Remittance ManChapter 3
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--1817--
The Potawatamie chief Springing Buck paid us a visit. I felt honored that he would come alone to the cabin of my family. We feasted and talked long into the night. He came to discuss a problem that plagued their hunters—that of the flights necessary to true the paths of the giant shafts. Turkey feathers were too weak and narrow, as well as being destroyed within days. We needed a device that was stiff yet durable. We hit upon rawhide and vowed to attempt it the next day.
The rawhide fletching worked admirably until it wetted. We retreated to the forge to further ponder the issue. Soon we came to realize that saturating the rawhide with balsam would prove unwieldy, yet using lard or fish oil would keep the rawhide strong and supple. Splitting the shaft for four vanes eased the manufacture from that of three, and the binding with sinew before and abaft the splits seemed to have the proper effect. A small brass thimble at the base provided a fulcrum point for the spear's caster.
That night the chief brought up the question of my tribe—by what would it be known to the nations? I vowed to discuss the matter with the weight it deserved with my mates and would inform him by spring, when the nations began trading. Soon the true winter storms came, forcing us to hold to our cabin.
Walks alone became jealous of the liberties permitted of my person that Elizabeth was allowed, and began to pull away from us and become sorrowful.
Upon discovering the source of her troubled nature we discussed the matter among us and afforded walks the chance of obtaining her own child. Joy and serenity soon ruled our home once again.
Before the snows began to melt the results of our dalliances bore fruit. Both of my lovely brides missed their times, thus we presumed them with child. With tender festivities we celebrated our new status. Together we wrote missives to our English and Scottish families announcing our nuptials and fertile blessings. I then made my way to the winter camp of the tribe to make the good news known to the chief, medicine man and the aged mother of walks alone. The woman was not doing well, her son having died in a hunt being her only remaining family and source of succor. I saw it as my Christian duty to offer her shelter and family rights. The medicine man agreed that it was the proper way of the tribes. The chief seemed put at ease by my actions as well. Upon enquiring of his demeanor I found that adoption of out-elders was only seen amongst the wolf tribes that showed wisdom and proved later to succeed. I kept my knowledge of the ten commandments to myself, knowing that it was not my place to proselytize amongst those happy with their place in life. Mother Sweet Waters joined our fledgling tribe.
I sledged the old mother back to our camp with her furs and belongings upon a doubled tree bark. We discussed much over those two days. I found her a cunning woman, mature and knowledgeable. She knew much of herbs and their preparation. We discussed the pharmacy as instructed on the continent and Scotland compared to the discovered remedies of her and her forefathers.
We agreed that willow bark was a blessing from above, and spoke of various teas that affected the bowels and the cramping of a woman's times. In all it was a spirited, enjoyable trip which I regretted not at all.
Soon the hungry times came upon us once again. The jolly boat had taken the winter well, and with little oakum and tar was seaworthy once again. I ventured down stream and to the port to once more to purchase much smoked fish and meat, corn meal and wheat from the townsfolk, an overage which had been preserved with just such a need in mind after the near-tragedy of the previous year.
The tribe grew and prospered due to their lack of starvation. We were gifted with handsome quill-worked garments and others of sturdy daily manufacture, all of hand-smoked deerskins. We became so adjusted to their wear that I wore them to town on many occasion, drawing comment and many admirable stare due to their handsome appearance.
We discussed the meaning of being a tribe amongst the nations amongst ourselves.
The grandmother gave great weight to the responsibility and status conveyed once a name was taken. I drew forth our fortune and counted it out—over fourteen thousand pounds of good minted currency. It was such an outrageous sum that we could hardly understand what it might portend for us.
The paths stripped by the great storm gave us an easy route thru the woods for harvesting, and the use of wheeled barrows would provide a method of transporting huge volumes of harvested mast as well as other bounteous fruits of the woods. I had been harvesting and transporting firewood downed by the wrath of the storm steadily and efficiently, thus opening the pathways to the wheeled carts. Now that Sweet Waters had joined us our knowledge of what to harvest had been expanded may fold. I planned to dibble plant a field of corn down the open path as available. Whether I harvested corn or deer I had no preference. They would each provide bounty in their own way.
We attempted to plan for the future. We would take the name walks together as a tribute to our second wife. When tested in our resolve by three crones and three medicine men, I explained.
"We walk together. We sleep together. We eat together. We love together. We suffer together. If we must, we will kill together."
At that time I was named Eyes of Wolf. Walks alone became Dancer.
We were accepted into the hundred nations with great ceremony. I was advised to build guest houses, as our name had previously been used by a great nation to the South—the Cherokee, and would come to visit the namesakes of their great grandsires. I traded many forged knives and axes in exchange for the aid of many braves to build long houses in our glade about a central fire, each with their own fire pits and sleeping shelves. I was told that any visitor would bring their own sleeping furs, yet I fretted. In my next journey to the port I again commissioned tanned hair-on bearskins, twenty or more as available, all winter prime fur. We loomed many mats to cover and floor the long houses.
