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| Manitu by � coondogk9 Part I Manitu The Indian VS the French and the Indian VS the English The trees hid the red coats but not well. The wide mariners hats of the French and the bright red uniforms made easy targets for the Iriquoi. The northern forest timber could never hide these brightly colored white men. White hair of curls like the women Manitu had seen in neighboring settlements. This land had belonged to the Iriquoi for hundreds of years. First white settlers then foreigners now more but these a language he couldn't place. He knew some english but he'd never heard this before. Even the canadian language was different than this. Manitu motioned the others to the right so as to corner the red coats. Their fearful eyes staring at the undergrowth like they expecting a bear to come charging out. They were close to right. Their offset bayonets elevated gave indication of expectancy. A muffled moan and I saw several glance in that direction. Just what I wanted. The other braves also saw it and rushed in before the red coats could turn. They had blind sided them and it was over in minutes. Eleven red stained coats lay on the ground. Only two shots had been fired from the French and that was high in the air. Col. Le Marseu would be very upset now. The Col. had been Manitu's rival for the last month now after his predecessor Dumua had failed miserably in the capture and or deaths of the Iriquoi leaders. Manitu was not an easy target nor was he weak. The bear claws and scars on his cheek and shoulder spoke for them selves. These had been taken with only a knife from three separate bears. One being a great Kodiak, the other from two grizzlies with tempers of hell. The great spirit had followed him on that day and protected him. On one occasion two other braves died at the grizzlies grasp with huge, sharp teeth. These teeth he left intact as a warriors reward when the grizzly met his fathers spirit. He had plunged the knife in five different times and each time the grizzly just slapped Manitu away and stood screaming to the world he was invincible. Well he may have thought it but Manitu knew the bear would never let him live and he was bleeding badly. He couldn't last trying to out run the bear so in one final last effort he buried the blade in the throat and up into the brain from below. He was stunned. The bear standing a good two feet taller than the six foot brave just stood, turned and was reaching for the trapped Manitu when he collapsed. With great effort Manitu extracted himself from under the bears heavy carcass. Manitu pulled his pouch of healing herbs from his waist and sprinkled it on the gaping wounds. He was dangerously close to unconsciousness and he knew it. Stumbling toward the river he came to the waters edge and fell face down in the shallows of the cold river water. The shock brought new life and had slowed the bleeding to a manageable flow. He stayed in the rivers edge to keep his body temperature low to maybe clot the blood. But hypothermia was now an issue if he stayed. Binding what he could and taking the rest of the herbs and applying them to the now dormant wounds he gathered some moss and packed it on the more open gashes in hopes of stanching the flow once his body warmed as he moved from the river. As he neared the bear he nervously toed him ready to run in an instant. Any animal may appear dead for prolonged periods and suddenly come to life even for just minutes before dying for the last time but even one minute with an angry raging bruin is too long. Satisfied he was dead Manitu reached under and finally pulled his knife out of the bears throat. Using the knife he took the bear claws and stuffed them in his waist band. He then cut several large pieces of hide from the bear to use as protection over his wounds. With strips of the pliable skin he made thongs to tie them down. As they dried they would become tighter and also act as tourniquets on the pressure points. One deep one was on his side and he had to hold it with his hand to keep pressure on it. Stumbling and falling more often now and almost delirious after much blood loss he appeared at the edge of camp. The dogs knowing him never made a sound but their running to him alerted others, they soon saw he was gravely wounded and summoned help. After nearly two weeks in the smoke tent he slowly opened his puffy eyes to see blurred figures. One peering closer and more intently looked like a spirit demon and he thought he was in the demon world. He passed out and slept in an out of consciousness for three more days. They had forcibly fed him cooked thinned broth's and massaged histhroat to make him swallow. Then chanting awakened him. The blurry figures now slowly becoming clearer. The old dried, wrinkled, medicine man was the demon now he saw. One recently pregnant woman gave her babies milk to him for the next two days to revive his weakened body. She had almost enough for her baby and also Manitu but another nursing mother helped with both. He was out of danger now but still weak and sore. He had tried to raise up but the pain brought him to unconsciousness once