THE STORM—ARRIVAL AT THE INDIAN VILLAGE—THE OLD CHIEF’S
WIFE—SOME KINDNESS SHOWN ME—ATTEND A FEAST.
On the 20th of July we had nearly reached the Indian village, when we
camped for the night, as usual, when such a locality could be gained,
on the bank of a stream of good water.
Here was a stream of sparkling, rippling water, fresh from the melting
snow of the mountain. It was a warm, still night. Soon the sky began
to darken strangely, and great ragged masses of clouds hung low over
the surrounding hills. The air grew heavy, relieved occasionally by a
deep gust of wind, that died away, to be succeeded by an ominous calm.
Then a low, muttering thunder jarred painfully on the ear. My shattered
nerves recoiled at the prospect of the coming storm. From a child I had
been timid of lightning, and now its forked gleam filled me with dismay
in my unsheltered helplessness.
The Indians, seeing the approaching tempest, prepared for it by
collecting and fastening their horses, and covering their fire-arms and
ammunition, and lying flat on the earth themselves. I crouched, too,
but could not escape the terrible glare of the lightning, and the roar
of the awful thunder grew deafening.
[Illustration: THE BUFFALO HUNT]
On came the storm with startling velocity, and the dread artillery of
heaven boomed overhead, followed closely by blinding flashes of light;
and the velocity of the whirlwind seemed to arise in its might, to add
desolation to the terrible scene.
When the vivid gleams lit up the air, enormous trees could be seen
bending under the fierceness of the blast, and great white sheets of
water burst out of the clouds, as if intent on deluging the world.
Every element in nature united in terrific warfare, and the security
of earth seemed denied to me while I clung to its flooded bosom, and,
blinded by lightning and shocked by the incessant roaring of the
thunder and the wild ravaging of the ungovernable wind, felt myself but
a tossed atom in the great confusion, and could only cling to God’s
remembering pity in silent prayer.
Huge trees were bent to the earth and broken; others, snapped off like
twigs, were carried through the frenzied air. Some forest monarchs were
left bare of leaves or boughs, like desolate old age stripped of its
honors.
The rain had already swelled the little creek into a mighty stream,
that rolled its dark, angry waters with fury, and added its sullen
roar to the howlings of the storm. I screamed, but my voice was lost
even to myself in the mightier ones of the furious elements. Three
hours—three long, never-to-be-forgotten hours—did the storm rage
thus in fury, and in those hours I thought I lived a life-time! Then,
to my joy, it began to abate, and soon I beheld the twinkling stars
through rents in the driving clouds, while the flashing lightning and
the roaring thunders gradually becoming less and less distinct to the
eye and ear, told me the devastating storm was speeding on toward the
east; and when, at dawn of day, the waters were assuaged, the thunder
died away, and the lightnings were chained in their cell, the scene was
one of indescribable desolation. The wind had gone home; daylight had
cowed him from a raging giant into a meek prisoner, and led him moaning
to his cavern in the eastern hills. A strangely-solemn calm seemed to
take the place of the wild conflict; but the track of destruction was
there, and the swollen water and felled trees, the scattered boughs and
uprooted saplings, told the story of the havoc of the storm.
It was a night of horror to pass through, and I thankfully greeted
the returning day, that once more gave me the comfort of light, now
almost my only solace, for my position grew more bitter, as the chief’s
savage-like exultation in my capture and safe abduction increased as
we neared the village where their families were, and where I feared my
fate would be decided by bloodshed or the fearful stake.
On the 21st of July we left camp early, the day being cool and
favorable for traveling. Our route lay over rolling prairie,
interspersed with extensive tracts of marsh, which, however, we easily
avoided crossing. A few miles brought us to a high, broken ridge,
stretching nearly in a north and south direction. As we ascended the
ridge we came in sight of a large herd of buffalo, quietly feeding
upon the bunch, or buffalo grass, which they prefer to all other
kinds. These animals are short-sighted, and scent the approach of an
enemy before they can see him, and thus, in their curiosity, often
start to meet him, until they approach near enough to ascertain to
their satisfaction whether there be danger in a closer acquaintance.
In this case they decided in the affirmative, and, when they had once
fairly made us out, lost no time in increasing the distance between us,
starting on a slow, clumsy trot, which was soon quickened to a gait
that generally left most pursuers far in the rear.
