The Indians were riding spotted ponies bareback. The only thing they used to control their horses was a length of rawhide fastened around the lower jaw of the horse that ran up one side of it’s face, behind the ears and down the other side of the face. There was one long rein on the left side of the mount’s neck. Each pony wore a multicolored feather.
One of the Indians dismounted and said, “My name is Dancing Eagle. Welcome to our land. We invite you to cross the next ridge of hills and join us at Chickasaw Bluffs, at the great Father of Waters.”
Joseph, the wagon master, noticed that the Indian was tall, very brown, with medium length black hair, brown eyes and a smooth complexion. He would notice in days to come that Indians did not ever have beards. He also noticed that the Indian’s eyes were clear and bright, telling him that the man was honest. Joseph extended his hand in friendship to Dancing Eagle.
“My name is Joseph,” he said. “Thank you for your hospitality.”
Cherokee moved in closer in order to observe the actions of the men and to hear what was being said. He looked closely at the faces of both, listening intently.
“Where are you traveling?” asked the Indian.
“We are moving west. All these families have left their homes in the east and are looking for a place to live and raise crops and make a better living than they could in the cities.”
“The only way west is across the great river,” said the Indian, shaking his head.
“Tell me more about the river,” said Joseph.
“It is very wide and deep,” replied Dancing Eagle.
“But, is it possible to cross?” asked the wagon master.
“Yes,” answered the Indian. “But you must use a raft built of huge logs fastened together to take your wagons and people across. Sometimes the rafts come apart and people are lost.”
“You have rafts already built?”
“Yes, but still it is not an easy crossing. Most people cross much farther north.”
“But,” asked the wagon master, “How many wagons can be moved at one time? How will my animals cross?”
“Please,” answered the Indian. “Wait. When you arrive at the great river, you can rest your animals and people. We will have a great feast so your people and mine can meet and be friends. Then you and I together will decide what is the best way to solve your problem.”
Joseph decided that they would do just that.
“It will take us at least another day to reach Chickasaw Bluffs,” said the wagon master to the Indian. “We thank you for your invitation and will be glad to take you up on your offer.”
“Then we will see you tomorrow or the next day,” answered the Indian. And with a wave of his hand, rode back the way he and his friends had come.
Joseph and his outriders rode back to the wagon train and suggested that they set up camp for the night and called a meeting after the evening meal.
Cherokee trotted back to Sunee and told her of the things he had heard. He was very excited that something was about to happen. He wanted to see the great river the Indian had talked about. He wanted to see this thing called a raft. He wanted to make an acquaintance with the Indians he had seen talking with the pioneers.
“I believe our adventure is beginning, Sunee.” said Cherokee. “Soon we will be experiencing some of the things I set out to do.”
The pioneers did as instructed, and moved their wagons in a large circle. They turned their animals out to graze, and began to set up camp fires for the evening meal. Older children gathered up the younger children, washed their hands and faces and took them to their prospective family campsites.
Supper over, the women and older girls sand washed the dishes and put away the food while the men lit pipes and other smokes and talked about future plans. The fires were banked for the night and discussion turned to what the men and women could provide for the upcoming feast.
“I’ve picked some persimmons,” said Emily’s mother. “I can make several pies.”
“And I have starter mix for bread,” said Annie, Joseph’s wife. “I will make bread for us.”
“Good,” said Joseph. “John, tomorrow morning you take a couple men with you and shoot us a couple of bucks. I’m sure the Indians will have plenty of other food to add to our contributions.”
That settled, everyone went to bed, knowing that tomorrow would be an eventful day.
-8-
A Thanksgiving Feast
Cherokee and Sunee were trailing peacefully behind the wagons on that crisp November night under a golden Harvest moon, when they sensed excitement from the pioneers.
“Here we are!” shouted Joseph, as they topped the last ridge. The delicious scent of roasting meat greeted their noses. Dancing Eagle stepped out of his lodge to invite the tired travelers to circle up their wagons in a large, grassy area that would be accessible to both the village and the Mississippi River, and offer plenty of grazing for the animals. With so many people around, it was not necessary to corral them with the wagons.
“It’s good to see you again,” said the wagon master to Dancing Eagle, as they shook hands.
“You must be tired,” responded Dancing Eagle. “Will your people meet with us around our fires? We will begin our celebration tonight. A Thanksgiving feast is being prepared for tomorrow.”
“Thank you,” answered Joseph. “We have brought venison, home made bread and sweet persimmon pies to add to what you have prepared.”
“We will sit and talk while the young men build fires to roast the venison. We, too, have been busy since meeting you. Can you smell the wild pig? We also have rabbit, pheasant, duck and geese for the feast. The women have gathered wild carrots and sweet potatoes and we have much corn.”
The children, as children do the world over, met each other with smiles and friendship. Stick ball and hide and seek are universal games.
