CHAPTER VI
THE MEDICINE MAN
During the march through the woods the Indians were not communicative.Once or twice Arnold attempted to draw Swift Arrow into conversation,but the old man merely listened in solemn silence. He refused even torespond to direct questions.
Eventually a clearing was reached where a large number of teepees werepitched. It was quite a wigwam village, and thence the two captives wereescorted to a tent that stood among many others. They were politelyrequested to enter, and, on obeying, they found that the teepee wasotherwise empty. Several men were posted on guard at a little distancefrom the entrance, while Swift Arrow departed with the rest of hisbrethren.
"There's no doubt but that we are prisoners," remarked Arnold, as he satdown upon a buffalo hide, preparing to make the best of things and takehis ease while he might.
"The whole affair is a puzzle," said his companion. "Why on earth theyshould take us prisoners passes my comprehension. It can't be that theyregard us as enemies. They would not have been so polite and considerateif that had been their thought."
"That's just it," laughed Arnold, who, like his son, had the gift forworrying little until he knew exactly what to worry about. "That's justwhat surprises me. We are treated as prisoners, and not as prisoners. Myimpression is that we are regarded with more fear than anger."
The time allowed for speculation was soon curtailed by the sound of manyvoices approaching the tent, though presently there was silence, and aloud voice called to those within--
"The eyes of Mighty Hand would gladly rest on the sight of the WhiteMen."
"He means us," commented Arnold, rising from the couch of fur. "He's toopolite to enter the teepee uninvited."
"By all means let his eyes rest upon us," laughed Holden.
The two men then advanced, while one threw open the flap of the tent.And the picture that met their eyes was one that struck the strangerswith admiration, for it seemed to throw the years back to the days whenthe Indian ruled the prairie--the days that knew the youth of Ballantyneand the prime of Fenimore Cooper.
Ranged in a semicircle before the tent was a crowd of braves andwarriors--all arrayed in the picturesque garb that was unspoilt by anytouch of Saxon attire, such as is commonly seen among redskins of thepresent day. Except that the old-time bows and arrows were replaced bymore modern muzzle-loaders, there was nothing to suggest any associationwith white men and white men's tastes.
But it was not so much the background of natives that impressed theEnglishmen. Their admiration was called to the central figure. He was anIndian of enormous size--tall, squarely built, and equally proportioned.His head was surmounted with a turban of black fox decorated with eaglefeathers that were continued like a wing right down his back and nearlytouched the ground. His black hair was threaded with many colouredbeads, some of which resembled (and actually were proved to be) nuggetsof pure gold. Necklaces of beads and animals' teeth hung in manystrands upon the breast of his deerskin shirt. Leggings and moccasinswere a mass of beads, feathers, and porcupines' quills woven inintricately fantastic designs. And, over all, there hung in gracefulfolds an ermine robe of spotless white.
This was the great chief of the Dacotahs. Mighty Hand was his name, andthat hand was famed for its deeds of valour as equally for its deeds ofkindness. He was sole monarch of a mighty branch-tribe of the Dacotahsthat had long been separated from its renegade brethren, preferring tomaintain the old life in the forest and on the prairie rather than aworkhouse existence in a Government Reserve. He led his people far fromthe haunts of white men, and his life was only harmful to the game thatsupplied his people's needs. Powder and other necessaries he obtainedfrom frontier trading-stations. But he was known as a man of peace and aman of spotless honour. Hence his irregular life and failure to complywith Government Reserve regulations had been hitherto winked at by theofficials.
When the Englishmen issued from the tent, this chief was standingbefore them in a majestic attitude that at once proclaimed his royalblood. He was unarmed. This was a courtesy to the strangers.
At the chief's right side stood Swift Arrow; at the left was a figurethat formed a weird contrast to the other two. This one was lean, bent,and twisted like a gnarled tree that had been starved and warped in theforest. His dress was alike native, but the grotesque ornaments ofanimals' skulls, tails, dried monkeys' hands, and other gruesome relicsgave the wearer an appearance that was repulsive to Saxon eyes. Thisfreak of figure and dress was Thunder-maker, the great Medicine Man ofthe tribe. Without his presence no state conclave was complete; withouthis opinion no tribal law or ruling was ever decided.