more. He slept another twelve hours then woke up and very slowly looked around. He had remembered trying to move last time and was not about to repeat it. He found he could with some effort move his arms and was going to place his hand on his shoulder when his attending matron gently but firmly pulled it away and pulling back the hide blanket placed it under and covered it back. He knew by the look in her face it was futile to try it again. He noticed something familiar in the hide blanket. The holes along the edge almost matched those he'd cut from the bears skin as patches on his wounds. He later asked about it and she smiled and felt the fur as she spoke. She said it was indeed the same hide. The others retraced his steps and found his brother and their friend dead. They returned with the two for proper burial in Iriquoi fashion. They had skinned out the bear to honor him. They also found this. She turned and showed him the knife he'd lost on the trail back to camp. It still had his and the bears blood on the elk horn handle. He touched it and felt the bears strength return but to himself and not the bear. He'd had visions in his days of recovery and saw the bear as a friend in the spirit world. The bear humbled himself before him and he had told the bear: go, go to your place in the spirit world and live in peace with your kind and kin. I shall not hold this nor my brothers death against you. The bear rose and in the mist vanished. The bear had waited for Manitu's blessing or not. Had Manitu not relinquished this hold the bear would forever linger in between the two worlds. Never in one or the other. Manitu felt relieved as never thought he would or could forgive the bear for his deeds. But after all Manitu had invaded his domain as much as the French and the English were his own land and that of his fathers and his father before him. He had hoped to meet his father in the spirit world but it never came to be. His father could not be ashamed of him. He'd done nothing wrong. After all he had avenged his brothers death. He would ask the wise men in council when he became able to attend again to see if one or any of them had seen his fathers spirit. Perhaps he had been there himself and not known. They were wise they would know even if he didn't or didn't understand why. He was only nineteen summers old and not near as wise as the elders. The old medicine man returned and as usual never said a word. He just went about changing dressings and the poultice's and ordering the woman in sign to do this and that. I could tell he had pine resin in his mouth as he wallowed it around in his toothless mouth. This was the candy of the elderly. It helped and strengthened the gums so they could chew like others with teeth. Over the next few weeks as he hobbled around the camp he contemplated on the battles being won and lost he could not involve himself in. He had tried to join in the plan making councils but they told him he was welcome to the circle but was to listen only. He was not to involve himself nor interfere. >>>>>------------> Part II The Iriquoi Have Chosen Manitu now fully recovered and now a year has passed. The Iriquoi still fought the French and the English. It was getting harder. The French brought in more troops and the English had to do the same to stay on even keel. The French claimed all the eastern land using the Mississippi River as a boundary and still all of Canada. The English kept moving more settlers in and France was getting nervous. The French people never wanted to leave France or at least many didn't but the English wanted to break away from the King so they started settlements in the new world. Here they were free and had the right to worship however and whomever they pleased. They could own land and not be taxed as they were taxed even on the kings land. This became home. Col. Marseu had been thinking. The English keep bringing in more all time. I have to ship in more of my men. Feed, house, clothe, and train them. If I could convince the natives to join me I would have less to contend with in both matters, three actually, and not counting it would be less French blood spilled but still in the French name. Marseu decided to find a way to set up a meeting or get word to the Iriquoi of his intentions. Well perhaps not ALL of his intentions. The band was hunting game when surprised by men in unfamiliar clothing. Five braves were captured and brought before Col. Le Marseu. He chose one of the natives and made his plan. He handed the brave a letter with his wax seal and he French seal on it. He told him: take this to your leader and I expect a reply by day after tomorrow. An interpreter translated the message and the brave was being escorted out when the Col. Halted them with a shout. Tell your leader if my request is not answered in that time I shall execute one man for everyday I do not hear from him. We have twenty three of your fellow comrades in chains at this moment, and he brushed them away. the other braves hearing this in their native tongue looked puzzled. They knew not what was sent in the letter. If it was a request for their surrender they knew immediately they were doomed. No