Algonquin Trading Journey (part II)

Alawa, an Algonquin indian, around the time of European exploration of America, returns home to find her brother and other family members have been captured! (please read note below before reading)

Cheers rang out amongst all the canoes as they rowed in to the familiar shore. It had been months since they had been home. Alawa, exhausted from the long journey, mustered her remaining strength and paddled faster, eager to arrive home. Once they reached land, they tethered their canoe to a nearby stump and began unloading the treasures from their journey. It would take multiple trips, but it wouldn’t be as difficult as lifting the entire craft, filled almost to the brim with valuables.

After a small while of walking, they saw the familiar sight of wigwams clustered together in the shade of a big forest. As they neared the camp they noticed all seemed unusually quiet. “That’s strange” thought Alawa, “the sun is at its highest in the sky.” “Maybe they went hunting…” her father said, reading her mind. “Maybe so…” Alawa murmured “Still, it’s strange” “Hey look! There’s Kitchi!” her father said “maybe he will know where everyone went.” “Hello Kitchi!” he said “It’s good to see you. Do you know where everyone is?” “I’m afraid I do.” Kitchi replied “Your son, Ahanu, and many others were captured when raiding the Iroquois shortly after you left. We keep organizing rescue parties to save them, but more and more people keep getting captured. It’s a good thing you have returned. We are running low on food and need more people if we are to successfully rescue them.” “Well!” her father said “We must set out to save them immediately! How many remain here?” “Only ten able bodied men” Kitchi replied “Including myself.” “Thirty of us are returning from the trading journey. We should be able to take them!” her father said, “About how many Iroquois are around the area they are being held?” “At least forty.” Kitchi said “And more in nearby clans” “We must try!” her father said, “Alawa, you stay here and look after the members that stay behind.” “But I want to go with you to save Ahanu!” Alawa protested “He is my brother just as much as he is your son!” “Yes, but I couldn’t bear the thought losing both of you. Stay here.” He said firmly. Then Kitchi and him gathered together all those able and set out to save their clan members.

Alawa waited almost a week. She wished her father would come back. She wished he had let her go with him. Then she would at least have the satisfaction of what was going on; instead of waiting day after day, wondering if he would every return. To add to her discontentment she discovered her cousin, Keme, had also been captured. She spent most of her time weaving baskets, mending wigwams, stretching furs, and fishing, in the hope of catching some food, with Keme’s sister, Kanti. They were good friends and usually did everything together. It was good to catch up after being separated for so long.

One day, while stretching out furs, some unfamiliar, pale men, approached Kanti and Alawa, asking who they were. “I am Alawa! And this is Kanti.” She said, frightened, but not lowering her eyes for an instant from their stares. “We are of the Algonquin people” she said, “Who are you?” “We are French.” They said “We came over seas on boats to this land.” “What do you want?” Alawa asked, feeling sure that whoever was willing to come from the land beyond the sea must have some reason for doing so. “We have heard there is great wealth in this land.” They said, “We came to see for ourselves.” “Your furs are beautiful!” one French man added, looking admiringly at the ones they were working on. “Thankyou” Alawa said, gruffly, still not trusting these intruders, “What is your name?” “I am Raphael” he said, “Is there any way we can bargain for some of your furs?” Alawa’s first instinct was to ward them off. They had just completed a trading expedition and didn’t need anything…except… “Yes, actually there is.” She replied, “Several members of my tribe have been captured by the Iroquois. My father and several others went to rescue them, but it has been almost a week and I fear they have also been captured. If you help us to take back my people you may have a fur for each person rescued.” “Then rescue your people we shall!” said Raphael

