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21 - Among the Camanches and Apaches- An Autobiography by Edwin Eastman · Among the Camanches and Apaches- An Autobiography

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  Speaker 1: Chapter twenty one, seven and nine Years among the Comanches
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  Speaker 1: and Apaches and Autobiography by Edwin Eastman. This is a
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  Speaker 1: LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain.
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  Speaker 1: Missus Eastman's story continued, I had now been five years
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  Speaker 1: among the Indians, and during that time my life was
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  Speaker 1: chiefly trials and hardships rest a word unknown in my vocabulary.
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  Speaker 1: It would appear that I owed allegiance to no particular individual.
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  Speaker 1: But on the contrary, I was called upon to perform
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  Speaker 1: the most arduous tasks by man, woman and child my
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  Speaker 1: labors in the field. Having come to a conclusion, I
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  Speaker 1: was inducted into the mysteries of curing and dressing skins
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  Speaker 1: of various animals, making moccasins, and gathering berries for the
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  Speaker 1: winter stalk. During a period of three months, rain had
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  Speaker 1: not fallen, and this fact gave rise to a peculiar
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  Speaker 1: ceremony which I will briefly relate. The crops were suffering
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  Speaker 1: severely from the drought, and it was decided in council
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  Speaker 1: that the rain makers should invoke the clouds, and by
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  Speaker 1: a series of conjugations caused the heavens to open their floodgates.
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  Speaker 1: The women had become clamorous and implored the medicine men
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  Speaker 1: to intercede for rain, that their corn patches, which were
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  Speaker 1: now turning pale and yellow, might not be withered and
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  Speaker 1: they be deprived of the customary annual festivity and the
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  Speaker 1: joyful occasion of the roasting ears and the green corn dance.
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  Speaker 1: The plaints of the women were entertained, but these wise
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  Speaker 1: men discreetly recommended caution and deliberation, lest by undue haste,
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  Speaker 1: the Great Spirit might become incensed and defeat their endeavors.
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  Speaker 1: This stratagem was very pellucid, because the longer they delayed
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  Speaker 1: the formalities, of course, the greater would be the chance
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  Speaker 1: of success. But the importunities of the women became daily
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  Speaker 1: more persistent, and the council was at length convened. The
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  Speaker 1: medicine men assembled in all the bravery of their grotesque trappings,
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  Speaker 1: and the fires being lighted, a large quantity of wild
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  Speaker 1: sage and other aromatic herbs was thrown upon the flames,
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  Speaker 1: that their savory odors might ascend as a peace offering
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  Speaker 1: to the Great Spirit. Some twelve or fifteen young warriors
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  Speaker 1: volunteer to try their medicine and see if the clouds
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  Speaker 1: could not be made to yield their vapor by the
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  Speaker 1: charm of their eloquence. It was a dreadful alternative, as
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  Speaker 1: failing to produce any result, they suffered ever lasting disgrace
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  Speaker 1: at the hands of the entire tribe. The preliminaries having
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  Speaker 1: been arranged, the candidates were drawn by lot, and a
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  Speaker 1: day assigned to each one to lift his voice on
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  Speaker 1: high and persuade the rain to descend. The celebrant took
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  Speaker 1: up his position on the top of the council lodge,
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  Speaker 1: while beyond low the worthy doctors continued to burn their incense,
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  Speaker 1: and with song, prayers and incantations, commanded the clouds to
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  Speaker 1: obey them. Wake the Shield ascended the Wigwam at sunrise
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  Speaker 1: and made elaborate preparations to frighten the clouds into obeying him.
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  Speaker 1: After indulging in war whoops, brandishing his lance shield and tomahawk,
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  Speaker 1: and going through various other absurd performances, he subsided and
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  Speaker 1: betook himself to counting his mystery beads. The whole village
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  Speaker 1: had assembled and were howling lustily for his success. Not
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  Speaker 1: a cloud appeared. The day was calm and hot, and
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  Speaker 1: when the sun declined behind the mountains, he descended from
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  Speaker 1: his exalted position and withdrew with a crest fallen air.