Iriquoi would ever bow to the bartering of human flesh. Not their own anyway. They also knew some may die anyway as the Iriquoi were never speedy in tribal decisions. The Elders always took their time and would talk it over for days before agreeing on anything important. They were not prone to sudden judgmental factors. The Iriquoi elders received the letter and went into council. Manitu was allowed in the circle, again as an outsider. This was a learning process only select and trusting few got to witness. Tribal decisions were never discussed in public and never left the council room. Manitu listened as they spoke. The letter was indeed from Col. Le Marseu and it was in Iriquoi tongue. It was passed from one to the next until it returned to the tribal Chief. On his left was the medicine man and his right the spirit seeker, Seer of all spirits and guide into the unknown. Others were elders of experience and wisdom. They were guided by these three in their decisions but most often agreed to what these three proposed. It was uncommon for any differences in opinion but not unheard of. Manitu read the document. It said in essence. If the Iriquoi would join in friendship and peace the French would endow the Iriquoi, blankets, tools, weapons, food (when needed), medical attention (when needed), and French protection. This was not a surrender nor the lowering of the Iriquoi beliefs. It was only a gesture of faith and their only obligation would be to join forces with the French in protection of the land from invasion such as the English now were that invasion. That the French held much land in the New World and the Iriquoi could become part of it or perish under French rule as renegades and invaders of French soil. Cast in the same lot as the English and other French unbelievers. This was interesting but some of it was vague and unclear. Also the French owned no land here. They only partook of it. No man owns the land not even the Iriquoi. It was however true the French as allies would be one less to deal with and two tribes always benefited over one alone if numbers were great enough and both held common beliefs. He had seen the tools of the white man and some were quite unique and would be very useful making life more pleasant and chores easier along with taking less time would enable more warriors to do battle and protect the people. As it was, the tribes were split, some being game hunters and providers while others were warriors and protectors as it stood. The visiting tribal leaders and our own elders and leaders joined in discussion. Then the council was brought to order after much whispering and passing it around the circle. Myself and two others were asked to leave and escorted from the council. Away from the council meeting I could see the 4 sentries posted so others couldn't get close and hear the inside proceedings. The council meeting progressed well into the night. Food was prepared and taken in and the serving maidens escorted back out. In the dawn hours I was awakened by several braves and handed a new pair of buckskins and a feathered bonnet accompanied by a beaded breastplate necklace and new moccasins. Newly attired he accompanied the braves to join the council. Upon entering each member stood and greeted me with open arms and handshakes. Unaccustomed to this my face was red and I was somewhat embarrassed. These were no ordinary greetings of friendship as I knew it. I was seated between the Chief and the Medicine Man. I was then handed the pipe after it was lit and the Chief and Spirit Guide had their turn. This meant in Iriquoi tradition I was then second in command and a trusted council member. The Spirit council is always second in the peace pipe exchange regardless, and some even think he is the ultimate leader. I handed it to the Medicine man after I smoked my peace wishes and it was passed around the circle. After formalities the Chief stood and the council was quiet. He spoke of the Col.'s letter and they had decided it would be my duty to represent the tribes in peace negotiations. I could choose one from the council to be my escort and confidant. I could do no more than choose the Spirit Guide as my council in witness and associate companion. The Chief said I Manitu would bear his ultimate approval in any decision I made and I would become tribal chief when the day arrived he could no longer hold the position whether it be in mental capacity or death. He had only taken the position as my father the former Chief had been killed at the hand of enemy warriors. He died a brave and loyal Chief and was revered in all the land as a kind but determined leader. My mother had died the year before in childbirth. Both mother and the girl child passed on to the spirit world. The Chief knew someday the legacy would be passed to me and he had prepared me for it. >>>>>------------> Part III The French Iriquoi Agreement Manitu arrived at the mansion headquarters of Le Marseu. After cordualities were taken care of he, and the Col. Sat down in large overstuffed chairs to discus the declaration. Manitu pulled at the fabric and examined it thoroughly. This was new to him. He was accustomed to sitting on blankets on the ground or even a rock, but this! He followed the Col.