solution. After having +put the red coloring upon the entire surface of my +skin he got out from his medicine bag a package of +pulverized black earth. Four different casts and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</span>four separate stirrings into water were made likewise +with this coloring material. With the black paint he +made first a circle about my face, including the forehead, +the chin and the cheeks. Black wristlets and +black anklets were next formed. On the middle of +my breast he painted a black sun. On my left +shoulderblade he put a black moon.</p> + +<p>My director then offered a prayer:</p> + +<p>“Great Medicine Above: You see Wooden Leg. +He wants to be a good man. Look upon him and +favor him. Make him brave and wise and kind. +Make him generous to his people, to all Indians, +even to his enemies if they come peaceably and in +need. Help him to defeat all enemies who may +beset him, and shield him from their efforts to take +his life. Guide him so that he may be rich in food +and skins and horses. Help him to find a good wife. +Give to them many children. Keep them all in good +health and make them live a long time.”</p> + +<p>He prayed also to the ground spirits. As he +prayed to the Great Medicine he looked upward, and +as he addressed the spirits below he looked down +toward the ground. When the prayers were ended +we walked together to the medicine lodge I had built +in the hilltop forest. We sat down there beside the +slender path I had made to connect the buffalo head +and the entrance to the lodge. He talked to me:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</span></p> + +<p>“This is going to be a hard trial for you, the hardest +trial you ever have had. Throughout four days +you will have neither food nor water. Your desires +will distress you. Other distresses may be piled +upon these. You may retreat now and postpone it +to another time if you want to do so. What say +you?”</p> + +<p>“I dread it,” I confessed, “but I know it will not +kill me. I do not want to wait. I want to go on +right now. I shall keep my courage from failing by +fixing my thoughts upon being a good man.”</p> + +<p>“That is good,” he cheered me. Then he added: +“Be brave.”</p> + +<p>The medicine man prayed again for me. He +looked again upward and again downward, going +through the same prayer for the below spirits as he +had made to the Above Spirit. The praying was +of the same kind as he had uttered just after the +painting preparations, but he added some other solicitations +for my welfare.</p> + +<p>After this prayer had ended I crept in upon the +sagegrass floor of the skeleton willow dome. He +covered the frame all over with many buffalo robes +we had brought. Not even a faint ray of light could +get inside. He then went away to our camp.</p> + +<p>I now was alone. For a little while I just sat +there in the darkness—complete darkness, although +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</span>it was about the middle of the afternoon. I was +naked, except for the breechcloth and a buffalo robe. +I had a supply of kinnikinick, some matches, and my +medicine pipe that had been given to me by my +father. I loaded and lit the pipe for a thoughtful +smoke. The flash of the match dazzled my eyes. +Time dragged along. I could not smoke continuously, +so I just sat there and meditated, or tried to +do so. I did not know when the sun went down +nor when darkness came. It began to seem rather +lonely. I grew sleepy, so I stretched myself out +with the robe about me and drifted into a doze. But +every little sound startled me. I sat up and had +another smoke. Soon I had another, and then another. +I slept again, this time more soundly. I +had not the least notion as to how long I remained +asleep. It seemed I had been there more than a day +and night, that the medicine man had forgotten me. +I listened intently to every slight rustle in the surrounding +forest. My prayers all had been in +thoughts, not in spoken words. I almost wished for +some disturbing intrusion to break up the entire proceeding. +Noise of a horse’s footsteps fell into my +ears. Closer, closer, very close.</p> + +<p>“Hey, Wooden Leg!” It was the voice of Red +Haired Bear. “One day has passed. It now is +noon.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</span></p> + +<p>He dismounted and opened slightly the entrance +covering. The light blinded me for a moment. +Gradually he opened it wider, finally throwing it +altogether aside. He allowed me to go outside for +a few minutes, then I had to return to the interior.</p> + +<p>“Let us smoke together,” he invited.</p> + +<p>He sat just outside and I sat just inside. My smoking +equipment was brought into use. He pointed the +stem and sent a puff to each of the four principal +directions, then to the above, to the below and to the +buffalo head. We passed the pipe back and forth +in many exchanges, until one loading of it was exhausted. +He prayed again for me. Then he admonished +me:</p> + +<p>“The next day will be more difficult. But, be not +afraid. The Great Medicine sees you.”</p> + +<p>He shut up the lodge, mounted his horse and went +away.</p> + +<p>Fitful slumbers, prayers, smoking, efforts at meditation, +these alternated in my quiet activities. I +was hungry and thirsty, especially thirsty. My body +was hot. My heart was heavy. My ears constantly +were listening, listening, to every faint whisper of +Nature. All of the time appeared to be night, the +blackest of night. Suddenly there came a stamp—stamp—stamp. +Then:</p> + +<p>“Boo-o-o-o! Boo-o-o-o!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</span></p> + +<p>A buffalo bull! The animal snorted, stamped and +bellowed again. It surely would charge upon my +lodge and tear it to pieces, I thought. I did not move, +but I prayed earnestly: “Great Medicine, shield me. +I have tried to be a good young man. You have +been kind to me in past times. Be kind to me now.” +I heard the threatening beast move away. It did not +return.</p> + +<p>Hours, hours, hours. I did not know whether it +was day or night. I heard a horse coming. That +was a welcome sound. I was all attention.</p> + +<p>“Hey, Wooden Leg!”</p> + +<p>“Hey!”</p> + +<p>“Two days have passed,” Red Haired Bear informed +me. “The sun now is far toward the west +on your third day.”</p> + +<p>Again he opened my dark retreat, gradually letting +in more and more light. Again we smoked together. +I told him of the buffalo bull. He listened +with evident great interest.</p> + +<p>“That is a good sign,” he comforted me. “No +buffalo ever will harm you. You and all other Cheyennes +will get plenty of meat and skins from them. +The bull was your friend, telling you all this.”</p> + +<p>Another prayer went from the medicine man to +the Above and to the below. After a short allowance +of time for me outside, he put me again +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</span>into the enclosure and shut tightly the small hole.</p> + +<p>“Be brave,” were his parting words.</p> + +<p>“Yes,” I replied. But I was not sure.</p> + +<p>Hot, thirsty, yet more hot and more thirsty. I +prayed particularly for strength of body and firmness +of heart to carry me through to the end of the +trial. I loaded my pipe for a solacing smoke. But +it was not a solace. The heat burned my already +parching tongue. I tried to sleep. Maybe I did +sleep. I do not know. I made attempts to meditate +quietly. I do not know whether I actually was thinking +or was following dreams racing through my mind. +All I could be sure about was that I either was +sitting down or lying down all the time. I heard +something that cleared my mind at once. My mother +brought wood and stones and placed them out by the +buffalo head. She did not speak nor make any sign +of recognition, but I knew it was my mother. It +seemed I could look right through the robes and +see her there. After she had deposited her burden +she went away.</p> + +<p>Oh, how lonely I was! I loaded and lit my pipe. +No, it was not good. My mouth and throat were +burning. Water! Water! But: “The Great Medicine +sees me,” I kept thinking. My thoughts whirled +and chased each other rapidly in circles. I dreamt +that I heard the footsteps of a horse.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</span></p> + +<p>“Hey, Wooden Leg!”</p> + +<p>“Hey!”</p> + +<p>“This is the day.”</p> + +<p>Happiness almost filled my heart. The only +hindrance was in the thirst and the hot body. After +I had been let out we smoked together. It was a +torture to my tongue, but I did not complain. We +went then to my father’s lodge in the camp. My +father called out invitations to old men friends. They +came and sat in a circle upon the robes spread over +the lodge’s floor. I sat with them, by the side of +my father. My mother brought a bucketful of water +and set it off a little distance in front of me. I suppressed +a strong desire to plunge my face into it, +but I could not keep my eyes from staring at it. The +medicine man sprinkled red powder upon the surface +of the water, four small scatterings in four separate +places. He passed his hands to and fro over it and +prayed. It seemed I never in my life had heard so +long a prayer. When it was ended he said to me:</p> + +<p>“Wooden Leg, you have been four days without +water. Now you may drink four sups.”</p> + +<p>I seized the sides of the bucket. The four sups +were four long-drawn mouthfuls. The water rumbled +through my bowels. After a few minutes I was +told, “Now you may have more, but do not take all +you want.” I drank slowly, but I drew in big mouthfuls +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</span>and took many of them. Not long afterward I +was allowed to apply myself a third time at the +bucket.</p> + +<p>My mother brought a potful of buffalo meat she +had been boiling. All of the guests were given portions +of it. A piece was put upon a tin plate and +set before me. It looked good enough to grab and +swallow immediately. But I waited for advice. My +adviser did not long detain me.</p> + +<p>“Wooden Leg, you have been four days without +meat. Take four sliced-off bites, one for each day +of the fast.”</p> + +<p>I selected a long chunk from the plate. I stuck +the end of it far into my mouth, and with a sheathknife +I cut it off. The chewing was vigorous, and +I soon had it swallowed. The chunk was pushed a +second time into my mouth and its end cut off there. +A third and a fourth mouthful were taken in the +same manner. After a few minutes, more meat was +allowed to me. Then still more, all I cared to eat. +It was the best meat I ever tasted.</p> + +<p>The old men joined in asking me:</p> + +<p>“Tell us of your experience.”</p> + +<p>I told them—told them particularly of the coming +of the buffalo bull. They complimented me, said +I was brave, said the Great Medicine was my friend, +assured me that no buffalo ever would harm me. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</span>Their approval and their assurances made me glad. +My heart was like the sun coming up on a summer +morning.</p> + +<p>All of these old men, some of their wives, my +father and mother and the medicine man went with +me to my medicine lodge. We were to have a sweat +bath worship together. My mother carried a bucketful +of water for sprinkling upon the hot stones inside +the lodge. The medicine man piled the stones into +a cone heap. He leaned sticks of wood up the sides +of this stone structure and set a fire to going among +them. The other men stripped themselves to breechcloth +and crept into the lodge. When the stones had +become well heated by the wood fire over them the +medicine man passed them to one of the men inside. +They were handled with forked sticks and were piled +into a pit some of the men had made in the center +of the lodge’s earth floor. When the pit was filled +with the hot stones the medicine man set inside the +bucketful of water. He himself then crept in, on +hands and knees as we all had done. One man remained +outside to close the opening, to ventilate temporarily +when we might require, to wait upon us in +whatever way our needs might demand. Not any +of the women went into the lodge. Twelve men +were in there.</p> + +<p>At the left inside of the entrance sat the medicine +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</span>man. I was next at his left side. My father was +third, at my left. The other men were seated on +beyond, the row extending around the circle. All +had backs to the wall. We had smoked together +while the stones were being heated, but the pipe now +had been placed outside. Its bowl rested on the +ground beside the buffalo head and its stem projected +upward past the nose and eyes of the hallowed object. +A good spirit influence was coming from the +nostrils of the head straight along the clean path and +into the lodge. No knowing and worshipful Indian +ever crossed that path. Such act would cut off the +steady flow of healing virtue.</p> + +<p>The medicine man opened the interior proceedings +with another prayer for my welfare. Once more +he pleaded with the Great Medicine to make me +good and generous, to give me success in hunting, to +protect me from enemies and to enable me to kill +them. Once more he asked that I might get a good +wife, might have many children, and that myself and +all of my family might keep good health and live to +advanced years. He beseeched again that I might +gather together many horses and not lose any of them. +I believed his prayers would be heard. My hopes +were high. My trust in the Being Above was strong.</p> + +<p>Water was squirted upon the hot stones in the +central pit. The medicine man first gave each one +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</span>in the lodge a drink of water. He took into his own +mouth a chew of herb. After its mastication he +supped and squirted four successive mouthfuls of +water. Between the acts were short prayers. Thus +he released from the stones the vitality put into them +by the burning wood that had got it from the sun, +the material representative of the Great Medicine. +The stones hissed their protests as the water compelled +them to release into the air the spiritual curative +forces. Our bodies were enveloped by the steam +wherein floated the vital energy. The vivifying and +purifying influence soaked into our skins. Bad spirits +were driven out of us and drowned in the water that +dripped from us. The medicine man repeated from +time to time the sprinkling of water upon the protesting +stones.</p> + +<p>The soft whisperings of an eagle wing bone flute +came into my ears. The sound seemed to come from +the roof and from other points in the utterly dark +interior of the lodge. After a few of the gentle blasts, +I felt the instrument being placed in my hands. My +father put it there. It now was mine, to keep. It +was to be worn about my neck, suspended at the mid-breast +by a buckskin thong, during all times of danger. +If I were threatened with imminent harm I had +but to put it to my lips and cause it to send out its +soothing notes. That would ward off every evil design +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</span>upon me. It was my mystic protector. It was +my medicine.</p> + +<p>After an hour or more together in the devotional +dome, all of us went to our respective lodge homes. +There my father presented me also with a shield of +rawhide taken from the rump of a buffalo bull. The +hair had been removed and the piece of skin had +been dried rapidly before a fire, to make it extremely +tough. It was covered with antelope buckskin sewed +in place. The cover had medicine designs drawn in +color upon its surface. This shield would turn off +any bullet or arrow or other missile coming toward +me. My father made it. He delivered it into my +left hand.</p> + +<p>My second medicine experience took place a month +or so after that first one. Black White Man, a medicine +man, took me through it. This time the plan +was for but two days of self denial and worship. I +made the dome lodge according to the same rules +as had governed in making the first one, which was +the regular way of making them. Black White Man +painted me in the same way and with the same ceremony +used by Red Haired Bear. I had the same kind +of harassing sensations while alone, but they covered +only two days instead of four. The resumption of +water and food was carried out in a manner exactly +like had been done in the previous proceedings. The +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</span>sweat bath devotions had a like preparatory programme +and followed a course like that of the other +one and of all such affairs entered upon among the +Cheyennes. But during this second time of spiritual +upbuilding there was one intervening incident that +marked it as different from all others.</p> + +<p>During the last part of my lonely vigil—I learned +afterward it was during my second night—my +quietude was broken by the tread of horses, many +horses. I heard men talking. Gabble-gabble-gabble. +It was not Cheyenne talk. It was not Sioux. This +being the case, the horsemen necessarily must be +enemies, either whites or Indians. It seemed now +that the bellowing buffalo bull of my previous experience +had been but a tame threat. It appeared +I surely would be discovered or already had been +discovered, by the gabbling strangers. It seemed +that death threatened me. My hair raised itself and +I could feel it standing upright. My heart thumped. +It throbbed and pounded the inner wall of my breast. +To my senses its noise was so boisterous as to notify +the intruders and all the rest of the world that a +human being frozen by fright awaited the fatal blow. +I did not move—perhaps was not able to move. But +I could think. I centered my thoughts upon whispering +over and over, “The Great Medicine sees me.”</p> + +<p>“Hi-ye-e-e-e!” The war-cry!</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</span></p> + +<p>“Bang! Bang! Bang-bang!” Rifle shots.</p> + +<p>The horses near me clattered away. One of them +bawled as if wounded by a bullet. The strange +voices went out of my hearing. Other voices shouted. +These were Cheyennes. I heard Cheyenne women +and children crying as they ran past my retreat. But +I could do nothing but just sit there with my buffalo +robe over my head. The commotion gradually died +down. My pious meditations were much disturbed +by the alarming turmoil. I could not keep myself +from wondering what had happened. I wondered +if the Cheyennes had been driven from their camp +and had left me there alone. This thought chilled +me. But I stayed, waiting, waiting. Many hours +later Black White Man came.</p> + +<p>“They were Crows trying to steal our horses,” he +explained. The raiders had been repulsed, but one +of our Cheyennes had been killed. “It shows that +the Crows never can hurt you,” the medicine man +assured me.</p> + +<p>For a third season of warrior discipline I went +one morning at dawn to the top of a hill. There I +fasted, prayed, meditated and dreamed all day. During +the day I saw the lodges taken down and the +whole camp move away down the valley. But I had +to stay. When the sun had set I started out afoot +to follow the trail of my people. I drank water along +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</span>the way, but I got no food until my arrival at the +home lodge at the end of my journey of ten or twelve +miles.</p> + +<p>Another disciplinary means for subduing the flesh +was to stand upright all day, from sunrise to sunset, +on a hill. The devotee did not move during that +time except to keep his face turned at all times toward +the sun. He might keep his eyes closed or +shaded, but his countenance had to be presented +ever toward the venerated token of the Great Medicine’s +existence. He prayed or otherwise kept his +thoughts fixed on a high plane. This system of self +denial was varied by the attitude taken. One might +stand all day or sit in one position all day or lie +down during all of the time. But the attitude assumed +at the beginning must be kept to the end. +My all-day supplications were made while sitting +down.</p> + +<p>Standing upright in water from sunrise to sunset +was one way of putting the body under the rule of +the spirit. The water had to be up to the neck or +the upper breast. Not any drink of it was taken. +It was not permissible to move the body except for +keeping the face toward the sun. The bodily torture +incident to the full standard Great Medicine dance—what +the white people call the sun dance—was +the most severe test of hardihood, so it was looked +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</span>upon as the highest form of self scourging. I never +undertook this extreme step.</p> + +<p>Women did not make medicine by feats of endurance. +Such was for men only. Sometimes two +men would go together for the all-day hilltop fast +or for some other similar performance. Ordinarily, +though, only one man made up the vigil. I like best +the solitary way. I think it is better to be alone at +such times. At any of the occasions observable it +was permissible for onlookers to view the act. Such +scrutiny might aid greatly in spurring on to full +compliance with the rules. Payment to any medicine +man helper was due. This might be such as +was agreed upon in advance—often paid in advance—or +it might be in the form of subsequent free gifts +to him. The standard fee was a horse.</p> + +<p>Our tribal Great Medicine dance was a ceremony +of one, two or three days, the period depending upon +immediate conditions. In times before mine the full +period had been four days, but in my time three days +was the maximum. It was not held at any regular +time. Once every two or three years was the usual +custom. It would be held, though, in successive +years if the tribe was having misfortune or if enough +special devotees wanted to undergo the trials. The +summer season was the special time. The prime +purpose was to ask the Great Medicine’s favorable +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</span>attention to the tribe as a whole, not to any particular +persons. The prayers were for good grass, new +colts in the horse herds, plenty of berries and roots, +many children, success in hunting game and in repelling +enemies.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes and the Arapahoes had their two +Great Medicine ceremony dances together on one occasion +when I was about twelve years old (1870). +We were south of the mountains beyond the headwaters +of Powder river. The two tribes camped as +one, in one great camp circle, but all of the Cheyenne +lodges were at one side of the camp and all of the +Arapaho lodges at the opposite side. Each tribe had +its Great Medicine lodge at its own side of the combined +camp. I went back and forth looking on at +both of them. The other people of both tribes did +the same. I was not quite old enough during our +free roaming days to take a part in the important +tribal affairs. I merely looked, listened, kept quiet +and thought about them. This double sacred dance +of the Cheyennes and Arapahoes was for only one +day. During that one day all of the participants and +many other people took neither food nor water. After +sunset they had a great feast. That was the regular +way—the participants took neither food nor water +while the ceremonies were being carried out, one, +two, three or four days.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</span></p> + +<p>Special invocation dances were held irregularly, +often several times during one season. One or several +or many persons would perform the rites. At +a buffalo dance the intent was to obtain the aid of +the Great Medicine in our efforts at getting the meat +and skins of these animals. Deer dances, elk dances, +antelope dances, were engaged upon by individuals, +by parties or by the tribe. The object was to enlist +spiritual forces to help us in gathering meat and +skins. Berry dances, by few or by many people, had +a like incentive. Always the dances were in summer, +none of them in winter. Always there was self denial +in various forms, sacrifices were made in various +ways. At times the self denial was carried to the +point of bodily torture. That was our way of paying +in advance for the favors asked. That was all we +could do by way of payment.</p> + +<p>The spirits of animals joined themselves often to +assist or to hinder human beings. Sometimes one +would give its medicine to a man, at other times some +animal would break a man’s medicine, or would try +to do so. At my father’s lodge an old man, Pockmarked +Nose, told of a certain experience that came +to him. My father afterward told me.</p> + +<p>Pockmarked Nose went one time with a young +man to hunt buffalo. They were on horseback and +were leading pack horses to bring back the meat and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</span>skins. They traveled up and down hills and over the +level plains. Finally they found a band of buffalo. +They got themselves ready and charged into the +band. The young man had a bow and arrows, Pockmarked +Nose had a flintlock gun. He killed a buffalo. +Just afterward a shot came from somewhere +aside and another buffalo went down. That shot +from aside puzzled the two hunters, but they rode +on. Each time the old man or the young man killed +a buffalo the shot from aside brought down another +to match it. But, who was doing this shooting? +Was it a friend or an enemy? They could not see +anybody. When six buffalo lay dead on the plain the +old man applied himself at discovering the identity +of the third hunter. Far off, on a slight elevation +of the land, stood a dimly outlined human figure. +Pockmarked Nose rode toward it.</p> + +<p>Was it the Above Spirit, the Great Medicine? Or +was it a below spirit? Or was some powerful medicine +man playing tricks? Pockmarked Nose did not +know, and he never did find out to his satisfaction. +The stranger had a wooden gun. He said: “Come, +I give you this medicine gun. It never fails to kill.” +Pockmarked Nose took and kept the offered gun. +I do not know what use he may have made of it.</p> + +<p>My father himself saw a marvelous example of +the spirit powers regularly belonging to the deer +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</span>tribe. When he was a young man he and a companion +were hunting near the medicine water⁠<a id="FNanchor_11_11" href="#Footnote_11_11" class="fnanchor">[11]</a> not far from +the present town of Sheridan, Wyoming. <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber’s Note—Original text: 'They sa. bubbles'" id="tn-146">They saw +bubbles</ins> coming up and bursting upon the water’s +surface. They went up close, to learn what was +causing this agitation. As they peered down into the +deep but clear lake they saw there a deer moving +about and quietly grazing along the bottom. While +they were watching the animal it stopped grazing +and floated slowly up to the water’s surface. My +father killed it with an arrow. He skinned it, cut +the meat from the bones, wrapped the skin about +the meat and loaded the bundle upon his packhorse. +At his home lodge he stood out and called the names +of various friends. He invited them:</p> + +<p>“Come, feast with me. Good deer meat.”</p> + +<p>But when he shouted these words the flesh and +the skin all jumped together and formed again the +same live deer he had killed. The animal went running +away. It ran back to the medicine water, +plunged into it and disappeared. My father searched +for it, but he could not see it. He told me he did not +understand how a deer could do such things except +it were by the help of the Great Medicine.</p> + +<p>Three of our medicine men invited some of us +young men into a tepee on one certain occasion when +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</span>I was about fourteen or fifteen years old. They said, +“We will show you how to make the winter go away +so that the grass may grow, for the good of the young +colts coming to our herds.” Just at that time there +was a big snowstorm making the people and the +horses shiver. But the three medicine men went +confidently at their ceremonies.</p> + +<p>They sent a young woman out to gather some certain +kind of sprigs of vegetation. It was not tobacco, +but pretty soon the medicine men had it changed into +tobacco. They formed a circle with us, loaded the +pipe, and soon it was passing from one to another. +To each of us in turn they said: “Draw in only a +little of the smoke, but draw it in slowly and deeply. +Hold it there a short time, then let it flow out from +wide-open lips, not in puffs from firm lips.” We did +as they directed. While the smoking was being done +the three old men made prayers. After a while one +of them said: “Look outside.” We looked. The +storm had quit, the sky had cleared, the ground was +wet but bare of snow, green grass was peeping up +everywhere.</p> + +<p>Every Indian had, or tried to have, some special +medicine or spirit power of his own, to bring him +good fortune or to shield him from harm. He had +some object or objects that held this helpful influence, +or he had certain ways of doing certain acts, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</span>or he had both of these aids. I had my special protective +possessions and my particular methods of +using them. It was considered not prudent to reveal +these things, and I never have done so, except in +some features that I could not keep secret.</p> + +<p>A powerful spirit man during my boyhood was +one whose name originally was Walks Above the +Earth. He was known as a man whose mind was +at all times on spiritual things, who gave little or no +thought to ordinary earthly matters. His name got +changed, though, in his later life. This came about +because of his choice of a mule for his riding animal. +One time when he and Little Chief were approaching +a Sioux camp somebody remarked, in derision, +“Here comes that crazy Cheyenne on his mule.” +That fixed upon him the name Crazy Cheyenne on +a Mule. This afterward was shortened to Crazy +Mule.</p> + +<p>He had a variety of medicine powers. He put himself +through many trials, so the spirits helped him. +One time, when we were in camp far up the Powder +river, he had four Cheyennes go up close to him and +shoot at him, each in successive turn. They sent +four bullets directly at his body. He was standing +with his back against a tree. After the four shots +had been fired he stooped forward and pulled off his +moccasins. From them he poured out the four bullets. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</span>I saw this. I was eight years old. I saw him +do the same feat at a time when our tribal camp was +pitched on the Rosebud valley, just below where the +present Forsythe road forks to go to Lame Deer and +to Ashland. At another time he showed his powers +when the tribe were on upper Lame Deer creek. +This was just before our warriors joined the Ogallala +Sioux to fight the soldiers in the fort⁠<a id="FNanchor_12_12" href="#Footnote_12_12" class="fnanchor">[12]</a> at the south +of us.</p> + +<p>Roman Nose was, I believe, the most admired of +all warriors I ever saw. He was killed when I yet +was a boy, but I remember him, and as I grew older +I heard much talk of him as an example for the +young men. The water spirits told him not to marry, +so he lived a single and pure life. At various Great +Medicine dances he went bravely through the bodily +tortures as a sacrifice of self for the good of the tribe. +White Bull, sometimes known also as Ice, was his +usual medicine man adviser. In later years White +Bull and others told me a great many stories illustrative +of the admirable qualities of Roman Nose.</p> + +<p>He made medicine one time when we were camped +on Goose creek, a stream flowing into the upper +Tongue river. The medicine water lake was not far +away. At dawn Roman Nose stripped himself, made +a raft of logs and went out upon the lake. He took +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</span>with him his medicine pipe. He had a large buffalo +robe for a bed and a small one for a pillow. No +food, no water for drinking. He spent the day on +his robe bed. He prayed, “Great Medicine, let me +conquer all enemies,” and other prayers of this kind. +He meditated upon the Above.</p> + +<p>That night a storm came. Lightning flashed and +thunder shook the earth. Waves washed upon the +raft and tossed it over the surface of the water. His +friends were fearful he would be drowned. Early +in the morning two men went to look for him. They +saw him on the raft, floating safely. They told the +people, “He was not harmed.”</p> + +<p>The second day he likewise prayed and meditated +all day. His fast was continued. When that night +arrived another storm came. The thunder and lightning +were more active than they had been during +the previous night. The waves lifted themselves +higher. But when the calm morning dawned his +watchers learned that nothing harmful had fallen +upon him. The third day and night passed in the +same manner, but the storm during the hours of +darkness was yet more furious. “He surely will be +killed by the water spirits tonight,” the people said. +But he was not.</p> + +<p>The fourth night the storm was a terrible one, the +worst any of the Cheyennes ever had seen. They +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</span>were fearful for themselves as well as for the young +man on the raft. Hailstones pelted our lodges and +scattered our pony herds. “He will be beaten to +death,” everybody agreed. When the quiet twilight +of morning came, two men went upon a hill to search +over the waters. There was Roman Nose still floating +on his raft. They helped him to land it and to +put himself upon the shore. Not a hailstone had +hit him. The water had been angry, crazy, reaching +for his body, but not a drop of it had touched him. +The water spirits failed to devour him. The Great +Medicine prevented them. At the camp all of the +old men sat themselves in a circle and listened to +his rehearsal of the events of his great devotional +adventure.</p> + +<p>At a battle with soldiers on Powder river (1865) +Roman Nose showed the people that he had special +protection against enemies. He rode his horse several +times back and forth in front of the white men. +He rode slowly, not fast. The soldiers shot at him, +but not a bullet went into him. They either missed +him or fell back harmless. He had a strong medicine +warbonnet. I did not see him defy the soldiers, but +I heard a great deal of talk about it. Our camp +was above the forks of Powder river and Little Powder +river. The battle was down below, on Powder +river. Both the Northern and the Southern Cheyenne +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</span>tribes were in the upper valley, camping side +by side. Both of the Great Medicine tribal lodges +were in the camps, the one for our sacred Buffalo +Head, and the other for the Medicine Arrows of the +Southern Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>White Bull made many medicine fasts. He told +me about them. He said that one time when he was +fasting and praying on a hill, not in a lodge, on the +third day a doe antelope came near to him. She +lay down there on the ground and gave birth to twin +fawns. White Bull reached out and seized the doe’s +hind feet. She struggled, but he did not release +her. She promised that if he would let her go free +she would give to him the two fawns. But he told +her he did not want the fawns, he wanted her medicine, +her spirit powers. The doe groaned and protested, +but finally she agreed:</p> + +<p>“Yes, I give you my medicine.”</p> + +<p>He got the bear medicine also in a manner like +that. When he was fasting and praying on a hill +the bear came sniffing, sniffing, on his trail. It +stopped suddenly as it came into his view. Both +of them were startled and frightened. White Bull +trusted the Great Medicine, but the bear was altogether +afraid. It said, “If you will not harm me I +will give you my medicine, and then you can speak +fire from your mouth.” It gave him then its power +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</span>over spirits. He got also the medicine of a wild +hog. Perhaps he had other medicines. I do not +know. He had a good reputation for doctoring sick +people. I have heard him “Blaa-a-a-a,” like a doe +antelope, when he was making medicine for them. +I have heard him, lots of times, grunting like a hog or +whoofing like a bear. I never knew how much to believe +of his stories. Lots of people said he told big +lies.</p> + +<p>My father taught me some medicine practices for +myself. He showed me where to gather the seed of +certain grass that had power to shield me. A quantity +of the seed was put into a buckskin pouch, and +this I carried tied to my back hair. In the pouch was +also a piece of loose buckskin. To prepare the medicine, +a few seeds were pulverized between the fingers +and the powder was allowed to fall upon the piece of +buckskin spread out. A little saliva was mixed with +it by the stirring of a finger. A slight spray of saliva +then was put into the palms, after which the mixed +seed and saliva medicine was taken into the palms and +they were rubbed together. When they had been well +rubbed they were passed all about my body or clothing, +near the skin or clothing but not touching. +Bullets then would be diverted and slip aside +from me.</p> + +<p>My horse was protected by the same medicine. In +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</span>the same way the palms were passed all over the body +of the horse, close but not touching. This would +turn aside bullets from him. The hoofs were lifted +and the bottom of the feet treated by the palm passing. +He then would be not easily tired, would be +surefooted, would not step into a hole and fall down. +The palms were passed across the front of the horse’s +nose. The medicine made him have a keen sense of +smell and a clear eyesight. This helped him to find +his way without difficulty during darkness or at any +time when running.</p> + +<p>The face painting as it was done for me by Red +Haired Bear at my first medicine making was adopted +as my fixed mode of battle preparation in this regard. +It was a black ring about my face, including lower +forehead, chin and cheeks in its circle. All of the +surface enclosed in the circle was painted yellow. I +kept at all times right at hand a supply of charcoal +and yellow clay paint. It did not take long for me +to apply them when an occasion for their need might +come. With this preparation, with my best clothing, +my shield, my eagle wing bone whistle, myself and +my horse protected by the grass seed medicine, I was +almost fearless. I was not entirely so, but almost. +In every time of danger I tried to keep myself +thinking:</p> + +<p>“The Great Medicine sees me.”</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_11_11" href="#FNanchor_11_11" class="label">[11]</a> Lake DeSmet.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_12_12" href="#FNanchor_12_12" class="label">[12]</a> Fort Phil Kearny.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="V"> + <span class="p50l">V</span> + <br> + <i>Off the Reservation.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>After we had been driven from the Black Hills and +that country was given to the white people my father +would not stay on any reservation. He said it was +no use trying to make farms as the white people did. +In the first place, that was not the Indian way of +living. All of our teachings and beliefs were that +land was not made to be owned in separate pieces by +persons and that the plowing up and destruction of +vegetation placed by the Great Medicine and the +planting of other vegetation according to the ideas +of men was an interference with the plans of the +Above. In the second place, it seemed that if the +white people could take away from us the Black +Hills after that country had been given to us and +accepted by us as ours forever, they might take away +from us any other lands we should occupy whenever +they might want these other lands. In the third place, +the last great treaty had allowed us to use all of the +country between the Black Hills and the Bighorn +river and mountains as hunting grounds so long as +we did not resist the traveling of white people through +it on their way to or from their lands beyond its +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</span>borders. My father decided to act upon this agreement +to us. He decided we should spend all of our +time in the hunting region. We could do this, gaining +our own living in this way, or we could be supported +by rations given to us at the agency. He chose +to stay away from all white people. His family all +agreed with him. So, for more than a year before +the great battle at the Little Bighorn we were all the +time in the hunting lands.</p> + +<p>Not all of the dissatisfied Indians stayed away from +the reservations. Bands were moving to and from +the hunting grounds at all times, even during the +winter, but only a few remained here throughout the +year. The Indians involved were both Sioux and +Cheyennes, but there were many more Sioux than +Cheyennes. A band of Uncpapas, led by Sitting Bull, +remained entirely away from Dakota. There were at +all times a big camp and some smaller camps of +Ogallalas. Families or small bands of other Sioux +came and went. The Cheyenne camps varied from +thirty or forty lodges to two hundred or more. During +the winter before the soldiers came after us the +Cheyennes and Ogallalas kept near each other much +of the time. We spent the earlier part of the cold +weather season on Otter creek. Then we moved together +over to Tongue river, setting our two camp +circles near each other on the west side of the river +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</span>where now is the home place of John Bigheadman, +known also as All See Him.</p> + +<p>Sugar, coffee, tobacco, ammunition, everything of +that kind, were scarce with us. We were not greatly +distressed because of this, but we had learned to use +and to like these additions to our old ways, so we +were pleased when such things came to us. We liked +to get ammunition, as that helped us to kill more +game. But, best of all, we liked to get tobacco. We +used the plug tobacco that most white people use +for chewing. We shaved it off in thin layers, using +a board to lay it upon while cutting it. It was mixed +with willow bark. This bark we called kinnikinick. +It was the dried inside layer.</p> + +<p>Red Haired Bear had some tobacco, just a little +piece, at one time when a certain very old man came +to visit him. The old man was feeble and shaky. +He was a good man, so Red Haired Bear determined +to give him a treat. The host got out his pipe. “Give +me a knife,” he said to his woman. Then, “Get me +the tobacco board.” She did as he had asked. He +cut off only a little of the tobacco and mixed it with +plenty of kinnikinick. He loaded his pipe and lit +it. When he had sent puffs to the four directions, to +the Above and to the below spirits, he handed the +pipe to the guest. The old man drew in and let out +one draft. He stopped a moment as if thinking intently +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</span>about something. Then he drew in another +draft. He let out a cloud through his nose.</p> + +<p>“Oh, tobacco!” he exclaimed in delight.</p> + +<p>He took deep and slow inhalations. He let them +out slowly, by the mouth and by the nose. As Red +Haired Bear took his turn at the pipe the old man +grasped handfuls of the smoke, rubbed together his +palms, sniffed them over and over, rubbed his face +and his clothing. “Good, good,” he kept saying. +When the pipeful had been burned he had Red Haired +Bear empty very carefully the ashes, mix some more +kinnikinick willow bark with them and fill the pipe +with this mixture. They had a third smoke of this +kind.</p> + +<p>Four men went to the lodge of a certain medicine +man. He told them he had some tobacco, and that +made their hearts glad. He had a chunk of wood +that looked like a plug of tobacco. He put this +piece of wood upon the tobacco board and pretended +to shave off slices from it to mix with kinnikinick. +Even while he was shaving the stick the men were +sniffing and saying, “Oh, good tobacco.” They +smoked four pipefuls. The ashes were saved carefully. +They were mixed then with other kinnikinick +and four more pipefuls were smoked. The four men +went away praising their host for having given them +such fine entertainment.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</span></p> + +<p>As Cheyennes came to us from the agency they +brought coffee, sugar and tobacco. Other articles +were brought, but these were the most desired. The +luxuries were distributed among friends, small quantities +here and there. Someone and another then +would go to the front of his tepee, call out the names +of special friends and invite: “I have tobacco. Come +and smoke with me.” Or: “I have coffee and sugar. +Come and feast with me.” Sioux might make such +gifts to Cheyennes or Cheyennes might provide them +to the Sioux. Or, members of the two sets of Indians +might invite each other to smoke or to eat. +Usually, though, the givings and the invitings were +within tribal bounds. Yet every Indian who might +prosper in any way was expected to hold himself always +willing to share and desirous of sharing his +prosperity with his fellows, with all friendly people, +even with avowed enemies if such should come peaceably +and should be in want. A first principle of +Indian conduct was: Be generous to all Indians.</p> + +<p>Last Bull, leading chief of the Fox warriors, came +to us with his family at the last end of the winter.⁠<a id="FNanchor_13_13" href="#Footnote_13_13" class="fnanchor">[13]</a> +He was the first one to disturb our peace of mind +with the announcement:</p> + +<p>“Soldiers are coming to fight you.”</p> + +<p>He said that the whites would fight all Cheyennes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</span>and Sioux who were off the reservations. He did +not know from what forts the soldiers would come. +He had not heard who would be their chiefs. But +this did not matter. He and his family stayed with us. +Other Cheyennes came.</p> + +<p>We did not believe Last Bull’s report. We +thought somebody had told him what was not true. +The treaty allowed us to hunt here as we might wish, +so long as we did not make war upon the whites. +We were not making war upon them. I had not seen +any white man for many months. We were not looking +for them. We were trying to stay away from all +white people, and we wanted them to stay away from +us. Our old men said that the reason the white +people wanted us to leave off the roaming and hunting +was that we should stay near them, so they could +sell us more of their goods and their whisky. Our +old men ever were urging the young men not to drink +the whisky. The advice often was disregarded, but +it appeared to be given serious consideration. Up +to that time in my life I never had swallowed a +drink of it.