第 31 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-02-21 14:14      字数:8617
  was listened to with respect by the scattered white settlers in his vicinity。
  He    would     make    a  political   speech    through     an  interpreter;    but  would
  occasionally   break       loose   in   his   broken   English;   and   wind   up   with   an
  invitation   to   drink   in   the   following   words:   〃Chentimen;   you   Pemicans
  (Republicans); come out and drink!〃
  From     1855    to  1864    Hole…in…the…Day       was    a  well…known      figure   in
  Minnesota; and scarcely less so in Washington; for he visited the capital
  quite often on tribal affairs。        As I have said before; he was an unusually
  handsome man; and was not unresponsive to flattery and the attentions of
  women。       At the time of this incident he was perhaps thirty…five years old;
  but   looked   younger。      He   had   called   upon   the   President   and   was   on   his
  way back to his hotel; when he happened to pass the Treasury building just
  as the clerks were leaving for the day。             He was immediately surrounded
  by an   inquisitive throng。        Among   them  was   a   handsome   young   woman
  who     asked    through    the   interpreter    if  the  chief   would    consent     to  an
  interview   about   his   people;   to   aid   her   in   a   paper   she   had   promised   to
  prepare。
  Hole…in…the…Day replied: 〃If the beautiful lady is willing to risk calling
  on the chief at his hotel; her request will be granted。〃             The lady went; and
  the   result   was   so   sudden   and   strong   an   attachment   that   both   forgot   all
  racial biases and differences of language and custom。                 She followed him
  as   far   as   Minneapolis;   and   there  the   chief   advised   her  to   remain;   for   he
  feared the jealousy of some of his many wives。               She died there; soon after
  giving birth to a son; who was brought up by a family named Woodbury;
  and some fifteen years ago I met the young man in Washington and was
  taken by him to call upon certain of his mother's relatives。
  The   ascendancy   of   Hole…in…the…Day   was   not   gained   entirely   through
  the consent of his people; but largely by government favor; therefore there
  was strong suppressed resentment among his associate chiefs; and the Red
  Lake and Leech Lake bands in fact never acknowledged him as their head;
  while they suspected him of making treaties which involved some of their
  land。    He was in personal danger from this source; and his life was twice
  attempted;      but;   though     wounded;      in  each    case   he    recovered。      His
  popularity with Indian agents and officers lasted till the Republicans came
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  into power in the sixties and there was a new deal。                 The chief no longer
  received the favors and tips to which he was accustomed; in fact he was in
  want of luxuries; and worse still; his pride was hurt by neglect。                  The new
  party had promised Christian treatment to the Indians; but it appeared that
  they  were   greater   grafters   than   their   predecessors;   and   unlike   them   kept
  everything for themselves; allowing no perquisites to any Indian chief。
  In   his   indignation   at   this   treatment;   Hole…in…the…Day  began   exposing
  the   frauds   on   his   people;   and   so   at   a   late   day   was   converted   to   their
  defense。      Perhaps he had not fully understood the nature of graft until he
  was in a position to view it from the outside。              After all; he was excusable
  in seeking to maintain the dignity of his office; but he had departed from
  one of the fundamental rules of the race; namely: 〃Let no material gain be
  the motive or reward of public duty。〃              He had wounded the ideals of his
  people   beyond   forgiveness;   and   he   suffered   the   penalty;   yet   his   courage
  was   not   diminished   by   the   mistakes   of   his   past。   Like   the   Sioux   chief
  Little Crow; he   was called   〃the betrayer   of his people〃; and   like him  he
  made a desperate effort to regain lost prestige; and turned savagely against
  the original betrayers of his confidence; the agents and Indian traders。
  When the Sioux finally broke out in 1862; the first thought of the local
  politicians     was    to   humiliate     Hole…in…the…Day        by   arresting    him    and
  proclaiming       some    other   〃head    chief〃   in  his  stead。    In   so  doing    they
  almost forced the Ojibways to fight under his leadership。                   The chief had
  no   thought   of   alliance   with   the   Sioux;   and   was   wholly   unaware   of   the
  proposed   action   of   the   military  on   pretense   of   such   a   conspiracy   on   his
  part。    He was on his way to the agency in his own carriage when a runner
  warned him of his danger。           He thereupon jumped down and instructed the
  driver to proceed。        His coachman was arrested by a file of soldiers; who
  when they discovered their mistake went to his residence in search of him;
  but meanwhile he had sent runners in every direction to notify his warriors;
  and   had   moved   his   family   across   the   Mississippi。        When   the   military
  reached the river bank he was still in sight; and the lieutenant called upon
  him   to   surrender。     When   he   refused;   the   soldiers   were   ordered   to   fire
  upon him; but he replied with his own rifle; and with a whoop disappeared
  among the pine groves。
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  It was remarkable how the whole tribe now rallied to the call of Hole…
  in…the…Day。      He   allowed   no   depredations   to   the   young   men   under   his
  leadership; but camped openly near the agency and awaited an explanation。
  Presently     Judge    Cooper     of   St。  Paul;   a  personal    friend   of   the   chief;
  appeared; and later on the Assistant Secretary of the Interior; accompanied
  by Mr。 Nicolay; private secretary of President Lincoln。                  Apparently that
  great   humanitarian   President   saw   the   whole   injustice   of   the   proceeding
  against a loyal nation; and the difficulty was at an end。
  Through   the  treaties   of  1864;   1867;   and   1868   was   accomplished   the
  final   destiny   of   the   Mississippi   River   Ojibways。      Hole…in…the…Day   was
  against their removal to what is now White Earth reservation; but he was
  defeated     in  this   and   realized   that   the  new    turn   of  events   meant     the
  downfall   of   his   race。   He   declared   that   he   would   never   go   on   the   new
  reservation; and he kept his word。           He remained on one of his land grants
  near    Crow    Wing。     As    the  other   chiefs   assumed     more    power;    the  old
  feeling   of   suspicion   and   hatred   became   stronger;   especially   among   the
  Pillager   and   Red   Lake   bands。     One   day   he   was   waylaid   and   shot   by   a
  party of these disaffected Indians。          He uttered a whoop and fell dead from
  his buggy。
  Thus died one of the most brilliant chiefs of the Northwest; who never
  defended his birthright by force of arms; although almost compelled to do
  so。    He succeeded in diplomacy so long as he was the recognized head of
  his people。      Since we have not passed over his weaknesses; he should be
  given     credit   for  much     insight   in   causing    the  article   prohibiting     the
  introduction of liquor into the Indian country to be inserted into the treaty
  of   1858。     I   think   it  was   in  1910    that   this  forgotten    provision     was
  discovered and again enforced over a large expanse of territory occupied
  by whites; it being found that the provision had never been repealed。
  Although he left many children; none seem to have made their mark;
  yet it may be that in one of his descendants that undaunted spirit will rise
  again。
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