按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
to white settlement。 Since 1879； there has been but little regular
Indian fighting in the North； though there have been one or two very
tedious and wearisome campaigns waged against the Apaches in the
South。 Even in the North； however； there have been occasional
uprisings which had to be quelled by the regular troops。
After my elk hunt in September； 1891； I came out through the
Yellowstone Park； as I have elsewhere related； riding in company with
a surveyor of the Burlington and Quincy railroad； who was just coming
in from his summer's work。 It was the first of October。 There had been
a heavy snow…storm and the snow was still falling。 Riding a stout pony
each； and leading another packed with our bedding； etc。； we broke our
way from the upper to the middle geyser basin。 Here we found a troop
of the 1st Cavalry camped； under the command of old friends of mine；
Captain Frank Edwards and Lieutenant （now Captain） John Pitcher。 They
gave us hay for our horses and insisted upon our stopping to lunch；
with the ready hospitality always shown by army officers。 After lunch
we began exchanging stories。 My travelling companion； the surveyor；
had that spring performed a feat of note； going through one of the
canyons of the Big Horn for the first time。 He went with an old mining
inspector； the two of them dragging a cottonwood sledge over the ice。
The walls of the canyon are so sheer and the water so rough that it
can be descended only when the stream is frozen。 However； after six
days' labor and hardship the descent was accomplished； and the
surveyor； in concluding； described his experience in going through the
Crow Reservation。
This turned the conversation upon Indians； and it appeared that both
of our hosts had been actors in Indian scrapes which had attracted my
attention at the time they occurred； as they took place among tribes
that I knew and in a country which I had sometime visited； either when
hunting or when purchasing horses for the ranch。 The first； which
occurred to Captain Edwards； happened late in 1886； at the time when
the crow Medicine Chief； Sword…Bearer； announced himself as the
Messiah of the Indian race； during one of the usual epidemics of ghost
dancing。 Sword…Bearer derived his name from always wearing a medicine
swordthat is； a sabre painted red。 He claimed to possess magic
power； and； thanks to the performance of many dexterous feats of
juggling； and the lucky outcome of certain prophecies； he deeply
stirred the Indians； arousing the young warriors in particular to the
highest pitch of excitement。 They became sullen； began to paint and
armed themselves； and the agent and the settlers nearby grew so
apprehensive that the troops were ordered to go to the reservation。 A
body of cavalry； including Captain Edwards' troop； was accordingly
marched thither； and found the Crow warriors； mounted on their war
ponies and dressed in their striking battle…garb； waiting on a hill。
The position of troops at the beginning of such an affair is always
peculiarly difficult。 The settlers round…about are sure to clamor
bitterly against them； no matter what they do； on the ground that they
are not thorough enough and are showing favor to the savages； while on
the other hand； even if they fight purely in self…defence； a large
number of worthy but weak…minded sentimentalists in the East are sure
to shriek about their having brutally attacked the Indians。 The war
authorities always insist that they must not fire the first shot under
any circumstances； and such were the orders at this time。 The Crows on
the hill…top showed a sullen and threatening front； and the troops
advanced slowly towards them and then halted for a parley。 Meanwhile a
mass of black thunderclouds gathering on the horizon threatened one of
those cloudbursts of extreme severity and suddenness so characteristic
of the plains country。 While still trying to make arrangements for a
parley； a horseman started out of the Crow ranks and galloped headlong
down towards the troops。 It was the medicine chief； Sword…Bearer。 He
was painted and in his battle…dress； wearing his war…bonnet of
floating； trailing eagle feathers； while the plumes of the same bird
were braided in the mane and tail of his fiery little horse。 On he
came at a gallop almost up to the troops and then began to circle
around them； calling and singing and throwing his crimson sword into
the air； catching it by the hilt as it fell。 Twice he rode completely
around the soldiers； who stood in uncertainty； not knowing what to
make of his performance； and expressly forbidden to shoot at him。 Then
paying no further heed to them he rode back towards the Crows。 It
appears that he had told them that he would ride twice around the
hostile force； and by his incantations would call down rain from
heaven； which would make the hearts of the white men like water； so
that they should go back to their homes。 Sure enough； while the
arrangements for the parley were still going forward； down came the
cloudburst drenching the command and making the ground on the hills in
front nearly impassable； and before it dried a courier arrived with
orders to the troops to go back to camp。
This fulfilment of Sword…Bearer's prophecy of course raised his
reputation to the zenith and the young men of the tribe prepared for
war； while the older chiefs； who more fully realized the power of the
whites； still hung back。 When the troops next appeared they came upon
the entire Crow force； the women and children with their tepees being
off to one side beyond a little stream while almost all the warriors
of the tribe were gathered in front。 Sword…Bearer started to repeat
his former ride； to the intense irritation of the soldiers。 Luckily；
however； this time some of his young men could not be restrained。 They
too began to ride near the troops； and one of them was unable to
refrain from firing on Captain Edwards' troop； which was in the van。
This gave the soldiers their chance。 They instantly responded with a
volley； and Captain Edwards' troop charged。 The fight lasted but a
minute or two； for Sword…Bearer was struck by a bullet and fell； and
as he had boasted himself invulnerable； and promised that his warriors
should be invulnerable also if they would follow him； the hearts of
the latter became as water and they broke in every direction。 One of
the amusing； though irritating； incidents of the affair was to see the
plumed and painted warriors race headlong for the camp； plunge into
the stream； wash off their war paint； and remove their feathers； in
another moment they would be stolidly sitting on the ground； with
their blankets over their shoulders； rising to greet the pursuing
cavalry with unmoved composure and calm assurance that they had always
been friendly and had much disapproved the conduct of the young bucks
who had just been scattered on the field outside。 It was much to the
credit of the discipline of the army that no bloodshed followed the
fight proper。 The loss to the whites was small。
The other incident； related by Lieutenant Pitcher； took place in 1890；
near Tongue River； in northern Wyoming。 The command with which he was
serving was camped near the Cheyenne Reservation。 One day two young
Cheyenne bucks； met one of the government herders； and promptly killed
himin a sudden fit； half of ungovernable blood lust； half of mere
ferocious lightheartedness。 They then dragged his body into the brush
and left it。 The disappearance of the herder of course attracted
attention； and a search was organized by the cavalry。 At first the
Indians stoutly denied all knowledge of the missing man； but when it
became evident that the search party would shortly find him； two or
three of the chiefs joined them； and piloted them to where the body
lay； and acknowledged that he had been murdered by two of their band；
though at first they refused to give their names。 The commander of the
post demanded that the murderers be given up。 The chiefs said that
they were very sorry； that this could not be done； but that they were
willing to pay over any reasonable number of ponies to make amends for
the death。 This offer was of course promptly refused； and the
commander notified them that if they did not surrender the murderers
by a certain time he would hold the whole tribe responsible and would
promptly move out and attack them。 Upon this the chiefs； after holding
full counsel with the tribe； told the commander that they had no power
to surrender the murderers； but that the latter had said that sooner
than see their tribe involved in a hopeless struggle they would of
their own accord come in and meet the troops anywhere the latter chose
to appoint； and die fighting。 To this the commander responded： 〃All
right； let them come into the agency in half an hour。〃 The chiefs
acquiesced； and withdrew。
Immediately the Indians sent mounted messengers at speed from camp to
camp； summoning all their people to witness the act of fierce self…
doom； and soon the entire tribe of Cheyennes； many of them having
their faces blackened in token of mourning； moved down and took up a
position on the hill…side close to the agency。 At the appointed hour
both young men appear