Ploughed under : the story of an Indian chief

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P

loughed

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nder

The Story of an Indian Chief

TOLD BY HIMSELF

W I T H A N I N T R O D U C T I O N

By INSHTA THEAMBA

( Br i g h t Ey e s)

Ne w Yo r k:

z f e s i C S O Z ^ i o m

j j m a M o r ń 8 » ^ 0

387 >25

Copyright, 18$î. FORDS, HOWARD, 4 IIULBERT0

INTRODUCTION.

By In s h t a Th e a m b a. (“ BrightEyes.” )

Th e w h ite people h av e trie d to solve th e “ In d ia n Q u e stio n ” b y com m encing w ith th e p ro p o sitio n th a t th e In d ia n is different from all o th e r h u m a n beings.

W ith som e he is a p e c u lia r being, su rro u n d e d by a halo o f ro m an ce, w ho h as to be se t a p a rt on a reserv a­ tio n as so m e th in g sacred, w ho h as to b e fed, clothed, a n d ta k e n care o f b y a g u ard ia n o r agent, by whom he is n o t to b e allow ed to com e in c o n ta c t w ith his c o n q u e ro rs lest it m ight d eg ra d e h i m ; his c o n q u e ro rs b ein g a people w ho h o ld th e ir civ ilizatio n above th a t o f all o th e rs on th e ea rth , b ec au se o f th e ir perfect freedom a n d lib e rty . “ T h e c o n ta c t o f peoples is th e b e s t o f all e d u c a tio n .” A n d th is th e w ard is d e n ie d .

W ith o th e rs again he is a savage, a so rt o f m o n ster w ith o u t an y h e a r t o r soul o r m ind, b u t whose w hole b ein g is full o f h a tre d , ferocity, a n d b lo o d -th irstin ess. T h e y suppose him to have no fam ily affections, no love fo r his hom e, n o n e o f th e sensitive feelings th a t all o th e r h u m a n beings p resu m a b ly have. T h is class d e m a n d his ex term in a tio n .

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U n d e r th e sh e lte r o f th e c o n flictin g law s im posed b y th e se tw o ex tre m e views, th e clev er o p e ra to rs o f th e I n d ia n R in g — n o t c a rin g w h a t h e is, b u t looking on him fo r w h a t he has, a n d th e o p p o rtu n itie s he affords, as leg itim ate p rey — p o u n ce on him a n d use him as a m e an s o f o b ta in in g c o n tra c ts, rem ovals, la n d sp ecu latio n s, a n d a p p ro p ria tio n s w hich are to b e stolen. T h e y te ar him from his hom e, d isre g a rd in g all th e rig h ts o f h is m anhood.

A llow an I n d ia n to suggest th a t th e solution o f th e v ex e d “ I n d ia n Q u e stio n ” is Citizenship, w ith all its a tte n d in g d u tie s a n d resp o n sib ilities, as w ell as th e privileges o f p ro te c tio n u n d e r th e law, b y w hich th e I n d ia n co u ld ap p e al to th e co u rts, w hen d e p riv e d o f life, lib e rty , o r p ro p e rty , as every citiz e n can, a n d w o u ld b e allow ed th e o p p o rtu n ity to m ak e som ething o f him self, in com m on w ith every o th e r citiz en . I f it w ere n o t for th e la n d s w hich th e I n d ia n h o ld s, he w ould hav e been a citiz en lo n g b efore th e n e g r o ; an d in th is re sp e c t h is la n d s h av e b e e n a cu rse to him ra th e r th a n a blessing. B u t for them , h e w o u ld hav e b e e n in sig n ifican t in th e eyes o f th is pow erful a n d w ea lth y n a tio n , a n d allow ed to live in p ea ce a n d q u ietn ess, w ith o u t a ttra c tin g th e b ird s o f p rey forever h o v erin g over th e h e lp le s s ; th e n his c itiz en sh ip w ould have p ro te c te d him , as it d o es a n y o th e r o rd i­ n a ry h u m a n being. As a ‘ w a rd ,” o r ex tra o rd in a ry bein g , if he is a c cu sed o f co m m ittin g a crim e, th is serves as a p re te x t o f w ar for h is ex te rm in a tio n , a n d h is fa th e r, m o th er, sister, b ro th e r, wife, o r p eo p le are in v o lv e d in o n e com m on r u i n ; w hile if h e w ere

IN T R O D U C T IO N .

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sim ply a citiz en , h e w ould b e in d iv id u a lly a rre s te d by th e sheriff, a n d trie d in c o u rt, a n d e ith e r p ro te c te d in h is in n o c en c e o r c o n v ic te d a n d p u n ish e d in h is guilt. T h e In d ia n , as a “ w a rd ,” o r e x tra o rd in a ry being, affords em ploym ent to a b o u t ten th o u sa n d em ployes in th e I n d ia n B u reau , w ith all th e sa larie s a tta c h e d , as w ell as in n u m e ra b le c o n tra c to rs, freighters, a n d la n d sp ecu lato rs. H e req u ires also, p erio d ically , im m ense a p p ro p ria tio n s to m ove him from p la c e to place. Im ag in e a co m p an y o f Iris h im m ig ran ts re q u irin g from C ongress an a p p ro p ria tio n to m ove th e m from one p a r t o f th e c o u n try to a n o t h e r ! N o w o n d er th a t th e p o w e rs-th a t-b e refuse to recognize th e I n d ia n as an o rd in a ry h u m a n being, b u t in sist th a t h e b e ta k e n care o f a n d “ p r o te c te d ” b y th e decisio n s o f th e I n d ia n B ureau. I n th is “ la n d o f freed o m a n d lib e rty ” an I n d ia n h as to get th e perm issio n o f an a g e n t before he ca n e ith e r step off his re se rv a tio n o r allow any civilization to e n te r i t ; a n d this, u n d e r h ea v y p e n a lty for d iso b e d ie n ce. I n th is la n d , w here th e b o ast is m ad e th a t all m en are “ e q u a l b efo re th e law ,” th e I n d ia n c a n n o t sue in th e c o u rts for h is life, lib e rty , o r p ro p e rty , becau se, forsooth, th e I n d ia n is n o t a “ p e r­ so n ,” as th e le a rn e d a tto rn e y em p lo y ed b y a S ecre tary o f th e I n te r io r a rg u e d for five h o u rs, w hen a n I n d ia n ap p e aled to th e w rit o f habeas corpus for h is lib e rty .

T h e k e y to th is co m p lic a te d p ro b lem is, sim ply, T o recognize th e I n d ia n as a p e rso n a n d a citizen, give him a title to his lands, a n d p la ce him w ithin th e ju risd ic tio n o f th e co u rts, as an individual. I t is a b s u rd fo r a g re a t go v ern m en t lik e th is to say th a t it

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c a n n o t m anage a little h a n d fu l o f helpless people, w ho are b u t as an ato m in th e m ass o f fifty m illions o f people, u nless th e y tr e a t th e m a s “ w a rd s.”

