The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-04-14
THE GREATEST COMANCHE
Foolhardy Feat Of an Old Warrior
Jealous Of a Braggart Young
Rival.
Forced His Pony to Leap From the
Highest Peak to Certain
Death.
The Young Brave, whoss Heart Failed
Kim, Becomes an Oatcast ana End
His Own Life.

His Own Life.
"A story told to many Of us during the
campaign referred to by ons Of the Oldest
Of the Cemanohes, the Oldest Indian I
have ever ssen-"Littls Beaver" of the
Osagss-is very interesting. showing to
what an art she dsspissd savags of thirty
years ago reduced story telling. says >
correspondent. The aried-up old warrior
prsfaosd his tals by stating that he was 80
aged; that he was brother to the highest
peak Of tho Wichita mountains," ct the
foot OF which We were camped o 4 Geld
Dsesmber night in 1883. Here il the story:
So many years 4 that it seemed like .
dream even to the narrator, the Comanohss
were the greatest tribe on earth. Their
warriors were a. numerous a. a herd of
buffalo on the Arkansas in the fall. They
were more cunning than the coyote. Their
herd Of ponies contained 10 many animals
all fne and fat--that no man could count
them in q year. All the othsr Indians Of
the plains and mountains feared and trsm-
bled at the name of Comanohe.
In tho tribe, ~ is ever the oase. there were
two warriors who excelled all the others in
their rrowess. One was young and the
other middle aged. They were very jealous
of each other, each constantly attempting
some deed OF daring at which. it was
hoped, the rival weuld balk. Ons fall.
whom the Indian summer made the air
rsdoleut with the sweet perfumes of thou
sands Of flowers and the mountains wers
bathed in the amber mist Of that delicious
&c. all Il nsouk -orrinPa yuAYn rAkn -
ing from one of their most famous VIC
tories. @ [
They camped under the shadow OF Medi-
cine bluff late one Afternoon, where the
young brave, who WAS quietly smoking his
pipe as he lowered over the little campfire,
steak. happened to f1 his gaze on the high
est point Of the bluff, and in that position
continued for several minutes wrapped in
q most profound study, while all the rest
of the band stopped whatever they were
doing and gazsd at him as intently.
casting q defiant look upon the warriors
scattered around on the grass who. excited
at his strange manner, sprank up to learn
what he meant. Presently he turned his
face toward che sun. which was about two
hours high, and broke out with this boast:
Of all the C~omanchss! I resemble that
mountaln!' pointing with his spear to the
highest peak OF Medicine bluff. "My
notions are as far above yours az that
mountain ID above the stream at its foot! ID
there Z warrior here who dare follow ms?"
Then he shook his spear and brandishsd
his shield in defiance Of any and all. His
rival was al the time swelling with rage
and pride. He knew the boast was intended
for him alone, although he was the elder
Of the two. He approached the braggart
with all the dignity Of the savage shat he
was, and striking himself on the bosom
several times, exclaimed:
80! You are tbs greatest warrior Of the
Comanches? You are the buffalo shat loads
the herd? I am the old bull to be driven
away by ths oowardly coyote and die, leav-,
ing my bones to whiten? You ask me to
follow you Never! l never follow! / will
60 with youw
The remainder of the band gathered
around ths two celebrated warriors. They
wondered what now deed Of daring they
we're going to attempt. as the rivals arrayed
themselves in their best buckakin dress and
mounted their ~favorite ponies. With shields
held in q defying position, their faces
painted and their bonnets OF war eagle
feathers flowing in the breeze they rode
away without another word.
They forded the stream. The youngest
now started up the difficult trail which led
to tho sacred summit of the Medicine
bluff, whore. stopping his affriRhted steed.
he pointed to the fearful precipics a few
rods off and exclaimed:
''You have followed me here; follow me
further"
Then shouting the ~war-whoop, which
and humping the TANKS of his animal
vigorously, he darted toward the awful
brink. His rival instantly raised his pony
on his him legs, and, with a whoop more
piercing, followed the young nan who,
when he had reached the edge of tho preci-
.s>~ &AslA 80 -~-I I Ls~ -.a~
violently back OF his launches. The elder
saw his chance. With an awfa! yell Of de-
fiance and triumph he forced his horse to
make the terrible leap in midair.
All the warriors on the grassy bottom
below watched with eager interest Whist
whoop of the aged warrior as he jumped
down tho awful abvss. They saw him sit
as calmly as if in his ''lodge'' IS he de-
scended, seated as upright on his pony ~ If
his animal were walking the prairie, and,
above all, they heard his clear voice as ii
rung out on the clouds: "Greatsr than all
the Comanohes.o
Sadly they wonded their way to the foot
of the bluff, where both horse and brave
rider lay a mangled mass on the rocks. the
old warrior with a smile on his wrinkled
face of unmistakable triumph.
The bonsting rival became a wanderer
among the tribes. His named was accurael
of all Indians. The very dogs of the camps
snapped at him as he passed. At last.
overcome with rsmorse at his cowardice
and rreaohery, he killed himself. One day
he was found dead on the grave of hia rival
at the foot of the bluff. His body was
eaten by the coyotes; his shield and spear,
by which he had been identified, were ly-
ing on the ground at his feet.
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