Gros Ventre Stories, continued.
Red Whip Defends Party
Told to Fred P. Gone by John Buckman.
Red Whip
There was a portion of the Gros Ventre tribe camped with a portion of the Crow tribe on the head waters of White River, known as Judith River. A war party of Crows started out on a warpath to look for their enemy, the Sioux Indians. Three Gros Ventre young men joined up with this war party. This was in the early part of the spring when there were still deep snow banks and coulees were soft and damp and places were muddy. It is estimated about in March.
These Gros Ventre young men were Red Whip and his bosom friend named Good Strike, and another young man named Turtle. The followed the course of the White River down to where it empties into the Big River, now known as the Missouri River. They made camp there and crossed over to the north side of the Big River the next day, and followed down Big River to the mouth if Big Coulee, now known as Cow Creek where they made camp for the night. That night Red Whip had a dream. He told it to the whole party the next morning.
He dreamt that a spirit told him that if the party wanted to be successful, they must follow the course of the Big River down, they would bring horses and return home safe, they must not go to the Fur Cap Mountains (known as Little Rockies), Montana. He was told to look in that direction, and as he looked he saw as if the foot of the mountains were splashed with blood. And when he told it to the party, the Crows then began to ridicule him and accused him of cowardice. They told him if he was afraid, he better go home and put a dress on. However, when the party started he and the other two Gros Ventre left the Crows and started to go down the river. After all, it was the Crow’s party, but when they had traveled a long way down the river, he noticed that his friend, Good Strike, didn’t like the idea of leaving the Crow party, so Good Strike made some excuse to fall behind and told Red Whip and Turtle to go on and he’d catch up later. They went on without him, and after going quite away out of sight and he wasn’t in sight, they stopped and sat down and smoked as they waited for him.
After waiting a long time they went up on a hill and looked in the direction the Crow’s took and there was Good Strike away off going to the Crow party, so then Red Whip and Turtle followed Good Strike. They caught up to them just as they were making camp before they reached Bull Creek. That night Good Strike was feeling mischievous. He played pranks and tricks on the party – more so on his friend red Whip. They slept together, but God Strike didn’t get much sleep because he was busy playing tricks on the party. He sneaked out of bed and played the Ghost on them and tried to scare them. He was having the time of his life, laughing uproariously when he’d play a joke on them. Red Whip would scold; Good Strike, telling him to stop, but he didn’t pat any attention to him. Finally ed Whip had to appeal to the war party leader to stop him, so the Crow sat up and scolded Good Strike, telling him that they needed rest for the coming day and that it was a bad omen to feel as, Good Strike, was feeling. He told Good Strike, “Your souls have left you. That’s why you can’t sleep and you’re too happy.” They finally got him to settle down and lie down and let them sleep. The next morning Red Whip was minus his medicine charm. He friend has sneaked it out from him and hid it, but Good Strike finally dug it up and brought it back to Red Whip.
After they had their breakfast they started out for the Fur Cap Mountains. They were about two hours travel away from the mountains on a high ridge. When they stopped to have a smoke they noticed like an object among the scattered trees at the foot of the mountains, and one of the party had a telescope so he looked and there he said it was a lone person, so he watched. He scanned the whole landscape to see if there were others in sight, but he couldn’t see any. He noticed some buffalo, and that was what this lone person was doing. He was staking there, and as they watched, he succeeded in killing one.
Then Red Whip and his party made ready to sneak up on this lone person who had killed this buffalo. They prepared themselves by stripping off their clothes and painted themselves, and those who had war charms put them on, so after that the leader laid out his plans for attack. But they were to leave their clothes right there and pick them up on their way back. The leader selected three of the fleetest of his party to go with him to the north end, come up to this lone person from that side, and he ordered the rest to them to follow up Bull Creek from the opposite side so that they would have their enemy between them.
Red Whip and his friend God Strike were included in the party to accompany the leader to the north. It so happened that there was a small coulee directly under the point they were on, which came from the north. Red Whip and Good Strike and the two Crows took it and followed it up to a short distance from the mountain where they dodged over to a larger coulee that headed into the mountains. They followed it up to the very foot of the mountains, which brought them up within a few hundred yards of this one who was still butchering the buffalo. They charged their enemy and before he got started to make a get-away, Red Whip and party were almost upon him. He started to make for the head of Bull Creek and the rough places when he spied these other Crows and one Gros Ventre coming from that direction, so he turned and started for the mountains, but before he got very far he was shot down.
