Chapter 5

--1827--

I know not what little devil pulled my ear that day. I offered them recognition of the hundred tribes as embassy without portfolio of their lands to ours. As time went on this single action caused more havoc than any other half-witted thing I have done as it came before congressional debate whether to honor my offer as governor. Having reminded them that the hundred nations beat them to it by over a year forced the issue and the Zulu became recognized by our government. This led to their enfranchisement and ... well, enough for now. Suffice it to say that our tribal Zulu population would nearly outnumber our native population within five years.

Each winter our classes taught English, French, Latin, Arithmetic, Geometry and hence Celestial Navigation, Logic and Rhetoric. Some few expressed interest in medicine and chemistry whom I tutored as I could. Even more expressed interest in the manufacturing arts and became ad-hoc apprenticed to our artisans, learning whitesmithing, coppersmithing, blacksmithing and glass working, as well as masonry and carpentry. None were turned away unless belligerence proved them unteachable. If one had a will we had a way. Truly, if a student could not comprehend the basis of Latin or the rules of chemistry they were guided to a less cerebral path, yet one which they could take satisfaction in the results of their labors. A four year course sufficed most to learn their craft if they applied due diligence.

Upon the arrival of ice-out a packet came into port with passengers, news and instructions as well as many books and journals which had been ordered. The Cherokee had been to Washington and were not impressed. I offered condolences and had them out of their boiled suits at the earliest opportunity and into comfortable deerskins as soon as feasible. We took steam and a pipe together in the way of the hundred tribes. They had had a long arduous trip which left them unconfident and worrisome. It took more than two weeks to clear their heads and had those asking questions as a chief or chief's man should, asking questions of them and guiding their judgment thru a review of their journey. It took nearly that long to establish myself as chief and independent judge before the air cleared. While much had been said nothing was promised. They grew grim at my drawing out the tricks of rhetoric that had been played against them, possibly to the destruction of their tribes. At their direction I wrote up a summary of our findings and addressed it to the president under my signature and that of the Cherokee representatives. It would go out on the next packet. Its conclusions were grim and its promises were bloody. Nowhere were there allowances for misunderstanding. A simple projection was made that if matters continued as they had then the warfare of the Ohio valley would spread throughout the nation as other tribes were informed of the Colonial's duplicity. God has given me the will and the force to overcome all obstacles.

I understand that the screaming and threats of the congressional debates were legendary. I was brought up under censure for my signatory presence upon the document and lambasted to a degree that would have caused more than one duel had I been there. Despite the fact that their own actions had been thrown back into their faces there was no regret shown. Acrimony, greed and fury ruled the day. Congress demanded that the military be sent to put down the natives, freeing the land for the good of the colonial settlers. I was dispatched a copy of the congressional record before the troops were organized to set out upon their task of pillaging and burning. Upon reading this document of perfidity I immediately dispatched several men with full purses and sharp blades to address the issue of certain members of congress having the ability to foment such a travesty without being penalized. Under a private letter I informed the president that our constitution had failed us if there was no oversight to a greedy and corrupt congress such as ours had proven to be, and the effect would be corrected shortly, yet the cause must be debated and legislated into being before further travesties occurred. In politics ... never retreat, never retract ... never admit a mistake.

Twenty Three funerals of high ranking officials of the Continental Congress were documented within the week. With the head cut off the rump was much less belligerent. The voices of the people that would suffer come a resumption of hostilities with the natives were heard in the absence of self-serving rhetoric. Many bankers and businessmen were suddenly conspicuous in their absence—men with deep pockets and shallow morals. Some were heard from again, some not. After all, who attends the funeral of a banker but another banker?

During the next several months the sources of income of the deceased and missing faces of Washington were investigated. Most were found to have British sources, some French. British and French mercantile sources. Companies and institutions funded by British and French pockets found their resources nationalized and their factors formally invited to board ship, never to return. Various European markets were yet open to us. We had taken the British fairly well in hand yet the French were feeling their oats. Some shipping was intercepted and seamen were impressed by French galleys. Some dozen discrete men were dispatched to France with packets of unusual mushroom spores known to have unusually malicious characteristics. Some succeeded, some did not. Nevertheless our message was surely heard for its acknowledgement took the form of calmer heads being appointed to the French State department.

