The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, August 10, 1902, Page 13

THE SUNDAY CALL. 13 Ilovw ][ ST ANFOIRD S TUDPEO mrFOoeTo aif- flerce men ve a race of peo- nly by St othing com: arted from d have been upt f land that they ere they settled, making situation restless, wandering members of he world's white races left their t for new fields, perhaps ; as the ploneers 18 to seek fortunes. They y reached the lit- There they re- their own people, e with the low brown idren to their chil- a part of their creed selves. t communication ng world, they ) degree of civi- lligent, quick to al when not at- bus, domestic. 1 this if we had heart of an un- this strange people a Filipino native, He has seen these one of the few to requent communi- told me weas people in the d with some v white races s one of few outsiders heir guarded boundaries. ; feeling uld never ould never Castro. “All them in stem of guarding is per- their colony is the g a complete ws is carried swi p in arms. ange ancient weapons are uder tries to force an well-aimed arrow greets e deadly with polson e this he comes upon and knives. The lat- e a curved scimitar and these people with deadly All the f you approach them with hosti you will fancy them to be the most terri- ble savages. But go in peace and you ‘will find them a people of much advance- ment, far above the Filipinos.” Castro spoke of them with great pride. He boasted of their beauty and strength and virtues. Their women are wonderfully beautiful, They are tall as a Filipino ing over five feet. They graceful. The women wear a loose robe falling from the shoulders to the feet. It is belt- ed with & cord made of the banana fiber. Their hair is worn sometimes flowing, sometimes cofled on the top of the head 2 European womar splendid specimens of being much over They wear & short are naked above the at magnificent muscles their ders show! worn flowing and many y curling hair. All -haired and blue- race or the ideal ich supports my ey are Greek in origin. is a piece of guesswork ke many years, 3 & of their ori- well guess as to let coloring, the intelligence, arts, their > v, their love ese things were charac- eks of at civiliza- hese people be an off- i loving people. Cas- ny of thelr r there is ere 1s nothing ties. They contests—races what they call made of icate and occasions and they any model own country. They ray. Their homes are houses like those of the tives, but there is a great aif- in the housekeeping that is done hem They use the caribou and they raise Toumel A:\‘g/]h:flte Race Lridderr 7z Plazlzppire ey ZicrzTerrerrzl L orerrrzo A e C.Iairm oznike L) et ) | a play an’ a sport of many domestic animals. Pies were taken there in trade and now they are flourish- ing, but the pig is never put in the par- lor. He is taught to know his place. Castro goes to' them to trade sugar, rice and coffee for cloth and bird’s plum- age. These two articles are the chief pro- ductions of the mountain people. They ralse the most of their own food but they have none to send out. Their dialect is something entirely strange to Castro. He i8 an educated man for a Filipino. He speaks Spanish and he is more or less familiar with all the dialects of the islands, and he says that this bears no resemblance to any one of them. But he is able to converse with them through their knowledge of Spanish and this has come to them through a hap- pening as romantic as any that you could fancy. A number of years ago there came to them a boy ruler. They did not know that he was to be their ruler when he came. He penetrated to their fastness; he came unarmed, and they admitted him. Then they learned who he was. He was one of their own. When only four years old he had been taken from one of their huts by a Spanish surgeon. This surgeon came upon the hut quite by accident while he was hunting. The mother and father ran at his approach, leaving behind their twin boys. As the parents were too much fright- ened to return, the Spaniard took the children away with him and carried them, like a fairy godfather, all the way to Spain. There he educated them and they became Christians. One of them was a