After killing their enemy which they now recognized as being a Sioux by his costume, they went back to where the buffalo was and ate of it what they wished, and smoked. Red Whip was not satisfied that this Sioux was alone. He spoke up and said, “This man alone does not ring true. He just can’t be all alone way out here. There are others around somewhere.” So the Crow leader once again ridiculed him and made fun of him, and once again told he that he should wear a dress. And stay home if he was going to be afraid when he was out on war parties.
This flaunting and denouncing of his manhood was a bitter pill for Red Whip to swallow, but as he was just a young man, 18 years old, he had to take it because he was now among grown men. The leader was making use of the advantage he had over Red Whip because of Red Whip’s inexperience on account of being a young man and not many war experiences to his credit, not knowing at that very moment that Red Whip’s suspicious were about to be realized. All at once they heard the chilling unmistakable, terrorizing sounds of war cries. As Red Whip jumped up he spoke and said, “I told you this Sioux was not alone. Just take a look up the mountain.” There they saw to their surprise a whole army of Sioux coming at them off the mountains like water flowing down. There must have been somewhere between 80 to 100 Sioux in that party. It happened so suddenly and the number they saw was more than the Crows could stand because they wilted right there and would have been massacred right there in their tracks if it had not been for Red Whip and his friend, Good Strike.
Red Whip and his friend could have started right out and left the rest of the party to the Sioux because they were prepared for a surprise because the Sioux they killed being alone looked suspicious to Red Whip. But instead of leaving them, Red Whip saw he was needed so he and his friend took over and began to coax, those that were scared the most, and to arouse them out of their stupor.
Red Whip had on his person a famous Medicine War Charm that had been handed down from generation to generation. It is made of Otter skin with a bone whistle or flute attached to it. Under the protection of this war charm Red Whip made history in the Gros Ventre Tribe. It was in a very short time now that Red Whip and his friend had the situation in hand. He would blow on his flute or whistle and then charge back on the enemy. Of course as they all fired at him and were not hitting him they soon recognized that a Medicine War Charm supernaturally protected him. Besides, he was a good shot and fleet of foot so they stayed a safe distance from them. Red Whip succeeded in getting his party to a small coulee and tried to make a stand there, but it was not deep enough. In this coulee two Crows had burrowed themselves in a snow bank side by side and were killed there. The small coulee was not enough for protection do they left it and made for a larger coulee.
The Sioux were crowding them as much as they dared, and Red Whip and his friend were checking them and holding them back. Red Whip never ceased in his attempt to rouse his party to the realization that they must try and save their hides. There was one Crow in particular who was still in a stupor. He had his gun by the end of the barrel and his blanket by one corner and dragging them. Red Whip ran up to him and stopped him and hammered his chest for him and told him, “Look around. Do you see all those Sioux? They have no intention of capturing you as prisoner. They want your scalp. Wake up! Bring your manhood to the surface; think of your gun; give the war cries and try to save yourself.” After which these Crows felt safe under the protection of Red Whip, they commenced to gain speed, which made it easier for Red Whip to defend them. After they got quite a ways down this coulee, the Sioux’s were about giving up the chase. They had all stopped and were watching them as they were getting away. Red Whip and his friend stopped and were looking back at the Sioux when from off to one side a Sioux squatted down and took deliberate aim at Good Strike. Red Whip seeing this yelled at his friend and told him to jump around to confuse the aim of the enemy, but his friend only answered and said it was too far for dangerous shooting. The Red Whip saw the smoke from the gun, and right after the heard the bullet as it struck. Good Strike turned and said, “I’m hit,” and started off. He fell; jumped up and tried again, but he fell again.
