Chapter 6
Day one
The march had started off with a swing of sorts one could say. The road or path had been trodded somewhat from the men from camp out hunting and cutting wood the past few weeks while they waited for others to join them. Not all had. But this is to be expected. Actually Meriwether was more happy about the one's who had shown up. There were his special people to do special chores. There were people who had hunting eyes as he called them. Some had a way with Indians, some with skills in wood and metal, and foods. Aw , he thought, I have everything and this time I shall find that path to the sea by water! I do know it is out there. But these men would leave me tonight if they knew I still held out for that one hope. He was to lead this group further south than he had gone before. His hope was to find a river and then go back and link it to the ones he know exsisted in the north. Perhaps only a handful of these men would be privy to this discovery. He did indeed have plans!
The day's march went well. Warming tempertures started the snows to begin melting where the sun light fell through the huge trees in the forest. The sudden drops of larger snow piles from the top of the higher limbs didn't alarm any of the marchers. Coming down in rather noisy manner, they'd hit branches in their tumbling downwards and bust into finer particles before hitting the snows befow them. Birds were seen flying abouts. Some alarmed at the foot people below. The line of progression stayed in a "neat" line of a double collume. The forward lines had it slow to crush down the snows in front of them, this allowed those behind to march with less resistance and thus less tireong. So the band stayed together and no stragling was report later at camp.
But they were not the only beings in those woods that day. Redmen who had heard the birds warn of invaders into their lands crept up from lower parts of the revines twiting through these woods and looked at the party marching along at a rather impressive pace in the snow. They had seen the whites before. But not in this formation. Not all together heading in one direction. For what is their purpose doing this? They whispered between themselves . None of them were worried that these whites were to do them any harm. Yet they felt that the medicine they had over them was powerful. They had witnessed one among them in their village a week earlier. He had broght with him shirts to trade. Unsual shirts. They had short cut sleeves. The braves had no use for such things. But the young women saw something in them and "traded" for them. The white had found that the women of the village would do "anything" to get their hands on one of those shirts. But the white man also carried into the village some jugs of a drink that caused the braves much happiness and after a small amount, the brave would keel over and pass out from this world. This would last for about half a day's time length. Not regreting the time loss the braves would pick up the jugs of liquid and continue drinking until again they dropped over in a death like posture. John Dep had won the hearts of the redmen in this village and more than that of the women. Thus the Indians along this ridge that watched the party pass had mixed feelings about the group leaving the valley this time of the year when soon the tribes from all about would be also leaving for the summer hunting grounds higher up in the mountains. They wanted some more of that drink. Yet this was not the time nor the place to stop this band for something that seemed so good to their happiness. They must wait.
Snow was melting faster than Merryweather had thought it would. He had thought that before the first week was finished that the snows would be gone and the wet times of spring would usher in green grasses and high and swift waters for the boats. He did notice several things along the day's path. He entered into his daily log that night the following.
"I saw where the snows were melting and thus turning the path into a wet and messy lane. This consered me as to what the men's feet would be like. I did not wish them to be wet and sore from such cold tempertures. But I was plesently surprised when at the mid-days mark we settled down to a small meal of wafers and jerky. The Commandor had an idea back in camp to take oils from the game that had been aquired abouts and to drop some of it onto the moccosins of the men. This oil came from the back glands of deer , buffaloe, elk and the like. It seemed that it kept water from approaching the men's feet! How astonishing this was. I had thought it not such a grand idea but alas! I was proved wrong. Harry will have to recieve reconition of this idea that will save us many a medical slowdown ahead."
Several of the men also praised the Commandor for this idea of his. One in particular was Kahuna. His mind constantly working on foods and outdoor skills had come up with an idea of his own. Using the oils on longer leggings , he could, as he reasooned, make boots that would allow him to walk into water to find fish for the meals planned ahead. When he shared this with others in camp, Pee Roe caught on to this hope and began picking up material he saw along the path to make of all things baits for the fish! His ideas were to manufacture materials to make items or lures if you will, something the fish would agreeably bite and thus become engaged with a hidden hook of metal! This bait would be secured to a string that would bring the decieved fish to hand. Kahuna and Pee Roe put their plans together and then began to make numourus baits of different patterns. The ideas kept multipling between them. Soon others joined in with their plans.
Merryweather had noticed the men stoping along the path and would be picking items up from dead birds, or animal carcuses along the way. Not the whole hides, but bits and pieces from them and then hurriedly rejoin the march with the others. This seemed odd to Merryweather. But he kept his quiet until opportunity presented itself to answer to these queer happenings along the road.
He wrote that night ," I have witnessed a most unusual actions of some of the men today while in route. Some would rush out of line and drop along side animal carcuses and pull or cut small amounts of hide or feather if it be a bird lying there. Then instantly they would return to formation and continue their march with the sillist of grins on their faces. I wonder what ever was afoot! I shall seek the answer to this puzzle later on, for it plagues no one nor our travels at this time."
About two and a half hours from the mid-morning break the scouts, Chuck, Bear, and Jack had agreed on a large opening in the forest where a small stream ran south of the glen. Merryweather ordered the camp there. Sence it was only for the night, only bed rolls were opened and the cooks took their respective places. Kahuna prepared a stew of bear for the major. Jack had the orderlies to prepare a fire and chunk huge logs over the fire pits. He had with him a supply of his own "special" spices as he refered to them. Kahuna had his also. And maybe, just maybe he applied to much to the stew. For that night the major was running back and forth to the holes dug for latrines on the west side of the stream and down stream. Kahuna wouldn't blame his cooking on such actions that befell the major. The major just knew his stomack was tore up. With lights out early in the evening the men slumbered quietly. They most certainly did not know of the eyes that watched their camp from the wood's cover.