law student. As soon as he was old enough he set out for his native land, taking along with him the education and the religion which his fathers knew nothing of. Following the careful directions of the foster father, he succeeded in reaching his birthplace through all the forests and tangles and mountain passes that lay around ft. His mother knew him. Whatever instinct it is that teaches a mother to know her child, that instinet told the woman that her son had re- turned. He was on the edge of manhood and he had been a wee child when he was taken, but she did not doubt for an instant. As soon as the, people realized who he was and that he had chosen to come back to them from what they called “the large island outside the water,” they ac- claimed him thefr Sultan. Ever since he has ruled them, has taught them, has Christianized them. They are fast leaving their Mohammedan religion and are taking up the creed which he holds. He lives in their midst in Spanish style, clinging to many of the customs which he learned in Europe’'s advanced civill- zation. But he will never leave his own people. He has only one purpose, and rthe that is to advance them, to bring them to the level which he reached. Thelr little round valley in the moun- taing is rich. He will teach them to make the most of it. He hbpes to bring them in touch with other people. Their reserve is nothing less than morbid. He wants them to come in touch with those who will help them. In time he may succeed in teaching them the use of modern tools. He may see good boats upon their beautiful riv- ers instead of the crude canoes they now use. He may see schools and churches. I have made a report of Castro’s state- ment to the Bureau of Non-Christian Tribes. The officers of this bureau have told me that they have heard rumors concerning this tribe. But I do not know that they will make any investigation. What I want to do is to head an ex- pedition myself and penetrate to their towns. I should prefer to take Filipinos with me. Castro Is willing to assist me. 1 keep in communication with him and 1 am waiting for the opportunity to set off on my -exploration. I speak Spanish—that is why I was chosen for duty with the Philippine scouts —and I can talk with these people. I want te settle among them and remain for a number of years, until I know them so thoroughly that I can give a thorough account of their customs. Then I ought to have a story worth telling. ¢¢ NE evenin,” observed the Old Cattleman, “little Enright Peets brought Sioux Sam a package of tobacco, ‘Is it from Daddy Dave? asks Sloux Sam. But little Enright Peets says no, it's a present from himself, an’ that he got it with the proceeds of a white chip that Faro Nell gives him an’ which Cherokee cashes for him when he turns it in. ‘So then,’ says Sioux Sam, ‘it's from you. An’ because you are good to bring the tobacco I'll tell you how Moh-Kwa the Wise Bear helped Strongarm when the young chief fell under the magic of the big medicine Elk. *“ ‘Moh-Kwa,’ goes on Sioux Sam, as he fills his pipe from the new tobacco, ‘was the wisest of all the beasts along the Upper Yellowstone; an’ yet Moh-Kwa could not catch a fish. This made Mol Kwa have a bad heart, for next to hone: he lilked fish. What made it worse was that in Moh-Kwa's cavern where he lived there lay a deep pool which was the camp of many fish; an’ Moh-Kwa would sit an’ look at them an' long for them, while the fish came close to the edge an’ laughed at Moh-Kwa, for they knew be- neath their scales that he could not catch them; an’ the laughter of the fish made a noise like swift water running among rocks. Sometimes Moh-Kwa struck at a fish with his big paw. but the fish never failed to dlve out of reach; an’ this made the other fish laugh at Moh-Kwa mare than before. Once Moh-Kwa got so an- gry he plunged into the, pool to hunt the fish, but it made him seem more foolish; for the fish swam.about him in flashing ¢ircles an’ ved under him an’ over him, laughing all the time, K he gave up an’ swam ashore; an had to sit by his fire an’ comb his fur all day to dry himself so that he might feel like the same bear again. * ‘One morning, down