The Sioux saw this and gave their war cries and renewed their attack. Good Strike’s leg was broken and shattered on the ankle. When Red Whip saw that his friend was hurt he ran to him, seeing his condition he helped him, half dragging and carrying him to a washout nearby. Red Whip was working against time when he was helping his friend to this washout. By the time he got him in the washout, the bullets were like s hailstorm around them, but they were miraculously preserved, and didn’t get hit. After they were the protection of the washout, Red Whip and Good Strike just now had time to size up the situation. Good Strike’s ankle was protruding from the flesh and was bleeding profusely and the pain was becoming intense. He told his friend Red Whip, “I am hurt beyond help. There is no use in you trying to stay with mo or save me. Look at my lag. Nothing can be done to save me even if you did succeed in getting me home, which under the circumstances, is impossible. It has always been my heart’s desire to have my enemies tussle and wrestle over my hair.” He was a handsome young man with long flowing hair that reached below his knees. He then began to unbraid his hair and let it flow loose down his back.
Red Whip ignored his friend’s plea to leave him and try and save himself. He blew on his whistle or flute and jumped out of the washout they were in, and drove the enemy back, and during this performance he killed one of his enemies and wounded others, as he was a good shot. He returned to the washout to his friend. Then his enemy bombarded they were in, and the dirt rained down on them as the enemy bullets riddled the edge of the washout. He realized the danger of letting his enemy getting to close to their washout. So judging the sound of their voices as they shouted and talked to one another, when they were getting too close for safety, Red Whip then blew on his whistle or flute and jumped out. His action was so sudden and unexpected that he caught them off guard, which gave him the required advantage of surprise. He charged them for all it was worth and again wounding some and routing them back up the hill on both sides. Then as he was returning to the washout, Red Whip heard a sound behind him, so as though merely looking around, he turned his head just far enough to cover his back trail with the corner of his eye, and in that glance he saw one of his enemy charging him from behind. Red Whip was not running very fast, but when he knew he was being charged from his back, he slackened his pace and relied on his sense of hearing as he intended to let his enemy get close enough before he turned on him. When he was within a few yards of the washout, his enemy was now too close upon him, so the Sioux now realized he was too deep into this act to draw out, threw all caution to the wind and boldly sprinted for all his might to get to Red Whip and kill him. But Red Whip had it all measured out differently. He was letting his enemy close in on him, pretending that he was not aware of the Sioux at his back, but was cunningly measuring the time and distance by the sound of the approaching fore just when to act.
When Red Whip heard the sound of his foe’s heavy breathing right at his back, he turned with his gun ready. The Sioux was evidently not expecting this move on the part of Red Whip; therefore, his surprise completely robbed him of his intention, and his first thought was to dodge. He had his arm raised in the act of chopping down on Red Whip, when Red Whip turned on him. The Sioux with his arm still in mid air stopped instantly, and made a half turn to his left; therefore, leaving or exposing his whole right side with his arm up as if to say, “Shoot me right there.” Red Whip placed his gun muzzle right in the center of that exposed portion of the Sioux’s body and pulled the trigger, killing the Sioux instantly. He banished his gun by raising it in the air and turning to his friend in the washout, shouting to him, saying “Here’s one for you to lay on.” The meaning of this last remark of Red Whip to his wounded friend goes much deeper than the words spoken. It means as Good Strike must die form his shattered leg who Red Whip is defending and protecting, but his enemy will accompany him in death and his enemy dying before him, Good Strike, puts his enemy fore, and Good Strike after.
On the other hand the tie of friendship between Red Whip and Good Strike is so great that it is scared to them; that he, Red Whip, defied death as he defends his fried in the performance of demonstration of love for his friend, he kills their enemy before his friend dies. This action is a gesture of laying a matt out (so to speak) with bodies of their enemy for his friend to lie on when he is killed. (The Writer) This act of Red Whip must not be associated in the sense of Red Whip seeking notoriority, or calling or attracting attention to himself by the gesture. It must be understood that the word “FRIEND” in the Gros Ventre language was held as sacred as blood tie. Even death never mars its existence after death of one or both, which claims it. This story tells the reader how deeply it had already rooted itself, and how these tow young men revered it, as they were only 18 years old when this took place.