But the Indians and their horses both are trained buffalo hunters,
and soon succeeded in surrounding a number. They ride alongside their
victim, and, leveling their guns or arrows, send their aimed shot in
the region of the heart, then ride off to a safe distance, to avoid
the desperate lunge which a wounded buffalo seldom fails to make,
and, shaking his shaggy head, crowned with horns of most formidable
strength, stands at bay, with eyes darting, savage and defiant, as he
looks at his human foe. Soon the blood begins to spurt from his mouth,
and to choke him as it comes. The hunters do not shoot again, but
wait patiently until their victim grows weak from loss of blood, and,
staggering, falls upon his knees, makes a desperate effort to regain
his feet, and get at his slayer, then falling once more, rolls over on
his side, dead.
Sometimes these animals number tens of thousands, in droves. The
Indians often, for the mere sport, make an onslaught, killing great
numbers of them, and having a plentiful feast of “ta-tonka,” as they
call buffalo meat. They use no economy in food. It is always a feast or
a famine; and they seem equally able to gorge or fast. Each man selects
the part of the animal he has killed that best suits his own taste, and
leaves the rest to decay or be eaten by wolves, thus wasting their own
game, and often suffering privation in consequence.
They gave me a knife and motioned me to help myself to the feast. I
did not accept, thinking then it would never be possible for me to eat
uncooked meat.
They remained here over night, starting early next morning. We were now
nearing the village where the Indians belonged.
Jumping Bear, the young Indian who had shown me so many marks of good
will, again made his appearance, with a sad expression on his face,
and that day would ride in silence by my side; which was an act of
great condescension on his part, for these men rarely thus equalize
themselves with women, but ride in advance.
They had traveled nearly three hundred miles, and, despite my fears, I
began to rejoice in the prospect of arriving among women, even though
they were savages; and a dawning hope that I might find pity and
companionship with beings of my own sex, however separated their lives
and customs might be, took possession of me.
I had read of the dusky maidens of romance; I thought of all the
characters of romance and history, wherein the nature of the red
man is enshrined in poetic beauty. The untutored nobility of soul,
the brave generosity, the simple dignity untrammelled by the hollow
conventionalities of civilized life, all rose mockingly before me, and
the heroes of my youthful imagination passed through my mind in strange
contrast with the flesh and blood realities into whose hands I had
fallen.
The stately Logan, the fearless Philip, the bold Black Hawk, the gentle
Pocahontas: how unlike the greedy, cunning and cruel savages who had so
ruthlessly torn me from my friends!
Truly, those pictures of the children of the forest that adorn the
pages of the novelist are delightful conceptions of the airy fancy,
fitted to charm the mind. They amuse and beguile the hours they invest
with their interest; but the true red man, as I saw him, does not
exist between the pages of many volumes. He roams his native wastes,
and to once encounter and study him there, so much must be sacrificed
that I could scarcely appreciate the knowledge I was gaining at such a
price.
Notwithstanding all I had seen and experienced, I remembered much that
was gentle and faithful in the character ascribed to the Indian women.
Perhaps I might be able to find one whose sympathy and companionship
could be wrought upon to the extent of aiding me in some way to escape.
I became hopeful with the thought, and almost forgot my terror of the
threats of my captors, in my desire to see the friendly faces of Indian
women.
The country around was rich and varied. Beautiful birds appeared in the
trees, and flowers of variety and fragrance nodded on their stems. Wild
fruits were abundant, and I plucked roses and fruit for food, while my
savage companions feasted on raw meat. They did not seem to care for
fruit, and urged me to eat meat with them. I refused, because of its
being raw. A young Indian, guessing the cause of my refusal to eat,
procured a kettle, made a fire, cooked some, and offered it to me. I
tried to eat of it to please them, since they had taken the trouble to
prepare a special dish, but owing to the filthy manner in which it was
prepared a very small portion satisfied me.
We were now nearing a river, which, from its locality, must have been
the Tongue River, where we found refreshing drink, and rested for a
short time. The Indians gave me to understand that when we crossed this
stream, and a short distance beyond, we would be at their home.
Here they paused to dress, so as to make a gay appearance and imposing
entrance into the village. Except when in full dress, an Indian’s
wearing apparel consists only of a buffalo robe, which is also part of
a fine toilet. It is very inconveniently disposed about the person,
without fastening, and must be held in position with the hands.
Here the clothing taken from our train was brought into great demand,
and each warrior that had been fortunate enough to possess himself of
any article of our dress, now arrayed himself to the best advantage the
garments and their limited ideas of civilization permitted; and, in
some instances, when the toilet was considered complete, changes for
less attractive articles of display were made with companions who had
not been so fortunate as others in the division of the goods, that they
might also share in the sport afforded by this derisive display.