N o, th e I n d ia n is n o t an e x tra o rd in a ry b e in g ; he is o f th e rac e o f m an, an d , lik e o th e rs, is th e c re a tu re o f h is su rro u n d in g s. I f you w o u ld know so m eth in g o f w h at h e is, o f how h is s p irit a n d his d isposition are affected b y h is circu m stan ces, re a d th e rec o rd o f life — its loves a n d h a te s — h e re set forth. As th e h e ro o f th is sto ry says, “ I f those o f o u r race w ho h av e b e e n slain b y th e w hite m an sh o u ld sp rin g u p from th e sod as trees, th e re w ould b e one b ro a d m o a n in g forest from th e great riv e r to th e se a .” T h e in c id e n ts o f th is ta le are b ased u p o n easily a u th e n ti­ c a te d facts— m o st o f them , in d e e d , b e in g m a tte rs o f official rec o rd . T h e lin e s are n o t to o d ee p n o r th e colors to o strong. I t w ould b e im possible to ex ag ­ g era te th e sufferings im p o sed u p o n m y p eople b y th e c ru e l g ree d o f th e ir p lu n d e re rs. A s th e a u th o r has so g rap h ic ally d e p ic te d , th e h u g e p lo u g h o f th e “ In d ia n sy ste m ” h a s ru n for a h u n d r e d years, b ea m deep, tu rn in g dow n in to th e d a rk n e ss o f th e e a rth every h o p e a n d a sp ira tio n w hich we h av e ch e rish ed . T h e sod is rich w ith th e b lo o d o f h u m a n beings o f b o th races. W h at so rt o f a h arv e st, th in k you, will it yield in th e fu tu re to th e n a tio n w hose h a n d h a s guided th is p lo u g h ?

P R E F A C E .

In com m itting th is little story to th e public, it is neces­ sary to assure th a t honorable body th a t th e tragic events described are in no case overdrawn. W hile th e narrative has n o t followed th e history of any one tribe, all th e scenes depicted have been tak en from th e great unw rit­ ten volum e of Indian suffering.

T he dialogue contains th e substance of th e discussions around th e camp-fires and in th e lodges and homes of all th e Indians of th e great N orth-w est. T he Indian lan­ guage is so full of m etaphor, th a t to preserve anything like a tru e conception of Indian speech, th e seemingly excessive richness of its coloring m ust be preserved.

T he title will suggest a figure fam iliar to every one who has had th e least experience in agricultural pursuits. T he advancing ploughshare tu rn s u n d er th e wild and beautiful grow ths of th e native sod to enrich th e soil and open th e way for new seeds and grow ths. T his is bene­ ficial and necessary in th e case of vegetable life ; b u t it is a fair question w h eth er it is so in th e case of th e hum an bodies and souls th a t go down u n d er th e advancing ploughshare of A m erican civilization on th e W estern plains. I t is w orthy th e consideration of th e intelligence and hum anity of th is land w hether th e re may n o t be som e m aterial in th e Indian race w hich is w orth saving and im proving, even for th e sake of th e w hite race and its civilization. To assist in th e form ation of right con­ clusions in respect to these w eighty m atters, th e following story has been w ritten.

C O N T E N T S . I. Th e Fir s t Pu zzle, - - - 11 II. On t h e Pr a ir ie, ^ I I I . An In d ia n Ba t t l e, - - - 27 IV. Th e Bu ffa l o Hu n t, - - - 35 V. Th e Ar r iv a l o f Gr a y Co a t, - - - - 42 VI. A Ch a p t e r of Lo v e, ...57 VII. Th e Win n in g o f a Na m e, ... 66 VIII. Bit t e r Co u n sel, ... 76 IX. Ma-sh an ! Hom e ! ... 86 X . A Va in Sa c r if ic e, ...97 X I. An Em p t y Success, - - - 105 XII. Bl in d f o l d e d Ju s t ic e, ... 119 XIII. Kin d Fa c e an d Gr a y Co a t, - 130 XIV. Th e Br id a l Ev e, - - - 152 XV. Blood-h o u n d s a n d Lu n a c y, - - - - 170 X V I. Li t t l e Sw a l l o w t a k e s t h e Tr a il, - - 185 X V II. Th e Pe r il o f Pr a ir ie Fl o w e r, - 202 X V I I I . Re tu r n in g Re aso n, ... 216 X IX . Ch oppin g Logic, - - - 227 X X . Pl o u g h ed Un d er, - - - 239 XXI. Th e Two Vo ic es, - - - 259

C H A P T E R I.

THE FIRST PUZZLE.

My earliest m em ories are concerned w ith th e shining of a g rea t river, which, flowing by th e sp o t w here our sim ple village stood, gave sp o rt to th e boys, fear to th e girls, to il to th e men, and food to all. By th e banks of th is stream , w ith my feet in its current, I would sit for hours, an d it was to me th e suggestion and type of th o u g h ts I could never hope in ou r sim ple language to ex p re ss; I d oubt if they could be defined even in th e sw eetest and m ost powerful w ords th a t o th e r peoples know so well how to use. Som etim es I would pick a dandelion and fling it o u t into th e swirl, and how strangely 1 felt as I saw it sweep dancing away ! O r I would lose my arrow head in its quicksands and would forget to search o r even weep for it, because of th e flood of strange m edi­ tatio n s th a t would com e over me. O r I would lay my cheek on th e grassy bank, my eyes on a line with th e river’s su rfa ce; and usually a t such tim es th ere was a n o th er cheek, a softer one th a n mine, on th e grass beside m ine—and I know n o t w hat m ade m e th in k of rushing down g rea t lengths of tim e w ith her by. my side, of strug­ gling w'ith o th e r men w hen I should be a man, of going into still places and th e n into storm y places, and a t last com ing to a wide, beautiful quiet.

O u r village, a t th e tim e of my boyhood, was built under g rea t trees w hose whispers a t n ig h t p u t us to sleep and w hose laughter in th e fresh m orning breeze wakened us. T h e lands of m y fathers stretched away for many miles to another great river, b u t it was th e custom of my

12 P L O U G H E D U N D ER .

people to live clustered together, in th is one m ost beauti­ ful sp o t of all, for m utual happiness and protection. O ur fathers had lived upon th is sp o t for so m any years th a t o u r oldest trad itio n s spake n o t of th e ir com ing—th e ir graves on th e neighboring hill far outnum bered th e m em bers of ou r trib e w ho now lived o r could live for many years. T hey had m ostly fed upon buffalo-meat from th e prairies and fish from th e riv er; but in addition to these, w hich were now becom ing scarce, we had potatoes and grain from o u r own lands, cultivated by o u r toil. How we cam e to plough th e earth and raise corn upon it, m a r­ ring beauty for u tility ’s sake, was to ld to me when I was of years to understand by Um-pan-nez-zhe, o r “ Standing E lk ” as th e white man would call him, who was th e “ wise m an” of ou r tribe.

“ Som e years ago,” he said, as we sat u nder th e deep shade of a tree and he m ade a new bow for me while I w hittled th e arrow, “ th ere cam e a w hite m an to ou r tepees,* and we received him as a brother. H is h air was w hite as yonder foam upon th e Missouri. H is form was bent by th e w inds of m any years. B ut his w ords were soft and sweet as th e rippling of N iobrara over th e sand. In his hand he bro u g h t T he Book, th e holy teachings of w hich were like th e gentle fall of rain, causing to spring up from our hearts grains and flowers whose seeds had long lain there. O ur fathers had dim traditions of all th e good man taught, b u t th e w ords of th e holy Book m ade these buried sproutings to rise and bud. H e g a th ­ ered th e chiefs and head men of o u r trib e to g eth er and told th em of W akanda, w hom th e w hite men call God. T he chiefs reverently told him th a t th e y and th e ir fathers had always know n and w orshiped W akanda, who was

