Read Online Lakota by G. Clifton Wisler - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: G. Clifton Wisler
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River, we won't harm you. If you go on . . ."
Tacante grimly touched the handle of the knife tied to his calf. The wasicuns exchanged worried looks. They could see there were mounted warriors amid the trees on the far ridge and blocking the trail beside the river.
"We wouldn't hurt anybody," the hairy-faced wasicun insisted. "Just mean to go north's all, to the Yellowstone."
"You kill elk that would fill my brother's belly and make him strong," Tacante answered. "You must go back. Or paint your faces for war."
"We'd kill some o' you," a second wasicun argued.
Hinhan Hota asked what the wasicuns spoke, and Tacante explained. The Owl replied angrily, and Tacante translated.
"Maybe, he says," Tacante explained. "But we would kill all of you."
The wasicuns walked back to where the women and children remained. They discussed Hinhan Hota's words. The hairy-faced one returned alone.
"It's a fool leads married men to a gold camp," he said to Tacante. "We're goin' back."
Tacante shared the news with his father, and Hinhan Hota rose to his feet. The Owl then led the way to the horses. Once mounted, he waved his companions along. He left Hokala to watch, though.
"See that all of them go back," Hinhan Hota charged the Badger. "All. If any remain, come for us. Then there will be punishment."
Tacante witnessed the departure of the wagons himself. They struggled along the rock-strewn road, pursued by a small band of little ones. But there were no riders atop mules with them. Hokala soon appeared to confirm the news.
"They think we're fools not to notice," Hinhan Hota growled angrily when Badger explained how the party had separated. "We'll punish them now!"
He Hopa set about making medicine while the warriors dressed themselves for battle. Tacante smiled as he felt the three feathers woven into his long black hair. Hinhan Hota helped him paint face and chest. Together father and son tied up the tails of their best ponies, and brought along spares as well. Finally the warriors gathered to smoke the pipe.
"Wakan Tanka, look down upon us. Give us a good fight, for we ride to protect Uncle Buffalo and all his brother creatures. You make the earth rich and good, but these wasicuns would eat it all. Give us strong hearts."
"Hau!" the warriors shouted.
It didn't prove to be much of a batde. The Lakotas rode down on the wasicuns at a bend of the river and knocked them from their horses in the first charge. Quickly the startled white men were disarmed and led back to the wagons in triumph.
The wagons had gone but a short way before turning away from the river. Perhaps it was the hairy-faced wasicun's notion that such a trick would deceive the Lakotas. It only made them angry. Hinhan Hota led a charge which sent the little ones fleeing into the brush, screaming in terror. He counted coup on the hairy-faced one before dragging him from the seat of the wagon. The two women driving the second wagon abandoned it immediately. Then, in dismay, they watched the Lakotas tear off the canvas cover and take everything of value within. Hinhan Hota cut the oxen loose before setting the wagons ablaze.
The Owl then ordered the wasicuns herded between the blazing wagons. Tacante and Hokala had quite a challenge chasing down the younger children, for they scurried about the rocks like lizards. Finally they heeded their mothers' calls.
Hinhan Hota then addressed the captives with an angry voice, scolding them for their lies, warning that swift death would follow should they return to Powder River again.
"What's he goin' to do with us?" the hairy-faced leader asked Tacante. "Son, there are children no older'n seven years among us. Women, too."
"He knows this!" Tacante barked, motioning at his father.
Hinhan Hota then instructed the warriors to strip the captives. The men struggled a bit at first, but the sharp edge of a knife or the barrel of a gun persuaded them defiance was wasted. Tacante couldn't help laughing at the funny-looking wasicuns.
Tacante grimly touched the handle of the knife tied to his calf. The wasicuns exchanged worried looks. They could see there were mounted warriors amid the trees on the far ridge and blocking the trail beside the river.
"We wouldn't hurt anybody," the hairy-faced wasicun insisted. "Just mean to go north's all, to the Yellowstone."
"You kill elk that would fill my brother's belly and make him strong," Tacante answered. "You must go back. Or paint your faces for war."
"We'd kill some o' you," a second wasicun argued.
Hinhan Hota asked what the wasicuns spoke, and Tacante explained. The Owl replied angrily, and Tacante translated.
"Maybe, he says," Tacante explained. "But we would kill all of you."
The wasicuns walked back to where the women and children remained. They discussed Hinhan Hota's words. The hairy-faced one returned alone.
"It's a fool leads married men to a gold camp," he said to Tacante. "We're goin' back."
Tacante shared the news with his father, and Hinhan Hota rose to his feet. The Owl then led the way to the horses. Once mounted, he waved his companions along. He left Hokala to watch, though.
"See that all of them go back," Hinhan Hota charged the Badger. "All. If any remain, come for us. Then there will be punishment."
Tacante witnessed the departure of the wagons himself. They struggled along the rock-strewn road, pursued by a small band of little ones. But there were no riders atop mules with them. Hokala soon appeared to confirm the news.
"They think we're fools not to notice," Hinhan Hota growled angrily when Badger explained how the party had separated. "We'll punish them now!"
He Hopa set about making medicine while the warriors dressed themselves for battle. Tacante smiled as he felt the three feathers woven into his long black hair. Hinhan Hota helped him paint face and chest. Together father and son tied up the tails of their best ponies, and brought along spares as well. Finally the warriors gathered to smoke the pipe.
"Wakan Tanka, look down upon us. Give us a good fight, for we ride to protect Uncle Buffalo and all his brother creatures. You make the earth rich and good, but these wasicuns would eat it all. Give us strong hearts."
"Hau!" the warriors shouted.
It didn't prove to be much of a batde. The Lakotas rode down on the wasicuns at a bend of the river and knocked them from their horses in the first charge. Quickly the startled white men were disarmed and led back to the wagons in triumph.
The wagons had gone but a short way before turning away from the river. Perhaps it was the hairy-faced wasicun's notion that such a trick would deceive the Lakotas. It only made them angry. Hinhan Hota led a charge which sent the little ones fleeing into the brush, screaming in terror. He counted coup on the hairy-faced one before dragging him from the seat of the wagon. The two women driving the second wagon abandoned it immediately. Then, in dismay, they watched the Lakotas tear off the canvas cover and take everything of value within. Hinhan Hota cut the oxen loose before setting the wagons ablaze.
The Owl then ordered the wasicuns herded between the blazing wagons. Tacante and Hokala had quite a challenge chasing down the younger children, for they scurried about the rocks like lizards. Finally they heeded their mothers' calls.
Hinhan Hota then addressed the captives with an angry voice, scolding them for their lies, warning that swift death would follow should they return to Powder River again.
"What's he goin' to do with us?" the hairy-faced leader asked Tacante. "Son, there are children no older'n seven years among us. Women, too."
"He knows this!" Tacante barked, motioning at his father.
Hinhan Hota then instructed the warriors to strip the captives. The men struggled a bit at first, but the sharp edge of a knife or the barrel of a gun persuaded them defiance was wasted. Tacante couldn't help laughing at the funny-looking wasicuns.
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