04/24/2024
Dull Knife – Northern Cheyenne Chief
The life of Dull Knife, the Cheyenne Chief, is a true hero tale. He is a pattern for heroes of any race, simple, child-like yet manful, and devoid of selfish aims or love of gain.
Dull Knife was a chief of the old school. Among all the Indians of the plains, nothing counts save proven worth. His courage, unselfishness, and intelligence measure a man’s caliber. Many writers confuse history with fiction, but in Indian history, their women and old men, and even children witness the main events. Not being absorbed in daily papers and magazines, these events are rehearsed repeatedly with few variations. Though orally preserved, their accounts are therefore accurate. But they have seldom been willing to give reliable information to strangers, especially when asked and paid for.
Racial prejudice naturally enters into the account of a man’s life by enemy writers, while one is likely to favor his race. I am conscious that many readers may think I have idealized the Indian.
Therefore I will confess now that we have too many weak and unprincipled men among us. When I speak of the Indian hero, I do not forget the mongrel in spirit, false to the ideals of his people. Our trustfulness has been our weakness, and when the vices of civilization were added to our own, we fell heavily.
It is said that Dull Knife was resourceful and self-reliant as a boy. He was only nine years old when his family was separated from the rest of the tribe while on a buffalo hunt. His father was away and his mother busy, and he was playing with his little sister on the banks of a stream when a large herd of buffalo swept down upon them on a stampede for water. His mother climbed a tree, but the little boy led his sister into an old beaver house whose entrance was above water, and here they remained in the shelter until the buffalo passed and their distracted parents found them.
Dull Knife was a youth when his tribe was caught in a region devoid of game and threatened with starvation one winter. Heavy storms worsened the situation, but he secured help and led a relief party a hundred and fifty miles, carrying bales of dried buffalo meat on pack horses.
Another exploit that made him dear to his people occurred in battle when his brother-in-law was severely wounded and left lying where no one on either side dared to approach him. As soon as Dull Knife heard of it, he got on a fresh horse and made so daring a charge that others joined him; thus, under cover of their fire, he rescued his brother-in-law and in so doing, was wounded twice.