TH E F I R S T PU ZZLE . 13

th e kind F ath e r of red men as well as w hite. T h en the good m an told them of th e wrongfulness of anger, lying, and revenge, and th e chiefs said they had known all this too. B u t w hen he told them of W akanda’s Son, who loved th e sim ple-hearted and th e poor and died for them , o u r fath ers w ept and said, ‘ W e had hoped for such an E-K a-gah, o r “ Friend,” b u t we knew n o t he was ours.’ F o r m any days th e good man staid w ith o u r people, and ta u g h t us how to build these houses of th e logs felled from th e brook-sides. H e to ld us m any of th e strange ways of white men, w ho live in close and d irty cities, and m any of whom have never felt th e sweet breeze of th e prairies o n th e ir cheeks, o r watched th e scarlet bursting of a blizzard-storm . H e chided us for n o t plowing th e ground and raising corn, and seem ed to th in k his people were wiser th a n ours th a t th e y did so. B ut o u r chiefs said th a t th e ir fathers had raised corn upon th a t continent before w hite m an’s foot had pressed it. T h a t we had departed from th e ir ways was a m a tte r of proud choice. ‘ O ur fathers,’ they said, ‘were like th e prairie-dogs who burrow into th e ground on one spot to gain th e ir food. W e are like th e eagles who in unchained liberty snatch th e ir prey from th e foamy tops of river-waves. W e m ight be squaws to dig, we choose to be free.’ A nd th e re was like to be hatred betw een th e chiefs and th e good m a n ; b u t his face was so calm and he showed so well how strong it is to forgive th a t instantly th e re was peace. T hen he pointed out, in w ords as cooling as balsam-salve, how th e gam e was disappearing from th e divides and how th e H u-hu* were netted, and so slaughtered, in every stream, and how th e M a-chut was seldom m et in th e everglades, and how th e U m -pan I and D ta § no longer swarmed in

14 PLO U G H ED U N D ER.

droves upon th e wide prairies, and how th e w hite men were pushing on to hem us in, so th a t a fierce necessity was on th e red men to ado p t th e ways of th e stronger race. A t these words, Eagle Wing, th y father, who was a young man then, started up and s a id : ‘ B etter to die th a n be as squaws.’ B ut th e oldest chief of all, Stern Face, w ho has since been laid w ith his fathers, a n ­ swered, * T hou a rt a young man, Eagle W ing. U pon th y skirts even now h ang th e tro p h ies of th e chase. T hou h ast but one child : dost th o u wish to see him die ? W e m ig h t face d eath ourselves ra th e r th a n be oppressed, b u t shall we bring worse th a n death upon our little ones who sm ile a t us and reach u p th e ir soft hands to p at ou r cheeks ? ’ T he young men could n o t answer w hen th e chief had spoken, b u t for th a t day and for m any days they preserved a sullen silence ; and for th e first tim e th e re were anxious faces in o ur village. But th e counsel of th e old chiefs prevailed, and th e good mission­ ary set ab o u t teaching us to leave, as he called it, th e state of savages.”

W hen S tanding Elk had reached th is point in his story I dropped my arrow and, springing up, exclaimed :

“ S av ag es! H ow can th e y rightly call us savages ? Is it because we prefer th e bounding air to th e ir shut-up houses ? Is it because th e narrow ways of th e ir kind of life are hateful to us ? I have h eard of it all. Is my m o th er a savage because she nursed me in a bed of wild mosses instead of a covered m attress, and gave me dande­ lions and wild roses instead of painted balls for playthings ? So long as we do n o t interfere w ith th e happiness of others, w ho can call us savages w ith o u t sinning against us and him self as well ?”

“ H ush ! my passionate boy,” th e wise man said. “ T here are som e having th e dusky skin w ho have com m itted

T H E F IR S T PU ZZLE . *5

deeds of violence when m addened by th e exactions of th e w hite race, and they are tak en as exam ples of us all. Nay, th e re are som e tribes w ho are bitterly hostile to th e w hites and lose n o chance of harm ing th e m ; we friendly tribes are m easured by those “ h o stile s”—although, it is true, th e w hite m an trea ts th e hostiles w ith m ore consid­ eration th a n those w ho befriend him .”

“ T his is a greater evil still,” I cried. “ T h a t th e re be w ild-beets which poison and destroy should n o t be held against th e healthful roots. A nd are th e re n o t some w hite hands which have robbed and m urdered, and are all of th e ir race held g uilty?”

“ My son,” th e wise m an said, “ th e world can see b u t one character am ong all Indian races. I t is for you to bear your destiny as W ak an d a has ordered it. T hey are th e stronger race. T h e w eak rush m ust go down before th e m ighty wind. M eanwhile we have our lands secure. O ur fathers have always dw elt upon them and called them theirs, and th e g rea t nation w ithin whose bounds we live have in m any tre a tie s acknow ledged our claim to them . L et us cultivate th e soil as we have been ta u g h t by th e good Wa-ga-za* to whose w ord you are so m uch opposed. H e m arked o u t th e tra il w hich will lead you to h a p p in e ss; follow it like a brave and faithful son of a brave and noble chief.”

F o r m any days—oh for so m any days! did I th in k of th ese w ords of th e wise man, and they becam e vividly real to me w hen certain terrible events, w hich I m ust tell you of, had tak en place. B ut a t th is boyhood-period of my life every day was a co nstant joy, increased ra th e r th a n dim inished by th e sober th o u g h ts aw akened by such con­ versations as th is w ith th e wise man.

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O ur village was built in th e form of a circle, and th e large, clear, open space left in th e very h ea rt of all was reserved for a com m on play-ground. H ere th e boys learned to sh o o t th e ir arrows, w ith such accuracy th a t a little daisy from th e plain could be cu t in twain ; and one p art of it was to be kept by th e archer himself, while th e o th e r m ust be laid in th e lap of th e little m aiden whom he loved th e best and whose b rig h t black eyes had been w atching tim idly and anxiously th e w hole test. H ere th e older youths m atched th e ir athletic skill in m any a leap, handspring, and race. H ere they led th e ir beautiful ponies and m atched them against each o th e r for speed and spirit. H ow th e ir sm ooth flanks w ould shine, and how th e ir intelligent eyes w ould tw inkle, and how th e ir stro n g m uscles w ould fling them over th e sod, and w ith w hat prodigious leaps would they clear th e highest obstructions placed in th e ir w a y ! H ow th e riders w ould bend th em ­ selves on every side, now stan d in g u p rig h t on th e ponies’ rum ps, now lying prone on th e ir backs, and now stooping to pick h ats o r m occasins o r even arrow s’ from th e dust beneath th e ir ponies’ flying f e e t! A nd th e n after th e sport, how those w hom they loved would deck ponies and riders in th e ir b rightest ribbons and grasses, and tim idly smile th e ir ad m iratio n !

B ut by far th e greater p a rt of o u r happiness was in association w ith th e beautiful world w hich W akanda had made. Oh, how we loved th e gentle voices of th e grove, and th e te n d er m urm urs of th e tall wild-grass, th e sweet shining of moon-rays, and th e rum ble of th e s to r m ! W h a t long excursions would we ta k e—w hole troops of us —to cou n t th e spears on th e bunches of buffalo-grass, and chase th e butterfly to th e woods o r th e prairie-dog to his burrow, and w atch th e green eyes of th e tu rtle sunning him self on th e logs, and plait o ur hair with sweet scent­

T H E F I R S T PU ZZLE .

_*7

ed grass, until, worn o u t w ith such activity, we would lie upon th e banks overlooking a spring and w atch th e bubbles b u rstin g on its surface. A nd w hen a t evening we sa t around th e g reat camp-fire and told ou r m others of th e day’s sport, th e y w ould tell us th a t W akanda made all these beautiful th ings and we m ust love th em for H is sake and H im for theirs. A nd ou r fathers and brothers would p o in t o u t to us on th e ir fingers how m uch th e corn had grow n in a day, and som e one would ta k e T he Book w hich th e good m issionary had left and read to us th e sweet words of W akanda’s Son. T hen when I laid myself down to sleep I would puzzle myself w ith th e ever-recurring q u e s tio n : “ Is th is to be a savage ?”