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  Speaker 1: He returned to his lodge a sadder, if not a
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  Speaker 1: wiser man, disgraced, and with no prospect of ever attaining
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  Speaker 1: to the dignity of a medicine man. The next morning,
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  Speaker 1: the performance was repeated om Pah the Elk, saying that
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  Speaker 1: his importunities would certainly be heard. He was quite nude,
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  Speaker 1: and his body besmeared with yellow clay. A beautiful shield
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  Speaker 1: was displayed on his left arm, and his right hand
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  Speaker 1: grasped the long lance. The skin of a raven adorned
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  Speaker 1: his head. Shield and lance were flourished. But in vain,
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  Speaker 1: not a cloud obscured the brightness of the noonday sun.
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  Speaker 1: The squaws were crying, and the corn was withering at
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  Speaker 1: its roots. War Rapa the Beaver was the next, but he,
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  Speaker 1: like the others, spent his time in vain, and what
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  Speaker 1: god dummy took the stand the next morning. He was
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  Speaker 1: much more gaily attired than any of his predecessors. In
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  Speaker 1: addition to his shield ornamented with red chains of lightning.
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  Speaker 1: He carried in his left hand a bow and single arrow.
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  Speaker 1: The concourse was as great as on any previous day.
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  Speaker 1: Striking in attitude, he tossed up a feather to ascertain
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  Speaker 1: the course of the wind. Then, turning to the mob below,
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  Speaker 1: began a lengthy harang something after the following manner.
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  Speaker 2: Apache, children of the Sun, you behold me here a sacrifice.
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  Speaker 2: I shall this day relieve you of your distress and
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  Speaker 2: bring joy to your lodges. Or I shall live among
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  Speaker 2: the dogs and old women for the remainder of my days.
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  Speaker 2: My friends, you saw which way my feather flew. I
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  Speaker 2: shall hold my shield in that direction, and the lightning
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  Speaker 2: will draw a great cloud, and this arrow, which is
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  Speaker 2: feathered with the quill of the white swan, will make
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  Speaker 2: a hole in it. Warriors, this opening in the lodge
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  Speaker 2: at my feet shows me the medacine men. They are
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  Speaker 2: seated in a circle and are crying to the great
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  Speaker 2: spirit above, who commands the sun and clouds. Three days
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  Speaker 2: they have sat there have they done? Ought to relieve
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  Speaker 2: your distress? Ompah tried and failed, because on his head
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  Speaker 2: was the raven. It fies above the storm. War Rapah
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  Speaker 2: is the beaver, and he lives under the water. How
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  Speaker 2: could he succeed? My friends, I see you are in
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  Speaker 2: great distress and nothing has yet been done. This shield
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  Speaker 2: belonged to my father, the mad Bull. It was taken
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  Speaker 2: from a black cloud which will come over us today.
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  Speaker 2: I am the son of my father and will surely
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  Speaker 2: you relief.
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  Speaker 1: I have done thus flourished Waka Dahamie, alternately addressing the
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  Speaker 1: clouds and the people. It so chanced that as he
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  Speaker 1: was speaking, a small cloud appeared on the horizon, and
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  Speaker 1: as it approached, grew larger until the heavens were overcast. Then,
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  Speaker 1: drawing his bow to its utmost tension, he let fly
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  Speaker 1: the arrow, which sped up into the gathering blackness and
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  Speaker 1: was lost to view. Presently, the sky was illuminated with
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  Speaker 1: a vivid flash, and peal upon peal of thunder followed
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  Speaker 1: in rapid succession. The crowd dispersed, running to their lodges
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  Speaker 1: in the greatest confusion. But the great warrior, who had
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  Speaker 1: brought about this happy state of things, remained at his post,
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  Speaker 1: strutting around the apex of the lodge, and all the
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  Speaker 1: might and majesty of his new made glory. Even rain
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  Speaker 1: could not drive him away from the scene of his triumph.
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  Speaker 1: There he stood the moist sinus shore of all eyes.
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  Speaker 1: After this all was joy and gladness. Waka Dummy was
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  Speaker 1: loaded down with honors, and every chief in the tribe
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  Speaker 1: was anxious to have him select one of his daughters
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  Speaker 1: for a wife. He accommodated six of them, but prudential
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  Speaker 1: reasons interposed between him and the seventh. From this time
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  Speaker 1: fourth he was an honored and poisoned warrior, chief and
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  Speaker 1: mystery man. Numerous amusements were indulged in by the tribe,
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  Speaker 1: and all had for their end and aim some gambling operation.
