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IN A SHORT TIME there came a
day and a night, and White Buffalo was missing. When his belongings were
counted it was found that his war paraphernalia was gone with him. Snake
Skin told his mother that it was all right. She need not worry. He would
come back in due time. Neverthless, she did worry. In the meanwhile White
Buffalo was tramping out steadily in a new direction, aiming to cross the
south branch and hunt the lodges of the enemy in the big country stretching
away into the northwest. He had fully determined to test himself. Coming to
the big river, he tied a few small sticks together, and, fastening all his
clothes and weapons on this light raft, he pushed it ahead of him and swam
the stream. This was his first big crossing of a strong current in a wide
river, and he was thankful he had done it. So far so good. Now then for the
new country to the west. On he went, always carefully under cover, his
business to see but never he seen. During his fourth day from the river
crossing he came upon fresh tracks of people, and that same afternoon saw
two horsemen and watched them make a kill, and, while they were skinning and
cutting up the game, he crept nearer and made sure that they were of the
Blackfoot tribe, and legitimate prey for him. He saw that they were armed as
he was, and, selecting two arrows, he shot both men, and running in took
their scalps and all their outfit. He had now to be extra careful, for he
had two horses as well as himself to keep under cover. He reasoned that
these men must must come from a camp not far away. He had some time before
he discovered the enemy, crossed a little creek where there was a small
growth of scrub willows and mesaquits, so determined to take the horses back
there and tether them, and then seek the camp on foot. White Buffalo was out
for big adventure. As he said to himself: "I want to know if I am fit to
stand in the lodges of my people, and to lead my fellowmen. More than this,
I want to find myself worthy of Nagos, the Little Mother," and he would
fondly murmur her name, and hum a love song of his own improvising, and feel
as if he could do great things for the sake of Nagos. But he must hurry, for
the two he had slain would be missed, and doubtless search made, and away he
ran to venture and risk on his quest for glory. He had not gone many miles
when he was sure of the vicinity of a large camp, and, scouting from an
eminence, he saw many lodges and also saw a party of horsemen, and as there
were a large number of women and boys following he determined that this was
a hunting party. The buffalo were moving north at this time. So White
Buffalo said to himself:
"I will run over and watch these people in their
hunt. Something may come to me by so doing."
Then with a quick glance over the topography of
the country, he was away as swift and as light as a deer. He very well knew
that he must not be discovered. To be seen would be fatal to all his
purpose. Reaching a knoll from whence to look, he found he was within a
short distance of the hunting party. Yonder were the buffalo. Making sure of
his rear, he stretched himself to watch the charge. There was one horse
which at once took his attention, a large dappled iron gray. This horse
fascinated our lone warrior, and he determined to watch him in the run which
was about to take place. Soon the hunters were ready, and moved out quickly
towards the herd, and in a very little while they were away on the full
race, and as White Buffalo keenly watched, he was glad to see the big gray
shoot like an arrow from a bow out from the racing horses beside him and
easily distance the rest, and to note that before the other horses came up
already the rider on the grey had let some arrows fly and made his kill
before the other hunters had really begun their hunt.
"Ah" thought White Buffalo. "if I can secure
that horse, it will have been worth my while coming out here alone, and if
he is gentle, as I think he is, he would be just the horse for my Nagos to
own and ride, as we travel from place to place."
Alone in his enemy's country, and far from human
help, this valiant soul was for the moment in spirit with his beloved Nagos
in the lodge far down the continent where the multiple streams and the great
forest did flourish. Just then, and when White Buffalo came out of his dream
and was face to face with his sublime loneliness, he caught sight of a great
wolf looking at him, and again he felt his blood surging through his veins,
and his soul as if lifted up. for he was not alone. Here was the visible
manifestation of his Pawakun, "the spirit of his dreams," watching over him,
and as he looked the vision was gone. Then he turned to look out upon the
scene before him for an opening wherein to do and dare, and as if in answer
to his purpose the rider of the dappled gray, having seen to the
straightening out of his kill, and having directed his people to them, was
now riding over in the direction of where White Buffalo was stretched. The
latter moved into better cover, and saw with profound satisfaction the
dapple grey and his rider come slowly out from the hunting field into the
range of hills behind one of which he was waiting.