</p> + +<p>Lots of buffalo were feeding on the grass at the +upper Tongue and Powder rivers, on all of their +branches and on the other lands in this whole region. +Lots of elk, deer and antelope could be found almost +anywhere the hunter might go to seek them. Lots +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</span>of colts were being born in our horse herds this +spring. We were rich, contented, at peace with the +whites so far as we knew. Why should soldiers come +out to seek for us and fight us? No, the report seemingly +was a mistake.</p> + +<p>Spotted Wolf, Medicine Wolf and Twin, three +Cheyenne chiefs, came to us as we camped on Powder +river. They advised us to go to our agency. +“Soldiers will come to fight you,” they assured us. +We now believed this to be true. The chiefs in our +band had a council. The next day they had another +council.</p> + +<p>“No, we shall stay here,” they decided. “If soldiers +come we shall steal their horses. Then they +can not fight us.”</p> + +<p>Forty lodges of Cheyennes now were in camp on +the west side of Powder river, forty or fifty miles +above where Little Powder river flows into it. The +report brought by the three chiefs aroused us into +watchful activity. Every hunting party was on the +lookout for white soldiers or for their trails. The +women and old people in the camp kept themselves +ever ready for immediate flight.</p> + +<p>My older brother Yellow Hair and I went scouting. +We mounted our horses at night and went up the +Powder river valley. As we were creeping and peeping +over a hill our horses got away from us. But +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</span>we kept on afoot. We saw camp fires in a dry gulch +on the east side of Powder river. Some other groups +of Cheyennes were scouting in the same vicinity. A +figure on horseback showed for a moment on a ridge. +White Man? Cheyenne? Other Indian? Must be +a white man, a soldier. Somebody off aside from us +acted quickly.</p> + +<p>“Bang!”</p> + +<p>The horse and rider went at once out of sight. +My brother and I dropped down and lay quiet a long +time. We talked of stealing soldier horses. Our +own were gone, and we needed mounts. We crawled +along further until we could see a soldier walking +to and fro along the line of their horses, between us +and the animals. He had a rifle. As we conferred +together about what to do, other soldiers came to +the horses. They were getting ready to move. +Within a few minutes the entire body of them were +gone. We went then close to the abandoned camp. +We began to poke up the smoldering fires. Suddenly:</p> + +<p>“Bang!” The bullet whistled past us.</p> + +<p>We ran. Other shots were fired at us. We hurried +into a narrow gulch or canyon. As we dodged +from hiding place to hiding place up the gulch we +could see soldiers on horseback following along the +high sides. They were shooting down toward us. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</span>But they could not see us. There was a high wind +blowing, the weather was of the blustering kind usual +at that time of year. We hastened on to where the +gulch led to the high bench land. Our pursuers had +left us before we reached this broad area. We were +tired, very tired. We wanted to stop and rest, but +we feared our legs might grow stiff, so we trudged +on. At dawn we heard barking of dogs at our camp. +That was a welcome sound.</p> + +<p>“Waoo-oo-oo-oo,” we wolf-howled from a hilltop +before we went into the camp. Our alarm brought +out the people. They flocked to our lodge. A council +of the old men was called. My brother and I were +brought before it. Other young men who had been +out also were at the council. “Young men, what do +you know?” the chiefs asked us. We told them. +We learned that the lone horseman shot during the +night before was a Cheyenne. Another Cheyenne +had sent the bullet. It had gone in at the wrist and +out just below the elbow. The affair was entirely a +case of mistaken identity.</p> + +<p>The council of old men decided we should keep +away from the soldiers, not try to fight them. They +sent out an old man herald to proclaim:</p> + +<p>“Soldiers have been seen. We think they are +looking for us. Today we move camp far down +the river.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</span></p> + +<p>Our hunters and scouts kept a lookout for the +soldiers. Our camp was moved to a point just above +where Little Powder river flows into Powder river +and on the west side of the larger stream. The soldiers +went over the hills to the headwaters of Hanging +Woman creek. They followed this stream down to +Tongue river. We felt safe then. Many of our +people thought they were not seeking us at all.</p> + +<p>But one day some Cheyennes hunting antelope at +the head of Otter creek, just over the hills west from +our camp, saw the soldiers camped there. The hunters +urged their horses back to warn us. Some of the +horses became exhausted in the run, so their riders +had to come on afoot. A herald notified the people. +All was excitement. The council of old men appointed +ten young men to go out that night and +watch the movements of the soldiers. Others were +out scouting or were awake and watching, but these +ten had the special duty. Most of the people slept, +feeling secure under the protection of the appointed +outer sentinels. Early in the morning an old man +arose and went to the top of a nearby knoll to observe +or to pray, as old men were in the habit of doing. +He had been there only a few moments when he +began shouting toward the camp:</p> + +<p>“The soldiers are right here! The soldiers are +right here!”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</span></p> + +<p>Already the attacking white men were between +the horse herd and the camp. The ten scouts during +the hours of darkness and storm had missed meeting +the soldiers. They found a trail, this trail going up +the creek valley. They turned their horses and +whipped them in the effort to get ahead of the invaders. +But the tired horses played out. They did +not catch up with the soldiers until these had arrived +at the camp, or afterward.</p> + +<p>Women screamed. Children cried for their mothers. +Old people tottered and hobbled away to get +out of reach of the bullets singing among the lodges. +Braves seized whatever weapons they had and tried +to meet the attack. I owned a muzzle-loading rifle, +but I had no bullets for it. I owned also a cap-and-ball +six shooter, but I had loaned it to Star, a cousin +who was one of the ten special scouts of the night +before. In turn, he had let me have bow and arrows +he had borrowed from Puffed Cheek. My armament +then consisted of this bow and arrows belonging to +Puffed Cheek.</p> + +<p>I skirted around afoot to get at our horse herd. +I looped my lariat rope over the neck of the first +convenient one. It belonged to Old Bear, the old +man chief of our band. But just now it became my +war pony. I quickly made a lariat bridle and mounted +the recovered animal. A few other Cheyennes did +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</span>the same as I had done. But most of them remained +afoot. I shot arrows at the soldiers. Our people +had not much else to shoot. Only a few had guns +and also ammunition for them.</p> + +<p>All of the soldiers who first appeared had white +horses. Another band of them who charged soon +afterward from another direction had only bay horses. +I started back to try to get to my home lodge. I +wanted my shield, my other medicine objects and +whatever else I might be able to carry away. Women +were struggling along burdened with packs of +precious belongings. Some were dragging or carrying +their children. All were shrieking in fright. +I came upon one woman who had a pack on her back, +one little girl under an arm and an older girl clinging +to her free right hand. She was crying, both of the +girls were crying, and all three of them were almost +exhausted. They had just dived into a thicket for a +rest when I rode up to them. It was Last Bull’s wife +and their two daughters.</p> + +<p>“Let me take one of the children,” I proposed.</p> + +<p>The older girl, age about ten years, was lifted up +behind me. A little further on I picked up also an +eight-year-old boy who was trudging along behind a +mother carrying on her back a baby and under her +arms two other children. The girl behind me clasped +her arms about my waist. I wrapped an arm about +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</span>the boy in front of me. With my free arm and hand +I guided my horse as best I could. The animal too +was excited by the tumult. It shied and plunged. +But I got the two children out of danger. Then I +went back to help in the fight.</p> + +<p>Two Moons, Bear Walks on a Ridge and myself +were together. We centered an attack upon one certain +soldier. Two Moons had a repeating rifle. As +we stood in concealment he stood it upon end in +front of him and passed his hands up and down the +barrel, not touching it, while making medicine. Then +he said: “My medicine is good; watch me kill that +soldier.” He fired, but his bullet missed. Bear +Walks on a Ridge then fired his muzzle-loading rifle. +His bullet hit the soldier in the back of the head. +We rushed upon the man and beat and stabbed him +to death. Another Cheyenne joined us to help in +the killing. He took the soldier’s rifle. I stripped +off the blue coat and kept it. Two Moons and Bear +Walks on a Ridge took whatever else he had and +they wanted.</p> + +<p>One Cheyenne was killed by the soldiers. Another +had his forearm badly shattered. Braided +Locks, who is yet living, had the skin of one cheek +furrowed by a bullet. The Cheyennes were beaten +away from the camp. From a distance we saw the +destruction of our village. Our tepees were burned, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</span>with everything in them except what the soldiers +may have taken. Extra flares at times showed the +explosion of powder, and there was the occasional +pop of a cartridge from the fires. The Cheyennes +were rendered very poor. I had nothing left but the +clothing I had on, with the soldier coat added. My +eagle wing bone flute, my medicine pipe, my rifle, +everything else of mine, were gone.</p> + +<p>This was in the last part of the winter.⁠<a id="FNanchor_14_14" href="#Footnote_14_14" class="fnanchor">[14]</a> Melted +snow water was running everywhere. We waded +across the Powder river and set off to the eastward. +All of the people except some of the warriors were +afoot. The few young men on horseback stayed behind +to guard the other people as they got away. +One old woman, a blind person, was missing. All +others were present except the Cheyenne who had +been killed.</p> + +<p>The soldiers did not follow us. That night we +who had horses went back to see what had become +of them. At the destroyed camp we saw one lodge +still standing. We went to it. There was the missing +old blind woman. Her tepee and herself had +been left entirely unharmed. We talked about this +matter, all agreeing that the act showed the soldiers +had good hearts.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</span></p> + +<p>We found the soldier camp. We found also our +horses they had taken. We crept toward the herd, +out a little distance from the camp. One Cheyenne +would whisper, “I see my horse.” Another would +say, “There is mine.” Some could not see their own, +but they took whichever ones they could get. I got +my own favorite animal. We made some effort then +to steal some of the horses of the white men. But +they shot at us, so we went away with the part of our +own herd that we could manage. When we returned +with them and caught up with our people we let the +women and some of the old people ride. I gave then +to Chief Old Bear his horse I had captured when the +soldiers first attacked us. He said, “Thank you, my +friend,” and he gave the horse to his woman while +he kept on afoot.</p> + +<p>We kept going eastward and northward. We +forded the Little Powder river and went upon the +benches beyond. Three nights we slept out. Only +a few had robes. There was but little food, only a +few women having little chunks of dry meat in their +small packs. There was hard freezing at night and +there was mud and water by day. But nobody appeared +to become ill from the exposure. Early on +the fourth day we arrived at where we had aimed, a +camp of Ogallala Sioux far up a creek east of Powder +river. Three or four Ogallala lodges had been +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</span>beside our Cheyenne camp when the soldiers came. +These people traveling with us led us to their main +camp.</p> + +<p>The Ogallalas received us hospitably, as we knew +they would do. Crazy Horse was their principal +chief. Heads of lodges all about the camp were +calling out to us:</p> + +<p>“Cheyennes, come and eat here.”</p> + +<p>They fed us to fullness and gave us temporary +shelter and robes. At night a council was held by +the chiefs of the two bands. At the council our +people told about the soldier attack. It was decided +that the Ogallalas and the Cheyennes should go together +to the Uncpapa Sioux, located northeastward +from us. The next forenoon all of us set out in +that direction. Horses were loaned to the Cheyennes +by the Ogallalas, so none of us had to walk.</p> + +<p>Buffalo Bull Sitting Down, known to the white +people as Sitting Bull, was the principal chief of +the Uncpapas in that camp. There were more of +them than of Cheyennes and Ogallalas combined. +When we arrived there they set up at once two big +special lodges in the center of their camp circle. Our +men were placed in one of these lodges, our women +in the other. In each lodge sat a circle of Cheyennes +about the inner wall. Uncpapa women had set their +pots to boiling when first we had been seen. Now +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</span>they came with meat. They kept on coming, coming, +with more and more meat. We were filled up, +and we had plenty extra to keep for another day. +An Uncpapa herald went riding about the camp and +calling out:</p> + +<p>“The Cheyennes are very poor. All who have +blankets or robes or tepees to spare should give to +them.”</p> + +<p>Crowds of women and girls came with gifts. A +ten-year-old Uncpapa girl put a buffalo robe in front +of me and left it there. It was mine now. An +Uncpapa man gave my father a medicine pipe to replace +his lost one. I did not receive that kind of +present, but I was provided with every important +comfort. Whoever needed any kind of clothing got +it immediately. They flooded us with gifts of everything +needful. Crowds of their men and women +were going among us to find out and to supply our +wants.</p> + +<p>“Who needs a blanket?”</p> + +<p>“I do.”</p> + +<p>“Take this one.”</p> + +<p>“Who wants this tepee?”</p> + +<p>“Give it to me.”</p> + +<p>“It is yours.”</p> + +<p>They brought horses—lots of horses.</p> + +<p>“Who wants a horse?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</span></p> + +<p>“I.”</p> + +<p>“You may have this one.”</p> + +<p>Oh, what good hearts they had! I never can +forget the generosity of Sitting Bull’s Uncpapa Sioux +on that day.</p> + +<p>Our women’s backs were burdened and our gift +horses were loaded as we went to the nearby place +assigned to us for the setting up of our own camp +circle. Every household had a lodge, the same as +had been the case at our lost camp. Some of the +new tepees were small, but they served all necessary +purposes until we could get buffalo skins for making +larger ones.</p> + +<p>This triple camp was fifty or more miles east of +Powder river, on east from a big and tall white stone +which the white people call Chalk Butte. It was +at the headwaters of a stream flowing westward into +Powder river. The Cheyennes had been three sleeps +on the way to the Ogallalas. One sleep there. Three +sleeps of travel by Cheyennes and Ogallalas to the +Uncpapa camp. Five or six sleeps the three tribes +stayed together at this place.</p> + +<p>Various scouting parties went out to find out where +were the soldiers. Eight or ten of us Cheyennes +went to Tongue river and beyond. At Tongue river +we stopped for a daytime rest. Our horses were +picketed out to graze. After a while they began to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</span>show signs of alarm. A Cheyenne went out to look. +He saw a lone white man afoot among the herd. +Indian horses were afraid of white people, so they +were snorting. The Cheyenne approached the white +man and called out:</p> + +<p>“How!”</p> + +<p>“How,” the white man responded.</p> + +<p>They shook hands. The Cheyenne got his own +horse, mounted it, and asked the white man to go +with him to the other Indians. They set off, the +Cheyenne on horseback, the white man afoot. The +stranger had a six shooter in a scabbard at his belt, +but he made no offer to use it. He appeared friendly. +He was thin and hungry-looking. His clothing was +very ragged. The other Cheyennes got their horses, +and they all gathered about the newcomer. Some +of them mounted their horses, others stood afoot +holding them.</p> + +<p>“Who are you?” a Cheyenne signed.</p> + +<p>The white man could make signs, but not very +well. He made us understand him, though. He said +he had been a soldier, but he got lost from them. He +told us he had not fought us, as he had been lost +before that time. He said the ragged clothing he +had on was taken from a dead Sioux, as he did not +want to be seen with soldier clothing. One Cheyenne +kept saying, in our language, “Let’s kill him.” +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</span>But nobody agreed with him. Finally he jerked up +his rifle and fired. The white man fell dead. Others +then cut him and beat him, so that no one man could +have the blame nor receive the honor.</p> + +<p>Robbing the body was the next step. About all +he had was the six shooter, some cartridges for it, +and a little package tied to his belt. It had meat +in it. It was horse meat and had been cooked in +an open blazing fire. We threw it away.</p> + +<p>This man was killed not many miles down the +Tongue river from my present home place. The +exact spot is on a ranch where now lives a white man +named Wolf. The place is on Tongue river below +the present town of Ashland, Montana.</p> + + +<blockquote class="fs90"> +<p class="center"> +<span class="fs100">HISTORICAL NOTE</span> +</p> + +<p>A sketch of the military campaign of 1876 against the roaming +Sioux and Cheyennes is interposed here for the enlightenment +of such readers as may not be familiar with the frontier +history of that period. There is nothing new in this sketch; it +is simply a synopsis of what heretofore has been accepted and +published.</p> + +<p>After the Indian troubles during and immediately following +our civil war, in 1868 a treaty was made with the Sioux and +Cheyenne tribes of the northern plains country. A few of the +Sioux, mainly a band of Uncpapas led by Sitting Bull, refused +to go into the treaty council. Various reservations in the Dakotas +were agreed upon as belonging exclusively to the various +tribes of Indians involved. All lands lying westward of these +reservations, as far as the Bighorn river and Bighorn mountains, +in Montana, were to be hunting grounds for the Indians as long +as wild game in abundance remained there.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</span></p> + +<p>Bands of these Dakota red people were going out to the +hunting grounds and returning again from time to time. Some +of them elected to remain most of the time, or all of the time, +in the Montana open country. Sitting Bull and a few others +like him stayed entirely away from the agencies. They were +actuated partly by resentment and partly by a sincere desire to +avoid conflict that regularly resulted from prolonged contiguity +of Indians and whites.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes and the Ogallala Sioux were assigned to the +Black Hills country as their reservation—forever, according to +the terms of the treaty. Soon afterward it became apparent +that rich gold fields were hidden away somewhere in the lands +conceded to them. In 1874, obedient to orders from Washington, +General George A. Custer led his Seventh cavalry from Fort +Lincoln, Dakota, on an exploratory expedition into the Cheyenne-Ogallala +country. They found ample verification of the rumors +as to the presence of gold there. The news spread rapidly, and +there was a rush of white men fortune-seekers into the midst of +these Indian possessions.</p> + +<p>The government made a weak effort to restrain the intruders. +But the eager migrants flooded in and burst through the flimsy +military barriers. The vexing problem was dodged by moving +the Indians to other lands. But not all of them went to the +designated new reservations. Many of them, angered at what +they deemed a wrongful ousting, took their tepees and their +families and went to live altogether in the open hunting regions. +Indians from other reservations did likewise. That was the +beginning of the “Indian uprising” of 1876.</p> + +<p>In December, 1875, pursuant to our governmental policy, +General Sherman, then commander-in-chief of the United States +army, issued an important general order. He proclaimed that +all Indians found off their reservations after the last day of +January, 1876, would be regarded as hostiles to be fought by +the military forces. It being evident that not many of the +Dakota roamers in Montana would return to the reservations +until they were forced to do so, bodies of soldiers were set in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</span>motion for seeking out and driving these wanderers back within +their assigned territorial bounds.</p> + +<p>The active military field leaders in this campaign were Brigadier-General +Terry, Brigadier-General Crook, Colonel Gibbon +and Lieutenant-Colonel Custer. Each of these four officers had +been brevetted Major-General of Volunteers during the civil +war, but the contracting of the army after the war set each of +them back to a lower ranking. Terry had infantry from Fort +Rice and Custer’s Seventh cavalry, from Fort Lincoln, Dakota. +Crook had a force of cavalry and infantry at Fort Fetterman, +Wyoming. Gibbon had infantry from Fort Shaw and cavalry +from Fort Ellis, Montana.</p> + +<p>From their three basic points—in Dakota, in Wyoming and in +Montana—the three bodies of soldiers moved toward a common +central area between the Powder and Bighorn rivers, in Montana, +where the Indians being sought were roaming. Details of +these military movements are too extensive for review here. The +most thrilling phase of the campaign began when Custer and his +Seventh cavalry set off up the Rosebud valley to follow a recent +Indian trail. The result of this subsidiary proceeding was the +supreme tragedy in the annals of our American frontier warfare.</p> + +<p>The first fight of that 1876 struggle was this attack upon the +Cheyenne camp on Powder river, March 17th. There have been +published many worthy books recounting the military operations +of that year. Reliable edification on this subject may be found +in General Godfrey’s magazine articles, in Colonel Graham’s +“The Story of the Little Bighorn,” in Grinnell’s “The Fighting +Cheyennes,” in Brininstool’s “A Trooper with Custer,” in the +diaries of Lieutenants Bradley and McClernand, and in some +other published writings.⁠<a id="FNanchor_15_15" href="#Footnote_15_15" class="fnanchor">[15]</a> These tell the stirring story of where +our soldiers went and what they did during that eventful summer. +Wooden Leg tells the equally stirring story of where the +Indians went and what they did during that same time.</p> + +<p class="right p2r smcap">Thomas B. Marquis. +</p> +</blockquote> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_13_13" href="#FNanchor_13_13" class="label">[13]</a> February, 1876.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_14_14" href="#FNanchor_14_14" class="label">[14]</a> March 17th, 1876. Gen. J. J. Reynolds in command of soldiers. +Historians mistakenly mention this incident as a victory over “Crazy +Horse’s village.”—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_15_15" href="#FNanchor_15_15" class="label">[15]</a> <span class="smcap">Editor’s Note</span>: The interested reader will find also much enlightenment +in Dr. Marquis’ “Soldiering in the Old West,” to be published +soon by The Midwest Company.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="VI"> + <span class="p50l">VI</span> + <br> + <i>Swarming of Angered Indians.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>A band of Minneconjoux Sioux arrived at the +Uncpapa camp either just before or just after we +got there. They had not been troubled by the soldiers, +but they wanted to keep out of trouble. Lame +Deer was their principal chief. The Cheyennes were +well acquainted with the Minneconjoux. We had +camped and hunted with them many times. There +were some intermarriages with them, so there were +a few Cheyennes among them and a few of their +people belonging to our tribe. We had mingled with +them almost as much as we had with the Ogallalas. +We never had associated closely with the Uncpapas. +They were almost strangers to us. We knew of +them only by hearsay from the Ogallalas and the +Minneconjoux.</p> + +<p>The movement to the Uncpapas was because they +had a much larger band in the hunting grounds than +had any of the other tribes. Some of them, with +Sitting Bull as their leader, had been out all of the +time for several years. At this first assembling, the +Ogallala band was in number next to the Uncpapas. +The Minneconjoux had not quite as many as had the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</span>Ogallalas. The Cheyenne band was the smallest. +During past times, when the Cheyennes and the Ogallalas +and the Burned Thighs (Brûlé Sioux) had +fought the white soldiers many times in the country +farther southward, not many of the Uncpapas had +been with them. These people kept mostly at peace +by staying away from all white settlements. Now +it was becoming generally believed among Indians +that this was the best plan.</p> + +<p>Sitting Bull had come into notice as the most consistent +advocate of the idea of living out of all touch +with white people. He would not go to the reservation +nor would he accept any rations or other gifts +coming from the white man government. He rarely +went to the trading posts. Himself and his followers +were wealthy in food and clothing and lodges, in +everything needful to an Indian. They did not lose +any horses nor other property in warfare, because +they had not any warfare. He had come now into +admiration by all Indians as a man whose medicine +was good—that is, as a man having a kind heart and +good judgment as to the best course of conduct. He +was considered as being altogether brave, but peaceable. +He was strong in religion—the Indian religion. +He made medicine many times. He prayed and +fasted and whipped his flesh into submission to the +will of the Great Medicine. So, in attaching ourselves +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</span>to the Uncpapas we other tribes were not moved +by a desire to fight. They had not invited us. They +simply welcomed us. We supposed that the combined +camps would frighten off the soldiers. We +hoped thus to be freed from their annoyance. Then +we could separate again into the tribal bands and +resume our quiet wandering and hunting.</p> + +<p>The four camps could not remain long together in +any one location. The food game would become +scarce there and the feed for our horses would be +eaten away. We had to move on. A council of all +of the tribal chiefs decided we should go northward +to the head of the next stream flowing into the east +side of Powder river. The next morning after the +decision had been made, the four different bands set +off in procession toward the appointed place.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes were in the lead. The Ogallalas +came next. Following them were the Minneconjoux. +The Uncpapas were last. The order of movement +was the result of an agreed plan. The Cheyennes +and the Uncpapas had the specially dangerful positions. +I do not know on just what grounds this was +the arrangement, but I know that this was the intention. +The Cheyennes kept scouts out in front looking +forward from high points. The Uncpapas had always +some of their young men staying back to observe +if any enemies were following. The Ogallalas and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</span>the Minneconjoux sent guardians off to the hill points +at the sides.</p> + +<p>Three sleeps, I believe, our four camp circles stood +in this new location. The Cheyennes in advance had +been allowed to choose first the spot for the encampment. +The Ogallalas and the Minneconjoux then +located themselves only a little distance from us and +from each other. The Uncpapas placed their circle +on whatever good ground was left and on ground +most suitable for guarding that side of the combined +body of Indians. In the camping as well as in the +traveling, the Cheyennes and the Uncpapas occupied +the specially exposed positions.</p> + +<p>The scarcity of feed for our horses led the council +into a decision to move on yet farther northward. +As I remember it, we spent one sleep in temporary +camp during this movement as well as in the first +combined shift of base. Our horses were weak for +lack of food, so we had to travel slowly. We stopped +at the upper regions of the next creek tributary to +Powder river. I believe we stayed there three sleeps.</p> + +<p>The Arrows All Gone Sioux (the Sans Arcs) came +to us at this camping place. Five camp circles now +were in close communion. The number of people +in this added band was about the same as <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber’s Note—Original text: 'in the Ogallalla'" id="tn-180">in the Ogallala</ins> +or the Minneconjoux organizations. In the +case of each of the five tribes, only a part of their +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</span>members were here. But in each case more were +coming from time to time while few or none were +going back to the reservations. I believe the number +of Cheyenne lodges now must have been increased +to fifty. The Ogallalas, Minneconjoux and Arrows +All Gone each had more, perhaps sixty or seventy. +The comparative size of the Uncpapa circle indicated +they might have had as many as a hundred and fifty +lodges.</p> + +<p>After three or four sleeps the five camps moved +again. This time we swerved to the northwestward. +Our stopping place now was lower down on the next +creek flowing into Powder river. New grass was +beginning to peep up here. Our hungry horses +searched greedily for it. The herder boys were kept +busy at keeping them from rambling too far. The +tribal herds were kept separate, boys or youths from +each tribe guarding their own bands.</p> + +<p>The Blackfeet Sioux joined us here, I believe. I +am not sure of the exact place where they came, but +I can not recollect any other point where they might +have come. I recall clearly, though, that when we +got to Powder river there were six camp circles, the +Blackfeet Sioux making up the sixth one. Theirs +was not a very large circle, but it was a separate one. +They camped close to the Uncpapas.</p> + +<p>Many extra horses were brought in by some of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</span>newly arriving Indians. I think most of them were +brought by the Blackfeet Sioux, or perhaps by the +Arrows All Gone. But wherever they were needed +by members of other tribes they were distributed +out as gifts.</p> + +<p>A few Waist and Skirt Indians⁠<a id="FNanchor_16_16" href="#Footnote_16_16" class="fnanchor">[16]</a> attached themselves +to us. They were known also as No Clothing +people, because their men had no clothing. They +were extremely poor, having but little property and +no horses. They had plenty of dogs—big dogs—to +drag or to carry their tepees and other scant property. +Their tribal name, as known to us, arose from +their women having dresses made up in two parts. +Other Indian women made up their dresses in one +piece. I heard Cheyennes talk about Sitting Bull’s +father being with these people. He may have been +there, but I do not remember having seen him. +These Indians had small tepees, and their lodge poles +were placed with the butt ends up. They camped +all the time in a little group beside the Uncpapa circle. +Some Assiniboines also were mingled with the +Uncpapas, and others of them were with the Blackfeet +Sioux. A few Burned Thigh tepees were with +the Ogallalas and the Blackfeet Sioux. Many of the +incoming Indians talked of having been north of Elk +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</span>river.⁠<a id="FNanchor_17_17" href="#Footnote_17_17" class="fnanchor">[17]</a> Some of the talk I had heard was that they +had been searching there for us. As I remember it, +the extra horse bands were brought from the north +side of that stream.</p> + +<p>Chief Lame White Man and a big band of other +Cheyennes came to us at Powder river. They had +made a long journey out from the White River +agency. They had been looking for us all about the +heads of the Powder, Tongue and Rosebud rivers. +They doubled back and found our trail east of Powder +river. They had not learned of the soldier attack +upon our Cheyenne camp.</p> + +<p>Lame White Man did not belong to the Northern +Cheyenne tribe, but he had been much of the time +with us. He was a big chief or an old man chief of +the Southern Cheyennes. He was not a chief with +us, but he was a wise and good man. For this reason +he had much influence among us, even as an adviser +to our chiefs. His wife and family were with him, and +their lodge became a part of our growing camp circle.</p> + +<p>From Powder river our course was directed westward. +We went over the hill country. The grass +was coming up everywhere, and our horses were +growing stronger. I believe we camped in two or +three places between there and the Tongue river, one +sleep at each place. Individual hunters and small +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</span>hunting parties were gathering meat for their families. +Even when we stopped for but one sleep at +any place, all of the camp circles were formed and +all of the lodges set up. It was the taking down, +moving and setting up again every day of a little +city.</p> + +<p>A big band of additional Cheyennes came to us +on Tongue river. They were led by Dirty Moccasins, +an old man chief. They had crossed Powder river, +journeyed over the divide west of it to Otter creek and +followed this stream down to Tongue river. Our +camp was thirty or forty miles down from where +Otter creek flows into the river. Straggling lodges +had been reaching us, but this was the largest annexation +in any one group. Our Cheyenne circle +now was double what it had been when we first joined +the Uncpapas. The other circles likewise were growing +in the same way. These Cheyennes brought +extra ammunition, sugar, coffee and tobacco.</p> + +<p>Going on west from Tongue river, we stopped several +days, perhaps four or five sleeps, at the upper +part of a stream we knew as Wood creek. It is the +first creek of importance west of Tongue river and +flowing, I believe, into Elk river. Our horses now +were getting much grass. As the main part of the +herds grazed, the men were hunting. Big parties of +Indians killed lots of buffalo in this neighborhood. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</span>There were many thousands of these animals here. +The Cheyennes made a special effort to get a plentiful +supply of robes for making larger lodges. The +smaller ones given to our people by the Uncpapas +had been comfortable, but larger ones were more +comfortable. We also got skins for robes. Men +and women all were busy, the men at hunting and +the women at tanning the skins.</p> + +<p>Councils of the chiefs of the six tribes assembled +together were held at each place of camping. They +talked of whatever might be of general interest. Particularly, +a council settled where we should go next, +at each move. We had not set out to go into any +special region. The moves depended upon reports +of hunting parties or scouts. They learned and reported +where was most of such game as we were +seeking.</p> + +<p>Many young men were anxious to go for fighting +the soldiers. But the chiefs and old men all urged +us to keep away from the white men. They said +that fighting wasted energy that ought to be applied +in looking only for food and clothing, trying only +to feed and make comfortable ourselves and our families. +Our combination of camps was simply for +defense. We were within our treaty rights as hunters. +We must keep ourselves so.</p> + +<p>From Wood creek we went yet westward to the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</span>upper part of what we called Sioux creek. Here we +stayed but one sleep and followed the same direction +the next day. All of the people were on horses or +on lodgepole travois dragged by horses. All of the +personal or family belongings were in travois baskets +or on the backs of special pack horses. We had not +any wagons. Such vehicles could not have been used +in most of the country that Indians inhabited then.</p> + +<p>We arrived at the Rosebud river or large creek +about the middle of May, I believe. I did not know +then anything about a calendar, but judging from +my recollection of the condition of the grass and the +trees, about the weather and other natural conditions, +that must have been about the time.⁠<a id="FNanchor_18_18" href="#Footnote_18_18" class="fnanchor">[18]</a> Many times +during the later years of peace I have been up and +down that valley, on my way to and fro between the +reservation and the town of Forsythe, so I with other +Cheyennes have kept exactly in mind all of the old +camping places along this stream.</p> + +<p>The first Rosebud camping place of the six great +circles of Indians was about seven or eight miles up +from Elk river. The Uncpapa circle at that time +was partly on the land where now is a ranch house +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</span>occupied by white people. The place now is known +as the James Kennedy place, as a white man having +that name lived there during many years. The +Uncpapa circle extended from the present location +of this house out across the present highway road +and upon the bench eastward. The Cheyennes were +camped about a mile and a half up the valley from +Sitting Bull’s Uncpapas. Our location included a +line of trees such as yet are there extending from +the creek across the road east of it. An old white +man named Eugene Noyes was living there a few +years ago, in a house just off a short distance southwest +from that old Cheyenne camp site. The other +four circles were at four different places between the +Uncpapas and the Cheyennes. All of them were on +the east side of the creek.</p> + +<p>Charcoal Bear, chief medicine man of the Northern +Cheyennes, came to us at this first Rosebud camp. +Lots of our people were with him. He brought the +tribal medicine lodge and our sacred Buffalo Head +and all other of our tribal medicine objects. The +lodge was set up in the midst of our camp circle. It +put good thoughts and good feeling into the hearts +of all Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>I have heard in later years that soldiers from north +of Elk river came across and saw our camp here. But +I never knew of any soldiers having been seen by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</span>any of the Indians in this region. We did lots of +buffalo hunting all across from Tongue river and +continued to kill many of them on the hills west +of the Rosebud. I did not hear any talk of the buffalo +or other game showing signs of having been +alarmed by any other people. Six or seven sleeps, +I believe, we stayed here. Then we moved up the +valley about twelve miles.</p> + +<p>At this second Rosebud camp the Uncpapa circle +was on land just across the present highway road +westward from and almost in front of a school house +now standing east of the road. A mile and a half +or more on up the valley was the Cheyenne circle. +Between them, all on the east side of the creek, were +the other four tribal circles. On this Cheyenne camping +ground I had been in a camp of our people ten +years before this, when I was a boy. Here Crazy +Mule had made medicine and had done some wonderful +acts. Here also at that past time a Cheyenne +woman had gone out eastward up a wooded gulch +and had hanged herself.</p> + +<p>While we now were at this second Rosebud combined +camp a report was brought in that Crows had +been seen in our vicinity. A herald rode about our +camp circle making the announcement. It was +agreed our Crazy Dog warriors should go out to find +them. The Crazy Dogs built a bonfire and had a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</span>preparatory dance. All of them stripped naked and +painted their bodies. All of them danced barefooted. +It was considered wonderful that they could do this +without getting cactus thorns into their feet. As +the dance was going on it began to become known +that the report of Crows was a mistake, that nobody +had seen them. The war dance was ended and the +bonfire died down. It may have been that Crows +actually had been seen, as I have learned in later +times that some of them were scouting as helpers for +soldiers north of Elk river.</p> + +<p>After one sleep at the second Rosebud camp we +traveled on up the valley another twelve or fifteen +miles. This time the Uncpapas occupied land now +on both sides of the highway road and to the west +and south of a painted peak the white people now +call Teat butte. The other camps were scattered +irregularly on up the valley, all yet on the east side +of the creek. It was about a mile and a half from +the lower or last Uncpapa site to the upper or advanced +Cheyenne site. Only one sleep here. The +next forenoon the Cheyennes headed again a procession +up the Rosebud valley.</p> + +<p>The fourth Rosebud camp was at and above the +place where now the main highway from Forsythe +forks to go toward Lame Deer and toward Ashland. +The lower or northern end of the group, the site of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</span>Sitting Bull’s people, was on the benchland by the +present roadside east and northeast from the forks. +Four camp circles were, as usual, somewhere between +them and the Cheyennes in front and the Uncpapas +at the rear. One of the Sioux camps was on the west +side of the creek, the first time any of the circles +had been set up on that side. The Cheyennes were +about a mile east of where a roadside trading store +in late years has been managed by a white man named +Parkins. We were at the mouth of a stream flowing +into the Rosebud and known now as Greenleaf creek. +Our circle was only about a mile southward from the +Uncpapas. The others were in an irregular curve between +us. All of the Indians had been using the dirty +yellow water of Rosebud creek, but now the Cheyennes +had better water from Greenleaf creek. While +we were here, some more Cheyennes arrived from +the reservation. They told us:</p> + +<p>“Lots of soldiers are being sent to fight the Indians.”</p> + +<p>Three sleeps I remained with our people at this +camp. Great bands of Sioux went buffalo hunting +among the hills and small mountains west of the +Rosebud. I went hunting also, but I did not go +there. Eleven Cheyennes, including myself, got our +pack horses and set out over the low pass to Tongue +river. We were on the lookout for soldiers or signs +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</span>of them, but we did not want to fight them. We had +our war bags, of course, but Indians did not take pack +horses when going out to fight.</p> + +<p>Two or three days after we had left our people +they moved on up the Rosebud. This time the camp +circles extended from just above the present Toohey +ranch to a point about a mile and a half up the valley +from that place. As usual, the Uncpapas were at +the last end while the Cheyennes were at the first +or upper end. The Uncpapas were on the east side +of the creek, just west of the present main highway. +The Cheyennes at the upper end of the group were +on the west side of the creek, on a bench, a mile or +so across west from the road. I was not there at the +time, but this place is only ten or twelve miles north +of our present reservation, so I have learned all about +it from other Cheyennes as we have traveled up and +down the road now there.</p> + +<p>At this camp the Uncpapas had a Great Medicine +dance. No other Indians took part in it, but great +throngs of people from the other camp circles assembled +to look on. This Great Medicine dance, or +sun dance, as the white people call it, was held about +a quarter of a mile west of the present highway that +extends along the valley. The medicine lodge was +pitched just north from the Uncpapa camp circle. +Its exact site was on a flat bottom by the creek about +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</span>a quarter of a mile south by southwest from the present +Toohey ranch house. By the present roadside, +just below the Toohey ranch house, is a signboard +that tells people, “Custer camped here June 23, +1876.” The place where Sitting Bull’s people had +their Great Medicine dance is only half a mile southwest +from this roadside signboard.</p> + +<p>A few miles up the valley from this camp site are +the deer medicine rocks. They are three or four +miles below the present reservation northern gate. +They may be seen about a mile west of the present +road and off from the base of the hills. They are +about half a mile or farther southwest from the big +ranch house of a white man named Bailey. In the +old times, both Cheyennes and Sioux had reverence +for these separated cliff towers. As hunters were +about to go for deer or antelope, they assembled on +horseback and grouped around the deer medicine +rocks. There they looked up to the tops and made +prayers for success in the oncoming hunt. It is probable +that the Indians at that camping time paid the +usual respect to this old-time place of worship. But +I do not know. I was not there. I then was traveling +up the Tongue river valley, with ten other Cheyenne +buffalo hunters.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_16_16" href="#FNanchor_16_16" class="label">[16]</a> Santee Sioux, Wahpeton group, refugees from Minnesota, dwelling +in Canada.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_17_17" href="#FNanchor_17_17" class="label">[17]</a> The universal Indian name for the Yellowstone river.