by the Yellow- stone, Moh-Kwa met Strongarm, the young Sioux chief, an' Stongarm had a buffalo fish which he had speared in the river. And because Moh-Kwa looked at the fish hungrily an’ with water in his mouth, Strongarm gave hi the buffalo fi Also, he as! {oh-Kwa w he aid not catch f well an’ the v camp of many fi was because th h were cowards an’ would not stay ' fight with him, but ran away. “They are not so brave as the bees,” said Moh-Kwa, “for when I find a bee-iree, they make me fight for the honey. The bees have big hearts though little knives, but the fish have no hearts an’ run like water down hill if they but see Moh-Kwa's shadow from his fire fall across the pool” Strongarm said he would catch the fish for Moh-Kwa, an' with that he went to the Wise Bear's house an' with his spear took many fish, being plenty to feed Moh-Kwa two days. Moh-Kwa was very thankful, an’ because Strongarm liked the Wise Bear, he came four times each moon an’ speared fish for Moh-Kwa, who was never so well fed with fish before, “ ‘Strongarm was a mighty hunter among the Sioux an’ killed more elk than did the ten best hunters of his village. So many elk did Strongarm slay that his squaw, the Blossom, made for their little son, Feather-foot, a buckskin coat on which was sewed the eye-tceth of elk— two for each elk—until there were so many eye-teeth on Feather-foot's buckskin coat it was like counting the leaves on a cottonwood to find how many there were. An’' the Blossom was proud of Feather- foot's coat, for none amons the Sioux had 50 beautiful a garment, an’ the eye-teeth of the elk told how big a hunter was Strongarm. * *‘While the Sioux wondered an’ ad- mired at the elk-teeth coat, it made the big medicine Elk, who was chief of the heart black against Strongarm. The big medicine Elk said he would have revenge. “Thus it happened one day when Strongarm stepped from his lodge, he saw ,standing in front, a great Elk who had antlers like the branches of a tree. An’ the great Elk stamped his foot an’ snorted at Strongarm. When Strongarm took his bow an' his lance an' his knife an’ hunted the great Elk to kill it, the great Elk ran always a little ahead, just out of reach. “'At last the great EIk ran into the Pouch canyon an’ Strongarm took hope into his heart like a man takes air into his mouth, for the sides of the Pouch canyon were high an’ steep an’ it ended with a high wall, an’ nothing save a bira might get out again once he went In; for the Pouch canyon was a trap which the 'y Elk people, hot an’ angry, an’ turned his * N ELK. By ALFRED HENRY LEWIS Copyright, 1902, by Robert Howard Russell. o+ - Great Spirit'had set when the world was new. “ ‘Strongarm was happy in his breast as he followed the great Elk into the Pouch canyon, for now he was sure. An' he thought how the big eye-teeth of 50 great an Elk would look on the collar of Feath- er-foot's buckskin coat. . ' 'When Strongarm came to the upper end of the Pouch canyon there the great Elk stood walting. “Hold!” safd the great Eik, when Strongarm put an arrow to his bow-string. But Strongarm shot the ar- row, which bounded off the great Elk's hide an’ made no wound. Then Strong- arm ran against the great Elk his lance, but the lance was broken as though the great Elk was a rock. Then Strongarm drew his knife, but when he went close to the great Blk the beast threw him down with his antlers an' put his forefoot on Strongarm an’ held him on the ground. “Listen,"” said the great Elk, an’ Strong- arm listened because he couldn’t help it. “You have hunted my people far an’ near; an’ you can never get enough of their blood or their eye-teeth. I am the big medicine Elk an’ chief of the Elk people; an’ now for a vengeance against you, I shall change you from a hunter to the hunted, an’ you shall know how good it is to have fear an’ be like an elk.” “‘As the grcat Elk said this, Strong- arm felt his head turn heavy with antlers, while his nose grew long an' his mouth wide, an' hair w out of his skin like grass, in the moon of new grass, an’ all Ris hands an’ feet split into hoofs; an’ then Strongarm stood on his four new hoofs an’ saw by his picture