There were many nations yet exhibiting an abrasive or belligerent policy. We felt it prudent not to address so many issues during a short period of time. It took time for policy to mature and attitudes to settle once lessons had been driven home.

I suppose that to an independent judge we were forming a clan unique in our own belligerent attitude yet I endeavored to keep matters firmly in hand. I demanded respect and courtesy to all but armed incursions upon our persons or property. Some few youths and teens that came to visit, hence to stay were summarily tossed into the harbor and invited to swim home when it was discovered that they would not accede to our local authority. Some who actively harmed a child or woman of my tribe were stripped and chased by four warriors until dead. All was documented as sent in monthly packets by ship to Washington, as were the counts, locations, conditions and health of as many settlers and tribesmen up and down the great long lake and inland as available to contact by stream and river.

We rivaled the population of New Portsmouth at over twenty two hundred souls with over one third readily to arms, be they woman or man. We found that the women using reed shafts rather than willow could shoot nearly as far as the men and with superior accuracy. Single use glass spearheads came into use as they were simple to fashion from failed window projects and could be quickly formed in the field. They were light enough to match the weight of the reed shafts and cut like blazes. They could run as well as the men and upon standing still had the hunter's knack of disappearing into the woods at a moment's notice. It did not matter if the person shooting you had teats or not, you were still dead.

The habit of our women to take guard duty about the village served four fold purposes which I was aware of. The women would be the first sight any refugee women would encounter, hence being calmed rather than terrified by some of our more bloodthirsty appearing warriors. The women gained their own form of status amongst the tribe by their task. The women kept a closer watch upon whatever mischief the children would get up to than the men ever would. Finally, the use of women as guards allowed stronger-thewed men to be occupied productively rather than loafing about as guards, loudly declaiming that they were performing a necessary task.

Some few people came from aboard ship to join us from across the sea. I found it suspicious that my farther suggested to me that this family or that man be allowed to settle with us upon my father's word that he would work well with us. I was further confirmed in my suspicions when I noted several of them at various times touching finger to brow to my father, the sign of vassal to laird. Hmph. He needed not to be so secretive about it. Family supports family, after all is said and done. We received many more petitioners that summer, some in dire straights and some simply wishing to join a successful enterprise. I could not attribute motivations to all yet a significant number fell within easily determined groups. Since I was tribal chief and house Laird in one, there was no question of profit or mercantilism. Those whose bent was such found either employment or developed their own businesses about New Portsmouth. Those under my wing were understood that they would be provided for and if their mates were left behind in the event of tragedy, they would be cared for as well. Native women and children of many nation and creed continued to trickle in and found sanctuary with us. Some elderly made the trek from their villages to us in hopes of gaining shelter and succor as their families had been wiped out thru combat, disease, hunger or accident. We made it our mission that none would leave disappointed.

After collecting the income from our properties in New Portsmouth I enjoined my father to accompany me into our strong room. We were back up to 14,600 pounds, over 12,000 which was in gold. My father admitted that he was concerned about my finances before he left to join me, and had another eight thousand pounds secreted amongst his luggage. We laughingly debated which country we should purchase. Cuba came to mind yet neither of us enjoyed the stifling heat the summers would bring nor wished to risk yellow fever.

I made it my personal task to visit with each and every member and household of my tribe, once in good weather, once in bad. Their care was in my hands. I made certain that they knew I took my responsibilities seriously. An elder was placed in authority within each longhouse whose care it was to watch over the health and well being of the people residing thence, to be certain that all foodstuffs were sweet and wholesome, the crops were planted and tended in a satisfactory fashion and none had cause for dolor. Upon hearing that any elder either abused the privileges of or failed in the commission of their authority they were moved to the military barracks and enjoined to tend to the housekeeping for their room and board. There the Sergeant Major would tend to their attitudes. Very rarely was sanctuary broken.

