第51章

Our number was now ten to one of the half-breeds.Within the circle formed by their carts they prepared for a desperate resistance.The hills about their little encampment were covered with warriors,ready to pounce upon them at the sig-nal of their chief.

The older men,however,were discussing in council what should be demanded of the half-breeds.It was determined that the murderer must be given up to us,to be punished accord-ing to the laws of the plains.If,however,they should refuse to give him up,the mode of attack decided upon was to build a fire around the offen-ders and thus stampede their horses,or at the least divide their attention.Meanwhile,the braves were to make a sudden onset.

Just then a piece of white,newly-tanned deer-skin was hoisted up in the center of the bois brule encampment.It was a flag of truce.One of their number approached the council lodge,un-armed and making the sign for a peaceful com-munication.He was admitted to the council,which was still in session,and offered to give up the murderer.It was also proposed,as an alter-native,that he be compelled to give everything he had to the parents of the murdered man.

The parents were allowed no voice whatever in the discussion which followed,for they were re-garded as incompetent judges,under the circum-stances.It was finally decreed by the council that the man's life should be spared,but that he must be exposed to the indignity of a public whip-ping,and resign all his earthly possessions to the parents of his victim.This sentence was carried into effect.

In our nomadic life there were a few unwritten laws by which our people were governed.There was a council,a police force,and an executive offi-cer,who was not always the chief,but a member of the tribe appointed to this position for a given number of days.There were also the wise old men who were constantly in attendance at the council lodge,and acted as judges in the rare event of the commission of a crime.

This simple government of ours was supported by the issue of little sticks about five inches long.

There were a hundred or so of these,and they were distributed every few days by the police or soldiers,who kept account of them.Whoever received one of these sticks must return it within five or ten days,with a load of provisions.If one was held beyond the stipulated time the police would call the delinquent warrior to account.In case he did not respond,they could come and de-stroy his tent or take away his weapons.When all the sticks had been returned,they were re-issued to other men;and so the council lodge was supported.

It was the custom that no man who had not distinguished himself upon the war-path could destroy the home of another.This was a neces-sary qualification for the office of an Indian police-man.These policemen must also oversee the hunt,lest some individuals should be well provided with food while others were in want.No man might hunt independently.The game must be carefully watched by the game scouts,and the dis-covery of a herd reported at once to the council,after which the time and manner of the hunt were publicly announced.

I well recall how the herald announced the near approach of buffaloes.It was supposed that if the little boys could trip up the old man while going his rounds,the success of the hunt was assured.

The oftener he was tripped,the more successful it would be!The signal or call for buffaloes was a peculiar whistle.As soon as the herald appeared,all the boys would give the whistle and follow in crowds after the poor old man.Of course he tried to avoid them,but they were generally too quick for him.

There were two kinds of scouts,for hunting and for war.In one sense every Indian was a scout;but there were some especially appointed to serve for a certain length of time.An Indian might hunt every day,besides the regularly organized hunt;but he was liable to punishment at any time.

If he could kill a solitary buffalo or deer without disturbing the herd,it was allowed.He might also hunt small game.