第 16 节
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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 few days I departed with several others; and we rejoined
the hostile camp on the Powder River and made some trouble for the
men who were building the great iron track north of us 'Northern
Pacific'。
〃In the spring the hostile Sioux got together again upon the
Tongue River。 It was one of the greatest camps of the Sioux that
I ever saw。 There were some Northern Cheyennes with us; under Two
Moon; and a few Santee Sioux; renegades from Canada; under
Inkpaduta; who had killed white people in Iowa long before。 We had
decided to fight the white soldiers until no warrior should be
left。〃
At this point Rain…in…the…Face took up his tobacco pouch and
began again to fill his pipe。
〃Of course the younger warriors were delighted with the
prospect of a great fight! Our scouts had discovered piles of oats
for horses and other supplies near the Missouri River。 They had
been brought by the white man's fire…boats。 Presently they
reported a great army about a day's travel to the south; with
Shoshone and Crow scouts。
〃There was excitement among the people; and a great council
was held。 Many spoke。 I was asked the condition of those Indians
who had gone upon the reservation; and I told them truly that they
were nothing more than prisoners。 It was decided to go out and
meet Three Stars 'General Crook' at a safe distance from our camp。
〃We met him on the Little Rosebud。 I believe that if we had
waited and allowed him to make the attack; he would have fared no
better than Custer。 He was too strongly fortified where he was;
and I think; too; that he was saved partly by his Indian allies;
for the scouts discovered us first and fought us first; thus giving
him time to make his preparations。 I think he was more wise than
brave! After we had left that neighborhood he might have pushed on
and connected with the Long…Haired Chief。 That would have saved
Custer and perhaps won the day。
〃When we crossed from Tongue River to the Little Big Horn; on
account of the scarcity of game; we did not anticipate any more
trouble。 Our runners had discovered that Crook had retraced his
trail to Goose Creek; and we did not suppose that the white men
would care to follow us farther into the rough country。
〃Suddenly the Long…Haired Chief appeared with his men! It was
a surprise。〃
〃What part of the camp were you in when the soldiers attacked
the lower end?〃 I asked。
〃I had been invited to a feast at one of the young men's
lodges 'a sort of club'。 There was a certain warrior who was
making preparations to go against the Crows; and I had decided to
go also;〃 he said。
〃While I was eating my meat we heard the war cry! We all
rushed out; and saw a warrior riding at top speed from the lower
camp; giving the warning as he came。 Then we heard the reports of
the soldiers' guns; which sounded differently from the guns fired
by our people in battle。
〃I ran to my teepee and seized my gun; a bow; and a quiver
full of arrows。 I already had my stone war club; for you know we
usually carry those by way of ornament。 Just as I was about to set
out to meet Reno; a body of soldiers appeared nearly opposite us;
at the edge of a long line of cliffs across the river。
〃All of us who were mounted and ready immediately started down
the stream toward the ford。 There were Ogallalas; Minneconjous;
Cheyennes; and some Unkpapas; and those around me seemed to be
nearly all very young men。
〃'Behold; there is among us a young woman!' I shouted。 'Let
no young man hide behind her garment!' I knew that would make
those young men brave。
〃The woman was Tashenamani; or Moving Robe; whose brother had
just been killed in the fight with Three Stars。 Holding her
brother's war staff over her head; and leaning forward upon her
charger; she looked as pretty as a bird。 Always when there is a
woman in the charge; it causes the warriors to vie with one another
in displaying their valor;〃 he added。
〃The foremost warriors had almost surrounded the white men;
and more were continually crossing the stream。 The soldiers had
dismounted; and were firing into the camp from the top of the
cliff。〃
〃My friend; was Sitting Bull in this fight?〃 I inquired。
〃I did not see him there; but I learned afterward that he was
among those who met Reno; and that was three or four of the white
man's miles from Custer's position。 Later he joined the attack
upon Custer; but was not among the foremost。
〃When the troops were surrounded on two sides; with the river
on the third; the order came to charge! There were many very young
men; some of whom had only a war staff or a stone war club in hand;
who plunged into the column; knocking the men over and stampeding
their horses。
〃The soldiers had mounted and started back; but when the onset
came they dismounted again and separated into several divisions;
facing different ways。 They fired as fast as they could load their
guns; while we used chiefly arrows and war clubs。 There seemed to
be two distinct movements among the Indians。 One body moved
continually in a circle; while the other rode directly into and
through the troops。
〃Presently some of the soldiers remounted and fled along the
ridge toward Reno's position; but they were followed by our
warriors; like hundreds of blackbirds after a hawk。 A larger body
remained together at the upper end of a little ravine; and fought
bravely until they were cut to pieces。 I had always thought that
white men were cowards; but I had a great respect for them after
this day。
〃It is generally said that a young man with nothing but a war
staff in his hand broke through the column and knocked down the
leader very early in the fight。 We supposed him to be the leader;
because he stood up in full view; swinging his big knife 'sword'
over his head; and talking loud。 Some one unknown afterwards shot
the chief; and he was probably killed also; for if not; he would
have told of the deed; and called others to witness it。 So it is
that no one knows who killed the Long…Haired Chief 'General
Custer'。
〃After the first rush was over; coups were counted as usual on
the bodies of the slain。 You know four coups 'or blows' can be
counted on the body of an enemy; and whoever counts the first one
'touches it for the first time' is entitled to the 'first feather。'
〃There was an Indian here called Appearing Elk; who died a
short time ago。 He was slightly wounded in the charge。 He had
some of the weapons of the Long…Haired Chief; and the Indians used
to say jokingly after we came upon the reservation that Appearing
Elk must have killed the Chief; because he had his sword! However;
the scramble for plunder did not begin until all were dead。 I do
not think he killed Custer; and if he had; the time to claim the
honor was immediately after the fight。
〃Many lies have been told of me。 Some say that I killed the
Chief; and others that I cut out the heart of his brother 'Tom
Custer'; because he had caused me to be imprisoned。 Why; in that
fight the excitement was so great that we scarcely recognized our
nearest friends! Everything was done like lightning。 After the
battle we young men were chasing horses all over the prairie; while
the old men and women plundered the bodies; and if any mutilating
was done; it was by the old men。
〃I have lived peaceably ever since we came upon the
reservation。 No one can say that Rain…in…the…Face has broken the
rules of the Great Father。 I fought for my people and my country。
When we were conquered I remained silent; as a warrior should。
Rain…in…the…Face was killed when he put down his weapons before the
Great Father。 His spirit was gone then; only his poor body lived
on; but now it is almost ready to lie down for the last time。 Ho;
hechetu! 'It is well。'〃