 | CHAPTER VIII. Narrative of my captivity among the Sioux Indians. |  |
CHAPTER VIII.
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 amunition, and lying
not escape the terrible glare of the lightning, and the
roar of the awful thunder grew deafening.
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
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,
spirt 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
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
posssesion 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
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
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
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
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
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
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,
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
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
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
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
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,
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.
| CHAPTER VIII. Narrative of my captivity among the Sioux Indians. | |