"Just go a little farther from your people, if
you will," was the ardent wish of the Cree scout. And carefully and swiftly
he crawled and wriggled and ran and dropped behind the big horse and his
rider. The latter was carelessly allowing his long lariat, one end of which
was also his bridle, to drag as he rode, and in this way was playing right
into the hand of his brave and cunning foe, who was now close beside him.
White Buffalo eagerly scanned the hills ahead, and quickly picked upon a
spot for the deed lie was about to attempt. It came to him as an inspiration
to capture this horse without killing his rider. By this time all
three—horse, rider and foe—were close to the spot chosen by the latter, who,
having taken a couple of arrows from his quiver, and throwing one into
position, picked up the end of the lariat and gently pulled the horse
around. The astonished Blackfoot sat his horse and looked straight into the
face of White Buffalo, who, with bow drawn and arrow pointed, smiled at him.
The Blackfoot was taken altogether by surprise, and paled with the immediate
presence of death. But White Buffalo signed to him to throw his bow and
quiver and knife down, and he, quickly comprehending, did so. Then White
Buffalo signed to him to alight from the horse, which he also did. Then
White Buffalo, gathering up the bow and quiver and knife, waved his captive
over to a position near by, and then, throwing the how and quiver of his
enemy over his own shoulders and sticking the knife in his belt, he mounted
the horse, and sending a kind good-bye to the astonished Blackfoot, he rode
away. He knew it would be some time before the humiliated warrior-hunter
could give the alarm, so he leisurely cantered in an opposite direction to
his real course. Then, when well in the hills, he circled to the spot where
he had left the horses of his slain. Corning to the place he found the
horses and saddles and everything even as he had left them. Taking stock, he
found himself in possession of three horses, one of these a fortune in
himself, and all fitted out with saddles and saddle-cloths and lines. He
also had the weapons of three of the warriors of the enemies of his people,
and the scalp locks of two of them, and as he summed up his effort he felt
great satisfaction in having spared the life of the last one. A strong,
quick pull of that bow and the sharp arrow would have gone through his
heart; but no, it is better, far better, that he is living. Hastily packing
the weapons on the hack of one horse, and mounting another, and leading the
two, he started homeward. As he rode he picked the clean-cropped portions of
the country, and every little while doubled on his course, so that anyone
seeking to follow him would have more or less trouble to track him and his
three horses. He rode, with little intervals for rest and feed, all the
evening and night, and when morning dawned was near the big river. And he
said to himself: "I
will put the river between me and pursuit before I rest myself or these
horses the spirits have given me to possess." Coming to the river, he let
his horses cool, and then put all the saddles on the big gray, one on top of
the other, and on the top of all this he fastened all his weapon loot,
knives and war clubs, etc. Then he fastened the grey to the tail of the
horse he was going to swim beside, and the third horse he also fastened in
turn to the tail of the gray, and thus arranged he rode his lead horse out
into the current. When his horse lost bottom he slipped to the lower side
and swam beside him with the current to the opposite shore. Safely landing,
he was glad and thankful, for he was now on the home side of the big river,
and a long distance from the scenes of his recent exploits. He felt elated
that this test of himself was satisfactory. He was grateful to the spirit of
his dreams for timely approbation, and his heart filled within him as he
thought of the great good spirit, the Creator, the wonderful Providence. and
he sang in joyous thanksgiving as his whole being prompted him to do in his
fullness of gratitude. What he had done were the ideals of his race, and he
was but going beyond many or most of his fellows in his heroism. And now he
sought a screened spot wherein to rest his new-found steeds. And then for
himself he looked up a vantage place, whereon to rest as best he could for a
few hours before continuing his journey.
These three horses were every one of them
prizes. There was Wepatim, a splendid square-built brown. and Wapastim, a
beautiful white pony, and then there was Kesketawapwam, the Blackthigh, as
his people would undoubtedly christen his dapple gray. Why, he was a
glorious prize in himself, well worth travelling hundreds of miles and
swimming big rivers and killing men to gain such a horse as this. As White
Buffalo watched the graceful animal nibble grass, and look up at him with
his big gentle eyes he felt conscious of a great possession, and he pictured
the glad day when he could say to Nagos, "He is yours, my beloved," and he
saw the wondering gaze of the forest maiden turn to the horse in bewildering
astonishment, and then to himself in love and gladness. For hours he lay and
watched and could not sleep for joy, all the while busy with his youthful
castle-building. White
Buffalo was truly normal. Lung and limb and stomach and liver and brain and
heart were sound. He came of pure blood, and none of the complex foods of
the white man had as yet disturbed his digestion. One class of food had been
the habit of his people for countless generations, and this child of nature
was absolutely natural. Nor yet had he lived and slept in stuffy, draughty
houses. No shack, with its microbe- burdened air, had taken him in. No, in
clean, pure air, in all out of doors, he had dwelt, and was sound and
strong. Ten miles an hour for several hours at a stretch would be a common
run for such as he. But now he need not run, for yonder are three splendid
steeds and he is approaching them, and presently they are saddled and packed
and mounted and in the lead, and he is away towards yonder camp which was
three nights distant as he now could travel, but which by this time might be
farther away. At any rate, he would go as straight as he could for where it
had been. Then he could take up the trail.
