Post by ephriam on Mar 19, 2014 6:17:31 GMT -5
Interview from Meany Papers with Fast Elk:
Wounded Knee
Manderson, S.D. 19 July 1907
Joseph Pourier, Interpreter
Fast Elk
He-xaka-Luza-han
Ogalala
69 years old
About 18 when he went with the first war party of which Fast Bear of Rosebud was leader. It was against the Pawnees. They found only a deserted village and returned.
He never led a war party.
He was in four battles mostly against the Crows.
He was in the Phil Kearney fight.
He considers Crazy Horse the greatest leader of his people and Custer the greatest leader of the white.
He counted coup once. Beyond the Crow Agency is Arrow River a branch of the Big Horn. The Crows had their village there. They surrounded this village and was firing on them. In the morning the Crows began to move and got near the river. One Crow was killed but he was not participating in the fight. When the Crows got to the river, they charged back on the Sioux. Then the Sioux made the Crows retreat again.
Fast Elk got there then. They came to a ridge. Some got over the ridge and others ran along it. He got down over the ridge and commenced running. He noticed one was on foot. Every little while the Crows would stop and then run again. One Crow on a white horse was near the Crow on foot and stopped when the Crow on foot started to get on the horse with him but the horseman ran on when he saw Fast Elk and a Cheyenne companion drawing near. So Fast Elk ran up and struck the Crow who was on foot The Crow was killed and five others and 8 Sioux were killed.
He fasted twice. About noon he went up on a hill near the Big Horn Mountains and placed his offering of four pieces of flannel to the four points and stood there all that day and all that night. In the evening there was a big storm and they stakes were hurled away though no wind was blowing. It rained all around him but he was not wet. At dawn he laid down and soon heard steps and raised up and saw it was a coyote passing. The coyote looked like himself.
He laid down and heard something and on raising he saw a hawk near him. He had a pipe and thought he would kill the hawk with the pipe-stem but at the first move the hawk made a noise and flew off.
In the morning he went back to camp and in the sweat house people asked him what he saw but he told no one until he got home and then he said he would be unlucky but he said it would be good to die a hero.
After the fasting he went on a party against the Shoshones where the Arapahoe Agency is now. They travelled all night and early in the morning they got close to the village when he sneaked away and went around on the other side when he saw a cabin where he saw two horses tied. He went up to steal the two horses. He saw a port hole in the cabin and he heard a shot and was knocked down shot through the body and arm but was not knocked off his horse. It was near a river and he could hardly ride as they crossed the river but the cold water revived him. He drank in his hand when blood oozed from his mouth then he drank more and began to vomit and finally got better.
He met one of his party and was craving for a smoke but could not speak. His friend came up took his pistol and rode off. He rode on further and met another and when he noticed the change in his face he made a grunt of alarm but again he could [not] speak. He took his second pistol and rode on. A little further he came up to the main crowd and again tried to ask for a smoke and this time he made a big noise. They had no smoking [tobacco?] but he told them to feel in his own pocket. Then they fixed his pipe and after smoking he felt as good as new. It pained him when hungry but the wound did not hurt when he was filled up with food.
Getting back to the path he smelled something fragrant and was then perfectly well. He never was laid up with the wound, but he lost so much blood he looked pale as a white man.
He got home and five days later went on another war party against a migrating Crow party and the scouts reported the Crows. He got to where they could see the Crows. They saw a Crow and his wife hunting buffalo. He and three others forded a river and getting near the Crows charged on the. The others' horses played out and he rode on alone. He saw the woman trying to get on the horse with her husband. She succeeded and the two fled leaving 3 horses which he took.
Fast Elk. By Edward Curtis.
Wounded Knee
Manderson, S.D. 19 July 1907
Joseph Pourier, Interpreter
Fast Elk
He-xaka-Luza-han
Ogalala
69 years old
About 18 when he went with the first war party of which Fast Bear of Rosebud was leader. It was against the Pawnees. They found only a deserted village and returned.
He never led a war party.
He was in four battles mostly against the Crows.
He was in the Phil Kearney fight.
He considers Crazy Horse the greatest leader of his people and Custer the greatest leader of the white.
He counted coup once. Beyond the Crow Agency is Arrow River a branch of the Big Horn. The Crows had their village there. They surrounded this village and was firing on them. In the morning the Crows began to move and got near the river. One Crow was killed but he was not participating in the fight. When the Crows got to the river, they charged back on the Sioux. Then the Sioux made the Crows retreat again.
Fast Elk got there then. They came to a ridge. Some got over the ridge and others ran along it. He got down over the ridge and commenced running. He noticed one was on foot. Every little while the Crows would stop and then run again. One Crow on a white horse was near the Crow on foot and stopped when the Crow on foot started to get on the horse with him but the horseman ran on when he saw Fast Elk and a Cheyenne companion drawing near. So Fast Elk ran up and struck the Crow who was on foot The Crow was killed and five others and 8 Sioux were killed.
He fasted twice. About noon he went up on a hill near the Big Horn Mountains and placed his offering of four pieces of flannel to the four points and stood there all that day and all that night. In the evening there was a big storm and they stakes were hurled away though no wind was blowing. It rained all around him but he was not wet. At dawn he laid down and soon heard steps and raised up and saw it was a coyote passing. The coyote looked like himself.
He laid down and heard something and on raising he saw a hawk near him. He had a pipe and thought he would kill the hawk with the pipe-stem but at the first move the hawk made a noise and flew off.
In the morning he went back to camp and in the sweat house people asked him what he saw but he told no one until he got home and then he said he would be unlucky but he said it would be good to die a hero.
After the fasting he went on a party against the Shoshones where the Arapahoe Agency is now. They travelled all night and early in the morning they got close to the village when he sneaked away and went around on the other side when he saw a cabin where he saw two horses tied. He went up to steal the two horses. He saw a port hole in the cabin and he heard a shot and was knocked down shot through the body and arm but was not knocked off his horse. It was near a river and he could hardly ride as they crossed the river but the cold water revived him. He drank in his hand when blood oozed from his mouth then he drank more and began to vomit and finally got better.
He met one of his party and was craving for a smoke but could not speak. His friend came up took his pistol and rode off. He rode on further and met another and when he noticed the change in his face he made a grunt of alarm but again he could [not] speak. He took his second pistol and rode on. A little further he came up to the main crowd and again tried to ask for a smoke and this time he made a big noise. They had no smoking [tobacco?] but he told them to feel in his own pocket. Then they fixed his pipe and after smoking he felt as good as new. It pained him when hungry but the wound did not hurt when he was filled up with food.
Getting back to the path he smelled something fragrant and was then perfectly well. He never was laid up with the wound, but he lost so much blood he looked pale as a white man.
He got home and five days later went on another war party against a migrating Crow party and the scouts reported the Crows. He got to where they could see the Crows. They saw a Crow and his wife hunting buffalo. He and three others forded a river and getting near the Crows charged on the. The others' horses played out and he rode on alone. He saw the woman trying to get on the horse with her husband. She succeeded and the two fled leaving 3 horses which he took.
Fast Elk. By Edward Curtis.