�s moves and sat down. Every time the Col. Crossed his legs Manitu would also. Then they got down to business at hand. The Col. Outlined the agreement much like the letter had described. Manitu brought forth his objections. The Col. Merely replied it was just a technicality and not worry about it. Insistent the Col. Said he would remove the statement, which he didn�t and never would. Manitu asked for a small heard of ponies. The Col. Reluctantly agreed. Then Manitu wanted a red coat and cap like the Col. Wore. This was fine with Col. Marseu and he sent the orderly off who soon returned with a new red army issue red uniform coat. It was less decorated and not as fine a cloth as his but Manitu never noticed. Then Manitu wanted a cap like the Col.�s. the Col. Said he was a leader and the one he offered was for enlisted men. Manitu said he was also a leader and he wanted a leaders cap. He then took the cap off Col. Le Marseu�s head and put it on. The orderly stepped forward but the Col. Stopped him. The Col. Thought if this was the smallest price he�d have to pay so be it and let it go. All in agreement now they both signed the peace treaty as a merger of the two nations. In reality unknown by Manitu and overlooked by the Col. This also made Manitu a French citizen. After another Indian a Mohawk witnessed the document and Manitu�s x they shook hands and Manitu was escorted out. In 1570 the Mohawk brave Hiawatha and the brave Dekanawida, originally a Huron, have persuaded the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca to form a league with a common council, each tribe having a fixed number of chiefly delegates. Manitu was of the Seneca tribe still referring themselves as Iriquoi which they as all the five in the league were and all spoke the Iriquoian tongue as their common language. As Manitu left the mansion the guards all saluted him as he had the rank of Col. On his cap. Thinking this was a French custom and not to be impolite he returned the salute much like he would a handshake. Seeing Manitu doing this Spirit Guide also returned their salutes and they left the grounds with the 23 captives the Col. had held in his prison stockade. Manitu arrived back in camp and the whole village gathered to greet him and the released captives a welcome home. The Chief was so relieved to see his return and marveled at his success. Now wanting to hear of his deeds he summoned the council and those of leaders in other tribes. Manitu rested until late evening then attended the council meeting. Manitu recounted the activities and what the Col. had promised. The council was in agreement with his actions and vowed to stand behind his decisions and offered none of their own only agreeing he had done the right things. The wagons arrived several days later full of dry goods as well as some food. A small herd of scraggly horses undoubtedly culled from a much finer herd consisted of 12 mares and several geldings. They would make good brood mares and some showed fine qualities to pass on to foals. The wagons were surrounded after the Chief looked it over. Blankets, some puffy sacks no one knew what was. Sticks with brass knobs and some with hammer looking handles were pushed aside. Several were examined and discarded as they knew the war club appearance was much too light and flimsy for battle. But another had eyed them and gathered all he could find and bundled them off toward his tent. Already corn was being parched and dried before the grain wagon was even completely unloaded. The horses groomed and staked out with difficulty as they had been accustomed to corrals and fencing by sapling poles or stockade. Bright colored clothing was taken and it didn�t matter if it fit or not it was worn either too tight and left unbuttoned or loose like an overcoat. Some ripped the lace and ruffles off immediately others sported it. The weapons and small arms were knew to the Iriquoi and all seemed in order and they were proud to be given these things few other tribes had and if they did it was few amongst them. To the trained eye and users of such weapons one could tell many were obsolete, some lacking parts, some in desperate need of repair, some so worn were dangerous to fire or load. French soldiers already had reached for their side arms when shots rang out as some fired of rounds in the air. Much training and discipline was needed before the Iriquoi were to be let loose on the land with firearms. Dangerous to others as well as themselves. If you happened to hear pounding and chanced by or were just curious you would see where the walking sticks wound up. The old Indian had removed the tee pee stakes one at a time and driven in the cane sticks in replacement. The bright brass and decorative knobs and shafts looked like some carnival came to town. Weeks of work in the field with the new firearms was paying off. The Col. admitted the previous ones that were sent were somewhat defective. I let it go just telling him we would use our own weapons as we had done in the past and if we were run over by better equipped warriors it was because of inferior weapons. By morning there was a new wagon load of new fire muskets and side arms as well as more powder, balls, patches, and flint all still in shipping crates. We may not have the advantage in battle every time but at least stood some chance now. our skirmishes were different than the Col.