in the stream that he was an elk. Aiso the elk-fear curled up in his heart to keep him ever in arm; an’ he sniffed the air an’ walked about tim:dly where before he was Strong- arm an’ nothifag. “‘Sirongarm crept home to his lodge, but the Blossom did not know her hus- band; an’ Feather-foot, his little som, shot arrows at him; an’ he ran from them, the hunters of his village came forth an’ chased him until Strongarm ran the next night as east, an’ covered him Strongarm was hid rot come with for Moh-Kwa, Xt g the Wise Be to seek him, thought that he was n® Moh-Kwa asked the Blossom s Strongarm An’ the Blos- le did not know: that Strong- sed the great Blk into the Pouch canyon an' never came out again; an’ now a big doubt had spread its blankets in her heart an' would not leave, but was making a long camp, saying she was a widow. Then the Blossom wept; but Moh-Kwa told her to wait an' he would See; because he, {wa, owed Strong- arm for many would now pay hi ‘Moh-Kwa_went to the big medicine Elk an’ said, “Where is the Strongarm? An' the big medicine Elk said He runs in the hills an' is an elk. He killed my people for their teeth, an’ a great fright was on all my people because of the Strongarm. The mothers dare not go down to the river's edge to drink, an’ their children had no time to srow fat, for they were ever looking to meet the Strongarm. Now he is an elk an’ my people -will have peace; the mothers will drink an’ their bables be fat an’ big, be- ini no more chased by the Strongarm. ™ ‘Then Moh-Kwa thought an’ thought an’ at last he saild to the bl% medicine Elk: ‘“That is all proud talk. ut I must have the Strongarm back, for he catches my fish.” But the big medicine Elk sald he would not give Moh-Kwa back the Strongarm. Vhy should 17" asked the big medicine E Then Moh-Kwa said. “Did not I save you in the Yellowstone, when as you swam the river a drifting tree caught in your antlers an’ held down your head to drown you? An' did you not bawl to me, who searched for berries on the bark; an' did I not swim to you an' save you from the tree?” “Still the big medicine Elk shook his antlérs. ‘“What you say is of another day. You saved me an' that is ended. I wiil not give you back the Strongarm for that. One does not drink the water that is gone by.” ““Mdh-Kwa then grew so angry his eyes burned like fire, an’ he threatened to kill the big medicine Elk. But the big medicine 1k laughed like the fish laughed, for he said he could not be killed by any who lived on_cne land. “Then we will go to the water,” said Moh-Kwa; an’ with that he took the big medicine KEik in his great hairy arms an’ carried him kicking an’ struggling to the Yellowstone; for Moh-Kwa could hold the big medicine Elk though he could not hurt him. ““When Moh-Kwa had carried the big medicine Eik to the river, he sat down on the bank an’ waited an’ waited with the big medicine Elk in his arms until a tree came flcating down. Then Moh-Kwa swam with the big medicine Elk to the tree an’ tdngled the branches in the ant- AOW STRONGARM WRS lers of the big medicine Elk so that he was fast with his nose under the water an’ was sure to drown. “Now you are as ‘ou were when I helped you,” said Moh- wa. An' the catfish in the river came with joy an’ bit the legs of the big medi- cine Eik, an' said: “Thank you, Moh- Kwa: you do well to bring us food now an’ then, since you eat so many fish.” ‘‘ *As Moh-Kwa turned to swim again to the bank, he said over his shoulder to the big medicine Elk: “Now you may sing your death song, for Pau-guk, the Death, is in the river with you, an’ those are Pau-guk’s catfish which gnaw your legs.” “*At this the big medicine Elk sald be- tween his cries of grief an’ fear that if Moh-Kwa would save him out of the river he would tell him how to save the Strong- arm back. So Moh-Kwa went again an’ freed the big medicine Elk from the tree an’ carried him to the bank, while the cat- fish followed, angrily crying, “Is this fair, Moh-Kwa? Do you give an’' then do you take away? Moh-Kwa! you are a Paw- nee!” * “When the big medicine Elk had got his breath an’ wiped the tears from his eyes he told Moh-Kwa that the only way to