{
 "id": "james-mcintyre/big-bear-the-indian-chief",
 "title": "Big Bear the Indian Chief",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "James McIntyre",
 "poet_slug": "james-mcintyre",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems of James McIntyre",
 "book_slug": "poems-of-james-mcintyre",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": 3,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1889,
  "venue": "Poems of James McIntyre (1889)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/james-mcintyre_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36068",
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 28,
  "n_stanzas": 7,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 39,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "Sad memories it doth awake,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The death of those fell at Frog Lake,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And trials of captives of Fort Pit",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When savages did capture it.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But soon Generals Strange and Steel",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Made savage hordes their power to feel,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And they rescued women fair",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From the paws of the Big Bear.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Captives for days had naught to eat",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But steaks of tough and lean dog meat,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In daily danger of their lives",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "From bullets and from scalping knives.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "When building big lodge for war dance,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "The cry is heard, the troops advance,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To the white captives sounds so sweet,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But savages they quick retreat.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "A thrilling tale our guest did tell,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That close to him fell bursting shell,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "This shot it was not fired in vain,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For several savages were slain.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Our bold troops great danger braved,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "So that white captives might be saved,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Who suffered hunger, cold and damp,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "’Mong savage hordes in bush and swamp.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Big Bear now they have pared his claws,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "He must atone for broken laws,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Far away from his native lair,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In prison strong they put Big Bear.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}