Chapter 29
More Recruiting, The Council Meeting and A Family Trip 11-2 K
(SD to MS, 1379-80)
Just as we had entered the next Iyehyeh chieftaincy, a Kofitachiki messenger approached us. Their ruler had agreed to see us, and the messenger would guide us to him. Our other guide asked to be excused since he had completed his mission. I agreed, but it put me on my guard, although I recalled his initial reluctance to go with us in the first place, and, indeed, as it turned out no treachery was planned. Our guide led us across the Sewee River a little west of south. After passing through many small farming hamlets and past a couple of towns over the next four days, we finally arrived at a very large palisaded town. It had outgrown its palisade, and there were many houses outside the wall, making it look like a city within a city. The locals stared at us as we approached. The people and the houses were much like those we had seen to the south, as was the city. It was not as large as the unfriendly city just east of the Pansfalaya, but bigger than the city of Alba ayamule. We were brought to a large mound, and Smoking Mirror and I were led up the ramp to the large house on top. The chief greeted us at the top of the ramp. His name was Menawa. He was not as tall as the Iyehyeh chiefs were, but he was taller than I was. He was a large man and quite strong from the look of him. He was perhaps forty or so years old. He wore his hair long and was liberally decorated with copper and pearls. He was moderately tattooed and wore a cloak of the same green parrot feathers I had seen on the western Iyehyeh chieftainess. We were seated, and the nawak’osis was passed around.
He listened politely to my pitch, but then said he could see no pressing need to give up his position for the safety we offered, since he didn’t feel particularly threatened, especially if we were good to our word to leave them in independent peace. I assured him we were and told him that most of his eastern and northern neighbors had sent observers and if they joined would be under our full protection. He said his tribe was peaceful and only attacked those who first attacked them. Remembering the grizzled mico we had met earlier, I wondered about that, but said only that he would get no unprovoked attack from us. We left and began to retrace our path back to the Iyehyeh country. I wondered how long it would be before we ended up at war with the Southeastern tribes, especially if they found themselves surrounded by our allies.
When we came upon the first Iyehyeh town some five days later, we were greeted by a delegation. It was a modest one, but included the local chief. He welcomed us warmly and told us he would entertain us for the night and then guide us on to the head chief who was waiting to hear us out. True to his word, we were set up in the large square town house near the center of the town and a great feast with much spirited dancing and general noise making ensued. Their singing tended to be chanting much like that of most of the people in the land. Their music was equally uninteresting, but the dancing was quite energetic. The food was quite good and abundant. There was even a group of women left for us to make use of were we so inclined, all apparently unmarried, unlike some of the Leni lenape women we had been offered earlier.
The next day, we were guided to another town for another feast, and the next day to yet another town and feast. This continued until the fifth day, when at last we came to the head chief’s town. His name was Pirere, and he came out of his town with much pomp and ceremony: musicians, guards, litter, escort—the whole routine. After some flowery speeches, he led us into the town and set us up in the town square. He took Smoking Mirror and me up a mound to his house. Here he introduced us to Heresewi, the chief of the large chieftaincy to the northeast. They had thought it most convenient if I addressed them both at the same time, since they were related and generally acted in concert.
I thanked them for making things so convenient as well as for the most generous hospitality they had extended. I congratulated them for not getting involved in the recent “unpleasantness” some of their neighbors had pursued to their great harm. They expressed their understanding at our justified wrath and commended me for showing mercy to the remnant. They wondered if I had any immediate plans for the lands recently abandoned by their reckless cousins. I replied that only the lands nearest our Ordu would be kept for the refugees, any tribes that ally with us could take the rest. We, of course, would hesitate to strengthen potential enemies. The maneuvering at an end, I gave them the usual pitch, and they asked the usual questions and in the end agreed to send along observers. I urged them not to attack any of their neighbors until all had decided whether they would ally with us. We would, of course, keep them informed.