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  Speaker 1: The Ewes had an exhibition of arrow shooting, which they
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  Speaker 1: called the Game of the Arrow. Those most distinguished in
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  Speaker 1: this exercise assembled on the prairie a little distance from
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  Speaker 1: the village, and each one, having paid his entrance fee
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  Speaker 1: such as a shield, robe, pipe or other article, would
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  Speaker 1: step forward to the mark, and, selecting ten arrows, proceed
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  Speaker 1: to shoot them in the air in a rapid succession.
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  Speaker 1: The one who could get the greatest number up before
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  Speaker 1: the first fell to the ground, claimed the pool and
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  Speaker 1: went away in the best of spirits, displaying his gains
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  Speaker 1: as he journeyed through the village. The braves pass their
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  Speaker 1: time in horse racing. This species of sport varies but
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  Speaker 1: little among the Indians from that which obtains among civilized communities.
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  Speaker 1: A track is mapped out upon the level prairie, and
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  Speaker 1: a couple of lances from which pennants are streaming, are
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  Speaker 1: planted firmly in the ground at a point which denotes
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  Speaker 1: the goal. The riders start from the upper end of
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  Speaker 1: the course, and plying the whip with all their vigor,
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  Speaker 1: come thundering down the course with the speed of the wind.
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  Speaker 1: A judge is appointed whose decision is irrevocable, and grouped
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  Speaker 1: around him are the spectator's intent on making their bets
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  Speaker 1: and watching the progress of this tournament of speed. Occasionally,
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  Speaker 1: sham fights are inaugurated when brave meets brave, and all
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  Speaker 1: the fierceness of battle array to go through the motions
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  Speaker 1: of Indian warfare, circling around the foe or bunching together,
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  Speaker 1: come down on the enemy with startling suddenness, discharging a
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  Speaker 1: cloud of arrows, then wheeling short around, retraced their steps
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  Speaker 1: and prepare to receive the shock of their enemies advance.
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  Speaker 1: One day, a messenger brought the news that buffaloes had
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  Speaker 1: made their appearance on the plane, and a numerous party
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  Speaker 1: was at once formed to go in their pursuit. After
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  Speaker 1: having been gone about two days, they returned, laden with
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  Speaker 1: the fruits of victory, and, throwing the meat down in
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  Speaker 1: one pile, issued their orders to have it cured it once.
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  Speaker 1: This arduous task was delegated to the women, and in
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  Speaker 1: a very short time poles were planted in every direction.
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  Speaker 1: The meat was dressed and then cut in long strips
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  Speaker 1: of about a quarter of an inch in thickness, and,
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  Speaker 1: being hung over the lines, was left to dry in
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  Speaker 1: the sunshine. When it is cured, the buffalo meat becomes
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  Speaker 1: to sayo, and in this state may be preserved for
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  Speaker 1: a great length of time. It is cured without salt.
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  Speaker 1: In fact, the Indians rarely, if ever, used this condiment
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  Speaker 1: which is so essential to the civilized White. This seems
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  Speaker 1: to be accounted for by the fact that they use
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  Speaker 1: very little vegetable food. Hence, during my captivity I became
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  Speaker 1: quite reconciled to the absence of salt, and for months
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  Speaker 1: after my return to the whites did not feel any
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  Speaker 1: desire to use it. So strong is the force of habit.
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  Speaker 1: It had been announced that during the annual religious ceremony
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  Speaker 1: soon to commence, we would have the pleasure of entertaining
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  Speaker 1: a band of club apaches who would participate in the festivities.
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  Speaker 1: And preparations of the most elaborate character were made for
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  Speaker 1: their reception and entertainment. Of all my experience and the
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  Speaker 1: character of a captive, these were perhaps the most shocking.
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  Speaker 1: Never shall I forget the terrible ordeal of that bloody
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  Speaker 1: week when human gore ran like water, and it seemed
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  Speaker 1: a miracle that such a band of fiends were not
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  Speaker 1: swept off the face of the earth. End of chapter
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  Speaker 1: twenty one.
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  Speaker 2: The