WE HEAR FROM CHEROKEE BILL.
It is commonly in September that the savages "go in for the winter
hunt," in the region where our story takes place. These hunts are
the more important from the animals' fur being in prime condition,
and, of course, fetching a better price at the trading centres. The
picked hunters of various Indian nations come into the great northern
wilds, and are the more mixed up recently, as the railway pioneers
and settlers arrive in too strong force to pay much heed to treaty
restrictions. The upshot is, that while a tacit truce is tolerably
well maintained, so long as every arrow and bullet is required to make
"eatable meat," the view, often the contact of enemies, causes a stray
hunter of any race to thread his way as gingerly as a soldier advancing
among mines, countermines, and torpedoes. Unless under exceptional
circumstances, though, the main bodies do not fall on one another.
Personal interest, the only motor, imposes this restraint on their
ferocious habits.
In sooth, besides the furs they sell, the red men have to preserve some
for garments; moreover, there is the flesh of the prizes to be dried by
sun or fire, jerked, or crubbed up with salt, to enable them to pass
the rigorous winter so fatal to improvident tribes.
As the game gets crowded away from the farmers' axe and the locomotive
engine whistle, it thickens, naturally, in the final retreats. In this
quarter, it fairly swarms. The buffaloes run still in countless herds;
there is plenty of elk, beaver, deer, bear, musk ox, foxes of several
kinds, wolves, red, grey, and white, musquash, ermine, a few opossum;
and, for winged game, turkeys, prairie fowl, bustard, eagles, and so
on. And, besides, the clearer waters furnish fine fish--salmon, trout,
perch, sturgeons, the great white fish, and small fry profusely.
Hence the nomads guard this territory as narrowly as their unsteadiness
permits. As it is dishonourable for a warrior to use tillage
implements, only one or two people sow a little maize, without much
assurance they will themselves harvest in the crop. When there is a
failure of game, therefore, misery is acute, and famine soon appears to
decimate the decaying bands.
The inextinguishable hatred of the ancient possessors of the soil,
springs from the invasion and hacking away of the hunting grounds. The
trappers and hunters, who went rarely in large knots, were well armed
and too well able to take care of their heads to be molested; and,
besides, made, no great gaps in the herds. But of late years, selfish,
moneymaking, pitiless slaughterers have come out from the advance
posts of civilisation, and not only massacred the beasts wantonly for
hide and fancy heads and horns, for mere ornaments in millionnaires'
vestibules, but in their rear whisky sellers establish shanties. These
grow like Jonah's gourd, and wither as fast, it is true; but on their
ruins real settlers flock, and towns are speedily laid out. Deer will
not abide sheep, it is well known, and so the Indians hate the farmer
and grazier only a point less fiercely than these buffalo butchers.
As for the moral: the Indians say that the land was their fathers',
or that of the strong hand. When they uphold the latter doctrine, the
pioneers plead for the Government troops to take them at their word, or
let them wipe the _varmint_ out.
Closing this necessary digression sharply, we proceed with our tale.
The diverse aborigines assembled for the great winter hunt had never
been so annoyed before as by the almost simultaneous intrusion of Sir
Archie Maclan's sledging party from Canada, the Half-breeds from Red
River of the North, and Captain Kidd's gold grabbers from the South.
The Crows had fleshed their arrows the first in the Scotch party,
and the news had swiftly crossed the wastes of "a heap of scalps and
plunder" being obtained. The mock Chippeway guide had become a hero
of legend. The attack on the Half-breeds, though a repulse, was also
commended, and Ahnemekee had added laurels to his wreath.
Whilst this news was still fresh, an Indian camp was established on the
bank of Bear River, an affluent of Red River which does not always feed
it, being sometimes "lost" in a sinkhole on the way when the waters
fall low. Bears did not people the shore now; that was a tradition.
A considerable portion of the head tribe of Piegans occupied the score
and a half of buffalo hide tents, sodded at the bottom edge to keep
out the cold and wet. These Indians appertain to the great nation of
the Blackfeet, still one of the most warlike and, consequently, most
dreaded of the Nor'-Westers. They are a little free in their reading of
hunting law, as they are known to go and steal horses on the Mexican
frontier, whether the Apaches and Comanches like the inroad or not.
This troop comprised some two hundred "big braves." The
several headmen, or captains, obeyed a sachem called
"Knife-painted-with-Blood," or more concisely, "Red Knife." He had
valiantly won the title by preferring hand-to-hand struggles.
He was only about thirty, standing clear six feet, and not bowlegged,
more slender than bulky, but unusually active and skilful with
various weapons, though with the knife he could execute any feat.