It must not be thought that the time we have occupied in describingthese several features was similarly occupied by the Englishmen inminute observation. Not at all. Arnold, immediately recognising thebearing of the chief, promptly addressed him in English, which MightyHand could understand--judging from his first salutation.
"The white brothers of the redmen are gladdened by this visit of thegreat chief," he said. "The white brothers have been in great dangerfrom rushing waters--danger from which the great chief's braves snatchedthem. They are grateful that their lives have been saved, and they areglad to meet the chief and thank him for what was done."
The Indian listened in silence, and, at the pause that followed, hereturned in deep tones, as if he were repeating a lesson that he hadlearnt by heart--
"_Out from the silver waters, when the moon is round, they shall come.They shall be pale-face, and they shall look like men._"
This was certainly a puzzling rejoinder! To neither of the captives didit convey any knowledge. Arnold, however, deemed that the best coursewould be to assume no impression that he and his friend were regarded asprisoners.
"The chief speaks well," he returned. "But his tongue deceives him whenhe says that we _look_ like men. Pale-faces we are. But we are friendsto the redman. We would smoke the peace-pipe with him. But we are farfrom our camp. At our tents are our young sons, who are awaiting ourreturn with anxious hearts. Perhaps the great chief has also a son! Hewill know, then, how heavy would be the heart of his papoose if thechief were long absent from his teepee. We therefore beg that the chiefwill hasten the peace-pipe. Afterwards he will lend a brave to guide thewhite brothers back to their camp-ground."
While Arnold spoke there was silence among the Indians, and it wasobvious, from the chief's face, that his mind was disturbed withindecision.
"Mighty Hand has listened to the words of the pale-face," the chiefsaid. "The white man's words flow as music, but--'_out from the silverwaters, when the moon is round_---- '"
The speaker's voice faded into thoughtfulness, and Holden whispered tohis companion--
"What is the fellow driving at? What does he mean by 'out from thesilver waters'? Of course we came out from waters, but what has that todo with the moon, I wonder?"
"I can't think, unless--yes, I believe I've got it! It's full moon aboutthis time, Holden. There's some Indian superstition, I imagine, aboutfull moon and people being rescued from the water----"
"It sounds like that from the way he speaks. You remember Swift Arrowsaid much the same thing."
"Then depend upon it we've hit the mark. In some way we've got mixed upwith a legend or superstition."
Mighty Hand had been consulting with Swift Arrow while the Englishmenhad been quietly summing up the situation, but now he again faced thecaptives.
"Mighty Hand has lived long and seen many wonders and much greatmedicine. But to-day there is a cloud in his mind. He understands butdarkly. It would be a shame that Mighty Hand should bring water to theeyes of his white brother's papoose, but who can say if the Fiery Totembe not calling this day? Behold!"
As he spoke the chief tore open his deerskin shirt, and when theEnglishmen bent forward in curiosity they saw--upon the nakedbreast--the figure of a serpent tattooed in gold and red so cunninglythat it seemed as though a living reptile were there resting--a reptilemoulded from burning flames, with head ra
ised in the attitude ofstriking.
The men gave a gasp of wonder and surprise, and at the same instant theMedicine Man jumped forward, pointed a finger towards the sign, andturned with an evil grin towards the strangers.
"The totem of the Serpent Dacotahs!" he hissed through his teeth. "Canthe pale-face look upon it without fear? Can they not feel thepoison-tooth break the covering of their flesh?"
At this strange attack Arnold laughed aloud, and Holden smiled as hesaid--
"The white men are not cowards! They do not shrink before a figure ofpaint!"
The Medicine Man threw up his arms in a transport of rage.
"They laugh! The white men smile at the sacred totem!" he cried in awild appeal to the sympathies of the people, who began to respond withdisapproving murmurs. "Shall it be that the fiery serpent hear laughingtongues while the hands of the Dacotahs are idle? _Who_ are they thatdare to revile our sacred sign with mocking eyes and tongues?"
Matters were beginning to assume a serious aspect towards the strangers,for evidently the Medicine Man was one whose lead was followed by hispeople, and who knew well how to play upon their weaknesses. So Arnoldhastened to try and pacify the anger that he had inadvertently roused.
"My red brother mistakes," he said, addressing Thunder-maker. "The whiteman's laughter was at the suggestion of fear. We are brave men who fearnothing. But we did no insult to the totem of the Dacotahs----"
"Dogs!" exclaimed the furious Indian. "Dogs! The fiery totem has beendefiled. Revenge, my brothers! Revenge! lest the names Dacotah andMighty Hand become things for jeers and laughter in the women's tents!"