I must confess that I loaded the dice by covering the structures in waxed canvas before laying on the mats to keep the moisture out. We spent many summer and fall nights in those longhouses—they were much more habitable than the cabin in both the heat and the rains.
One would not think that I had any time to myself with all these goings on, yet I had time to read and tinker with my forge. I built a walking cage and hired several youths of the tribe to man it, keeping the air pumping while I learned to puddle steel. I found it fascinating what different compounds could be formed from Iron into various forms of steel. And Tempering! and Annealing! I read of a wootz method performed with sheep's wool in a clay vessel and vowed to try it. The hair of a goat or deer worked perfectly well, and the blade I formed was marvelous. Such soon became my stock in trade, I fear, for once perfected it soon surpassed any other product I attempted.
After at-chance trading a few to the ships in port we began to host a quite extraordinary list of guests that hoped to purchase similar blades crafted to their reach and skill. Quenched in oil the patterned steel took a magnificent luster which gave me such pride that I vowed to repent of it upon my next confession.
We were harvesting corn from the clearings which the cyclonic storm had provided, when hailed from the woods. Startled, I peered about, then motioned for my wives to seek shelter. Gravid and heavy, they made their way to the shelter of the thick walls of the cabin. I made my way to the glade and called out a welcome to our camp.
Out of the trees came a delegation of travelers, slender men, reddened in ocher, their hair plucked to the middle of their skulls. We met peacefully—I offered them the shelter of my lodge. A youth among them attempted a mean joke—
"I see but one white man alone."
A crack from my flintlock startled them and dirt kicked up between his feet. My wives and sweet water came forth to stand at my back. Sweet water, her beady black eyes missing nothing, answered.
We walk together.
We stand together.
We sleep together.
We eat together.
We suffer together.
We kill together.
Test this at your peril.
A short wrinkled man with torn scars upon his chest struck the youth upon the back of his head with a cudgel, who then cringed and fell back.
"Watch and learn."
He turned to face me, holding out both palms.
"I am Walks Far, war party leader of the Cherokee nation."
I sheathed my sword at my back and met his palms.
"I am Eyes of Wolf, father of Walks Together, tribe of the hundred nations.
I call you welcome of food and shelter, fire and friendship."
We met hands over wrists and shook two handed.
"I have taken but two wives and a wise woman. We are blessed by Earth Mother that we truly walk together, and have much to share. Be welcome."
White teeth showed in a grin thru his ochre-colored face.
"Your generous words fall sweet upon these tired ears. We would bathe and rest before eating."
I motioned to the rightmost lodge and the stream. "Be at ease. Food shall be prepared."
We had much smoked fish, smoked game and ground corn. I aided my wives in the preparation of the meal, wrapping spiced smoked game in hasty pudding, yet again within corn shucks and steaming them. It was a tasty dish we had discovered that was sufficient for the heartiest appetite. Baked apples and watered brandy comprised the balance of the menu.
Native tribesmen were known for their prodigious appetites, yet we had been prepared for their intrusions into our larder. It proved no great hardship. Their full bellies topped by our primitive hot toddies proved too much for the warriors, yet their leader took it all in stride, maintaining moderate portions. I brought forth a tobacco pipe and sweet herb to celebrate with him He honored me with his wisdom.
"It is not customary, yet I will instruct my warriors to aid in the harvest come morning. Your harvest shows the favor of the Earth Mother. It overwhelms your tribe's numbers."
"I must agree, the generosity of the land has left us with little sleep, hoping to harvest its bounty before it rots. We have yet to harvest cat-tail roots and white oak mast. The paths opened by the Sky Father have given us great opportunity.
"We have heard that the Sky Father somehow made you welcome here. Now that I have seen it I tremble at the sight of such destruction, held from your lodge by the briefest of hands."
I bowed my head. "great responsibility comes with great gifts. It was then that the spirit of this tribe was born. Such gifts must come for a reason."
He nodded gravely. "Yet your tribe must grow quickly to flourish.
The blessing of the Earth Mother is upon your wives, yet this is not enough.
You must seek out others soon."
"I agree. I shall visit the port on the great sweet waters near here to find any without family, and ask among the tribe of those willing to seek shelter with us."
"There are many women once taken in raids that our ways have harmed.
You have two warrior wives now that would comfort and convince others to join your tribe. You have started a good thing."
I wept for many heartbeats, and then told him of Katherine's trials and my involvement in her travels, then the story of our dancer.