All this time White Buffalo travelled with great
care. He seemed to feel the need of special care all the more as he neared
the spot where his people were camped when he left them last. Leaving his
horses in a hidden place he scouted to the old camping ground, and he found
that his people had moved easterly and had done so soon after he had started
on his trip. Continuing his search, he found fresh tracks of footmen, and
this made him keenly alert, and quickly he discovered that a large war party
was on the trail of his home camp. This filled him with great anxiety. His
mother and father, Snake Skin and all the other people, all this jumped into
his mind at once, and more carefully scanning the fresh tracks, he was
filled with the hope that he might reach his home camp before the war party.
Running back to his horses, he in his turn took
up the trail of the trackers. That same day he passed several old
encampments, and noticed that the course was more northerly, and that the
tracks of the Blackfeet were quite fresh. He saw that this war party was
large, and felt sure that this was a revenge enterprise, which had traced
his own party back to the camp of the Crees.
"Ah!" thought he, "if I can reach my people
before you do, my brave Blackfoot warriors, we will give you a great
welcome." And the
thrill of the coming battle, and this his chance to warn his people, stirred
his whole being with firm resolve to hurry on and spare neither himself nor
horses to circumvent the foes of his people. Away went our warrior with his
heart aflame to rescue his friends, and if possible defeat his enemies.
Forever watching, keenly scouting, White Buffalo followed the line of
movement of the big camp, and also that of the Blackfoot war party. He had
not gone very far when he discovered one of the rear scouts of this avenging
crowd, and was sorely tempted to slay this lone man, who was altogether
unconscious of his presence. But his anxiety really was to reach his own
camp before these men could make their charge against it. Moreover, he now
knew that the main body of the Blackfeet could not be so very far ahead,
and, as evening was near, he determined to take stock of them before pushing
on towards his own people. Accordingly, he turned aside and sought a good
place wherein to cache his horses and outfit. Having done this, he ran out
in the early night to where he calculated the main body might he, and in due
time he came upon them, secure as they thought, with scouts in advance and
in their rear. They never dreamed of a foe almost in their midst. From the
quiet clatter of hushed voices and movement, he concluded that their number
was large. But he felt confident that there was to be no attack made that
night. For this he was thankful, and, running back to his horses, he again
rode on, and travelling the most of the night presently he heard a dog bark,
and determined to wait for daybreak. As he lay resting, with his horses
cropping grass beside him, he could not but hum a song of thanksgiving for
thus being brought upon the scene in time to help his people and punish
their constant foes. Then he thought of his parents, and was glad to be able
to save them from alarm and possible death, and, as was most natural, on
sped his thoughts northward to the big forest country where Nagos and her
people forever roamed. And for a little space of time he forgot all things
else, and thought only of the Little Mother, and revelled in his dream of
love. And now it was
coming daylight, and hastily making a toilet, he gathered up the lines of
his horses, and, mounting one of them, quietly scouted in the direction of
where he had heard the dog bark. Soon he came upon one of his own companions
who had been out on guard all night, and who drew his bow at him, but a word
sufficed, and with joy his friend ran up and kissed White Buffalo.
"Oh!" said he, "my heart is glad to see you."
And White Buffalo said, "Here, mount this horse,
and as we ride tell me the news of camp," and the young fellow gave his
budget of happenings since White Buffalo had disappeared, and wound up with
the exclamation: "But now there will be great rejoicing in all our camp
because of your safe arrival."