The Indian was quite frantic with passion, and as he flung his wildappeal to his people the murmurs suddenly burst into a flood of angryroars--knives were snatched from their sheaths, a hundred arms werelifted, and the circle quickly closed upon the helpless men. But just atthat moment of peril and almost inevitable death, the great figure ofMighty Hand was seen to start. He stepped forward with one stride,turned his back upon the captives, and then raised his arms, from whichhis robe hung like great protecting wings that shielded the strangersbeneath their folds. And his voice rang out above the angry clamourlike the voice of a wind roaring through the pine forests.
"Back, Dacotahs! Back to your tents ere the strength of Mighty Hand islifted and you sink to the dust! Is this how the redman treats thestranger who would smoke the peace-pipe by our fire? Is this the welcomethat my braves give to those whom Mighty Hand has received with asmile--with no arms in his hand, no tomahawk at his belt? Back, dogs!and hide your coward faces like frightened papooses in the skirts of thewomen!"
The clamour ceased instantly. The men hung back, and their heads bentwith shame, that is, all heads but that of Thunder-maker. His facebetokened no shame. Nay, greater fury than ever was depicted, though hewas silenced before the anger of his chief. But it was only for a littlewhile that he was thus disconcerted, for soon he resumed--though now hespoke with humble fawning--
"It is death in the heart of Thunder-maker when the eyes of Mighty Handshoot their looks of fire. But--_Thunder-maker speak true_. Has he notmade great medicine these many suns? Did he not bring the thunder toprove his great medicine? Has he not many times driven the fever fromthe camp, till it fled over the prairie like a coyote driven with sticksand dogs? Huh! many wonders has he done, and--more will he do. He willdo great medicine this day. He will show if the fiery totem has calledin vain for vengeance."
Thus speaking, Thunder-maker dived a hand into the bosom of his shirtand drew out a bundle of dirty linen. The chief had lowered his arms, sothat the Englishmen could now see the Indian as he laughed and held upthe bundle triumphantly above his head.
"Great medicine!" he exclaimed, fixing his eyes upon the white men."Great medicine! Look! See! Listen!"
They looked, and as they looked they saw the linen move, as if somethinginside were struggling to be free, and at the same time they heard asound like the sudden springing of an old-time policeman's rattle.
"Rattlesnakes!" exclaimed Arnold under his breath.
Thunder-maker laughed when he saw that the sound had been recognised.
"Come! Come, my children!" he cried, as he turned his face upwards."Come, my little son--come, my little daughter!"
Then he shook the knot of the bundle, and out from the aperture crepttwo grey-green bodies--a pair of twisting, writhing somethings thatcaused the onlookers to shudder and the Medicine Man to laugh, as herepeated carelessly--
"Come, my little papooses! You will speak great medicine in the ears ofThunder-maker!"
Slowly the serpents came from their covering. One remained coiled on theraised wrists, the other--still sounding the ominous rattle--movedslowly downwards till it rested on the man's shoulder. ThenThunder-maker inclined his head, as if listening to a whisper.Afterwards his face lit up with understanding.
"Huh!" he exclaimed. "Did not the spirit of Thunder-maker speak true?Come, my little papoose! You shall show for whom the fiery totemcalled."
Turning his head so as to look along his shoulder, the Indian suddenlygrabbed the writhing reptile with his teeth, after which (holding theother serpent with his right hand) he commenced dancing until he hadcleared an open circular space, of which the Indians and the white menformed the border.
Suddenly he sprang to the middle and tossed the snake to the ground,while he uttered a wild shriek.
Once on the earth, the snake glided swiftly in several directions, whileall watched the creature with tense excitement. Then for a second itseemed to pause with its head in the direction of the Englishmen. At thesame moment the Indian gave a cry of triumph, tucked the one snake intoa fold of his robe and bent down, making passes with his hands above theserpent on the ground. And as his hands moved so the rattlesnakegradually straightened out its body till it lay stiff and straight as apiece of wood.
Thunder-maker paused. Then he rose up slowly and looked with triumphstraight into the chief's face.
"My children say that the time has come to take the cloud from theDacotah. My papooses show _who_ answer call of fiery totem!"