Forever Young Birth Of A Nation (27 page)

Shortly they rocketed away to the northwest
and ran non-stop for some three hours until a distant roaring sound
could be heard. Moon owl guided them to within a few hundred yards
of where they would see the sight and then she asked to walk the
last distance with them. She led them to a great rock bluff where
they walked out to see the most impressive natural spectacle either
man had ever seen. The very rock they stood upon trembled
constantly and the falls filled their field of view nearly
entirely. They both were awe-struck and Ian turned to Moon Owl and
said “I have never seen such an impressive sight as this. What do
you call this place?”

“We call it the Great Falls. There are a
group of people here, some came from the Seneca, Some from the
Erie, and some from the Algonquin people on the other side of the
river. They all live together in this area, a bit apart from us,
but still friendly toward the three nations that they came
from.”

“What are these people called?”

“We know them as the Niagagarega. They are
the people of the Niagara.”

“Have any whites seen this before us?”

“Yes, there have been French trappers
through here. One was named LaSalle and maybe one was named
Champlain, but I am not sure. There have been others; perhaps one
of them was named DuQuoin or DesMoines.”

“James, I would like to see how big the
river is that can spill this much water. Can we do that, Moon
Owl?”

“What you see is a great lake draining into
another lake. Both are many months journey to walk around. They
both are so big that one cannot see the other side of them, and
even bigger lakes are to be found to the west of this one.”

“Have you seen those?”

“No. I have heard of the elders of our
village tell of them and they say some of those lakes are like
seas, but yet they do not have salt water.”

Ian looked at James who said “This is a
marvel… and those lakes… I would love to see them some day.”

“As would I, James. Would anyone like to eat
some fresh fish this evening?”

Within a half hour, Moon Owl watched in
fascination as both Ian and James hand fished in a shallow
backwater around a mile below the falls. They had simply bounded
across the water to rocks here and there, Moon Owl in her sling
gasping every time they leaped to another rock. In some half an
hour, Ian and James had caught some eight fish by hand. Knocking
each one in the head with the handle of their knives the two had
tossed each one to Moon Owl to put into their ruck sacks.

She wanted to clean the fish as that was
women’s work among the Seneca, but she was amazed to see how
quickly James cleaned them at vampire speed. She could barely see
the blade of his hunting knife moving as he reduced their catch to
sixteen cleaned fillets in less than two minutes.

In some thirty more minutes the two were
back at the place where they had first seen the falls. James
started a fire while Ian looked for green poplar sticks to skewer
their fillets. He had salt in his ruck sack so the three settled
down to watch the sun set over the falls as they roasted their
fresh caught trout.

Later on they had added fuel to their fire
and the three sat around it telling stories of their childhood.
They sat until quite late and then Ian had Moon Owl climb into her
sling and he bounded away into the blackness, toward the falls. A
short distance from where they had eaten, they found a perfect
place to bed down for the night. There was a really thick carpet of
pine needles and a good view of the falls. Ian pulled the two
tightly rolled blankets from his ruck and wrapped them around Moon
Owl, taking her in his arms then to warm her as the moon came up
into their sight.

She gave a deep sigh as she sat between his
legs and lay back against his chest as they sat in silence,
listening to the eternal roar of the falls. The blankets warmed her
and the warmth of his body seeped into hers, arousing her. She
turned her head to him and reaching up, pulled him down to kiss
him. Not too long after that they made love there.

***

After six idyllic days exploring the area,
the trio turned toward the village of Tall Elk and with Moon Owl
secure in her sling, they rocketed away one morning. By midday they
were near the village and she walked the rest of the way with Ian
as James went hunting.

She had seen how Ian and James caught game
and bled it, using the small copper bowls and storing it in copper
flasks. Moon Owl had a distinct memory of that day when Ian said to
her “No human has ever seen me feed, Moon Owl. You are the only
one.” She thought it strange, but she had dressed game since she
had been a child and was not squeamish at the sight of blood at
all. Pondering it she concluded that she was honored that he would
show her something that he kept private from all humans.

That night, Chief Tall Elk invited Ian and
James to a council meeting in one of the two long houses. Moon Owl
told them that this was an honor because they would be asked to
speak at the council and not just watch as the women and children
would do.

The Sachem used the tomahawk pipe that Ian
had presented to him and also the tobacco which they had given for
a gift when they had arrived. The council spoke of some squabbles
with the Mohawks and of how they might make the following winter
easier than this past one had been. There was discussion of two
upcoming marriages and of where game was now most likely to be had.
Ian sensed that there was something in particular which the Sachem
and likely some of the council members wanted their opinion
about.

The Sachem finally began to talk about the
redcoats coming to offer money to the Seneca if they would attack
settlers in the Mohawk River Valley area. Apparently there had been
an expedition the year before where the British had offered to pay
the Seneca for scalps taken from settlers. Ian looked at James who
had a grim look on his face at hearing that. Most rural settlers
knew little about the war and were entirely focused on homesteading
a plot of land and eking out a living. They had a better lot than
they would have had in Europe and had their land and knew little
else but now Ian heard how they were targeted as though they were
in the thick of the conflict. This sat heavily upon him as he
listened to the Sachem give the details of how they would be paid.
He concluded that the Seneca had not taken the British up on the
offer and turned to Ian and James, asking them to speak their mind
on the subject.

Ian took the pipe and puffed it, handing it
to James and stood to speak. “Tall Elk and the elders of the Seneca
give me a great honor to speak at this council. I am younger in
years than many of you and lack your experience in life. One thing
I have that you do not is that I have lived among the whites and I
know how they think. Even I did not know that the redcoats were
doing what you have told me this night although I heard
rumors.”

