the soul of the indian-第7部分

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the　great　circular　encampment。



Here　two　circles　were　described；　one　within　the　other；　about

a　rudely　heart…shaped　rock　which　was　touched　with　red　paint；　and

upon　either　side　of　the　rock　there　were　thrust　into　the　ground　a

knife　and　two　arrows。　　The　inner　circle　was　for　the　maidens；　and

the　outer　one　for　their　grandmothers　or　chaperones；　who　were

supposed　to　have　passed　the　climacteric。　　Upon　the　outskirts　of　the

feast　there　was　a　great　public　gathering；　in　which　order　was　kept

by　certain　warriors　of　highest　reputation。　　Any　man　among　the

spectators　might　approach　and　challenge　any　young　woman　whom

he　knew　to　be　unworthy；　but　if　the　accuser　failed　to　prove　his

charge；　the　warriors　were　accustomed　to　punish　him　severely。



Each　girl　in　turn　approached　the　sacred　rock　and　laid　her　hand

upon　it　with　all　solemnity。　　This　was　her　religious　declaration　of

her　virginity；　her　vow　to　remain　pure　until　her　marriage。　　If　she

should　ever　violate　the　maidens'　oath；　then　welcome　that　keen　knife

and　those　sharp　arrows！



Our　maidens　were　ambitious　to　attend　a　number　of　these　feasts

before　marriage；　and　it　sometimes　happened　that　a　girl　was

compelled　to　give　one；　on　account　of　gossip　about　her

conduct。　　Then　it　was　in　the　nature　of　a　challenge　to　the　scandal…

mongers　to　prove　their　words！　　A　similar　feast　was　sometimes　made

by　the　young　men；　for　whom　the　rules　were　even　more　strict；　since

no　young　man　might　attend　this　feast　who　had　so　much　as　spoken　of

love　to　a　maiden。　　It　was　considered　a　high　honor　among　us　to　have

won　some　distinction　in　war　and　the　chase；　and　above　all　to　have

been　invited　to　a　seat　in　the　council；　before　one　had　spoken　to　any

girl　save　his　own　sister。



It　was　our　belief　that　the　love　of　possessions　is　a　weakness

to　be　overcome。　　Its　appeal　is　to　the　material　part；　and　if

allowed　its　way　it　will　in　time　disturb　the　spiritual　balance　of

the　man。　　Therefore　the　child　must　early　learn　the　beauty　of

generosity。　　He　is　taught　to　give　what　he　prizes　most；　and　that　he

may　taste　the　happiness　of　giving；　he　is　made　at　an　early　age　the

family　almoner。　　If　a　child　is　inclined　to　be　grasping；　or　to　cling

to　any　of　his　little　possessions；　legends　are　related　to　him；

telling　of　the　contempt　and　disgrace　falling　upon　the　ungenerous

and　mean　man。



Public　giving　is　a　part　of　every　important　ceremony。　　It

properly　belongs　to　the　celebration　of　birth；　marriage；　and　death；

and　is　observed　whenever　it　is　desired　to　do　special　honor

to　any　person　or　event。　　Upon　such　occasions　it　is　common　to　give

to　the　point　of　utter　impoverishment。　　The　Indian　in　his　simplicity

literally　gives　away　all　that　he　has；　to　relatives；　to　guests　of

another　tribe　or　clan；　but　above　all　to　the　poor　and　the　aged；　from

whom　he　can　hope　for　no　return。　　Finally；　the　gift　to　the　〃Great

Mystery；〃　the　religious　offering；　may　be　of　little　value　in　itself；

but　to　the　giver's　own　thought　it　should　carry　the　meaning　and

reward　of　true　sacrifice。



Orphans　and　the　aged　are　invariably　cared　for；　not　only　by

their　next　of　kin；　but　by　the　whole　clan。　　It　is　the　loving

parent's　pride　to　have　his　daughters　visit　the　unfortunate　and　the

helpless；　carry　them　food；　comb　their　hair；　and　mend　their