�s army. We hit and ran in smaller groups keeping the English running in circles. Sometimes we even baited them into firing on one another. Placing worn buckskins and various feathers in the front of trees we led the blue coats into range of the oncoming units and fired off shots to attract them. Then the units behind us came at full charge . hiding behind trees with our likeness on the other side they were fired upon by their own men and fired back on them sighting in on muzzle fire. We watched nearby as they shot one another until someone saw what was happening. We rigged snares and traps on trails and soon they had to separate in wooded areas and were good targets for us. The Col. was well pleased at our success all the while thinking to himself how glad he was we weren�t still fighting him and his men. He had reports of huge numbers of the enemy withdrawing to safety now. when we went on patrol with the French we never were with them but nearby. The French kept the enemy under siege and we slipped in around and behind and surprised many. The French stockades were overflowing now and word was out to take no more prisoners. Things quieted down some now and we could spend more time with our families and the village. Game was more scarce as the soldiers had to be fed in mass and wasted much. Much game was killed in nervous tension as something moved in the undergrowth it was quickly fired upon. Needing to go on and continue the patrol or whatever the mission was the game was left to spoil. The Seneca started moving deer from battle zones to safer locations where no soldiers ventured. Small parties of women and boys beat the woods driving out the game in directions we chose. When it was slow militarily the warriors and hunters joined or protected the women and children or both. We baited the meadows an deer runs with the corn from The Fort until the deer settled in their new home. We then had a supply of venison when times were harder. Much meat was jerked and curing was at a high. Log smokehouses were built in French and English style for winter using the tools given us by the Col. the tools dulled and bent easily but it was still better than what we had previously been used to. >>>>>------------> Part IV The orders came less and less now since the English had backed down some. There was now more time even than before to ready for the winter. This was almost like before the war. The English were so distant as not to pose a threat on the Iriquoi Seneca tribes it was almost like the war was over. Alas but it was far from over as history records it. Manitu was standing with his hand raise waiting for the moment the drop it to signal an assault. The braves waited diligently for the signal. There was a signal but when Manitu dropped his hand it was to the ground. A shot rang out and bright red blood splattered braves behind Manitu. He�d been shot in the head. Well shot or not the hand went down and the shot alone was enough to set things in motion. Several braves grabbed him as he hit the ground throwing their weapons down. Luckily Manitu had fallen in the cover he was standing in and far enough from the fighting to be safe. The bullet had taken part of his scalp and flung the three cornered tear back exposing white bone steadily becoming redder. If he had fallen in protective cover from the forward firing then why were musket balls spitting up dust around him. There was no English to the sides, only the French. The two braves picked up their firearms and dragged him some ten feet further back. Manitu had fallen in protective cover but for anyone tending him would have been exposed to the English gunfire or where ever the gunfire came from. Manitu�s wound was not that terribly bad but as much as anything the fall was almost as bad. His head had struck a rock when he fell which is probably what knocked him unconscious. One of the braves took a French canteen and poured water over the open wound to rinse the leaves and debris away. then carefully wrapping his head with a flap cloth and leather cord. In twenty minutes or so Manitu came around. Hid head felt like horses thundering across his brain. Still light headed he stood on unsteady legs. The battle was further into the wooded hill now as the French and Iriquoi pushed them back. A French officer approached Manitu and asked him if he was all right. There was no interpreter around but he could see the look in his eyes and they were searching his wound. There was another look as well. There was , well it was almost a smile in his eyes beneath the Tricorn. Manitu was looking into the face of Dumua. Col. Dumua his former adversary. Col. Dumua only it was not Col. anymore, it was Lieutenant Col. Col. Dumua had been drinking heavily in some lowlife brothel just outside of Paris. There was an argument and Dumua pulled his pistol and shot the man. Rumor had it the man was unarmed