As they were playing, one of the young Indian braves said, “Look! There is a wild horse up there!”
Emily, feeling quite knowledgeable about these horses, said, “There are two of them and they saved my life.”
Looking skeptical, the children stared at Cherokee and Sunee. “Let’s go and see them,” said the young brave.
“I don’t know,” said Emily. “I’m not sure we should.”
“Come on,” he replied. “I will look after you and the others. The moon is bright and we can’t get lost.”
“Well, alright.”
And several children started walking toward the two wild horses.
Sunee was not sure at first what the children were up to, but as they continued to walk toward them, she said, “Cherokee? What should we do?”
“Wait.” he replied. “Let’s see how far they will come. Perhaps they will not come all the way. Let’s graze and watch them.”
Heads lowered to the ground, eyes facing the direction from which the children came, the two horses watched and waited.
The length of two tall trees from the horses, (about sixty feet) the young Indian brave whispered, “Let’s sit down and be quiet.” The other boys and girls did as he suggested and watched in awe as the two horses grazed closer and closer to them.
Cherokee was curious. “Let’s go and see them,” he whispered.
“Yes,” agreed Sunee. “I see the little girl we saved. Do you think we will be safe?”
“If there is danger, we can outrun them,” answered Cherokee promptly.
As they got closer to the children, Emily stood up and held her hand out to the horses. Sunee walked directly to the child touching her nose gently to the little girl’s chest.
The other children gasped in surprise, that the small child could, indeed, touch a wild horse!
“I want to touch it!” said one. More confident now, they all stood up and moved around the two horses. “Me
, too! Me, too!” they all cried.
Cherokee and Sunee were careful to stand still while the children walked in and around their feet and under their bellies, only turning their heads so they could keep watch on the movements of the small ones in order not to hurt them. Many small hands patted them, rubbed their legs and pulled their manes and tails.
Soon parents were calling them to come back for bed. Giving the horses one last pat, they waved good-bye and did as their elders bid them.
“That was pleasant, Sunee.” said Cherokee. “Perhaps serving Man would not be such a bad thing.”
“Especially if everyone was as kind as these children,” agreed Sunee.
Lonely for their own families, they turned and wandered toward the open field where the oxen and other horses grazed, wanting contact with their own kind.
Activities began early the next morning. Sounds and smells drifted up toward the two young horses even before the sun came up. The men were sectioning off large shady areas with split log tables for eating; the women were stirring and baking all sorts of food over and around the cooking fires. The children, finished with breakfast, were playing stick ball, laughing and running, doing their best to stay out of the way of the adults.
Running Deer, the young Indian brave who led the children out to see Cherokee and Sunee the night before, was a handsome 10 year old boy who accepted responsibility willingly, and again, this day, looked after the camp children and the wagon train children. He made sure that the stick ball teams were as evenly matched as possible, assigning the older children the positions of running for the ball, allowing the little ones to stay in the confines of the play area. When one of them fell and scratched a knee or hand, he was first to doctor it to make it better. As the morning wore on and the younger children tired, he carried them to the shade of nearby trees to rest.
Cherokee and Sunee watched with interest as the children ran and played and laughed that morning.
“See, Cherokee, how the boy cares for the little ones?” asked Sunee.
“Yes,” answered Cherokee. “He is kind. I am glad we followed the wagon train this far and made so many new friends. But we will soon have to go our own way. They travel slowly and I want to move at a faster pace.”
“Alright,” agreed Sunee. “When do you want to go?”
“Let’s go now. We can swim across the great water.”
“But didn’t you tell me that the wagons and animals will have to cross on logs tied together?” questioned Sunee.
“Well, yes. But we are young and strong and do not have things to carry,” he said.
So they trotted around the large camp of Chickasaw Bluffs. Not far on the other side, they came upon the Mississippi River. It was so wide and the water so dark. It was not fast, but it looked wild and dangerous.
“Oh, Cherokee.” Said Sunee. “We cannot swim across that!”
“Well, maybe if we walk this way we will find a narrower place,” suggested Cherokee.
So they turned south leaving the people behind them. For many hours they walked, stopping only long enough to drink or grab a mouthful of grass along the way. But the river only got wider and wilder.
“Cherokee, let’s go back,” said Sunee. “Maybe we can do what Man does when he crosses the river.”
“I don’t know, Sunee,” considered Cherokee. “We cannot make logs stay together.”
“But we can watch to see how he gets his horses and cattle across.”
“Yes, that’s true. Alright. Let’s go back and wait for Man to cross the great river. We can go our own way once on the other side,” decided Cherokee.
While they were gone, Man had put some of the food on the tables and were cutting great slices of roasting meat from the venison and pigs cooked over the fires. Joseph and Dancing Eagle both offered a prayer, thanking God for the great bounty of food and fellowship. The children were fed first, then the men and women saw to their plates. When everyone was full and satisfied with their meal and dessert, the children helped their mothers clear away the food and utensils, while the men relaxed in the pale November sunshine to smoke and talk about the crossing of the Mississippi.
