第 16 节
作者:闲来一看      更新:2024-01-16 22:40      字数:9322
  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。'〃