Day one
The march had started off with a swing of sorts one could say. The road or path had been trodded somewhat from the men from camp out hunting and cutting wood the past few weeks while they waited for others to join them. Not all had. But this is to be expected. Actually Meriwether was more happy about the one's who had shown up. There were his special people to do special chores. There were people who had hunting eyes as he called them. Some had a way with Indians, some with skills in wood and metal, and foods. Aw , he thought, I have everything and this time I shall find that path to the sea by water! I do know it is out there. But these men would leave me tonight if they knew I still held out for that one hope. He was to lead this group further south than he had gone before. His hope was to find a river and then go back and link it to the ones he know exsisted in the north. Perhaps only a handful of these men would be privy to this discovery. He did indeed have plans!
The day's march went well. Warming tempertures started the snows to begin melting where the sun light fell through the huge trees in the forest. The sudden drops of larger snow piles from the top of the higher limbs didn't alarm any of the marchers. Coming down in rather noisy manner, they'd hit branches in their tumbling downwards and bust into finer particles before hitting the snows befow them. Birds were seen flying abouts. Some alarmed at the foot people below. The line of progression stayed in a "neat" line of a double collume. The forward lines had it slow to crush down the snows in front of them, this allowed those behind to march with less resistance and thus less tireong. So the band stayed together and no stragling was report later at camp.
But they were not the only beings in those woods that day. Redmen who had heard the birds warn of invaders into their lands crept up from lower parts of the revines twiting through these woods and looked at the party marching along at a rather impressive pace in the snow. They had seen the whites before. But not in this formation. Not all together heading in one direction. For what is their purpose doing this? They whispered between themselves . None of them were worried that these whites were to do them any harm. Yet they felt that the medicine they had over them was powerful. They had witnessed one among them in their village a week earlier. He had broght with him shirts to trade. Unsual shirts. They had short cut sleeves. The braves had no use for such things. But the young women saw something in them and "traded" for them. The white had found that the women of the village would do "anything" to get their hands on one of those shirts. But the white man also carried into the village some jugs of a drink that caused the braves much happiness and after a small amount, the brave would keel over and pass out from this world. This would last for about half a day's time length. Not regreting the time loss the braves would pick up the jugs of liquid and continue drinking until again they dropped over in a death like posture. John Dep had won the hearts of the redmen in this village and more than that of the women. Thus the Indians along this ridge that watched the party pass had mixed feelings about the group leaving the valley this time of the year when soon the tribes from all about would be also leaving for the summer hunting grounds higher up in the mountains. They wanted some more of that drink. Yet this was not the time nor the place to stop this band for something that seemed so good to their happiness. They must wait.
Snow was melting faster than Merryweather had thought it would. He had thought that before the first week was finished that the snows would be gone and the wet times of spring would usher in green grasses and high and swift waters for the boats. He did notice several things along the day's path. He entered into his daily log that night the following.
"I saw where the snows were melting and thus turning the path into a wet and messy lane. This consered me as to what the men's feet would be like. I did not wish them to be wet and sore from such cold tempertures. But I was plesently surprised when at the mid-days mark we settled down to a small meal of wafers and jerky. The Commandor had an idea back in camp to take oils from the game that had been aquired abouts and to drop some of it onto the moccosins of the men. This oil came from the back glands of deer , buffaloe, elk and the like. It seemed that it kept water from approaching the men's feet! How astonishing this was. I had thought it not such a grand idea but alas! I was proved wrong. Harry will have to recieve reconition of this idea that will save us many a medical slowdown ahead."
Several of the men also praised the Commandor for this idea of his. One in particular was Kahuna. His mind constantly working on foods and outdoor skills had come up with an idea of his own. Using the oils on longer leggings , he could, as he reasooned, make boots that would allow him to walk into water to find fish for the meals planned ahead. When he shared this with others in camp, Pee Roe caught on to this hope and began picking up material he saw along the path to make of all things baits for the fish! His ideas were to manufacture materials to make items or lures if you will, something the fish would agreeably bite and thus become engaged with a hidden hook of metal! This bait would be secured to a string that would bring the decieved fish to hand. Kahuna and Pee Roe put their plans together and then began to make numourus baits of different patterns. The ideas kept multipling between them. Soon others joined in with their plans.
Merryweather had noticed the men stoping along the path and would be picking items up from dead birds, or animal carcuses along the way. Not the whole hides, but bits and pieces from them and then hurriedly rejoin the march with the others. This seemed odd to Merryweather. But he kept his quiet until opportunity presented itself to answer to these queer happenings along the road.
He wrote that night ," I have witnessed a most unusual actions of some of the men today while in route. Some would rush out of line and drop along side animal carcuses and pull or cut small amounts of hide or feather if it be a bird lying there. Then instantly they would return to formation and continue their march with the sillist of grins on their faces. I wonder what ever was afoot! I shall seek the answer to this puzzle later on, for it plagues no one nor our travels at this time."
About two and a half hours from the mid-morning break the scouts, Chuck, Bear, and Jack had agreed on a large opening in the forest where a small stream ran south of the glen. Merryweather ordered the camp there. Sence it was only for the night, only bed rolls were opened and the cooks took their respective places. Kahuna prepared a stew of bear for the major. Jack had the orderlies to prepare a fire and chunk huge logs over the fire pits. He had with him a supply of his own "special" spices as he refered to them. Kahuna had his also. And maybe, just maybe he applied to much to the stew. For that night the major was running back and forth to the holes dug for latrines on the west side of the stream and down stream. Kahuna wouldn't blame his cooking on such actions that befell the major. The major just knew his stomack was tore up. With lights out early in the evening the men slumbered quietly. They most certainly did not know of the eyes that watched their camp from the wood's cover.