Lane Batot sent talking leaves from the mountains of North Carolina — the delightful Myths of the Cherokee by James Mooney. Many hours of exploration await.
Lane scouted out a bit of sign that he knew would land right in the x-ring at Frontier Partisans. On page 365, Mooney relates the tale of The Owl, who belongs in the pantheon of badass Frontier Partisan warriors. Cunning and ballsy, he cleverly cheated a horrible death at the stake at the hands of Creek enemies.
In the late 17th and early 18th centuries, the Cherokee and the Iroquois were locked in imperial conflict. The two powerful native peoples — linguistic cousins — went to considerable effort to travel great distances over most rugged terrain to get at each other. After bleeding each other for decades, the two powers decided upon detente. A Seneca emissary named The Owl traveled with seven companions down from their western New York homeland to Cherokee country in the western part of the Carolinas to bear an offer of peace. The Cherokee were receptive, but they required a gesture of good faith. And nothing says “it shall be peace” quite like traveling south to Creek country on a raid.
All eight Seneca enthusiastically joined the Cherokee war party to attack the Creeks and, as the Seneca were doughty warriors, the Cherokee were no doubt glad to have their former enemies along. There was a fight, and the Seneca and the Cherokee escaped — all except The Owl.
A council was held in the enemy’s camp and it was decided that The Owl should be burned at the stake. The wood was gathered and everything made ready, but as they were about to tie him he claimed the warrior’s privilege to sing his death song and strike the post as he recited his warlike deeds.
He told first his exploits in the north and then in the west, giving times and places and the number of scalps taken, until his enemies were so pleased and interested that they forgot the prisoner in the warrior. It was a long story, but at lat he came to the battle in which he was taken. He told how many relatives he had killed of the very men around him, and then,striking the post with his tomahawk, “So many of your people I have killed, and so many I will yet kill.” And with that he struck down two men, sprang through the circle of warriors and was away.
The stunned Creeks never caught up to The Owl, who fled back to the Cherokee and rejoined his seven companions. the Cherokee were well satisfied with the gesture of good faith, and a peace was concluded between the great warrior peoples. Which goes to show you that a good story can get you out of the worst kind of fix.
Seneca, by David Wright.
Paul McNamee says
Makes me smile…
…a gallows humor grin, for sure.
JimC says
Best kind…
Keith West says
Love that story. I’ll have to get the book.
lane batot says
Awright–timed that perfect! One of my rare library-computer-use trips to town today(still no computer of my own….), so I could respond before half a month passed! “Myths Of The Cherokee” is THE single book to get on the Cherokee(if yer only gittin’ one…..), as it is the main source of everyone else’s writings on this tribe! It is usually sold as two titles together: “Myths Of The Cherokee and Sacred Formulas of the Cherokee”, which is usually quite expensive, especially in hardback. But they have recently split it up in two paperbacks, and unless you are particularly interested in actual ceremonial and formulatic stuff, I’d recommend saving yer wampum and just getting the “Myths Of The Cherokee”–chock full of all manner of actual historical accounts, interactions with other tribes as well as Europeans, and also supernatural tales and legends–although some neato stuff in “Sacred Formulas”–like how you had to decontaminate yer gun after you shot a wolf, etc.(to keep from offending the wolf’s spirit)…….An interesting thing about the Iroquois(Seneca especially) in their warfare against the Cherokee for so many generations(remember, this was in the good old “savage” days before the Cherokee became one of the “5 civilized tribes”–not that THAT did them any good in the long run…..), was that those superb long distance runners that the Iroquois were famous for, it typically took only FIVE DAYS to get from frikkin’ upper New York State to Cherokee country in the Southeast–RUNNING!(no horses yet!). This through mostly rugged forested mountains with only game trails! And the Seneca were the most superb runners amongst the Iroquois, so you can see how the above story could have occurred–once one of those Seneca warriors got going, you were NOT likely to catch him!
JimC says
The early Iroquois were, indeed, serious ultra-marathoners. Trained from childhood. And it had to be a travel-light-freeze-at-night scenario, too. Tough hombres.