We continued northeast along the Sewee River, moving ever higher in elevation through the foothills east of the mountains. I consciously avoided the remaining Iyehyeh towns of the chieftaincy so we wouldn’t be delayed by any more feasting. We eventually entered into a sort of no-man’s-land. It was overgrown as though it had once been settled but then abandoned, making it quite a tangled mess to pass through. By now it was early fall, and we would occasionally run into small hunting parties from both the southeastern tribes and the Iyehyeh. We were friendly to all and even told them of any game we had seen on our way. Eventually we reached the mountains. There we came upon a small settlement of Ani’ Yun’-wiya along a stream. As a frontier town, it was understandably fortified, but the workers in the fields seemed to take no notice of us as we drew near. Just as we reached the palisade, a heavily scarred old warrior ambled out to meet us. To my dismay, we couldn’t understand each other. Although there was a similarity to the Ani’ Yun’-wiya dialect I had learned, it was too vague to enable us to communicate. He seemed to realize the problem and sent for someone in the town. An older woman came out and was able to act as interpreter. She introduced herself as Wahnewauhi, and the chief as Collanah.
“My brother is married to one of the Ottare speakers,” she explained, “and I learned the language from him. The chief asks if you are the western strangers who visited the Ottare last year?”
“We are,” I replied, assuming the Ani’ Yun’-wiya I had met were called Ottare.
“How is it,” Collanah wanted to know, “that western strangers approach from the south last year and from the east this year? Are you lost or are you now from those directions?”
“Neither.” I tried not to laugh. “We were simply recruiting allies and exploring in those directions.”
“We heard about your recruitment among the Ottare,” Wahnewauhi translated. “There has been much discussion among all the Ani’ Yun’-wiya, especially since you planted that huge town south of the Ottare. The observers returned and spread the word about you with much enthusiasm. Still, there is much doubt among the people and little desire to change our ways. On the other hand, there is no denying you are a powerful people and would make a formidable ally or enemy. We think it best that you go to Kituhwa, and there meet with a representative group of our people to answer their questions.”
I was not exactly looking forward to a large meeting of these people after my experiences with their “meetings” the previous year and had no idea where Kituhwa might be, but could see no alternative to agreeing to go. I had the feeling we might end up doing this annually for the next several years before they committed. Still, they were an impressive people and would make a great addition to our Khanate. So, we would go to Kituhwa. Our host said it would take two weeks to get there unless we were used to the high country, in which case it would take less. He sent out runners to announce our arrival to the other towns and prevailed on us to spend the night with him and start off in the morning. I agreed and over our meal asked what his dialect was called and if it would be helpful if we learned it before we reached Kituhwa. He replied through Wahnewauhi that his language was called Atali, and while it would be helpful to him if I learned it, it wouldn’t do much good in Kituhwa since they spoke yet another dialect. In any case, I shouldn’t be concerned since there would be interpreters at the meeting.
The next day, we set off toward the west with a young man to guide us. Collanah would not be going to the meeting, since he felt it was more important to guard the frontiers. Of course, Wahnewauhi couldn’t come along either, so we would have to do the best we could with our guide, Unaduti. He led us generally westward for about six days threading us through mountain passes and across valleys. Almost every night, we were put up at a different town, and the next morning some of the townsfolk joined us on our trek. As we continued into the mountains, the palisades began to disappear, and the houses of the towns tended to be spread out along a creek or riverbank. On the sixth day, we crossed a high pass and descended on a narrow river valley. The river flowed northwest, and we followed it for two more days. The valley got a little wider, and then we came upon a very large settlement spread for many li along a loop of the river. It could only be described as a patchwork of fields spotted with groups of houses, much like Itsati, but larger and a lot longer. After wandering through the settlement for a while, we finally came to the meeting or town house.