garments。　　The　name　〃Wenonah；〃　bestowed　upon　the　eldest　daughter；

distinctly　implies　all　this；　and　a　girl　who　failed　in　her

charitable　duties　was　held　to　be　unworthy　of　the　name。



The　man　who　is　a　skillful　hunter；　and　whose　wife　is　alive　to

her　opportunities；　makes　many　feasts；　to　which　he　is　careful　to

invite　the　older　men　of　his　clan；　recognizing　that　they　have

outlived　their　period　of　greatest　activity；　and　now　love　nothing　so

well　as　to　eat　in　good　company；　and　to　live　over　the　past。　

The　old　men；　for　their　part；　do　their　best　to　requite　his

liberality　with　a　little　speech；　in　which　they　are　apt　to　relate

the　brave　and　generous　deeds　of　their　host's　ancestors；　finally

congratulating　him　upon　being　a　worthy　successor　of　an　honorable

line。　　Thus　his　reputation　is　won　as　a　hunter　and　a　feast…maker；

and　almost　as　famous　in　his　way　as　the　great　warrior　is　he　who　has

a　recognized　name　and　standing　as　a　〃man　of　peace。〃



The　true　Indian　sets　no　price　upon　either　his　property　or　his

labor。　　His　generosity　is　only　limited　by　his　strength　and　ability。　

He　regards　it　as　an　honor　to　be　selected　for　a　difficult　or

dangerous　service；　and　would　think　it　shame　to　ask　for　any　reward；

saying　rather：　〃Let　him　whom　I　serve　express　his　thanks　according

to　his　own　bringing　up　and　his　sense　of　honor！〃



Nevertheless；　he　recognizes　rights　in　property。　　To　steal　from

one　of　his　own　tribe　would　be　indeed　disgrace；　and　if　discovered；

the　name　of　〃Wamanon；〃　or　Thief；　is　fixed　upon　him　forever　as　an

unalterable　stigma。　　The　only　exception　to　the　rule　is　in　the　case

of　food；　which　is　always　free　to　the　hungry　if　there　is　none　by　to

offer　it。　　Other　protection　than　the　moral　law　there　could

not　be　in　an　Indian　community；　where　there　were　neither　locks　nor

doors；　and　everything　was　open　and　easy　of　access　to　all　comers。



The　property　of　the　enemy　is　spoil　of　war；　and　it　is　always

allowable　to　confiscate　it　if　possible。　　However；　in　the　old　days

there　was　not　much　plunder。　　Before　the　coming　of　the　white　man；

there　was　in　fact　little　temptation　or　opportunity　to　despoil　the

enemy；　but　in　modern　times　the　practice　of　〃stealing　horses〃　from

hostile　tribes　has　become　common；　and　is　thought　far　from

dishonorable。



Warfare　we　regarded　as　an　institution　of　the　〃Great　Mystery〃

an　organized　tournament　or　trial　of　courage　and　skill；　with

elaborate　rules　and　〃counts〃　for　the　coveted　honor　of　the　eagle

feather。　　It　was　held　to　develop　the　quality　of　manliness　and　its

motive　was　chivalric　or　patriotic；　but　never　the　desire　for

territorial　aggrandizement　or　the　overthrow　of　a　brother　nation。　

It　was　common；　in　early　times；　for　a　battle　or　skirmish　to　last　all

day；　with　great　display　of　daring　and　horsemanship；　but　with

scarcely　more　killed　and　wounded　than　may　be　carried　from　the　field

during　a　university　game　of　football。



The　slayer　of　a　man　in　battle　was　expected　to　mourn　for　thirty

days　blackening　his　face　and　loosening　his　hair　according

to　the　custom。　　He　of　course　considered　it　no　sin　to　take　the　life

of　an　enemy；　and　this　ceremonial　mourning　was　a　sign　of　reverence

for　the　departed　spirit。　　The　killing　in　war　of　non…combatants；

such　as　women　and　children；　is　partly　explained　by　the　fact　that　in

savage　life　the　woman　without　husband　or　protector　is　in　pitiable