It took them a while to prepare everyone, but eventually they all got organized and set out south, to the land of the Iroquois. Once they arrived, they surveyed the camp. All members of their clan were tied to stakes wedged deep in the ground. At least five Iroquois guards kept watch over each pole. “There are quite a few of them.” Raphael remarked as they all lied low behind some nearby shrubs. “Yes” Alawa said, not too kindly “Why did you think we needed your help?” Raphael ignored her “There are five stakes with five guards at each, twenty five men” He said, thinking aloud, “There are twenty one of us, ten of which are all women. I don’t think we stand a chance.” He muttered. “My people are strong!” Alawa said defensively, “Once we free the others, they will help fight too!” “I don’t think risking our lives are worth a few furs…” Raphael said, “However, this is nice land. If your people, once we free them, help us take the Iroquois’s land from them…” “Our people have wanted this land for ages!” Alawa interrupted “You can’t simply expect us to give it to you!” “Your people, need I remind you, are almost all captured by the Iroquois.” Raphael said, “They will be getting this land no time soon.” “His logic is irritatingly flawless” Alawa thought to herself. “Fine!” she said, “But the land will not all be yours. We will split it equally!” “Very well” said Raphael, “But we will still receive the furs.” “Fine!” said Alawa.

They broke into two groups, according to plan. Three of the Algonquin women stumbled up to the guards closest to the first stake. “We wish to bargain with you for the return of our people!” they said. “You must be very rich indeed to think that you have enough supplies to barter for everyone.” They said, mockingly. “Please, at least let us trade for our husbands.” They replied “We will give you our choicest furs and rice all the way from the Ojibwa tribe.” They said. Meanwhile, the bigger of the two groups stealthily made their way through the trees and shrubbery to the back of the Iroquois camp. Five of the French men went first and knocked out the guards of the pole closest to the trees from behind. Before the guards of the other four poles could notice, they swiftly cut the prisoners bindings and helped them to their feet. “Who are you?” was whispered amongst all the newly freed Algonquin’s. “We are French” they whispered back, “But all you need to know now is that we are on your side. Come on!” they said, beckoning to the trees behind them. “What about the others?” the Algonquin’s whispered back. “You will see. Come on!” the French men said more forcefully. They all slunk back into the trees and repeated what they did before with the other two spikes nearby. After doing this, their now large army crept back into the forest and watched how the “bartering” was going. “Please!” one of the Algonquin women said “ten of the choicest furs and seven bags of delicious wild rice! No better offer has probably ever been made for the life of one man.” “Well…” one of the guards said, “We will take the offer for the one man, but that’s it!” At this moment he turned to look at the prisoners behind him. “Ah!” he cried, seeing that three of the spikes were completely empty. “Escape!” he yelled. At this moment all the freed Algonquin’s and French men erupted from the forest and charged the remaining ten guards. Seeing the large hoard of people rushing towards them, the ten Iroquois ran quickly into the trees, shooting arrows as they went. This time, only a fourth of the group stayed behind to free the prisoners. The rest pursued the Iroquois into the forest. They fought the Iroquois for the next two days, but eventually emerged victorious. There were several deaths on both sides, but luckily the French’s fire sticks helped them have the upper hand. Alawa went to a nearby wigwam, she had wounded her arm, but luckily it was not serious, it was her father she was worried about. “Father?” she asked “Are you awake?” he had been shot in the thigh and could not walk. “Yes, I am awake he replied. Don’t worry about me, I will be fine. I am so proud of you Alawa. You have saved the lives of many. But please, tell me. Who are these strangers that helped save us? What is this I hear of our sharing the Iroquois’s land with them? The land belongs to us all, we only take turns using it.” “It was the only way they would agree to help!” Alawa said “Besides, you know the Iroquois never thought that way. They would never let us share their nice warm land. I agreed to give the French a fur for every person saved too.” She said, shaking her head in dismay. “I just wanted you, Ahanu, and Keme back!” she said. “It’s alright” he said “You did what you needed to do. Now please, go deal with the foreigners. I am in no condition to divide land portions.” “Yes, Father!” said Alawa. As she was just about to exit the wigwam, her father asked, “Alawa? What do these, French, intend to do with the land?” “They say they wish to settle there.” Alawa said “Permanently, it sounds like.” “Hmm… Well it would be nice to have some neighbors on our side.” Her father said. “But let’s not count them yet as our allies entirely. They were bribed into being our friends this time. We will have to keep a close eye on them to see if they will truly stick by us in the future…”

 

Until next time… The End

Author's Note

Things to know before reading: Ahanu: he laughs (in Algonquin), Keme: Thunder, Kitchi: Brave, Kanti: sings

Please ignore any minor mistakes.

Read part I first if you haven't already! :)

hope you enjoy