The house was quite large, but I could see from the huge crowd that it was probably not large enough. It had apparently been decided that my party would be housed in the town house and the meetings would be held in the ball playing field. Since it was fall and the crops had been harvested, we would be meeting during the day. Most of the young men would be out hunting, so they would not be present except for the observers who had gone with me the year before. I suggested that my escort might as well do some hunting also, to keep them busy and help provide for us. This gesture was appreciated, particularly by my men, who were not especially keen on sitting through myriad boring speeches. Smoking Mirror alone preferred to stay with me since, incredibly, he was fascinated by such meetings.
The next morning after a light meal, we repaired to the playing field while the men set out for the mountains to hunt. There was a real throng waiting for us at the field. They had been divided into three groups according to their dialect, and interpreters were prepared to translate to each group. I was put with Ostenako and the Ottare, since I spoke that language. We both greeted each other warmly, and Utasite and Kollee also came up and sat with us. We had to wait for the weed burning, of course, and then the chief of Kituhwa rose up and greeted and welcomed everyone and told them why they were there. After a few more remarks, he called on me to make my proposal. I did so at length, trying to anticipate as many of the usual questions that I possibly could. My remarks were translated into the other dialects, further slowing down matters. Finally, I was finished.
Of course, I really didn’t think I was finished, but I sat down anyway. One by one people rose up to comment or ask questions or both. It was all very polite, some of the questions were trite, but others were quite probing. They were especially interested in the understandably suspicious appearance of the Wildcat Ordu on their frontier. I innocently explained that they were there to protect our allies from the Southeastern tribes should they become hostile after refusing to join us. Of course they were no threat to the Ani’ Yun’-wiya, since they had not made a decision. Otherwise I hedged when I had to, answered the trite questions as if they were insightful and in general tried to keep the tone polite and friendly. Needless to say, one day was not enough for everyone to make his comment or ask his questions, nor were two or three days enough. In fact this went on for a week. It was their custom to never deny anyone his say, no matter how long, how often, or how irrelevant. At the end of the week, I was exhausted, and we were no closer to a consensus. Despite many favorable comments especially from last year’s observers, the only thing they could agree on was that they should send a larger group of observers along with us. They would meet again to discuss the matter the following year. I told them that I might not be able to return the next year, but they didn’t think that mattered as long as someone else came to answer any questions. I couldn’t think of anyone who deserved such a job, but decided to let Kaidu decide. I thanked them for their time and consideration and took my leave.
As we left, I dismissed my escort, securing a guide to lead them back to the Iyehyeh lands, from where they could return to the Snake Ordu and on the way see what the Iyehyeh weredoing. I sent a mapper with them to map the route and included a full report on my recruiting efforts for Khurumsi. The rest of us would proceed through Ani’ Yun’-wiya country to the Wildcat Ordu. The large group of observers would also go to the convenient Wildcats during the winter after providing for their families. As it happened, Ostenako, Utasite, Kollee, and many of the other Ottare were going in the same direction as we were. In fact, Ostenako informed me that this river we were on was the same one that flowed by his Itsati. And, indeed, some five days later, we reached his town. He insisted on entertaining us and assured me over the meal that his people would eventually join us, even if it took years. We continued on our way retracing our journey of the year before until we finally reached the Wildcat Ordu, six days later.
Jebei greeted me warmly and handed me a pile of dispatches. I told him about the large number of Ani’ Yun’-wiya that would soon be descending on him and told him about my summer. I gave his mapper a copy of my map to bring them up to date. Then I sat down to the dispatches. True to his word, Kaidu had tried to keep me informed about Padraig’s campaign. Padraig had quickly wiped out the tribe that had turned on our first expedition, but the tribe on the coast proved to be more of a problem. They had seen his approach and had taken to the sea in large boats. He destroyed all they left behind and moved north laying waste to their settlements. He eventually reached another tribe, and they proved to be friendly in light of his numbers. He continued up the coast to a large bay, contacting a few more tribes. He circled the bay and sent a mapper to a large island just off the coast. Three more tribes, one of whom also had settlements along the coast, inhabited it. He sent more mappers up the coast and returned to look for the rogue tribe. The other coastal people insisted that they hadn’t seen them and that there were no other islands offshore where they could hide.