case；　and　it　was　supposed　that　the　spirit　of　the　warrior　would　be

better　content　if　no　widow　and　orphans　were　left　to　suffer　want；　as

well　as　to　weep。



A　scalp　might　originally　be　taken　by　the　leader　of　the　war

party　only　and　at　that　period　no　other　mutilation　was

practiced。　　It　was　a　small　lock　not　more　than　three　inches　square；

which　was　carried　only　during　the　thirty　days'　celebration　of　a

victory；　and　afterward　given　religious　burial。　　Wanton　cruelties

and　the　more　barbarous　customs　of　war　were　greatly　intensified　with

the　coming　of　the　white　man；　who　brought　with　him　fiery　liquor　and

deadly　weapons；　aroused　the　Indian's　worst　passions；　provoking　in

him　revenge　and　cupidity；　and　even　offered　bounties　for　the　scalps

of　innocent　men；　women；　and　children。



Murder　within　the　tribe　was　a　grave　offense；　to　be　atoned　for

as　the　council　might　decree；　and　it　often　happened　that　the

slayer　was　called　upon　to　pay　the　penalty　with　his　own　life。　　He

made　no　attempt　to　escape　or　to　evade　justice。　　That　the　crime　was

committed　in　the　depths　of　the　forest　or　at　dead　of　night；

witnessed　by　no　human　eye；　made　no　difference　to　his　mind。　　He　was

thoroughly　convinced　that　all　is　known　to　the　〃Great　Mystery；〃　and

hence　did　not　hesitate　to　give　himself　up；　to　stand　his　trial　by

the　old　and　wise　men　of　the　victim's　clan。　　His　own　family　and　clan

might　by　no　means　attempt　to　excuse　or　to　defend　him；　but　his

judges　took　all　the　known　circumstances　into　consideration；

and　if　it　appeared　that　he　slew　in　self…defense；　or　that　the

provocation　was　severe；　he　might　be　set　free　after　a　thirty　days'

period　of　mourning　in　solitude。　　Otherwise　the　murdered　man's　next

of　kin　were　authorized　to　take　his　life；　and　if　they　refrained　from

doing　so；　as　often　happened；　he　remained　an　outcast　from　the　clan。　

A　willful　murder　was　a　rare　occurrence　before　the　days　of　whiskey

and　drunken　rows；　for　we　were　not　a　violent　or　a　quarrelsome

people。



It　is　well　remembered　that　Crow　Dog；　who　killed　the　Sioux

chief；　Spotted　Tail；　in　1881；　calmly　surrendered　himself　and　was

tried　and　convicted　by　the　courts　in　South　Dakota。　　After

his　conviction；　he　was　permitted　remarkable　liberty　in　prison；　such

as　perhaps　no　white　man　has　ever　enjoyed　when　under　sentence　of

death。



The　cause　of　his　act　was　a　solemn　commission　received　from　his

people；　nearly　thirty　years　earlier；　at　the　time　that　Spotted　Tail

usurped　the　chieftainship　by　the　aid　of　the　military；　whom　he　had

aided。　　Crow　Dog　was　under　a　vow　to　slay　the　chief；　in　case　he　ever

betrayed　or　disgraced　the　name　of　the　Brule　Sioux。　　There　is　no

doubt　that　he　had　committed　crimes　both　public　and　private；　having

been　guilty　of　misuse　of　office　as　well　as　of　gross

offenses　against　morality；　therefore　his　death　was　not　a　matter　of

personal　vengeance　but　of　just　retribution。



A　few　days　before　Crow　Dog　was　to　be　executed；　he　asked

permission　to　visit　his　home　and　say　farewell　to　his　wife　and　twin

boys；　then　nine　or　ten　years　old。　　Strange　to　say；　the　request　was

granted；　and　the　condemned　man　sent　home　under　escort　of　the　deputy

sheriff；　who　remained　at　the　Indian　agency；　merely　telling　his

prisoner　to　report　there　on　the　following　day。　　When　he　did　not

appear　at　the　time　set；　the　sheriff　dispatched　the　Indian　police

after　him。　They　did　not　find　him；　and　his　wife　simply　said