“The river is not easy to cross,” offered Dancing Eagle, puffing on his pipe.
Joseph gave some thought to that statement. “But you said it could be crossed by poling rafts across.”
“Yes, that is true. It takes great effort. Many men must work hard and only one wagon and team can cross at a time.”
“Do you have more than one flat boat?” asked Joseph.
“Yes. We have three. But one needs repair,” said the Indian leader.
Joseph thought about that for a while and then said, “Tomorrow, at first light, let’s get together and see what can be done to repair it. We want to cross as soon as possible.”
“We will be here to do whatever we can to assist you,” agreed Dancing Eagle.
Sunee was worried about crossing the great river. She paced back and forth beside its banks, bobbing her head, stopping now and then to stare across the great expanse of water.
“Dear Asga ya galun Lati,” she prayed, “There must be a way for us to cross this mighty river. Our parents have taught us that there is nothing you can’t do. I pray that you show Cherokee a way to cross it. Whatever he decides, I know that his wisdom will have come from you.”
Enlightened by her prayer, she turned away from the river and trotted back toward the Indian camp and the friendly noises that the people were making. As she reached the top of a small knoll, she saw Cherokee watching the children run and play with each other. Cherokee, sensing her approach, turned and watched her.
“Give me wisdom, oh Asga ya galun Latí, that I do not let this friend of mine be harmed in any way. I have asked her to come with me on my journey and she has agreed. She trusts me and it is my responsibility to protect her. Give me a sign so I will know what I should do.”
“There you are, Cherokee,” said Sunee.
“Where have you been?” asked Cherokee.
“Looking at the water,” she answered him.
“Have you given any thought as to how we can cross it?” asked Cherokee.
“No,” she said, “But I prayed and believe that my prayers will be answered.
“So did I,” answered Cherokee. “The Great Spirit will not let us down if we think out the problem carefully. We will watch and wait. We do not want to hurry into trouble.”
Early the next morning following their Thanksgiving feast, the men met as agreed. They cut down several trees, trimmed them to size and used ropes to lash them together making a flatboat. They sealed possible leaks with black pitch. It took many men to drag the flatboat away from the river to give it time to dry. It would take several days. Joseph hoped to leave by the first day of December.
The day dawned cold and clear. The men had begun to stir well before first light. They drank some hot coffee and immediately began preparations to move the flatboats into the water. Once they were sure there were no visible leaks, their wagons and teams were next. The horses were skittish and did not want to step on the insecure surface of the boat. But the Indian men, wise in the way of animals, tied blindfolds over their eyes so they could not see. Soon the first team and wagon was on its way across the river.
Cherokee and Sunee were amazed to see it floating and bobbing. As they watched, it moved further and further away from the shore. Soon the second and third wagons were loaded on the floating rafts and were on their way. It took many hours.
Late in the day more than half of them had been transported to the other side without mishap. But the days were short and it was almost nightfall. Those who had already crossed set up camp on the west side of the Mississippi River while those who were still on the east side prepared to build supper fires and rest for the night.
Cherokee and Sunee
stood quietly, watching with amazement as each boat slipped farther and farther away from the shore and carried wagons and horses or oxen onto the fast moving water. They could see that the path of the boat was not straight. Sometimes it was carried far down the river no matter how hard the men worked to keep it from doing so. The horses could not see what happened on the far side when they landed.
Once no more boats were launched that day, Sunee said, “Let’s go and rest, Cherokee. We need to eat and get a drink of water.”
“Come on,” answered Cherokee. “We will go into that stand of trees on the other side of those bluffs. I think it will be warmer. We can still hear the men when they begin again tomorrow.”
Off they went for food, water and rest. Late in the night, Cherokee thought he heard someone calling him. He raised his head to look around. Sunee was still asleep. There were no animal sounds tonight. What had he heard? Thinking he had been mistaken, he laid his head back down again and closed his eyes.
“Cherokee.”
He heard it again.
Again he raised his head and looked around. He saw nothing, but decided to get up and look around. Once he stood, he heard it again.
“Cherokee.”
“Who is there?” he whispered.
“It’s me, Grandfather,” said the voice.
“Grandfather?” he replied.
“Yes.”
“Why are you here, Grandfather?” asked Cherokee.
“To help you,” answered Grandfather.
“To help me what, Grandfather?” asked Cherokee.
“To help you cross the Father of Waters,” answered the horse spirit.
“How did you know?”
“I have been watching you and Sunee for a long time.” He answered. “I have seen both sides of the river and the water in between. I can show you where to swim and where the water is shallow and you can walk. I know where there are sand bars so you can rest when you tire.”
“Then you are the answer to my prayer to Asga ya galun Latí,” responded Cherokee.
The Adventures of Cherokee Page 6