bring the Strongarm back to be a hunter from being one of the hunted was for Feather-foot, his son, to cut his throat; an’ for the Blossom, his squaw, to burn his elk-body with cedar boughs. “An’ why his son, the Feather-foot?" asked Moh-Kwa. “Because the Feather- foot owns the Strongarm a life,” replied the big medicine Elk. “Is not Strongarm the Feather-foot's father, an’ does not the son owe the father his life?” % ‘Moh-Kwa saw this was true talk, he let the big medicine Elk go fre will evén promise that the Strom said Moh-Kwa, as the two parted, again he is a Sioux on two legs shall never hunt the elk people.” But the big medicine Elk, who was licking his fet- locks where the catfish had hurt the skin, shook his antlers an’ replied: “It is not needed. The Strongarm has been one of the elk people an’ will feel he s their brother an’ will not hurt them.” “ ‘Moh-Kwa found it a hard task to capture Strongarm when now he was an elk with the elk-fear in his heart. For Strongarm had already learned the elk’s warning which is taught by all the elk people, an’ which says: Look up for danzer and look down for gain; Believe no wolf's word and avold the plain. “ ‘Strongarm would look down for grass with one eye while he kept an eye up among the branches or along the sides of a canyon for fear of mountai An' he stuck close in among the hil uld not go out on the plains where wolves lived; an' he wouldn't tailk with a wolf or hear his words. “ “But Strongarm, while he ran an’ hid from Moh-Kwa an’ the others, was not afraid of the Blossom, who was his squaw, but would come to her gladly if he might find her alone among the trees. “It is not the first time,” said the Wise Bear, “that the hunter has made s trap of love,” an’ with that he told the Blossom to go to hills an’_call Strong- arm to her with her love. Then she was to bind his feet so that he might not get away an’ run. “The Blossom called Strnn;arm an’ he came; but he was fearful an’ suspicious, an’ his nose an’ his ears an’ his feet kept guard until the Blossom put her hand on Lis neck; an’ than Strongarm’'s great love for the Blossom smothered out his cau- tion as one might smother a fire with a robe; an’ the Blossom tied all his feet with thongs an’ bound his eyes with her blanket so that Strongarm might not see an’ be -afraid ““Then came Feather-foot gladly an’ cut Strongagm’s throat with his knife; for Feather-foot did not know he kilied hic father—for that was a secret thing with Moh-Kwa an" the Blossom—an' thought only that he killed a gréat Elk. * “When Strongarm was dead, Moh-Kwa toiled through the day éarvying up the big cedars for the burning; an’ when a gile like a hill was made, Moh-Kwa pu. trongarm’s elk-bodv om its top, an’ brought fire from his house in the rocks, an’ made a great burning. “‘In the morning the Blossom, who had stayed with Moh-Kwa _throughout the whole night while the fire burned, said, ow, although the big Elk is gone into ashes, I do not yet see the Strong- arm.” But Moh-Kwa said, “You will find him asleep in the lodge.”' An’ that was a true word, for when Moh-K=a an’ th Plossom went to the lodge, there thev found Strongarm strong an' good an' as sqund asleep as a tree at midnight. ‘ ‘Outside the lodge they met the Ittle Feather-foot, who cried, “Where is the big Elk, Moh-Kwa, that I killed?™ Aa’ the RBlossom showed him his father, Strongarm, where he slopt, an’ sai ““There Is your big Elk, Feather-foot; an’ this will ever be your best hunting, for it found you your father again.” “ ‘When Moh-Kwa saw that everythin was rettled an’ well, an’ that he woul now have always his regular fish, he wiped the sweat®out of his eyes with hi paws, which were all singed fur a ashes, an’ said, “I am the weariest bear along the whole length of the Yellow- stone, for 1 carried s'me heavy trees an' have worked hard. Now I will sleep ant® rest.” An' with that Moh-Kwa lay down an’ snored an’ slept four days; they he arese an’ eat up the countless fish which Strongarm had speared to be ready for him. This dome, Moh-Kwa lighted his pipe of kinnikinick an’ softly rubbing his stomach where the fish were, n’hfl give Moh-Kwa a good heart.”