He nodded, then explained himself. "I had heard some of your story and that of your women. That they are fierce and would fight for you speaks well of you. If you keep your spirit open to others the crones will pile good fortune upon you, yet you must not sway in your head nor heart. The way of a true chief is of the heart. A blessing from a tribe of the far, far west fills my spirit and mind. I call it out to you. Walk in beauty.
I bowed my head, accepting his blessing. We then cleared the pipe and made our way to our respective slumbers.
Our Cherokee guests stayed many days, yet Walks Far and I did not fall into such a deep discussion again. It was if he had said what he wished and the matter was settled.
We smoked together once more before he left, discussing the weather and local tribes. They left prepared for the coming wet season with waxed canvas shelters and garments, as well as a generous number of iron points for our giant darts. Walks Far made a good trade of it by providing me a pouch of hot pepper seed and one of melon seed—worth more than their weight in gold.
Soon the snow flew, and I was presented with an infant son and daughter. each born within the month of October. I made my regular trek to the port for supplies and to send letters informing our families of our great fortune. Minding the words of Walks Far, I enquired of the widow Jeffries if there were orphans or young women of dire straights within the town. I was informed that due to a shipwreck and a fishing disaster during a freezing fog, there were four orphaned girls, two orphaned boys and six mourning widows whose husbands had succumbed to the storms.
I spoke to the children, offering them succor and a roof over their heads, and offered to teach the boys a trade. After experiencing the starvation and bleak fortunes due the life of most orphans, they snatched up the offered promise of a home and family and never turned back. The widows provided more intransigent, and only two agreed to return with me to the homestead. The supplies and passengers involved demanded that I arrange for two more jolly boats, which I paid for and arranged for another supply of victuals to be supplied in one month's time, just before Christmas, A wood-wright was assured a good Christmas at my commissioning a single masted side-board skiff adequate as a coastal runabout yet able to navigate our fairly shallow river.
It was a grand time, full of noise, shouts and good cheer. The infants seemed to adopt an accepting and joyous attitude from those about them.
The children ate and slept until they were healthy, while the silence of the woods brought the widows from their trepidation to a more accepting attitude.
With a little prodding grandmother took it upon herself to educate the youngsters in the duties of the tribe. Soon my forays to the river to haul water were taken over by young, strong backs and arms. I truly cannot say that I missed the task.
Music and cheer rang about our cabin. Christmas found us buoyant, joyous and thankful for our gifts.
--1818--
We discussed our wealth and what it meant to us. I attempted to explain specie to Sweet Waters.
"One cannot eat it, wear it, forge it or plant with it, yet one may trade with it. It is valued, much as your beautiful quillwork had value to others that cannot equal your skill."
She pondered the issue, fingering a handful of coin. Her quick eyes met mine. "How much value to one?"
I set her back on her heels with "A lucky man may gain one gold coin per three years labor."
"Yet here is so much?"
"Yes. Our safety lies in the ignorance of others that we do not possess such great wealth."
She nodded her understanding. "Yet it must grow. It does nothing hidden beneath the earth in sacks. Fortune aids fortune."
With that, this simple old woman opened my eyes as to our future and benefit. I hugged her tight, then gathered my wives to me to explain my thoughts.
"We will underwrite others. We can provide seed money for boats and nets, farmers and tailors. The local clay cries out for potters and our small mercantile would blossom with an investor's aid."
"Yet, we must be as behind the curtain, husband. We must not appear wealthy for it would expose us to theives, brigands and pirates."
I agreed, and suggested that we incorporate the owner of the local mercantile into our plans. A test investment was suggested by Sweet Waters, and agreed.
At my yearly trek to obtain foodstuffs for the tribe during the Easter famine I brought along one thousand pounds in good gold coin as well as the coin necessary to finish payment on our new vessel and pay for supplies. Henry, the shopkeeper agreed that with an influx of capital he could expand his line and its justification would prove simple. We discussed expanding the goodwife's chicken and egg production, the securing and storage of larger quantities of grain, and the wooing of a miller and baker. He became our factor within our silent partnership.
To insure our privacy and safety I became a gossip. I took luncheon at the ordinary, mentioning over my ale that a new wolf tribe had come to be in the back country, wild and savage, yet I had successfully traded with them and had hosted their warriors. I went on to describe the ease which my wives stalked and killed even the most cunning of game—the wildcat and lynx, which truly had been bothering the children hence had become pelts upon the wall by necessity, not that the tavern keeper nor his custom needed to know this. I spoke nothing but the truth, before God. I left the men talking amongst themselves as I left for home, a song in my heart and a glint in my eye.
Since our babies were growing so quickly, we agreed to take on another as wet nurse to aid Dancer in her feeding our brood. Demand was outstripping her supply, if you will.
