Legend upon the Cane

Legend upon the Cane Read Free Page A

Book: Legend upon the Cane Read Free
Author: ketihrees
Tags: Fiction, Historical, st denis, natchitoches
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faced the rising sun coming over the
horizon. He liked to sit and watch as the wind blew softly through
the tall trees all around him. He was now a man of about thirty
years. He had seen great battles and lived to tell stories about
them. His skin was dark and had grown worn from the wind and dry
summers. But he was wise beyond his years and knew how to handle
the hard times that his tribe had faced. His thoughts were deep, as
usual, thinking about many things, but mostly of how his family and
fellow tribesman could withstand this land for much longer on so
little food. The years had gone by with success in growing fields
of corn and beans, but now things had changed in the skies. The
weather was becoming too harsh to keep the crops alive. Each summer
had grown hotter, and the rains were not coming as often. This
weighed heavy on his mind. But also he thought of his brother, and
wondered if he and his family were faced with such challenges as
well. “Surely they must,” he thought.
    Natchitos sat calmly,
staring out across the land, when a sudden gust of wind came upon
him. A dove stirred from its roost and flew past him. The wind
calmed and blew softly for only a few moments more. But, he felt as
though the wind, or someone, was tapping him on the shoulder. He
looked up and the down the river, but saw nothing. It soon stopped
and then he fixed his gaze once again out across the land in front
of him, occasionally drawing his finger in the dirt around him.
Suddenly he heard a call from below in the village. “Father!” was
the cry from below, in a sharp, yet hushed voice. Natchitos looked
to see Anoki, his oldest son, pointing frantically upriver.
Natchitos looked to his left to see two small rafts, carrying five
white men each, coming slowly downriver. He immediately remembered
encounters with two other white explorers several years earlier.
The one he remembered hearing about was called, LaSalle. “They did not show us harm,” he thought. “They only passed through
this area, nothing more. But why do they come now again?” His instincts felt differently, as he watched them
slowly near the village. His thoughts were confirmed when he
spotted an Indian guide riding along with the white men.
    Natchitos made his way down the cliff back
into the village. Anoki was now beside himself with fear and
anxiety, waving towards Natchitos to come more quickly. Natchitos
could see the rest of the tribe was also well aware of the
foreigner’s presence. He motioned to his wife Taima to take the
children inside the hut and made the same gesture to the rest of
the tribe looking on.
    “ Anoki, be calm, it is
alright. It is Buffalo Tamer, I know him. He has a good heart. I
will go and talk with him,” Natchitos said.
    But Anoki persisted, “But Father, who are
the white men with him? I would not trust them so quickly. There
are so many!”
    “ I will take Tooantuh with
me,” Natchitos said. At the same moment, Tooantuh was already
striding along with him towards the river shore. Tooantuh was
Natchitos’ closest and most trusted companion. He was known as a
fierce and fearless fighter and an excellent hunter. He took pride
in providing big game for the tribe. But he had little patience for
intruders, not as much as the trusting Natchitos.
    The travelers were paddling their rafts
towards the west shore, where Natchitos and Tooantuh stood. All the
men sat in both rafts, except for one man in the first raft. He
stood with one foot upon the bow, with one hand resting on his
knee, the other hanging at his side. Tooantuh looked intently for
any sign of weapons, but saw none. Their casual approach showed no
sense of attack. Yet still, his arrows rested on his back at the
ready. Natchitos stood with a wooden staff in his left hand. He
could see the man up front plainly now. He observed how he was
dressed, long dark trousers with black boots and a dark blue
overcoat, with a white ruffled shirt protruding through the top of
his coat. He wore

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