After Red Whip had killed the Sioux he jumped back into the washout. Once again, his friend Good Strike, pleaded with Red Whip to leave him and save himself. Good Strike beckoned Red Whip closer to him, then kissed him, after which he commanded Red Whip to have compassion on him (Good Strike) and leave him so that he, Good Strike, will be out of his misery. Good Strike then showed Red Whip has leg. Not until then did Red Whip realize how bad his friend was hurt. As he looked Red Whipsaw where the bone was protruding from the flesh and the marrow was seeping out from the dirt smeared end of his led bone. Where it was shattered the bone had gone through the flesh and skin after it was broken by the bullet as he tried to step on it. His weight had caused the flesh to peal back from the end of the bone and it was all stained with dirt and blood. Glancing up at the leg he saw where already blood poison or gangrene was setting in because it was swollen twice the size up above the knee, which was causing him to suffer. The kiss from his friend and command and plea was an act of release from the sacred tie of friendship, which was being demonstrated by Red Whip.
Then Red Whip had no choice but to obey. He told his friend, “All right, I’ll leave you, but first I’m going to drive the enemy back once more before I leave you.” He then blew on his whistle or flute and jumped out. He drove the enemy before him and after which he turned to leave the whole scene, just as he started to leave, he glanced back over his shoulder and saw two of his enemy squat down on one knee and were taking careful aim at him. One was nearer to Red Whip than the other, and to Red Whip from his position they looked as if they were sitting together only that one was quite a ways back from the others. He stopped in his tracks and turned and took a quick aim at the one nearest to Red Whip, but he missed him and killed the one further back. Red Whip then shouted to his friend and said once more, “There; another on,” the meaning of which is already explained. Then as Red Whip turned and started to leave his friend. As he passed already beyond where the washout was, he heard his friend as if he was crying, so he stopped and ran back to him and scolded him for it, but his friend silenced him and said, “This is not what these tears are over, but rather they are for my mother who will have no support now and will be poor. You must always keep her in mind and look after he.”
Good Strike then took a looking glass which he had strung around his neck on a string and handed it to Red Whip saying, “Give this to my mother: He then took a sewing kit comprised of a needle, awl, and sinew, also handing it to Red Whip, Good Strike said, “Give her this, too, and tell her t keep the little bay mare of mine. Tel my mother not to grieve over me, but rather to feel proud that her son went the way of a brave man.” After Good Strike stopped talking Red Whip then told his friend Good Strike, “You must sing like this.” Then Red Whip started to sing a song, and his friend joined. After this Red Whip then kissed his friend farewell, and told his, “I am going to drive the enemy back once more, and then I am leaving you.” Red Whip then blew his whistle and jumped out of the washout and charged their enemy. He drove them back further this last time. Then he turned and started away down the coulee his escaping party took, and as he was passing the washout, he heard his friend Good Strike singing the song Red Whip told him to sing.
When Red Whip heard his friend singing it did his heart good and eased his conscience. He then ran for dear life. It was along in the late forenoon when the Sioux jumped Red Whip and his party. The Sun hadn’t traveled but a short distance to the west when he was fleeing for his life after he left his friend to their enemy. But during that short space of time, a lot of action was performed on the part of Red Whip. What Red Whip did in that little time denotes his upbringing. Although young, his action and how he did everything bespoke his make up. An experienced warrior couldn’t have done any better. Everything he did was done with speed; all his actions were timed accurately; good judgment could be seen; he was cool throughout the entire time of his self-appointed duty; he was brave and daring. From the time his friend was shot up until he left his friend shows faith, confidence, and a love greater than blood ties. When Red Whip left his friend he ran his best, once more using good judgment to get as far from his enemy before the reaction of their killing Good Strike overtook them. He made straight for the highest hill in the direction his party took when he last saw them before his friend was shot. He was young and fast, so it didn’t take him long to cover the distance of two or three miles to that hill he was going to. Before he was to the top of the hill he stopped and looked back. He saw a solid mass of humanity at the washout his friend was in. The scene that he beheld as he looked back as a last farewell look was imprinted in his mind for the rest of his life. He tore his gaze from the scene with an effort that pierced his heart, and walked slowly up the hill. When he was on top without looking back he scanned the Missouri breaks to the west to see if he could see the party that was ahead of him, but he couldn’t see them. He resorted to a slower pace and ran in search of them, taking a general westerly course from where they come.
