The Noble Free
by
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Hiding his canoe, Shadow approached the forest. In the field and along the edge of the clearing, he set several traps for small game or birds. Coming upon a well-trod deer trail, he followed it into the woods where a cold, white sun reflected off branches and twigs rimed with frozen dew. Along the way, he studied thickets of rhododendron and wild azalea—good nesting areas. His chilled breath floated on the still air. Bright yellow leaves hanging on an old hickory tree signaled a good mast, while purple-ripe persimmons provided another delicacy for the creatures. In fact, he had already seen fresh droppings full of undigested persimmon pits, confirming the recent presence of deer.
Shadow sat on a mossy log, listening to the forest, waiting for the return of his prey. He felt elated, happy just to be among the trees, most now scantily dressed with the last dead leaves of autumn. He quickened at the musty odor from those leaves moldering on the ground. Occasionally he heard the snap of a twig, the scurrying of chipmunks, the occasional whisper of a breeze. The squirrels barking, the bird singing, the crows cawing, all bespoke a harmony and purpose Shadow strongly felt and was thankful for.
Shadow was at peace. He was one with this world. It was one with him, inseparable. As he slowly scanned near and far, he breathed a sigh of contentment. He watched as slow, watery crystals of time dripped from frosty branches warmed by the rising sun.
At length, he decided to move to another location.
As he quietly rose, a low, quick motion caught his attention. He studied the trees ahead. Barely visible, a small furry bulge could be seen extending along the trunk of one. The black knob located above the fur exhaled a small breath into the chilly air. Shadow knew then that the deer had been observing him. Hidden by the tree, the deer stood, facing away, his head turned just enough to keep Shadow in view. Shadow smiled, as noiselessly, the deer disappeared. The chase was on, and the prey had the advantage.
Calmly checking his nocked arrow, Shadow advanced to where the deer had been standing. Only an old deer trail showed where the prey might have gone. There were no fresh tracks. Nonetheless, he stalked silently on. His keen eye probed the ground and each bush he passed. No tracks showed, no broken twigs. Yet he felt he was on the correct trail. Presently he came to a junction—the path he had been following curved to the left, but directly ahead a faint track led into a more open expanse under tall hardwoods. Although it had been nearly an hour since that first, tenuous encounter, Shadow instinctively decided to venture into the more trackless area, away from the obvious trail.
He began to doubt that he might again see this deer. But his intuition proved more accurate than his skepticism. Halfway through the stand, he found a single imprint of a deer’s cloven hoof. Just one. But it was recent. The deer was not running. It was not alarmed. And it was not far ahead. The deer had been toying with him, leading him, staying just out of sight. The deer was curious and Shadow appreciated its playful attitude.
After a while Shadow came to a deep gully. He hesitated, concerned that he might expose himself crossing the high ground. He waited for awhile behind a sheltering tree, listening. As he shifted his position, the slight motion caused the deer to break cover. The deer had been lying in the gully and now bounded leisurely away. Shadow saw only its bobbing head and antlers as it followed the narrow ravine.
Deciding that further direct pursuit would be fruitless, Shadow rested for a few moments. He expected the deer would stop again, especially if not chased. Now that he had a rough idea as to where his adversary might be headed, he circled swiftly back through the hardwood, returning to the same gully but beyond the point where he expected the deer. He had guessed correctly.
As Shadow came marching loudly through the brush from an unexpected direction, the deer stood mesmerized. The deliberate noise Shadow made imitated that of other deer coming through the woods. The prey stood transfixed, watching Shadow march over the rise. Shadow stopped, an arrow-shot away. Hunter and hunted gazed at each other, without hatred, without fear.
The deer stood broadside to Shadow, facing his right. Shadow gradually raised his bow to the shooting position.
Spirit of Deer. I am sorry that I must kill you. My people are hungry. Do not be angry with me. Shadow had the bow at full tension as he sighted over the arrow. The deer had not blinked, had not stirred.
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About the Book
The Noble Free is the first of a trilogy on LaSalle the Explorer’s struggle with natural and human obstacles in his quest to discover the Mississippi and to colonize Texas. It is also the story of Indian humanity, culture, and especially courage—collective and individual. The warriors’ code of bravery caused many to tremble at its prospect, even seeking escape through suicide.
The larger story is that of Native Americans caught up in European rivalries. The Noble Free depicts the clash of French and English interests so long ago with the ensuing near extinction of the Illinois Nation. LaSalle’s epic adventures deserve closer attention as they contravene much of the context of our historic relations with the Indians. La Salle’s tact and respect for the Indians can be seen as more significant than his "discovery" of the mouth of the Mississippi because without continuing support by many tribes and his own guides, he would never have survived his journeys.
This story is written as creative non-fiction. It closely follows the events chronicled by La Salle’s biographers (Francis Parkman, Anka Muhlstein, and John Upton Terrell) and it attempts to accurately portray historic events and people. More importantly, it attempts to paint as near-to-life size as possible the culture and humanity of the Native Americans, often diminished in Eurocentric writings.
About the Author
The author recently retired with over 30 years service as a military intelligence analyst, having been involved in intelligence and military issues at the national level. He performed threat assessments for major weapons system acquisitions, such as the first cruise missiles, the advanced tactical fighter (F-22 Raptor), and the advanced medium range air-to-air missile. He also served with the Strategic Defense Initiative Organization. Although these activities emphasized technical arenas, they brought into focus the need to know and understand the cultural and historical backgrounds of our allies and enemies. While reading Francis Parkman’s La Salle and the Discovery of the Great West, the author was struck with the need to write a novel on this subject.