He tried to set some traps for them to lure them ashore, but there was no sign of them, so he spread about half his men along their territory to wait for them and sent the rest south to look for them. Finally a large flotilla of their boats approached one of their razed settlements from the sea. A small group of our men was on the shore to tempt them in, but instead, they held their position a little offshore, and one of them who was wearing a strange mask stood up and yelled and screamed at our men while making threatening gestures. No one could understand him, but eventually one of the men dropped him with a well-aimed arrow. The rest of the men shot at the men in the boats, but the latter quickly withdrew again, and only a few were hit.
Finally a few days later, Padraig was approached by a shaman from another tribe who wanted to mediate the “dispute.” Padraig informed him that there was nothing to mediate; the tribe had forfeited any right to come to terms by attacking his men. They would all have to die, and should come ashore and take their punishment like men. The shaman withdrew and before long the flotilla reappeared along the shore and tried to fight from their boats. The exchanges were quite uneven, however, since our bows had greater range. Again they withdrew and again the shaman approached to announce that we had killed at least as many of them as we had lost, and so the blood debt was satisfied, and we should now negotiate. Again Padraig rebuffed the man and warned him not to return again unless he was prepared to reveal the whereabouts of the fugitives. He also had the man discretely followed and found their hiding place, a cove on the large bay. He left a small screen of men along the coast and sent the others to surround the cove. Before he left, however, a lone boat pulled up to the shore and discharged a lone passenger. Through interpreters the man identified himself as the chief of our enemies and offered himself in exchange for his people. He was quickly cut down without comment, and the boat was allowed to leave unmolested.
Padraig then hurried to the cove and found the men had surrounded it as much as possible. They waited in silence until the boat was seen returning from its mission. As soon as they had stepped ashore, a barrage of fire arrows set their boats aflame, and more arrows cut down anyone who tried to get in them, a few more showers of arrows, a final rush, and it was over. The neighboring tribes were horrified at our ferocity, but the lesson was well taken and no other tribe caused any problem.
Since territory was important to the locals, the Salmon Ordu was set up in the lands of the destroyed tribes. Half would remain on the coast and the other half on the Salst River near the waterfall. The neighboring tribes were showing the men how to build their ships (dugouts made from huge trees), and how to fish on the ocean as well as the rivers. Padraig would start back with the Antelope Tumen in the spring. He would leave Ogedai in charge of the Salmon. Meanwhile, he had dispatched a mapping expedition southward along the coast to return by spring and was awaiting the return of the northern mappers, which should be soon. Kaidu also mentioned that there were more details about the people and terrain and, of course, maps for me to pour over on my return.
I started back with the usual group and some of the more adventurous observers. We reached the Eagle Ordu just as it began to snow. Winter was early that year. I settled the observers and stopped to see Paula before reporting to Kaidu. Mathilde was still with her, and I congratulated her on Padraig’s successful campaign. When I presented myself to Kaidu, he gave me Padraig’s maps and told me to return the next day for our winter meeting, so I wouldn’t have to repeat myself.
At the winter meeting, Kaidu briefed us on Padraig’s latest dispatch. The northern mappers had returned, and there was no report of problems. He had ascertained that the coast people did not cross the sea in their boats, but did hunt sea animals from them, and trade along the coast in them. Knowing nothing about boats, he couldn’t say if they were seaworthy enough to cross the ocean. They were smaller than the Hanjen ships that plied the ocean, but larger than the Hanjen riverboats. Many of the tribes he had contacted had sent observers to the Salmon Ordu, and a few of these would accompany him east in the spring. None of the tribes had joined outright, however, and a few had opted for independence with peace. He also reported that contact had been made with many of the inland tribes, and most of these had also sent observers.
