of the bravery of Agwingos and Esiban, they would each receive a pelt to do with as they desired.
We made camp for the evening and built the fire. That night marked the tenth day we had been gone, and we still had at least five or six more days of travel left. The extra load of pulling the meat on the toboggans was delaying our return. The next day we would push harder and try to reach one of our cedar enclosures that we had built on our trip north. We still had to pick up the deer that we had been hanging in a tree along our back trail. Again we would leave a place with the snow covered in blood. We hoped that the rest of our return trip would be uneventful and that Kitchi Manitou would watch over us and lead us in safety.
The fire was high and we ate moose and talked about what was ahead. Kàg took the first watch while the rest of us slept. The dogs didn’t need to be tied, as the wolf pack had left this area behind and would not bother us again.
5
The Long Walk
NO ONE HAD WAKENED me to take a watch, and I awoke in the faint light of the dawn. I was concerned that something had happened. I noticed Wàgosh sitting with his back to the fire and on watch.
“Brother, why didn’t you wake me for my watch?”
Wàgosh answered, “All was fine, and we had decided to split the sentry duties just three ways tonight. We thought that you needed the rest and maybe from this day forward we could let one of us sleep throughout the whole night.”
I had made the decision we would have a good first meal of the day, and I added an extra treat. I fashioned a bowl out of birch bark from a fallen tree that I had found. With a sharp small bone, I made a hole in the bark and pulled through the leather strips that I had in my medicine bag. I was then able to sew the bark together, and using pine sap that I had thawed I sealed the bowl. Then I melted snow in it. Next I cut some cedar leaves and put them in the melted water. Tying the vessel above the fire I let it come to a boil. During this time I made some birch bark ladles that we all could dip in the container and with which we could drink our cedar drink. The cedar tea would invigorate us and keep our bodies healthy. Upon seeing what I was doing, everyone’s spirits rose. The twins fed the dogs and then hooked the two bigger dogs up to their travois. Then they tied their wolf pelts onto it. Wàgosh, Kàg, and Mònz readied the other sleds and fastened the remaining two pelts onto the toboggans. We then drank our tea and ate. We broke camp and headed toward our homes and families.
As always, the small dog led with the boys following. Kàg, Wàgosh, Mònz, and I fell in behind, with the red and white dogs trailing. The snow was easier to walk on now because in the last few days the temperature had risen, melting the tops of the snow a small bit. Then the temperature fell again making a hard crust strong enough to walk on. We stayed along the trail that had brought us north. The sky was bright blue and cloudless. Everyone was in good spirits and they talked and sang about our accomplishments.
We came upon a stream that connected two small lakes. The area was about one hundred feet wide and completely frozen. The wind had kept the ice clear of snow and the stream ran from our right to left on a gradual grade to the lake below. In the next few minutes we were treated to some comic relief. As the small dog started to run across the frozen stream he slipped and fell. As he tried to get up his legs splayed in four directions and he started to slide down toward the other lake. The twins were roaring with laughter and my fellow warriors also found this turn of events very amusing. The dog now was about halfway toward the lower lake and headed for some open water where a small waterfall produced a strong enough current to keep the water open. I signaled Wàgosh to go to the other side and then both of us tried to get alongside of the dog and catch him before he hit the water. By this time everyone was laughing uproariously. Wàgosh and I reached the dog and stopped him from sliding any further. He was not in the least bit concerned about his ordeal and probably happy to be the centre of attention. Wàgosh took the dog to his side of the stream and Kàg and I held onto the red and white dogs as they crossed. We didn’t want two dogs attached to a travois sliding down this icy run. As we continued on our way, the twins were still laughing and talking about the small dog’s misadventure.
As we continued, I thought about my wìdigemàgan (wife), Wàbananang (Morning Star). We had been together now for two summers, but there had been no children yet, as the moon had never been right for the seed. She was beautiful and we cared very much for each other. I hoped that she was eating well but inside I knew that food was scarce and the men left behind would have to be cunning and skilled to hunt down any game. I hoped that while we were gone a large snowstorm might have passed through and helped the men in their hunting.
Walking until the sun reached its day’s height, we stopped long enough to build a small fire to melt snow for water. After eating the extra food that we had cooked in the morning, we continued on our way. I knew that we were within distance of a cedar shelter that we had erected on our trip up. Hopefully we could make it before too much darkness had set in, but knowing it would be a full moon tonight our band would be able to see the way.
Esiban and the small dog were ahead of us but within sight the rest of the day. The sun had set a long time ago, and we were walking in moonlight. In the light we saw Esiban and the dog running back. He said the shelter was a short distance ahead. Rest would be welcomed tonight.
In short order we reached the cedar enclosure and the twins had a fire going. Mònz had a meal cooking and I was melting snow for water. The dogs were given some frozen meat and all went well.
After we ate, Kàg took out his pipe, tamped in some tobacco, and lit it. We passed it around and thanked Kitchi Manitou for guiding us through the day. We talked about our homes and families and how this meat would sustain their spirits and bodies. Our small group had been gone now ten sunrises, and we were still at least five days from home. Even though our trip north had only taken six days, we had to stay over one day because the snowstorm and the extra loads slowed us down.
“Uncle Mònz,” said Agwingos, “can you tell us a story?”
“Yes, please do,” said Esiban. “Tell us a tale about one of Nokomis’ children.”
“Okay,” said Mònz. “I will tell you how the weynusse (turkey buzzard) got his black feathers.
“When Cluskap (the creator force) made all the animals and pineshìnjish (birds), the Weynusse had bright white feathers and a head like the Kiniw (eagle). Weynusse liked to show off though, and he was always trying to fly higher than all the other birds even higher than the Kiniw. Weynusse said to Cluskap, ‘I am the strongest and smartest bird on Turtle Island, much superior to the mighty Kiniw.’ Cluskap said to Weynusse, ‘Oh vain one, if you brag and show off too much, you will surely become the fool, and it will be your downfall.’ Weynusse then said, ‘I will show you, Cluskap, that I will be your chosen one to be the Chief of all the skies. I will fly to the sun where no bird has ever gone, and then you will believe me when I say I am the greatest.’ With those words Weynusse flew straight to the sun, and as he approached the heat of the big ball, his feathers caught fire and his head became scorched and he turned back to Turtle Island with the scars he carries to this day. His once magnificent head was red and wrinkled and all his feathers were black except for some white ones under his wing that the sun could not reach to burn, and to this day that is all that is left of the Weynusse’s magnificent white plumage.
“Never be like the foolish showoff, Weynusse.”
With that, Mònz said that he would take the first watch for the night and tend the fire.
The next morning, as I had last watch, I awoke everyone with the rising of the sun and then ate a quick meal and headed toward home. We all knew before we returned to our families that we would have some work to do to prepare