Black Tyrone says
I have 3 children now adults who ran XC in HS and college My middle daughter ran twice in the NYS meet. I must say that they all watched Drums Along the Mohawk. Henry Fonda’s character ran a great XC race perhaps the greatest on film BUT did you see the Naked Prey with C Wilde? too much! Black Tyrone
JimC says
Watched The Naked Prey again just a few months ago.
Black Tyrone says
Jim don’t know if my rambling on my man cave went through. WAY WAY OFF TOPIC! I saw David Wright’s Seneca portrayal and then looked around my room. I just then went off. A good man cave will do that to a partisan. Apologies to all partisans out there saying “What the heck is he talking about? Ha Ha Best to all.
Black Tyrone says
Pawnee my respect
Matthew says
And nothing says “it shall be peace” quite like traveling south to Creek country on a raid.—
It says a lot about human nature that we can celebrate peace with violence.
This is a great story.
JimC says
Perfectly tribal, ain’t it? We’re friends now — let’s go kill some other guys together.
lane batot says
I’d LOVE to see this incident used in a film someday…….
Wayne says
The “let me tell you a story” gambit worked well for Sheherezade too.
JimC says
Right! Well played.
deuce says
The website, Sacred Texts, is a goldmine for stuff like this:
http://www.sacred-texts.com/nam/cher/index.htm
JimC says
Thx for the resource.
Hillbilly Nick says
Outstanding! Glad to hear that a Homeboy escaped through cunning and ability! As a SW NY native and resident the Senecas hold a place in my heart. I live about 25 miles from the Seneca Rez. Know a few of them. They have the usual rez problems with booze and dope down there but there are still warriors and hunters among the tribe. The historical accounts speak of the great size of the Senecas and I can back that up! Many of them are huge! Six foot plus and 300 pounds is pretty common there. I attend events when I can and watch as people who aren’t familiar with them and their ways get intimidated. Many veterans amongst them and they have an excellent celebration every year for the vets.
JimC says
A great warrior people.
deuce says
I was born and raised about 50mi from Seneca, Missouri. It’s unclear why it was named after the Sencas, but it definitely doesn’t seem to have been named after the Roman statesman:
http://www.newtoncountymotourism.org/native-americans.php
Tangentially, Steve and Cassie Gaines were both born there, though they grew up in Miami, OK.
Finally, Exeter township in Newton County is the only place north of the Mason-Dixon where Robert E. Howard is known to have visited. His maternal grandfather lived there.
JimC says
Did Seneca migrate there with other Eastern tribesmen?
deuce says
Oh, there were/are Seneca *near* there, over in Oklahoma. Some passed through southwest Missouri. Some came as refugees for a short time to KANSAS during the Civil War. I just can’t find any reason why the town in MO is named “Seneca”. The Osage were the last tribe to vacate the county and they were native to the area (all of SEK was basically Osage as well). This is what the American Indian Center has to say (you’ll need to scroll):
http://www.theamericanindiancenter.org/Websites/aiccm/files/Content/2758750/NIE_2011_Ok_Indian_Guide_Final.pdf
Not much there.
BTW, within a 120mi radius of where I was born, you can find towns/etc with names of about half the Injun tribes extant in the entire continental US circa 1800. Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas and Oklahoma were where the eastern tribes, beginning about 1810 or earlier, started to congregate. Of course, once Indian Territory was established, the tribes started concentrating there.
lane batot says
There’s also a “Seneca” town in South Carolina–that’s named after past Seneca raids in the area, once upon a time. Also fur interests’ sake(and in discussing displaced eastern Seneca), remember Lozen’s(Victorio’s sister) attraction to that roving passing Seneca warrior, mentioned in “In The Days Of Victorio” and elaborated on more in the excellent novel about Lozen “Ghost Warrior”? Yeah, I know this response is waaaay late, but just gittin’ caught up at the library computer today……
JimC says
Them Seneca got around. Heartbreaker…