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_18_18" href="#FNanchor_18_18" class="label">[18]</a> Thomas H. Leforge and his Crow scouts learned that the hostile +Indians arrived on the Rosebud about May 19th, 1876. They observed +a great camp there on May 26th. A few days later this camp was +gone. Lieutenant Bradley’s diary records these facts. Bradley, Leforge +and the Crow scouts were of the Gibbon forces, located then on +the north side of the Yellowstone river.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="VII"> + <span class="p50l">VII</span> + <br> + <i>Soldiers from the Southward.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Our party of eleven buffalo hunters went over the +same low pass that is traversed by the road now +going from the Rosebud to Tongue river and Ashland. +We did not find any big herd of buffalo. We had +killed only four by the time we arrived at Hanging +Woman creek. We decided then to go on over to +Powder river. We followed Powder river almost up +to the mouth of Lodgepole creek. On the way we +came across a dead Indian on a burial scaffold. The +body had been stripped of all wrappings and of clothing. +We wondered if this had been a Sioux, a Crow +or a Shoshone. We wondered also who had robbed +the body.</p> + +<p>One of our men named Lame Sioux went out to +a hill for a look over the country. Pretty soon he +began to signal. He had seen a camp of soldiers. +All of us got out to look. Yes, this was a soldier +camp. We dropped back into hiding. Ourselves and +our horses all were put into concealment until darkness +came. Then we dressed ourselves, painted ourselves +and went on a night scout for a closer view. +We saw the camp fires burning. We worked our way +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</span>carefully toward them. It was after the middle of +the night when we arrived at a point where we could +see well the entire scene. But all of the soldiers then +were gone.</p> + +<p>We slept then until morning came. When we went +to the abandoned camp site the first thing to arouse +our special interest was a beef carcass having yet on +the bones many fragments of meat. The next interesting +object was a box of hard crackers. It had +been raining, and they were wet, but this made them +all the better. We ate what we wanted of them. +We cooked pieces of the beef on the fire coals. We +enjoyed a fine breakfast. Then we set out on the +trail of the soldiers.</p> + +<p>The trail led us northwestward over the divide and +down Crow creek. Near where Crow creek empties +into Tongue river we saw the soldier camp.⁠<a id="FNanchor_19_19" href="#Footnote_19_19" class="fnanchor">[19]</a> The +time was late in the afternoon. We retreated and +skirted around up the river. At dusk we crossed it +to the west side. The water was running high. We +stripped and tied our clothing in bundles about our +necks. We sat upon our riding horses and led our +pack horses as they swam through the lively current. +We hid ourselves among the trees on that side of the +valley and slept until morning.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</span></p> + +<p>From a cliff the next morning we saw first a band +of about twenty Indians riding away from the soldier +camp. Were they Crows? Were they Shoshones? +We exchanged guesses, but we did not know. We +talked among ourselves about making an attack upon +them. There was some talk of trying to steal soldier +horses. We were anxious to do something warlike, +to get horses or to count coups. But the general +agreement was that it was too risky. We considered +it most important that we return and notify our +people on the Rosebud. We did not want to tire out +our horses in an effort to get others or to get fighting +honors. But we lingered to do some more looking. +We saw soldiers walking about their camp. It had +been flooded by the high waters. They were splashing +about here and there and appeared to be getting +ready to travel. We decided it was time for us also +to travel.</p> + +<p>Six of us, including myself, started out toward the +hills between us and the uppermost Rosebud. The +five other Cheyennes remained behind to see where +the soldiers might go. During the day two of these +came on and joined us. Before night the final three +were with us. “They are coming in this direction,” +the three reported. We then were on the upper small +branches of Rosebud creek.</p> + +<p>We killed a buffalo there. We hurried in cutting +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</span>from it some of the choice pieces. We quickly divided +up the liver and ate the raw segments. Over a hastily +built fire we scantily toasted little chunks of buffalo +meat. As we devoured them we spoke but few words. +Whatever speech was uttered was in jerky sputterings. +Everybody was excited. Every minute or two +somebody was jumping up to go somewhere and look +for pursuing soldiers. After the food had been bolted +we hastened to move on. When darkness had well +advanced we stopped for the night. Our horses +needed rest and food. We picketed them. We felt +safe during the night, so we slept soundly.</p> + +<p>Before the sun was up we were several miles on +down the Rosebud valley. We did not know just +where our people were, but we knew they were somewhere +on this stream. We found them strung along +from the location of our present Indian dance hall +there up almost to the present home of Porcupine. +We wolf-howled and aroused the people. Cheyennes +flocked to learn why we had given the alarm. We +went on into camp and reported to an old man. Some +Sioux were there, and they carried the news to their +people. Soon all of the camp circles were in a fever +of excitement. Heralds in all of them were riding +about and shouting:</p> + +<p>“Soldiers have been seen. They are coming in this +direction. Indians are with them.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</span></p> + +<p>Councils were called. Lots of young men wanted +to go out and fight the soldiers, but the chiefs would +not allow this. Our chiefs appointed Little Hawk, +Crooked Nose and two or three others to go scouting +and find out about the further movements of the +white men. Maybe some Sioux scouts also were sent +out. I do not know, but I think they depended upon +the Cheyennes to do the work.</p> + +<p>The Indians all moved camp, going on up the +valley about ten miles. Here the Cheyennes chose +for their location a spot on the east side of the Rosebud, +just across from the present Davis creek and on +the land now occupied by Rising Sun. The Sioux +following them set their circles on down the creek, the +Uncpapas being below the present Busby school. +My recollection is we stayed here more than one +sleep, but I am not sure. When we left this place we +went westward up Davis creek and across the hills beside +it, going toward the dividing hills separating us +from the Little Bighorn river. It was understood +we were on our way to that valley.</p> + +<p>We camped that afternoon just east of the divide. +The place is about a mile north of the present road +there, the camps extending northward up a broad +coulee full of plum thickets. Dry camp, no water, at +this place. One sleep here. The next morning we +went on over the divide and down the slopes to what +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</span>we called Great Medicine Dance creek, but known +now to the white people as Reno creek. We stopped +where the main forks of the creek come together. +Our circles were formed along the valley and on the +bench. The Cheyennes were at the advance or west +end, the Uncpapas at the rear or east end. From our +camp to theirs the distance was about two miles. +The grouped camps centered about where the +present road crosses a bridge at the fork of the creek.⁠<a id="FNanchor_20_20" href="#Footnote_20_20" class="fnanchor">[20]</a></p> + +<p>Little Hawk and the other scouts returned to us +here. They reported the soldiers as being on the +upper branches of the Rosebud. The Sioux were told +of this report, or they may have had information from +scouts of their own. Heralds in all six of the camps +rode about and told the people. The news created +an unusual stir. Women packed up all articles except +such as were needed for immediate use. Some +of them took down their tepees and got them ready +for hurrying away if necessary. Additional watchers +were put among the horse herds. Young men wanted +to go out and meet the soldiers, to fight them. The +chiefs of all camps met in one big council. After a +while they sent heralds to call out:</p> + +<p>“Young men, leave the soldiers alone unless they +attack us.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</span></p> + +<p>But as darkness came on we slipped away. Many +bands of Cheyenne and Sioux young men, with some +older ones, rode out up the south fork toward the +head of Rosebud creek. Warriors came from every +camp circle. We had our weapons, war clothing, +paints and medicines. I had my six-shooter. We +traveled all night.</p> + +<p>We found the soldiers⁠<a id="FNanchor_21_21" href="#Footnote_21_21" class="fnanchor">[21]</a> about seven or eight +o’clock in the morning, I believe. We had slept +only a little, our horses were very tired, so we did not +hurry our attack. But always in such cases there +are eager or foolish ones who begin too soon. Not +long after we arrived there was fighting on the hillsides +and on the little valley where was the soldier +camp. In this early fighting, one young Cheyenne +foolishly charged too far, and some Indians belonging +to the soldiers got after him. They shot and +crippled his horse. I and some other Cheyennes +drove back the pursuers. I took the young man behind +me on my horse, and we hurried away to our +main body of warriors.</p> + +<p>Jack Red Cloud, son of the old Ogallala Chief Red +Cloud, was wearing a warbonnet. His horse was +killed. According to the Indian way, in such case the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</span>warrior was supposed to stop and take off the bridle +from the killed horse, to show how cool he could conduct +himself. But young Red Cloud forgot to do +this. He went running as soon as his horse fell. +Three Crows on horseback followed him, lashed him +with their pony whips and jerked off and kept his +warbonnet. They did not try to kill him. They +only teased him, telling him he was a boy and ought +not to be wearing a warbonnet. Some of his Sioux +friends interfered, and the Crows went away. The +Sioux told us that young Red Cloud was crying and +asking mercy from the Crows. He was my same age, +eighteen years old.⁠<a id="FNanchor_22_22" href="#Footnote_22_22" class="fnanchor">[22]</a></p> + +<p>White Wolf, a Cheyenne almost thirty years old, +had a repeating rifle. In drawing this weapon from +its scabbard at his left side it was accidentally discharged. +The bullet broke his left thigh bone. He +finally recovered and is yet living (1930). He still +limps on account of that accidental wound.</p> + +<p>Until the sun went far toward the west there were +charges back and forth. Our Indians fought and ran +away, fought and ran away. The soldiers and their +Indian scouts did the same. Sometimes we chased +them, sometimes they chased us. One time, as I was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</span>getting away from a charge, I caught up with a Cheyenne +afoot and driving his tired horse ahead of him. +My horse also was very tired, so I dismounted and we +two drove our mounts into a brush thicket. There we +rested a while. It appeared that all of the Cheyennes +were in hiding just then.</p> + +<p>Chief Lame White Man, the old Southern Cheyenne, +rode out into the open on horseback. He +called to us for brave actions. Our young men had +high regard for him. The Cheyennes came out from +hiding and went flocking to him. I and my companion +joined them. It then became the turn of the +soldiers and their Indians to get out of our way.</p> + +<p>The soldiers finally left the field and went back +southward, on the trail where they had come to this +place. Some Sioux and Cheyennes followed them a +short distance, but not far. The soldiers lost or left +behind some of the packs from their mules.⁠<a id="FNanchor_23_23" href="#Footnote_23_23" class="fnanchor">[23]</a> We got +crackers and bacon and other food material. I found +a good white hat and a good pair of gloves. I picked +up a little package of something and stuffed it under +my belt. As I went riding away, the package rubbed +between the belt and my body. The day was hot, and +I was sweating freely. My nostrils perceived a +pleasant odor. I traced it to the package. I took it +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</span>from my belt, sniffed at it, then fumbled at the heavy +paper and tore off a corner.</p> + +<p>“Oh, coffee!” My heart was glad. I had something +good to take as a gift for my mother.</p> + +<p>The only naked Cheyenne in that battle was Black +Sun. All of the rest of us had on whatever war +clothing he owned. I do not recollect having seen +there any Sioux who was not dressed in his best. But +Black Sun had a special medicine painting for himself. +He spent a long time at getting ready. All of +his body was colored yellow. On his head he wore +the stuffed skin of a weasel. He wrapped a blanket +about his loins. The soldiers and enemy Indians fired +many shots at him without harming him. Finally +some one of them got behind him and shot him +through the body. He fell, not dead, but unable to +stand up. Some of his friends rescued him. I caught +his horse. When we were ready to go back to our +camps we put him upon a travois and had his horse +drag this bed for him. He died that night, at his +home lodge. He was the only Cheyenne killed that +day. Limpy was shot in his left side and had his +horse killed. Other Cheyennes had slight wounds.</p> + +<p>One Burned Thigh Sioux was killed during the +battle, and one Minneconjoux died after arrival at the +camps. I do not know how many other Sioux were +killed, but some Cheyennes said there were twenty +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</span>or more. I think the Uncpapas lost the most warriors. +I remember that one of the dead Sioux was a +boy about fourteen years old. Black Sun was buried +in a hillside cave. I believe that all of the Sioux dead +were left in burial tepees on the camp site when we +left there.</p> + +<p>All camps were moved again early the next morning +after the Rosebud battle. We followed a short +distance down Medicine Dance creek and then turned +southward across the benches to the Little Bighorn. +In present times, where the Busby road joins the +graveled highway there is a bridge over the river. +About half a mile south of this bridge, on the west +side of the highway and on the east side of the river, +stood the camp circle of the Uncpapas. The Cheyennes +were a mile or more farther up the river. The +other four tribal camps were scattered here and there +between the Uncpapas and the Cheyennes. There +was not here nor at any other camping location a +placing of the camp circles in line with one another. +The groupings between Uncpapas and Cheyennes +were according to the form of the land or the curves +of the stream. The only strict rule of camp circle location +was that none should be set up ahead of the +Cheyennes nor behind the Uncpapas.</p> + +<p>Six sleeps we remained at this first camping place +on the Little Bighorn. We had beaten the white men +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</span>soldiers. Our scouts had followed them far enough +to learn that they were going farther and farther +away from us. We did not know of any other soldiers +hunting for us. If there were any, they now would +be afraid to come. There were feasts and dances in +all of the camps. On the benchlands just east of +us our horses found plenty of rich grass. Among the +hills west of the river were great herds of buffalo. +Every day, big hunting parties went among them. +Men and women were at work providing for their +families. That was why we killed these animals. +Indians never did destroy any animal life as a mere +pleasurable adventure.</p> + +<p>Six Arapaho men came to the Cheyenne camp +while we were at this place. They said they were +afraid of soldiers, as they had killed a white man on +Powder river. Many Sioux and some Cheyennes suspected +them as spies, but finally all of us were satisfied +they wanted to stay with us as friends. They were +invited into lodges of different ones of the Cheyennes. +Some more of our own people from the reservation +joined us here. It is likely some Sioux also arrived, +but I am not sure about that.</p> + +<p>Our plans had been to go up the Little Bighorn +valley. But our game scouts reported great herds of +antelope west of the Bighorn river. Because of this, +the chiefs decided we should turn and go down the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</span>Little Bighorn, to its mouth. From there our hunting +parties would cross the Bighorn and get antelope +skins and meat that we now wanted.</p> + +<p>These councils of chiefs of all of the tribal circles +were held sometimes at one camp circle and sometimes +at another. In each case, heralds announced +the meeting and told where it would be held. Each +tribe operated its own internal government, the same +as if it were entirely separated from the others. The +chiefs of the different tribes met together as equals. +There was only one who was considered as being +above all of the others. This was Sitting Bull. He +was recognized as the one old man chief of all the +camps combined.</p> + +<p>Almost all of our Northern Cheyenne tribe were +with us on the Little Bighorn. Only a few of our +forty big chiefs were absent. Two of our four old +men chiefs, Old Bear and Dirty Moccasins, were here. +Old Bear had been off the reservation throughout all +of the past year, while Dirty Moccasins had come to +us on the Rosebud. The absent two old men chiefs +were Little Wolf and Rabbit, this last one known +sometimes as Dull Knife, or Morning Star. Our +tribal medicine tepee was at its place in our camp +circle, and Charcoal Bear, its keeper, was with it. I +believe all of the thirty chiefs of the three warrior +societies were present, except Little Wolf, leading +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</span>chief of the Elk warriors. I do not know how many +Cheyennes in all were in the camp.⁠<a id="FNanchor_24_24" href="#Footnote_24_24" class="fnanchor">[24]</a> In fact, I do +not know how many of us there were in our tribe at +that time. I never knew of any count having been +made during those times.</p> + +<p>We crossed the Little Bighorn river to its west +side and set off down the valley. Cheyennes ahead, +Uncpapas behind, in the usual order of march. The +journey that day was not a long one. After eight or +nine miles of travel the Cheyennes stopped and began +to form their camp circle. The tribes following us +chose their ground, and their women began to set up +the villages taken down that forenoon. The last +tribe, the biggest one, the Uncpapas, placed themselves +behind the others.</p> + +<p>The Cheyenne location was about two miles north +from the present railroad station at Garryowen, Montana. +We were near the mouth of a small creek flowing +from the southwestward into the river. Across +the river east of us and a little upstream from us was +a broad coulee, or little valley, having now the name +Medicine Tail coulee.</p> + +<p>The Uncpapas, at the southern end of the group +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</span>and most distant from us, put their circle just northeast +of the present Garryowen station. The other +four circles were placed here and there between us +and the Uncpapas.</p> + +<p>Our trail during all of our movements throughout +that summer could have been followed by a blind +person. It was from a quarter to half a mile wide +at all places where the form of the land allowed that +width. Indians regularly made a broad trail when +traveling in bands using travois. People behind +often kept in the tracks of people in front, but when +the party of travelers was a large one there were many +of such tracks side by side.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_19_19" href="#FNanchor_19_19" class="label">[19]</a> Prairie Dog creek? Finerty writes that the soldiers were camped +there June 8th.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_20_20" href="#FNanchor_20_20" class="label">[20]</a> Wooden Leg, Big Beaver and Limpy, each on a separate occasion, +went with me and pointed out the exact locations of the 1876 Indian +campings on the Rosebud and the Little Bighorn.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_21_21" href="#FNanchor_21_21" class="label">[21]</a> General Crook’s soldiers, June 17th, 1876. Historians have copied +each other in repetitions that the hostiles here were “Crazy Horse and +his Ogallalas,” and that they were from the “Crazy Horse village” supposed +to have been only a short distance down the Rosebud.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_22_22" href="#FNanchor_22_22" class="label">[22]</a> The Crow aspect of this same story was told to me by Along the +Hillside, an old Crow man who was a scout with Crook. He was one +of the pursuers who jerked the warbonnet from the amateur Sioux.—T. +B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_23_23" href="#FNanchor_23_23" class="label">[23]</a> Finerty writes that Crook had 1,000 pack mules, and that the +Crows and Shoshones joined him on June 14th, at the Goose Creek +camp.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_24_24" href="#FNanchor_24_24" class="label">[24]</a> At the Northern Cheyenne fair at Lame Deer in 1927 I estimated +the encampment at about 1,100. Wooden Leg and some other old men +were asked to compare this camp with the one on the Little Bighorn. +After a consultation, it was generally agreed that there must have +been 1,600 or more Cheyennes in their camp when the Custer soldiers +came.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="VIII"> + <span class="p50l">VIII</span> + <br> + <i>On the Little Bighorn.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Every one of the six separate camp circles had its +open and unoccupied side toward the east. Every +lodge in each of these camps was set up so that the +entrance opening was at its east side. This was the +arrangement at all of our campings in this entire +summer of combined movement. This was the regular +Indian way of putting up a lodge or arranging a +camp.</p> + +<p>Some old Cheyennes talk of seven camp circles, +and a few of them mention eight. But there were +only six important ones. The extra one or two were +not of tribal bands governing themselves as such. +These additional Indians in considerable number +were the Burned Thighs, Assiniboines and Waist and +Skirt people. These kept themselves mainly in their +own separated groups, but the groups would be placed +close to some main camp circle and considered as +belonging to it. At this particular camping place +the Waist and Skirt Sioux were right beside the great +Uncpapa circle, the Burned Thighs were partly with +the Blackfeet Sioux and partly with the Ogallalas. +Beginning with the Cheyennes at the north side and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</span>following up the river, four camp circles succeeded +each other: Cheyennes, Arrows All Gone, Minneconjoux, +Uncpapas. Away from the river and southwest +of the Cheyennes and Arrows All Gone was the +Ogallala camp. Between the Ogallalas and the Uncpapas, +but nearer to the Uncpapas, was the Blackfeet +Sioux camp, this also back a short distance from +the river. A small and irregular camp of Burned +Thigh Sioux was located by the river between the +Cheyennes and the Arrows All Gone, or just east of +the Ogallalas. All of the camps were east of the +present railroad and highway.</p> + +<p>One big lodge of Southern Cheyennes was in our +circle. In it were eight men, six women and some +children. Lame White Man, the Southern Cheyenne +chief, had his own family lodge. He and his family +had been with our northern branch of the tribe so +long that they were looked upon as belonging to us. +The six Arapaho men were attached to the lodge of +Two Moons, one of the little chiefs of the Fox warrior +society. One of his two wives was an Arapaho +woman. There was not any white person nor any +mixed-breed person with us. I never heard of there +being any such person there with any of the Sioux +tribes.</p> + +<p>Our tribal medicine tepee, containing our sacred +Buffalo Head and other revered objects, was in its +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</span>place at the western part of the open space enclosed +by our camp circle. The medicine arrows, which belong +to the Southern Cheyennes, were not here. Ours +was the only tribal medicine lodge in the whole camp. +The Sioux tribes did not maintain this kind of institution. +They had tribal medicine pipes, but no special +lodges for them.</p> + +<p>Our family dwelling had in it seven people. These +were my father and mother, my older brother Yellow +Hair, my older sister Crooked Nose, myself Wooden +Leg, a younger sister and a small boy brother. All +of us together owned nine horses. I personally +owned two of these. Other tepees had more people +in them, some not as many. A few unmarried young +men had little willow dome and robe shelters. Old +couples likewise had this sort of temporary housing. +These would be abandoned and built anew at each +time of moving camp.</p> + +<p>Three hundred lodges seems to me now as being +about the size of our Cheyenne camp. The Blackfeet +Sioux had about the same number, or a few less. +The Arrows All Gone had more. The Minneconjoux +and the Ogallalas each had more than the Arrows +All Gone. The Uncpapas had, I believe, twice as +many as had the Cheyennes.⁠<a id="FNanchor_25_25" href="#Footnote_25_25" class="fnanchor">[25]</a></p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</span></p> + +<p>The principal chiefs of the various camp circles +were:</p> + +<p>Uncpapas: Sitting Bull. He also was recognized +as the one old man chief of the combined tribes. The +Uncpapa medicine man chief was named Buffalo Calf +Pipe.</p> + +<p>Ogallalas: Crazy Horse, old man chief.</p> + +<p>Minneconjoux: Lame Deer, old man chief.</p> + +<p>Arrows All Gone: Hump Nose, or Hump, important +chief of some kind.</p> + +<p>Blackfeet: I do not know name of any chief there. +Also, I do not know what chiefs may have been with +the small irregular bands of other Indians.</p> + +<p>Cheyennes: Old Bear and Dirty Moccasins, old +men chiefs. Next to them, Crazy Head was considered +the most important tribal big chief. Lame +White Man was regarded as the most capable warrior +chief among us, although Last Bull and Old Man +Coyote also were held in special high esteem.</p> + +<p>Our Cheyenne warrior society chiefs were these:⁠<a id="FNanchor_26_26" href="#Footnote_26_26" class="fnanchor">[26]</a></p> + +<p>Elk warriors: Leading chief—Lame White Man. +Nine little chiefs—Left Handed Shooter, Pig, Goes +After Other Buffalo, Plenty Bears, Wolf Medicine, +Broken Jaw, A Crow Cut His Nose, White Hawk and +Tall White Man.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</span></p> + +<p>Crazy Dog warriors: Leading chief—Old Man +Coyote. Nine little chiefs—Black Knife, Beaver +Claws, Iron Shirt, Little Creek, Snow Bird, Crazy +Mule, Strong Left Arm, Red Owl and Crow Necklace.</p> + +<p>Fox warriors: Leading chief—Last Bull. Nine +little chiefs—Wrapped Braids, Plenty of Buffalo +Bull Meat, Little Horse, Sits Beside His Medicine, +Two Moons, Bears Walks on a Ridge, Mosquito, +Rattlesnake Nose and Weasel Bear.</p> + +<p>The Fox warriors were on duty as camp policemen +at this time. It was their business, while remaining +on duty, to watch for the approach of enemies as well +as to enforce the tribal laws. A few of the little chiefs +of the warrior societies, and various members of the +different ones, were not in the camp.</p> + +<p>Our three leading warrior chiefs were allowed to +talk in the tribal councils, where the tribal big +chiefs and old men adviser chiefs assembled for +the consideration of tribal affairs. The little warrior +chiefs were expected to attend these councils, +but they were not permitted to talk there. They +were required to keep still and listen. The place +for them to talk was in the warrior society meetings, +where they were the instructors while the young warriors +had to remain quiet and listening. The Sioux +and other tribes had this same kind of system.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</span></p> + +<p>Guns were not plentiful among us. Most of our +hunting had been with bows and arrows. Of the +Cheyennes, Two Moons and White Wolf each had a +repeating rifle. Some others had single-shot breech-loading +rifles. But there was not much ammunition +for the good guns. The muzzle-loaders usually were +preferred, because for these we could mold the bullets +and put in whatever powder was desired, or according +to the quantity on hand. I believe the Sioux +had, in proportion to their numbers, about the same +supply of firearm material that we had. The Waist +and Skirt people had few or no guns, were in every +way very poor. My muzzle-loading rifle had been +lost with my other personal effects when we had been +driven out and had our lodges burned on Powder +river.</p> + +<p>Six or eight guns, I suppose, had been taken from +soldiers at the Rosebud fight. I recall seeing only +two, a rifle and a revolver, among the Cheyennes. +Both of them used cartridges. The ammunition belt +I saw taken there had a special piece of belting swung +in a curve from the main girdle. Around the main +circle were loops for forty rifle cartridges. The revolver +cartridges were carried in twelve or fifteen +loops on the suspended curve. On the surface of a +revolver scabbard I saw were six other loops for its +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</span>cartridges. I never heard of the Indians getting from +the Rosebud soldiers any ammunition except what +was in the belts captured.</p> + +<p>My cap-and-ball six shooter was my warring +weapon. I had plenty of caps, powder and lead for it. +I had a bullet mold to make its bullets from the lead. +I kept the bullets and the caps in two small tin boxes. +The powder I carried in a horn swung by a thong from +my shoulder. For the gun I had a good scabbard. +This was fastened to my leather belt.</p> + +<p>The Cheyenne horses were put out to graze on the +valley below our camp. Horses belonging to other +tribes were placed at other feeding areas on the valley +and on the bench hills just west of the combined Indian +camps. The tribal herds were kept separate +from each other. Boys from each tribe guarded their +horse bands. An occasional riding horse was +picketed near to or within each camp circle. It could +get better feed with the herd, and probably it felt +better satisfied there, but always there was somebody +here or there, particularly among the policemen, who +picketed a horse for ready use.</p> + +<p>I had no thought then of any fighting to be done +in the near future. We had driven away the soldiers, +on the upper Rosebud, seven days ago. It seemed +likely it would be a long time before they would +trouble us again. My mind was occupied mostly by +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</span>such thoughts as regularly are uppermost in the minds +of young men. I was eighteen years old, and I liked +girls.</p> + +<p>That night we had a dance. It was entirely a +social affair for young people, not a ceremonial or +war dance. In the midst of the open area within our +camp circle the women and girls cleared off and +leveled a broad surface of ground. The young men +brought a tall pole and set it up at the center of the +dancing ground. Charcoal Bear, the medicine chief, +brought the buffalo skin that regularly hung from +the top of the sacred tepee. He tied it to the top end +of our long pole before we raised it. We built a big +bonfire. The drums and the Cheyenne dance songs +enlivened the assemblage. It seemed that peace and +happiness was prevailing all over the world, that nowhere +was any man planning to lift his hand against +his fellow man.</p> + +<p>The same kind of amusement was going on in the +Sioux camps. An occasional group from them came +to our party. An occasional group of Cheyennes +went visiting among them. I was enjoying myself in +our own gathering. Finally, though, a young man +friend of mine proposed:</p> + +<p>“Let’s go and dance a while with the Sioux girls.”</p> + +<p>Four of us went to the neighboring camp, that of +the Arrows All Gone Sioux. Pretty soon the girls +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</span>were asking us to dance.⁠<a id="FNanchor_27_27" href="#Footnote_27_27" class="fnanchor">[27]</a> The Sioux women gave us +plenty of food. We were treated well, so we did not +go elsewhere nor back to our own people. We stayed +there and danced throughout the remainder of that +night.</p> + +<p>At the first sign of dawn the dance ended. I +walked wearily across to the Cheyenne camp. I did +not go into our family lodge. Instead, I dropped +down upon the ground behind it. I do not remember +anything that might have happened during the two +or three hours that followed. When I awoke I went +into the family lodge. My mother prepared me a +breakfast. Then she said: “You must go for a bath +in the river.”</p> + +<p>My brother Yellow Hair and I went together. +Other Indians, of all ages and both sexes, were splashing +in the waters of the river. The sun was high, the +weather was hot. The cool water felt good to my +skin. When my brother and I had dabbled there a +few minutes we came out and sought the shelter of +some shade trees. We sat there a little while, talking +of the good times each of us had enjoyed during +the previous night. We sprawled out to lie down and +talk. Before we knew it, both of us were sound +asleep.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_25_25" href="#FNanchor_25_25" class="label">[25]</a> Estimating the Cheyennes at 1,600, it appears the entire camp +numbered about 12,000.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_26_26" href="#FNanchor_26_26" class="label">[26]</a> List made up in various conferences wherein Wooden Leg was +assisted by Sun Bear, White Wolf, Big Crow, Two Feathers and Big +Beaver, all warriors at the battle.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_27_27" href="#FNanchor_27_27" class="label">[27]</a> The customary Indian way is for the women to choose partners +at the social dances.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="IX"> + <span class="p50l">IX</span> + <br> + <i>The Coming of Custer.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>In my sleep I dreamed that a great crowd of people +were making lots of noise. Something in the noise +startled me. I found myself wide awake, sitting up +and listening. My brother too awakened, and we +both jumped to our feet. A great commotion was going +on among the camps. We heard shooting. We +hurried out from the trees so we might see as well +as hear. The shooting was somewhere at the upper +part of the camp circles. It looked as if all of the +Indians there were running away toward the hills to +the westward or down toward our end of the village. +Women were screaming and men were letting out +war cries. Through it all we could hear old men +calling:</p> + +<p>“Soldiers are here! Young men, go out and fight +them.”</p> + +<p>We ran to our camp and to our home lodge. Everybody +there was excited. Women were hurriedly +making up little packs for flight. Some were going +off northward or across the river without any packs. +Children were hunting for their mothers. Mothers +were anxiously trying to find their children. I got +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</span>my lariat and my six shooter. I hastened on down toward +where had been our horse herd. I came across +three of our herder boys. One of them was catching +grasshoppers. The other two were cooking fish in +the blaze of a little fire. I told them what was going +on and asked them where were the horses. They +jumped on their picketed ponies and dashed for the +camp, without answering me. Just then I heard Bald +Eagle calling out to hurry with the horses. Two other +boys were driving them toward the camp circle. I +was utterly winded from the running. I never was +much for running. I could walk all day, but I could +not run fast nor far. I walked on back to the home +lodge.</p> + +<p>My father had caught my favorite horse from the +herd brought in by the boys and Bald Eagle. I +quickly emptied out my war bag and set myself at +getting ready to go into battle. I jerked off my +ordinary clothing. I jerked on a pair of new +breeches that had been given to me by an Uncpapa +Sioux. I had a good cloth shirt, and I put it on. +My old moccasins were kicked off and a pair of +beaded moccasins substituted for them. My father +strapped a blanket upon my horse and arranged the +rawhide lariat into a bridle. He stood holding my +mount.</p> + +<p>“Hurry,” he urged me.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</span></p> + +<p>I was hurrying, but I was not yet ready. I got my +paints and my little mirror. The blue-black circle +soon appeared around my face. The red and yellow +colorings were applied on all of the skin inside the +circle. I combed my hair. It properly should have +been oiled and braided neatly, but my father again +was saying, “Hurry,” so I just looped a buckskin +thong about it and tied it close up against the back +of my head, to float loose from there. My bullets, +caps and powder horn put me into full readiness. In +a moment afterward I was on my horse and was going +as fast as it could run toward where all of the rest +of the young men were going. My brother already +had gone. He got his horse before I got mine, and +his dressing was only a long buckskin shirt fringed +with Crow Indian hair. The hair had been taken +from a Crow at a past battle with them.</p> + +<p>The air was so full of dust I could not see where +to go. But it was not needful that I see that far. I +kept my horse headed in the direction of movement +by the crowd of Indians on horseback. I was led out +around and far beyond the Uncpapa camp circle. +Many hundreds of Indians on horseback were dashing +to and fro in front of a body of soldiers. The +soldiers were on the level valley ground and were +shooting with rifles. Not many bullets were being +sent back at them, but thousands of arrows were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</span>falling among them. I went on with a throng of +Sioux until we got beyond and behind the white men. +By this time, though, they had mounted their horses +and were hiding themselves in the timber. A band of +Indians were with the soldiers. It appeared they were +Crows or Shoshones. Most of these Indians had fled +back up the valley. Some were across east of the +river and were riding away over the hills beyond.</p> + +<p>Our Indians crowded down toward the timber +where were the soldiers. More and more of our +people kept coming. Almost all of them were Sioux. +There were only a few Cheyennes. Arrows were +showered into the timber. Bullets whistled out toward +the Sioux and Cheyennes. But we stayed far +back while we extended our curved line farther and +farther around the big grove of trees. Some dead +soldiers had been left among the grass and sagebrush +where first they had fought us. It seemed to me the +remainder of them would not live many hours longer. +Sioux were creeping forward to set fire to the timber.</p> + +<p>Suddenly the hidden soldiers came tearing out on +horseback, from the woods. I was around on that +side where they came out. I whirled my horse and +lashed it into a dash to escape from them. All others +of my companions did the same. But soon we discovered +they were not following us. They were running +away from us. They were going as fast their +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</span>tired horses could carry them across an open valley +space and toward the river. We stopped, looked a +moment, and then we whipped our ponies into swift +pursuit. A great throng of Sioux also were coming +after them. My distant position put me among the +leaders in the chase. The soldier horses moved +slowly, as if they were very tired. Ours were lively. +We gained rapidly on them.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_220fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_220fp.jpg" alt="Wooden Leg drawing"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Wooden Leg making Custer battle drawings for the + author</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>I fired four shots with my six shooter. I do not +know whether or not any of my bullets did harm. +I saw a Sioux put an arrow into the back of a soldier’s +head. Another arrow went into his shoulder. He +tumbled from his horse to the ground. Others fell +dead either from arrows or from stabbings or jabbings +or from blows by the stone war clubs of the +Sioux. Horses limped or staggered or sprawled out +dead or dying. Our war cries and war songs were +mingled with many jeering calls, such as:</p> + +<p>“You are only boys. You ought not to be fighting. +We whipped you on the Rosebud. You should have +brought more Crows or Shoshones with you to do your +fighting.”</p> + +<p>Little Bird and I were after one certain soldier. +Little Bird was wearing a trailing warbonnet. He +was at the right and I was at the left of the fleeing +man. We were lashing him and his horse with our +pony whips. It seemed not brave to shoot him. Besides, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</span>I did not want to waste my bullets. He pointed +back his revolver, though, and sent a bullet into +Little Bird’s thigh. Immediately I whacked the white +man fighter on his head with the heavy elkhorn +handle of my pony whip. The blow dazed him. I +seized the rifle strapped on his back. I wrenched it +and dragged the looping strap over his head. As I +was getting possession of this weapon he fell to the +ground. I did not harm him further. I do not know +what became of him. The jam of oncoming Indians +swept me on. But I had now a good soldier rifle. +Yet, I had not any cartridges for it.</p> + +<p>Three soldiers on horses got separated from the +others and started away up the valley, in the direction +from where they had come. Three Cheyennes, Sun +Bear, Eagle Tail Feather and Little Sun,⁠<a id="FNanchor_28_28" href="#Footnote_28_28" class="fnanchor">[28]</a> joined +some Sioux in pursuit of the three white men. The +Cheyennes told afterward about the outcome of this +pursuit. One of the soldiers turned his horse eastward +toward the river and escaped in the timber. +The other two kept on southward. Of these two, one +went off to the right, up a small gulch to the top of +the bench. There he was caught and killed. The remaining +one rode on toward the mouth of Reno +creek. As he neared that point he swerved to the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</span>right. He made a circle out upon the valley and returned +to the timber just across west from the mouth +of Reno creek. Here he dismounted from his exhausted +horse and got himself into the brush. The +Sioux and Cheyennes surrounded him and killed him. +They told that he fought bravely to the last, making +use of his six shooter.</p> + +<p>A warbonnet Indian belonging with the soldiers +was chased by Crooked Nose, a Cheyenne, and some +Sioux. The chase was afoot, across a wet slough and +into some timber northward from where the soldiers +had been hidden for a few minutes. After many exchanges +of shots, after much dodging and shifting of +position, the enemy Indian was killed there.⁠<a id="FNanchor_29_29" href="#Footnote_29_29" class="fnanchor">[29]</a> I +was told afterward about this killing. I did not see +it. I was following the fleeing soldiers to and across +the river.</p> + +<p>Indians mobbed the soldiers floundering afoot and +on horseback in crossing the river. I do not know +how many of our enemies might have been killed +there. With my captured rifle as a club I knocked +two of them from their horses into the flood waters. +Most of the pursuing warriors stopped at the river, +but many kept on after the men with the blue clothing. +I remained in the pursuit and crossed the river.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</span></p> + +<p>Whirlwind, a Cheyenne, charged after a warbonnet +Indian belonging with the whites. The enemy Indian +bravely charged also toward Whirlwind. The two +men fired rifles at the same moment. Both of them +fell dead. This was on the flat land just east of the +river where the soldiers crossed.</p> + +<p>Another enemy Indian was behind a little sagebrush +knoll and shooting at us. His shots were +returned. I and some others went around and got +behind him. We dismounted and crept toward him. +As we came close up to him he fell. A bullet had +hit him. He raised himself up, though, and swung +his rifle around toward us. We rushed upon him. +I crashed a blow of my rifle barrel upon his head. +Others beat and stabbed him to death. I got also +his gun. It was the same as the one I had taken +from the soldier, but the Indian’s gun had a longer +barrel. A Sioux said: “You have two guns. Let +me have one of them.” I gave him the one I had +taken from the Indian just killed. I liked better +the shorter barreled one, so I kept it. The Sioux +already had the Indian’s ammunition belt. He did +not give me any of the cartridges. There were only +a few of them. One of the Sioux scalped the dead +man. Different ones took his clothing. I took nothing +except the gun I had given away.</p> + +<p>I returned to the west side of the river. Lots of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</span>Indians were hunting around there for dead soldiers +or for wounded ones to kill. I joined in this search. +I got some tobacco from the pockets of one dead +man. I got also a belt having in it a few cartridges. +All of the weapons and clothing and all other possessions +were being taken from the bodies. The +warriors were doing this. No old people nor women +were there. They all had run away to the hill +benches to the westward. I went to a dead horse, +to see what might be found there. Leather bags +were on them, behind the saddles. I rummaged into +one of these bags. I found there two pasteboard +boxes. I broke open one of them.</p> + +<p>“Oh, cartridges!”</p> + +<p>There were twenty of them in each box, forty in +all. Thirty of them were used to fill up the vacant +places in my belt. The remaining ten I wrapped into +a piece of cloth and dropped them down into my own +little kit bag. Now I need not be so careful in expending +ammunition. Now I felt very brave. I +jumped upon my horse and went again to fight whatever +soldiers I might find on the east side of the river.