Their peculiar ideas of tasteful dress rendered them grotesque in
appearance. One brawny face appeared under the shade of my hat, smiling
with evident satisfaction at the superiority of his decorations over
those of his less fortunate companions; another was shaded from the
scorching rays of the sun by a tiny parasol, and the brown hand that
held it aloft was thinly covered by a silk glove, which was about the
only article of clothing, except the invariable breech-cloth, that the
warrior wore.
Vests and other garments were put on with the lower part upward; and
they all displayed remarkable fertility in the arrangement of their
decorations. They seemed to think much of their stolen goods, some of
which were frivolous, and others worthless.
Decorating themselves by way of derision, each noble warrior endeavored
to outdo the other in splendor, which was altogether estimated by
color, and not by texture. Their horses were also decked in the most
ridiculous manner.
Ottawa, or Silver Horn, the war chief, was arrayed in full costume. He
was very old, over seventy-five, partially blind, and a little below
the medium height. He was very ferocious and savage looking, and now,
when in costume, looked frightful. His face was red, with stripes of
black, and around each eye a circlet of bright yellow. His long, black
hair was divided into two braids, with a scalp-lock on top of the head.
His ears held great brass wire rings, full six inches in diameter, and
chains and bead necklaces were suspended from his neck; armlets and
bracelets of brass, together with a string of bears’ claws, completed
his jewelry. He wore also leggings of deer skin, and a shirt of the
same material, beautifully ornamented with beads, and fringed with
scalp-locks, that he claimed to have taken from his enemies, both red
and white. Over his shoulders hung a great, bright-colored quilt, that
had been taken from our stores. He wore a crown of eagle feathers on
his head; also a plume of feathers depending from the back of the crown.
His horse, a noble-looking animal, was no less gorgeously arrayed. His
ears were pierced, like his master’s, and his neck was encircled by a
wreath of bears’ claws, taken from animals that the chief had slain.
Some bells and a human scalp hung from his mane, forming together, thus
arrayed, a museum of the trophies of the old chief’s prowess on the war
path, and of skill in the chase.
When all was arranged, the chief mounted his horse and rode on in
triumph toward the village, highly elated over the possession of his
white captive, whom he never looked back at or deigned to notice,
except to chastise on account of her slowness, which was unavoidable,
as I rode a jaded horse, and could not keep pace.
The entire Indian village poured forth to meet us, amid song and wild
dancing, in the most enthusiastic manner, flourishing flags and weapons
of war in frenzied joy as we entered the village, which, stretched
for miles along the banks of the stream, resembled a vast military
encampment, with the wigwams covered with white skins, like Sibley
tents in shape and size, ranged without regard to order, but facing one
point of the compass.
We penetrated through the irregular settlement for over a mile,
accompanied by the enthusiastic escort of men, women, and children.
We rode in the center of a double column of Indians and directly in the
rear of the chief, till we reached the door of his lodge, when several
of his wives came out to meet him. He had six, but the senior one
remained in the tent, while a younger one was absent with the Farmer
or Grosventre Indians. Their salutation is very much in the manner of
the Mexicans; the women crossed their arms on the chief’s breast, and
smiled.
They met me in silence, but with looks of great astonishment.
I got down as directed, and followed the chief into the great lodge
or tent, distinguished from the others by its superior ornaments. It
was decorated with brilliantly colored porcupine quills and a terrible
fringe of human scalp-locks, taken in battle from the Pawnees.
On one side was depicted a representation of the Good Spirit, rude
in design, and daubed with colors. On the other side was portrayed
the figure of the spirit of evil in like manner. The Indians believe
in these two deities and pay their homage to them. The first they
consider as entirely benevolent and kind; but the second is full of
vile tricks and wicked ways.
They fear him, and consider it only safe to propitiate him occasionally
by obedience to his evil will. This may account for some of their worst
ferocities, and explain that horrible brutality of nature which they so
often exhibit.
The senior wife, who had remained in the lodge, met her husband with
the same salutation as the others had done.
I was shown a seat opposite the entrance on a buffalo skin. The chief’s
spoil was brought in for division by his elderly spouse.
As it was spread out before them, the women gathered admiringly round
it, and proved their peculiarities of taste; and love of finery had a
counterpart in these forest belles, as well defined as if they had been
city ladies. Eagerly they watched every new article displayed, grunting
their approval, until their senior companion seized a piece of cloth,
declaring that she meant to retain it all for herself.
