ducts of the new conditions brought about by close contact with the
conquering race.

This distinction must be borne in mind--that while the early chiefs
were spokesmen and leaders in the simplest sense, possessing no real
authority, those who headed their tribes during the transition period
were more or less rulers and more or less politicians. It is a singular
fact that many of the "chiefs", well known as such to the American
public, were not chiefs at all according to the accepted usages of
their tribesmen. Their prominence was simply the result of an abnormal
situation, in which representatives of the United States Government made
use of them for a definite purpose. In a few cases, where a chief met
with a violent death, some ambitious man has taken advantage of the
confusion to thrust himself upon the tribe and, perhaps with outside
help, has succeeded in usurping the leadership.

Red Cloud was born about 1820 near the forks of the Platte River. He
was one of a family of nine children whose father, an able and respected
warrior, reared his son under the old Spartan regime. The young Red
Cloud is said to have been a fine horseman, able to swim across the
Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, of high bearing and unquestionable
courage, yet invariably gentle and courteous in everyday life. This
last trait, together with a singularly musical and agreeable voice, has
always been characteristic of the man.

When he was about six years old, his father gave him a spirited colt,
and said to him:

"My son, when you are able to sit quietly upon the back of this colt
without saddle or bridle, I shall be glad, for the boy who can win a
wild creature and learn to use it will as a man be able to win and rule
men."

The little fellow, instead of going for advice and help to his
grandfather, as most Indian boys would have done, began quietly to
practice throwing the lariat. In a little while he was able to lasso
the colt. He was dragged off his feet at once, but hung on, and finally
managed to picket him near the teepee. When the big boys drove the herd
of ponies to water, he drove his colt with the rest. Presently the pony
became used to him and allowed himself to be handled. The boy began
to ride him bareback; he was thrown many times, but persisted until he
could ride without even a lariat, sitting with arms folded and guiding
the animal by the movements of his body. From that time on he told me
that he broke all his own ponies