第 9 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-02-21 14:13      字数:9322
  Sioux who sided with the United States in her struggle with Great Britain
  in   1819。    For   having   espoused   the   cause   of   the Americans;   he   was   ill…
  treated    by   the  British    officers   and   free   traders;   who    for  a  long   time
  controlled the northwest; even after peace had been effected between the
  two nations。       At one time he was confined in a fort called McKay; where
  now     stands    the  town     of  Prairie   du   Chien;    Wisconsin。      He     had   just
  returned from St。 Louis; and was suspected of exciting his people to rebel
  against     British   subjects。     His    life   was   even    threatened;     but   to  this
  Tamahay  merely  replied   that   he   was   ready to   die。        A  few  months   later;
  this fort was restored to the United States; and upon leaving it the British
  set the buildings on fire; though the United States flag floated above them。
  Some Indians who were present   shouted to Tamahay; 〃Your friends';  the
  Americans'; fort is on fire!〃         He responded with a war whoop; rushed into
  the   blazing   fort;   and   brought   out   the   flag。  For   this   brave   act   he   was
  rewarded   with   a   present   of   a   flag   and   medal。    He   was   never   tired   of
  displaying this medal and his recommendation papers; and even preserved
  to the end of his life an old colonial stovepipe hat; which he wore upon
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  state occasions。
  The    Sioux    long   referred   to   the  president    of  the  United    States   as
  〃Tamahay's father。〃
  The following story is told of him in his later days。            He attempted one
  day    to  cross   the  first  bridge   over   the   Mississippi    River;   but   was   not
  recognized by the sentinel; who would not allow him to pass until he paid
  the toll。    Tamahay; who was a privileged character; explained as best he
  could; with gestures and broken English; that he was always permitted to
  pass free; but as the sentinel still refused; and even threatened him with his
  bayonet; the old Indian silently seized the musket; threw it down into the
  waters of the Mississippi and went home。              Later in the day a company of
  soldiers appeared in the Indian village; and escorted our hero to a sort of
  court…martial   at   the   fort。   When   he   was   questioned   by   the   Colonel;   he
  simply  replied:   〃If   you   were threatened   by  any  one   with   a   weapon;   you
  would; in self…defense; either disable the man or get rid of the weapon。                   I
  did the latter; thinking that you would need the man more than the gun。〃
  Finally   the   officer   said   to   them;   〃I   see   you   are   both   partly   wrong。
  Some one must be responsible for the loss of the gun; therefore; you two
  will wrestle; and the man who is downed must dive for the weapon to the
  bottom of the river。〃
  Scarcely was this speech ended when Tamahay was upon the soldier;
  who was surprised both by the order and by the unexpected readiness of
  the   wily  old   Indian; so   that he   was not   prepared;   and   the   Sioux   had  the
  vantage   hold。     In   a   moment   the   bluecoat   was   down;   amid   shouts   and
  peals of laughter from his comrades。             Having thrown his man; the other
  turned and went home without a word。
  Sad    to   say;  he   acquired    a   great   appetite   for   〃minne…wakan〃;       or
  〃mysterious water〃; as the Sioux call it; which proved a source of trouble
  to him in his old age。        It is told of him that he was treated one winter's
  day to a drink of whisky in a trader's store。             He afterwards went home;
  but even the severe blizzard which soon arose did not prevent him from
  returning in the night to the friendly trader。           He awoke that worthy from
  sleep about twelve o'clock by singing his death dirge upon the roof of the
  log   cabin。    In   another   moment   he   had   jumped   down   the   mud   chimney;
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  and into the blazing embers of a fire。            The trader had to pour out to him
  some whisky in a tin pail; after which he begged the old man to 〃be good
  and go home。〃        On the eve of the so…called 〃Minnesota Massacre〃 by the
  Sioux in 1862; Tamahay; although he was then very old   and had   almost
  lost the use of his remaining eye; made a famous speech at the meeting of
  the   conspirators。      These   are   some   of   his   words;   as   reported   to   me   by
  persons who were present。
  〃What!      What!   is   this   Little   Crow?    Is   that   Little   Six? You;   too;
  White Dog; are you here?            I cannot see well now; but I can see with my
  mind's eye the stream of blood you are about to pour upon the bosom of
  this   mother   of   ours〃   (meaning   the   earth)。   〃I   stand   before   you   on   three
  legs; but the third leg has brought me wisdom〃 'referring to the staff with
  which   he   sup…   ported   himself'。     〃I   have   traveled   much;   I   have   visited
  among      the   people    whom      you   think   to   defy。    This    means     the  total
  surrender of our beautiful land; the land of a thousand lakes and streams。
  Methinks you are about to commit an act like that of the porcupine; who
  climbs a tree; balances himself upon a springy bough; and then gnaws off
  the very bough upon which he is sitting; hence; when it gives way; he falls
  upon the sharp rocks below。           Behold the great Pontiac; whose grave I saw
  near St。 Louis; he was murdered while an exile from his country!                     Think
  of   the   brave   Black   Hawk!     Methinks   his   spirit   is   still   wailing   through
  Wisconsin   and   Illinois   for   his   lost   people!    I   do   not   say   you   have   no
  cause to complain; but to resist is self…destruction。            I am done。〃
  It is supposed that this speech was his last; and it was made; though
  vainly; in defense of the Americans whom he had loved。                    He died at Fort
  Pierre;   South   Dakota;   in   1864。     His   people   say   that   he   died   a   natural
  death; of old age。      And yet his exploits are not forgotten。           Thus lived and
  departed   a   most   active   and   fearless   Sioux; Tamahay;   who   desired   to   die
  young!
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  GALL
  Chief Gall was one of the most aggressive leaders of the Sioux nation
  in their last stand for freedom。
  The westward pressure of   civilization during the past three  centuries
  has   been   tremendous。       When   our   hemisphere   was   〃discovered〃;   it   had
  been inhabited by the natives for untold ages; but it was held undiscovered
  because   the   original   owners   did   not   chart   or   advertise   it。 Yet   some   of
  them at least had developed ideals of life which included real liberty and
  equality   to   all   men;   and   they   did   not   recognize   individual   ownership   in
  land     or   other   property     beyond     actual    necessity。     It   was    a   soul
  development       leading    to  essential    manhood。      Under     this   system    they
  brought forth some striking characters。
  Gall    was   considered      by  both    Indians    and   whites    to  be   a  most
  impressive type of physical manhood。             From his picture you can judge of
  this for yourself。
  Let us follow his trail。      He was no tenderfoot。         He never asked a soft
  place for himself。      He always played the game according to the rules and
  to a finish。    To be sure; like every other man; he made some mistakes; but
  he was an Indian and never acted the coward。
  The earliest stories told of his life and doings indicate the spirit of the
  man in that of the boy。
  When he was only about three years old; the Blackfoot band of Sioux
  were on their usual   roving hunt; following the  buffalo while living  their
  natural happy life upon the wonderful wide prairies of the Dakotas。
  It was the way of every Sioux mother to adjust her household effects
  on such dogs and pack ponies as she could muster from day to day; often
  lending one   or   two   to   accommodate   some   other   woman   whose   horse   or
  dog   had   died;   or   perhaps   had   been   among   those   stampeded   and   carried
  away by  a   raiding band of   Crow  warriors。          On   this particular occasion;
  the   mother   of   our   young   Sioux   brave;   Matohinshda;   or   Bear…Shedding…
  His…Hair (Gall's childh