This occasioned dissatisfaction, which soon ripened to rebellion among
them, and they contended for a just distribution of the goods. The
elder matron, following her illustrious husband’s plan in quelling such
outbreaks, caught her knife from her belt, sprang in among them, vowing
that she was the oldest and had the right to govern, and threatening
to kill every one if there was the least objection offered to her
decrees. I had so hoped to find sympathy and pity among these artless
women of the forest, but instead, cowed and trembling, I sat, scarcely
daring to breathe.
The chief noticed my fear and shrinking posture, and smiled. Then he
rose, and made a speech, which had its effect. The women became quiet.
Presently an invitation arrived for the chief to go to a feast, and he
rose to comply.
I followed his departing figure with regretful glances, for, terrible
as he and his men had been, the women seemed still more formidable, and
I feared to be left alone with them, especially with the hot temper and
ready knife of the elder squaw.
Great crowds of curious Indians came flocking in to stare at me. The
women brought their children. Some of them, whose fair complexion
astonished me, I afterward learned were the offspring of fort marriages.
One fair little boy, who, with his mother, had just returned from Fort
Laramie, came close to me. Finding the squaw could speak a few words
in English, I addressed her, and was told, in reply to my questions,
that she had been the wife of a captain there, but that his white
wife arriving from the East, his Indian wife was told to return to
her people; she did so, taking her child with her. The little boy was
dressed completely in military clothes, even to the stripe on his
pantaloons, and was a very bright, attractive child of about four
years.
It was a very sad thought for me to realize that a parent could
part with such a child, committing it forever to live in barbarous
ignorance, and rove the woods among savages with the impress of his own
superior race, so strongly mingled with his Indian origin. I saw many
other fair-faced little children, and heard the sad story from their
mothers, and was deeply pained to see their pale, pinched features,
as they cried for food when there was none to be had; and they are
sometimes cruelly treated by the full-blooded and larger children on
account of their unfortunate birth.
Now that the question of property was decided between the women of the
chief’s family, they seemed kindly disposed toward me, and one of them
brought me a dish of meat; many others followed her example, even from
the neighboring lodges, and really seemed to pity me, and showed great
evidences of compassion, and tried to express their sympathy in signs,
because I had been torn from my own people, and compelled to come such
a long fatiguing journey, and examined me all over and over again,
and all about my dress, hands, and feet particularly. Then, to their
great surprise, they discovered my bruised and almost broken limbs that
occurred when first taken, also from the fall of the horse the first
night of my captivity, and proceeded at once to dress my wounds.
I was just beginning to rejoice in the dawning kindness that seemed
to soften their swarthy faces, when a messenger from the war chief
arrived, accompanied by a small party of young warriors sent to conduct
me to the chief’s presence. I did not at first comprehend the summons,
and, as every fresh announcement only awakened new fears, I dreaded to
comply, yet dared not refuse. Seeing my hesitation, the senior wife
allowed a little daughter of the chief’s, whose name was Yellow Bird,
to accompany me, and I was then conducted to several feasts, at each
of which I was received with kindness, and promised good will and
protection. It was here that the chief himself first condescended to
speak kindly to me, and this and the companionship of the child Yellow
Bird, who seemed to approach me with a trusting grace and freedom
unlike the scared shyness of Indian children generally, inspired hope.
The chief here told me that henceforth I could call Yellow Bird my own,
to take the place of my little girl that had been killed. I did not
at once comprehend all of his meaning, still it gave me some hope of
security.
When at nightfall we returned to the lodge, which, they told me, I must
henceforth regard as home, I found the elder women busily pounding a
post into the ground, and my fears were at once aroused, being always
ready to take alarm, and suggested to me that it betokened some evil.
On the contrary, it was simply some household arrangement of her own,
for presently, putting on a camp kettle, she built a fire, and caused
water to boil, and drew a tea, of which she gave me a portion, assuring
me that it would cure the tired and weary feeling and secure me a good
rest.
This proved true. Soon a deep drowsiness began to steal over the weary
captive. My bed of furs was shown me. Yellow Bird was told to share my
couch with me, and from this time on she was my constant attendant. I
laid down, and the wife of the chief tenderly removed my moccasins,
and I slept sweetly—the first true sleep I had enjoyed in many weary
nights.
Before my eyes closed, in slumber, my heart rose in gratitude
unspeakable to God for his great and immeasurable mercy.
