The Adventures of Cherokee (8 page)

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.

“Yes, yours and Sunee’s.”

“Sunee’s?”

“Yes. Sunee prayed, too. She prayed, as you did, not for safety, but for you to receive wisdom to do the right thing. Because you said your prayers and said them properly, I am able to help you. When you get up in the morning, travel up the river away from the boats and men and their wagons. You will see three logs partly in the water and partly on the land. There will be small animals and birds living in them. It is at this place you will cross.”

“And we will be safe?”

“It is a safe place to begin. You must use your strength and wisdom to guide you once you enter the water.”

Cherokee closed his eyes for a moment to think. Then he opened them and said, “Thank you Grandfather, for talking with me.” But Grandfather had disappeared. Cherokee did not sleep anymore that night.

-9-
The Great Mississippi River
 

Cherokee heard the first faint sounds of the men as they began to stir in the camp below. He nuzzled Sunee awake. She stood, shook dead leaves and grass from her thick winter hair and side by side they walked to the river for a drink.

“Are we going to watch the boats today, Cherokee?” she asked.

“No,” he answered her. “We are going to swim across ourselves.”

Her heart beat a little faster and she asked, “Right here? Where the men are crossing?”

“No,” he said softly. “Follow me. I will show
you.”

Silently they walked north, up the river for about two hours.

Finally, Sunee asked, “Cherokee, where are we going? How do you know where we should cross?”

“Trust me, Sunee,” he said. “I will tell you
soon enough.”

As the horses continued to walk Cherokee kept a close watch on the river bank.

“How much farther?” asked Sunee.

“Here,” said Cherokee as he spotted the logs Grandfather had told him about. “Grandfather said to cross here where the three logs are.”

“Grandfather? But he went to the land of his ancestors,” answered Sunee.

“Grandfather came to me in a dream last night.” explained Cherokee. “He told me that you and I both prayed the right words to
Asga ya galun Lati
and Grandfather was used as the answer to our prayer. He told me first where to cross.”

“Then what do we do?” asked Sunee.

“I am not sure. I believe that the wisdom to do the right thing will come when we need it,” said Cherokee.

Cherokee lowered his head and sniffed the water. He took a tentative step into it and then another. It was cold. Sunee’s eyes widened with fear. She was usually the brave one, but the river was so wide, she could not see the other side. On this day she depended completely on Cherokee.

“Come on,” said Cherokee.

Sunee walked slowly into the river. Soon the water was up to her knees. Then it was touching her belly.

“Cherokee, wait for me.” she called.

“You are alright, Sunee,” answered Cherokee. “I believe that I should go ahead of you to be sure everything is safe. Just follow behind me and go where I go.”

The water was nearly up to Cherokee’s shoulders. Suddenly his feet no longer touched bottom. He began to swim with strong, sure strokes.

“Don’t be afraid, Sunee,” said Cherokee over his shoulder. “Just swim and follow me.”

Cherokee swam straight and sure, even though he could not see the distant banks, either. Sunee followed. She was still frightened. Her eyes showed white with fear. She was silent as she followed the young stallion.

They had been swimming about 45 minutes when Cherokee felt something press against him, gently shoving him to the right. For a moment he fought against it. Then he thought it might be Grandfather, and allowed the direction correction. Almost immediately he saw a sand bar sticking out of the river. Upon reaching it, he climbed out of the water and shook himself. Sunee followed his example.

“I was getting tired,” said Sunee.

“Did you see anyone swimming with us?” asked Cherokee.

“No,” she answered. “Was there someone there?”

“I thought I felt something or someone push me toward this sandbar,” he said. “Perhaps it was Grandfather.”

“Perhaps,” answered Sunee, “I didn’t see anyone, but I am glad to rest a while. Do you think it’s going to be much farther?”

They gazed on across the expanse of river they still had to swim. Then they looked back to
the shore they had so recently left.

“I am not sure,” said Cherokee, “But I think if we try hard and use our strength we will make it soon.”

“Could we rest just a while longer?” asked Sunee.

“Yes, but not too long. There is no food to eat and we will need to find shelter on the other side before it gets too cold. Besides, this sand seems to be moving.”