The group of observers I had brought with me the year before had returned home, but no response had been received from their tribes. There would be no new tumen this year, but the Deer Ordu would move to a location at the northeastern frontier of the Pansfalaya, to be in a position to help either them or the towns along the southern extreme of the West Tsoyaha River. No other changes were planned. The Hotcangara had become increasingly cooperative, and he felt we could soon move some of the Ordu stationed among them to the frontiers. Still, in light of the renegade I had encountered, it was still too soon to trust them. The Mingue, on the other hand, were fully integrated and had given us no trouble at all.
Donduk reported that the Pansfalaya’s training was coming along well, as was that of the Saktchi Huma. A small coastal group of towns had also made overtures and had observers in the Pigeon Ordu. A larger group of the A’palachi had come in to observe, just before he left to return here. There was still no decision from them or any of the others on the peninsula.
I reported on my efforts, the crushing of the Iyehyeh coalition, the Hotcangara who had started it, the contacting of the others, and the problems with getting a consensus from the Ani’ Yun’-wiya. I passed on their request for a representative to sit through another general meeting next fall and answer questions. I described the meeting I had endured and observed that while the meeting would be a trial for our representative, the Ani’ Yun’-wiya were worth cultivating.
Givevneu had no new developments to report, except that since he was getting rather old, he had taken on an understudy to learn all his lore. The young man was one of the Dzitsiistas, named Okuh-hatuh. He had made his Spirit Quest and had seen a vision of “a fat fishlike creature with whiskers and long fangs” that told him to go to the shaman of the Mongols.
“It was obviously a walrus he saw,” he said quietly, “my dream symbol for myself. The message was clear—I must prepare a successor. He is very bright and will easily fill my role one day when I must leave it. I hope when I return, it will be to this new world rather than the old one.”
“Nonsense,” Kaidu growled. “You are younger than me or Donduk, and we are not yet ready to groom replacements. You’ll have to put up with us for a long time yet before Tengri gives you rest.”
“We will see.” Givevneu smiled. “In any case, it doesn’t hurt to be ready. After all there is much lore to be learned to be a shaman. One is born to be a Khan and over time merely proves his mettle.”
No doubt wishing to change the subject, Kaidu said that Donduk should return to the Pigeon Ordu the next year, since he thought some of the peninsula tribes would at least ally with us. He felt I should look into visiting the islands off the coast of the southeastern peninsula. He thought I could take copper and perhaps matches along making it something of a trading expedition to induce the Calusa or the Tekesta to take me there. Of course, if they were hostile by then, I should abandon the idea. In any case I could go back to the Ani’ Yun’-wiya for their fall meeting. He realized it would be dreadful, but I was the only person in a leadership position who understood the language. He promised not to ask me to go back again. I planned to hold him to that promise. He also said that he was quite pleased with Juchi’s administrative efforts in the east, and he thought it would be good to send him to explore the lands farther west along the Hopitu River he had explored some years ago. He understood that there were many great cities there, and he didn’t like the large blank spot on our maps in that direction. He felt Juchi should go west along the Red River to reach them since that was touted to be a major trade route and perhaps return along the river I had crossed far to the south that Smoking Mirror claimed arose in that area. I said that it would be a wonderful idea and that he should be encouraged to take his time, perhaps setting out with trade goods and a two years’ supply of food, since merchants were always welcome, and food was often scarce from what Talaswaima had told us. Talaswaima should go with him, of course, and could also teach him the language of his people. I wasn’t sure, but I thought he was currently with the Horse Ordu. Perhaps Juchi should go there this winter so he could jump off in early spring. I really envied him that expedition, but it made more sense to send me southeast and him southwest since we were already familiar with those areas. Dispatches were prepared, and we were dismissed until spring.
