Towards the end of his ninety-ninth Summer, several people reported to Lightning Bolt the disturbing news that they had sighted giant canoes off the coast. They reported that the giant canoes appeared to be propelled by the wind catching in enormous blankets rather than by men rowing them. Upon receiving these reports he sent for Flaming Hair to discuss the matter.
Lightning Bolt said, “My brother, thanks for coming so quickly. I’ve received worrying news that I want to discuss with you.”
Flaming Hair, with a sense of foreboding, responded, “I can tell it must be bad, because you’re in a very sombre mood. Perhaps I can help to lift the weight from your mind. What troubles you?”
Lightning Bolt, with a sad heart, told him, “Two hunters, who were hunting in separate areas near the coast, came to see me this morning to report seeing four giant canoes that matched the description you gave me of the boats used by your European ancestors. I take this as almost certain proof that the reports are true, because these people have no way of knowing what European ships look like. The only ones who know what they look like in our community are you and I. Unfortunately, the sighting isn’t the only bad news, my brother. I’ve also had unconfirmed reports that the Red People of the Big Island are under attack by white and hairy strangers. What do you make of these reports?”
Having his foreboding confirmed as the real thing, Flaming Hair commented, “Lightning Bolt, my brother, my heart is heavy with fear for the safety of our Peoples. What you’ve related is something I’ve dreaded for a long time, but I kept my council, hoping against hope that it wouldn’t come to pass. If what you’ve been told is correct, then the invasion of our country by Europeans may have begun.”
With his hands on his head, shaking back and forth, Flaming Hair continued to mutter words he would long remember. “I fear this spells disaster, that they may come very quickly. Civilizations like theirs have a history of taking from others by force. Just the thought of the horrors the invaders will unleash against our People makes me grieve for what they are about to experience. They will come by the boatload and deprive us of our sustenance and in the end our lives. They will strip the country bare in search of precious metals and other things they call wealth. Our culture will be destroyed and our children will be sold on the slave markets of Europe. We, my brother, are in mortal danger.”
“Flaming Hair, my dear and trusted brother, I know the weight of age has slowed you down considerably, but I need your help. The reported invasion of the Big Island has such grave implications for our Peoples that I want it confirmed, or dispelled, by a person whose word I can really rely on. I know it’s an imposition, but could you lead a scouting party of warriors to the Big Island to investigate the rumoured attacks against the Red People? If you agree, you must be very discreet about telling the People the purpose of your travels. I’ve already sworn the two hunters to secrecy about the sightings offshore, for I don’t want to unduly disturb the Peoples’ peace of mind at this time.”
“Lightning Bolt, my brother, of course I will do this. In view of the seriousness of the situation, I’ll get provisions ready, round up a crew and leave for the Big Island at the first light of dawn. Making allowances for unforeseen delays, with luck, we should return within two Moons. Please don’t worry about my age, for I feel as fit now as I did when I was passing through my fortieth Summer. But I tell you, my brother, I go with a heavy heart.”
The brothers embraced and parted. Flaming Hair then hurried to his wigwam to inform Spotted Fawn about the trip and to prepare. After a restless and sleepless night, Lightning Bolt and many of his countrymen were on shore to see the men paddle off into the light of the coming Sunrise. The People could sense something was wrong, but with their respect for his good judgment, they didn’t press the Chief for enlightenment.
Adding to Lightning Bolt’s worries, as if he needed more, news arrived from Eskikewa’kik’s Chief that a group of ten boys had disappeared without a trace while on a camping trip near where Little Trout Brook falls into the Big Pond. Their camp had been found with supplies intact and there was no sign of a violent struggle, or for that matter, a struggle of any kind. They had disappeared so completely, it was as if the Great Spirit had come and taken them home with Him. Lightning Bolt requested that he be kept informed of any developments.
Three Sunrises before the second Moon of Autumn, Flaming Hair returned from the Big Island. After quickly greeting his wife, he went swiftly to Lightning Bolt’s wigwam to deliver the heartrending news of the plight of the Red People. He wanted to fill Lightning Bolt in before his young companions, who were in a high state of agitation, had the chance to unburden themselves to other members of the village. The two men exchanged greetings.
Flaming Hair gave Lightning Bolt his news. “My brother, the crossing to the Big Island was over light seas, which enabled us to reach the island’s western shore only two and a half Sunrises after we left. We closely followed the coast to a place I had previously visited a settlement of Red People. We found the place completely destroyed. After viewing the destruction we became more secretive in our movements and travelled towards the eastern end of the island, as close to shore as possible to avoid detection.
“Our caution, my brother, was well grounded. As we rounded the southernmost part of the island, we came upon a sight that almost stopped our hearts. Out on the fishing grounds sat uncountable numbers of huge canoes. We cautiously proceeded along the coast and eventually came to an area being used by the white fishermen as a fish station. Here, they had set up camps and constructed racks for drying and salting fish. The place was a beehive of activity with men coming and going constantly.