I suppose that 1827 was the year of plots.

I conspired with my father to invite the Lady Howard to come to the christening of her second grand-child with an eye towards residence.

My wives conspired with several wise women as to brewing a tea that would cause a man to become, er, rampant. They subjected me to this treatment twice per day without my knowledge until we all had need to retire to our bed out of sheer respite. I remained dehydrated for days and pissed sitting down from exhaustion. Five out of seven struck the mark. The events of next April would not be amusing.

Most of the third floor of our great house was completed by harvest. As an afterthought I had large clay self-seating pipe sections to be fired, each of six inches outer diameter. These were laid as vertical schutes to collection barrels slightly below the ground floor for chamberpot leavings. Each barrel had lime laid within to sweeten it and remained covered to deny flies access. A footed-type of barrow was fashioned to move them about for emptying. A ramp led out of the small rooms which housed each barrel and its spare to ease their movement.

Our carpenters had acquired circulars and catalogs from Boston and New York with drawings of furniture currently in vogue in the financial centers back East. More than once I was forced to enjoin them that furniture was to be used, not observed. If an item were not comfortable I would burn it. Preferably with its maker astride. My attempt at appeasement for my draconian demands gave my wife Katherine free reign in furnishing a grand dining room and a grand ball room, as well as any sitting rooms she preferred, and if she wished to lend it her eye, the guest rooms as well. My vengeance was complete. With Caroline's assistance she nearly drove them mad. As a further benefit it sealed the friendship of my first wife and my sister. Out of pity I had purchased a barrel of good brandy for them as a Christmas gesture of good faith.

When notice arrived that the Lady Howard would be attending us shortly after Easter Katherine blanched, moaned and sat in a perfect image of one bereft of a hope of continued life. She slowly matched eyes with me and said two words. "Eight Wives". I slowly sank to sit beside her. I held her close as we commiserated upon our upcoming flaying alive. My father laughed, the miserable cad. She immediately made out to tailor an apartment for her mother in which nothing was left to chance. I stopped her, reminding her that if everything were perfect then something else would be of issue. Be careful as to where she wished to draw her targets. We could make a clean breast of it or be in a running battle for the rest of her life. We decided to take the hero's way out and die clean deaths.

It lay a pall over the Christmas celebrations. The tunes we played were uniformly grim and serious. Our black mood infected all about us. Many warriors offered to spear her from the back as she stepped foot on shore, not all of them men, either. I realized that this attitude must be nipped in the bud or some zealot may settle her hash without our approval. I met with each the members of each house and demanded that our spring visitor not be harmed in any way as she was the mother of Katherine. If they thought she was Scary Bitch now, just harm her mother. She may leave ashes behind to bury in remembrance. Then again she may eat them. There was no telling.

--1828—-

Before the hard times of winter came we received an unanticipated guest. President Adams came calling with an aide. Unmarried, he had no family to return to for the holidays and wished to experience for himself the tales he had been told of our hospitality. Not having met the man, he came amongst us simply, begging succor in return for news and wishing to commission a falchion and a sword breaker. We got along well enough publicly and in private. He gave away the game in that he knew the names of my wives, sergeants, master sergeant and Clancy. I seriously considered aiding his disappearance on an extended walk thru the woods and swamps. My decision must have shown thru my eyes as he begged my forgiveness and made a breast of it. There was naught to show that he still danced upon a delicate strand but my caution in converse. He was a bold one, he was. Knowing that his maker's hand was upon his shoulder he inquired of how George, the continental congress and the French state department had been 'gentled'. With a smile I informed him that if one had the skill of a chemist, chiurgeon and medical botanist many things were possible, and naught would suffice to protect a target save being either sworn lord or family to all having contact with garments, bedding, beer and food. Without other recourse, as in one case, a barber had been suborned and a perfumed hot towel was the means of a permanent solution. Once unconscious sufficient ether was given to stop his heart.