Notwithstanding Snake Skin's assurances, and
repeated visits to the lodge of White Buffalo's parents, his mother had been
much troubled, and her thought was always with her noble boy. In her heart
she was forever petitioning the Great Spirit, and all the spirits, on his
behalf. And this night she had not slept, but lay and thought of her beloved
son, and when the first gleam of coming dawn appeared, she got up, and \vent
out of the lodge, and looked, and looked; and then she lit the fire in the
lodge, and presently she saw two riders and a led horse approaching camp,
and her heart stirred within her, and all her strong maternal being spoke
and said : ''It is my boy! It is my boy!"
Addressing the spirits, she said: "I thank you;
I thank you my son is here."
And the father heard and sprang from his couch,
and stood beside his wife, and sure enough here was their boy, alive and
well, and with a bound he was beside them, and their joy was full.
To the observing scout who had ridden in with
him, and to his parents, and indeed to all who hurried to the spot, it was
not necessary to ask. "Where have you been—what has happened?" The scalps
spoke, the horses talked, the bows and quivers and war clubs told the tale.
And the details could wait.
"White Buffalo, our young chief, has returned,
is well; rejoice, oh people!" was the shout that went through the camp. And
Snake Skin heard and came on the jump to embrace his hero and much-loved
friend. Said he: "I
dreamed of you, I felt you near, and now I am rejoiced to have you again
beside me. What can I do, White Buffalo?"
And White Buffalo told him to gather the chief
and council and before them he would make his tidings known. The mother set
her best food before her boy, soft fat pemmican, and pounded meat, and
marrow fat and berries, and all the while she was devouring him with her
mother glances, and touching his shoulder or hair or foot as she moved in
her joyful task. The lost was found, and every mother in the large camp
sympathized with her, and all were glad for her sake. The boys and girls and
children were looking at him, and admiring the horses and saddles and
weapons of the Blackfeet which White Buffalo had brought home. Already the
young fellow of the morning had fastened the two scalp-locks on a pole, and
put this up by the lodge, and all over the camp the people looked and saw
them, and hummed snatches of the victory song. Soon Snake Skin was back and
said: "Come, my friend,
the gathering is ready." And he and White Buffalo's father went with White
Buffalo to the council lodge, where were assembled the chief and head men of
the various bands comprising this large camp. And with a sign from the head
chief Snake Skin led our warrior to a place of honor, and in silence the big
pipe was filled and lit and held aloft before the deity, and pointed to all
the cardinal directions, and then the chief smoked and passed it to White
Buffalo, and when he had drawn a few puffs, he passed it on and the chief
said: "White Buffalo,
we are glad to see you. All the people are rejoiced to have you back with us
again, and now we will listen to your message of tidings." And White Buffalo
said: "My friends, the
Great Spirit is good to us, for he has brought me home at an opportune time.
On the way I have found that this camp was being followed by a large number
of our foes. Last evening, when the night was still young, I saw them and
heard them, and they are many, and doubtless their advance scouts are not
very far away at this time. I think we have today and tomorrow to prepare,
and the second morning will be the time of their charge on us."
There was a solemn hush as the crowd had
listened to White Buffalo. And now the chief spoke:
"Truly as you have said, White Buffalo, the
spirits are good to us as a people, in thus permitting you to discover our
enemies, and now we want you to Speak further, and tell us your mind as to
what we should do to protect our people and punish our enemies."
Then White Buffalo answered: "I am but a child,
let the older men speak."
But the chief said: "No, White Buffalo, we as a
people fully recognize that in the conduct of war you have been given much
wisdom. Forget your youth, and speak out your mind freely."
Thus encouraged, White Buffalo did say:
"Friends, these men I saw last night are no
doubt the survivors and friends some of us attacked some moons since. They
are thirsting for our blood. Revenge is strong in them. They have prepared
for this purpose. They are tracking us to this camp. By good fortune we now
know of their coming. Of this our knowledge they do not know. We can prepare
for them such a surprise that they and their people will always remember. My
mind is, let this camp open lodges and move them down into the valley of the
river which is close by. Let this move be made slowly and in quiet, without
hurry or excitement. Let everybody in and out of this camp move as if there
was no dread of danger in our minds. At the same time, let every man be
ready with his weapons, and while the camp is moving and our scouts watch
their approach, we will make our arrangements, and surprise our enemies."
Then the chief, addressing the council and the
assembled crowd, said: "What White Buffalo has spoken is good, and we will
do this without noise or hurry. We will quietly move camp today, and we will
put all the plan of the defence of our camp, and the meeting with our foes,
in the hands of White Buffalo, and in all this he must be obeyed."