</p> + +<p>The soldiers had gone up gulches and a backbone +ridge to the top of a steep and high hill. Indians +were all about them. Shots were going toward them +and coming from them. A friend here told me that +Hump Nose, a Cheyenne two years younger than I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</span>was, had been killed on the west side of the river. +My heart was made sad by this news, but I went on +up the hill. I joined with others in going around +to the left or north side of the place where were +the soldiers. From our hilltop position I fired a few +shots from my newly-obtained rifle. I aimed not at +any particular ones, but only in the direction of all +of them. I think I was too far away to do much harm +to them. I had been there only a short time when +somebody said to me:</p> + +<p>“Look! Yonder are other soldiers!”</p> + +<p>I saw them on distant hills down the river and +on our same side of it. The news of them spread +quickly among us. Indians began to ride in that direction. +Some went along the hills, others went down +to cross the river and follow the valley. I took this +course. I guided my horse down the steep hillside +and forded the river. Back again among the camps +I rode on through them to our Cheyenne circle at +the lower end of them. As I rode I could see lots +of Indians out on the hills across on the east side +of the river and fighting the other soldiers there. I +do not know whether all of our warriors left the first +soldiers or some of them stayed up there. I suppose, +though, that all of them came away from there, +as they would be afraid to stay if only a few remained.</p> + +<p>Not many people were in the lodges of our camp. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</span>Most of the women and children and old Cheyennes +were gone to the west side of the valley or to the +hills at that side. A few were hurrying back and +forth to take away packs. My father was the only +person at our lodge. I told him of the fight up the +valley. I told him of my having helped in the killing +of the enemy Indian and some soldiers in the river. +I gave to him the tobacco I had taken. I showed +him my gun and all of the cartridges.</p> + +<p>“You have been brave,” he cheered me. “You +have done enough for one day. Now you should +rest.”</p> + +<p>“No, I want to go and fight the other soldiers,” I +said. “I can fight better now, with this gun.”</p> + +<p>“Your horse is too tired,” he argued.</p> + +<p>“Yes, but I want to ride the other one.”</p> + +<p>He turned loose my tired horse and roped my +other one from the little herd being held inside the +camp circle. He blanketed the new mount and arranged +the lariat bridle. He applied the medicine +treatment for protecting my mount. As he was doing +this I was making some improvements in my appearance, +making the medicine for myself. I added my +sheathknife to my stock of weapons. Then I looked +a few moments at the battling Indians and soldiers +across the river on the hills to the northeastward. +More and more Indians were flocking from the camps +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</span>to that direction. Some were yet coming along the +hills from where the first soldiers had stopped. The +soldiers now in view were spreading themselves into +lines along a ridge. The Indians were on lower ridges +in front of them, between them and the river, and +were moving on around up a long coulee to get behind +the white men.</p> + +<p>“Remember, your older brother already is out +there in the fight,” my father said to me. “I think +there will be plenty of warriors to beat the soldiers, +so it is not needful that I send both of my sons. +You have not your shield nor your eagle wing bone +flute. Stay back as far as you can and shoot from +a long distance. Let your brother go ahead of you.”</p> + +<p>Two other young men were near us. They had +their horses and were otherwise ready, but they told +me they had decided not to go. I showed them my +captured gun and the cartridges. I told them of +the tobacco and the clothing and other things we +had taken from the soldiers up the valley. This +changed their minds. They mounted their horses +and accompanied me.</p> + +<p>We forded the river where all of the Indians were +crossing it, at the broad shallows immediately in +front of the little valley or wide coulee on the east +side. We fell in with others, many Sioux and a few +Cheyennes, going in our same direction. We urged +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</span>our horses on up the small valley. As we approached +the place of battle each one chose his own personal +course. All of the Indians had come out on horseback. +Almost all of them dismounted and crept +along the gullies afoot after the arrival near the soldiers. +Still, there were hundreds of them riding here +and there all the time, most of them merely changing +position, but a few of them racing along back and +forth in front of the soldiers, in daring movements +to exhibit bravery.</p> + +<p>I swerved up a gulch to my left, where I saw some +Cheyennes going ahead of me. Other Cheyennes +were coming here from the east side of the soldiers. +Although it was natural that tribal members should +keep together, there was everywhere a mingling of +the fighters from all of the tribes. The soldiers +had come along a high ridge about two miles east +from the Cheyenne camp. They had gone on past +us and then swerved off the high ridge to the lower +ridge where most of them afterward were killed. +While they were yet on the far-out ridge a few Sioux +and Cheyennes had exchanged shots with them at +long distance, without anybody being hurt. Bobtail +Horse, Roan Bear and Buffalo Calf, three Cheyennes, +and four Sioux warriors with them, were said to have +been the first of our Indians to cross the river and +go to meet the soldiers. Bobtail Horse was an Elk +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</span>warrior, Roan Bear a Fox warrior, and Buffalo Calf +a Crazy Dog warrior. They had been joined soon +afterward by other Indians from the valley camps +and from the southward hills where the first soldiers +had taken refuge.</p> + +<p>Most of the Indians were working around the ridge +now occupied by the soldiers. We were lying down +in gullies and behind sagebrush hillocks. The shooting +at first was at a distance, but we kept creeping +in closer all around the ridge. Bows and arrows were +in use much more than guns. From the hiding-places +of the Indians, the arrows could be shot in a high +and long curve, to fall upon the soldiers or their +horses. An Indian using a gun had to jump up and +expose himself long enough to shoot. The arrows +falling upon the horses stuck in their backs and +caused them to go plunging here and there, knocking +down the soldiers. The ponies of our warriors who +were creeping along the gulches had been left in +gulches farther back. Some of them were let loose, +dragging their ropes, but most of them were tied to +sagebrush. Only the old men and the boys stayed +all the time on their ponies, and they stayed back on +the surrounding ridges, out of reach of the bullets.</p> + +<p>The slow long-distance fighting was kept up for +about an hour and a half, I believe. The Indians +all the time could see where were the soldiers, because +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</span>the white men were mostly on a ridge and their +horses were with them. But the soldiers could not +see our warriors, as they had left their ponies and +were crawling in the gullies through the sagebrush. +A warrior would jump up, shoot, jerk himself down +quickly, and then crawl forward a little further. All +around the soldier ridge our men were doing this. +So not many of them got hit by the soldier bullets +during this time of fighting.</p> + +<p>After the long time of the slow fighting, about +forty of the soldiers⁠<a id="FNanchor_30_30" href="#Footnote_30_30" class="fnanchor">[30]</a> came galloping from the east +part of the ridge down toward the river, toward where +most of the Cheyennes and many Ogallalas were hidden. +The Indians ran back to a deep gulch. The +soldiers stopped and got off their horses when they +arrived at a low ridge where the Indians had been. +Lame White Man, the Southern Cheyenne chief, came +on his horse and called us to come back and fight. +In a few minutes the warriors were all around these +soldiers. Then Lame White Man called out:</p> + +<p>“Come. We can kill all of them.”</p> + +<p>All around, the Indians began jumping up, running +forward, dodging down, jumping up again, down +again, all the time going toward the soldiers. Right +away, all of the white men went crazy. Instead of +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</span>shooting us, they turned their guns upon themselves. +Almost before we could get to them, every one of +them was dead. They killed themselves.</p> + +<p>The Indians took the guns of these soldiers and +used them for shooting at the soldiers on the high +ridge. I went back and got my horse and rode around +beyond the east end of the ridge. By the time I got +there, all of the soldiers there were dead. The Indians +told me that they had killed only a few of those +men, that the men had shot each other and shot +themselves. A Cheyenne told me that four soldiers +from that part of the ridge had turned their horses +and tried to escape by going back over the trail +where they had come. Three of these men were +killed quickly. The fourth one got across a gulch +and over a ridge eastward before the pursuing group +of Sioux got close to him. His horse was very tired, +and the Sioux were gaining on him. He was moving +his right arm as though whipping his horse to make +it go faster. Suddenly his right hand went up to his +head. With his revolver he shot himself and fell +dead from his horse.</p> + +<p>I raced my horse to hurry around to the hillside +north of the soldier ridge. The Indians there were +all around a band of soldiers on the north slope.⁠<a id="FNanchor_31_31" href="#Footnote_31_31" class="fnanchor">[31]</a> +I got off my horse and fired two shots, at long distance, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</span>with my soldier gun. I did not shoot any +more, because the sagebrush was full of Indians +jumping up and down and crawling close to the soldiers, +and I was afraid I might hit one of our own +men. About that time, all of this band of soldiers +went crazy and fired their guns at each other’s heads +and breasts or at their own heads and breasts. All +of them were dead before the Indians got to them.</p> + +<p>Many hundreds of boys on horseback were watching +the battle. They were on the hills all around, +far enough away to be out of reach of the soldier +bullets. The ridge north of the soldier ridge was +crowded with these boys and some old men. When +the warriors were crowding in close to the soldiers +on the north slope, one soldier there broke away and +ran afoot across a gulch toward the northward hill. +I suppose he thought there were no warriors in that +direction, as all of them were hidden and creeping +through the sagebrush and gullies. But several of +them jumped up and ran after him. Just after he +got across the gulch he stopped, stood still, and killed +himself with his own revolver. A Cheyenne boy +named Big Beaver lashed his pony into a dash down +to the dead white man. The boy got the soldier’s +revolver and his belt of cartridges, jumped back upon +his pony, and hurried away again to the hilltop. A +Cheyenne warrior scalped the soldier and hung the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</span>scalp on a bunch of sagebrush, leaving it there. +While I was at this part of the field, a Waist and +Skirt Indian said to me:</p> + +<p>“I think I see the big chief of the soldiers. I have +been watching one certain man who appears to be +telling all of the others what to do.”</p> + +<p>He tried to point out this man. But just then +another bunch of soldier horses went running wildly +among them, kicking up a great dust and knocking +down or jostling the men. So I did not get to see +the special man the Indian was trying to show me.</p> + +<p>I saw one Sioux walking slowly toward the gulch, +going away from where were the soldiers. He wabbled +dizzily as he moved along. He fell down, got +up, fell down again, got up again. As he passed +near to where I was I saw that his whole lower jaw +was shot away. The sight of him made me sick. I +had to vomit. I did not know him, and I did not +learn whether he died or not.</p> + +<p>I had remained on my horse during most of the +long time of the fighting at a distance. I rode from +place to place around the soldiers, keeping myself +back, as my father had urged me to do, while my +older brother crept close with the other warriors. +I got off and crept with them, though, for a little +while at the place where the band of soldiers rode +down toward the river. After they were dead I got +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</span>my horse and mounted again. I stayed mounted +until I got around into the gulch north from the west +end of the soldier ridge. By this time all of the +soldiers were gone except a band of them at the +west end of the ridge. They were hidden behind +dead horses. Hundreds or thousands of warriors +were all around them, creeping closer all the time. +From the gulch where I was I could see the north +slope of the ridge covered by the hidden Indians. +But the soldiers, from where they were, could not +see the warriors, except as some Indian might jump +up to shoot quickly and then duck down again. We +could get only glimpses of the soldiers, but we knew +all the time right where they were, because we could +see their dead horses.</p> + +<p>I got down afoot in the gulch. I let out my long +lariat rope for leading my horse while I joined the +warriors creeping up the slope toward the soldiers. +During all of the earlier fighting, when I had been +most of the time going from place to place on horseback, +I had fired several shots with my rifle captured +from the soldier when we chased them across the +river. I also had used my six-shooter. I had replaced +the four bullets expended during the chase of +the first soldiers in the valley. In this second battle +I used up the six, reloaded the six-shooter, and fired +all of these additional six shots at the soldiers. But +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</span>it is hard to shoot straight when on horseback, especially +when there is much noise and much shooting +and excitement, as the horse will not stand still. +When I went crawling up the slope I could lie down +and shoot. I could not see any particular soldier to +shoot at, but I could see their dead horses, where the +men were hiding. So I just sent my bullets in that +direction.</p> + +<p>A Sioux wearing a warbonnet was lying down behind +a clump of sagebrush on the hillside only a +short distance north of where now is the big stone +having the iron fence around it. He was about half +the length of my lariat rope up ahead of me. Many +other Indians were near him. Some boys were mingled +among them, to get in quickly for making coup +blows on any dead soldiers they might find. A Cheyenne +boy was lying down right behind the warbonnet +Sioux. The Sioux was peeping up and firing a rifle +from time to time. At one of these times a soldier +bullet hit him exactly in the middle of the forehead. +His arms and legs jumped in spasms for a few moments, +then he died. The boy quickly slid back down +into a gully, jumped to his feet and ran away.</p> + +<p>A soldier on a horse suddenly appeared in view +back behind the warriors who were coming from the +eastward along the ridge. He was riding away to +the eastward, as fast as he could make his horse go. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_237">[Pg 237]</span>It seemed he must have been hidden somewhere +back there until the Indians had passed him. A band +of the Indians, all of them Sioux, I believe, got after +him. I lost sight of them when they went beyond +a curve of the hilltop. I suppose, though, they caught +him and killed him.</p> + +<p>The shots quit coming from the soldiers. Warriors +who had crept close to them began to call out +that all of the white men were dead. All of the Indians +then jumped up and rushed forward. All of the +boys and old men on their horses came tearing into +the crowd. The air was full of dust and smoke. +Everybody was greatly excited. It looked like thousands +of dogs might look if all of them were mixed +together in a fight. All of the Indians were saying +these soldiers also went crazy and killed themselves. +I do not know. I could not see them. But I believe +they did so.</p> + +<p>Seven of these last soldiers broke away and went +running down the coulee sloping toward the river +from the west end of the ridge. I was on the side +opposite from them, and there was much smoke and +dust, and many Indians were in front of me, so I did +not see these men running, but I learned of them +from the talk afterward. They did not get far, because +many Indians were all around them. It was +said that these seven men, or some of them, killed +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_238">[Pg 238]</span>themselves. I do not know, as I did not see them.⁠<a id="FNanchor_32_32" href="#Footnote_32_32" class="fnanchor">[32]</a></p> + +<p>After the great throng of Indians had crowded upon +the little space where had been the last band of fighting +soldiers, a strange incident happened: It appeared +that all of the white men were dead. But +there was one of them who raised himself to a support +on his left elbow. He turned and looked over +his left shoulder, and then I got a good view of him. +His expression was wild, as if his mind was all tangled +up and he was wondering what was going on here. +In his right hand he held his six-shooter. Many of +the Indians near him were scared by what seemed to +have been a return from death to life. But a Sioux +warrior jumped forward, grabbed the six-shooter and +wrenched it from the soldier’s grasp. The gun was +turned upon the white man, and he was shot through +the head. Other Indians struck him or stabbed him. +I think he must have been the last man killed in this +great battle where not one of the enemy got away.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_239">[Pg 239]</span></p> + +<p>This last man had a big and strong body. His +cheeks were plump. All over his face was a stubby +black beard. His mustache was much longer than +his other beard, and it was curled up at the ends. +The spot where he was killed is just above the middle +of the big group of white stone slabs now standing +on the slope southwest from the big stone. I do +not know whether he was a soldier chief or an ordinary +soldier. I did not notice any metal piece nor +any special marks on the shoulders of his clothing, +but it may be they were there. Some of the Cheyennes +say now that he wore two white metal bars. +But at that time we knew nothing about such things.</p> + +<p>One of the dead soldier bodies attracted special +attention. This was one who was said to have been +wearing a buckskin suit. I had not seen any such +soldier during the fighting. When I saw the body it +had been stripped and the head was cut off and gone. +Across the breast was some writing made by blue and +red coloring into the skin. On each arm was a picture +drawn with the same kind of blue and red paint. +One of the pictures was of an eagle having its wings +spread out. Indians told me that on the left arm +had been strapped a leather packet having in it some +white paper and a lot of the same kind of green picture-paper +found on all of the soldier bodies. Some +of the Indians guessed that he must have been the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_240">[Pg 240]</span>big chief of the soldiers, because of the buckskin +clothing and because of the paint markings on his +breast and arms.⁠<a id="FNanchor_33_33" href="#Footnote_33_33" class="fnanchor">[33]</a> But none of the Indians knew +then who had been the big chief. They were only +guessing at it.</p> + +<p>The sun was just past the middle of the sky.⁠<a id="FNanchor_34_34" href="#Footnote_34_34" class="fnanchor">[34]</a> +The first soldiers, up the valley, had come about the +middle of the forenoon. The earlier part of the fighting +against these second soldiers had been slow, all +of the Indians staying back and approaching gradually. +At each time of charging, though, the mixup +lasted only a few minutes.</p> + +<p>I took one scalp. As I went walking and leading +my horse among the dead I observed one face that +interested me. The dead man had a long beard +growing from both sides of his face and extending +several inches below the chin. He had also a full +mustache. All of the beard hair was of a light yellow +color, as I new recall it. Most of the soldiers had +beard growing, in different lengths, but this was the +longest one I saw among them. I think the dead man +may have been thirty or more years old. “Here is a +new kind of scalp,” I said to a companion. I skinned +one side of the face and half of the chin, so as to +keep the long beard yet on the part removed.⁠<a id="FNanchor_35_35" href="#Footnote_35_35" class="fnanchor">[35]</a> I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_241">[Pg 241]</span>got an arrow shaft and tied the strange scalp to the +end of it. This I carried in a hand as I went looking +further.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_240fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_240fp.jpg" alt="A man standing by a river"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Limpy, a Cheyenne veteran of Custer’s last battle, standing at the Little Bighorn + ford where the Indians crossed to meet the Custer soldiers</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>Somebody told me Noisy Walking was badly +wounded. I went to where he was said to be, down +in the gulch where the band of soldiers nearest the +river had been killed in the earlier part of the battle. +He was my same age, and we often had been companions +since our small boyhood. White Bull, an important +medicine man, was his father. I asked the +young man: “How are you?” He replied: “Good.” +But he did not look well. He had been hit by three +different bullets, one of them having passed through +his body. He had also some stab wounds in his side. +Word had been sent to his relatives in the camp west +of the river, and it was said his women relatives were +coming after him with a travois. I moved on eastward +up the gulch coulee.</p> + +<p>I discovered almost hidden the dead body of an +Indian. I did not go up close to it, but I could see +the scalp was gone. That puzzled me. Could this +be a Crow or a Shoshone? I had not known of there +being any Indians belonging to these soldiers killed +here. As I stood there looking, it seemed there was +something familiar about the appearance of that +body. I backed away and went to find my brother +Yellow Hair. We two returned to the place. We +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_242">[Pg 242]</span>got off our horses and walked to the dead Indian. We +rolled the body over and looked closely.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it is Lame White Man,” my brother agreed.</p> + +<p>We called other Cheyennes. Several of them came. +All of them promptly confirmed our identification. +All of us were satisfied some Sioux had scalped him, +or maybe had killed him, finding him in among the +soldiers and supposing him to be a Crow or a Shoshone +belonging to them. We knew he had gone +with the young men in their charge upon the soldiers +there. Perhaps he had gone farther than the +others and was killed on his way back to us, the +killer mistaking him for an attacking enemy Indian. +A bullet had gone in at his right breast and out at +his back. He also had many stab wounds. He was +still dressed in his best clothing, none of it having +been taken. The Cheyennes never made any inquiries +among the Sioux concerning the case. We +just kept quiet about it.</p> + +<p>My brother took the blanket from his horse and +covered the body of the favorite Cheyenne warrior +chief. A young man hurried away to go across the +river and tell his people. When I came back to the +place an hour or so afterward the dead man’s wife +and three or four women helpers had come with a +horse dragging a travois. Four of us young men +rolled the body into the blanket and put it upon +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_243">[Pg 243]</span>the buffalo hide stretched across the lodgepoles. The +women set off with it toward the river.</p> + +<p>I helped likewise in putting my friend Noisy Walking +upon the swinging bed when his father and +mother and other women came after him. Judging +by his appearance then, this was the last good act +I ever should do for him. Various groups of women, +many more of the Sioux than of the Cheyennes, were +on the field searching for and taking away their dead +and wounded men. Two Sioux had been killed in +this same first charge upon the soldiers. I did not +like to hear the weeping of the women. My heart +that had been glad because of the victory was made +sad by thoughts of our own dead and dying men and +their mourning relatives left behind.</p> + +<p>I noticed decorations on the shoulders and stripes +on the arms of some of the soldier coats. I did not +think of their meanings. I did not hear any of the +Indians there talk about any meanings for these special +marks. If I thought about it at all, I may have +thought these were particular medicine ways the soldiers +had for preparing themselves. It was a long +time after that day before I learned that the wearers +of these were the soldier chiefs.</p> + +<p>Each Indian horse used for going into the battle +had only a blanket strapped upon its back and a +lariat rope about the neck. In riding, the lariat was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_244">[Pg 244]</span>looped into the horse’s mouth, or was looped over +the head and then into the mouth, for a bridle. The +surplus of the long rope was coiled and tucked into +the rider’s belt. If a man fell from his horse the coil +would be jerked from his belt, so he would not be +dragged. Also, the uncoiling as the horse might +move away would leave a long rope trailing after it, +so it was easy to recapture the animal. That was +the regular Indian way of riding.</p> + +<p>Warbonnets were worn by twelve Cheyennes +among the three hundred or more of our warriors +in the battle. It may be I have forgotten a few of +them, but as I recollect it our warbonnet men on +that day were these:⁠<a id="FNanchor_36_36" href="#Footnote_36_36" class="fnanchor">[36]</a> Crazy Head, Crow Necklace, +Little Horse, Wolf Medicine, White Elk, Howling +Wolf, Braided Locks, Chief Coming Up, Mad Wolf, +Little Shield, Sun Bear and White Body. Three of +these were little warrior chiefs. Ten of the warbonnets +had trails. Sun Bear had a single buffalo +horn projecting out from the front of his forehead +band. Crazy Head was a big chief of the tribe, had +been a great fighter in past times, but was not now +a warrior chief. While he had on his warbonnet here, +I suppose he stayed in the background and let the +young men do the fighting. Chief Lame White Man +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_245">[Pg 245]</span>was not wearing a warbonnet on this occasion. It +was not usual for a man of his high standing to go +into the battle as he did. I suppose he did so because +he had not there any son to serve as a warrior.</p> + +<p>Not any Cheyenne fought naked in this battle. All +of them who were in the fight were dressed in their +best, according to the custom of both the Cheyennes +and the Sioux. Of our warriors, Sun Bear was nearest +to nakedness. He had on a special buffalo-horn +head dress. I saw several naked Sioux, perhaps a +dozen or more. Of course, these had special medicine +painting on the body. Two different Sioux I +saw wearing buffalo head skins and horns, and one +of them had a bear’s skin over his head and body. +These three were not dressed in the usual war clothing. +It is likely there were others I did not see. Perhaps +some of the naked ones were No Clothing +Indians.</p> + +<p>A dead Uncpapa Sioux received something of the +same kind of mistaken attention given to our Lame +White Man. The dead Sioux was mixed in with +dead bodies of the soldiers. An Arapaho and a No +Clothing Indian supposed him to be a Crow or a +Shoshone belonging to the white men fighters. They +jabbed spears many times into the body. They were +much embarrassed when they learned of their +mistake.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_246">[Pg 246]</span></p> + +<p>I found a metal bottle, as I was walking among +the dead men. It was about half full of some kind +of liquid. I opened it and found that the liquid was +not water. Soon afterward I got hold of another +bottle of the same kind that had in it the same kind +of liquid. I showed these to some other Indians. +Different ones of them smelled and sniffed. Finally +a Sioux said:</p> + +<p>“Whisky.”</p> + +<p>Bottles of this kind were found by several other +Indians. Some of them drank the contents. Others +tried to drink, but had to spit out their mouthfuls. +Bobtail Horse got sick and vomited soon after he +had taken a big swallow of it. It became the talk +that this whisky explained why the soldiers became +crazy and shot each other and themselves instead of +shooting us. One old Indian said, though, that there +was not enough whisky gone from any of the bottles +to make a white man soldier go crazy. We all agreed +then that the foolish actions of the soldiers must +have been caused by the prayers of our medicine men. +I believed this was the true explanation. My belief +became changed, though, in later years. I think now +it was the whisky.⁠<a id="FNanchor_37_37" href="#Footnote_37_37" class="fnanchor">[37]</a></p> + +<p>I took a folded leather package from a soldier having +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_247">[Pg 247]</span>three stripes on the left arm of his coat. It had +in it lots of flat pieces of paper having pictures or +writing I did not then understand. The paper was +of green color. I tore it all up and gave the leather +holder to a Cheyenne friend. Others got packages of +the same kind from other dead white men. Some +of it was kept by the finders. But most of it was +thrown away or was given to boys, for them to look +at the pictures.⁠<a id="FNanchor_38_38" href="#Footnote_38_38" class="fnanchor">[38]</a></p> + +<p>I rode away from the battle hill in the middle of +the afternoon. Many warriors had gone back across +the hills to the southward, there to fight again the +first soldiers. But I went to the camps across on +the west side of the river. I had on a soldier coat +and breeches I had taken. I took with me the two +metal bottles of whisky. At the end of the arrow +shaft I carried the beard scalp.</p> + +<p>I waved my scalp as I rode among our people. +The first person I met who took special interest in +me was my mother’s mother. She was living in a +little willow dome lodge of her own. “What is that?” +she asked me when I flourished the scalp stick toward +her. I told her. “I give it to you,” I said, and I +held it out to her. She screamed and shrank away. +“Take it,” I urged. “It will be good medicine for +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_248">[Pg 248]</span>you.” Then I went on to tell her about my having +killed the Crow or Shoshone at the first fight up the +river, about my getting the two guns, about my +knocking in the head two soldiers in the river, about +what I had done in the next fight on the hill where +all of the soldiers had been killed. We talked about +my soldier clothing. She said I looked good dressed +that way. I had thought so too, but neither the coat +nor the breeches fit me well. The arms and legs +were too short for me. Finally she decided she would +take the scalp. She went then into her own little +lodge.</p> + +<p>I passed one bottle of the whisky among friends. +Each took a small drink of it until all of it was gone. +The other bottle I gave to Little Hawk. He himself +drank all of the whisky in it. Pretty soon, though, +he became sick and he vomited up everything in his +stomach.</p> + +<p>Some special excitement was going on over beyond +the Arrows All Gone camp. A big crowd of +Sioux were gathered there. I went to see what they +were doing. They had surrounded some Indians just +then arrived in the camp. “Kill them, every one of +them,” some Sioux were shouting. Others were saying: +“Wait. Let us be sure.” Above the confusion +of threats and general noise of the excited throng I +heard an angry thundering:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_249">[Pg 249]</span></p> + +<p>“No. I had nothing to do with the soldiers. I +am all Indian, all Cheyenne.”</p> + +<p>It was the voice of Little Wolf, most respected of +the four old men chiefs of the Cheyennes. He was +speaking in our language. He could not talk Sioux. +He never had mingled much with them, so not many +of them knew him.</p> + +<p>Yellow Horse, an old Southern Cheyenne man, +was with me. He said to me: “Let us go to Little +Wolf. You are his relative, you know the Sioux language, +and you should talk for him.” We crowded +our way through to the old chief. Both of us shook +hands with him. The Sioux began talking to us +about him. Some Cheyennes also were accusing him. +One of these was White Bull. He knew Little Wolf, +but he said the chief ought to have been with the +Cheyennes long ago, that he ought not to have waited +until after the fighting before joining us, that he +stayed too long on the reservation. I knew that +White Bull’s heart was troubled, though, about his +own son, Noisy Walking. Finally, Yellow Horse +called out: “Wait until this young man talks to +Little Wolf. He will find out and tell everybody.”</p> + +<p>“Have you been with the soldiers?” I asked the +chief.</p> + +<p>“No, you foolish boy,” he flared back at me. “Do +these people think I am a crazy man? I have with +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_250">[Pg 250]</span>me seven lodges of our people. There are families +of women and children. They have their tepees, +their packhorses, all of their property. Does anybody +suppose that is the way to join the soldiers and +help them? Not any part of me ever was white man. +I am all Indian. I am willing to fight any man who +says I am not.”</p> + +<p>He went on to tell all about the experiences of his +little band of Cheyennes. On their way out from the +reservation they saw soldiers camped on the upper +Rosebud, just the afternoon before. They kept hidden +back in the hills and watched the soldiers go on +toward the divide leading to the Little Bighorn. His +people did not set up their lodges that night. Instead, +they traveled a while and rested a while, their +scouts all the time watching the soldiers. Early in +the morning, some of Little Wolf’s young men out +in front found a box of something the soldiers had +lost. Just then, some soldiers came back, shot at +these young men, and they returned to Little Wolf.⁠<a id="FNanchor_39_39" href="#Footnote_39_39" class="fnanchor">[39]</a> +The band continued to follow the soldiers, but kept +themselves hidden. From the hilltops they heard the +guns and saw some of the fighting. It appeared that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_251">[Pg 251]</span>all of the Indians in the camps were running away. +Finally, the shooting mostly died down. The +frightened little band peeped over the hilltops and +saw that the camps and the Indians still were on the +valley. Then they cautiously came on to join us.</p> + +<p>I repeated all of this story to a Sioux chief. He +told the assembled Sioux warriors and I told the +Cheyennes. Some grumbling continued, many saying +that Little Wolf ought to have been with us long +ago, but all of them became satisfied that neither he +nor his companions deserved killing. The crowd +scattered, and the newcomers moved on to join the +Cheyenne camp. There were some additional scoldings +of them on account of their having stayed so +long at the reservation. But their women had plenty +of sugar and coffee in their packs, and with gifts +of these desirable extra foods they soon quieted all +complaints. Little Wolf at that time was fifty-five +years old.</p> + +<p>Burial parties of Cheyennes were going to the hill +gulches west of our camps, to put our dead into rock +crevices. Each warrior lost was disposed of by his +women relatives and his young men friends. A big +band of people went out to help bury Lame White +Man. I accompanied the relatives of Limber Bones, +one of our young men who had been killed. We +took him far back up a long coulee. We found there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_252">[Pg 252]</span>a small hillside cliff. Four of us young men helped +the women to clear out a sheltered cove. In there +we placed the dead body, wrapped in blankets and +a buffalo robe. We piled a wall of flat stones across +the front of the grave. His mother and another +woman sat down on the ground beside it to mourn +for him. The rest of us returned to the valley.</p> + +<p>The Sioux likewise were disposing of their dead. +Their customary way was to set up burial tepees. +It appeared that in all of the Sioux camps these were +being set up. They were placed where had been the +dwelling lodges, or near them. In some cases the +original dwelling lodges of the dead ones were left +standing, in each case the body being all dressed for +burial and left on a scaffold in the lodge or on the +dirt floor, the dwelling being then abandoned by the +inhabitants. This was a common mode of Sioux +burial, and sometimes the Cheyennes did it in this +way.</p> + +<p>All of the camps were being moved. This was +in accordance with a regular custom among the Indian +tribes. When any death occurred in a camp, +either from battle or from other cause, right at once +the people began to get ready to move camp to some +other place. The Cheyennes selected a camping spot +down the river about a mile northwestward. The +Sioux all began moving northwestward and back +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_253">[Pg 253]</span>from the Little Bighorn toward the base of the bench +hills west from the river. In the new locations, all +of the camps except the Cheyennes were west of the +present railroad and highway.</p> + +<p>Most of the women and children and older people +in the camps had fled toward the hills to the northward +and westward when the first band of soldiers +made the attack upon the Uncpapas at the upper +part of the group of camps. I suppose there were +very few people left in the camps at that end until +after those soldiers had been chased away and across +the river. When I rode up there and around the +west and south sides of the Uncpapa and Blackfeet +circles it was hard to keep from running over the +Indians who were hurrying afoot toward the bench +lands to the westward.</p> + +<p>Our Cheyenne people who were not active warriors +started to go toward the north, down the valley, +and some of them crossed the river. But when the +second band of soldiers were seen on the high ridge +far out eastward these Cheyennes who had crossed +the river returned to the camping side. Of course, +nobody knew how many soldiers were coming. Nobody +knew what would be the outcome of their attack. +They had surprised us by their sudden appearance. +We were not prepared for battle.</p> + +<p>At the first time of the flight from the camps, many +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_254">[Pg 254]</span>women and some of the men seized small packs of +food or other precious possessions and carried them +away. The fleeing ones stopped on the benchlands +west of where had been their camp circles. They +stayed there and watched the fighting. After a little +while, since no more of the soldiers had come to that +side of the river, people began hurrying to the camps, +quickly gathering up other things, then hurrying +back to the hilltops. Later, as none of our warriors +were returning, it became evident that we were winning +the contest. Our people then became more confident. +The old men who were making medicine +prayers for our success added words of encouragement +to the waiting families.</p> + +<p>Throngs of women now were busy going back and +forth between the old and the new camp positions. +They were carrying water from the river and wood +from the timber. All of the lodges not abandoned +were taken down. Most of them were packed, not +set up in the new spots of location. The poles were +wrapped, the buffalo skin coverings were put into +bundles, packs were made up, all put into readiness +for quick movement elsewhere if need be. Only the +cooking pots and other essential articles were left +in use. The women went by hundreds to cut willows +for making little skeleton dome shelters, in substitution +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_255">[Pg 255]</span>for the regular tepee lodges kept packed. It +had not rained here during all of that day, but rain +might come at any time. Not all of the Indians, +though, prepared shelters. Many depended only +upon robes for shielding them if shielding should +become needful. The lodges of mourning Cheyennes +were torn or cut to pieces or burned, and their furnishings +were cast away. These bereft people, according +to our customs, now had to live during their +time of mourning without any lodge or any property +of their own. They dwelt outside or with hospitable +friends. The poles and skins of any travois used to +carry dead bodies were also thrown away. Sometimes +the horses used to drag the travois of a dead +person were killed or were turned loose to be captured +by whoever might want them.</p> + +<p>After sundown I visited Noisy Walking. He was +lying on a ground bed of buffalo robes under a willow +dome shelter. His father White Bull was with +him. His mother sat just outside the entrance. I +asked my friend: “How are you?” He replied: +“Good, only I want water.” I did not know what +else to say, but I wanted him to know that I was +his friend and willing to do whatever I could for him. +I sat down upon the ground beside him. After a +little while I said: “You were very brave.” Nothing +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_256">[Pg 256]</span>else was said for several minutes. He was weak. +His hands trembled at every move he made. Finally +he said to his father:</p> + +<p>“I wish I could have some water—just a little +of it.”</p> + +<p>“No. Water will kill you.”</p> + +<p>White Bull almost choked as he said this to his +son. But he was a good medicine man, and he knew +what was best. As I sat there looking at Noisy +Walking I knew he was going to die. My heart was +heavy. But I could not do him any good, so I excused +myself and went away.</p> + +<p>There was no dancing nor celebrating of any kind +in any of the camps that night. Too many people +were in mourning, among all of the Sioux as well as +among the Cheyennes. Too many Cheyenne and +Sioux women had gashed their arms and legs, in +token of their grief. The people generally were +praying, not cheering. There was much noise and +confusion, but this was from other causes. Young +men were going out to fight the first soldiers now +hiding themselves on the hill across the river from +where had been the first fighting during the morning. +Other young men were coming back to camp after +having been over there shooting at these soldiers. +Movements of this kind had been going on all the +time since the final blows fell upon all of the soldiers +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_257">[Pg 257]</span>in the second and greatest battle. Old men heralds +were riding about all of the camps, singing the braveheart +songs and calling out: “Young men, be brave.” +The only fires anywhere among us were little camp +fires for cooking. Or, there may have been at times +a larger blaze coming from some mourning family’s +lodge being burned.</p> + +<p>I did not go back that afternoon nor that night to +help in fighting the first soldiers. Late in the night, +though, I went as a scout. Five young men of the +Cheyennes were appointed to guard our camp while +other people slept. These were Big Nose, Yellow +Horse, Little Shield, Horse Road and Wooden Leg. +One or other of us was out somewhere looking over +the country all the time. Two of us went once over +to the place where the soldiers were hidden. We +got upon hill points higher than they were. We could +look down among them. We could have shot among +them, but we did not do this. We just saw that +they yet were there.</p> + +<p>Five other young men took our duties in the last +part of the night. I was glad to be relieved. I did +not go to my family group for rest. I let loose my +horse and dropped myself down upon a thick pad of +grassy sod.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_28_28" href="#FNanchor_28_28" class="label">[28]</a> Little Sun, in the presence of Wooden Leg and other veteran +Cheyennes, told me of this incident.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_29_29" href="#FNanchor_29_29" class="label">[29]</a> This apparently was Bloody Knife, Custer’s favorite Arikara +scout.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_30_30" href="#FNanchor_30_30" class="label">[30]</a> The Indians differ as to the color of the horses ridden by these +soldiers, but military students of the case believe this to have been +Lieutenant Smith’s troop.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_31_31" href="#FNanchor_31_31" class="label">[31]</a> Captain Keogh or Captain Tom Custer, or both troops.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_32_32" href="#FNanchor_32_32" class="label">[32]</a> The story of wholesale suiciding is such a reversal of our accepted +conceptions that some reader may exclaim: “That is a villifying falsehood!” +<i>But it is the truth.</i> Most of the Seventh cavalry enlisted men +on that occasion were recent recruits. Only a few of them ever had +been in an Indian battle, or in any kind of battle. It is evident, +though, that they fought well through an hour and a half or two hours. +Then, finding themselves vastly outnumbered, they “went crazy,” as the +Indians tell. They put into panicky practice the old frontiersman rule, +“When fighting Indians keep the last bullet for yourself.” A great +mass of circumstantial evidence supports this explanation of the military +disaster. The author hopes to attain publication, at some future +time, of his own full analysis of the entire case.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_33_33" href="#FNanchor_33_33" class="label">[33]</a> Evidently this was Captain Tom Custer.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_34_34" href="#FNanchor_34_34" class="label">[34]</a> All old Cheyennes insist the battle ended about noon.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_35_35" href="#FNanchor_35_35" class="label">[35]</a> This unfortunate soldier probably was Lieutenant Cook.