C H A P T E R II.

O N T H E P R A I R I E .

I h a v e spoken of th e softer cheek th a n mine which often lay upon th e bank beside m e w hen I thought, and surely you w ho know an y th in g of th a t love w hich m ust be th e sam e in every race have already guessed th a t th a t cheek belonged to th e sweet m aiden I loved best. H er father was S tanding Elk, th e w ise man, and tru ly he was never wiser than when he called h e r W agh-ta, o r " Prairie Flow er.” T o my young eyes she was fairer th a n th e morning, and h er eyes outshone th e stars of night. H er form was as slender and shapely as th e spring-tim e grow th of th e m ountain aspen, and h e r footfall gentler th a n th e dew on th e wild-rose. T he young doves hatched together in one sw inging nest upon th e birch-bough are m ated from th a t m om ent, and w hen th e one is absent th e o th e r can b u t sit w ith breast to th e wind and m o u r n ; th u s it seem ed to us we had loved forever, and neither could be happy alone.

T h ere was one line of events in ou r lives involving us in a com m on peril, and bringing to us a com m on deliver­ ance, which seem ed to unite us w ith a bond of renewed life alm ost as strong as o u r spontaneous love. I m ust tell th e story to you as I heard it, m entioning also my own vivid m em ories of such things as would strike a boy’s fancy.

W hen I was about eig h t years of age, my father, Khe- tha-a-hi, o r Eagle W ing, determ ined to ta k e th e branch of o u r trib e of w hich he was chief upon a g rand buffalo- hunt. T he plans w ere talked over for m any nights

ON TH E P R A IR IE . 19

around th e camp-fires, and when a t last th e day cam e for th e sta rt everything had been carefully arranged. T here were abo u t one hundred warriors, all m ounted on th e ir fleetest ponies, draw n up upon th e plain when th e m om ent came to start, O ther ponies were hitched to th e tent- poles, across w hich were stretched skins, and the children and th e cam ping outfit were th e n placed upon these (frags. My father, when we were on th e way, rode a t th e head of th e little band on a m agnificent horse, so w hite th a t th e foam from his trem bling lips could n o t be detected w hen it had fallen on his flanks. I t was a g ran d and beautiful sight. T he horses’ heads w ere decked w ith ribbons and strings of wolves’ ears tipped w ith paint. T h e w arriors w ere dressed in th e ir brig h test garm ents, and th e children vied w ith th e birds in th e beauty and variety of th e feathers w ith w hich they were adorned. O n one of th e forem ost of th e sleds little P rairie Flower and I were placed; and although I was n o t fully con­ scious of it then, I am quite sure now th a t I needed no o ther o rn am en t th a n her sim ple presence to m ake m e th e m ost attractiv e and envied of all. So w ith shouts and m erry la u g h ter ; w ith jum ping off ou r sleds to pluck a dandelion o r snatch a spread plover’s wing from th e hand of a com rade and then h astily springing to o u r seat a g a in ; w ith m any tria ls of speed between th e best ponies on level s p o ts ; w ith cautious reconnoitering of wooded places to see if th e Sioux were lurking th e r e ; w ith th e gathering of sticks beside th e cool spring a t noon to ro ast th e plover o r th e grouse to satisfy o u r hunger, while th e ponies browsed upon th e te n d er and savory g r a s s ; w ith th e pitching of o u r cam p in som e secure sp o t a t nightfall, to rest after th e h ard day^s ride ; w ith th e sta rtin g up again and speeding away—w hen .the first streaks of blood appeared in th e E ast stabbed by th e Sunbeam —w ith these

20

and a thousand o th e r delights, gayly we w ent upon our buffalo-hunt. O ur course lay tow ard th e north-w est, where great herds of th e noble gam e congregated. W e crossed wide stretches of daisy-dotted plain and m any little stream s. I did n o t th e n love, as I have since learned to love, these gracefully rolling prairies, presenting, as th e y do, so m any picturesque views. How often have I sa t w ith P rairie Flow er by m y side, and w atched icfr hours, th a t seem ed b u t as m om ents, th e ever-varying shades of green upon those m agnificent contours, and felt em otions th a t I wish I could tell you of ! 1 loved it best a t evening­ tim e, w hen th e w ondrous, u ntrained m usic of th e valleys was fully abroad. Oh w hat sweet and varied harm onies th e w inds of th e tw ilight can b reath e into th e swaying reeds and rushes w hich grow by th e w atercourses of th e W e s t! T he heart of th e red m an loves th a t W a-e * w e ll! T he p a tte r of frost-drops upon th e decaying fringes and cones in th e neighboring pine-grove ; th e th u n d er of th e stone dislodged by th e badger’s foot and se n t bounding down th e hillside into th e river ; th e w hisper of th e night- wind in th e nodding cups of th e prairie lily and ane­ m one ; th e crash of th e tre e a t whose ro o t th e worm has been gnawing, and w hich now is overblown to fall into colum nar d e c a y ; th e "honk" of th e wild geese sweeping in trian g u lar bands tow ard th e south, and th e startled cry of th e wild ducks rising o u t of th e swamps ; th e splash of th e beaver’s tail as he builds his watery h o m e ; th e w histle of th e thrush, th e drum m ing of th e prairie-cock’s wings, and th e occasional w hirr of th e belated quail hastening back to h er y o u n g ; th e sn o rt of th e elk, th e b arking of th e wolf, and th e voice of man,—all these, and a thousand o th e r strains, grave and gay, shrill and melodious, en ter

O N T H E P R A IR IE .

21

into this song of nature, so sublime th a t no sound of forest o r valley, o r creeping th in g o r fowl of the air, can be o u t of tim e o r tu n e to it o r m ar in th e least its h ar­ mony. W akanda smiled and th e m elodies began. All th is I loved and P rairie Flower loved, for I loved her loves and she mine.

In th e progress of our h u n t tow ard th e north-w est, we soon reached a region w here increasing caution was necessary, as we were approaching th e hunting-grounds of th e Sioux. T his powerful tribe was a t war with all others of my people. Deadly feuds had for many genera­ tions existed between them and all neighboring tribes, and m any h ad been th e rom antic and bloody encounters betweeen m em bers of th e opposed parties. T he cause of th e difficulty was th e great pride of th e Sioux chiefs to unite all Indian races under th e ir leadership and control, and hence th e tribes w hich refused to recognize them as suprem e were treated as rebels. T he tribe of which my father was one chief had for generations been distin­ guished for its scorn of th e Sioux's pretensions and its successful conflict w ith them . I t was known to us th a t th ro u g h o u t th e great Sioux nation runners were sent pro­ claim ing th a t w hoever would bring in th e scalp of Eagle W ing should be rew arded w ith th e chieftainship of one of th e inferior bands. T his of course increased th e desire to encounter and kill him, but. such is th e strange n ature of my people, it also increased my father's im portance in the tribe, and his own and his followers’ willingness to be encountered. T here was on both sides a th irst for con­ flict such as is felt when in th e forest glades in th e tim e of m ating th ere is a sudden m eeting of rival U m-pan-nu-gas.*

* Tins name is used by the Indians to distinguish the elk bucks in the sPrmg time, when mating occurs. They are then supposed to possess souls, and on no account must one of them be killed.

P L 0 U GIIED U N D E R .

On this trip, therefore, my fath er’s w arriors were magnifi­ cently m ounted, and arm ed, as well as th e ir means would perm it, w ith rifles and our m ore prim itive weapons, w hich are alm ost as effective in skillful hands—bows of great length and power, tom ahaw ks as sharp as wild-grass-blades, and long hunting-knives. R unners were constantly kept in advance, every spot available for an am bush was carefully exam ined, and a t nig h t watches were posted to prevent a surprise.

