第 12 节
作者:闲来一看      更新:2024-01-16 22:40      字数:9322
  Under these circumstances Crazy Horse again showed his
  masterful spirit by holding these young men in check。  He said to
  them in his quiet way: 〃It is well to be brave in the field of
  battle; it is cowardly to display bravery against one's own
  tribesmen。  These scouts have been compelled to do what they did;
  they are no better than servants of the white officers。  I came
  here on a peaceful errand。〃
  The captain urged him to report at army headquarters to
  explain himself and correct false rumors; and on his giving
  consent; furnished him with a wagon and escort。  It has been said
  that he went back under arrest; but this is untrue。  Indians have
  boasted that they had a hand in bringing him in; but their stories
  are without foundation。  He went of his own accord; either
  suspecting no treachery or determined to defy it。
  When he reached the military camp; Little Big Man walked
  arm…in…arm with him; and his cousin and friend; Touch…the…Cloud;
  was just in advance。  After they passed the sentinel; an officer
  approached them and walked on his other side。  He was unarmed but
  for the knife which is carried for ordinary uses by women as well
  as men。  Unsuspectingly he walked toward the guardhouse; when
  Touch…the…Cloud suddenly turned back exclaiming: 〃Cousin; they will
  put you in prison!〃
  〃Another white man's trick!  Let me go!  Let me die fighting!〃
  cried Crazy Horse。  He stopped and tried to free himself and draw
  his knife; but both arms were held fast by Little Big Man and the
  officer。  While he struggled thus; a soldier thrust him through
  with his bayonet from behind。  The wound was mortal; and he died in
  the course of that night; his old father singing the death song
  over him and afterward carrying away the body; which they said
  must not be further polluted by the touch of a white man。  They hid
  it somewhere in the Bad Lands; his resting place to this day。
  Thus died one of the ablest and truest American Indians。  His
  life was ideal; his record clean。  He was never involved in any of
  the numerous massacres on the trail; but was a leader in
  practically every open fight。  Such characters as those of Crazy
  Horse and Chief Joseph are not easily found among so…called
  civilized people。  The reputation of great men is apt to be
  shadowed by questionable motives and policies; but here are two
  pure patriots; as worthy of honor as any who ever breathed God's
  air in the wide spaces of a new world。
  SITTING BULL
  IT is not easy to characterize Sitting Bull; of all Sioux chiefs
  most generally known to the American people。  There are few to whom
  his name is not familiar; and still fewer who have learned to
  connect it with anything more than the conventional notion of a
  bloodthirsty savage。  The man was an enigma at best。  He was not
  impulsive; nor was he phlegmatic。  He was most serious when he
  seemed to be jocose。  He was gifted with the power of sarcasm; and
  few have used it more artfully than he。
  His father was one of the best…known members of the Unkpapa
  band of Sioux。  The manner of this man's death was characteristic。
  One day; when the Unkpapas were attacked by a large war party of
  Crows; he fell upon the enemy's war leader with his knife。  In a
  hand…to…hand combat of this sort; we count the victor as entitled
  to a war bonnet of trailing plumes。  It means certain death to one
  or both。  In this case; both men dealt a mortal stroke; and Jumping
  Buffalo; the father of Sitting Bull; fell from his saddle and died
  in a few minutes。  The other died later from the effects of the
  wound。
  Sitting Bull's boyhood must have been a happy one。  It was
  long after the day of the dog…travaux; and his father owned many
  ponies of variegated colors。  It was said of him in a joking way
  that his legs were bowed like the ribs of the ponies that he rode
  constantly from childhood。  He had also a common nickname that was
  much to the point。  It was 〃Hunkeshnee〃; which means 〃Slow〃;
  referring to his inability to run fast; or more probably to the
  fact that he seldom appeared on foot。  In their boyish games he was
  wont to take the part of the 〃old man〃; but this does not mean that
  he was not active and brave。  It is told that after a buffalo hunt
  the boys were enjoying a mimic hunt with the calves that had been
  left behind。  A large calf turned viciously on Sitting Bull; whose
  pony had thrown him; but the alert youth got hold of both ears and