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_36_36" href="#FNanchor_36_36" class="label">[36]</a> Various old Cheyennes helped Wooden Leg in making this list.—T. +B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_37_37" href="#FNanchor_37_37" class="label">[37]</a> The whisky explanation is regularly advanced by the warrior +veterans nowadays. It appears none of them have any conception of +suicide to avoid capture.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_38_38" href="#FNanchor_38_38" class="label">[38]</a> Paper money. The soldiers received two months’ pay after they +had left Fort Lincoln. There had been no opportunity for them to +spend a cent, except among themselves, since that time.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_39_39" href="#FNanchor_39_39" class="label">[39]</a> Here appears to have been the key incident that misled Custer into +supposing his presence revealed to the camps and that caused him to +attack at once, lest they escape. Big Crow, Black Horse and Medicine +Bull, all of them with the Little Wolf band, told me the details of +this experience.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_258">[Pg 258]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="X"> + <span class="p50l">X</span> + <br> + <i>The Spoils of Battle.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>I slept late that next morning after the great +battle. The sun had been up an hour before I awoke. +I went to the willow lodge of my father and mother. +When I had eaten the breakfast given to me by my +mother I got myself ready again to risk death in an +effort to kill other white men who had come to kill +us. I combed and braided my hair. My braids in +those days were full and long, reaching down my +breast beyond the waist belt. I painted anew the +black circle around my face and the red and yellow +space enclosed within the circle. I was in doubt +about which clothing to wear, but my father said the +soldier clothing looked the best, even though the +coat sleeves ended far above my wrists and the legs +of the breeches left long bare spots between them +and the tops of my moccasins. I put on my big white +hat captured at the Rosebud fight. My sister Crooked +Nose got my horse for me. Soon afterward I was +on my way up and across the valley and on through +the river to the hill where the first soldiers were +staying.</p> + +<p>I had both my rifle and my six shooter. I still +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_259">[Pg 259]</span>was without my medicine shield and my other medicine +protectors that had been lost on Powder river. +Most of the other Cheyennes and Sioux had theirs. +The shields all were of specially shrunken and toughened +buffalo skin covered with buckskin fringed and +painted, each with his own choice of designs, for +the medicine influence. I went with other young men +to the higher hills around the soldiers. I stayed at +a distance from them and shot bullets from my new +rifle. I did not shoot many times, as it appeared I +was too far away, and I did not want to waste any +of my cartridges. So I went down and hid in a gulch +near the river.</p> + +<p>Some soldiers came to get water from the river, +just as our old men had said they likely would do. +The white men crept down a deep gulch and then +ran across an open space to the water. Each one had +a bucket, and each would dip his bucket for water +and run back into the gulch. I put myself, with +others, where we could watch for these men. I +shot at one of them just as he straightened up after +having dipped his bucket into the water. He pitched +forward into the edge of the river. He went wallowing +along the stream, trying to swim, but having +a hard time at it. I jumped out from my hiding +place and ran toward him. Two Sioux warriors got +ahead of me. One of them waded after the man +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_260">[Pg 260]</span>and struck him with a rifle barrel. Finally he grabbed +the man, hit him again, and then dragged him dead +to the shore, quite a distance down the river. I kept +after them, following down the east bank. Some +other Sioux warriors came. I was the only Cheyenne +there. The Sioux agreed that my bullet had been +the first blow upon the white soldier, so they allowed +me to choose whatever I might want of his +belongings.⁠<a id="FNanchor_40_40" href="#Footnote_40_40" class="fnanchor">[40]</a></p> + +<p>I searched into the man’s pockets. In one I found +a folding knife and a plug of chewing tobacco that +was soaked and spoiled. In another pocket was a +wad of the same kind of green paper taken from +the soldiers the day before. It too was wet through. +I threw it aside. In this same pocket were four white +metal pieces of money. I knew they were of value +in trading, but I did not know how much was their +value. In later times I have learned they were four +silver dollars. A young Cheyenne there said: “Give +the money to me.” I did not care for it, so I gave +it to him. He thanked me and said: “I shall use +it to buy for myself a gun.” I do not remember now +his name, but he was a son of One Horn. A Sioux +picked up the wad of green paper I had thrown upon +the ground. It was almost falling to pieces, but he +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_261">[Pg 261]</span>began to spread out some of the wet sheets that still +held together. Pretty soon he said:</p> + +<p>“This is money. This is what white men use to +buy things from the traders.”</p> + +<p>I had seen much other paper like it during the +afternoon before. Wolf Medicine had offered to +give me a handful of it. But I did not take it. I +already had thrown away some of it I had found. +But even after I was told it could be used for buying +things from the traders, I did not want it. I was +thinking then it would be a long time before I should +see or care to see any white man trader.</p> + +<p>I went riding over the ground where we had +fought the first soldiers during the morning of the +day before. I saw by the river, on the west side, a +dead black man. He was a big man. All of his +clothing was gone when I saw him, but he had not +been scalped nor cut up like the white men had been. +Some Sioux told me he belonged to their people but +was with the soldiers.⁠<a id="FNanchor_41_41" href="#Footnote_41_41" class="fnanchor">[41]</a></p> + +<p>As some of us were looking at the body of an Indian +who had been with the soldiers, an old Sioux +said:</p> + +<p>“This is a Corn⁠<a id="FNanchor_42_42" href="#Footnote_42_42" class="fnanchor">[42]</a> Indian, not a Crow nor Shoshone.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_262">[Pg 262]</span></p> + +<p>He showed us the differences in appearance, especially +the earrings and the hair dressing. The +Crow men wore their hair cut off above the forehead +and roached up. The Shoshones had almost the +same way of placing this foretop. The Corn Indians +kept their hair in braids, parted like that of the +Sioux and Cheyennes, but the Corn Indian parting +was not in the middle of the top, as ours was. I examined +again the one I had helped in beating to +death. I learned he also was a Corn Indian. I found +yet a third one. We who had killed them were young +men, and there was great excitement at the time, so +we had not observed their tribal connection. We had +supposed them to be the same Crows and Shoshones +we had fought on the upper Rosebud creek a few +days before. Now there began to be talk that maybe +these soldiers were not the same ones we had fought +there. Or, perhaps they had added the Corn Indians +to their forces since that time. There were different +opinions on the matter.</p> + +<p>Some Sioux caught a mule that wandered out +from the place where the soldiers were together on +the hilltop. The animal was going down toward +the river when the Indians got it. They tried to lead +it toward their sheltered place behind a knoll, but +it would not go. It appeared to be wanting a drink +of water. One Sioux got behind it and whipped it, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_263">[Pg 263]</span>while a companion pulled at the leading strap. But +the mule just stood there, would not move. On its +back were packs of cartridges. The Sioux took these +and let the mule go.</p> + +<p>I went with other Cheyennes along the hills northward +to the ground where we had killed all of the +soldiers. Lots of women and boys were there. The +boys were going about making coups by stabbing +or shooting arrows into the dead men. Some of the +bodies had many arrows sticking in them. Many +hands and feet had been cut off, and the limbs and +bodies and heads had many stabs and slashes. Some +of this had been done by the warriors, during and +immediately after the battle. More was added, +though, by enraged and weeping women relatives of +the Sioux and Cheyennes who had been killed. The +women used sheathknives and hatchets.</p> + +<p>A dog was following one of the Sioux women +among the dead soldiers. I did not see any other +dog there, neither on that day nor on the day before, +when the fight was on. There were some Indian +dogs tangling among the feet of the horses at the +time of the fighting of the first soldiers, on the valley +above the camps. But even here most of them were +called away by the women and old people going to +the western hilltops.</p> + +<p>Three different soldiers, among all of the dead in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_264">[Pg 264]</span>both places of battle, attracted special notice from +the Indians. The first was the man wearing the +buckskin suit and who had the colored writing and +pictures on his breast and arms. Another was the +black man killed among the first soldiers on the +valley. The third was one having gold among his +teeth. We did not understand how this metal got +there, nor why it was there.</p> + +<p>Paper boxes of ammunition were in the leather +bags carried on the saddles of the soldiers. Besides, +in all of the belts taken from the dead men there +were cartridges. Some belts had only a few left in +them. In others the loops still contained many, an +occasional one almost full. I did not see nor hear +of any belt entirely emptied of its cartridges.</p> + +<p>All during that forenoon, as well as during the +afternoon and night before, both in the camps and +on the battle grounds, Indians were saying to each +other: “I got some tobacco.” “I got coffee.” “I +got two horses.” “I got a soldier saddle.” “I got a +good gun.” Some got things they did not understand.</p> + +<p>One young Cheyenne took something from a dead +soldier just after all of them had been killed. He +was puzzled by it. Some others looked at it. I was +with them. It was made of white metal and had glass +on one side. On this side were marks of some kind. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_265">[Pg 265]</span>While the Cheyenne was looking at it he got it up +toward his ear. Then he put it up close.</p> + +<p>“It is alive!” he said.</p> + +<p>Others put it to their ears and listened. I put it +up to mine.</p> + +<p>“Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick,” it was saying.</p> + +<p>We talked about its use. We agreed generally it +was that soldier’s special medicine. Many Indians +came and wondered about it. The young man decided +to keep it for his own medicine.</p> + +<p>When I was getting ready the next morning to go +and fight again the soldiers staying on the hilltop, +the Cheyenne young man had a crowd around him +again examining his strange white man medicine. +They were listening, but it made no sound. After +different ones had studied it, he finally threw it away +as far as he could throw it.</p> + +<p>“It is not good medicine for me,” he said. “It +is dead.”</p> + +<p>I saw another soldier medicine thing something +like this one, but the other one was larger and it did +not make the ticking noise. It acted, though, like +it was alive. When it was held with the glass side +up a little arrow fluttered around. When it was held +quiet for a while the arrow gradually stopped fluttering. +Every time it stopped the point of the arrow +was toward the north, down the valley. There was +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_266">[Pg 266]</span>talk then of other soldiers coming from that direction, +so it was decided this medicine object was useful +for finding out at any time where might be soldiers. +Little Shield had it when I saw it. He gave it to High +Walking. Another Cheyenne got a pair of field +glasses. We understood them. This was a big pair.</p> + +<p>Cleaners for the rifles puzzled us a while. They +were in joints and were carried in a long hole in the +end of the wooden stock. Pretty soon we learned +what was their use. I saw one rifle that had a shell +of cartridge in its barrel. A Sioux had it. He could +not put into the gun any other cartridge, so he threw +it into the river.</p> + +<p>Yellow Weasel, a Cheyenne, got a bugle. He tried +to make a noise with it, but he could not. Others +tried. Different ones puffed and blowed at it. But +nobody could make it sound out. After a while we +heard a bugle making a big noise somewhere among +the Sioux. The Cheyennes said: “The Sioux got +a good one. This one Yellow Weasel has is no good. +He might as well throw it away.” But he kept it, and +it was not long until he was making it sound.</p> + +<p>One Cheyenne got a flag. There were several +others among the Sioux. I do not know just how +many they got, but I believe I saw nine of them.</p> + +<p>Bridle bits were thrown away, but the leather parts +were kept. I got two sets of bridle reins, but no other +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_267">[Pg 267]</span>parts of the bridles. A Cheyenne gave them to me. +All of the soldier boots were taken from them. But +they were not worn by the Indians. The bottoms +were cut off and discarded. Only the tops used. +These made good leather pouches, or the leather was +cut up to make something else. Old men were allowed +to have all of the saddles. But only a few of +the Cheyenne old men got them. I saw lots of Sioux +old men riding around on soldier saddles, either +on the soldier horses or the Indian horses.</p> + +<p>All of the soldier horses taken by the Indians were +good. They were fat and sleek and strong and lively. +They were better than any of the Indian horses. Some +were killed or were so badly wounded we did not want +them. But when we could scare them away from +the soldiers as the fighting was going on, we did +this. Any time that horses got among us we turned +them toward the river, for the old men or the boys +to capture. It was easy to do this, as they were +very thirsty. One big band of them went down from +the west end of the ridge.</p> + +<p>Noisy Walking died during the night after the +great battle. Six Cheyennes now had been killed. +Another man, Open Belly, was badly wounded and +was expected to die. He was about thirty years old, +but he had neither wife nor children. The six dead +were:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_268">[Pg 268]</span></p> + +<p>Lame White Man, age about thirty-eight, wife and +two children.</p> + +<p>Limber Bones, age twenty, not married.</p> + +<p>Black Bear, age twenty, not married.</p> + +<p>Noisy Walking, age eighteen, not married.</p> + +<p>Hump Nose, age sixteen, not married.</p> + +<p>Whirlwind, age sixteen, not married.</p> + +<p>Others had wounds that crippled them but did not +threaten to kill them. Little Bird got a bullet through +a thigh. Many had scratch wounds. Sun Bear almost +got killed. He went into the first great Cheyenne +charge. A bullet glanced off his forehead. He +was dazed and he fell down. But he got up right +away and went on fighting.</p> + +<p>Hump Nose and Whirlwind were killed during the +first battle, above the camps. Hump Nose fell on +the west side of the river, in the valley fighting. +Whirlwind’s death took place on the east side, when +he had the fight with the Corn Indian, who also was +killed. Lame White Man and Noisy Walking received +their bullets at the time of the first charge +among the Custer soldiers who rode down toward +the river. Open Belly, our man who died after we +arrived east of Powder river, was hit by a soldier bullet +when he was riding across the bench where the +stone house of the Custer Battlefield National Cemetery +now is standing. Limber Bones and Black Bear +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_269">[Pg 269]</span>were killed on the steep slope just north of the present +Custer stone monument. Both Limber Bones and +Black Bear were a little taller than I was. After +they were gone I was the tallest young man in the +tribe, I believe. I heard of a few women riding out +to watch the fighting, but I did not see any women +there during that time. None of them was doing +any fighting. All of them kept far back.</p> + +<p>The Indians supposed all the time that these were +the same soldiers we had fought on the upper Rosebud +valley. Little Wolf and his people, arriving just +after the fight ended, explained to us that these men +just killed came from another direction. Then, when +we learned that the Indians with these soldiers at +the Little Bighorn were Corn Indians, not Crows +or Shoshones, it began to appear that the Little Wolf +band had it right, that these really were not the Rosebud +battle soldiers.</p> + +<p>During the afternoon it was learned that yet another +band of white men were coming up the Little +Bighorn valley.⁠<a id="FNanchor_43_43" href="#Footnote_43_43" class="fnanchor">[43]</a> All of the young men wanted to +fight them. A council of chiefs was held. They +decided we should continue in our same course—not +fight any soldiers if we could get away without doing +so. All of the Indians then got ready to move.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_270">[Pg 270]</span></p> + +<p>Mourning families abandoned and left behind their +meat, robes, cooking pots and everything else they +owned, as well as their vacated or destroyed lodges. +That was a custom among all of the Sioux tribes the +same as with the Cheyennes. I saw several Sioux +tepees left standing. I supposed there were dead +warriors in some of them, or perhaps in all of them. +Some Cheyenne tepees were left standing. These had +belonged to families wherein a member had been +killed. But, except the lodges and property abandoned +by mourning people, all of the possessions of +the Indians were taken with us.</p> + +<p>Late in the afternoon the procession of tribes was +in movement. Again, as at all other times, the Cheyennes +went ahead and the Uncpapas came last. Several +parties of young men went aside to go across the +river and shoot again among the soldiers camped on +the high hill. A few stayed there until darkness +came. Uncpapa scouts watched behind, observing +particularly the new band of soldiers coming up the +Little Bighorn valley.</p> + +<p>We set out southwestward up the small valley of +a creek just south of the present Garryowen railroad +station. Soon we mounted to the benchland and +traveled southward. Late in the night, the whole +caravan stopped and rested a few hours, all sleeping +in the open, with no lodges. At daylight we traveled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_271">[Pg 271]</span>on, now following up the Little Bighorn valley. During +the afternoon we stopped for camping. The +Cheyenne circle, at the leading or southern end, was +about two miles below the mouth of Greasy Grass +creek, below the place where now is located the town +of Lodge Grass, Montana.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_40_40" href="#FNanchor_40_40" class="label">[40]</a> In a letter published in Brady’s book, Private Wm. E. Morris +tells of the death of Tanner, of Troop M, while he was after water +for the Reno wounded men.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_41_41" href="#FNanchor_41_41" class="label">[41]</a> Isaiah, a negro, Sioux interpreter for the Seventh cavalry.—T. +B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_42_42" href="#FNanchor_42_42" class="label">[42]</a> The Arikaras were known as Corn people.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_43_43" href="#FNanchor_43_43" class="label">[43]</a> The Terry-Gibbon forces. They camped that night on the site of +the present Crow Agency.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_272">[Pg 272]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XI"> + <span class="p50l">XI</span> + <br> + <i>Rovings after the Victory.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>All of the lodges were set up here below the mouth +of Greasy Grass creek. All of the six tribal camp +circles were arranged as they had been before the +soldiers came and troubled us. The Cheyennes again +were on one of their favorite old camping spots. +They still were at the advance side of the group of +circles. The Uncpapas still were at the opposite +side.</p> + +<p>I was stationed as a wolf to keep lookout from a +hill near our camp. As I sat there, an Indian young +man rode up to me. He asked me, in Sioux language, +“Who are you?” I said, “I am a Cheyenne.” He +got down from his horse. He had tobacco and a pipe, +and we had a smoke together. He told me he belonged +to the Waist and Skirt people, but I already +could see that, by his earrings. All of the Waist and +Skirt men wore elk teeth hanging from their ears. +After we had smoked and visited a while, he said:</p> + +<p>“I think the big chief of the soldiers we killed +was named Long Hair. One of my people killed him. +He has known Long Hair many years, and he is sure +this was him. He could tell him by the long and +wavy yellow hair.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_273">[Pg 273]</span></p> + +<p>This was the first time I ever had heard of any +such person as Long Hair. The news was interesting +to me at first, but after I had thought a few moments +about it the story seemed not very important. I +recalled myself having seen at least three soldiers +having long and light-colored hair. One of these I +had shot after he was dead. Just after the end of +the fighting I saw this long-haired soldier lying there +without any appearance of wounds on him. So I +put the muzzle of my rifle against the side of his head +and sent a bullet through it. This man’s clothing +was gone when I first saw him. I had not any thought +about whether or not he was a chief.</p> + +<p>A great council was held at the Greasy Grass camp +that night. Chiefs of all of the tribes were there. It +was out of doors, in the midst of the camp circles. +I believe it was at the Ogallala camp, but I am not +sure. At this council I heard an Uncpapa Sioux war +chief say:</p> + +<p>“Long Hair was big chief of the soldiers. I saw +him there, and I killed him. I know it was him. I +could not mistake the long and wavy yellow hair.”⁠<a id="FNanchor_44_44" href="#Footnote_44_44" class="fnanchor">[44]</a></p> + +<p>I did not hear anyone else during that time make +claims of knowing who was the soldier big chief. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_274">[Pg 274]</span>There was some talk, though, that all of those soldiers +had been chosen specially for their bravery and +had been sent out direct from Washington. It was +generally agreed that whoever was the big chief of +them, he must have been the big chief of all of the +white man soldiers in the world.</p> + +<p>At this council I heard chiefs of the different tribes +announce the number of their killed. The Cheyennes +had lost 6. Uncpapas, 7. Arrows All Gone, 4. Minneconjoux, +3. Ogallalas, 2. I have forgotten the +numbers from the Waist and Skirt, Burned Thigh +and Blackfeet Sioux. I think, though, that all of +these three tribes together might have lost 7 or 8. +Total deaths, about 30.⁠<a id="FNanchor_45_45" href="#Footnote_45_45" class="fnanchor">[45]</a></p> + +<p>The Cheyenne warriors had a dance at this Greasy +Grass camp. Charcoal Bear, our medicine chief, +brought the buffalo skin from the sacred tepee and +put it upon the top of a pole in the center of our +camp circle. We danced around this pole. No +women took part in the dancing. Many of them had +sore legs from the mourning cuts. Our dance was +not carried very far into the night. It was mostly +a short telling of experiences, a counting of coups. +My father told, in a few words, what his two sons +had done. When he had ended the telling of my +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_275">[Pg 275]</span>warrior acts, he said: “The name of this son of +mine is Wooden Leg.” Up to this time some people +still used my boyhood name, Eats From His Hand. +But now this old name was entirely gone.</p> + +<p>Some of the Sioux people had little dances here, +the same as the Cheyennes were having. But not all +of them did this. The Uncpapas did not dance. +They said it was not time, that we ought to mourn +yet a while. Some of them came to look on quietly +at our gathering.</p> + +<p>Only one sleep we stayed at the Greasy Grass location. +The great band of Indians trailed from there +on up the Little Bighorn valley. Our next stop was +near where is the present town of Wyola.</p> + +<p>An accidental killing took place during the time +we were at this next camp. That afternoon, as we +were traveling, a Cheyenne named Coffee was among +the men who hunted buffalo along the way. He got +a load of meat on his pack horse and joined us just +after the camp had been set up. He belonged to our +tribal medicine lodge, as a helper for the chief medicine +man. He rode to the medicine lodge and made +a movement to dismount from his horse. He had +a rifle strapped in front of his body. As he swung +himself from the horse, his rifle accidentally was discharged. +Coffee originally had been a Southern +Cheyenne, but for many years he had been a member +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_276">[Pg 276]</span>of our tribe. He was an old man, but he never +was married. He said that one having his position +as helper to the medicine chief ought not to have a +wife. But Charcoal Bear, the medicine chief, had a +wife and two children.</p> + +<p>After one sleep at this place we turned eastward +and went over the hills to the extreme upper Rosebud. +One sleep at this place. We moved on down, +going past the ground where we had fought the soldiers +on this creek. We camped a few miles below +where this fight had taken place. One sleep here. +The movement was kept up down this valley. The +next camp was pitched near the present Busby. +After one sleep here we traveled on northward. This +time we stopped at our favorite old camping place +on the Rosebud above the mouth of Muddy creek.</p> + +<p>I was not with the camps at all of these stopping +places. Like many others, I was out a part of the +time looking for meat. I took it to my people when +I could get any. Buffalo were scarce along the line +of travel, so most of the game killed was elk, deer or +antelope. Many people among the Indians were +hungry for more food. Partly because of the fast +traveling and partly because the hunters were not +going far on account of soldiers in the country, the +food demands of the people could not be supplied to +their full satisfaction.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_277">[Pg 277]</span></p> + +<p>I went out with one party, though, as far as the +present town of Sheridan, Wyoming. We found there +plenty of buffalo. We loaded our pack horses and +started to return to the moving Indians. But somebody +saw soldiers, or it was said they had been seen. +I did not see them. But I quickly threw off the meat +from my pack horse, the same as the others did, and +we rode away southward as fast as our horses could +go. Not far off we got into a wooded canyon and hid +there until darkness came. At night we went back +and picked up all of our meat. We then traveled on, +and the next day we got to our people.</p> + +<p>We Cheyennes had a dance at our camp near the +mouth of Muddy creek, on the Rosebud. I do not +recollect any dance in any other tribal circle at this +place. Our warriors again talked in public of acts +at the great battle. One would dance, flourish a +gun, and say, “I killed a white man soldier.” Another +would do the same. Each one who did this +had to have witnesses to verify his claims. A few +women took part in the dance. My grandmother +was one of them. She had the bearded face scalp I +gave to her, and she told of my doings in the fight +with the first soldiers. After this dance, she threw +away the scalp.</p> + +<p>One sleep we stayed here. Then we continued +down the Rosebud. The next stop was below the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_278">[Pg 278]</span>mouth of Lame Deer creek, as it now is known. We +moved from there on down to the mouth of the stream +now called Greenleaf creek. All along the Rosebud +we had seen the trail of the soldiers we had killed +at the Little Bighorn. We now had full proof that +they had come up this valley from the Yellowstone. +After one sleep at the Greenleaf camping place we +left the Rosebud valley.</p> + +<p>The direction of movement was turned eastward. +We followed the little branch stream to its head and +went on over the divide to Tongue river. Stopped +there, one sleep. Next day, traveled up this valley +to Otter creek and on up this little valley several +miles. One sleep in the camp on Otter creek. The +next camp was set up at the head of Otter creek. The +day after that our great band of tribes went over another +divide and camped on what the white people +call Pumpkin creek. One sleep, then eastward to a +branch of Powder river. Next, to Powder river. +Following, one day of travel down Powder river and +one more camping beside this stream. Crossed the +river and went up a creek flowing into its east side. +This creek is the next one south of that one where +the combined Indians had traveled in starting from +east of Powder river toward the valleys westward from +there.</p> + +<p>We now were in the same region where all of the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_279">[Pg 279]</span>tribes had come together three months before this +time. In coming back to the gathering place all +of the Indians traveled together, as we had done in +going westward from it. The Cheyennes still were +moving in the advance and camping in the advance. +The Uncpapas still were following last and camping +last. On the return we hurried from place to place. +There was no stopping for special hunting. I believe +we remained only one sleep at each of the camps. +I may have forgotten one or two places of our camping. +I think, though, that it was sixteen or more +sleeps from the battle camp on the Little Bighorn +back to this place on the creek east of Powder river.</p> + +<p>Open Belly, our badly wounded man, died here +east of Powder river. One wounded Sioux had died +along the way. This brought the Cheyenne loss from +the battle up to seven. Some Sioux count also was +increased by one. All of the Indians then had lost +about thirty-two warriors as a result of the great +battle. The wounded men had been carried during +all of the journey on travois beds. That makes easier +riding than any other way I know. But it may have +been they could have become well if during all the +time they had been quiet in a lodge.</p> + +<p>The Indians were hungry. Our meat was all gone. +The horses had been traveling hard every day and +were tired. The fat and sleek soldier horses we had +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_280">[Pg 280]</span>were more tired than the Indian ponies. It was said +this was because they were not used to living on +grass alone, as the Indian ponies were.</p> + +<p>We stayed four or five sleeps at this camping place. +Every day the chiefs met in council. Finally, they +decided on a separation of the tribes. It seemed there +was no danger just now from soldiers. By traveling +separately, or in small bands, more meat and skins +could be taken by each tribe or band. The horses +all could get more grass when scattered. Everybody +agreed it was best to separate. I think this was the +intention of the chiefs all the time, but we were staying +together for yet a few days of final visiting in a +quiet camp before the separation.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes went first down the Powder river. +We followed it to where it flows into Elk river. We +found a big pile of corn in sacks by Elk river. We +fed some of it to our soldier horses. Some people +cooked a little and ate it. We emptied out most of +the remainder and took the sacks.</p> + +<p>By Powder river we saw lying dead an old man +and an old woman. They were Sioux. Both of the +bodies were humped down close together among some +brush as if they had been in hiding there when they +had been shot. Many bullet wounds were in both of +them, all of the holes in the back of the head and +back of the body. There were lots of tracks of soldier +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_281">[Pg 281]</span>horses there. The old man was scalped, but +the woman was not.</p> + +<p>We saw a steamboat on Elk river. Soldiers were +on the boat. As they passed along, some of the +Cheyennes shot at them. I do not know whether or +not any soldier was hit by the shots. They did not +shoot back at us. The boat did not stop.</p> + +<p>We moved back up Powder river. We camped +and hunted all along far above the forks of the Powder +and the Little Powder. We went over to Tongue +river, to the upper Rosebud, to the upper Little Bighorn +branches. We moved back and forth among +the valleys of these higher regions. We got plenty +of game and our horses had plenty of grass.</p> + +<p>Four Cheyennes, Bear Man, Bullets Not Harm +Him, Big Nose and myself Wooden Leg, went out +from a camp on the upper Rosebud to get buffalo +meat. We went far out southward. We got our pack +horses loaded and started back. We heard many +shots following close after each other.</p> + +<p>“Soldiers are after somebody,” we agreed.</p> + +<p>We hurried away from that neighborhood. None +of us went to look. The next day at camp we learned +what had happened. Some soldiers had been after +a mixed hunting party of Sioux and Cheyennes. Tall +Bear, a Cheyenne, had been killed.</p> + +<p>All during the remainder of the summer the Cheyennes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_282">[Pg 282]</span>traveled and hunted. We kept mostly in the +upper parts of the valleys. Not many of our people +went to the reservation. But some more came out +and joined us. Dull Knife, the old man chief, was +with us soon after the separation of the tribes. All +of the four old men chiefs now were here. Charcoal +Bear kept our tribal medicine lodge set up at every +place of camping. When the leaves began to fall we +were on Powder river. We camped and hunted along +up its valley. As the snows of winter began to fall +we moved farther up.</p> + +<p>Ten of us young men decided to go on a war party +against the Crows. Black Hawk and Yellow Weasel +were the big men or leaders of this party. We left +the tribal camp on a small creek flowing into the west +side of Powder river. It was located then almost in +the Big Horn mountains, far up beyond where now is +Buffalo, Wyoming.</p> + +<p>Six sleeps we ten Cheyenne warriors traveled westward +and northward, looking all the time for Crows. +We would kill any Crow found, if we could, or whatever +horses of theirs we might find would be made +ours if we could get them. Our sixth sleep was on +the west side of the Bighorn river, just below the +place where in past times had been the soldier fort.⁠<a id="FNanchor_46_46" href="#Footnote_46_46" class="fnanchor">[46]</a> +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_283">[Pg 283]</span>We now were in Crow land. But we had not yet seen +any Crow Indian.</p> + +<p>We followed on down the west side of the Bighorn +to its mouth. We crossed there to its east side and +went a little distance down the Elk river. There we +saw a Crow man, woman and some children traveling +up the valley with only their one lodge. We hid +back. They did not see us. We decided not to harm +them. We turned back and set off up the east side +of the Bighorn. When we got to the mouth of the +Little Bighorn we followed up this valley. Our tenth +sleep of the war journey found us camping where now +is Crow Agency, only a short distance down the river +from where had been the great combined camp when +we had fought the soldiers during the early summer.</p> + +<p>We rode next morning all about the camping +places of the Indians when the soldiers had come. +We looked where had been the little shelter camps +after the battle with them. We went then across the +river and over to the ridge where we had killed all of +the soldiers. The weather was clear and chilly, but +not cold. There was no snow on the ground. We +led our horses as we walked all over the battle field. +Each man told the others of his own experiences during +the fight. I showed them where Noisy Walking +had been found and where my brother and I came +upon the body of Lame White Man. The places +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_284">[Pg 284]</span>where all of the killed Cheyennes and many of the +Sioux had fallen were known by some one or other +of us. We visited all of these places and talked of +the dead Indian friends.</p> + +<p>Dirt and sagebrush mounds now were at the places +where had been the dead soldiers. In a few places +we could see some parts of their bodies exposed. But +mostly the graves were good, except they had no +stones piled over them. At one end of many different +ones of the graves was a straight board stuck into the +ground, to stand up there. They were straight +boards, not crosses. Dead horses were lying in decay +here and there among the graves. Wolves had been +eating at the horses. I did not notice any place where +it appeared wolves had been at the graves.</p> + +<p>I found a folding knife that had belonged to some +soldier. Another of our party found a Sioux sheathknife. +Soldier boot bottoms and other pieces of soldier +belongings were scattered here and there. I +saw some broken Cheyenne spears. There were many +hundreds of arrows lying all along the ridge and on +its sides. Some were Cheyenne arrows, but mostly +they were from the bows of the Sioux.</p> + +<p>I hunted specially for cartridges. The others also +picked them up, but they were getting them to give to +friends. I was the only one of this party having a +soldier rifle. There were lots of empty shells, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_285">[Pg 285]</span>from place to place we picked up loaded ones. Near +a dead horse I found a whole pasteboard boxful of +good cartridges. There were forty of them in the +box. The box had been rotted by rain and had fallen +apart, but the cartridges were good. They only +needed to be wiped dry. I filled my belt and put the +remainder into my pockets. Others found other boxfuls.</p> + +<p>We went on southward over the hills to the place +where the first soldiers had hidden themselves on the +hilltop. We found other cartridges here. After having +looked a while at this place we forded the river to +the west side and walked about over the valley where +the first fight had taken place. One other man and +myself were the only two in this party who had been +in this battle. We told our companions about how +we chased the soldiers and killed them. I showed +them right where I had taken my rifle from the soldier +and where I had helped in killing the Corn Indian. +I pointed out to them the place where I was +hidden and where was the soldier when I shot him as +he was dipping up water. I told of my getting the +wet tobacco from a hip pocket and the metal money +from another pocket. They laughed when I told +of having thrown aside the wet paper money the soldier +had folded and laid into a little paper box.</p> + +<p>We slept this night only a little distance up the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_286">[Pg 286]</span>valley from this first battle ground. Here we made +for ourselves the same kind of little brush shelters +we had been making each night. We slept by twos +or in groups, to keep warm.</p> + +<p>The next morning we set out over the divide eastward +toward the Rosebud. We followed the same +trail regularly used by the Indians traveling this region, +the same that had been used by the soldiers in +coming to us. Four more sleep camps we made in +going on eastward to Tongue river and up this valley. +Somewhere below the mouth of Hanging Woman +creek our scouts caught sight of Indians coming down +the valley. All of us got to where we might see. +Most of the Indians were afoot. Only a few had +horses. We watched and wondered. Who were +these people?</p> + +<p>The band of walking Indians were our Cheyennes, +the whole tribe. They had but little food. Many of +them had no blankets nor robes. They had no +lodges. Only here and there was one wearing moccasins. +The others had their feet wrapped in loose +pieces of skin or of cloth. Women, children and old +people were straggling along over the snow-covered +trail down the valley. The Cheyennes were very +poor.</p> + +<p>Our people told us of soldiers and Pawnee Indians +having come to the camp far up Powder river where +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_287">[Pg 287]</span>we had left them. The Cheyennes had to run away +with only a few small packs, as our small band had +done on lower Powder river during the late winter +before this time. The same as we had done, they had +to see all of their lodges burned and most of their +horses taken. Many of our men, women and children +had been killed. Others had died of wounds or had +starved and frozen to death on the journey through +the mountain snow to Tongue river. Three Cheyenne +women and a boy had been captured by the +Pawnees.⁠<a id="FNanchor_47_47" href="#Footnote_47_47" class="fnanchor">[47]</a></p> + +<p>The tribe were hunting now for the Ogallala Sioux, +where Crazy Horse was the principal chief. These +Sioux were somewhere in this region. We crossed to +the east side of Tongue river just above the present +white man town of Ashland, Montana, and went over +the benches to Otter creek. After a night of sleep +here we moved on eastward over the little mountains. +Travel and sleep, travel and sleep, we kept going. +Eleven sleeps the tribe had journeyed when we arrived +at the place on Beaver creek where now is a +white man trading store and a postoffice called Stacey. +Here we found the Ogallalas.</p> + +<p>The Ogallala Sioux received us hospitably. They +had not been disturbed by soldiers, so they had good +lodges and plenty of meat and robes. They first assembled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_288">[Pg 288]</span>us in a great body and fed us all we wanted +to eat. To all of the women who needed other food +they gave a supply. They gave us robes and blankets. +They shared with us their tobacco. Gift horses +came to us. Every married woman got skins enough +to make some kind of lodge for her household. Oh, +how generous were the Ogallalas! Not any Cheyenne +was allowed to go to sleep hungry or cold that +night.</p> + +<p>We had traveled and hunted much during past +times with these Sioux people. At all times there +was some one or more families of them with us or +some of our Cheyennes with them. Of our friendly +intermarrying, there was more connection with the +Ogallalas than with any other tribe. Their people +during the summer and fall had been going to and +from the agency more than ours had been. Our few +incoming Cheyennes had brought us some news about +the soldiers we had fought on the Little Bighorn. +But the Ogallalas informed us more fully. From +them we learned that the big chief of the soldiers was +Long Hair, the same man who several years before +this time had fought the Southern Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>After we had rested with the Ogallalas a few days +the chiefs counciled together and decided that the +tribes should join in movement up the Tongue river. +All of us then followed our back trail over to Otter +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_289">[Pg 289]</span>creek and on to Tongue river. We moved slowly and +hunted along the way. The Cheyennes got a new +supply of buffalo meat and many more skins for enlarging +their lodges. We crossed Tongue river on the +ice, to the east side. Not far up the valley we went +back over the ice, to the west side. We traveled then +on up the benchland trails, to Hanging Woman +creek. The Ogallalas had some cattle they had taken +from white people or from soldiers. These were +butchered along the way. They had yet also a few of +the horses taken at the battle on the Little Bighorn. +But these horses that had been so fat and strong were +now poor and weak. Most of them already had died. +They did not know how to find winter food like the +Indian ponies could find it.</p> + +<p>At Hanging Woman creek it was decided the two +tribes would separate. The Ogallalas would go eastward +up this stream. The Cheyennes would continue +on up the Tongue river valley. As usual, a few Cheyennes +joined the Sioux and a few of their people decided +to come with us. My sister Crooked Nose +started with the other people. Chiefs Crazy Horse +and Water All Gone and a few other Ogallalas came +to us. Just as the tribes were about to separate, some +scouts brought in the report:</p> + +<p>“Soldiers are coming!”</p> + +<p>The two bands of Indians began to come again together. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_290">[Pg 290]</span>The warriors mingled themselves as being of +one tribe. The women and children and older men +of both sets of people moved together up the Tongue +river. The young men put themselves behind their +fleeing people. Somebody said to me:</p> + +<p>“They have captured some women. Your sister +is one of them.”</p> + +<p>My heart jumped when this news came to me. I +lashed my horse into a run toward where it was said +they had been captured. There I saw tracks of soldier +horses. The trail led to the river ice. On the +opposite side of the river, the west side, were soldiers. +They began shooting at me. I had to get away. I did +not see any of the women, so I supposed they had +been killed. My heart then became bitter toward +these white men.</p> + +<p>I hid my horse in the brush at the foot of a ridge +where some warriors were on its top. I walked up +there. Many Indians were hidden behind rocks and +were shooting toward the soldiers. I chose for myself +a hiding place and did the same. I had my soldier +rifle and plenty of cartridges. Many soldiers +were coming across on the ice, to fight us. But we +had the advantage of them because of our position on +the high and rocky ridge.