T here is one o th e r circum stance I m ust tell you of before you can understand th e anim osity exhibited in th e scenes I am about to describe. In all th e wars w ith th e Sioux ou r people had cham pioned th e cause of th e whites, and m any were th e settlers w ho in those early days had taken refuge in our wigwams from b itter pursuit. O ur tribe had never been a t w ar with th e whites. T he chiefs had always been of th e opinion th a t th e only safe policy for us, as a w eaker nation, was to preserve th e utm ost faith w ith th e whites, and ou r hope was th a t th is would recom m end us to th e ir mercy. T he sickly o r wounded wolf m ust not bark too noisily, else all th e others of th e pack will pounce upon it and te ar it rib from rib. As we th u s lifted ou r tom ahaw ks in defense of th e settlers, th e Sioux regarded us as betrayers of th e glory of th e Indian race, and hence th e ir hatred for us was bitter. W hen th e prairie-dog seeks to defend th e little bird who nestled w ith him in his home, th e rattlesnake conceives of both as equally enemies, and drives them equally forth. I t was so w ith th e Sioux's hatred of us. O n th e side of my people th e feeling was stro n g th a t it was n o t treacherous in us and our fathers tow ards th e Sioux th a t we had never entered into trea ty with them to destroy th e whites. W e th o u g h t we had th e right of all free things to choose who should be our friends and who o u r enemies; and as we

O N T H E P R A IR IE . 23

had chosen to be friends w ith th e w hites and to fight th e Sioux, we stood ready to m ake ou r boast good w ith our blood. T hus th e h atred was b itter on b o th sides—they calling us false as th e sneaking badger, we calling them liars and base as the sand-hill lynx. Many bleeding wounds and ghastly corpses on b o th sides called for bitter revenge, and w henever th e ir followers and ours met, w hether singly o r in com panies, th e re was instant battle and no backs turned. B ut now to my story.

O ne lovely afternoon my fath er had taken me to ride before him on his pony's neck, from w hich station of high honor I was hailing my less fortu n ate com panions. Suddenly my father’s face, w hich had been sm iling and gentle as th e afternoon itself, was clouded w ith a look of awful hatred, w ith tracings still of a fierce delight. In th e crushing of a dandelion he had seen th e trail of th e Sioux. W ith one m ajestic wave of his hand he stopped th e ad­ vance of his band.

“ Boy,” he said sternly to me, “ th ere is bloody work here to be done.” W ith these words he lifted me from th e pony’s neck and dropped me to th e earth.

H is followers gathered breathlessly around th e crushed flower, w hich seemed to contain tidings of some awful woe. “ Call in th e runners,” my father said, “ and let watchers be hidden on every side."

W hen G reat Bear, th e m ost trusted of th e runners, m ade his appearance, my father eyed him as if he were an inexcusable culprit, and sternly said :

“ If M a-chtí-ta-ga* sees n o t such p rints as these, whom can we tru s t ? Do you pass such sod-cuts w ith a dream y eye ?”

“ No one,” G reat Bear replied, w ith dow ncast look,

24

“ could have seen so slight a trail as th is save K he-tha-a- hi him self.”

“ T hou a r t generally as faithful as my own rig h t han d ,” my father replied ; “ see th a t th is happens n o t again. B ut w ho is this ?”

T he question was called out by th e breathless com ing of an o th er runner, who a t a hundred lariats’ distance to th e northw ard had skirted ou r little p a rty ’s advance. W hen he caught his b reath he exclaimed :

“ Two hundred Sioux w arriors are skulking down upon us from th e north. I m et th e ir runner, and his scalp is m ine.”

“ T his shall be a token of our larger victory,” my father said. “ Meanwhile, be active. G et th e women and chil­ dren into yonder hollow p la c e ; let them hide behind th e bank. A nd let th e w arriors w ho have squaw s-hearts crouch beside them . B ut you w ho are brave, th in k of w hat th e Sioux have done, co u n t in yo u r quiver an arrow for every hom e they have left desolate in o u r tribe, and let each arrow shout th e U -gtha-a* as it flies!”

T he greatest confusion instantly began. It was as if th e great shadow of a hovering crow had been seen by a nestful of thrushes. T he wise and noble S tanding Elk led us to th e safe hiding-place my father had m entioned, and kissing P rairie Flower, left h er by my side. T he tears of th e gentle girl ran wildly down h er c h e e k s; for, th ough she knew n o t th e awful woes of war, h er h eart feared by instinct its tu m u lt and pain, as th e wild fawn starts u n ­ w ittingly a t th e first hearing of th e voice of man. My m other was beside us, and was a m o th er to b o th ; for little P rairie Flow er had none. She held o ur bursting pulses and bade us n o t to fear. So from our bank we

O N T H E P R A IR IE .

( looked o u t upon th e h u rrying w arriors. Some were daub­ ing th e ir faces w ith high-colored earths. Some were testin g bow -strings to see th a t they failed them n o t a t th e sore m om ent. Some were quieting restless ponies by a word of tenderness o r one of com m and. My fath er had placed upon his head a peculiar tu ft of long hair—th e m ost sacred em blem in o u r whole tribe, handed down for generations th a t no one could count, and supposed by us to m ake victory sure. H e had also upon his head his own w ar-bonnet, m ade of a crown of w hite eagle-plum es and tw o strings of th e same noble feathers hanging down his back. Som e of these feathers were painted red, for our custom was th u s to color one for every w ound th e wearer had received in battle, and to place th e colored plumes opposite th e part of th e body injured. T h u s arrayed, and seated proudly upon his w hite pony, my father awaited w ith perfect coolness th e com ing of th e Sioux; and, while th e m aiden by my side still w ept for harrow ed gentleness, I w ept for adm iration when I saw him . Everywhere th e wise S tanding Elk w ent atten d in g to th e details th a t were regarded as beneath th e notice of th e chief, and when he cam e n ear w here Eagle W ing sat, he w hispered in his ear a w ord w hich was both caution born of years, and encouragem ent born of pride. O ne by one th e warriors, having com pleted th e ir war-dress, arranged them selves in line on each side of my father, u n til of all th e num ber only one was absent—th e rebuked trail-finder, G reat Bear. T he chief cast his eye sternly down th e line, and d em a n d e d ;

“ H as ou r M a-chu-ta-ga gone into a w inter sleep while yet sum m er shines and his enemy, th e wolf, steals upon his young ?”

E ither no one dared to speak o r no one wished to defend th e absent w arrior; a t least th e re was silence. A

26 PLO U G H ED U X D E E .

few m om ents passed, and th e n the missing man suddenly appeared from behind a clum p of dense bushes. I was am azed to see th a t he was dressed precisely like my father, and this a t first I supposed would be taken as a g reat insult by th e chief. B ut I afterw ards learned th a t it was th e noblest and m ost faithful service any w arrior could perform for his chief's safety. G reat B ear w ithout a w ord m ounted a w hite pony of th e shape and size of th a t my fath er rode, and took a place a t th e end of th e line. A t th e distance of a few yards it was impossible to distin­ guish him from Eagle W ing, and indeed th e very object in his heart was by his disguise to deceive th e enem y and draw shafts m eant for my fath er’s breast into his own. H e had determ ined, o u t of a real love for his chief and a sense of deep sham e th a t he had been so blamed, to sacri­ fice himself, if need be, for th e safety of his chief. W hen th e chief saw him, he said softly to S tan d in g Elk :

“ My h ea rt bleeds, wise m a n ; my heart bleeds! If it were n o t for th e need to preserve th e high ho n o r of my chieftainship I would com m and M a-chu-ta-ga to seek his own safety by mingling, in com m on dress, w ith th e other warriors. W ould th a t I could ta k e him as a b ro th er to my arm s and forgive him, for he is a noble man and, save yourself, my best w arrior !”

