The American desert. Stark and mysterious, populated by roaming tribes of American Indians...a land of eerie phenomena...a place of legends and superstitions...where both appraitions and otherwordly fires may appear at any time...things that could perhaps be eplained by the scientic-minded as the result of excess heat, dehydration, and mirage.
One legend is that of the Ghost-Riders, a couple locked in an embrace upoin a radily moving giant steed, speeding across the desert. Some say that the figures are of a man and a woman, with ghostly and shriveled features. Some say the man is white and the woman is Indian. What follows is opne story behind the legend:
The man is known Ta-in-ga-ro. a hunter of unknown origin who came across the allied tirbes of the desert, bringing with him dozens of scalps of the different tribes of the Missouri Indians as a gift to the roving Kaskaias. Ta-in-ga-ro settled in the area in an isolated areas, apart from others. With him he bought the woman, known as Zecana, or the Bird, a strangely pale person who might have been a half-breed, or a member of one of the lighter-skinned Northern tribes. Ta-in-ga-ro's love for Zecana was far deeper than that typically showm by the natives of that area.
Ta-in-ga-ro was a good hunter and was abnle to provide for the two of them. unfortunately, he sometimes had to bring skins to trade with the Spaniard in nearby Mexico for certain items. Because he could not stand to be parted with Zecana on these trips he brought her with him. The Spaniard was unscupulous and licentious and soon set his eyes upon Zecana. she rebuffed the Spaniard but did not dare report him to her husband, fearing what he might do in his anger. The Spaniard then sent the unwitting husband on an expedition deep into the Rocky Mountains, leaving Zecana at the mercies of her lustful for.
One morning, Ta-in-ga-ro had a vision of Zecana. She seemed to be calling to him.. Concerned, he left immediately to return to the trading post, only to find it surrounded by a troop of Mexican soldiers. He was told that the post had been threatened by a band of Cumanches. A friendly soldier told hnm the Zecana was not at the post and that the commandante of the post would most likley arrest Ta-in-ga-ro simply because he was an Indian. Camping nearby, he had another vision of Zecana. This time she appeared as a an emaciated woman, insane with some horror, and mouthing words that made no sense. Then the vision called out the Spaniard's name and plunged a knife into her heart.
Several days later, despite the armed guard around the fortrress and the trading post, Ta-in-ga-ro entered the sleeping Spaniard's room, bound him, and escaped with his captive past the sentries. On the way he set fire to the compound and left a flaming arrow in the heart of the commandante. Back in desert, Ta-in-ga-ro bound the naked Spaniard to a horse, then tied the gory and disfigured corpse of Zecana next to him, locking them in a horrid embrace of death. So began the Spaniard's horrifying journey on a speeding horse, blistering under the sun, his body scored by the sharp leaves of desert flora, slowly starving, and all the while bound to the corpe of the woman he had defiled. Ta-in-ra-go followed, pausing only to force a few drops of water onto the Spaniard, lest he die of thirst too soon...
That is one story behind the legend of the Ghost-Riders. The fate of Ta-in-ga-ro is not told. Perhaps he dwells as a hamless old man among the wandering Cheyenne. Perhaps he is leading a predatory band of Blackfeet. Or, perhaps he has gone to the land of spirits, and can occasionally be seen chasing the Ghost-Riders on their endless journey across the great American desert.
A fearful revenge, indeed.
This sounds good! I'll have to track it down!
ReplyDelete