“While scouting their camp, I spotted among the ships one which had hoisted upon its spar the flag of my former country. I advised my young travelling companions that we should keep the camp under surveillance until we spotted one of the fishermen drifting away from it. What I then proposed shook my young companions to the bottoms of their moccasins. Their reaction to my plan to kidnap one of the Europeans was almost total astonishment. It was, my brother, one of the lighter moments of the trip. They reacted with even more incredulity when I filled them in on the rest of what I planned. I told them that once we had captured him we would strip him naked and I would don his clothes and go out among the fleet to gather intelligence. They received this news in stunned silence.
“Our moment soon arrived. We spotted a man, approximately my size, walking off towards the forest. He no more than entered the woods than our men were upon him. I stayed out of sight while the boys blindfolded and stripped him. Their reaction to his ungodly stink was one of pure revulsion. I then climbed into his unwashed and smelly things and set out to visit my former countrymen. As it is usual to have men from many nations sailing on one ship I didn’t stand out while I was among them.
“My beloved brother, the stories I have to tell you are not pleasant. These men bragged openly about the despicable actions they had taken against the Red People. I saw very quickly that many of these poor souls were being held in bonds on shore and heard that many were already in the holds of ships, destined to be sold to the highest bidder as slaves when the ships returned to Europe. And, most pitifully, many of their women were being used as sex slaves to satisfy the depraved appetites of the ship’s crew. Many young children had been slaughtered or, may the Great Spirit have pity on them, used to satisfy the perverted sex appetites of some of the depraved fishermen. My friend, I fear this is just the beginning. More giant canoes will come, and at the rate that the blood of the Red People is running upon the island, they shall soon be only memories.”
Lightning Bolt, with tears nearly spilling from his eyes, groaned a mourning cry and lamented, “Flaming Hair, the news you bring chills my heart.” He reached out to steady himself against Flaming Hair’s shoulder. They both looked down for a time, in silence.
After thinking to himself that this very moment would be permanently
etched into his memory and written upon his heart, Flaming Hair reluctantly broke the silence. “Brother, I have more to report and it is just as sickening. After I had gathered all the information I could, I drifted off from their camp and entered the forest once more. I signalled our warriors to be silent and moved them away, out of earshot of our prisoner. Then I told them I wanted them to pretend in front of him that I was also a prisoner. With it arranged we moved back to our canoe and pushed off with the prisoner still blindfolded and gagged. After we had travelled out of the immediate area, I stripped off the filthy clothes and wrapped myself in a blanket. The boys then tied, blindfolded and gagged me before removing the blindfold and gag of our prisoner. Then they removed mine. This was done to assure as much as possible that the prisoner would be convinced that I too was a captive.
“At the time, my plan was to bring the captive with us to the point of the island where we would be moving off the coast to return to the mainland, and then leave him ashore to his own devices. But first I wanted to see if he had anything more to add to the information I already had. Once the gags were removed, I cursed and swore at the warriors in a fashion that would have shamed the most perverted citizens of the slums of Oslo, London or Paris. I also related the hideous things I would do to them in revenge if the opportunity arose. These foul-mouthed vengeful words completely opened the man’s heart to me, and he began to speak with great pride about some of the brutal attacks he and his shipmates had made against the People of our lands.
“My brother, he admitted to me that he had a liking for young children. The sex of the child was of no consequence. He described how he had taken small children of the Red People and performed vile acts upon them before killing them. I managed to contain my disgust and revulsion and kept him talking. This is the part, my brother, that I’ve kept to myself and would advise you to do the same in kindness to their families.
“He said he had been a crew member on a ship that had recently come to the shores of our land. I knew it was our land because he described landmarks that were true to the shores of Eskikewa’kik. He related how they had stopped at a point where a brook fell into the sea to replenish their water supply. While filling their water casks, out of the forest walked ten young Mi’kmaq boys full of curiosity. They offered them presents of clothes and trinkets, eventually enticing them to come on board where they were overpowered and taken prisoners. They were then crammed into the hold below. It was the captain’s intention to sell them as slaves.
“He then related that many of the sailors had been without women for many Moons and were pining for sexual release. Within Sunrises, they had been abused to the point where they died, or became so sick that the sailors had thrown them overboard. Three of the survivors were sold to a ship off the Big Island, the last was kept by the perverted Captain, who had claimed his young body for his own.
“He got this far in his story and I could stand no more. I advised him to prepare to meet his maker for he had just confessed his gory crimes to a full-fledged member of the Nation whose children he had violated. The look of shock that came upon his face when I began to speak in Mi’kmaq with the warriors was some small comfort towards easing my pain at the horrors he had committed.