“ I t is b etter th u s,” th e wise man answered, though tears were in his eyes, for G reat Bear was his younger and well- beloved brother. A nd so they aw aited th e com ing of the Sioux.

C H A P T E R III.

A N IN D IA N B A T T L E .

I HAD b u t tim e to kiss one te ar from th e cheek of th e trem bling maiden, w hen th e thrillin g U -gtha-a of ou r peo­ ple announced th a t th e enem y was in sight. I held my breath to hear th e answering sh o u t of rage and defiance, b u t all was still. T he Sioux were eith er squaw -hearted or reserved th e ir breath for th e close encounter. F rom our bank we could now see them riding forward in a line fully twice as long as th a t my fa th e r’s w arriors formed. They cam e in a gentle t r o t ; no weapons were visible about them , and for a m om ent my h ea rt to o k g rea t leaps of joy, supposing th a t after all th e m eeting would be as one of brothers. “ O h,” I th o u g h t to myself, “ how m uch b etter to join h an d s instead of arro w -tip s; or, if th e re m ust be som e strife, let it be between th e fleetest ponies down this lovely valley, o r between th e friendly w restling power of th e young men upon th is green plain ?” Certainly it would have been a far nobler te st of relative prow ess; for w hen past grievances can only be righted by th e stretching of a row of ghastly corpses upon th e grass, even th a t fails to satisfy b o th tribes, and th e re are new grievances to th e num ber of these very corpses, w hich m ust be avenged in future encounters. W ar is sad and foolish enough.

However, th e Sioux came quietly forward, and, th ough my father's followers tau n ted them with cowardice and treachery by turns, shouting “ Coo ! coo ! ” * until the

28 PLOUGHED UNDER.

very sand-ridges echoed, th e y revealed no weapons and m ade no reply. I t being th e custom of my people to tie a k n o t in a pony’s m ane every tim e we can sh o u t “ C o o !” to an enem y w ithout a reply being made, th e hands of our w arriors were busy preparing these score-m arks against th e Sioux, and th e very ponies tossed th e ir k n o tte d manes in -pride and defiance as if they understood th e sign. I noticed on th e arm of each of o u r enemies a folded red blanket, and I innocently th o u g h t they were to be presents to ou r people. S till com ing forward, th e y w ere soon b u t tw enty paces from th e nose of Eagle W ing’s horse. O ur w arriors had now an arrow set in every bow, and such as had rifles sat w ith deliberate aim ; yet, to m y great w on­ der, m y father did n o t order th em to fire. E vidently he wished to scan to th e full th e in te n t of his enemies, th in k ­ ing it beneath a chief to tak e any advantage of them . Now th e y w ere w ithin te n paces of m y fa th e r’s line. Suddenly each of th e Sioux, rising upon his horse’s neck, w hisked his blanket from his arm and shook it full-spread and in all its dazzling color before th e eyes of ou r ponies. O h then was seen th e w onderful com m and th a t love exerts over th e a n im a l! O u r ponies, trained to obey by long influence of kindness, did n o t wheel and dash away, as th e Sioux hoped they would, to render o ur w arriors’ backs an easy m ark for th e ir weapons. N o t a hoof moved from its p rin t in th e grassy sod. T he poor creatures, unused to such w arfare, trem bled as th e wild cottonw ood leaves do before th e s to r m ; m any of th em crouched in m ute fear until th e ir bellies touched th e g r a s s ; som e snorted and w hinnied wildly, as they do when a grizzly tram ps upon th e ir la r i a t ; b u t all stood th e ir ground. A nd before th e Sioux could drop th e ir blankets and seize th e ir weapons, my fath e r’s voice was heard, s h o u tin g :

“ K e -d a !" *

A N I N D I A N B A T T L E . z 9

A nd many Sioux fell headlong to th e earth, while th e survivors, having failed in th eir tru ste d device, were now put to personal skill and stren g th for safety. T hen fol­ lowed indescribable confusion. T here was wild scram bling of horses, th e re were fierce struggles of hand-to-hand com batants, th ere was a m ingling of hoarse battle-cries, shouts of defiance and victory, scream s of pain, w hirring of arrows, and cracking of rifles. Oh, th e beautiful sod w hich W ak an d a had m ade had b itte r d rau g h t of blood th a t d a y ! I hid my eyes to keep o u t th e dreadful knowl­ edge th a t brave men were uselessly killing each other, b ut my ears continued to tell th e tidings, and w hen I closed my ears as well, my fancy to o k th e story up. H ow long I continued th u s I know not, b u t a t last I felt a touch upon my arm , and, opening my eyes, saw P rairie Flow er look­ ing, too horrified to weep, into my face. She gently took my h an d s down from my ears and said :

“ O h listen to th e dreadful sh o u t of th e Sioux ! T hy fath er is dead ! ”

As she spoke a prolonged cry arose, a cry such as a hundred m ountain lions m ight m ake in depth of hungry w inter over th e carcass of an o x :

“ K he-tha-a-hi is dead ! K h6-tha-a-hi is dead ! ”

W hile th e cry th u s rang, a Sioux w arrior dashed by, w ithin six paces of where we were crouching, and holding aloft a bloody scalp, he cried :

“ K hd-tha-a-hi is dead ! My hand did th e d e e d ! I claim th e prize ! I shall be a chief ! ”

My h ea rt sank w ithin me as I heard these words, and my poor m other w rung her hands and m oaned in pitiable despair. T he cry “ Eagle W ing is d e a d !” was caught up by th e enem y in every p art of th e field, and it seemed for a m om ent as if ou r fate were sealed. A nxiously I cast my eye over th e tu m u lt to catch, if I m ight, any glim pse of

30 P LO U G H E D U N D ER .

m y father to show th e sh o u t untrue. A t last, in th e very deadliest spot of all, I saw his plum ed head-dress rising above th e m ultitude of those w ho beset h im ; as I have seen th e w hite feathers of th e eagle’s crown rising o u t of tum ultuous waves after having dashed after his prey. A nd as also th e eagle m ight shake him self free from th e scattering drops th a t still clung to his wings, so my father threw off th e Sioux w ho clutched a t his arm s and legs to drag him dowm, and running to a high spot in plain view of all, he waved his tom ahaw k above his head and c rie d : “ K he-tha-a-hi is not dead ! H e lives to avenge his slain, th o u g h G reat B ear has died in his stead.”

T h e lig h tn in g ’s flash, calling fo rth from th e cloud th e sudden storm of spring, swells th e rivulet and makes it a mighty, resistless to rre n t. So my father's brave shout sw ept his rem aining w arriors into th e sure course of vic­ tory. O n th e o th e r hand th e Sioux, disappointed and am azed th a t he, upon w hom they had burst w ith so m uch fury and w ho had stood so long and bravely before he fell, was th e noble G reat Bear and n o t Eagle Wing, could strik e now b u t feeble blows, gave wray in every direction, and a t last fled on th e ir fleet ponies away.

