第 25 节
作者:恐龙王      更新:2021-02-21 14:14      字数:9322
  Many of them had lost everything; there were but a few who had even one
  child left。    They were heartbroken。
  These   despairing   women   appealed   to   their   husbands   to   die   fighting:
  their   liberty   was    gone;   their  homes     broken     up;  and   only   slavery    and
  gradual extinction in sight。         At last Dull Knife listened。        He said: 〃I have
  lived   my   life。   I   am   ready。〃    The   others   agreed。      〃If   our   women   are
  willing to die with us; who is there to say no?               If we are to do the deeds
  of men; it rests with you women to bring us our weapons。
  As they had been allowed to carry moccasins and other things to the
  men; so they contrived to take in some guns and knives under this disguise。
  The   plan   was   to   kill   the   sentinels   and   run   to   the   nearest   natural   trench;
  there   to   make   their   last   stand。  The   women   and   children   were   to   join
  them。     This   arrangement   was   carried   out。       Not   every  brave had   a   gun;
  but all had agreed to die together。            They fought till   their small store  of
  ammunition was exhausted; then exposed their broad chests for a target;
  and the mothers even held up their little ones to be shot。                  Thus died the
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  fighting Cheyennes and their dauntless leader。
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  ROMAN NOSE
  This   Cheyenne   war   chief   was   a   contemporary   of   Dull   Knife。      He
  was not so strong a character as the other; and was inclined to be pompous
  and   boastful;   but   with   all   this   he   was   a   true   type of   native American   in
  spirit and bravery。
  While Dull Knife was noted in warfare among Indians; Roman Nose
  made his record against the whites; in defense of territory embracing the
  Republican   and   Arickaree   rivers。       He   was   killed   on   the   latter   river   in
  1868; in the celebrated battle with General Forsythe。
  Save   Chief   Gall   and   Washakie   in   the   prime   of   their   manhood;   this
  chief   had   no   peer   in   bodily   perfection   and   masterful   personality。     No
  Greek or Roman gymnast was ever a finer model of physical beauty and
  power。      He   thrilled   his   men   to   frenzied   action   when   he   came   upon   the
  field。    It was said of him that he sacrificed more youths by his personal
  influence   in   battle   than   any   other   leader;   being   very   reckless   himself   in
  grand…stand charges。         He was killed needlessly in this manner。
  Roman   Nose   always   rode   an   uncommonly   fine;   spirited   horse;   and
  with his war bonnet and other paraphernalia gave a wonderful exhibition。
  The Indians used to say that the soldiers must gaze at him rather than aim
  at him; as they so seldom hit him even when running the gantlet before a
  firing line。
  He did   a  remarkable   thing   once  when   on   a  one…arrow…to…kill buffalo
  hunt with his brother…in…law。         His companion had selected his animal and
  drew so powerfully on his sinew bowstring that it broke。                    Roman Nose
  had killed his own cow and was whipping up close to the other when the
  misfortune occurred。         Both horses were going at full speed and the arrow
  jerked up in the air。      Roman Nose caught it and shot the cow for him。
  Another   curious   story   told   of   him   is   to  the   effect   that  he   had  an
  intimate   Sioux   friend   who   was   courting   a   Cheyenne   girl;   but   without
  success。     As the wooing of both Sioux and Cheyennes was pretty much
  all effected in the night time; Roman Nose told his friend to let him do the
  courting for him。        He arranged with the young woman to elope the next
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  night and to spend the honeymoon among his Sioux friends。                     He then told
  his friend what to do。 The Sioux followed instructions and carried off the
  Cheyenne maid; and not until morning did she discover her mistake。                       It is
  said   she   never   admitted   it;   and   that   the   two   lived   happily   together   to   a
  good old age; so perhaps there was no mistake after all。
  Perhaps   no   other   chief   attacked   more   emigrants   going   west   on   the
  Oregon Trail between 1860 and 1868。                He once made an attack on a large
  party of Mormons; and in this instance the Mormons had time to form a
  corral   with   their   wagons   and   shelter   their   women;   children;   and   horses。
  The men stood outside and met the Indians with well…aimed volleys; but
  they circled the wagons with whirlwind speed; and whenever a white man
  fell;   it   was   the   signal   for   Roman   Nose   to   charge   and   count   the   〃coup。〃
  The hat of one of the dead men was off; and although he had heavy hair
  and beard; the top of his head was bald from the forehead up。                    As custom
  required such a deed to be announced on the spot; the chief yelled at the
  top of his voice:
  〃Your   Roman   Nose   has   counted   the   first   coup   on   the   longest…faced
  white man who was ever killed!〃
  When   the   Northern   Cheyennes   under   this   daring   leader   attacked   a
  body     of  scouting     troops   under    the   brilliant  officer   General     Forsythe;
  Roman   Nose   thought   that   he   had   a   comparatively   easy   task。        The   first
  onset failed;   and the   command   entrenched itself   on   a   little   island。        The
  wily chief thought he could stampede them and urged on his braves with
  the declaration that the first to reach the island should be entitled to wear a
  trailing    war   bonnet。     Nevertheless      he   was    disappointed;     and   his  men
  received   such   a   warm   reception   that   none   succeeded   in   reaching   it。   In
  order to inspire them to desperate deeds he had led them in person; and
  with him that meant victory or death。             According to the army accounts; it
  was   a   thrilling   moment;   and   might   well   have   proved   disastrous   to   the
  Forsythe      command;       whose     leader    was   wounded       and   helpless。     The
  danger   was   acute   until   Roman   Nose   fell;   and   even   then   his   lieutenants
  were bent upon crossing at any cost; but some of the older chiefs prevailed
  upon them to withdraw。
  Thus the brilliant war chief of the Cheyennes came to his death。                   If he
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  had lived until 1876; Sitting Bull would have had another bold ally。
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  CHIEF JOSEPH
  The Nez Perce tribe of Indians; like other tribes too large to be united
  under     one   chief;   was   composed       of  several    bands;   each    distinct  in
  sovereignty。       It  was    a  loose    confederacy。      Joseph     and   his   people
  occupied     the   Imnaha    or  Grande     Ronde    valley   in  Oregon;    which    was
  considered perhaps the finest land in that part of the country。
  When the last treaty was entered into by some of the bands of the Nez
  Perce; Joseph's band was at Lapwai; Idaho; and had nothing to do with the
  agreement。       The   elder   chief   in   dying   had   counseled   his   son;   then   not
  more than twenty…two or twenty…three years of age; never to part with their
  home; assuring him that he had signed no papers。                 These peaceful non…
  treaty Indians did not even know what land had been ceded until the agent
  read them the government order to leave。             Of course they refused。         You
  and I would have done the same。
  When   the   agent   failed   to   move   them;   he   and   the   would…be   settlers
  called upon the army to force them to be good; namely; without a murmur
  to   leave   their   pleasant   inheritance   in   the   hands   of   a   crowd   of   greedy
  grafters。    General O。 O。 Howard; the Christian soldier; was sent to do the
  work。
  He had a long council with Joseph and his leading men; telling them
  they must obey the order or be driven out by force。              We may be sure that
  he presented this hard alternative reluctantly。           Joseph was a mere youth
  without e