Rand and the MicmacsClark, Jeremiah S. (Jeremiah Simpson)
History
Rand and the Micmacs
Clark, Jeremiah S. (Jeremiah Simpson)
Indians of North America -- Canada; Micmac Indians; Rand, Silas Tertius, 1810-1889
Let us picture two war-parties of the Kennebecs intrenched within
blockhouses from which they make repeated sallies upon the wary natives
of _Megamaage_[3]. The forts are constructed by first digging a cellar,
and then felling and arranging great trees, so that not only a barricade
is formed, but a heavily roofed fort. The Micmacs are intrenched in a
somewhat similar manner on their camping-ground at Merrigomish. It was
quite evident to the Micmacs that their ancestral foes were not on a
mere scalping expedition but had designed a war of extermination.
Kaktoogo the Thunderer must make good use of all his magic, or he and
his people will certainly be destroyed. First and last of the American
Red-men, he took command of a navy; for in order to avoid ambuscades, he
took possession of a French trading ship, and came around by sea from
Merrigomish to Pictou. Soon he bore down upon the hostile fort with all
sails set, and in true Indian fashion, as if his gallant craft were a
bark canoe, ran hard aground as near as possible to his deadly foe; but
before the French timbers quiver from that disastrous shock; Kaktoogo
has leaped into the water, as Cæsar’s standard-bearer did on the coast
of savage Britain a few centuries ago, and makes his way with all speed
toward the land. Kaktoogo has every faculty alert, and, since he is a
mighty pow-wow, no one but another demigod can kill him outright. He
reached the shore and rushed upon the fort before either friends or foes
had recovered from their astonishment, and,
“Like valor’s minion carved out his passage”
as nobly as ever did Macbeth, or Samson, or any other warrior, nor did
he pause till every man of them had paid the forfeit of his life.
So complete was the victory that their ancestral foes never sent another
war-party into _Megamaage_ the Acadie, or Wholesome Place of the
Micmacs. The bold Kaktoogo had at last “made a realm,” but it cannot be
said of him that he “reigned,” for more insidious foes than the
Kennebecs or the more dreaded Mohawks were among them, and were
gradually conquering them by blandishments that stole away the manhood
of the nation. _Coureurs-du-bois_ were roaming everywhere throughout the
forest, bringing dangerous thunder-weapons and more dangerous
fire-water; and Glooscap, the Magnificent One, was grieved as he marked
the steady approach of what the pale-face calls “Civilization.” The
daring intruders soon visited the Son of Heaven at his home on that
giant rock, Blomidon, around whose amethystine base “The tides of Minas
swirl;” and several attempts were made to capture the mighty Sakumow,
that he too might be caged and sent home to France.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account