第 6 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-02-21 14:13      字数:9322
  never   again   took   up   arms   against   the   whites。     On   the   contrary;   it   was
  mainly   attributed   to   his   influence   that   the   hostiles   were   subdued   much
  sooner   than   might   have   been   expected。        He   came   into   the   reservation
  with his band; urged his young   men to enlist as government scouts;  and
  assisted     materially    in  all  negotiations。      The     hostile   chiefs   no   longer
  influenced   his   action;   and   as   soon   as   they   had   all   been   brought   under
  military   control;   General   Crook   named   Spotted   Tail   head   chief   of   the
  Sioux;  thus   humiliating   Red   Cloud   and   arousing   jealousy  and   ill…feeling
  among the   Ogallalas。         In   order   to   avoid trouble;   he prudently  separated
  himself   from  the   other   bands;   and   moved   to   the   new   agency  on   Beaver
  Creek (Fort Sheridan; Nebraska); which was called 〃Spotted Tail Agency。〃
  Just   before   the   daring   war   leader;   Crazy   Horse;   surrendered   to   the
  military; he went down to the agency and roundly rebuked Spotted Tail for
  signing away the freedom of his people。                From the point of view of the
  irreconcilables;   the   diplomatic   chief   was   a   〃trimmer〃   and   a   traitor;   and
  many of the Sioux have tried to implicate him in the conspiracy against
  Crazy Horse which led to his assassination; but I hold that the facts do not
  bear out this charge。
  The   name   of   Spotted Tail   was   prominently  before   the   people   during
  the rest of his life。     An obscure orphan; he had achieved distinction by his
  bravery and sagacity; but he copied the white politician too closely after
  he   entered   the   reservation。      He   became   a   good   manipulator;   and   was
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  made   conceited   and   overbearing by  the   attentions   of the   military  and   of
  the general public。       Furthermore; there was an old feud in his immediate
  band which affected him closely。            Against him for many years were the
  followers of Big Mouth; whom he had killed in a duel; and also a party led
  by a son and a nephew of the old chief; Conquering Bear; whom Spotted
  Tail had succeeded at his death。           These two men had hoped that one or
  the other of them might obtain the succession。
  Crow Dog; the nephew of Conquering Bear;  more than once taunted
  Spotted Tail with the fact that he was chief not by the will of the tribe; but
  by the help of the white soldiers; and told him that he would 〃keep a bullet
  for him〃 in case he ever disgraced his high position。             Thus retribution lay
  in   wait   for   him   while   at   the   height   of   his   fame。 Several   high…handed
  actions of his at this time; including his elopement with another man's wife;
  increased his unpopularity with a large element of his own tribe。                 On the
  eve    of  the  chief's   departure   for   Washington;     to  negotiate    (or  so  they
  suspected) for the sale of more of their land; Crow Dog took up his gun
  and fulfilled his threat; regarding himself; and regarded by his supporters;
  not as a murderer; but as an executioner。
  Such was the end of the man who may justly be called the Pontiac of
  the   west。   He   possessed   a   remarkable   mind   and   extraordinary   foresight
  for an untutored savage; and yet he is the only one of our great men to be
  remembered with more honor by the white man; perhaps; than by his own
  people。
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  LITTLE CROW
  Chief   Little   Crow   was   the   eldest   son   of   Cetanwakuwa   (Charging
  Hawk)。      It was on account of his father's name; mistranslated Crow; that
  he    was    called   by   the   whites    〃Little   Crow。〃      His     real  name     was
  Taoyateduta; His Red People。
  As   far   back   as   Minnesota   history   goes;   a   band   of   the   Sioux   called
  Kaposia (Light Weight;  because they  were said to travel light)  inhabited
  the Mille   Lacs   region。     Later   they  dwelt about St。   Croix   Falls;   and   still
  later near St。 Paul。      In 1840; Cetanwakuwa was still living in what is now
  West St。 Paul; but he was soon after killed by the accidental discharge of
  his gun。
  It was during   a period of demoralization   for  the  Kaposias   that   Little
  Crow became the   leader of his people。             His father;   a well…known   chief;
  had three wives; all from different bands of the Sioux。                He was the only
  son of the first wife; a Leaf Dweller。           There were two sons of the second
  and two of the third wife; and the second set of brothers conspired to kill
  their half…brother in order to keep the chieftainship in the family。
  Two kegs of whisky were bought; and all the men of the tribe invited
  to   a   feast。 It   was   planned   to   pick   some   sort   of   quarrel   when   all   were
  drunk; and in the confusion Little Crow was to be murdered。                      The plot
  went     smoothly     until  the   last  instant;  when    a   young    brave   saved    the
  intended   victim   by   knocking   the   gun   aside   with   his   hatchet;   so   that   the
  shot    went    wild。    However;       it  broke   his  right   arm;   which     remained
  crooked all his life。      The friends of the young chieftain hastily withdrew;
  avoiding a general fight; and later the council of the Kaposias condemned
  the two brothers; both of whom were executed; leaving him in undisputed
  possession。
  Such was the opening of a stormy career。               Little Crow's mother had
  been a chief's daughter; celebrated for her beauty and spirit; and it is said
  that she used to plunge him into the lake through a hole in the ice; rubbing
  him   afterward   with   snow;   to   strengthen   his   nerves;   and   that   she   would
  remain   with him  alone   in   the deep   woods   for   days   at   a   time;   so   that   he
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  might know that solitude is good; and not fear to be alone with nature。
  〃My son;〃 she would say; 〃if you are to be a leader of men; you must
  listen in silence to the mystery; the spirit。〃
  At a very early age she made a feast for her boy and announced that he
  would fast two days。          This is what might be called a formal presentation
  to the spirit or God。        She greatly desired him to become a worthy leader
  according to the ideas of her people。             It appears that she left her husband
  when he took a second wife; and lived with her own band till her death。
  She did not marry again。
  Little Crow was an intensely ambitious man and without physical fear。
  He was always in perfect training and early acquired the art of warfare of
  the Indian type。       It is told of him that when he was about ten years old; he
  engaged with other boys in a sham battle on the shore of a lake near St。
  Paul。     Both   sides   were   encamped   at   a   little   distance   from   one   another;
  and the   rule   was   that   the   enemy   must   be surprised; otherwise the   attack
  would   be   considered   a   failure。     One   must   come   within   so   many   paces
  undiscovered in order to be counted successful。                 Our hero had a favorite
  dog which; at his earnest request; was allowed to take part in the   game;
  and as a scout he entered the enemy camp unseen; by the help of his dog。
  When   he   was   twelve;   he   saved   the   life   of   a   companion   who       had
  broken   through   the ice   by  tying   the   end   of   a pack   line   to   a   log;   then   at
  great risk to himself carrying it to the edge of the hole where his comrade
  went     down。     It   is  said   that  he   also   broke    in;  but   both   boys    saved
  themselves by means of the line。
  As a young man; Little Crow was always ready to serve his people as a
  messenger   to   other   tribes;   a   duty   involving   much   danger   and   hardship。
  He was also known as one of the best hunters in his band。                   Although still
  young; he had already a war record when he became chief of the Kaposias;
  at a time when the Sioux were facing the greatest and most far…reaching
  changes that had ever come to them。
  At    this  juncture     in  the   history    of  the   northwest      and   its  native
  inhabitants;   the   various   fur   companies   had   paramount   influence。          They
  did   not   hesitate   to   impress   the   Indians   with   t