第 14 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-02-21 14:13      字数:9322
  soldiers it   must   have  seemed as if   the  Indians   rose up   from  the  earth   to
  overwhelm them。          They closed in from three sides and fought until not a
  white   man   was   left   alive。    Then   they   went   down   to   Reno's   stand   and
  found   him   so   well   intrenched   in   a   deep   gully   that   it   was   impossible   to
  dislodge   him。      Gall   and   his   men   held   him   there   until   the   approach   of
  General Terry compelled the Sioux to break camp and scatter in different
  directions。
  While   Sitting   Bull   was   pursued   into   Canada;   Crazy   Horse   and   the
  Cheyennes wandered about; comparatively undisturbed; during the rest of
  that year; until in the winter the army surprised the Cheyennes; but did not
  do them   much   harm;   possibly  because   they  knew   that   Crazy  Horse   was
  not   far   off。  His   name   was   held   in   wholesome   respect。       From   time   to
  time; delegations of friendly Indians were sent to him; to urge him to come
  in to the reservation; promising a full hearing and fair treatment。
  For some time he held out; but the rapid disappearance of the buffalo;
  their  only   means   of   support;   probably  weighed   with   him   more   than   any
  other influence。       In July; 1877; he was finally prevailed upon to come in
  to Fort Robinson; Nebraska; with several thousand Indians; most of them
  Ogallala and Minneconwoju Sioux; on the distinct understanding that the
  government would hear and adjust their grievances。
  At   this   juncture   General     Crook    proclaimed      Spotted    Tail;  who    had
  rendered   much   valuable   service   to   the   army;   head   chief   of   the   Sioux;
  which     was    resented    by   many。     The     attention   paid    Crazy    Horse    was
  offensive to Spotted Tail and the Indian scouts; who planned a conspiracy
  against him。       They reported to General Crook that the young chief would
  murder him at the next council; and stampede the Sioux into another war。
  He was urged not to attend the council and did not; but sent another officer
  to represent him。        Meanwhile the friends of Crazy Horse discovered the
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  plot and told him of it。       His reply was; 〃Only cowards are murderers。〃
  His wife was critically ill at the time; and he decided to take her to her
  parents at Spotted Tail agency; whereupon his enemies circulated the story
  that he had fled; and a party of scouts was sent after him。               They overtook
  him riding with his wife and one other but did not undertake to arrest him;
  and after he had left the sick woman with her people he went to call on
  Captain Lea; the agent for the Brules; accompanied by all the warriors of
  the    Minneconwoju        band。     This    volunteer     escort   made     an   imposing
  appearance       on  horseback;     shouting    and    singing;   and   in  the   words    of
  Captain Lea himself and the missionary; the Reverend Mr。 Cleveland; the
  situation   was   extremely   critical。     Indeed;   the   scouts   who   had   followed
  Crazy Horse from Red Cloud agency were advised not to show themselves;
  as some of the warriors had urged that they be taken out and horsewhipped
  publicly。
  Under   these   circumstances   Crazy   Horse   again   showed   his   masterful
  spirit by holding these young men in check。               He said to them in his quiet
  way: 〃It is well to be brave in the field of battle; it is cowardly to display
  bravery against one's own tribesmen。             These scouts have been compelled
  to do what they did; they are no better than servants of the white officers。
  I came here on a peaceful errand。〃
  The    captain    urged   him    to  report   at  army    headquarters     to  explain
  himself and correct false rumors; and on his giving consent; furnished him
  with a wagon and escort。          It has been said that he went back under arrest;
  but this is untrue。      Indians have boasted that they had a hand in bringing
  him   in;   but   their   stories   are   without   foundation。   He   went   of   his   own
  accord; either suspecting no treachery or determined to defy it。
  When   he   reached   the   military  camp;   Little   Big   Man   walked   arm…in…
  arm   with   him;   and   his   cousin   and   friend;   Touch…the…Cloud;   was   just   in
  advance。      After they passed the sentinel; an officer approached them and
  walked   on   his   other   side。   He   was   unarmed   but   for   the   knife   which   is
  carried for ordinary uses by women as well as men。                   Unsuspectingly he
  walked   toward   the   guardhouse;   when   Touch…the…Cloud   suddenly   turned
  back exclaiming: 〃Cousin; they will put you in prison!〃
  〃Another white man's trick!          Let me go!       Let me die fighting!〃 cried
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  Crazy  Horse。       He   stopped   and   tried   to   free   himself   and   draw   his   knife;
  but both arms were held fast by Little Big Man and the officer。                  While he
  struggled thus; a soldier thrust him through with his bayonet from behind。
  The   wound   was   mortal;   and   he   died   in   the   course   of   that   night;   his   old
  father   singing the death song over   him  and   afterward   carrying   away  the
  body; which they said must not be further polluted by the touch of a white
  man。     They hid it somewhere in the Bad Lands; his resting place to this
  day。
  Thus died one of the ablest and truest American Indians。                 His life was
  ideal; his record clean。        He was never involved in any of the numerous
  massacres   on   the   trail;   but   was   a   leader   in   practically   every   open   fight。
  Such characters as those of Crazy Horse and Chief Joseph are not easily
  found among so…called civilized people。               The reputation of great men is
  apt to be shadowed by questionable motives and policies; but here are two
  pure patriots; as worthy of honor as any who ever breathed God's air in the
  wide spaces of a new world。
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  SITTING BULL
  IT  is   not   easy  to   characterize   Sitting   Bull;  of   all   Sioux   chiefs   most
  generally   known   to   the American   people。         There   are   few   to   whom   his
  name is not familiar; and still fewer who have learned to connect it with
  anything     more    than   the  conventional      notion   of  a  bloodthirsty     savage。
  The   man   was   an   enigma   at   best。    He   was   not   impulsive;   nor   was   he
  phlegmatic。      He   was   most   serious   when   he   seemed   to   be   jocose。     He
  was gifted with the power of sarcasm; and few have used it more artfully
  than he。
  His father was one of the best…known members of the Unkpapa band
  of Sioux。      The manner of this man's death was characteristic。                One day;
  when the Unkpapas were attacked by a large war party of Crows; he fell
  upon the enemy's war leader with his knife。              In a hand…to…hand combat of
  this sort; we count the victor as entitled to a war bonnet of trailing plumes。
  It   means   certain   death   to   one   or   both。 In   this   case;   both   men   dealt   a
  mortal stroke; and Jumping Buffalo; the father of Sitting Bull; fell from his
  saddle and died in a few minutes。           The other died later from the effects of
  the wound。
  Sitting Bull's boyhood must have been a happy one。                 It was long after
  the    day   of   the  dog…travaux;      and   his   father   owned     many    ponies    of
  variegated colors。       It was said of him in a joking way that his legs were
  bowed like the ribs of the ponies that he rode constantly from childhood。
  He   had   also   a   common   nickname   that   was   much   to   the   point。     It   was
  〃Hunkeshnee〃; which means 〃Slow〃; referring to his inability to run fast;
  or   more   probably  to   the   fact   that he   seldom  appeared   on   foot。    In   their
  boyish games he was wont to take the part of the 〃old man〃; but this does
  not mean that he was not active and brave。               It is told that after a buffalo
  hunt the boys were enjoying a mimic hunt with the calves that had been
  left   behind。    A  large   calf   turned   viciously   on   Sitting   Bull;   whose   pony
  had thrown   him;  but   the   alert   youth   got hold  of both   ears   and struggled
  until the calf was pushed back into a buffalo wallow in a sitting posture。
  The   bo