I gave Paula the bad news, but suggested that she and Mathilde might go part of the way with me. We could go as far as the Pigeon Ordu together. It would give Paula a chance to see more of the land and would give Mathilde a first look at Murenbalikh. They were all excited about the adventure, and it would still give Mathilde plenty of time to return to the Antelopes by late summer when Padraig would be getting back. With that settled, I looked over Padraig’s maps. The coast north of the Salst River was more rugged than that to the south of it. North of the deep bay, the coast was really wild. Mountains met the sea, creating a tangled maze of bays, inlets, and islands. The mountains were the northern extension of those I had partially crossed a few years ago. I wondered how long it would take the mappers to reach the mouth of the Yukanah River we had followed so many years before. It would be fascinating to see the coast unfold. I was also looking forward to the results of the mappers that Padraig had sent south along the coast. There was still a vast empty spot on the map, and I couldn’t blame Kaidu for wondering what was there. Meanwhile, other mappers had been filling in a lot of smaller blanks in already explored directions. The northerly mapping was slow because of the short season. The mappers had named the very large bay cutting deeply into the land Inuit Bay since that people lived around most of it. They had still not reached the mouth of the Dehcho. They were mapping from boats because the land was impossibly marshy in the summer. Elsewhere, many more rivers had been mapped, nearly all of them in the lands we controlled and quite a few in the lands we didn’t control. The land was really beginning to take shape and was proving to be very large.
The winter passed uneventfully. We made the usual trip to visit Henry. I looked in on the artillery school, and Kabul said that he had already deployed some of his students and should have a unit in each tumen by the following summer. He was very proud of his students and wanted to show them off for me in spite of the cold. They were really quite good, and I praised them all effusively. Migizi had had mixed success with the handguns, but he was determined and had even enlisted one of Henry’s boys to help him. Henry thought it a waste of time, but was loath to discourage any creativity. He was also touched by Migizi’s enthusiasm. I encouraged him since I felt he would eventually be successful.
In early spring, Juchi sent me a note from the Horse Ordu asking if I had any idea why his father was trying to get all the silk we had brought with us from the old land. I replied that I had no idea. The Owl Ordu did get rather hot in the summer, but one would think that cotton would suffice. Unfortunately, I didn’t give the matter any more thought. Instead I got everything ready for our trip. I arranged to have a load of copper waiting for me at the Pigeon Ordu. Donduk would accompany us all the way to the Pigeons this year so we would take a leisurely pace. The spring council meeting brought up nothing new, and we got started south while there was still ice in the river.
We reached the Owl Ordu and Donduk visited some old friends. I went in to see Kuyuk to ask about the spies he had sent with Tlacuectli. He seemed a bit vague as though he was not too impressed by what they had seen. I asked if Tlacuectli was in camp, but he said he wasn’t expected until fall. My acquaintances in the Ordu seemed a little distant, but I thought they were just preoccupied and gave it no thought. As we left, Paula asked if I had noticed all the gold ornaments people were wearing in the Owl Ordu. I had to admit I hadn’t. She wondered if they had found a mine nearby. I doubted that since there were no mineralogists among the Mongols besides me. I asked Donduk if he had found anything odd among the Owls, but he hadn’t. Smoking Mirror reminded me that his father had brought gold with him to trade and must have found something to trade it for, since it was most unlikely he would give it away. He also pointed out that most of the gold was being sported by the original Mongols, not the newer ones. I still can’t believe I didn’t make the connection between silk and gold, but I didn’t until much later.
The women enjoyed exploring the now fully pacified Murenbalikh. It had grown larger and even more fields were under cultivation. We visited the Kestrels and the Deer on the way to the Pigeons. The gunpowder factory was in full swing, and we had quite a stockpile. They were making shipments to all the other Ordu. The Deer had enjoyed the milder winter in their new location much farther south than their original one. They were also looking forward to the possibility of more action in the near future. When we reached the Pansfalaya lands, the women and children evoked much curiosity from them, and they in turn found it difficult not to notice the misshapen heads. They were familiar with the practice since they had met Thliotombi, but a whole town of them took getting used to. I took them all down to the coast, since the coastal towns had also joined us, and the children got their first look at the ocean. Finally I reluctantly said goodbye, and they returned home while I went east with a small escort from the Pigeon Ordu.