Adams asked several hard questions of me, including that of the right of man to rule his brother. I referred him to my father in lieu of an explanation to review the precepts I was taught. There exists a principle of benevolent right wherein an autocrat must care for his charges by reason of ability and need. There can be no refusal when need exists.

It is not a privilege. It is a command by God to care for those who cry out for succor.

One must judge themselves daily under these circumstances to determine if they were doing benefit or harm to each and every charge in their purview. There is a temptation to treat all under their care as kine and treat them as one would under animal husbandry. This would make nothing of the human in the beast and make less of them than they could be. There is a responsibility for judgment upon each side of the equation. Men are not animals and must not be treated as such or they will have no recourse but to act as animals. Some men act as children in matters of acquisitiveness and temperament. Once their behavior becomes evident at the detriment to others they may be chastised, yet treating all as children would be rude and reprehensible. The golden rule holds sway both for the ruler and the ruled.

Adams sat and peered at me after that statement for a time. He then shook his head and retired for the night.

The next morn I expected Adams at break-fast yet I was disappointed. I did not think that such a man would be able to sleep in late. Actually I was correct yet had no concept how correct I was. Upon searching out the man I found a letter and an empty suite. He had left before dawn. I had shamed the man without intention. He had come expecting the worst of me and mine and was rebuffed by an argument that a Jesuit could not fault, yet kept my justifications within secular bounds. For this and his deceptions he humbly apologized and took passage back East. I sincerely hope that he made his way home as the weather was inclement.

My wife Katherine kept her own council during his visit and only after he left took me into her confidence. She ascribed to him the manners and morals of a greedy priest. We debated whether his aspects were learned or natural. We came to the conclusion that when combating poisonous reptiles upon a daily basis one's demeanor soon comes to reflect that of one's opponents. It was the most charity that we were willing to afford him to garner him and his office any respect before our eyes. I am certain that our judgment would cause him to —squirm.

My wives were showing their pregnancies. The wive's tale of a woman losing a tooth per child only seemed true if milk and cheese were not available. Our health was uniformly good throughout the winter and spring. Some quarter of our chickens caught sick and died, yet naught could be done about it. We disposed of the flesh for the winter scavengers to eat and I smoked out their coops with burning sulfur after it had been scraped down to the dirt. The horses and goats wintered well. Some French in our village had been farmers and had raised horses. They determined that three of our mares were with foal and would bear in late spring or early summer. This news was met with jubilation and much was made of the equine mothers. Spring is the time for lambing both for sheep and goats. We found ourselves up to our ankles in kids. We did our best for them, keeping them in a warm manger deep within the horse barn with their dams, yet several were lost. Still and all, we added to our goat population prodigiously.

After having been in a tightly closed structure throughout the winter for the first time in over ten years I and mine wished to clean and air the great house at the first warm days of spring. We cleared the rushes and gang-washed the bed-linens. Floors were scrubbed and upon opening all the dampers sweet-smoking fires of cedar and fir were burned in buckets half filled with sand. The middens were cleaned, sulfured then limed. Any and all sleeping furs were vigorously dusted with corn meal and brushed out repeatedly until they smelled sweet.

We made note to have made extra rush sleeping and floor mats next year to be hung and stored for spring cleaning so that they may be changed out complete rather than sanded and beaten. We compromised by sprinkling the mats with oil of the balsam fir.

The Lady Elizabeth Howard was as prompt as could be with the vagaries of transport by wind and wave. I vowed to bear up manfully and greeted her with Katherine on my right and little Joshua upon my left, with our other wives behind us and little Samantha in my arms. She met us dressed in a brightly colored woolen traveling gown o'er which lay a good boiled woolen cloak. There, with her groom at hand, steadying her on the dock she said naught but let her gaze rove over our presentation, smiled at us and said one word. "Impetuous." My wife and I flushed like schoolchildren caught playing doctor. We loaded her possessions into a horse and wagon, handed her aboard and led the way to the manor house, little Joshua chattering like a magpie to his newly-met grandmother, shy little Mary firmly attached to her other hand.

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