but when the Gendarmes arrived there was a cocked pistol in his clenched hand. He was demoted to Lieutenant Col., and had he not taken the post at the Fort in new France the new world he quite possibly could have been ranked even lower. Some say reduced to Lieutenant or even as low as Second Lieutenant. The French do not approve of military involved killings, especially officers and this one was controversial to begin with. Had he been convicted of murder of an innocent civilian and held a military rank he would have been at the mercy of the guillotine. (actually ratified in 1791 some years later) Manitu saw the uneasy way of Dumua�s look. He felt a chill knowing it wasn�t the injury that brought it on. He would keep an eye out for Dumua from now on. Manitu�s injury healed much better than expected. He was sore for sometime and had many sleepless nights. The sinew of the medicine man and the healing herbs worked their magic well. The wound showed a scar covering roughly three quarters of the side of his shaven scalp. . It was with pride a Seneca showed his scars of battle whether it be man or beast causing them. Manitu was certainly getting a strong lead on pride at his young age. Several months had passed now and rations for the tribes became less frequent. Dumua had taken charge of rationing now and seem to relish the complaints of the natives. One fine fall morning just before sunrise a small detachment of Blue Coats marched out the gates of the fort. Traveling several miles still in French held territory they were set upon by a party of native hunters. A skirmish ensued and all fifteen men were killed. No one had mentioned the traitorous act of concealment to the Seneca or the Mohawk. This was a Mohawk hunting party and they were admonished but not punished as they had no idea it was French Military approved. The lead commander was non other than Lieutenant Col. Dumua. Manitu heard of the "accident" and felt a sigh of relief and a freedom held seemingly captured ever since the day Dumua had arrived and only grew more-so after his head injury. He was now at peace within himself. Dumua was given a full Military Funeral and all attending were ordered to do so as there were not enough volunteers to carry the pine box much less an Honor Guard. Now getting into winter there was very little military activity at all. It had already slowed even before inclement weather the Seneca were doing so fine a job of driving out the English. But as that happens so do other things. Now that the Seneca played a less important job things promised became more scarce. The French now stationed at the Fort pretty well handled things now. and as most of the regulars had been sent back to France the almost entirely new recruits became somewhat rebellious in nature. Fights among the natives, reluctance in following the Seneca leaders. Unwilling to fight alongside them. Things were not going smoothly at all for any of the Iriquoi. Then one rowdy weekend a group of drunken soldiers raped a Seneca woman coming from the fort. She was found battered and bruised and could identify her assailants. The men of the fort were paraded before her bruised swollen eyes but none involved ever came before her. She consistently passed on each one. The Col. said he could do nothing. It is said the men were shipped out in the cover of darkness back to France on the next ships departure. The Seneca as well as the other tribes were furious but nothing was ever done either in punishment nor in retaliation. Later in the winter with less than a month left before spring five native women disappeared, two barely in their teens. Their mothers were in the missing group also. Search parties, inquiries, and an investigation uncovered nothing. The Seneca were visibly upset over this and the other incident. Spring thaw brought warm breezes and sunshine. The valley�s and the mountains lushed in color. This was the time of planting now. it was also the time of uncovering. The women were found after animals dug up the still frozen corpses in a shallow grave just outside the fort on a trail to the Seneca settlement. The Seneca knew with the bodies in close proximity to the Ft. it was the soldiers doing but proving it would be difficult. The Seneca were not afraid to retaliate but still they never harmed the innocent or undeserving. After several months and no action taken and very little investigating on the French authorities part the Seneca thought it time to regroup and rethink their situation. The Mohawk and Oneida had grumbled for months to do something about the murders or else choose new council. That�s just what the Iriquoi needed now, another intertribal war. This was the longest in history the Iriquoi had not fought, actually killed in delight, amongst themselves. War was the Iriquoi way of life. Had it not been for the revolution they themselves would be fighting each other now. The Iroquois main job was leaving late in the fall hunting far ranges and returning in mid winter or so, then fishing in early spring overlapping into planting season then off to some self made war or some other repercussion. to be cont...... Vision Quest � 2002 T Lovett |