W hen th e y had gone, we w ho had been so secure while o thers suffered for us cam e o u t of o u r retreat, anxious to do w hat we m ight to stay th e ir loss of blood. O h then th e re were sad scenes 1 W ould th e w hite man call us savages if he could see th is m o th er holding upon her lap th e head of h er dying son, w ho poured his blood forth freely th a t her gray hairs m ig h t be undefiled ? W ould he call th is wife a savage who, w ith h er crow ing babe cling­ ing to her breast, kneels here beside th e body of her young husband and whispers te n d er w ords in his dull ear? T h a t love shines n o t in satins, is it love th e less ? O r is this

A N I N D I A N B A T T L E

well, in h er a r m s ; th is little family clustered to g eth er in a quiet spot, th a n k in g W akanda, w ith a m ingling of aged and infant voices, th a t H e had saved th e loved father from death ? O ver th e fallen G reat Bear was bending th e gray head of th e wise S tanding Elk. P rairie Flower and I, hearing his m ourning, had hastened to his side, and while she fondled one of his hands I reverently held th e other. She wept to see h er father th u s d istre ssed ; I w ept because th e G reat B ear had died to leave m e mine. W hen we had sa t th u s a m om ent, S tanding Elk began th e touching Dta-wd-e, o r lam ent for th e dead, which springs naturally from th e h ea rt of th e red man as th e alkali w aters bubble from th e swam p-spring.

“A la s ! my noble b r o th e r ! ” he cried. “ T hou w ert sw ifter th a n th e antelope, and as ten d er in th y love. Thou w ert wiser th a n th e w ild-bee! Thy sight was sharper th a n th e king-fisher’s, and th y strength as lasting as th e h a r t’s. F rom th e day on w hich th o u d id st m eet th e m ighty bear on th e foot-hills of th e w est and kill him alone, and ta k e his g rea t nam e, w here has been th e glar­ ing eye of anim al o r m an th a t th o u daredst n o t face ? A nd w hen u n til now w ast th o u ever overcom e ? But, my brother, th ese crossed heaps of Sioux around thee show th o u d id st n o t die th e badger's death. W ho now shall find for us th e lig h t fo o tp rin t of th e deer, wrho shall lead us on th e covered track of th e spoiler ? W hose voice but th in e can bring one sm all pulse of joy to h earts left sad by th y u ntim ely death ? A nd yet th o u couldst have had no nobler d ea th —to die to save th y chief were w orthy of G reat B e a r ! A la s! my noble b r o th e r ! A la s ! M a-chu- ta -g a ! M a-chu-ta-ga! th o u h ast fa lle n !"

W hen h e had finished his lam ent, he sa t silent for a few m om ents and th e n rose, w rapped his blanket about him and w alked away. I lifted m y eyes to follow him, and

P LO U G H E D U N D ER.

they encountered th e tall form of my father standing w ith folded arm s and gazing tenderly upon th e p rostrate body of him w ho had died in his stead.

“ ’Tis a noble thing, m y son,” he said to me, “ to die for th y people’s sake and for th e life of th y chief. T hou wilt be chief one day, and then th o u w ilt know how sad it is to see th y children fall. My h ea rt weeps for M a-chu-ta-ga to-day. B u t g e t thee to th y m other. T hey come who will prepare th e brave w arrior for his long sleep.”

T he tw ilight had now com e down. O ver th e sp o t of prairie where lately such fury and hatred burned a strange silence rested. T he w hispering of th e wind th ro u g h th e long prairie grass, th e m oaning of some heart-broken one by th e side of a body, th e barking of the wolves who from afar had sm elt th e flowing blood, and th e d istan t falling of w orn-away banks into th e eddying river, were all th e sounds we heard. I held sweet P rairie Flow er’s h and tig h tly as we w alked away, fearing th a t som e stray Sioux-shaft m ight still come to strik e h er from my side.

A round th e camp-fires th a t n ig h t th ere were m any breaking hearts. Only th e young and innocent could sleep. U pon a little hillock near by those who had been killed were laid, and a t th e ir heads a row of pine torches burned. W atches were stationed to do them every possible honor, and a t stated intervals to ch an t th e Dta-wa-e—th e death-song of my people. U pon th e highest point th a t had been covered by th e battle shadow y form s were seen a t w ork d uring th e long hours, and th e dull th u d of th e ir im plem ents strik in g against th e e a rth told th e sad story of th e digging of graves. O h how m any silent and lovely spots have heard th a t w eird and dreadful sound 1

W ith th e first streaks of lig h t on th e following m orning th e cam p was astir. A m ournful procession was formed

A N I N D I A N B A T T L E . 33

o u t of every m em ber of ou r little party to convey th e bodies of th e dead w arriors to th e ir last resting-place. On wicker-w ork of wild aspens, covered w ith soft furs and b rig h t blankets, they were placed. T hese were borne on th e shoulders of th e bravest w arriors, m y father still in his w ar-dress, and Standing Elk, w ith his b lanket folded tig h tly round him, tak in g th e lead. A fter th e bodies cam e th e w arriors w ho were able to w a lk ; after these th e women, m any of whom w rung th e ir hands in deep despair; and after th e se th e children, w ho little knew th e dread solem nity of th e spectacle of w hich they formed a part. U pon th is sad m arch th e m ost perfect silence was de­ m anded. W hen we reached th e graves and had ranged ourselves around them , th e wise man, Standing Elk, turn ed to us and s a id :

“ L et us call to m ind th e w ords spoken to us by th e good Wa-ga-za* of th e g rea t love of W akanda and th e great Love-Gift. I see before me m y b ro th er and my friend. Y ou see your husband and your son. W e lay th em w here th e wild w inds shall sweep and th e dande­ lions blossom. H ere th e storm shall burst, b u t they shall n o t fear it. H ere th e soft snows shall rest, b u t they shall n o t feel th e m cold. B ut shall noth in g else be here? Yes, here shall be W akanda’s smile, and th is th e y shall feel 1”

A s he spoke th ese w ords th e b rig h t sun rose above th e horizon, and while its rays touched hill and tree w ith a gold richer th a n th a t th e w hite man seeks, ou r w arriors were laid to th e ir rest. T h eir ponies, fallen in th e fight, w ere buried beside them , and over all was built a fram ew ork of poplar boughs. Oh, if you pass th a t way, drop a te a r for G reat B ear’s sake, w ho followed the full ex ten t of d u ty as he knew it, th o u g h it dem anded his

3 4 P LO U G H E D U N D ER .

life—as dear to him as yours to y o u ; and as you stand upon th a t lovely, lonely spot, th in k of my people as— ignorant, if you please, b u t—possessed of a love and sym ­ pathy w hich in any condition avail to m ake life w orth th e liv in g ; th in k of us w ith pity, n o t w ith scorn, because o ur usages seem strange to you. W e were m ade by th e same W akanda w ho fashioned you, and whom in ou r sim ple way we love. Possibly we are peculiarly his own because we are w eak and ignorant.

C H A P T E R IV.

T H E B U F F A L O -H U N T .

Th e weeping o f th e night-dew is soon dried from th e sh o rt grass, and abides n o t m any hours upon th e long, save w here th e shade of shrub o r willow w ards off th e sun-rays. So th e tears of sadness rem ained b u t for a short space upon th e eyelashes of those of us who were young, and even th e older members of th e trib e were soon so interested in th e progress of o ur h u n t th a t th e ir hearts had no room for b itter thoughts. O nly those who had peculiar reason for sorrow, in th e loss of near relatives, continued long to m ourn. I t may be th a t th is shortness of grief is th e foundation of th e charge th a t we are savages. O ne m ark of th e civilization we lack may be th e lasting love th a t friend has for friend, and husband for wife—a love like th a t of bald eagles once m ated in youth, w hich never cease to m ourn w hen th e object of it is dead, and never seeks to supply th e v ac an t place. I know not how th is is.