His expression was a haughty one, rather majestic when not cruel and
scornful. His smallish, black, beadlike eyes, deep set, sparkled with
cunning, malice, and fearlessness. He was idolised by his followers,
and though the office of war chief is precarious, and such a one is
often forced to make concessions or be deposed, never had Red Knife met
discussion for his order. He reigned like an Asiatic monarch.
Ordinarily, as the women and children are indispensable for the meat
making, and fur and skin dressing, the Indians must have them and their
dogs and pack ponies along with them. The dogs, for once, get fully
fed, and so become too appetising with their round paunches, and are
sacrificed in feast when not required for burdens.
On this occasion the Piegans had no living impediments in their camp,
and the warriors had not replaced the war paint pictures with peaceful
emblems. This proved clearly that this party only pretended to be out
a-hunting, and sought an opportunity to outdo the Crows in an attack on
the white intruders.
For some ten days they had been located at their regular encampment. To
prevent quarrels, each hunting party occupies the same site from time
out of mind.
Among Indian beliefs is the singular one that each tribe has an animal
ancestor, whose image or present lineal representative is their
_totem_, or sacred standard. Its shape is tattooed on the bosom.
When the size or rarity of the actual animal prevents even its skin
being portable, its figure is painted on a banner, extremely revered,
and guarded by an old warrior, the counterpart to our ensign. Over
and above this public token is another one, only known to the upper
class of "men of the medicine," being a grand pass sign, practically
universal. We have only to add that the good sense which tempers the
superstition of the North American savage allows him, when hungry, to
hunt, kill, and eat the animal of his reverence, though, truly, he
always apologises by way of grace to the victim. But the supersacred
emblem would be respected in any emergency. Luckily, this is chosen
among such uncommon, even extinct, or, perhaps, fabulous creatures,
that it would be exempt from maltreatment in any case.
The tribe of Red Knife were convinced that the grizzly bear was their
great grandfather, and so always came to Bear River as a hunting home.
At sunrise of a fine day of dying September, the Piegans were rather
lazily attending to the morning labours, the more disgustedly as these
are usually turned over to the women.
The camp, intelligently placed on the water side, and otherwise
defended by a double row of stakes, presented the untidy aspect of such
places--"and smelt so, pah!"
War ponies, held by ropes to pegs, munched climbing peas. At the door
of his tent, Red Knife--squatted at a fire--was regaling himself with
a before-breakfast smoke. His eyes were half closed like a cat's. Two
subchiefs stood by him with the same seeming inattention. After the
horses had had their fill, they were taken to the watering place,
whereupon the men might eat. So goes the care for the war horses: much
like Arab rule.
Soon the chief was given his meat, simply enough composed of still
fresh meat, roe smashed up with wild fruit to acidify it, and a bowl
of hominy, or Indian corn hasty pudding, made savoury with bear's
fat and flavoured with meat powder and a dash of rock salt. It was
the hachesto, or crier, who was also the butler. When he had dished
up, the commander kindly invited his lieutenants to squat by him and
help him out with the repast. They nodded, laid by their pipes, and
all three went to work without uttering a word. A European might not
have relished the spread, even washed down with poor whisky and the
icy water, but an Indian is not fastidious. When he has food, he eats
gluttonously, absorbing an incredible quantity, for it is etiquette
to refuse nothing and leave no crumbs. On the other hand, probably
consoling their stomachs in privation by memory of past feasts and
prospects of more, our red brothers support themselves with great
fortitude.
Notwithstanding the quantity before them, the chiefs did not prolong
the meal, which was over in fifteen minutes or so. The crier came up
from where he was watching and handed the lighted pipe.
The other warriors, having finished breaking their fast, rolled
themselves up in their wraps and went off in a doze by the fires. Such
sleeping, eating, dozing, hunting, and fighting forms their life.
For two good hours all but the three leaders seemed reposing, and they
never shifted their positions.
At about eleven o'clock the gallop of several horses was audible at a
distance. The crier rose and hastened to the entrance of the palisadoed
camp.
Coming up swiftly, he perceived three mounted Indians. They were armed
for war, and by the foxtails on their leggings and by the grey eagle
feather stuck upright over the left ear, one could conclude they were
chiefs. They reined in when they arrived at the enclosure of pikes.
The principal, as was shown by his keeping a shade in advance of the
others, lifted his right hand open, the palm outwards, the four fingers
kept together, and the thumb bent in. The hachesto made the same sign,
and, going up nearer, saluted the newcomers respectfully enough, and
in a low, measured voice, inquired their business. Being answered, he
saluted again, and returned into the camp with his information.
Red Knife listened to the story in an unconcerned manner, but he
ordered the visitors to be shown to him.
At the sound of the horses the warriors had awakened. The outermost
went to take the horses from the guests who alighted. These then were
ushered up to the trio of commanders, who eyed them coldly. The other
three were in fighting dress, but were not painted in accordance.