I readily adapted myself to my new position. The chief’s three sisters
shared the lodge with us.
The following day commenced my labors, and the chief’s wife seemed to
feel a protecting interest in me.
The day of the 25th of July was observed by continual feasting in honor
of the safe return of the braves.
There was a large tent made by putting several together, where all
the chiefs, medicine-men, and great warriors met for consultation and
feasting. I was invited to attend, and was given an elevated seat,
while the rest of the company all sat upon the ground, and mostly
cross-legged, preparatory to the feast being dealt out.
In the center of the circle was erected a flag-staff, with many scalps,
trophies, and ornaments fastened to it. Near the foot of the flag-staff
were placed, in a row on the ground, several large kettles, in which
was prepared the feast. Near the kettles on the ground, also, were a
number of wooden bowls, in which the meat was to be served out. And in
front, two or three women, who were there placed as waiters, to light
the pipes for smoking, and also to deal out the food.
In these positions things stood, and all sat with thousands climbing
and crowding around for a peep at me, as I appeared at the grand
feast and council, when at length the chief arose, in a very handsome
costume, and addressed the audience, and in his speech often pointed to
me. I could understand but little of his meaning.
Several others also made speeches, that all sounded the same to me. I
sat trembling with fear at these strange proceedings, fearing they were
deliberating upon a plan of putting me to some cruel death to finish
their amusement. It is impossible to describe my feelings on that day,
as I sat in the midst of those wild, savage people. Soon a handsome
pipe was lit and brought to the chief to smoke. He took it, and after
presenting the stem to the north, the south, the east, and the west,
and then to the sun that was over his head, uttered a few words, drew
a few whiffs, then passed it around through the whole group, who all
smoked. This smoking was conducted with the strictest adherence to
exact and established form, and the feast throughout was conducted in
the most positive silence.
The lids were raised from the kettles, which were all filled with dog’s
meat alone, it being well cooked and made into a sort of stew. Each
guest had a large wooden bowl placed before him, with a quantity of
dog’s flesh floating in a profusion of soup or rich gravy, with a large
spoon resting in the dish, made of buffalo horn.
In this most difficult and painful dilemma I sat, witnessing the
solemnity; my dish was given me, and the absolute necessity of eating
it was painful to contemplate. I tasted it a few times after much
urging, and then resigned my dish, which was taken and passed around
with others to every part of the group, who all ate heartily. In this
way the feast ended, and all retired silently and gradually, until the
ground was left to the waiters, who seemed to have charge of it during
the whole occasion.
The women signified to me that I should feel highly honored by being
called to feast with chiefs and great warriors; and seeing the spirit
in which it was given, I could not but treat it respectfully, and
receive it as a very high and marked compliment.
Since I witnessed it on this occasion, I have been honored with
numerous entertainments of the kind, and all conducted in the same
solemn and impressive manner.
As far as I could see and understand, I feel authorized to pronounce
the dog-feast a truly religious ceremony, wherein the superstitious
Indian sees fit to sacrifice his faithful companion to bear testimony
to the sacredness of his vows of friendship for the Great Spirit. He
always offers up a portion of the meat to his deity, then puts it on
the ground to remind him of the sacrifice and solemnity of the offering.
The dog, among all Indian tribes, is more esteemed and more valued than
among any part of the civilized world. The Indian has more time to
devote to his company, and his untutored mind more nearly assimilates
to the nature of his faithful servant.
The flesh of these dogs, though apparently relished by the Indians, is
undoubtedly inferior to venison and buffalo meat, of which feasts are
constantly made, where friends are invited, as they are in civilized
society, to a pleasant and convivial party; from which fact alone,
it would seem clear that they have some extraordinary motive, at all
events, for feasting on the flesh of that useful and faithful animal,
even when as in the instance I have been describing.
Their village was well supplied with fresh and dried meat of the
buffalo and deer. The dog-feast is given, I believe, by all tribes
of America, and by them all, I think, this faithful animal, as well
as the horse, is sacrificed, in several different ways, to appease
offended spirits or deities, whom it is considered necessary that they
should conciliate in this way, and when done, is invariably done by
giving the best in the herd or the kennel.
That night was spent in dancing. Wild and furious all seemed to me. I
was led into the center of the circle, and assigned the painful duty of
holding above my head human scalps fastened to a little pole. The dance
was kept up until near morning, when all repaired to their respective
lodges. The three kind sisters of the chief were there to convey me to
mine.