</p> + +<p>Big Crow, a Cheyenne, kept walking back and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_291">[Pg 291]</span>forth along the ridge on the side toward the soldiers. +He was wearing a warbonnet. He had a gun taken +from the soldiers at the Little Bighorn battle. He +used up his cartridges and came back to us hidden behind +the rocks, to ask for more. Cheyennes and +Sioux here and there each gave him one or two or +three. He soon got enough to fill his belt. He went +out again to walk along the ridge, to shoot at the +soldiers and to defy them in their efforts to hit him +with a bullet. All of us others kept behind the rocks, +only peeping around at times to shoot. Crazy Horse, +the Ogallala chief, was near me. Bullets glanced +off the shielding rocks, but none hit us. One came +close to me. It whizzed through the folds of my +blanket at my side.</p> + +<p>Big Crow finally dropped down. He lay there +alive, but apparently in great distress. A Sioux went +with me to crawl down to where he was and bring +him into shelter. Another Sioux came after us. +When we got to the wounded man I took hold of his +feet and the two Sioux grasped his hands. The +three of us crawled and dragged him along on the +snow. Bullets began to shower around us. We let +loose our holds and dodged behind rocks. When the +firing quieted, we crept out and again got him. My +brother just then called out to me: “Wooden Leg, +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_292">[Pg 292]</span>come, we are going away from here.” I let loose +again and went to my brother. The two Sioux continued +to drag Big Crow.</p> + +<p>The Indians moved back and forth, down and up, +fighting the soldiers at different times all day. After +darkness came, the fighting stopped. The group +where I was built a little fire, so we might warm ourselves. +As soon as the light of it showed, the bullets +began to sing over our heads. We quickly threw +snow upon the fire. Then we moved to another place. +I got down where I had left my horse. It was still +there. I mounted and joined my friends. All of the +Indians left there during the night. Some of the +Ogallalas already had gone on up Hanging Woman +creek. Chiefs Crazy Horse and Water All Gone, with +many lodges of their people, attached themselves to +the Cheyennes. We went up Tongue river. We +traveled all night and all the next day before we +stopped to camp.</p> + +<p>We did not know where these soldiers had come +from.⁠<a id="FNanchor_48_48" href="#Footnote_48_48" class="fnanchor">[48]</a> We did not know either how far they might +follow us. But our scouts remaining behind saw +them go back down Tongue river. At the camp, Big +Crow’s relatives went about inquiring for him. I +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_293">[Pg 293]</span>told where I last had seen him. Finally, they found +the two Sioux who had been with him when I left +him. These men said he was dead. That was our +one man lost in the battle. Two Sioux were killed.</p> + +<p>The missing Cheyennes were: Sweet Woman, an +old woman, age fifty or older. Lame White Man’s +widow and her two girls. Little Chief’s wife, their +girl and their boy. My sister Crooked Nose, past +twenty-one years old. A boy belonging to some other +family. There were four women and five children. +These were said to be in one group together, and all +were captured by the soldiers. We were not sure, +though, but some of them or all of them might have +been wounded or killed.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes and the few Ogallalas now with us +traveled far up Tongue river. We found plenty of +buffalo there. We went on west to the upper Little +Bighorn. After camping and hunting there, we went +farther west to the Bighorn at the mouth of Rotten +Grass creek. We did not stay here long. We returned +to the Little Bighorn. Most of the last part +of the winter was spent in camp on this valley. All +of the time during the next few months we had good +hunting. Soldiers did not trouble us nor we did not +trouble them.</p> + +<p>Almost the entire Northern Cheyenne tribe was in +this winter camp on the upper Little Bighorn. Little +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_294">[Pg 294]</span>Wolf, Dull Knife, Dirty Moccasins and Old Bear, our +four old men chiefs, were here. Charcoal Bear, the +medicine chief, had kept possession of the sacred +buffalo head through all of our distress. We had +now as good a medicine lodge for it as we ordinarily +had. This lodge was at its usual place at the back part +of the space within our horseshoe camp circle. All +of the people had good lodges. In every way we were +living yet according to our customary habits. We +were not bothering any white people. We did not +want to see any of them. We felt we were on our +own land. We had killed only such people as had +come for driving us away from it. So, our hearts +were clean from any feeling of guilt.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_44_44" href="#FNanchor_44_44" class="label">[44]</a> In fact, his wife and others to whom he was well known assert that +General Custer was not wearing his hair long at the time he was killed. +For some time before that occasion he had kept his hair cut short.—T. +B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_45_45" href="#FNanchor_45_45" class="label">[45]</a> The small loss is explainable by the extensive suiciding among +the soldiers.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_46_46" href="#FNanchor_46_46" class="label">[46]</a> Fort C. F. Smith.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_47_47" href="#FNanchor_47_47" class="label">[47]</a> This Powder river fight was on November 26th, 1876.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_48_48" href="#FNanchor_48_48" class="label">[48]</a> These soldiers were commanded by Colonel Nelson A. Miles. They +had come from Fort Keogh, which he had established on the Yellowstone +just above the mouth of Tongue river. This fight was on +January 1, 1877.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_295">[Pg 295]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XII"> + <span class="p50l">XII</span> + <br> + <i>Surrender of the Cheyennes.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Just before the grass began to show itself in the +early part of the spring, two visitors arrived at our +camp on the Little Bighorn. One of these was our +captured old woman, Sweet Woman. The other was +a half-breed Sioux we called White.⁠<a id="FNanchor_49_49" href="#Footnote_49_49" class="fnanchor">[49]</a> Each had a +horse to ride and each was leading a pack horse. In +their packs were tobacco and other things, for gifts +to the principal chiefs. The visitors said they had +been sent out from the soldier fort at the mouth of +Tongue river, to invite us to come there and surrender +peaceably. They brought a promise from Bear +Coat,⁠<a id="FNanchor_50_50" href="#Footnote_50_50" class="fnanchor">[50]</a> the soldier chief there, that we should not +be harmed and should be given plenty of food.</p> + +<p>Sweet Woman told us all of the captives were well. +She said they had been treated well, that they had a +lodge for themselves and that Bear Coat had a soldier +guard near their lodge at all times to keep other soldiers +from bothering them. This Sweet Woman was +a sister of White Bull’s wife. She was a widow. Her +husband had been dead many years. He had been +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_296">[Pg 296]</span>a black man, and the name for him was Black Man. +As a boy he had been captured by the Cheyennes. +She was a tall and thin woman, but she was healthy.</p> + +<p>Our chiefs counciled about this proposal. It was +decided quickly that we might as well go in that direction. +The final decision could be made at some +other place. We moved then eastward by camps and +sleeps of one night each. We stopped one night at +the mouth of Hanging Woman creek, where we had +fought the soldiers in the middle of the winter before. +Some other young men and I climbed up among the +rocks where we had fought. We searched for Big +Crow’s body. We found it. It was lying with the +back partly propped up against a bush in a thin group +of small pines. The right hand was up and behind +the head. The left hand was over the breast. We +could not decide whether he had been dead when left +there or had put himself into this position and had +frozen to death. We stretched out the dead man and +covered him with stones. His people felt better when +we told them what we had done.</p> + +<p>The half-breed Sioux traveled with us to Tongue +river. Some of the chiefs decided to go with him to +the soldier fort and find out what might happen to +the Cheyennes if all should go there. They left us +and went down the valley. The Cheyennes going on +this journey of peacemaking were: Old Wolf and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_297">[Pg 297]</span>Crazy Head, tribal big chiefs. Little Creek and Two +Moons, little chiefs of the Crazy Dog and Fox warrior +societies. White Bull, a medicine man but not a +chief. The Elk warriors did not send any chief.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_296fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_296fp.jpg" alt="Big Beaver standing in a cemetery"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Big Beaver, a veteran Cheyenne warrior, standing at the spot where he saw the + last Custer soldier killed June 25, 1876</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>The tribe and the Ogallalas with us kept on moving +eastward. At Powder river it was decided to +wait for the return of the chiefs who had gone to the +fort. The Ogallalas with us separated from us and +traveled on. Most of them said they were going to +the agency. A little band of them went down Powder +river. All of the Cheyennes remained in tribal circle +camp on the west side of Powder river, above the +mouth of Little Powder river, only a short distance +above the place where we had been burned out a year +before this time.</p> + +<p>The four chiefs came back to us at this Powder +river camp. White Bull was not with them. They +told us he had stayed with the soldiers, to scout for +them in hunting for Indians. This news did not +please us. As we looked at it, the surrendering to +the soldiers was good if one felt like doing this. But +an offer to help them to kill friends showed a bad +heart.</p> + +<p>I was affected more, though, by other news the +chiefs brought. It was concerning my sister Crooked +Nose, one of the captives. When the chiefs were +only a part of the first day out in coming back from +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_298">[Pg 298]</span>the fort, somebody followed them to tell them about +her. She had been very sad in heart because of a +belief she never again would see her people. She +had felt better when the chiefs came, but when they +went away again she fell into deep grief. Her sorrow +was so great that she got out her hidden six-shooter +I had given to her and shot herself dead. My heart +almost stopped beating when I heard about her death +in this way. She had been a good sister, kind to +everybody.</p> + +<p>Seven Cheyennes from the agency came to the +camp on Powder river. They had one tepee lodge +but no women were with them. They came only to +tell us we ought to surrender at the agency. They +said all of the Indians there were being fed well, were +being treated well in every way. Nobody was being +punished in any manner for past conduct in warfare +against the soldiers. To my father and to most of +the Cheyennes this sounded more attractive than the +invitation to go to the Elk river fort.⁠<a id="FNanchor_51_51" href="#Footnote_51_51" class="fnanchor">[51]</a> Our people +were better acquainted with conditions at the agency. +Besides, the Ogallalas had the same agency with us, +so these people also would be there. Our old men +counciled about whether the tribe should surrender. +And, if so, where they should go. It was decided to +let every Cheyenne choose for himself.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_299">[Pg 299]</span></p> + +<p>Little Wolf and the other principal chiefs chose to +go to the agency. Charcoal Bear, the medicine chief, +said the sacred buffalo head and the medicine lodge +should follow them. Their choice influenced the +course of most of the tribe. My father said we ought +to go with them. For two or three days, I believe, +the chiefs and the people talked about the matter. +Finally, the main body of the tribe set off toward the +agency. A smaller part of it determined to go to the +Elk river soldier fort. These were convinced by Two +Moons and White Bull’s relatives that they would +receive better treatment there.</p> + +<p>But not all of the Cheyennes were ready yet to +surrender at any place. Fourteen or fifteen men, six +or seven of them having wives and children, separated +off to go westward. White Hawk, a little chief of the +Elk warriors, was with them. They said they were +going to join the Minneconjoux Sioux, who then were +in camp on Rosebud creek or on a branch of it that +afterward was called Lame Deer creek. The principal +chief of these Minneconjoux Sioux was Lame +Deer.</p> + +<p>I joined another band still desiring most the freedom +we considered to be ours by right. Thirty-four +Cheyennes made up this band. Last Bull, leading +chief of the Fox warrior society, was the big man of +our party. His warrior followers at this time were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_300">[Pg 300]</span>from all three of the societies. The people making +up this group of further hunters were these:</p> + +<p>Last Bull, his wife and two daughters.</p> + +<p>Many-Colored Braids, his wife, two daughters and +a son.</p> + +<p>Little Horse, his wife, two daughters and a son.</p> + +<p>Black Coyote, his wife and small daughter.</p> + +<p>Dog Growing Up, his wife and one small boy.</p> + +<p>Fire Wolf, Yellow Eagle, Spotted Wolf, Chief +Going Up a Hill, White Bird, Buffalo Paunch, Big +Nose, Meat, Medicine Wolf, Horse Road, Little +Shield, Yellow Horse, my brother Yellow Hair and +myself Wooden Leg. All of these were unmarried +young men.</p> + +<p>Five tepee lodges were taken along and set up at +each camping place, by the wives of the five married +men. The unmarried young men slept mostly unsheltered, +or at each camping they made for themselves +little willow or tree branch lodges. They did +their own cooking, most of the time, but often some +young man would give a part of his meat to some +woman as payment to her for cooking his meat for +him. I dwelt all the time in the lodge of Last Bull, +as a member of his family. He felt very friendly to +me because of my having helped his wife and children +at the time the soldiers came to the Cheyenne camp +the year before, on Powder river.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_301">[Pg 301]</span></p> + +<p>Every man in this band had a good gun of some +kind. I had my rifle taken from the soldier. I had +not used up much of the ammunition I had found on +the battle grounds at that time and afterward. I did +not do any more shooting than was necessary in getting +plenty of meat. I was saving my cartridges for +fighting whatever soldiers might come.</p> + +<p>We traveled and hunted all about the country on +the upper Powder river and the upper Tongue river. +We had to be moving often, because game was not +plentiful. Every day scouts were out trying to locate +buffalo. All of the time they were on the lookout too +for soldiers or for Crows or Shoshones. We were not +loafing idly. We were working and earning our +living.</p> + +<p>A baby boy was born to the wife of Black Coyote at +one of the camps. The wife of Many-Colored Braids +took care of her, as medicine woman. As we moved +from place to place, the young woman and her baby +were put into a travois bed. The other women helped +in taking down and setting up her lodge. Her personal +name was Calf Road. She was specially famous +because she had fought as a warrior with her husband +Black Coyote at the battle with the soldiers on the +upper Rosebud. Now there were thirty-five people +in our band.</p> + +<p>I was sent alone from this band one time to scout +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_302">[Pg 302]</span>for buffalo. I took with me a pack horse to bring +back whatever meat I might get. I had on the led +horse a soldier pack saddle belonging to Last Bull. +I stayed out three sleeps. I saw a few deer and antelope +but no buffalo.</p> + +<p>We were having a good many days of hunger. Our +horses had plenty of grass, but our own ribs were becoming +thin. Our clothing was wearing out, and we +could not get enough of skins to renew them and to +keep our beds and our lodges in good order. My soldier +coat and breeches were gone, and my last shirt +and cloth breeches were almost in tatters. The only +good article of wear I had now was my big white hat +I had captured at the Rosebud battle.</p> + +<p>A Cheyenne named Yellow Eagle added himself to +us. He had been at the agency not long before. We +decided to have him and White Bird go there together +and spy out the conditions. They went. In +a week or so they were back among us.</p> + +<p>“Good treatment, plenty of food, blankets, everything, +nobody punished,” they reported.</p> + +<p>We started right away for the agency. But not all +of us yet were ready to go there. Medicine Wolf, +Growing Dog, Meat and my brother Yellow Hair said +they were going to stay out hunting. They said +it would not be long before lots of Indians would be +back out here, the same as had been here during the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_303">[Pg 303]</span>year before. I was almost persuaded to remain with +them, but Last Bull said he now was convinced the +Indians would not come back to this country. So I +kept with the main part of our band. We traveled +southeastward toward the White River agency of the +Cheyennes and the Ogallalas.</p> + +<p>At a white man house far along our way we stopped +to see if the people there might give us some food. +The only people there were two white men. They +acted as if they were badly frightened, but we made +peace signs to them, and only two of us went to their +door. We made signs that our Indians all were very +hungry, and we asked them for something to eat. +They gave us a little beef meat and some sugar and +coffee. We were glad to get this, and we told them +our hearts were good toward them.</p> + +<p>Three strange Indians on horseback approached us +from our front as we arrived about a day’s journey +from the agency. We could see they were Indians, +but they had on soldier clothing. This alarmed us. +All of our men cocked their guns and went out in +front of the women and children. We watched and +waited. The three Indians stopped. At a distance +they made signs to us. They told us they were soldier +scouts come out to help us find our way to the +agency. We allowed them to join us and remain with +us the remainder of the way. One of them was a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_304">[Pg 304]</span>Cheyenne, another was a Sioux, the third was a Cheyenne-Sioux +named Fire Crow.</p> + +<p>It made all of us feel good to see the hundreds of +Indian lodges as we came near to the agency.⁠<a id="FNanchor_52_52" href="#Footnote_52_52" class="fnanchor">[52]</a> We +galloped our horses forward. We cheered and fired +gunshots into the air. Some soldiers came running +out from their tents, but they soon saw we were +friendly and were only celebrating and notifying our +people we had come. We saw great camps of Arapahoes +and Ogallalas as well as the tribal camp circle +of our own Cheyennes. Many soldiers also were +there, in their own separate camp. Several of the +soldier chiefs came and shook hands with our men +and said, “How.” One of these soldier chiefs we +specially liked. We learned from a Cheyenne his +name among the Indians was White Hat.⁠<a id="FNanchor_53_53" href="#Footnote_53_53" class="fnanchor">[53]</a> He could +make good sign-talk. It appeared he understood Indians +better than any white man soldier I ever had +seen. I suppose that was why we liked him.</p> + +<p>A white man married to a Cheyenne woman was +acting as interpreter for the soldiers. His name was +Rowland. But White Hat did not need any interpreter +in talking to us, he could make the sign-talk so +well. After the general handshaking, White Hat +said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_305">[Pg 305]</span></p> + +<p>“Now, you men must give to me your guns and +your horses.”</p> + +<p>We were not expecting this, but we trusted him, so +we began to do as he had asked. But Black Coyote +jumped back and said he would not give up his gun. +He cocked it and stood there. He was much excited. +Just then three Sioux dressed in soldier clothing +came riding toward us. Black Coyote aimed his gun +at them. Last Bull pushed the gun aside and said:</p> + +<p>“Don’t shoot. You are crazy.”</p> + +<p>He talked to Black Coyote, telling him that a shot +just now might cause all of us to get killed. White +Hat motioned the three Sioux to go away, and they +did so. Black Coyote then quieted down. He gave +his gun to Last Bull, and this leader gave it to a soldier +with White Hat. I was the only one among us +having a gun captured from the soldiers at the battle +on the Little Bighorn. When I handed it to a soldier +he gave it to White Hat. White Hat examined it with +apparent great interest. He then called other soldier +chiefs to look. Finally he asked me:</p> + +<p>“Where did you get this gun?”</p> + +<p>I did not answer him at once. He asked me again, +making signs so clear that I could not help but make +some kind of answer. I told him the truth. I showed +him just how I had seized it and wrenched it away +from a soldier riding toward the river during the first +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_306">[Pg 306]</span>part of the great battle a year before this time. The +way they talked about it, it appeared the Indians had +not been giving them these guns taken from the soldiers. +After a little while, White Hat shook hands +again with me and made signs to me: “You are a +brave man. Do not be afraid any soldier will want to +kill you.”</p> + +<p>The next morning all of us went to the agency +buildings for gifts we had been told would be there +for us. Wagons came with the presents. They were +unloaded in piles. Blankets, clothing and different +kinds of food were in the piles. Two of our people +were appointed to divide up and distribute the articles +among all of us. Our hearts now were glad. It +seemed good to be here with plenty and not be in +fear of soldiers.</p> + +<p>I received other gifts. An Ogallala Sioux presented +me with a medicine pipe, the first one I had +owned since the loss of mine when the soldiers burned +out our forty lodges on lower Powder river. A Cheyenne +young man gave me a wad of paper money like +I had seen at the time of the great battle. He said: +“You can buy things at the trader’s store with this +paper.” I put it into my pocket. After a while I +got a Sioux young man friend to go with me to the +agency trader’s store. I took out my money and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_307">[Pg 307]</span>gave it all to the trader. He counted it over and over. +Then he asked me, in Sioux speech:</p> + +<p>“Where did you get all of this money?”</p> + +<p>My Sioux friend quickly answered:</p> + +<p>“He got it from Custer.”</p> + +<p>The trader said to me:</p> + +<p>“The soldiers are going to hang you.” This +startled me at first, but both he and my Sioux friend +laughed, so I knew he was only joking.</p> + +<p>“Now, what all do you want?” the trader asked, +after they had joked me a little while.</p> + +<p>I got first a red and yellow shirt. Then I got some +breeches that fitted me much better than the pair +that had been given to me by the agency people. I +picked out a fine red blanket, a hat and a big silk +scarf. I got plenty of tobacco. I bought coffee, +sugar, meat and other things. I did not want all of +the goods I bought, but the trader kept telling me of +what I ought to have. After each time he brought me +what I asked for, he took from the money some part +of it. Then he would ask:</p> + +<p>“And what else?”</p> + +<p>I did not know how much the different articles were +worth. I kept on choosing some other until finally +the trader said:</p> + +<p>“Your money is all gone.”</p> + +<p>My friend helped me to carry all of my property to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_308">[Pg 308]</span>my home lodge. I wore the new hat just bought. +But I took along the old white hat I had captured +from the soldiers. I gave this old one to my father. +He was much pleased to get it. It was the first white +man hat he ever owned. He threw away then the +old Indian buffalo hat he had been wearing.</p> + +<p>Some of the Cheyennes who had gone to the Elk +river soldier fort were here now. They had been +sent here by the soldiers. Other Cheyennes had +stayed at that fort, the men joining the soldiers as +scouts for them. All of these Cheyennes brought +here were dwelling in soldier tents. Many other Indians, +Cheyennes, Ogallalas and Arapahoes, also had +the soldier tents. These were larger than most of +the Indian tepees then in use. The tepees were +smaller than usual because only a few buffalo skins +had been taken during this summer.</p> + +<p>There was some dissatisfaction among the Cheyennes +on account of talk of them being taken to the +South. The agent and the soldier chiefs had said we +ought to go there and be joined as one tribe with the +Southern Cheyennes. Our people did not like this +talk. All of us wanted to stay in this country near +the Black Hills. But we had one big chief, Standing +Elk, who kept saying it would be better if we should +go there. I think there were not as many as ten +Cheyennes in our whole tribe who agreed with him. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_309">[Pg 309]</span>There was a feeling that he was talking this way only +to make himself a big Indian among the white people. +The white men chiefs would not talk much to any +Cheyenne chief but him. They gave him extra presents +and treated him as if he were the only chief in +the tribe, when he was but one of our forty tribal big +chiefs. One day he went about telling everybody:</p> + +<p>“All get ready to move. The soldiers are going +to take us from here tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>Lots of Cheyennes were angry. We had understood +that when we surrendered we were to live on +our same White River reservation. We had given +up our guns and our horses and had quit fighting because +of this promise. Now, after we had put ourselves +at this great disadvantage, the promise was to +be broken. But we could not do anything except +obey him. So, three sleeps after my small band had +come to what we thought was to be our home, the +whole tribe was on its way to what we now call +Oklahoma.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_49_49" href="#FNanchor_49_49" class="label">[49]</a> Bruyère, a Frenchman-Sioux scout for Miles.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_50_50" href="#FNanchor_50_50" class="label">[50]</a> The Cheyenne name for General Miles.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_51_51" href="#FNanchor_51_51" class="label">[51]</a> Fort Keogh, at the mouth of Tongue river.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_52_52" href="#FNanchor_52_52" class="label">[52]</a> White River agency, Fort Robinson, Nebraska.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_53_53" href="#FNanchor_53_53" class="label">[53]</a> Lieutenant W. P. Clark, who wrote a book on sign language.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_310">[Pg 310]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XIII"> + <span class="p50l">XIII</span> + <br> + <i>Taken to the South.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>The soldier leader of our movement to the South +was known to us as Tall White Man. He was a good +man, always kind to the Indians. We had to do whatever +he said we must do, but he talked good to our +chiefs, so all of us were pleased to have him guiding +us. He had with him a band of soldiers. I do not +know how many, but I think there may have been almost +a hundred of them.</p> + +<p>Our horses that had been taken away from us at +the agency were now returned to us. Still, many +Cheyennes did not own any. Old people who had no +animal to ride were provided with them from the +soldier herd. Or, very old or sick people were +allowed to ride in the soldier wagons. Young men +who owned no horses had to walk or borrow from +friends. I owned four. I had three of them loaned +out most of the time.</p> + +<p>Soldier tents were used by the Indians as well as +by the soldiers. I think the Indians had a few canvas +cone tepees, but I do not remember seeing among us +any buffalo skin lodges. We had not killed for a +long time enough buffaloes to renew the old dwelling +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_311">[Pg 311]</span>shelters we liked so well. Wagons were used to haul +the tents. Other wagons were loaded with bread, +crackers, coffee, sugar and other food. Every day, +rations were issued to all of the soldiers and all of the +Indians.⁠<a id="FNanchor_54_54" href="#Footnote_54_54" class="fnanchor">[54]</a></p> + +<p>A drove of cattle was kept moving along behind us. +Some of them were butchered every day for meat. +This was good, but the Indians liked better the wild +meat when it could be found. Our chiefs talked to +Tall White Man about this. He listened to their +talk. He said it was good. He told them how it +would be arranged for some of the Indians to hunt +along the way.</p> + +<p>Thirty men, ten from each of the three warrior +societies, were chosen by our warrior chiefs to do +the hunting. Each of these thirty was given a rifle. +At every time of hunting, each of them was allowed +to have five cartridges for his gun. Other Indians +were allowed also to hunt, but they had to use the +bows and arrows or whatever else they might have +for use. A few took out guns they had kept hidden +when we had surrendered at the agency, but they had +to be sly about this so the soldiers would not find out +about them.</p> + +<p>We traveled slowly and camped often, so there +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_312">[Pg 312]</span>was plenty of time for hunting at distances from the +moving people. The soldiers went always ahead. +The Indians followed them. The wagons came behind +the Indians. The drove of cattle were last. We +kept mostly along the old trails of the Cheyennes as +they had gone back and forth between the Black Hills +and the South. These were across the high lands at +the headwaters of the rivers. Not yet were many +white people living here.</p> + +<p>Buffalo and antelope were plentiful. There were +a few deer, but no elk. I rode out at times with the +hunters, but I had neither gun nor bow and arrows. +I could do nothing but look on and wish I could do +some killing. I knew of one certain Cheyenne who +had a rifle hidden. One night in camp I said to him:</p> + +<p>“I see every day lots of antelope. Let me take +your gun tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>I killed a buffalo the next day with his gun. I +killed also two antelope. I gave him half of the +meat. Both of us had plenty to distribute among our +friends. The soldiers never knew anything about it. +Or, none of them said anything to me.</p> + +<p>Soldiers hunted with the Indians. All of the soldiers +were friendly and good to us. They were good +shooters and they killed lots of game. They gave us +most of the meat. I became specially friendly with +two or three of them. I liked to be with them, and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_313">[Pg 313]</span>they appeared to like me. I went at times to their +camp in the evening and visited with them. When +we were about half along our journey I asked one of +them:</p> + +<p>“Let me take your gun tomorrow.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, you may take it,” he told me.</p> + +<p>He let me have five cartridges when I got the gun +the next morning. Oh, how good I felt—on horseback, +having a good rifle, and after buffalo! I killed +one and brought in the best parts of its meat. I gave +the soldier his choice of it and all he wanted, when I +returned his gun that night in camp.</p> + +<p>Either a rifle or a six shooter was loaned to me for +a day at other later times. Each time, with the rifle +came five cartridges. Each time, with the six shooter +came six loads for it. Each time, I returned the +borrowed gun at the night camp and gave the friendly +soldier whatever meat he might want. Most of them +did not want much of it, so I had at all times plenty +of the food we liked most, for our family group and +for our friends who might need it.</p> + +<p>We camped near one certain big town far along on +our journey. None of us were allowed to go into the +town, but I went walking all about the outside of +it to look at it. As I walked I found a big piece of +wood that I wanted. I had seen at past times this +same kind of wood, and I knew its usefulness to us. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_314">[Pg 314]</span>It was the heavy piece that lays across the necks of +cattle when they draw a wagon. The Indians liked +to get these, because they made the best kind of bows +and arrows. I picked it up and lifted it over a +shoulder. I went right away to my home tent lodge.</p> + +<p>I made a good bow. My mother had in her packs +some dried sinew from buffalo back tendons. This +I used to string my bow. I made then ten arrows. +I got here and there some pieces of metal for the +points. My mother made a pouch for the bow and +arrows. She made it of a calfskin she had tanned as +we were moving. I was glad now, with the full +pouch slung from my shoulder and dangling at my +left side. Two days I spent most of our camping +time at this work.</p> + +<p>On the first day out with my new bow and arrows +I killed a buffalo. I could have killed more, but I +did not want any more. There were not so many of +them here as we had found farther north, but we still +were finding a few. There were yet plenty of antelope +feeding out on the rolling hills and level lands. +An antelope, though, is hard to hit with arrows. It +can run fast and can dodge quickly. Still, if one be +chased a long time it becomes tired. Any ordinary +horse then can catch up with it. It is easy enough +then to shoot arrows into its body. One arrow often +is enough to kill it. I killed several of them, as many +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_315">[Pg 315]</span>as I wanted to kill, while we were going on our way. +I killed also a few more buffalo.</p> + +<p>One sleep before we got to the Southern Cheyenne +agency we had some special doings. The agent +there came out to see us. He had with him a half-breed +Cheyenne as interpreter. They went to every +tent of the Indians. At each place the interpreter +asked the names and he wrote them on paper. We +were in camp beside a soldier fort. That evening I +saw some of the soldiers there trying to rope loose +horses. I went to them and asked them to let me try +it. They did. I could loop the lariat noose over a +running horse almost every time I tried. The soldiers +cheered. They were very friendly to me.</p> + +<p>The thirty Cheyennes who had been allowed to +have soldier guns for hunting were told now they +must give back these guns. But Little Wolf and +Standing Elk talked to Tall White Man about this. +They said: “Let us keep these guns for hunting, or +we might need them for protecting ourselves.” But +the good soldier chief replied: “No, I cannot do that. +They must be returned to us.” Others of our chiefs +joined Little Wolf and Standing Elk. Tall White +Man sat in a long council with them. Finally, he +agreed:</p> + +<p>“Yes, the Cheyennes may keep the few guns they +have.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_316">[Pg 316]</span></p> + +<p>I learned in the South the white man name of +Long Hair, the soldier big chief we had killed on +the Little Bighorn. I was told he was called General +Custer. I had heard this name spoken at the +White River agency, but I did not understand clearly +who was meant by it. The Southern Cheyennes +knew of him because of his having fought against +them before he had come into our northern country. +They had surrendered to him.</p> + +<p>A few of our Northern Cheyennes had not yet +joined us before we left the White River agency, +at the North. Or, some of these fled from us as +soon as it was decided we must go to the South. My +brother Yellow Hair had not yet come in to surrender. +He stayed hunting or he went to the Ogallalas. +Not long after we became settled in the new +home the news came to us that he had been killed. +He was hunting on Crow creek, a stream flowing +into the east side of upper Tongue river, when some +white men not soldiers shot him. Our family now +was made up of my father and mother, myself, my +younger sister and the small boy brother.</p> + +<p>My first shoes were given to me at the southern +agency. They were too big, but I wore them a part +of the time. All of my life before this, I had worn +only the moccasins made by Indians. I yet liked +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_317">[Pg 317]</span>best the moccasins, but we did not have skins enough +to make all of them we needed.</p> + +<p>I did some hunting in the southern country. But +the hunting was not for the large food game animals. +Very few of these got on the reservation, and we +were not allowed to go off the reservation for hunting. +So, my searching for something to shoot at with +bow and arrows or with gun was for whatever small +game could be found there.</p> + +<p>On one certain bow and arrow hunt I was afoot +and alone. The weather was hot. I was tired and +sweating. I went to the shade of two big trees. As +I rested there, a fluttering noise attracted my attention +to the tops of two trees. I looked. There +sat an eagle perched high up. I aimed an arrow +and shot. No harm done. I drew out another arrow +and fitted it to my bowstring. I aimed more +carefully this time. In a moment after the second +shot, the eagle fluttered and tumbled to the ground +out a little distance from the trees. I ran out there. +The big bird flopped and hobbled along away from +me. Before I could get hold of it the eagle had +lifted itself into the air. It flew on and up, farther +and higher. I watched it until it was gone entirely +from my view.</p> + +<p>I learned how to hunt specially for eagles. Their +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_318">[Pg 318]</span>regular sleeping places were at the tops of big trees. +I would go out on horseback and locate myself under +a big tree just as darkness was about to come. +One night I sat under a tree waiting. I had both +a rifle and a six shooter. Two eagles came. I shot +and killed one with the rifle. I jerked out the six +shooter and fired at the other one. It too tumbled +down dead. That was good shooting, considering +that the light was dim. But always in shooting eagles +at night the dark body against the sky made a good +enough target.</p> + +<p>On another eagle hunt at night, when I shot up +into the tree the eagle fell to the ground wounded +but not dead. It lay there moving about a little but +not much. I ran to it and seized it, to hold it while +I might beat it with the handle of my pony whip. +It grasped in its two taloned feet my left forearm +and my right thigh just above the knee. I struck it +with the whip handle, but this only made it sink +the talons in more deeply. I had to pry them loose. +Then I beat it to death. I still own and make regular +use of a fan made from a wing of that eagle.</p> + +<p>I shot one certain eagle in a tree above my head +one night. Right after I fired the shot it tumbled. +But it did not fall to the ground. I looked up among +the branches, but I could not see it. I began to look +about me on the ground. Just then a heavy thump +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_319">[Pg 319]</span>on top of my head almost knocked me down. The +eagle had lodged somewhere and then had fallen. +It seized my hat in its talons and bounced off my +head to the ground. There I killed it with my six +shooter.</p> + +<p>One night, as I stood watching under a tree I saw +something moving along on a branch high up. It +did not appear to be an eagle, but when it stopped on +the branch I aimed my rifle and fired. It dropped +straight down and plumped hard upon the ground. +It was dead. It was to me a strange animal. It +looked somewhat like the badgers of the northern +country, except this animal I had killed was smaller. +I remembered, too, that badgers do not live in trees. +When I took it to the home lodge I found out what +it was. The white people call this kind of animal a +coon. I afterward saw others. I saw also what the +white people call possums. We ate these little animals +when we could get them.</p> + +<p>The tallest Indian I ever saw was a Southern Cheyenne +young woman. I first saw her at one of our +Omaha dances. I stood beside her, for measurement. +The top of my head came just above the level of her +shoulders. She was extremely slender and she stood +up straight, not stooping. Her name was Slit Eyes. +I did not see her father, but I saw her mother. The +mother was a short woman. This very tall young +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_320">[Pg 320]</span>woman died when she was about twenty years old.</p> + +<p>After we had been a year on this reservation, many +of our people began to ask to be taken back to the +North. There was no game here, we were not allowed +to go off the reservation for hunting, and we +were not given food as it had been promised we +should be given. At times, some of our young men +would violate the orders and would slip away from +the reservation to get a buffalo or some other animal +good to eat. Some white people said the Indians were +killing their cattle. I do not know. I did not do +this. I stayed all the time on the reservation. But +if any Indians did kill the white men cattle they +did so because they were very hungry and could not +find any wild game. We ate the beef because it was +the best we could get. We always liked better the +wild game.</p> + +<p>There was much sickness among the Northern +Cheyennes. To us it was a new kind of sickness. +Chills and fever and aching of the bones dragged +down most of us to thin and weak bodies. Our people +died, died, died, kept following one another out +of this world. Finally, Chief Little Wolf declared +that he for one was going to move back North, +whether the white people consented or not. Others +said they would follow him. The agent told them +that soldiers would go on their trail and would kill +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_321">[Pg 321]</span>them. They were promised more food. They waited +for it, but it did not come. More people flocked to +Little Wolf’s side. Dull Knife said he too would +go. Late in the summer, more than half of the tribe +started out. Little Wolf’s last message to the +agent was:</p> + +<p>“The soldiers may kill all of us, but they cannot +make us stay in this country.”</p> + +<p>Soldiers went after them. Other soldiers from +other places were sent out to head them off. The +Cheyennes were hunted from all directions. They +were found many times, but each time the Cheyennes +fought off their pursuers and kept on going northward. +Many of our people were killed, but the most +of them got back to their old home country and +were allowed to stay there.</p> + +<p>My father and I considered joining Little Wolf. +But we had managed in one way and another to keep +our family from starving, and we believed that after +a while the food would be more plentiful. Some +of us had been sick at times, but none of us yet had +come near to death. We sympathized fully with our +deceived and suffering people, and both of us had +a high admiration for Little Wolf. But we settled +our minds to stay here and keep out of trouble.</p> + +<p>From the Southern Cheyennes I learned a great +deal about General Custer’s dealing with them in that +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_322">[Pg 322]</span>country. All of them said he had smoked the peace +pipe with them at the time they had surrendered to +him, seven years before he was killed. According +to the custom among us, this was understood as a +promise by him that never again would he fight +against the Cheyennes. When they learned that he +had been killed by our people and the Sioux, they +considered him as having deserved that kind of death, +on account of his failure to keep his peace pipe oath.</p> + +<p>They told us also about the band of Southern +Cheyennes who started out for the North, to join us, +during the summer when we fought the great battle. +Their medicine man chief was with the band, and +he had the tribal medicine arrows and its tepee with +him. Soldiers got after them. The medicine man +chief and his wife separated themselves in the scattering +flight from the soldiers, each of the two taking +two of the four sacred arrows. After a few days the +band all got together again, on upper Powder river. +But there were so many soldiers in the country that +they decided to go back to the South.</p> + +<p>An assemblage of army officers asked me to tell +them about the Custer battle. When they sent for +me my heart said thump—thump—thump. I was +afraid they might hang me. I went, but I told only a +little. They asked for more talk. They assured me +their hearts were good toward me. They gave me +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_323">[Pg 323]</span>lots of money, about five dollars, I believe. Good! +My heart quit thumping. I told them all they asked, +answering many questions. Some things I kept to +myself, but all that I told them was true.</p> + +<p>I got a wife from the Southern Cheyennes. She +was my same age, twenty years old. All of my people +and all of her people appeared to be pleased at +our marriage. They gave us presents and we set +up our own lodge. She had been a girl in the Cheyenne +camp at the Washita river when Custer and his +soldiers came there and killed many Cheyennes and +burned their lodges (November, 1868). Chief +Black Pot was one of the killed.</p> + +<p>The women and children fled, the same as ours +had done at the Powder river. It was winter, and +there was at that time a deep snow for that country. +Soldiers chased the women and children and killed +many of them as well as the men. My wife, at that +time a girl, was barefooted, as others also were. They +had been surprised early in the morning. She +stopped and cut off pieces of buffalo robe to tie about +her feet, to keep them warm as she ran. They went +to a camp of Snake Indians (Comanches), farther +down the river.