  struggled until the calf was pushed back into a buffalo wallow in
  a sitting posture。  The boys shouted: 〃He has subdued the buffalo
  calf!  He made it sit down!〃  And from this incident was derived
  his familiar name of Sitting Bull。
  It is a mistake to suppose that Sitting Bull; or any other
  Indian warrior; was of a murderous disposition。  It is true that
  savage warfare had grown more and more harsh and cruel since the
  coming of white traders among them; bringing guns; knives; and
  whisky。  Yet it was still regarded largely as a  sort of game;
  undertaken in order to develop the manly qualities of their youth。
  It was the degree of risk which brought honor; rather than the
  number slain; and a brave must mourn thirty days; with blackened
  face and loosened hair; for the enemy whose life he had taken。
  While the spoils of war were allowed; this did not extend to
  territorial aggrandizement; nor was there any wish to overthrow
  another nation and enslave its people。  It was a point of honor
  in the old days to treat a captive with kindness。  The common
  impression that the Indian is naturally cruel and revengeful is
  entirely opposed to his philosophy and training。  The revengeful
  tendency of the Indian was aroused by the white man。  It is not the
  natural Indian who is mean and tricky; not Massasoit but King
  Philip; not Attackullakulla but Weatherford; not Wabashaw but
  Little Crow; not Jumping Buffalo but Sitting Bull!  These men
  lifted their hands against the white man; while their fathers held
  theirs out to him with gifts。
  Remember that there were councils which gave their decisions
  in accordance with the highest ideal of human justice before there
  were any cities on this continent; before there were bridges to
  span the Mississippi; before this network of railroads was dreamed
  of!  There were primitive communities upon the very spot where
  Chicago or New York City now stands; where men were as children;
  innocent of all the crimes now committed there daily and nightly。
  True morality is more easily maintained in connection with the
  simple life。  You must accept the truth that you demoralize any
  race whom you have subjugated。
  From this point of view we shall consider Sitting Bull's
  career。  We say he is an untutored man: that is true so far as
  learning of a literary type is concerned; but he was not an
  untutored man when you view him from the standpoint of his nation。
  To be sure; he did not learn his lessons from books。  This is
  second…hand information at best。  All that he learned he verified
  for himself and put into daily practice。  In personal appearance he
  was rather commonplace and made no immediate impression; but as he
  talked he seemed to take hold of his hearers more and more。  He was
  bull…headed; quick to grasp a situation; and not readily induced to
  change his mind。  He was not suspicious until he was forced to be
  so。  All his meaner traits were inevitably developed by the events
  of his later career。
  Sitting Bull's history has been written many times by
  newspaper men and army officers; but I find no account of him which
  is entirely correct。  I met him personally in 1884; and since his
  death I have gone thoroughly into the details of his life with his
  relatives and contemporaries。  It has often been said that he was
  a physical coward and not a warrior。  Judge of this for yourselves
  from the deed which first gave him fame in his own tribe; when he
  was about twenty…eight years old。
  In an attack upon a band of Crow Indians; one of the enemy
  took his stand; after the rest had fled; in a deep ditch from
  which it seemed impossible to dislodge him。  The situation had
  already cost the lives of several warriors; but they could not let
  him go to repeat such a boast over the Sioux!
  〃Follow me!〃 said Sitting Bull; and charged。  He raced his
  horse to the brim of the ditch and struck at the enemy with his
  coup…staff; thus compelling him to expose himself to the fire of
  the others while shooting his assailant。  But the Crow merely poked
  his empty gun into his face and dodged back under cover。  Then
  Sitting Bull stopped; he saw that no one had followed him; and he
  also perceived that the enemy had no more ammunition left。  He rode
  deliberately up to the barrier and threw his loaded gun over it;
  then he went back to his party and told them what he thought of
  them。
  〃Now;〃 said he; 〃I have armed him; for I will not see a brave
  man killed unarmed。  I will strike him agai