T here was one circum stance connected w ith our con­ flict w ith th e Sioux w hich struck even my childish fancy as peculiarly im portant. W hen we came to g ath er up th e blankets w ith w hich they had hoped to gain an easy victory, and w hich had been left w here they had fallen, we found them in every respect superior to any we had before seen. They were th ic k and w arm and durable. T he wise Standing Elk showed one of these blankets to me, and, child as I was, impressed me deeply as he said :

“ In these blankets there is a b itter story folded. You m ust know, my son, th a t they were given to th e Sioux by

3<5 P LO U G H E D U N D ER.

th e G reat F ath e r who rules th e whole land in w hich we dwell. To him we also owe th e blankets w hich keep us w arm and the im plem ents w ith which we cultivate th e soil. B ut you have already noticed th a t th e Sioux’s blankets are m uch b etter th a n any we have ever received, although we have always been faithful to th e whites, w hile th e Sioux have been th e ir bitterest enem ies.”

“ Do th e w hite m en tre a t th e ir enemies b etter th a n th e ir friends ?” I asked in astonishm ent.

“ T hey do. A nd so they encourage th e red men to slaughter and revenge. F requently in ou r councils it has tak en all my eloquence and all th y fath er’s au th o rity to prevent th e young m en g oing to war, because, as they tru ly said, th e red m an can g e t his rig h t only by m aking him self feared. If we were bad Indians as th e Sioux are, we would have as beautiful blankets as they. It seem s an unm erciful and u n th in k in g policy adopted by th e whites to tre a t th e red men who have fought and suffered for them w ith indignities and cruelty, while those w ho th rea ten them w ith m urder and robbery are con­ ciliated w ith th e b rig h te st presents and th e greatest favors.”

O h how often in after-years did I th in k of these w eighty w o rd s ! O n how m any cruel occasions, and in how many bloody scenes, did I learn th a t they were t r u e !

W hen th e w ounded am ong our w arriors were able to m o u n t th e ir ponies again, we pursued our journey tow ard th e great north-w est. O ur way now led us over wide stretches of u n trodden prairie, crossing here and th e re a little stream w ith w ood-dotted banks. O h how free we felt—able to hold ou r p ath against all d isp u te rs; depen­ den t on th e skill of ou r h u n ters a lo n e ; careful simply th a t no sunrise o r sunset pass w ithout receiving due adm iration, and obliged only to W akanda who kept us

T liE B U F F A L O -IiU N T 37

securely and well. A t last we reached a lovely camping- spot in a grove of great trees which, because they stood in a defile of th e prairie, had been spared for many years by th e fires. H ere never-failing springs burst forth, offering th e ir cool and healthful refreshm ent. Is it one m ark of th e “ savage” to love these quiet retreats b etter th a n th e noise and anxiety of a great city ; and are we to be spit upon and sh o t a t sight because W akanda has m ade us w ith these sim ple ta ste s ? Is it because liberty is m ore to us th a n life th a t th e w hite m en say sneeringly of all red men, w hether good o r bad, “ T h e only good Indian is th e dead In d ian ” ? W e love liberty because th e world is full of it, and we are a p art of W akanda’s world. F rom th e m om ent of ou r birth, n atu re around us has rippled w ith freedom in every rill, and bubbled w ith it in every spring, and shone w ith it in every glistening sand- grain, and waved w ith it in every grass-spear and nodding dandelion. W hy, then, should we be called “ savages” because of all races we love th e rills and springs and grass th e m ost, and are m ost akin to th e ir n atu re ?

In th is free and beautiful sp o t we pitched o ur perm a­ nen t cam p. H ere we were to rem ain until ou r hunters had secured all th e gam e we desired and th e buffalo- m eat was sufficiently dried to be ta k en hom e for winter use. Every m orning ou r scouts w ent o u t in every direc­ tion to w atch for th e com ing of a buffalo-herd, when they were to rep o rt to us a t cam p and th e sp o rt was to begin. A nd we had n o t long to wait. T h e second m orning after ou r reaching th is cam ping-spot, o u r scouts came in, wild w ith excitem ent and shouting, “ D ta ! d ta !”* T hey an ­ nounced th a t an imm ense herd of th e noble gam e we sought blackened th e whole horizon to th e northw ard.

3 » PLO U G H ED U N D ER.

Instantly th e re was th e g rea test confusion. T he warriors, who had been sleeping in th e shade, o r m ending th e ir bow-strings, or fashioning new arrows, sprang up and began to prepare for th e hunt. T he ponies were hastily loosed from th e ir tethers, th e long hunting-knives were th ru st into th e h u n te rs’ belts, o uter garm ents were throw n away, and in a tim e so sh o rt th a t you would scarce believe it could be done th e w hole com pany was ready for th e start. T he ponies seem ed to share in th e com m on excitem ent, for they pawed th e ground and w hinnied ceaselessly, wild to be away. W hen all was ready my father gave th e word, and th e w hole hunting-party, dividing into th ree bands so as to encom pass th e herd, rode gayly forth. T hose of us w ho were n o t perm itted to en ter actively upon th e sp o rt to o k a station upon a h igh spot of ground near by, w here we could share in th e general excitem ent and w atch th e entire proceedings of th e day. T h e very children danced about in uncontrollable delight, shouting, “ D ta ! d ta !”

W hen th e h unters gained th e open prairie th e bands separated, one going eastw ard, a n o th er in th e opposite direction, while th e central band continued to advance directly upon th e gam e. W e could see th e flanking parties galloping away, ta k in g advantage of every little hillock, riding along d ry creek-beds, o r pursuing lines of long prairie-grass, so as to com e as near as possible to th e grazing buffaloes w ithout alarm ing them . A t last we saw one of th e leaders of th e herd lift his head and gaze steadily tow ard th e rig h t flanking party. T his th e hunters knew would be instantly followed by th e stam ­ pede of th e w hole h e r d ; and therefore, w ith wild and joyous cries, th e th ree bands dashed in full speed upon th e noble game. F o r a few m om ents th e buffaloes, con­ fused by th e loud and opposite shouts, stood irresolute,

T H E B U F F A L O -H U N T. 39

and then, form ing a colum n of shaggy m ight th a t shook th e very earth, they galloped away. T he delay, however, was sufficient to allow our hunters to g et w ithin gun- range and even arrow -shot of th e stragglers, and in th e dust w hich instantly arose, a g rea t cloud, to heaven, we could see th e blaze of th e rifle and th e stum bling fall of th e victims. T he custom was to ride up beside the buffaloes and shoot them in th e back, and one arrow or ball was generally sufficient to stretch th em upon th e earth, w here they could afterw ards be dispatched w ith th e long knives. F o r m any hours th a t day th e d u st con­ tinued, rolling away tow ard th e n o r t h ; and th o u g h th e shouts an d reports grew gradually less and less distinct, and finally ceased entirely, we knew th e sp o rt continued still.

I t was late a t n ig h t w hen th e h unters returned to camp, bringing such te n d er an d savory p arts of buffalo- m eat as were designed for th e evening meal, b u t leaving u n til th e next day th e great w ork of carrying in th e hides and jo in ts for drying. W e had b rig h t fires blazing for th em w hen th e y came, and every preparation, except th e roasting of th e m eat they were to bring, made for th e ir evening meal. T he h unters threw them selves down before th e fires, and after th eir m ore pressing hunger was satisfied, each to o k a buffalo-rib and held it in th e coals, w atching it as it roasted brow n and savory. T hen began th e recalling of th e day’s adventures and incidents. W h at ringing la u g h ter was heard as some am using exploit was related, and how they gloried in th e swiftness of th e ir ponies and th e stren g th of th e ir own rig h t arm s ! Little P rairie Flow er and I loved to sit beside our fathers and h ear th e se th rillin g stories. T he fire’s glare lit up th e little hillsides around us, and peopled th e pine-tops w ith angels of light who everm ore whispered joy and love to