</p> + +<p>My wife told me she also was with the Cheyennes +when they surrendered to General Custer (1869) +after he had smoked the pipe with their chiefs. When +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_324">[Pg 324]</span>they surrendered, some of the chiefs were put into +prison and had chains put upon their ankles. When +I heard all of this from my wife, as well from many +others of the Southern Cheyennes, it seemed the +Great Medicine may have directed Custer to his death, +as a punishment for having broken his promise to +the Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>When I had been six years in the South, the Northern +Cheyennes were told they might go back now +to their old country. The Little Wolf people had +been given lands on the Rosebud and Tongue rivers. +We could go to them or back to the White river, +where the agency had become known as Pine Ridge.</p> + +<p>My father had died while we were in the land of +the southern Indians. My wife and myself, my +mother and her two remaining children all agreed +we would move. A few of our tribal people decided +to remain as members of the Southern Cheyenne +tribe. We who left them went first to Pine Ridge. +After not a very long stay there we were located in +a region I always liked, the Tongue river country +in Montana.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_54_54" href="#FNanchor_54_54" class="label">[54]</a> The movement to the South began in early May, 1877. Seventy +days were spent in the journey.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_325">[Pg 325]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XIV"> + <span class="p50l">XIV</span> + <br> + <i>Home Again on Tongue River.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Many changes had taken place in the affairs of +our tribe when I got back among the principal body +of them in Montana. Most of the men who had +surrendered at Fort Keogh went into service there +as scouts for the soldiers of General Miles, whose +Indian name was Bear Coat. They had many stories +to tell of these experiences. They helped in finding +and in fighting some bands of our old friends the +Sioux, who remained hunting through the country +after we had gone from it. I did not like to hear +these stories. I could not help but think these tribesmen +of mine had done wrong in this kind of warfare. +That was the way the Pawnees, Crows and +Shoshones had done in past times, and we had been +enemies to them because of their having done so. +There came into my heart thoughts that possibly the +death of my own brother Yellow Hair had been +brought about by reason of some Cheyenne having +guided the white men who killed him.</p> + +<p>The Nez Perces had come through the country +soon after the part of our tribe had surrendered at +the Elk river fort. The Cheyennes went with the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_326">[Pg 326]</span>soldiers to fight these other Indians. They had a +battle far to the northward. Most of the Cheyennes +were not in special danger during this battle, but +two of them were said to have been very brave. These +two were White Wolf and All See Him. White Wolf +received a bullet wound across his scalp. He was +stunned and he fell, but he was not killed. A Sioux +scout dragged him into safety. The white soldiers +gave money to the Sioux for his action. This was +the same White Wolf who shot himself through the +left thigh at our battle with the soldiers on the Rosebud +and had to lie in his bed while his companion +warriors fought the soldiers of Custer. All See Him +had been a brave man in the Custer battle. He has +another name, John Bighead Man. White Wolf also +got another name after the Nez Perces bullet had hit +him. His new name was Shot in the Head.</p> + +<p>Two Moons and White Moon were two Cheyenne +scouts of that time who were not in the Nez Perces +fight. They were out with some Cheyennes chasing +buffalo as the soldier and Indian army traveled in +their hunt for the Nez Perces. In the course of the +chase Two Moons accidentally shot White Moon +through the body. White Moon was entirely disabled, +and Two Moons did not feel then like fighting +anybody. He helped in taking care of White +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_327">[Pg 327]</span>Moon, and he paid the Indian doctor a horse for +curing him.</p> + +<p>People told me all about the journey of Little +Wolf’s band from the South, with the soldiers after +them all along the way. They had come to Fort +Keogh and had surrendered to General Miles. Many +of their men also enlisted as scouts. The Cheyennes +at this place stayed a part of the time about the fort +and a part of the time were allowed to live on the +Rosebud and the Tongue rivers, near the fort. These +combined Fort Keogh Cheyennes had been the beginning +of our Tongue River reservation.</p> + +<p>The Little Wolf people had some trouble among +themselves on their way from the southern country. +One case was where a man who had become angered +to craziness about something went at beating his +whole family. He clubbed every one of them he +could reach. All of them were put into an insane +fright. An adult daughter, screaming and struggling +to get away from him, stabbed him with her sheathknife. +He let loose of her, walked away staggering, +and soon fell dead. The young woman was in great +grief because of her having killed her own father. +The chiefs and all of the people sympathized with +her. She was not punished. That was the only case +I ever knew of a Cheyenne woman having killed +anyone.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_328">[Pg 328]</span></p> + +<p>Black Coyote was the cause of one big trouble. +He was the same man of our little band who was +about to shoot when we were giving up our guns +at the time of our surrender at the White River +agency. At a camp east of Powder river, during the +last part of this flight with the Little Wolf people, +an old chief said to him:</p> + +<p>“Black Coyote, you have been riding during all +of the journey. Many women are walking. You +should let some one of them have your horse.”</p> + +<p>“No, it is my horse, and I want to ride,” Black +Coyote answered.</p> + +<p>“But some of the women are old, and they are +very tired,” the chief persisted.</p> + +<p>“It is my horse, and I intend to ride it,” the young +man stubbornly responded.</p> + +<p>“Black Coyote, you are crazy.”</p> + +<p>“No. You are the crazy one.”</p> + +<p>The chief flourished his pony whip and lashed +Black Coyote. He laid on stroke after stroke, many +of them. The humiliated man humped his body and +stubbornly hugged his rifle. He was sitting in front +of his lodge. Suddenly he jumped up and ran away. +A short distance off he turned and fired at the chief. +The old man fell dead.</p> + +<p>Black Coyote ran on out of the camp. Some Cheyennes +shot at him, but he was not injured. He kept +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_329">[Pg 329]</span>on going, and he never returned. His wife at once +gathered a few of their belongings and followed out +to join him. Her two children and an old woman +went with her. Whetstone, another Cheyenne man, +also left the camp and stayed away with the outcast +people.</p> + +<p>The two men went, just after dark one night, to +a camp on Powder river, where were a few soldiers +having a Sergeant with them. The Indians said, +“How,” and approached the campfire in a friendly +way. The soldiers were fearful and were on the lookout, +but they replied, “How.” After the Indians had +warmed themselves a little, Black Coyote said:</p> + +<p>“Give us some bread.”</p> + +<p>“How,” the Sergeant answered, and he gave them +bread.</p> + +<p>As the two walked away, for some reason Black +Coyote jerked up his rifle and killed the Sergeant. +Then they rushed off into the darkness.</p> + +<p>The soldiers took the body of their Sergeant and +went to Fort Keogh. Soldiers and Cheyennes from +there went out to search for the bad Indians. They +captured them and brought them to the fort. The +two men were put into jail with chains upon their +ankles. A soldier chief known to the Cheyennes as +Little Chief talked to them:</p> + +<p>“Did you kill the Sergeant?” he asked them.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_330">[Pg 330]</span></p> + +<p>“No,” they answered him.</p> + +<p>The next day Little Chief again asked them: “Did +you kill the Sergeant?” Still they said: “No.” +After a few days, Black Coyote said: “Yes, I killed +him.”</p> + +<p>Both of the men were hanged. I was told their +bodies were not taken by the Cheyennes, but were +buried by the white people. The hanging was at +Miles City, I believe.</p> + +<p>Black Coyote’s wife, the woman warrior at the +Rosebud battle, died while he was in jail. Cheyennes +made signs to him from a distance, through the +jail windows, and told him she was sick. Every +day he asked: “How is my wife today?” She was +dying, but to cheer him they told him, “She is better +now.” When finally somebody told him she was +dead, he went entirely crazy. He would take no food, +and he fought every white man who came to him. +He had to be beaten and tied first when they went to +hang him. His relatives said it was her death that +caused him to say he had killed the Sergeant. They +say the Sergeant and the soldiers were trying to kill +him at the time. But I know that Black Coyote was +a very excitable man. Bad Indians like him made +lots of trouble for the whole tribe.</p> + +<p>The most sorrowful new condition we found in +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_331">[Pg 331]</span>coming back to our Cheyenne country was in the +case of Little Wolf himself. Some white men about +the fort were selling or giving whisky to the Indians. +One night, Little Wolf got a bottle of whisky and +right away he drank all of it. He went into the fort +trader’s store and leaned forward upon the counter. +He was quiet, but he was dizzy and stumbling here +and there. The trader said: “Little Wolf, you had +better go to your lodge.” But he said: “No, I want +to stay here.”</p> + +<p>Some Cheyenne men and women were playing +cards at a table in the store. Famished Elk, a young +man Sergeant of the scouts, was with them. He +talked to Little Wolf. But the old chief paid no +attention to his talk. Famished Elk took hold of +Little Wolf’s arm and said: “Come, I will help you +to get to your lodge.” He spoke and acted respectfully, +but Little Wolf was angered because of the +taking hold of him. He pulled himself away. His +eyes blazed like fire. He stood a moment looking at +the young man. Then he said:</p> + +<p>“I will kill you.”</p> + +<p>He staggered on alone out from the store. Famished +Elk returned to sit in the card game. Nobody +was expecting any further trouble. But not long +afterward the door was opened and Little Wolf stumbled +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_332">[Pg 332]</span>into the room. He straightened himself, leveled +a rifle and fired. Famished Elk sank down dead upon +the floor.</p> + +<p>The old chief went back to his lodge and told his +two wives what he had done. “We must go,” he +added. The three of them went out into the darkness +of the night. Soldiers and Cheyennes searched +for them. They searched during the next day and +the next. The missing man and his two wives appeared +in Miles City and sat themselves down at a +place in plain view of the people there. A Captain +and some soldiers went to him. This Captain we +knew as Little Chief. He told Little Wolf what it +was said he had done. He further told him:</p> + +<p>“You are no more chief of the Cheyennes.”</p> + +<p>“That is true and just,” Little Wolf agreed.</p> + +<p>All of the Cheyennes said: “How. It is right. +Little Wolf shall be not any more a chief among +us.” But their hearts were sad, not angry, when they +said this. He was not punished in any other way. +But he further punished himself. Before he and +his wives had left their lodge he smashed into pieces +his medicine pipe. Our old tribal laws required this. +It was allowable for him afterward to smoke alone +any small and short-stemmed pipe, such as might be +made from a deer leg bone. But he did not do this. +He denied himself all smoking. He never made any +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_333">[Pg 333]</span>offer even to sit in the company of other Cheyennes +smoking together. White men sometimes offered +him cigarettes, but he always refused them. After a +time he learned to chew tobacco, a habit never followed +by the old-time Cheyennes. It seemed he did +this deliberately, for self-humiliation. He never tried +to intrude himself into any tribal public affairs. The +people remembered his great services in past times. +But nobody consulted him on tribal matters in present +times. Truly, in every way he never more was +chief among the Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>Some Cheyennes who had run away or who could +not be found, when we had been told we must go +to the South, joined other tribes. Of these, some +stayed away, others finally came back to us. Two of +them came back to us on Tongue river. One was +Joseph Tall White Man. He had dodged from the +southern movement by escaping and joining the +Blackfeet Sioux. The other was Little Crow. He +had joined some tribe of the Sioux.</p> + +<p>When I was thirty-one years old (1889) I enlisted +with other Cheyennes to form a new band of +scouts for the soldiers at Fort Keogh. For a long +time we did not do much except to drill and work +at getting out logs from the timber and building +houses for ourselves. The soldier officers bought +horses for us to ride. All of the new horses were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_334">[Pg 334]</span>wild. We had to break them. I got bucked off at +times. But finally, all of us had horses that would +not buck.</p> + +<p>I learned to drink whisky at Fort Keogh. The +trader at the fort sold whisky and beer to the soldiers, +but he was not allowed to sell anything of this kind +to the Indians. That made only a little difference. +White men not soldiers would get whisky for us <ins class="corr" title="Transcriber’s Note—Original text: 'wheneven we had'" id="tn-334">whenever +we had</ins> money to give to them. They may have +bought it at the fort trader’s store or it may have come +from Miles City. I spent most of my scout pay for +whisky. I never got into any trouble for being drunk, +but sometimes an Indian did get into trouble.</p> + +<p>Tall Bull and some other scouts got drunk and +went at night to where some soldiers were sleeping. +The Cheyennes pointed their six-shooters at the soldiers +and said: “Give us blankets.” The soldiers +were scared, so blankets were given the Indians. A +Sergeant went to tell the officers. A Lieutenant officer +came back with him. But the Lieutenant was +as drunk as were the Indians. He went away without +doing anything about the matter.</p> + +<p>We had plenty to eat at the fort. A soldier named +Jules Chaudel was the cook for our thirty Cheyennes. +A part of my work was to haul water in barrels for +him. I never got so drunk that I forgot to keep the +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_335">[Pg 335]</span>barrels filled. He often gave me meat when it was +not time for the Indians to eat.</p> + +<p>All of the scouts went for making war the next +year after I enlisted. We were taken to Pine Ridge +reservation. We were told the Sioux were going to +fight against the Cheyennes in that country, so we +were willing to help our own people. Our scouts +were led by an officer we knew as Big Red Nose.⁠<a id="FNanchor_55_55" href="#Footnote_55_55" class="fnanchor">[55]</a> +Willis Rowland, the half-Cheyenne, was our Sergeant. +Soldiers from some other fort came to Fort Keogh +and went with us to Pine Ridge.</p> + +<p>When we got to Pine Ridge we learned that it +was mostly the other Sioux tribes, not the Ogallalas, +who were wanting to fight against the white people. +The Cheyennes living there did not want any trouble, +so the bad Sioux were angered also at the Cheyennes. +Some Ogallalas joined the bad Indians. Our Cheyenne +relatives had their lodges torn down and burned. +Big Foot was the principal chief of the Sioux making +the trouble. We knew him, and we were sorry at +having to fight against him, but we were willing to +be on the side of the whites and our own Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>We Cheyenne scouts did not get into any battle. +At one time we were all dressed and ready, but the +officers made us stop behind a hill while the soldiers +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_336">[Pg 336]</span>went on and killed many Sioux at a camp on a little +valley just over the hill. A Sioux started that fight +by killing an officer who was taking all guns from +them. The soldiers then began to shoot, and many +women and children as well as men were killed. This +trouble was on Wounded Knee creek. At the time +of our advance up the hill I was wearing a warbonnet +for the first time at any battle.</p> + +<p>Big Red Nose, our officer, was killed by a Sioux +before this fight. White Moon and Rock Roads, two +of our scouts, were out riding somewhere with him. +They saw four or five Sioux coming on horseback. +The Sioux were riding slowly, and it appeared they +did not intend any harm. But while Big Red Nose +had his head turned in another direction one of the +Sioux fired his rifle. The bullet went through the +head of the officer, from back to front, and he fell +dead from his horse. The two Cheyennes whipped +their horses and got away. The Sioux scalped Big +Red Nose and took all of his clothing.</p> + +<p>As the Wounded Knee fight was going on, the +Sioux fled in all directions. The soldier officer now +leading us was White Hat. He sent me out to a little +hilltop to watch where the people running away +might go. I saw one Sioux man ride to a big house. +He limped when he got off and walked into the house. +I told White Hat about him. After a while he got +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_337">[Pg 337]</span>some soldiers, and all of us went to the place. From +a distance, I called out in Sioux language for all +people in the house to come out and surrender. Nobody +came out. We went close to the door. I called +to ask how many people were in there. A man’s +voice answered me that there were three of them. +I told him they must come out, but he did not answer +me. White Hat knocked on the door. He knocked +a second time and a third time. Then he and the +soldiers smashed the door and went into the house. +I followed them.</p> + +<p>A Sioux man was lying on a floor bed. A boy was +lying on another floor bed. A woman was sitting +beside the boy. The man had a sheet covering all +of him but his head and neck. I did not know what +else might be under the sheet, but I said:</p> + +<p>“You must give up your gun. You will be treated +kindly.”</p> + +<p>He at once drew a rifle out from under the sheet +and handed it to me. We learned that he had bullet +holes through both legs, but no bones were broken. +The boy had been shot through the left arm. The +woman was not injured. The soldiers got a wagon +and took them to the agency. A soldier doctor there +took care of them.</p> + +<p>The troublesome Sioux were gathered out in what +the Indians knew as the Bad Lands. It was a very +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_338">[Pg 338]</span>rough country having no trees and not much grass. +The Cheyennes went out with soldiers and camped +between the agency and that country. We kept +watching to try to find out how many were there and +how many were going there or coming back to the +reservation. It was winter, and the wind blows hard +there much of the time. We had some cold rides.</p> + +<p>One night our officer gave me a writing on paper +and told me to take it to the agency. He had the +interpreter explain to me which officer there was to +receive it. The air was full of whirling snow. The +gusts of wind appeared to come from everywhere +except behind me. I wrapped my blanket tightly +about me and kept my body humped up as my horse +moved along the trail. At first I was not afraid, as +it seemed the night was too stormy for any Sioux to +be traveling. Then I began thinking that perhaps +the Sioux might suppose the same thing about the +Cheyennes and the soldiers, and so there might be +many of them along the way. I was startled and my +heart was jumping at every little doubtful sight or +noise. But I could not do anything but keep on +going. I tried to make myself feel better by thinking +of what a good sleep I should have after so hard a +ride.</p> + +<p>At the agency I found the officer and gave to him +the paper. Then I lay down on the floor behind his +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_339">[Pg 339]</span>stove and went to sleep. Pretty soon the interpreter +awakened me. The officer wanted me. He said: +“You are a good scout. I want you now to take a +message for me back to your officer.” I was yet half +asleep. But right away I became all awake again +and got myself ready to go. I was as much afraid on +the way back as I had been in coming. The snow +and the wind whirling it were the same. I did not +freeze, though, and I got to our camp and gave this +paper to my officer. He said: “Good. Now you +may go and sleep.” It was almost morning. I slept +far into the day. Nobody awakened me this time.</p> + +<p>All of the scouts and Long Yellow Neck, the officer +now with us, were out one night after some +Sioux who had been seen. The Cheyennes were +afraid. We thought there might be many more Sioux +not seen. I went off a little distance aside from the +others, to look and listen where there was more +quietude. I saw the flash of a match. I went cautiously +in that direction. I got down into a deep +gulch. I could hear Sioux voices talking above me. +My heart seemed to be jumping all around in my +breast. I kept still until the sound of the voices went +beyond my hearing. I could not see anybody, but the +sounds told me the direction the Sioux were traveling. +I went back to the band and told of what had occurred. +All of us then followed a trail along the rim +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_340">[Pg 340]</span>of the gulch. It led us to two lodges. We surrounded +them and then let them know we were there. They +did not fight us. We captured ten Sioux. We made +them give us their guns. I was one of ten scouts +appointed to take them to the agency.</p> + +<p>Some Ogallalas were with the Cheyennes as scouts. +All together our band must have numbered sixty or +more. I do not know exactly how many there were +of either Cheyennes or Ogallalas, but I know there +were more of the Cheyennes. Three Cheyennes and +three Ogallalas were sent out one night to watch the +trails. I was one of the three Cheyennes. Long Yellow +Neck said: “I want you to find out how many +bad Indians are going out from the reservation.”</p> + +<p>The six of us got upon our horses and rode away +together into the night storm. One Ogallala and I +separated off and dismounted, to look and listen. We +watched particularly for match lighting, as any Indian +who had tobacco was likely to stop long enough to +light a match for smoking. After a little while, we +saw what we were looking for. We moved quickly, +but carefully, toward where we had seen the flash. +We heard voices.</p> + +<p>“Yes, they are Sioux,” we whispered in agreement.</p> + +<p>We rejoined our companions and told them. +Everybody said we ought to go back and tell the +officer. All of us went then to our camp. An Ogallala +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_341">[Pg 341]</span>knocked on the post at our officer’s tent. “Come +in,” he said. All of us went into the warm shelter. +Long Yellow Neck was writing. He put aside his +paper and called the interpreter. We told what we +had seen.</p> + +<p>“How many of them were there?” the officer asked +one of the Ogallalas.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” the Indian replied.</p> + +<p>“You are foolish,” the officer told him.</p> + +<p>He asked others. Each one said: “I don’t +know.” I said the same. But we explained that it +was too dark to see anybody, that only the flash of +the match had been seen and the voices had been +heard. The officer said:</p> + +<p>“Good. Now, all of you go out again. If you +see any Sioux, count them.”</p> + +<p>We found a fresh trail of horses going toward the +Bad Lands. By a creek we saw that different campings +had been made. Many carcasses of cattle were +there. They were white men cattle that had been +stolen and butchered by the Sioux.</p> + +<p>We three Cheyennes separated off from the three +Ogallalas. The two parties scouted at a little distance +from each other. After our three had traveled +only a short while, I left my horse to be held by one +of the others while I crept to the top of a bluff for +looking and listening. A commonly traveled trail +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_342">[Pg 342]</span>followed along past this bluff. Pretty soon I heard +horses coming. I hugged close to the ground behind +a rock. Four Sioux men rode past me toward the +Bad Lands. They were almost close enough to reach +out and strike me. I kept as still as the rock, except +for my shivering from fright. When they were gone +far enough I slid back a little distance and then +jumped up and ran to my two companions. We +found the three Ogallalas. They also had seen the +four men. All six of us hurried back to our camp. +The others appointed me to do the talking for our +report. I told of how I had hidden behind the rock +and counted them as they had passed by me. “There +were four of them,” I said. Long Yellow Neck wrote +my name on a piece of paper. Then he said:</p> + +<p>“Good. All of you may go now and sleep.”</p> + +<p>I believe I slept, but I am not sure whether I was +sleeping and dreaming or was only lying there and +thinking. I kept my cartridge belt buckled on me +and I hugged my rifle to my body. It seemed that +angry Sioux Indians were all about me. They were +searching for me, to kill me. Some of them were +striking at me with war clubs and slashing at me with +knives. I heard calling of my name: “Wooden Leg.” +I jumped up and stood there wide awake.</p> + +<p>Long Yellow Neck and a soldier with him were +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_343">[Pg 343]</span>in our tent. The soldier was reading off our names +from a paper he had in his hands.</p> + +<p>“The same six are to go and scout again,” he said.</p> + +<p>Another Cheyenne was added to us. The seven +of us got our horses. We were about to go when an +Ogallala rode into camp. He had come from the +agency. We wondered what was his errand. We +waited to find out. He went to Long Yellow Neck’s +tent. Pretty soon everybody was saying:</p> + +<p>“All of the scouts and soldiers go back to Pine +Ridge.”</p> + +<p>I do not know how the others felt, but my own +heart fluttered in pleasure. I did not want then to +fight any Sioux. We were only a short time in getting +all of the camp ready to move. When we were +about to start on our way, Long Yellow Neck said: +“Now, I want someone to stay behind and watch, to +see if any of the Sioux are following us.” He asked +if I would stay. I said, “No, I do not want to stay +behind.” He asked Bad Horses, Foolish Man, White +Bird, Sweet Grass and others. Some Ogallalas were +asked. Everybody asked said, “No.” While this +was going on, three of the Ogallalas slipped away +afoot, leaving their three horses. Long Yellow Neck +told us he had thought all of us were brave men, but +he had learned now that we were not brave. Finally +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_344">[Pg 344]</span>I said: “I will stay behind and watch.” Little Thunder, +an Ogallala, then said he would stay with me.</p> + +<p>We two caught the three horses left by the Ogallalas +who had run away afoot. Little Thunder said: +“I am hungry.” I too was hungry, but we had no +food. We drove the three horses ahead of us and +hurried forward. Soon we caught up with the scouts +and soldiers. “Give us something to eat,” we asked. +A soldier took a big box of crackers from a pack mule +and gave it to us. He gave us also plenty of bread. +We ate until we were full up, and then we put what +was left upon one of the three horses we had been +driving. We led the three now and followed on far +behind the other people.</p> + +<p>The three Ogallalas afoot came to us. They asked +us for bread and crackers. “If you will stay with +us we will give you some,” we told them. They +agreed. We gave them all they wanted. We let +them have their horses. They rode with us all of +the remainder of the way to the agency, helping us +in watching back to see if any Sioux were following. +We kept ourselves far behind. None of us saw any +of the bad Indians anywhere along the way. When +we rode into the agency camp, all of the soldiers and +scouts were already there. We told Long Yellow +Neck that we had not seen any Sioux following us. +He said:</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_345">[Pg 345]</span></p> + +<p>“Good. Now you may sleep.”</p> + +<p>During the time we were scouting for the soldiers +at Pine Ridge I got a Sioux head dress. It was a +cap of some kind of skin having at its front a buffalo +horn. I got it while the soldiers and scouts were +camped on lower Wounded Knee creek. I was wearing +it as I rode into camp. A soldier Sergeant said +to me: “I wish you would give that to me.” “What +would you give to me?” I asked him. “Five dollars,” +he said. He gave me the five dollars and I gave him +the buffalo horn head dress.</p> + +<p>About four hundred Cheyennes came with us when +we left Pine Ridge to return to Fort Keogh. These +were people of ours who had fled from the South with +Little Wolf and Dull Knife, and who had been staying +since then among the Ogallalas on the Pine Ridge +reservation. But now they were allowed to come and +join the main body of Cheyennes in Montana. A +few Cheyennes still remained with the Ogallalas, but +this movement of the big band brought together what +was considered to be the entire Northern Cheyenne +tribe. An officer known to us as Small Chief⁠<a id="FNanchor_56_56" href="#Footnote_56_56" class="fnanchor">[56]</a> +brought us back.</p> + +<p>Cheyenne visitors from the Rosebud and Tongue +river lands were camped at all times near Fort Keogh. +We scouts who had families kept lodges for them +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_346">[Pg 346]</span>among the visiting campers. Relatives and friends +were shifting constantly to or from the fort, Miles +City and our Cheyenne country seventy miles south +of us. I had my food with the other scouts, from the +soldier supplies and at our eating room at the fort. +But I spent much of my time at the home lodge. One +day I saw the old man Little Wolf at the camp. I +said to my wife:</p> + +<p>“I see Little Wolf. He is my relative. One of his +wives is a sister of my father. I think I ought to invite +him to eat at our lodge.”</p> + +<p>“I am glad to hear you say that,” she answered +me. “Tell him to come now.” Right away she began +to prepare bread and meat and coffee.</p> + +<p>When I brought Little Wolf I found he was partly +drunk. He fumbled the food as he sat and ate. He +ate freely, as though he were very hungry. He kept +quiet and kept looking downward during all of the +time. When he was done eating, I told him of my +sympathy with him in his great trouble. He then +told me all about the affair. “I loved the young +man and all of his people,” he said. “I was crazy +when I shot him.” At this time of conversation, +Little Wolf was about seventy years old.</p> + +<p>This man gave away all of his horses after he had +been put out of his position as our greatest chief. +After that, all of his traveling was done afoot. Sometimes +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_347">[Pg 347]</span>he went alone, sometimes one or both of his +wives accompanied him. They took along whatever +packs they could carry, and they slept in temporary +shelters or with no shelter. He went at times to visit +the Crows. He visited also the Arapahoes, in Wyoming, +walking two hundred miles or more and back +again. He died in 1904, at the age of eighty-three +years. His wives and close friends stood his dead +body upright on a high hill overlooking the Rosebud +valley, where many Cheyennes had their reservation +homes. A great heap of stones was built up to enclose +him thus standing upright. Twenty-four years +later, his bones were brought to the agency cemetery +and put into a grave there. Bird,⁠<a id="FNanchor_57_57" href="#Footnote_57_57" class="fnanchor">[57]</a> the old-time Indian +story white man who lives in New York, had a +stone put at the head of this agency grave.</p> + +<p>Even the nearest relatives of Famished Elk never +kept bad hearts against Little Wolf. At different +times I have heard talk of him from Bald Eagle, a +brother of the young man killed. Bald Eagle said:</p> + +<p>“Little Wolf did not kill my brother. It was the +white man whisky that did it.”</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_55_55" href="#FNanchor_55_55" class="label">[55]</a> Lieutenant Casey.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_56_56" href="#FNanchor_56_56" class="label">[56]</a> Lieutenant McEniney.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_57_57" href="#FNanchor_57_57" class="label">[57]</a> Dr. George Bird Grinnell, the author.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_348">[Pg 348]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XV"> + <span class="p50l">XV</span> + <br> + <i>A Tamed Old Man.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Thirty years after the great battle against Custer, +there was a gathering of Indians and white people +at the Little Bighorn. Besides a few of our people, +there were Crows, Sioux, Arapahoes, Shoshones, Nez +Perces, Kiowas, Piegans, Gros Ventres and Paiutes, +these last known to us as Fish-Eaters.</p> + +<p>All Cheyennes who had fought in the battle were +asked to come and join the other Indians and the +white people in a peace feast. The place is only two +short days of wagon traveling from our Lame Deer +agency. But only a few Cheyennes would go there +for the gathering. Among us there was much of such +talk as: “Soldiers will be there. Seeing us might +anger them so much as to make them want to kill +us.”⁠<a id="FNanchor_58_58" href="#Footnote_58_58" class="fnanchor">[58]</a> Seven of us decided to go. These were the +younger Chief Little Wolf, White Elk, Bobtail Horse, +Two Moons, Buffalo Calf, myself Wooden Leg, and +Brave Bear, a Southern Cheyenne. Four of the seven +men took along their wives and their lodges.</p> + +<p>In a big council lodge of the Crows a white man +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_349">[Pg 349]</span>medicine doctor⁠<a id="FNanchor_59_59" href="#Footnote_59_59" class="fnanchor">[59]</a> asked different ones to tell something +of the great battle. He said he had heard the +white people say that Two Moons was a great warrior +there, and he asked Two Moons to make a speech. +This Cheyenne stood up and talked a long time. He +said he had been the big chief of all the Cheyennes +during the fight. He filled the ears of his hearers +with lots of other lies, while the rest of us laughed +among ourselves about what he was saying. Other +Cheyennes and Sioux were asked to get up and talk, +but none of them would do so.</p> + +<p>The medicine doctor looked at my cousin, the +younger Chief Little Wolf, and asked him:</p> + +<p>“Were you at the Custer battle?”</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“Were you in the first fight above the camps?”</p> + +<p>“No.”</p> + +<p>“Who took the soldier horses?”</p> + +<p>“The Sioux took most of them. The Cheyennes +got a few. There were many Sioux and only a few +Cheyennes in the fight.”</p> + +<p>“Who took the soldier guns?”</p> + +<p>“The same—the Sioux got many, the Cheyennes +got a few.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_350">[Pg 350]</span></p> + +<p>“Did you see Custer, either before or after he +was killed?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know. Nobody knew anything about +Custer.”</p> + +<p>“Our soldiers afterward could not find the bodies +of all the white men killed. What became of them?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know.”</p> + +<p>“Were any of them taken away and hidden?”</p> + +<p>“I think not, but I do not know.”</p> + +<p>“Were any of them, either dead or alive, taken to +the camps?”</p> + +<p>“I think not. I never heard of any taken there.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me all about what you saw and what you +did at the battle.”</p> + +<p>But Little Wolf would not tell. I said to him: +“Go on, tell the truth, but do not talk like Two +Moons did.” He was afraid, though. There were +many white people and soldiers all around us, and he +feared they might become angry.</p> + +<p>White Elk, Bobtail Horse, Two Moons, Brave Bear, +Buffalo Calf and the Sioux men all answered the same +kind of questions in the same way. But none of them +except Two Moons would say anything further about +the fight. Bobtail Horse was either nervous or +scared, so he got tangled a little. The doctor asked +him the same kind of questions. Then he asked:</p> + +<p>“How old are you?”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_351">[Pg 351]</span></p> + +<p>Bobtail Horse sat there as though he did not understand +what was being asked. Pretty soon he began +to count on his fingers. He counted them over and +over. Finally he said: “I do not know.” All of us +knew exactly one another’s age, but none of us interfered +to help him in answering the question. The +doctor did not ask him any further questions.</p> + +<p>In my turn at the talking I was asked the same +kind of questions:</p> + +<p>“Wooden Leg, were you in the Custer battle?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I was there.”</p> + +<p>“Were you in the first fight up above the camps?”</p> + +<p>“Yes.”</p> + +<p>“Good. How old were you at that time?”</p> + +<p>“Eighteen winters.”</p> + +<p>“How old are you now?”</p> + +<p>“Forty-eight.”</p> + +<p>“Good. Tell me where you were during all of the +time. Tell me what you saw and what you did.”</p> + +<p>I told him. It happened I was the only Indian at +this gathering who had been in the first fight with +what the white people call the Reno soldiers. It began +with my brother and I being awakened by the +shooting and our running to get our horses. I followed +my own doings up the valley and into the +chase after the soldiers through the river and up the +hill. I showed how I had taken a rifle from a soldier. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_352">[Pg 352]</span>I described the killing of the Corn Indian and my +taking his gun. The doctor wrote on a piece of paper +as I talked. My cousin Little Wolf interrupted me: +“You tell too much. Stop talking.”</p> + +<p>But I did not stop. It appeared none of the soldiers +nor other white people listening to me were +angry. This medicine doctor looked to me like a +good man, one who understood that we had killed +soldiers who had come to kill us. I described to him +the way I had helped to kill the soldier getting water +at the river. I told about the Indians surrounding +the Custer soldiers on the long ridge and about many +things that happened there. The doctor still was +writing on the paper. He broke in with some questions +and I answered each one as straight as I knew +how to answer it. Little Wolf said to me: “Tell +him Custer killed himself, and see if he becomes +angry.” But I did not say anything about that. +Other Indians, at other times, had tried to tell of the +soldiers killing themselves, but the white people listening +always became angry and said the Indians +were liars, so I thought it best to keep quiet. Other +questions came:</p> + +<p>“Did you see Custer?”</p> + +<p>“I suppose I did, but I do not know. I think that +no Indians there knew anything about him being with +the soldiers.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_353">[Pg 353]</span></p> + +<p>“Did you see soldiers having special marks on the +shoulders of their coats?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I noticed some of them.”</p> + +<p>“Did you know they were chiefs among the soldiers?”</p> + +<p>“I did not know then, but I know now.”</p> + +<p>“How many soldiers did you see having the markings +on the shoulders?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know. When we were fighting them they +all looked alike to us, the same as a herd of buffalo.”</p> + +<p>“How many Indians were killed?”</p> + +<p>I told him the number of dead Cheyennes, Uncpapas +and others.</p> + +<p>“Good,” he said, and he wrote the numbers on his +paper.</p> + +<p>The Cheyennes and some other Indians went with +a few soldiers to Fort Custer, not far from the place +where had been the great battle. The soldier officers +at the fort shook hands with all of us. We gathered +together, and some friendly speeches were made by +officers and by Indians. All I said there was: “A +long time ago we were enemies. Today we are +friends.” The medicine doctor rode beside me as we +were going to and from the fort. We made sign-talk +together along the way. I showed him the only place +where the Cheyenne tribe ever camped west of the +Bighorn river. From the top of the Fort Custer hill +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_354">[Pg 354]</span>we could see the place, just across from the mouth +of the Little Bighorn.</p> + +<p>Many pictures were made of Cheyennes, Sioux, +Nez Perces and Crows. Some were made on the +valley and by the river where had been the first fight, +others were made on the battle ridge and at its northern +side. Pictures were made at night when the Indians +were dancing. The bright flashes scared some +of the Indians, but soon it was learned what was +being done.</p> + +<p>Wagons came loaded with rations. We were given +plenty of beef, bacon, bread, crackers, coffee, sugar, +meat in cans, and other food. We were on the valley +by the river, where had been the fight with the Reno +soldiers. A soldier officer rode about, saying:</p> + +<p>“All Indians who were in the Custer battle get +rations. No others are to be given any food.”</p> + +<p>But when the distribution began, lots of Crows +came running. They crowded forward saying:</p> + +<p>“Oh, meat! Give some to us.”</p> + +<p>Their actions made me angry. I let loose my +tongue:</p> + +<p>“You—Crows—you are like children. All Crows +are babies. You are not brave. You never helped +us to fight against the white people. You helped +them in fighting against us. You were afraid, so you +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_355">[Pg 355]</span>joined yourselves to the soldiers. You are not +Indians.”</p> + +<p>Bobtail Horse said to me: “Ssh, keep your temper.” +My cousin Little Wolf said: “You are doing +right. Tell them what we think of them.” The +Crows stopped asking for the rations. All of them +went back and kept quiet.</p> + +<p>Besides the rations given to us every day, each of +us was paid three dollars at the end of each day, for +four days. When the gathering ended and we were +getting ready to go back to our reservation, we were +given plenty of extra food to eat along the way. Some +of it was eaten by ourselves and our friends after we +arrived home.</p> + +<p>Another great gathering of whites and Indians assembled +there fifty years after the battle. All of the +Cheyennes, particularly the men who had been in the +battle, were invited to go. Many lodges of our people +traveled over the divide to that place and camped +there, but I stayed at my home. Two times I was +called to our Ashland district telephone for a talk +from the agency. “We want you to go to the great +peace celebration,” I was told. At each time of this +talking I made reply: “I will think about it.” The +more I thought about it, the more I felt like staying +away. The battlefield is on the present Crow Indian +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_356">[Pg 356]</span>reservation. I do not want to go upon their lands. I +have made up my mind never again to go to any place +where I might be called upon to shake hands with +a Crow.</p> + +<p>The younger Chief Little Wolf, my cousin, had +the boyhood name Thorny Tree. His mother was +a sister of my father and of the older Little Wolf’s +first wife. The young nephew Thorny Tree showed +special bravery at a battle with the Shoshones. The +old chief was so pleased at this manly conduct of +his wife’s relative that he told the young warrior:</p> + +<p>“I give you my name. From this day on you shall +be Little Wolf.”</p> + +<p>This younger man stayed with the Cheyennes at +the Pine Ridge reservation, after the peaceful times +came. Among them he was made a tribal chief. +When the band of them were moved to our Tongue +River reservation he was made a chief of the entire +tribe. A few years later he was accepted as the principal +old man chief. He told me that during the +years he was living at Pine Ridge he often was mistaken +for the same Little Wolf who led the Cheyennes +in their flight from the South. In fact, he +was with that band of fleeing Cheyennes, but he +joined that group of them who went to Pine Ridge. +The older Little Wolf and his last followers came +to Powder river and on to Fort Keogh. The old +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_357">[Pg 357]</span>chief never was at Pine Ridge after that time.</p> + +<p>My cousin told me that white people often embarrassed +him also in supposing him to have been +famed as Chief Little Wolf at the Custer battle. In +this case, the older man was not in the fight, he and +a small band of Cheyennes having followed on the +trail of the soldiers and having arrived at the camps +after the white men all had been killed. The younger +Little Wolf was already there with the great tribal +assemblage. The family lodge of his father, Big +Left Hand, was near to my own father’s family lodge. +This last Chief Little Wolf, my cousin, died in 1927, +at the age of 76 years.</p> + +<p>I visited the Arapahoes and the Shoshones, in +Wyoming, several years ago. Eight Cheyenne men, +some of us with our wives and our tepees went on +this trip. I had a Custer gun, borrowed from a +Cheyenne who kept it in hiding. We saw a big +band of elk in a valley of the Bighorn mountains. +I was chosen to lead the hunters in getting ourselves +close to them. I said: “Yes, I will lead, but you +others must stay back until I tell you it is time for all +to show themselves and begin to shoot.” As we got +well toward the elk band they suddenly ran away +into a forest. I soon learned that one of our men +had pushed on ahead and frightened them. “You +are foolish,” was all I could say to him. We saw +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_358">[Pg 358]</span>trails of other elk, plenty of them, but we did not see +any others of the elk themselves.</p> + +<p>High up on the top of a rocky bluff we saw a bighorn, +what the white people call a mountain sheep. +Different ones of us shot at it and missed it. Another +man and I then shot, at the same moment. The +animal tumbled down the mountain. When we got +to it we found that both of our bullets had struck +the front part of its body. We enjoyed that meat. +It was the first bighorn meat I had eaten for several +years.