Avoiding the roughest places he kept his slow running pace; he was covering ground. Being that his party had a great start on him he was forced to make time to gain on his party. But fortunately, his party was waiting for him as they did travel very fast. Besides some of them were wounded and were sick from it. Late in the afternoon he sighted them in the breaks. They had gotten on top of a high hill that had scrub pine on it, but was bare on top. He headed for that hill.
It was with a sad and aching heart that he caught up too his party with. The ridiculing he had to take from these Crow warriors not once, but twice, all came to his mind when he joined them. Without preliminary words he started right out to hand the Crows back all they said to him. With double interest he ridiculed them something terrible, accusing them for the loss of his friend Good Strike. He even went to the extent of forcing White Dog, a Crow, to give him his coat. They didn’t have time to get their clothes where they kept or left them. When they first got ready to stalk that buffalo hunter, when they first sighted him before the battle, they were lucky to get away with their lives, so he ordered them to process on their journey homeward.
After they had gone quite a distance into the breaks west of Big Coulee (Cow Creek) Red Whip told Turtle, a Gros Ventre, that they, he and Red Whip, must get away from these Crows before night, pointing out that the abuse he subjected the Crows to would overpower their better selves when the scare of the day’s experience has left them, saying that by night the Crows would surely seek revenge for the tongue-lashing he gave them, pointing out to Turtle that he was just as deeply implicated for the reason that he knew too much already concerning the whole incident that took place that day. Therefore, once again Red Whip’s concern for others was not lost even after the loss of his dearest friend, Good Strike.
He was concerned for Turtle. He could just as well kept quite about this last advice to Turtle, but sneaked off by himself and got away from the party. So Red Whip and Turtle were on the lookout for an ideal place to make their getaway. When they came to one, they pretended to stop and fool around, giving the Crows a chance to get ahead and out of sight, just before dust. Red Whip and Turtle then sneaked off, and instead of heading back to where they started from on the warpath, they took another direction. They followed up the Big River (Missouri) to an old trading post called Clagget, Montana, that was situated below the town of Many Houses (Old Fort Benton). After reaching old Clagget, they inquired for a Gros Ventre encampment, and were told there was one up on Bear River (Marias). So without stopping at Clagget, Red Whip and Turtle headed for Bear River encampment they started from on the warpath. In those days it was the custom of the Gros Ventre to split up and scatter, so it was to one of these scattered, clannish encampments that Red Whip and Turtle got home to.
The Writer
(A brief explanation regarding the Medicine War Charm that Red Whip wore.)
It is the same war charm that was worn by Wolf Sheep, a story told by Thick, and was sent to the State Office with the illustrations (1) Otter skin, (2) whistle or flute, (3) a warrior decorated with the otter skin and whistle. The explanation accompanied the story and illustration that were sent to Miss Gunter’s office for typing on May the first.
-FOOTNOTES-
This story of “Red Whip Defends Party” was enacted by Red Whip, in the presence of many different Indian tribes on the Crow Indian Reservation at the Crow Agency. The purpose was for the U.S. Government making pictures and book titles “The Vanishing Race.” It was held in the summer of 1909 in July, August, and September.
Two of the Crow Indians who were members of this war party were present at the time; White Dog and Arapahoe. The latter is known by that name by the Gros Ventre.
The making of this Indian history at that time was handled by an U.S. Army Officer, Major J.K. Dixon (or Dickson)
A Mr. Wanamker from New York was also taking pictures of the same. The Informant was a witness to this story as it was enacted by Red Whip (Gros Ventre) as the informant was present for the purpose of interpreter for the Gros Ventre from the Fort Belknap Indian Reservation. Informant also states that Red Whip was one of the four star performers of all the Indian tribes who were gathered at the Crow Agency at that time.
The informant is Rufus Warrior, a Gros Ventre, obtained from him by the writer.
The informant also states that the U.S Government claims copyrights to the picture.
Fred P. Gone
Hays Montana
Stories are courtesy of Morris "Davy" Belgard, Hays, Montana
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