indian heroes and great chieftains(印第安英雄)-第15章
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good hunter and a feast…maker。 On my mother's side I had some noted
ancestors； but they left me no chieftainship。 I had to work for my
reputation。
〃When I was a boy； I loved to fight；〃 he continued。 〃In all our boyish
games I had the name of being hard to handle； and I took much pride in
the fact。
〃I was about ten years old when we encountered a band of Cheyennes。
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They were on friendly terms with us； but we boys always indulged in
sham fights on such occasions； and this time I got in an honest fight with a
Cheyenne boy older than I。 I got the best of the boy； but he hit me hard in
the face several times； and my face was all spattered with blood and
streaked where the paint had been washed away。 The Sioux boys
whooped and yelled：
〃'His enemy is down； and his face is spattered as if with rain！ Rain…
in…the…Face！ His name shall be Rain…in…the…Face！'
〃Afterwards； when I was a young man； we went on a warpath against
the Gros Ventres。 We stole some of their horses； but were overtaken and
had to abandon the horses and fight for our lives。 I had wished my face
to represent the sun when partly covered with darkness； so I painted it half
black； half red。 We fought all day in the rain； and my face was partly
washed and streaked with red and black： so again I was christened Rain…
in…the…Face。 We considered it an honorable name。
〃I had been on many warpaths； but was not especially successful until
about the time the Sioux began to fight with the white man。 One of the
most daring attacks that we ever made was at Fort Totten； North Dakota；
in the summer of 1866。
〃Hohay； the Assiniboine captive of Sitting Bull； was the leader in this
raid。 Wapaypay； the Fearless Bear； who was afterward hanged at
Yankton； was the bravest man among us。 He dared Hohay to make the
charge。 Hohay accepted the challenge； and in turn dared the other to ride
with him through the agency and right under the walls of the fort； which
was well garrisoned and strong。
〃Wapaypay and I in those days called each other 'brother…friend。' It
was a life…and…death vow。 What one does the other must do； and that
meant that I must be in the forefront of the charge； and if he is killed； I
must fight until I die also！
〃I prepared for death。 I painted as usual like an eclipse of the sun；
half black and half red。〃
His eyes gleamed and his face lighted up remarkably as he talked；
pushing his black hair back from his forehead with a nervous gesture。
〃Now the signal for the charge was given！ I started even with
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Wapaypay； but his horse was faster than mine； so he left me a little behind
as we neared the fort。 This was bad for me； for by that time the soldiers
had somewhat recovered from the surprise and were aiming better。
〃Their big gun talked very loud； but my Wapaypay was leading on；
leaning forward on his fleet pony like a flying squirrel on a smooth log！
He held his rawhide shield on the right side； a little to the front； and so did
I。 Our warwhoop was like the coyotes singing in the evening； when they
smell blood！
〃The soldiers' guns talked fast； but few were hurt。 Their big gun was
like a toothless old dog； who only makes himself hotter the more noise he
makes；〃 he remarked with some humor。
〃How much harm we did I do not know； but we made things lively for
a time； and the white men acted as people do when a swarm of angry bees
get into camp。 We made a successful retreat； but some of the reservation
Indians followed us yelling； until Hohay told them that he did not wish to
fight with the captives of the white man； for there would be no honor in
that。 There was blood running down my leg； and I found that both my
horse and I were slightly wounded。
〃Some two years later we attacked a fort west of the Black Hills ＇Fort
Phil Kearny； Wyoming＇。 It was there we killed one hundred soldiers。〃
＇The military reports say eighty men； under the command of Captain
Fetterman not one left alive to tell the tale！＇ 〃Nearly every band of the
Sioux nation was represented in that fight Red Cloud； Spotted Tail；
Crazy Horse； Sitting Bull； Big Foot； and all our great chiefs were there。
Of course such men as I were then comparatively unknown。 However；
there were many noted young warriors； among them Sword； the younger
Young…Man…Afraid； American Horse ＇afterward chief＇； Crow King； and
others。
〃This was the plan decided upon after many councils。 The main war