</p> + +<p>Nine sleeps we made on our way to the reservation +where we were going. We stopped with the Arapahoes, +good friends of the Cheyennes all during the +old times. There had been friendly intermarriages +between our people and theirs. There was much of +inquiring about Arapahoes living among us on our +reservation. These people made gifts to us. They +could not give much, because they were as poor as +the Cheyennes.</p> + +<p>We moved camp for a visit with the Shoshones. +In the old times they and the Cheyennes were constantly +on terms of enmity. But now they received +us cordially. From all sides came, “How,” “How,” +“How.” An old chief of theirs went riding among +them and calling out: “Everybody come and shake +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_359">[Pg 359]</span>hands with our guests, the Cheyennes. Let them +know we are glad they came to visit us.”</p> + +<p>Men, women, old people, boys, girls, all moved +along past our group and greeted us with handshakes. +They brought food. There were big piles +of all kinds of things the Indians like to eat. After +a while, they began to bring horses. One after another +they kept giving these to us. Every Cheyenne +among us had more horses than he could lead, when +we parted from the Shoshones. I had nine of them +presented to me. When we got back among our own +people at home we were the richest Indians in our +tribe. We had horses to give away to our friends. +All of the Cheyennes agreed that the Shoshones have +good hearts, that they are a good people.</p> + +<p>An Arickaree Indian visited me at my place on +Tongue river a few years ago. We talked of the +Custer battle. He told me one of their chiefs had +been killed there. He described him. The special +features of his war clothing were a fine buckskin +shirt and a necklace made of bear claws. I described +to him the Arickaree I had helped to kill. This one +had on a buckskin shirt. An eagle feather stood up +from his back hair. A red string tied his hair together +behind. If he had a bear-claw necklace I did +not see it. I did not see this kind of necklace on +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_360">[Pg 360]</span>any of the three Arickarees I saw dead. It may be +one of the other two had one and it had been taken +from him before I saw the dead body.</p> + +<p>I went to Washington when I was fifty-five years +old. Little Wolf, Two Moons and Black Wolf were +old men with me as delegates to speak for our tribe. +Three younger men who could talk the white man +language went with us. They were Willis Rowland, +Ben Shoulderblade and Milton Little White Man. +At a meeting with white men, there were some +speeches made. Two Moons did most of the talking +for us. The rest of us did not care to make any +long talks. Two Moons told these people he was a +big chief leading all of the Cheyennes at the Custer +battle. None of us said anything in dispute of him +at the meeting, but when we got away to ourselves +Black Wolf said to him: “You are the biggest liar +in the whole Cheyenne tribe.” Two Moons laughed +and replied: “I think it is not wrong to tell lies to +white people.”</p> + +<p>The same white man medicine doctor who had +been at the gathering by the Little Bighorn was in +Washington. He was good to us, helping us to see +the strange sights in the big city. He could make +good signs, so he and I talked much together. We +went up to the top of a very tall stone he said was +Washington’s monument. We rode up to the top +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_361">[Pg 361]</span>and walked a long and winding stairway to the +bottom.</p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp60" id="i_360fp" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_360fp.jpg" alt="Wooden Leg with his wife and daughter"> + <figcaption> + <p class="left p1l fs60"> + Photo by Hogan + </p> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Wooden Leg, his wife and their daughter, in 1914</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<p>A big ship took us Cheyennes out upon the great +water. All of us became sick and vomited. “It is +the same as whisky,” we said to each other. The +ship took us to New York. There we visited our +friend Bird, the old-time Indian story white man. +The white man medicine doctor was traveling with +us. He went with us on to Philadelphia, where we +visited the biggest trader store I ever saw. In a theater +in this city we sat upon a platform before a +great crowd of white people. I was asked to make +a speech. I talked, but only for a short time. One +of our interpreters repeated to them what I said. +This visit to the great cities was at some time during +the spring (1913), in March or April, I believe.</p> + +<p>I lied to one man in New York. He asked me +many questions. For a while I answered them as +best I could. But it began to appear he was trying +to show the old-time Indians as being low and mean +people. I had told him a great deal about the fighting, +about the taking of horses and saddles and guns, +about other matters of this kind. I found I did not +like him, so I decided to end our talk.</p> + +<p>“What time of day was it when all of the Custer +soldiers had been killed?” he asked me.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know,” I answered him.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_362">[Pg 362]</span></p> + +<p>“Did the Indians keep the money they took from +the soldiers?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know.”</p> + +<p>“Did you get any of it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know.”</p> + +<p>After these answers he quit talking to me and went +away.</p> + +<p>The medicine doctor friend came several years +afterward from Washington to our Lame Deer +agency. I saw and talked with him here. I still +keep a big flag he gave to me. I liked him. He was +a good man, one having a heart good toward Indians.</p> + +<p>The guns taken by Cheyennes from the Custer +soldiers were given up or had been thrown away by +those of our people who surrendered at the White +River agency. I think that all of the Sioux also had +to give their guns of all kinds to the soldiers chiefs +at their reservations. But at Fort Keogh General +Miles was good to the Cheyennes. He allowed them +to keep their guns. I suppose that many Indians +threw away their Custer guns, for fear of being found +out and punished for having killed those soldiers. +But the Fort Keogh Cheyennes kept theirs hidden. A +few of these have been buried with the owners who +died. But even to this day, I know of several of the +Custer rifle guns hidden among the people on our +reservation. White Elk and Spotted Wolf used to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_363">[Pg 363]</span>have Custer soldier six-shooters. These two men +are dead. I do not know what became of their six-shooters. +The Cheyennes also have yet some of the +Custer soldier ammunition belts and saddle-bags. +They do not like to tell of having these captured war +things, because there are some white people who +become angry when they talk of the old times of warfare +between the whites and the Indians.⁠<a id="FNanchor_60_60" href="#Footnote_60_60" class="fnanchor">[60]</a></p> + +<p>I have yet four of the ten arrows I made from +the cattle neckyoke picked up at the town when we +were on our way to the South. For keeping my +comb and paints I have a flat pouch made from a +bootleg. The boots I got at the White River agency +the next day after my hunting party went there to +surrender. Another young man and I were walking +in the neighborhood of the soldier tents there. I +found a pair of soldier boots among some other articles +also cast aside by the white men. The soles +were worn, but the tops were good. I knew how to +make use of them. I cut off the worn bottom parts +and kept the tops. My mother sewed one of them +into the pouch. I know of some Cheyennes who +still have such carriers made from bootlegs of Custer +soldiers.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_364">[Pg 364]</span></p> + +<p>I lost the medicine pipe given to me by the Ogallala +Sioux man at the White River agency. That +was my second medicine pipe. The third one came +to me when I was somewhere past forty years old. +An Uncpapa Sioux visiting me at my place gave it +to me. I still have it. It is made of the red stone +found in their part of the country. After he had +given to me this pipe I went on a journey into the +Bighorn mountains. There I got some blue stone +of the kind used for making Indian pipes. I made +two of them. I now have three pipes, one red one +and two blue ones. I have kept all three of them +for several years, and I do not expect to sell any +of them.</p> + +<p>I was baptized by the priest at the Tongue river +mission when I was almost fifty years old. My wife +and our two daughters were baptized too. I think +the white people pray to the same Great Medicine +we do in our old Cheyenne way. I do not go often +to the church, but I go sometimes. I think the white +church people are good, but I do not believe all of +the stories they tell about what happened a long time +ago. The way they tell us, all of the good people +in the old times were white people. I am glad to +have the white man churches among us, but I feel +more satisfied when I make my prayers in the way +I was taught to make them. My heart is much more +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_365">[Pg 365]</span>contented when I sit alone with my medicine pipe +and talk with the Great Medicine about whatever +may be troubling me.</p> + +<p>Our old ways of worship were kept up through +several years after we came to this reservation. Our +Great Medicine dances and other old ceremonies were +carried out as we had them in the days when we +traveled over the whole hunting region. Then the +government compelled us to quit them. I think this +was not right. Lately, though, the conditions have +changed. We were allowed to have our Great Medicine +dance in 1927, again in 1928 and in 1929.</p> + +<p>We had good medicine men in the old times. It +may be they did not know as much about sickness +as the white men doctors know, but our doctors knew +more about Indians and how to talk to them. Our +people then did not die young so much as they do +now. In present times our Indian doctors are put +into jail if they make medicine for our sick people. +Whoever of us may become sick or injured must have +the agency white man doctor or none at all. But he +can not always come, and there are some who do not +like him. I think it is best and right if each sick +one be allowed to choose which doctor he wants. +When Eddy was agent he let us keep our own old +ways in all these matters. Our people liked him the +best of all the agents we have had.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_366">[Pg 366]</span></p> + +<p>A policeman came to my place, one time, and told +me that Eddy wanted to see me at the agency office. +He did not say what was wanted. I thought: “What +have I done?” I went right away. I never had been +much about the agency, and I did not know Eddy +very well. But the people all the time were saying +he was a good man, so I was not afraid. When I +got there, a strange white man was at the office. The +interpreter told me this man was from Washington. +Eddy and the other man talked to me a little while, +about nothing of importance. Then Eddy said:</p> + +<p>“We want you to be judge.”</p> + +<p>The Indian court was held at the agency. My +home place was where it now is, over a divide from +the agency and on the Tongue river side of the reservation. +I accepted the appointment. I was paid ten +dollars each month for going to the agency and attending +to the court business one or two times each +month. Not long after I had been serving as judge, +Eddy called me into his office. He said:</p> + +<p>“A letter from Washington tells me that Indians +having two or more wives must send away all but +one. You, as judge, must do your part toward seeing +that the Cheyennes do this.”</p> + +<p>My heart jumped around in my breast when he +told me this. He went on talking further about the +matter, but I could not pay close attention to him. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_367">[Pg 367]</span>My thoughts were racing and whirling. When I +could get them steady enough for speech, I said to +him:</p> + +<p>“I have two wives. You must get some other man +to serve as judge.”</p> + +<p>He sat there and looked straight at me, saying +nothing for a little while. Then he began talking +again:</p> + +<p>“Somebody else as judge would make you send +away one of your wives. It would be better if you +yourself managed it. All of the Indians in the United +States are going to be compelled to put aside their +extra wives. Washington has sent the order.”</p> + +<p>I decided to keep the office of judge. It appeared +there was no getting around the order, so I made up +my mind to be the first one to send away my extra +wife, then I should talk to the other Cheyennes about +the matter. I took plenty of time to think about +how I should let my wives know about what was +coming. Then I allowed the released one some +further time to make arrangements as to where she +should go. The first wife, the older one, had two +daughters. The younger wife had no children. It +seemed this younger one ought to leave me. I was +in very low spirits. When a wagon came to get her +and her personal packs I went out and sat on a knoll +about a hundred yards away. I could not speak to +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_368">[Pg 368]</span>her. It seemed I could not move. All I could do +was just sit there and look down at the ground. She +went back to her own people, on another reservation. +A few years later I heard that she was married to a +good husband. Oh, how glad it made my heart to +hear that!</p> + +<p>I sent a policeman to tell all Cheyennes having +more than one wife to come and see me. One of +them came that same afternoon. After we had +smoked together, I said:</p> + +<p>“The agent tells me that I as the judge must order +all Cheyennes to have only one wife. You must +send away one of yours.”</p> + +<p>“I shall not obey that order,” he answered me.</p> + +<p>“Yes, it will have to be that way,” I insisted.</p> + +<p>“But who will be the father to the children?” he +asked.</p> + +<p>“I do not know, but I suppose that will be +arranged.”</p> + +<p>“Wooden Leg, you are crazy. Eddy is crazy.”</p> + +<p>“No. If anybody is crazy, it is somebody in +Washington. All of the Indians in the United States +have this order. If we resist it, our policemen will +put us into jail. If much trouble is made about it, +soldiers may come to fight us. Whatever man does +not put aside his extra wife may be the cause of the +whole tribe being killed.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_369">[Pg 369]</span></p> + +<p>Many of our men were angered by the order. My +heart sympathized with them, so I never became offended +at the strong words they sometimes used. +Finally, though, all of them sent away their extra +wives. Afterward, from time to time, somebody +would tell me about some man living a part of the +time at one place with one wife and a part of the +time at another place with another wife. I just listened, +said nothing, and did nothing. These were +old men, and I considered it enough of change for +them that they be prevented from having two wives +at the same place. At this present time I know of +only one old Cheyenne man who has two wives. They +are extremely old, are sisters, and they have been +his two wives for sixty or more years. He stays a +part of the time with one of them and a part of the +time with the other. The sister-wives visit each +other, but they have different homes, several miles +apart.</p> + +<p>Throughout ten years I kept the position of judge. +I rode my horse or went in my wagon to the agency +once or twice each month. It became tiresome to +me. Eddy went away, and we had another agent. +I decided to resign, and I did so. After I had been +out of the office a few years there was another change +in agents. The man we now have, the one we have +named Sioux Agent, was put in charge of our reservation. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_370">[Pg 370]</span>One day, Sioux Agent sent a message calling +me to his office.</p> + +<p>“I want you to be judge again,” he said. “You +will be paid twenty-five dollars each month.”</p> + +<p>That was better than the ten dollars each month I +had been paid during the ten years of my first service. +I took his offer. So now, in my old age, I am helping +my people to learn the ways of the white man government. +For the old people, it is a great change, so I +try to apply my thoughts at teaching the young Cheyennes +whatever I am expected to teach.</p> + +<p>I was chosen two times as a little chief of the +Elk warriors, in the old times. But in each instance +I got somebody else to take my place. Also, at two +different times of election of tribal chiefs, since we +have been on the reservation, a band of warriors +came to me and said: “We want you to be a big chief +of the tribe.” But I did not want to have that position, +so in each instance I told my friends to choose +some other man, some one who would like to have +it. Some white people, at different times, have called +me, “Chief Wooden Leg.” But I never was a chief, +neither of my warrior society nor of the tribe.</p> + +<p>My younger brother’s name was Twin. When he +grew up to manhood he went from here to the Minneconjoux +Sioux. There he was appointed a policeman. +He continued in that duty until his death, a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_371">[Pg 371]</span><ins class="corr" title="Transcriber’s Note—Original text: 'few years age'" id="tn-371">few years ago</ins>. My mother died here at my home, on +the Tongue river reservation. My younger sister and +myself are the only members of my father’s family +yet living. This sister is the wife of Little Eagle. +Their farm place is only a few miles down the valley +from mine.</p> + +<p>Both of my daughters went to school at the Tongue +river mission. They lived there during the school +months. Each Sunday we were allowed to take them +to our home. At other times we might go to the +mission and see them for a few minutes. Later, I +built a house only a quarter of a mile from the Mission, +and on a sloping hillside above it. We could +look from our front door and see the children at any +time when they might be outside of the school buildings. +My wife and I were pleased at their situation +in life. “They will have more of comfort and happiness +than we have had,” we said to each other.</p> + +<p>But the younger daughter fell into an illness when +she was about fourteen years old. We expected she +soon would be herself again, but she grew worse +instead of better. She became so weak she could not +stay any longer at the school. She continued to go +on downward after we brought her to our home. +Finally, her spirit went back to the Great Medicine.</p> + +<p>All of our love now was fixed upon the other +daughter. She advanced to full young womanhood. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_372">[Pg 372]</span>She could read the white man books, and she could +write letters to our friends far away. But she too +became ill, the same as her younger sister. During +all of one winter she gradually wasted away. Every +afternoon her body burned with fever. Every night +her bed was soaked with the sweating. Every morning +she coughed almost to strangling. Neither the +medicines of the agency physician nor the prayers of +our own medicine men could help her. Just when +the spring grass was coming up, she was buried in our +mission cemetery.</p> + +<p>My heart fell down to the ground. I decided then +that the white man school is not good for Indian +children. I think they do not get enough of meat at +the boarding schools. I think too that they are kept +in school too much during each year. They ought +to be out and free to go as they please during all of +the good weather of the autumn and the spring. It +may be that white children can stand it to be in +school most of the year. I do not believe, though, +that Indian children can stand it. It is not good +sense to have the whites and the Indians living by +the same rules.</p> + +<p>My sister’s daughter and her husband had pity +for me and my wife. They gave to us their oldest +son. He makes his home with us. On the agency +roll his name is Joseph White Wolf. But according +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_373">[Pg 373]</span>to the Indian way he is our boy, our grandson. He is +a good boy, comforting and helpful to us. I pray +often that he may become a good man, may get a good +wife, may have many children and may live far into +old age.</p> + +<p>My farming land is back from the valley, on a +creek flowing into Tongue river. Each year I have +some alfalfa hay and some oats or wheat, or both. I +have a garden of vegetables, including an acre or +more of corn for our own food. All together, twenty-one +acres was the most land I had in cultivation in +one season. That was a few years ago. I do not have +that much now. I become tired more quickly than +I did in past times. It appears my legs are not now +made of wood, as they used to be.</p> + +<p>I get pension money each month because of my +service as a scout at Fort Keogh. For a while it was +twenty dollars monthly. Then it was increased to +thirty dollars. Now it is forty dollars. As I grow +older it will be further increased. My pay as judge +added to this pension money makes enough for me +to buy food and clothing for my wife and boy, without +need for farming. But I like to have more than I +need, so I can help my friends. I can not do this +many more years.</p> + +<p>A few other old Cheyennes get the pension money. +We few are the rich men of our tribe of very poor +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_374">[Pg 374]</span>people. Many of our old men and women have a +hard time getting enough food. Some white people +say to them: “You have good land, so you ought +to be prosperous.” They appear not to understand +that Indians are not born farmers. Besides, many +among us are older than I am. Even if these did +know how to farm, they have not the strength to +do it.</p> + +<p>Another thing the white people appear not to +understand: The old Indian teaching was that it is +wrong to tear loose from its place on the earth anything +that may be growing there. It may be cut off, +but it should not be uprooted. The trees and the +grass have spirits. Whatever one of such growths +may be destroyed by some good Indian, his act is +done in sadness and with a prayer for forgiveness +because of his necessities, the same as we were taught +to do in killing animals for food or skins. We revere +especially the places where our old camp circles used +to be set up and where we had our old places of +worship. There are many of such spots on our reservation. +White people look at them and say: “These +Indians are foolish. There is good land not plowed.” +But we like to see these places as they were in the +old times. They help to keep in our hearts a remembrance +of the virtues of the good Cheyennes dead and +gone from us.</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_58_58" href="#FNanchor_58_58" class="label">[58]</a> A few old Cheyennes still talked this way in 1926. Fear kept +them from attending the fiftieth anniversary of the battle.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_59_59" href="#FNanchor_59_59" class="label">[59]</a> The Cheyenne interpreter for them on that occasion informed me +this man was Doctor Dixon.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_60_60" href="#FNanchor_60_60" class="label">[60]</a> During 1926 and 1927 I came into possession of six carbines, three +ammunition belts, one full pair of saddle-bags and one half-pair of +same, that these Fort Keogh Cheyennes had kept hidden ever since +their having been taken from the Custer soldiers in 1876.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_375">[Pg 375]</span></p> + + + <h2 class="nobreak fnormal fs110 linesp" id="XVI"> + <span class="p50l">XVI</span> + <br> + <i>Clearing the Docket.</i> + </h2> +</div> + + +<p>Cheyennes still disagree among themselves about +the number of sleeps the combined tribes stayed at +different camps along the way from east of Powder +river to the Little Bighorn and back again to the +Powder river country. For a long time there was +disagreement as to the length of time we had been at +the battle camp before the Custer soldiers came. +Some said we had been there only one sleep, others +said two sleeps. This dispute was settled, though, +several years ago, when a band of Ogallalas visited us +on this reservation. In a great gathering with them +at our Lame Deer agency there was a general rehearsing +of the battle at the Little Bighorn. Little Hawk, +a Cheyenne, spoke of us having slept there two nights +before the soldiers came. Somebody corrected him:</p> + +<p>“We had slept there only one night.”</p> + +<p>“I bet you we had been there two sleeps,” Little +Hawk replied. He spread out a blanket and laid +upon it some money.</p> + +<p>His money was matched. Other bets were made, +by other Indians differing in their beliefs on the subject. +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_376">[Pg 376]</span>Old men then were called upon, one after +another, to tell what was in their memories concerning +the question. White Elk, young Chief Little +Wolf, Wooden Leg, various other old Cheyennes and +several of the old Sioux, all were asked for expressions +of their beliefs. Each one of them said:</p> + +<p>“One sleep.”</p> + +<p>Little Hawk and his supporters finally had to admit +themselves mistaken. In the general exchange of +talk, many corroborating incidents were mentioned. +There came then a full agreement that we had been +in this camp only one night, that the soldiers attacked +us the next morning, that after the fighting had ended +we moved our camps a short distance northwestward +and stayed there all of this night, and that in the late +afternoon of the day after the great battle we left +the place and traveled all night and all the next day +up the Little Bighorn valley. Of the two nights at +the battle place, one had been at the first camping +spot where the soldiers attacked us and the other had +been at the second camping spot, a short distance +away, where we moved on account of our death +losses.</p> + +<p>For fifty years we old Cheyennes talked of Bear +Coat, or General Miles, as having been big chief of +the soldiers who came up the Little Bighorn valley +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_377">[Pg 377]</span>the next day after the Custer battle.⁠<a id="FNanchor_61_61" href="#Footnote_61_61" class="fnanchor">[61]</a> We have been +corrected by our present white man doctor friend. +He informs us that General Miles did not come into +this country until more than a month after that time. +He says that a General Terry and a General Gibbon +were the chiefs of these soldiers. I never before had +heard of either of these two men.</p> + +<p>I never had heard of any of General Custer’s relatives +having been killed with him, until our present +white man doctor friend told us about the two +brothers and the brother-in-law and the nephew. He +tells us also that General Custer’s body was not cut +up. I do not know why he was spared, if such was +the case. I never heard of any favorings of any dead +man there. I do not know of any reason for intentional +difference in treatment of them.</p> + +<p>It was not then known to us who was the chief of +these white men soldiers. It was not known to us +where they had come from. We supposed them to +be the same men we had fought on the Rosebud, eight +days before. We had not known who was the chief +of those soldiers on the Rosebud. I never heard any +Indians at that time guessing as to who he may have +been. It made no difference to us.</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_378">[Pg 378]</span></p> + +<p>I have been told that certain different ones of +Indians have claimed special honor for having killed +Custer himself. All such men are only boasting to +get attention. There was no talk of this kind during +the hours and days right after the battle. If there +had been, all of us would have known of it. I tell +you again: None of us knew anything about Custer +being there. The few Southern Cheyennes and the +few Sioux warriors who had seen him in earlier times +did not learn until many weeks later that he had been +killed in this battle. It was weeks or months later +when the most of us first learned that there ever was +such a man. The white people, not the Indians, told +us.</p> + +<p>Even if some white man soldier in the battle had +been well known to all of the Indians it would have +been hard to recognize him there. During the first +hour or two of the fighting we were too far away to +single out and recognize any particular one. As we +got close, the air became more and more full of smoke +and dust. The Indians were greatly excited. All of +the white men went crazy. It must have been that +not any one of them looked like his natural self. I +believe that not any warrior then was thinking of +trying to find out which one was the chief of the +soldiers nor which soldier might be a past acquaintance. +Every fighter, on both sides, was sweating and +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_379">[Pg 379]</span>dust-covered. The dead soldiers were dirty and +bloody. Very soon, they were much worse than that. +Their best friends would not have known them.</p> + +<p>Of the thirty Indians killed in both fights, I believe +about half fell from the bullets of the Custer +men. Of these fifteen or so killed by the Custer men, +there were more of them fell during the first close +fighting, when Lame White Man led us and himself +was killed, down toward the river, than fell at any +other one section of the field. The soldiers in the entire +battle with the Custer men could have killed a +great many more of us, or we should have gone away +and left them after some further fighting, if their +whisky had not made them go crazy and shoot themselves. +I do not know just how many of them we +killed, but I believe the number was not more than +twenty or thirty, all together. Some of these were +during the slow distant shooting time and some were +after we had gone among them and found badly +wounded men to kill at once. There was no capturing +alive. I did not hear any Indian talk of wanting +to make such capture.</p> + +<p>All of our dead Cheyennes were found, were taken +away and were buried. I am not sure about all of the +Sioux dead, but it seems they all must have been +found, as there was the remainder of that afternoon +and much of the next day to make search. The three +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_380">[Pg 380]</span>dead Corn Indians I saw were left where they had +been killed.</p> + +<p>None of the Custer soldiers came any closer to the +river than they were at the time they died. When the +first Indians went out and met them, and exchanged +shots with them, these soldiers were riding along +the ridge far out northeastward.⁠<a id="FNanchor_62_62" href="#Footnote_62_62" class="fnanchor">[62]</a> They kept moving +westward along its crest until they spread out on the +ridge lower down, the ridge where the most of the +battle took place. After about an hour and a half +of the slow fighting at long distances, the group of +forty soldiers who rode down from the ridge along +a broad coulee and toward the river were charged +upon by Lame White Man, followed at once by many +Cheyennes and Sioux. This place of the first Indian +charge and the first sudden great victory is inside of +the present fence around the battlefield and at its +lower side.</p> + +<p>The most important warrior among the Cheyennes +was Lame White Man. I believe all of our old men +consider him so. Next in importance and usefulness +were Old Man Coyote, leading chief of the Crazy +Dog warriors, Last Bull, leading chief of the Fox +warriors, and Crazy Head, one of our tribal chiefs +who had been a warrior society chief when he was a +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_381">[Pg 381]</span>younger man. The first Indians to go across the +river and fire upon the Custer soldiers far out on the +ridge were two Sioux and three Cheyennes. These +three Cheyennes were Roan Bear, Buffalo Calf and +Bobtail Horse. This last named man is still living, +his home being on the Rosebud side of our reservation.</p> + +<p>Two Moons used to tell white people of his own +great importance in the battle. I believe he was +brave, like many others there, but he was not thought +of as being very important. He was one of the nine +little chiefs of the Fox warriors. The only special +way I heard him talked about was concerning his having +a repeating rifle, the only one of such guns among +the Cheyennes in this battle. When the smaller part +of our Cheyenne tribe surrendered to General Miles, +at Fort Keogh, Two Moons was chosen by him as +their one big chief. For several years those Indians +were governed by General Miles. From time to time, +in the years following, others of our people were +added to these. The coming of Little Wolf made a +difference, but he lost his place when he killed the +Cheyenne. When all of the tribe finally were assembled +on the present reservation, the Fort Keogh +officers and the government agents still kept Two +Moons as the one big chief over all of us. I do not +know of there being among us any great dissatisfaction +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_382">[Pg 382]</span>because of this, but I do know that it was General +Miles, not the Cheyennes, who selected him as our +leader.</p> + +<p>There are yet living (1930) among the Cheyennes +more than twenty men and about the same number +of women who were full-grown people with us in the +camp beside the Little Bighorn. I suppose that each +tribe of the Sioux have, in proportion, the same numbers. +We have many more who were children in the +camp and who remember much of what was done at +that time. Last Bull, leading chief of the Fox warriors, +took his family and joined the Crows after the +days of peace came. His two daughters married +Crow men. The scared and screaming girl I took +upon my horse when the soldiers burned our forty +lodges on Powder river has become an old woman, +a Cheyenne-Crow woman. She is known to the white +people as Mrs. Passes.</p> + +<p>Every time I have been where white people have +been asking questions about the Custer battle, somebody +has wanted to know:</p> + +<p>“Where was Sitting Bull during the fight?”</p> + +<p>For a long time I did not understand why this question +was pressed so strongly. Then I learned that +white people had been saying: “Sitting Bull was a +coward. He was not with the warriors in the +fighting.”</p> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_383">[Pg 383]</span></p> + +<p>I do not know where he was. I had not thought +about trying to find out. I suppose he was helping +the women and children and old people, where he +belonged. He had a son in the fight. Any man having +a son serving as a warrior was expected to stay +out of battles and give the son his chance to get warrior +honors. Lame White Man, the Southern Cheyenne +tribal chief who was killed, went into the fight +because of his having no son there. I suppose it was +the same with Chief Crazy Horse, of the Ogallalas, +and Chief Hump Nose, of the Arrows All Gone. I +do not know of any other tribal chiefs or old men +having mixed into the battle. My father stayed in +the camps, but his staying there was not on account +of personal fear.</p> + +<p>I am not ashamed to tell that I was a follower of +Sitting Bull. I have no ears for hearing anybody +say he was not a brave man. He had a big brain and +a good one, a strong heart and a generous one. In +the old times I never heard of any Indian having +spoken otherwise of him. If any of them changed +their talk in later days, the change must have been +brought about by lies of agents and soldier chiefs +who schemed to make themselves appear as good men +by making him appear as a bad man.</p> + +<p>It is comfortable to live in peace on the reservation. +It is pleasant to be situated where I can sleep +<span class="pagenum" id="Page_384">[Pg 384]</span>soundly every night, without fear that my horses may +be stolen or that myself or my friends may be crept +upon and killed. But I like to think about the old +times, when every man had to be brave. I wish I +could live again through some of the past days when +it was the first thought of every prospering Indian to +send out the call:</p> + +<p>“Hoh-oh-oh-oh, friends: Come. Come. Come. +I have plenty of buffalo meat. I have coffee. I have +sugar. I have tobacco. Come, friends, feast and +smoke with me.”</p> + + +<div class="footnotes"> +<h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_61_61" href="#FNanchor_61_61" class="label">[61]</a> This mistake of the old Cheyennes arose from their having found +Miles in command of the soldiers at Fort Keogh when they surrendered +there in 1877. They supposed, and kept right on supposing, that +he had been the leader of the Yellowstone river soldiers who came up +the Bighorn and the Little Bighorn in June, 1876.—T. B. M.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a id="Footnote_62_62" href="#FNanchor_62_62" class="label">[62]</a> Many Custer rifle shells have been found scattered along this high +far-out ridge, by J. A. Blummer and other residents.—T. B. M.</p></div> +</div> + + +<p class="noindent center fs110 p2t">THE END</p> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> <div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_385"></a><a id="Page_386"></a>[Pg 386]</span></p> + + +<p class="hanging">Legend for opposite map: A.—Near the present-day Crow +Agency, Montana.</p> + +<p class="phalfl">1. Uncpapa camp circle.</p> + +<p>2. Blackfeet Sioux camp circle.</p> + +<p>3. Minneconjoux camp circle.</p> + +<p>4. Arrows All Gone camp circle.</p> + +<p>5. Ogallala camp circle.</p> + +<p>6. Cheyenne camp circle.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p>Arrows <img alt="arrow images" height="23" src="images/arrows.jpg" width="80"> show Reno troops’ advance and +retreat.</p> +</blockquote> + +<p>7. Reno battle line, for a few minutes.</p> + +<p>8. Present Garryowen railroad station.</p> + +<p class="phalfl">9. Reno entrenchment hill, after retreat across the river.</p> + +<p>10. Present Custer monument, in field enclosed by fence.</p> + +<p>11. Broad coulee of Medicine Tail creek just across east from +Cheyenne camp circle.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="hanging">The long links, <img alt="links images" height="23" src="images/links.jpg" width="80"> show approach of +Custer troops, moving northwestward, along a high ridge.</p> + +<p class="hanging">Scattered crossmarks, x x x, show where irregular second +camps of Indians were placed.</p> + +<p class="hanging">Little Bighorn river flowing northwestward.</p> + +<p class="hanging">Indians forded river at Medicine Tail coulee and also +went along hills from Reno hill, 9, to intercept Custer +soldiers.</p> +</blockquote> + +<div class="chapter"></div> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_387">[Pg 387]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_387" style="max-width: 50.0em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_387.jpg" alt="Map of the area around the Custer Battlefield"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Camp Sites and Other Salient Points in Vicinity of + Custer Battlefield, Montana.</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> + +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"><div class="chapter"></div> +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_388">[Pg 388]</span></p> + + +<blockquote> +<p class="hanging">Legend for opposite map: A.—Present-day Miles City, Montana. +B.—Present-day Hardin, Montana. C.—Near the present-day +Sheridan, Wyoming.</p> + +<p class="hanging">1. Cheyenne camp whipped out and burned, on Powder river, +just above mouth of Little Powder river, March 17, 1876.</p> + +<p class="hanging">2. Where Cheyennes joined the Ogallala band.</p> + +<p class="hanging">3. Where Ogallalas and Cheyennes together joined Sitting Bull’s +Uncpapas. Minneconjoux Sioux also came here, making +four separate camp circles.</p> + +<p class="hanging">4. Arrows All Gone Sioux joined here, making five camp circles.</p> + +<p class="hanging">5. Powder river. Blackfeet Sioux made here the sixth camp +circle. Other small bands had come, but not enough for +tribal camp circles.</p> + +<p class="hanging">6. Camp at Tongue river.</p> + +<p class="hanging">7. Upper Wood creek, where they stayed five or six days, for a +great buffalo hunt.</p> + +<p class="hanging">8. The six camp circles on the Rosebud river, about May 19th.</p> + +<p class="hanging">9. Where the Uncpapas had their sun dance, in early June.</p> + +<p class="hanging">10. Reno creek camp, from which the Indians went out at night +to fight Crook’s soldiers, on the upper Rosebud.</p> + +<p class="hanging">11. Site of the Crook fight, on the upper Rosebud, June 17th.</p> + +<p class="hanging">12. Custer battle, June 25th.</p> + +<blockquote> +<p class="noindent">All moved away together, in the same six tribal camp circles, +until they arrived back at 3, east of Powder river. +Here the great combined camp was broken up, and the +tribes separated, about July 15th.</p> +</blockquote> +</blockquote> + + +<div class="chapter"></div> + +<p><span class="pagenum" id="Page_389">[Pg 389]</span></p> + +<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="i_389" style="max-width: 62.5em;"> + <img class="w100" src="images/i_389.jpg" alt="Map of Indian travel near the Yellowstone river in 1876"> + <figcaption> + <p class="noindent"><span class="smcap">Sketch Map of Hostile Indians’ Course of Travel in Montana, 1876.</span></p> + </figcaption> +</figure> +<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop"> +<div class="chapter"></div> +<div class="transnote"> + <h2 class="nobreak center fnormal fs100" id="Transcribers_Notes"> + Transcriber’s Notes + </h2> + +<p>Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been silently +corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within the +text and consultation of external sources. Some hyphens in words have +been silently removed and some silently added when a predominant +preference was found in the original book. Except for those changes +noted below, all misspellings in the text and inconsistent usage have +been retained.</p> + +<p class="noindent"> + <a href="#tn-toc">Table of Contents</a>: “Roving after the Victory” replaced by “Rovings after the Victory”.<br> + Page <a href="#tn-146">146</a>: “They sa. bubbles” replaced by “They saw bubbles”.<br> + Page <a href="#tn-180">180</a>: “in the Ogallalla” replaced by “in the Ogallala”.<br> + Page <a href="#tn-334">334</a>: “wheneven we had” replaced by “whenever we had”.<br> + Page <a href="#tn-371">371</a>: “few years age” replaced by “few years ago”. +</p> + +<p>New original cover art included with this eBook is granted to the +public domain.</p> +</div> +<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 78411 ***</div> +</body> +</html> diff --git a/78411-h/images/arrows.jpg b/78411-h/images/arrows.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c37b5fc --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/arrows.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/colophon.jpg b/78411-h/images/colophon.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..7fa21eb --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/colophon.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/cover.jpg b/78411-h/images/cover.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..31e3e12 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/cover.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_028fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_028fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..e1ef64c --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_028fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_076fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_076fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..1a365a5 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_076fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_112fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_112fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..603fb8a --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_112fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_112fpb.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_112fpb.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..13ce0a9 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_112fpb.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_220fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_220fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..f80b009 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_220fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_240fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_240fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..96b1a63 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_240fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_296fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_296fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..2be2d25 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_296fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_360fp.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_360fp.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..b28d826 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_360fp.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_387.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_387.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..34e2aa7 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_387.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_389.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_389.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a9aad8d --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_389.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/i_frontispiece.jpg b/78411-h/images/i_frontispiece.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5ffd886 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/i_frontispiece.jpg diff --git a/78411-h/images/links.jpg b/78411-h/images/links.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a391189 --- /dev/null +++ b/78411-h/images/links.jpg |