I gifted Dancer with a beautiful patterned steel hawk with a long hooked handle. She made a fine figure as she strode before me as we trekked to the native village. Our arrival gave cause for celebration. We helped prepare the meat and meal wrapped in corn husks which then steamed away in a pit for the afternoon. Once they were made they kept well, providing sustenance for hunters over long days and nights. We prepared many.
At the feast Dancer and I became aware of a small group of women that kept us constantly under observation. They seemed quite close and would not be seen with any other than their select group.
Chief Springing Buck told me a tale of women escaped from slavery to a tribe far to the South and East, Georgia, by the best of my reckoning. They were told by the Cherokee of a wolf tribe West of the sweet lakes that treasured all women.
The tribe name spoke of their spirit—Walks Together. These women had walked many months thru the winter rains and snows to find us. I wept at the very idea of the suffering and the travails that they had undergone. I sent Dancer to them as an emissary of the tribe. She returned soon, saying that they had been told not to trust any man unless he be known by his voice. I puzzled mightily over this until the events of the naming ceremony came back to me. I stood, panted for breath, inhaled greatly and gave forth a shivering howl that a great grey wolf would be proud of. As my call died out I heard yet again from deep within the camp "Aieeee!" followed by mad cackling. That damned shaman was baiting me.
Our tribe soon numbered twenty nine—two infants, four girls, two boys, three white women, fifteen Indian women, a crone and myself. I vowed to myself that I must obtain another man to add to our clan or I would be put in the position of a single ram in a flock of a hundred sheep—dead, yet happily so, however dead nonetheless.
There was need to quickly visit the port to arrange for foodstuffs on a regular basis. That night I spoke tenderly with my first wife to bolster her courage.
She had not been back to white men's territory in years, and I deemed her fit to return with me. She dithered as to what to wear until I suggested her wedding finery.
Now, to a good English bride that would entail yards of linen, lace, silk and pearls. To my love, it was a beautiful quilled vest over a breechclout and beautiful deerskin boots over her calves. To ease the sensibilities of the townsfolk she substituted a bleached deerskin skirt that stretched to her knees.
With her magnificent hair in a braid, bracers over her forearms, a slender sword at her back and a staff in her hand she was a vision that I could not sight without weeping. My tender, helpless bride that would not release my hand while leaving her ship was now my beautiful warrior partner, full of life and confidence. Her scars had faded into her glorious sun-tan and her hair was flecked with golden highlights. Since we had no mirrors in our cabin I knew that I must bring her before one.
I secured a goodly number of coin, then dressed similarly to my wife, foregoing pantaloons for deerskin boots and a loincloth as was my want within the woods.
I also wore bracers and a sword, yet added a brace of pistols and a beautiful patterned steel hand axe.
We made our way to town where we promptly became the center of attention. Or rather, SHE became the center of attention, as I had been known to visit engarbed as I was before. She was radiant. She met every eye as if judging those before her. I proudly led her to the mercantile, our factor. I led her to a pier mirror.
She caught her image from across the room. It drew her interest without recognition.
When she caught on to the jape she gasped, preened, then turned to me in wonder.
I gently said "As you see, I was correct. You are cut, not ugly. You are beautiful."
Her stern demeanor was given lie by the sparkle in her eyes. A gentle kiss upon my cheek said little yet promised much. I was truly content.
We arranged for the merchant to be our factor in the purchase and storage of meats which we desired to be smoked and stored. Some may be sold at his discretion thru his business.
Hunters were to be employed and loaned the use of the skiff I owned to widen their treks.
Further, grain was to be purchased as available from various trading houses and the positions of miller and baker were to be advertised in the East. We placed orders for more fish to be smoked and stored for a monthly collection, and ordered various other foodstuffs such as dried apples, root vegetables, dried corn, peas and wheat.
We met with the widow Jeffries who took one look at my bride and fainted dead away.
I carried the poor woman to her bed and left my wife to ease her clothes and chafe her to awareness. They came forth chattering like magpies. At my wife's behest we left a tidy sum with the widow to add rooms and hire a limner for a sign proclaiming beds to be had.
Our lady of the chickens had already been contacted by Henry and was in the process of trebling her production. She had found children amenable to raking up and bagging shells at the shore which she would pound fine and mix with the feed for her flock. They were paid in like specie—chickens!
We supped at the ordinary, dining on a fine beef roast and carrots. My wife remarked that though the dish was fine, after consuming good venison for such a period, beef seemed bland and tasteless. I agreed, yet it was good for a change of pace.
We were approached by a one-armed man after our dinner, begging for sustenance. He had been dismembered by a wild pig while hunting. He seemed healthy enough, yet Emaciated, and appeared to be in his mid-twenties. I met my wife's eyes, who shrugged.
"Good man, if you can pull a bellows and carry a bucket you have a job. I need a blacksmith's assistant."
Vicky
- 21.02.2021
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