And the council and the whole crowd shouted
their satisfaction, and promised strict obedience. Snake Skin was proud, and
glad, that his friend was thus honored. All day and as in ordinary the large
camp folded its tents and packed up its belongings, and horses and dogs and
humanity, packed and pulled, and the transfer was made down and across the
valley. And in regular form the lodges were pitched and camp life went on as
usual. Even such would have been the thought of the observer who did not
know of the undercurrent of excitement which was in the minds of its people.
White Buffalo's report was not questioned in any
way. The Blackfeet were close, and a struggle was coming, and before the
night was far spent of this first day of White Buffalo's arrival several
scouts came in with corroborative evidence. A large party of the enemy was
within a short day's journey, and moving straight for them. White Buffalo
made Snake Skin his second. Papamotao, who was the older man, had suggested
this to White Buffalo at once, and said:
"I will do whatever you want me to do, but
depend on Snake Skin, he is yours to the death."
And White Buffalo's heart was strangely stirred
to have these evidences of loyalty. In the meantime, he rested, and then
mounting Blackfoot, he carefully reconnoitered the surrounding country and
made up his plan of ambush and attack. For he had decided in his own mind
that there would be no charge on his camp by the Blackfoot party. He would
meet the enemy, and thrust him back, and in doing so destroy as many as he
could. That night White Buffalo and Snake Skin and Rapamotao took stock of
their fighting force, and White Buffalo divided these into four equal
commands. The chief and older men were to guard the camp. Snake Skin and
Papamotao were each to command a force and fight on foot; and himself with
the other fourth on horseback were to spring upon the rear of the enemy and
harass and damage their flight. White Buffalo had located the spot from
whence the enemy would come down into the valley, and he planned to have
Papamotao on one side and Snake Skin on the other and himself with his
horsemen meet and chase his foes as these would rush back the way they had
come. Early that night the scouts got word of a multitude close at hand, but
this caused no panic in camp, as all believed in the pluck and tact of their
leader and his force. Then to help matters, the seer went into a trance, and
sent his spirit out to meet the foe, and coming to, he told the waiting and
anxious crowd that these were the same men that they had chased and spared
this season in the far west, and that now their scalps and blood would be
the penalty for their coming into the Cree country, and particularly after
this camp wherein White Buffalo dwelt.
"Yes, White Buffalo, I see it clearly coming.
Your victory is coming, my son!"
Of course, this helped everybody, for
Kosopachehao had a good record. They said of him: "He sees beyond."
Nevertheless, it was a night of anxiety in every lodge, and many prayers
went up from the hearts of mothers and wives and loved ones because of the
battle that was at hand. By midnight White Buffalo had all his men placed,
and his scouts brought him in the news that his view of the enemy's
movements was correct. They were approaching, even as he had planned for
them to come. Because
of their numbers, the Blackfeet were bold, and long before daylight they
were looking down upon the camp, and as the day star began to appear they
gathered to descend into the valley by way of a coulée or depression which
sloped from either side down to the river. When the main body was well into
the hollow, and, as had been previously arranged, Snake Skin howled like a
wolf, and was answered by Papamatao from the other side of the coulée. Then
Snake Skin gave the clear loud war-whoop, and back from across came another
great whoop, and the charge was on, and from both slopes down came the Crees.
The Blackfeet were thunderstruck with the assault, and vainly fought, and
rushed back up the hill. For already answering war cries were coming from
the camp, and they felt the only way was back. But with those who reached
the plain there came upon them the charge of White Buffalo, and his
horsemen, and the carnage was quick and awful to the Blackfeet. They were
taken on every hand, and had it not been that they are such experts at
hiding on the plain, there would have been none left alive to carry the news
of their defeat to the western camps.
When the fight was over, it was found that the
Cree loss was small, only six being killed, and some few slightly wounded.
But of their enemies they found over a hundred victims. By noon of this day
their-scalp-locks were hanging in the breeze, and on many a triangle all
through the camp there hung and dangled the bows and quivers and war clubs
and costumes and trinkets of the slain. The chief sent out the word:
"Rejoice, oh my people, and be glad! Let every heart be thankful. The
Spirits have smiled upon us, and have given to us as a people a worthy son.
White Buffalo is his name. And to him we owe our deliverance today. Let the
drums beat, and the dancers come forth, and all the camp sing in honor of
our young war chief."
And in all this camp, no one was more rejoiced than Snake Skin. |