“In my view the British are cowards and
without honor to make war upon people who know little about why the
whites in the cities fight against their king. To make war on women
and children is the worst kind of cowardly act and I would not
hesitate to tell that to any man, be he red or white.” Here he
stopped and stared around the lodge, allowing his words to sink in
and he fastened his penetrating frosty blue gaze on every man
seated at the council fire, one by one.

He continued saying “Where is the honor and
glory in making war on farmers and their families? One day, the
redcoats will go back across the sea to their home. When that day
comes, is it not better for the Seneca that they never made war on
the white settlers? If the Seneca make war on the farmers, after
the redcoats leave won’t the farmers make war upon the Seneca for
revenge? Where is the profit in that? It is folly to be drawn into
the war that the redcoats started with their own people. Let the
whites attend to their own problems. There are more important
things for the Seneca people to be occupied with, such as the
Mohawks, and also the Mohicans who have been forced to come here by
the whites.” He looked around at each council member then, eye to
eye as he had in the beginning and then he sat down.

Tall elk puffed the pipe and passed it to
James who also puffed it. Then James passed the pipe back and
stood, saying “I stand with my companion Ian on this matter. It is
folly to be drawn into the white man’s war on either side.” He
looked around at each member as Ian had done and sat down.

An elder spoke up, saying “With the
redcoat’s money we can buy goods at their trading posts. Without it
we must trade furs of the otter or beaver and we do not often get a
fair exchange.”

Another spoke and said “Better that than
that the settlers have bitterness against the Seneca for the deaths
of their friends and children. Why should we sow the seeds of war
for convenience? The night stalkers’ words have wisdom and I think
we should heed them.”

Ian stood then and said “You elders have
decisions to make concerning your people. We will leave that you
may speak freely. We are honored that you have let us speak to your
council.” He and James then walked out of the long house, and
within minutes were hunting to the south some six miles from the
village. They each brought back a deer and hung the carcasses up on
the framework where the hides were cured.

Ian confided to James that he was going to
be personally involved in the war until it was done. “James, what
the British have done on the frontier is despicable. I will help
the Americans until this war ends because of this.”

Moon Owl awaited the pair at the cabin site
and was already rolled up in her blanket asleep on a pile of
thatching underneath their wagon when they arrived. Ian settled
beside her, drawing her to him as she took his hand and pressed it
to her lips sleepily. He thought
I could easily get used to
living like this among these people. Their lives are so simple and
that is refreshing to me. Moon Owl is a wonderful companion too. I
could be happy with her from now on, but I have to do what I came
here for. My family is depending on me to lay the foundation for
our move. How would Moon Owl fit in with us? Could she bear to be
separated from her people for my sake? More to the point, do I have
a right to expect that?

Unbidden then a montage of visions of all of
them passed through his mind. He felt little sorrow at this
recollection, and that was the first time that it had been this
painless since Alandra had died. He wondered at that and concluded
that it was due in large part to his growing love for Moon Owl. For
some reason Cosette seemed to be the predominate person in this
montage, even dominating over his mother, brother, Aunt Mary and
Uncle Angus. He thought
ah, Cosette. Would that you could have
seen the things I have seen.

Spring turned into summer and both Ian and
James worked steadily on the cabin. The thatched roof was completed
under Ian’s watchful eyes. He had helped to install thatched roofs
as a boy some eight times in Scotland and knew enough about it to
make one of them weather resistant, the chimney area really being
the only tricky part. Moon Owl was with Ian and James constantly
and by the time they had finished she knew how to put fresh
thatching over the existing

They framed five windows, two to the east,
flanking the cabin’s only door, one to the south and two to the
west. James made covers to fit each window opening for cold weather
or when it was stormy. They were hinged at the top with leather
straps and tied up outside in fair weather for ventilation and
light

Toward the last of the construction, Ian
made a front door for the cabin, hanging it on six leather hinges
with a sturdy wooden sliding bar latch to keep it closed in bad
weather. James fashioned a table during this time and both of them
worked with green hickory and bull rushes to make four chairs. Two
beds were framed in cedar and designed so that deer skins could be
arranged on them for sleeping. Ian suggested putting the skins over
cedar foliage which was plentiful. It would make a comfortable
surface to sleep on, and would be up off of the cool stone floor.
He told her to wash it in the river before bringing it inside to
remove insects and their eggs. She was told to add to it around
once a month and it made the cabin smell extra nice too.

Moon Owl was thrilled and her mother had
become more enthusiastic as she saw the place taking shape.
Although it was only twenty four feet by twenty feet, it was
weather tight and cozy, and would provide a warm dry place to spend
winters.

The cabin was mostly finished and ready for
them to occupy. One of the last things that James did was to
present Moon Owl with six well cured skins including four bear
skins for rugs so that the stone floor would not be so cold in
wintertime. Ian gave her and her mother a pair of warm bearskin
robes with matching hats for cold weather wear as well, and
presented each a pair of house slippers made of bearskin too.

Moon Owl asked Tall Elk to have the village
come there to see the cabin and suggested that they have a big
feast. Ian promised to take out the violin he had packed away and
provide music for the occasion. This was noised about the village
the day before the feast and many began to prepare for it.

The day of the feast everyone in the village
was invited to look at Moon Owl’s home and everyone in the village
came in to see it. There was a lot of curiosity over the wood
burning stove and the fireplace and swing-out arms. The long houses
simply had a hole built in the roof to allow the smoke to escape
when a fire was kindled inside. The Indians cooked mostly out of
doors so the people were all amazed to see that Moon Owl could cook
indoors all year long and have no smoke to contend with.