“I told the young men most of what had transpired between us and advised them that I reserved to myself the pleasure of dispatching him to the punishment of travelling forever without roots in eternity. He grovelled, wet himself and moved his bowels in the blanket he was wrapped in. I tell you my brother I’ve never before killed a person in war, or an animal in the Hunt, without feeling some twinge of remorse. However, the pleasure I felt in watching the terror in his eyes as my war club moved towards his skull is without a credible comparison in my lifetime. My only regret, and may the Great Spirit forgive me for this, was that I couldn’t bring him back to life in order to repeat it a thousand times over.”
Lightning Bolt, his heart breaking, commented, “Flaming Hair, my brother, the news you’ve related would cause revulsion in the coldest heart. Is their purpose only to cause pain and sorrow? You must leave me now, my beloved brother, for I must grieve in private for a while, for our children, and for the Red People of the Big Island. Please come back in the early evening and we will continue our discussions. Also, would you please be kind enough to spread the word around the village that there will be a public meeting at dawn tomorrow? Thank you, my brother.”
Flaming Hair asked young warriors, who had started to gather near Lightning Bolt’s wigwam, to spread the word among the People that the Grand Chief wanted to speak to them at the first light of dawn. They immediately scattered to get it done. Upon returning to Lightning Bolt’s wigwam that evening, Flaming Hair found a man who had aged many Moons in the space of less than a Sunrise.
After exchanging greetings the Grand Chief began to speak, “My brother, I’ve seen the passage of almost a hundred Springs. During that time I’ve seen pain, death, destruction and grief caused by war and disease. I’ve been fortunate to have known great love. I have enjoyed the loyalty, devotion and generosity of the People, always knowing that these things were theirs to give and not mine to take. Until this Sunrise I thought I had seen all the trials the Great Spirit could bring to test one’s faith in his fellow man. But, all my experiences have not prepared me for what we must deal with now. To face warriors from a society that would mistreat their own children, using them as chattels for their own pleasure and for financial gain is beyond frightening.
“My brother, the stories you told me when you first came among us, about the ways of the Europeans, was enough to cause pity in my heart for people denied the right to live in human dignity. However, at that time, the prospect of us ever having to deal with such cruelty, face to face, was only remote. Now, may the Great Spirit help us, this has become a reality. How will we deal with them? Our people have no experience with an entire civilization where the leadership knows no humanity. Although we have legends such as the one about the Dictators, they were simply characters in frightening stories told to help us learn to share. The Mi’kmaq and other great Nations of these lands will probably not be able to learn quickly enough how to deal effectively with the people who are coming. By the time they learn to appreciate the true ways of the white man it may be too late. I hope, my brother, that I’m not being overly depressing in relaying my thoughts.”
“Lightning Bolt, my brother, what you’ve said is only the tip of the iceberg. What we consider strengths in our society will be weaknesses in our future struggle with European nations. What we consider ills in their society will be their strengths if they attempt to subjugate our Peoples. The fact that their leaders can cruelly inflict terrible brutalities upon their own people means they will have no mercy when it comes to having their way with ours. Our People, who mostly know only generosity and kindness in their dealings with their fellow man, will fall like the dead leaves of Autumn from the trees. Lightning Bolt, my beloved brother, our People’s civility will be our downfall. I fear that, although they will face many indignities at the hands of the Europeans, the People will continue to try to treat them as brothers. And it won’t work because the only thing Europeans understand perfectly is force.
“If at this time we could convince our Nations to mount an all-out offensive and remove by bloody slaughter the few Europeans from the Big Island, before more of them come, we might have a chance. But you know as well as I that this won’t happen. To strike a death blow to repel the Europeans would be to suddenly change and become brutal and viscious people. This is not our way.”
Lightning Bolt, sadly looking at his brother and knowing his words to be true, replied, “My brother, the wisdom of your words is not lost on me. I hear you with a heavy heart because I know the destruction of our People is near.”
“Oh Lightning Bolt, my brother, my friend, our People are poised on the edge of an unknown and bottomless chasm and will very shortly slip over to their doom. I don’t really believ
e there is anything we can do to prevent it. The forces we are up against are very powerful. However, I will pray constantly to the Great Spirit for a miracle.”
“Flaming Hair, my brother, you asked me this Sunrise to refrain from telling the People about the fate of the ten boys who were abducted from the land of Eskikewa’kik. I’ve carefully considered your request and have rejected it. The People must know the truth about the ones that they will have to deal with. Further, I think it may be helpful in my efforts to convince them to adopt the position we discussed. But, deep in my heart, I know as you do that, because of their ingrained civility, a course of brutality will not be adopted. But in desperation, I must try everything possible to stir them into taking defensive action.”
With this they parted to prepare themselves for the ordeal of the next Sunrise’s meeting. Lightning Bolt spent a near sleepless night and for the first time since his wife’s death he cried.
Shortly after dawn the People began to assemble to hear their leader. Their first sight of him since the Sunrise before filled them with concern, for he had aged by what seemed to be hundreds of Moons. But, even in this time of deep concern they performed the appropriate rites of their civilization before the meeting commenced.
Chief Lightning Bolt Page 27