"My brothers are welcome," remarked Red Knife. "Ahnemekee being a great
chief in his nation, he shall take his place beside his brother the
Piegan, and smoke the peace pipe."
Ahnemekee, for it was the Crow chief, bowed pleasedly at the
compliment, squatted down, and took the pipe. For a while the calumet
went the round. Etiquette directs that the guests must speak first
and may not be questioned. The pipe ended with Ahnemekee, who knocked
out the ashes on his nail and offered them ceremoniously to the earth
whence the tobacco had come, and thereupon, bending toward Red Knife
with a winning smile, wished him plenty of buffalo and success in
killing bear.
With the same bland smile, Red Knife returned the compliment.
"Unluckily," added he, "game is scarce. The wilderness is getting
swamped with 'the hatted men'--(Indians are self-distinguished as
hatless)--the feather-heads get only their leavings."
"Yes," returned the Crow, emboldened at no allusion being made to the
old-time enmity between the Crows and the Blackfeet nation, "not only
do the Long Knives capture the game as if it grew for them alone, but
the axe and the plough lessen the domains of our fathers. Soon will
we be crowded against the rocks, and there shall we die in snow and
ice for want of food. My heart aches to think of the miseries awaiting
the _Unishiniba_--all Indians. As I submit, it seems to me my blood is
weakened with water, that the marrow in my bones is swamp mud, that my
eyes are dimmed as one looking through the glass peepholes in the stone
cabins. I have gone into seclusion for eight days and there asked,
asked, asked if the just Great Spirit has really allowed the palefaces
to do what they like with what we deemed our very own."
"My brother is a wise warrior," said the Piegan, sorrowfully. "The
speech from his straight tongue chimes in with the Voice that speaks to
me in my meditation. Speak on, speak on, Ahnemekee--I hear not a Crow
Indian, but one of the whole red race--it is a friendly ear that drinks
in his words."
"Right! The chain of brotherhood still endures, and though time has
cankered it, it is strong under the rust. When _Yoheewah_ brought our
fathers from the Eye of the sky, O, glorious Sun, that warms the red
man and conserves his meat, then the Wacondah showed them the woods,
lakes, streams, and prairies, and bade him 'Take, all is thine!' The
warrior bowed to the Guide, and thanked Him. There were no white men
then, they had not come over the Alleghanies to be our tormentors, our
robbers, our slayers, with the fire in great guns. But the red men fell
out with one another, and would not see there was room for all. The
Great Spirit brought the palefaces hither to perplex them and punish
them. Soon did they scatter them, setting the Blackfeet Sioux against
the Mountain Blackfeet, the Crows against the Bloods. But still, the
redskins have learnt the new kind of warfare. We have horses and
weapons. All the route of flight of the Sioux through the Yellowstone
was strewn with the _cachés_ of the arms they could not carry, and
Crows and Blackfeet have dug them up, and have been buying powder and
ball with their furs."
"The hour of revenge has come, brother--I speak it! Why should we not
all profit by it? And if we must wrangle and clapperclaw amongst
ourselves, let it be over the spoil of the dead whites," said he,
subtly. "Hunting! For a week you have laid here empty-handed, whilst
I have pillaged a train and armed my men finely. It is true we have
come off second best in an encounter with another band of intruders,
but it was the snowstorm that drove us off. Let us unite and overwhelm
these Northerners, and then crush out the prairie pirates from the gold
mines. What does my brother think of my words? There are no more to
come."
"My brother speaks to the point, his words fall on mine ear as sweetly
as the eagle's scream, swooping upon its prey in its mate's hearing.
The Piegan braves are not here to run buffalo and follow deer. They are
gathered to drive the gold seekers into graves. But what can so small
a force do, however bold and cunning? It is a chief who asks this. Let
his brother answer."
"Red Knife is wise, though his hair is black. It is his wisdom that is
grey. Ahnemekee will go to the Bloods, the Small Robes, the Blackfeet,
and the Dacotahs. They will ally against the paleface robbers and
butchers. The hatchet will be buried as against the red men on all
sides, but the bundle of reeds, one for each tribe, will be hurled
within the white men's camps. In four suns after this, hundreds of red
warriors will gladly greet Red Knife at Elk's Leap, at the fifth hour
of the night."
"If it be not contrary to the will of the Master of Life, the
Knife-painted-with-Blood will be at the Elk's Leap."
It was as much of an acceptance as the Crow had anticipated. He rose,
and was escorted to his horse by the sachem, whose companions were
similarly polite to the other Crows.
The camp buzzed with a debate over the visit and the pledge, but was
settling down to fresh calm when, about an hour after Ahnemekee's
disappearance, an event occurred still more stirring.