party lay in ambush； and a few of the bravest young men were appointed
to attack the woodchoppers who were cutting logs to complete the
building of the fort。 We were told not to kill these men； but to chase
them into the fort and retreat slowly； defying the white men； and if the
soldiers should follow； we were to lead them into the ambush。 They took
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our bait exactly as we had hoped！ It was a matter of a very few minutes；
for every soldier lay dead in a shorter time than it takes to annihilate a
small herd of buffalo。
〃This attack was hastened because most of the Sioux on the Missouri
River and eastward had begun to talk of suing for peace。 But even this
did not stop the peace movement。 The very next year a treaty was signed
at Fort Rice； Dakota Territory； by nearly all the Sioux chiefs； in which it
was agreed on the part of the Great Father in Washington that all the
country north of the Republican River in Nebraska； including the Black
Hills and the Big Horn Mountains； was to be always Sioux country； and no
white man should intrude upon it without our permission。 Even with this
agreement Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse were not satisfied； and they would
not sign。
〃Up to this time I had fought in some important battles； but had
achieved no great deed。 I was ambitious to make a name for myself。 I
joined war parties against the Crows； Mandans； Gros Ventres； and
Pawnees； and gained some little distinction。
〃It was when the white men found the yellow metal in our country； and
came in great numbers； driving away our game； that we took up arms
against them for the last time。 I must say here that the chiefs who were
loudest for war were among the first to submit and accept reservation life。
Spotted Tail was a great warrior； yet he was one of the first to yield；
because he was promised by the Chief Soldiers that they would make him
chief of all the Sioux。 Ugh！ he would have stayed with Sitting Bull to the
last had it not been for his ambition。
〃About this time we young warriors began to watch the trails of the
white men into the Black Hills； and when we saw a wagon coming we
would hide at the crossing and kill them all without much trouble。 We
did this to discourage the whites from coming into our country without our
permission。 It was the duty of our Great Father at Washington； by the
agreement of 1868； to keep his white children away。
〃During the troublesome time after this treaty； which no one seemed to
respect； either white or Indian ＇but the whites broke it first＇； I was like
many other young men much on the warpath； but with little honor。 I
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had not yet become noted for any great deed。 Finally； Wapaypay and I
waylaid and killed a white soldier on his way from the fort to his home in
the east。
〃There were a few Indians who were liars； and never on the warpath；
playing 'good Indian' with the Indian agents and the war chiefs at the forts。
Some of this faithless set betrayed me； and told more than I ever did。 I
was seized and taken to the fort near Bismarck； North Dakota ＇Fort
Abraham Lincoln＇； by a brother ＇Tom Custer＇ of the Long…Haired War
Chief； and imprisoned there。 These same lying Indians； who were selling
their services as scouts to the white man； told me that I was to be shot to
death； or else hanged upon a tree。 I answered that I was not afraid to die。
〃However； there was an old soldier who used to bring my food and
stand guard over me he was a white man； it is true； but he had an Indian
heart！ He came to me one day and unfastened the iron chain and ball
with which they had locked my leg； saying by signs and what little Sioux
he could muster：
〃'Go； friend！ take the chain and ball with you。 I shall shoot； but the
voice of the gun will lie。'
〃When he had made me understand； you may guess that I ran my best！
I was almost over the bank when he fired his piece at me several times； but
I had already gained cover and was safe。 I have never told this before；
and would not； lest it should do him an injury； but he was an old man then；
and I am sure he must be dead long since。 That old soldier taught me
that some of the white people have hearts；〃 he added； quite seriously。
〃I went back to Standing Rock in the night； and I had to hide for
several days in the woods； where food was brought to me by my relatives。
The Indian police were ordered to retake me； and they pretended to hunt
for me； but really they did not； for if they had found me I would have died
with one or two of them； and they knew it！ In a
