The Trek: Darwin's World, Book II (The Darwin's World Series 2)

by Jack L Knapp

  "We're going to have to decide. If the people we rescued are assets, we can offer them membership in the tribe. If they're not likely to pull their weight, we can give them food and one of our emergency kits. They can have a spear and if they can use it, a bow too. We'll make what they need but I won't accept them if they won't fight when necessary. They got captured but we don't know the circumstances. If they just gave up without a fight, they're a drag on the rest of us. You understand what I'm talking about?"

  "I do, Matt. I'll talk to all of them and Lee can too. We'll let you know what we think. There might be a problem though. I don't know if all of them speak English. They speak Spanish, but they'll need to understand the rest of us."

  "If they're the kind of people we're looking for, we can teach them English. We don't need misunderstandings because people can't talk to each other. Anyway, you can look into that when you talk to them."

  José spoke English passably, so perhaps the others would too. Problems, problems; do something to help people and another can of worms opened up!

  #

  The augmented tribe had managed the descent from the ridge without incident. They'd set up a temporary camp in the flat area lining the riverbanks until Lee's scouts could look for a better location. The former captives had pitched in to help. At least they weren't afraid of work!

  Matt found Sal with a crew looking at the trees along the river.

  "How's it going, Sal?"

  "Matt, I don't think these trees will work. They're not very big and most of them are twisted. I'm guessing this area floods every spring and the trees have taken a beating. The ones across the river look much bigger. That bank opens out more than a hundred yards and the trees at the far side appear to be better than what's available here. We've only got about forty yards width here, barely enough to camp in anyway.

  "Have you thought about moving across the river and camping there?"

  "I hadn't, no. We've got to cross eventually, so I don't suppose it matters if we cross before we set up a long-term camp.

  “I've got some ideas, but I wondered what you thought about how we were to get the tribe across?"

  "Matt, I'd rather cross by ferry. We’d have to build it, but we can do that. The trees are big enough to float our carts, and shape isn’t all that important. We might have to make a separate trip for each cart, but we can do it. It will just take time, probably at least a day. We'll need more rope, but if someone can make the ropes my crew can build you a ferry in a day, two at the most."

  "OK, Sal. Here's what I've got in mind for the ferry. One thing, it needs a keel along the middle. If you can't find a big tree, use smaller ones and make several keel boards we can lash between two of the logs."

  "We can do that. But why put a keel on a ferry? I was thinking of something like a big raft."

  "We don't know how deep that water is or what kind of bottom the river has. Mud would make for tough poling, pushing the raft across. Instead, we'll build a reaction ferry. That’s why it needs a keel.

  "We can build it if you know what it's supposed to look like."

  "I'm thinking of two layers of logs, one with the logs pointed straight ahead and a cross-layer over that for a deck. The ferry's got to be big enough for a few polemen to work, plus carry at least one cart.

  “We might be able to load the carts so that the pole-ends on each face the other cart, that way we can carry two carts each trip. We could unload the carts, stack the cargo underneath or something. We can decide after the ferry is built. But that means it has to be at least twenty feet long, probably twenty-five so that the polemen can move around the ends.

  “The current will carry the ferry over, but when it’s almost across we'll need polemen to push it the last few feet. After that, we can tie a rope to a tree and pull the ferry to the bank. Build a fence around the ferry sides, too, a railing. We'll be carrying women and kids over, and some of them might not be able to swim if they fell in."

  Sal nodded his understanding and Matt went on his way.

  Colin and Lee were talking to the rescued captives so Matt left them to it and passed on. Lilia was helping Margrette and her daughter Callie at the kitchen area. Matt motioned to her and she left the others and joined him.

  "Lilia, I'm going to need rope, a lot of it, and the main one has to be strong and perhaps two hundred yards long. Can you organize that?"

  "I'll need help from some of the men later, but yes, I can do it. We'll make smaller strands, plait them together or twist them, whichever works best. The long one is going to be too heavy for the women to handle."

  Matt nodded. "You'll get the help. We can use some of the former captives. I haven't decided whether they should be part of the tribe or if we should just give them arms and food and turn them loose."

  "You don't plan to keep them with us?"

  "I don't know yet. We can't have deadweight, so they've got to be useful, we don't have enough resources as it is. More mouths to feed, it means we’ll need more of everything. The raiders took everything the captives had; all they've got now are some ragged skin breechclouts. Have you talked to the women?"

  "Just for a short time, Matt. They had it rough. The slavers passed them around. At least one might be pregnant."

  Matt shook his head. "We'll have to wait to decide about that one, maybe wait a month or two before we decide on the other women too. I won't turn a pregnant woman out, and we’ll need her to care for the child later so we’ll just have to teach her how to fight if it comes to that. If we're going to build a civilization that keeps us alive long-term, we need women, all we can get. Men too, but men can't bear children.

  "See what you can find out and keep me advised, but the first task is to get the rope made."

  "I'll take care of it, Matt. As for teaching her to fight, we’ve got a number of women who are quite accomplished. I don’t think it will be a problem. Most women will fight to protect their child anyway, so we’ll just need to arm them and teach what they need to know."

  #

  Matt walked down to the river and looked at the brown water flowing slowly past. He wondered whether this was an early version of one of the rivers he'd known about downtime. Could this be the Brazos, perhaps? Or at least what would become the Brazos a few thousand years hence.

  He walked slowly upstream, moving away from the river when he came to an obstacle, returning to the water’s edge when he'd passed. About a mile upstream he found what he’d hoped for, a bend in the river. He kept going. One more thing would be needed to make the bend suitable for what he had in mind.

  And there it was, the last item he needed. Turning, he retraced his steps and was soon back at the camp.

  He found Sal and his crew studying the trees to see which ones would be suitable for building the ferry.

  "Don't cut anything here, Sal. Bring your helpers and I'll show you the place I found."

  Each man picked up a bow and quiver from where he'd laid the weapons while working. Matt looked on approvingly as they slung the quivers and removed an arrow, nocking it ready on the bowstring. The little party soon set off upstream.

  "This bend will help. We attach the rope to this tree here, it's big enough, I think. The other end of the rope will be tied to the raft, the ferry. We'll use a separate rope, a kind of bridle, and tie it from the front of the ferry to the back. The long rope will have a loop that we can slide along the bridle-rope. We want to be able to make it like the letter 'Y', but so we can shorten the front part when we cross the river, shorten the back part when we want to come back. That's where the keel comes in. The water pushes against the keel, and since it's not square to the current the ferry will be pushed across the river. Do you see what I have in mind?"

  "I think so. The flowing water is deflected and the ferry reacts by being pushed away. The rope, the long one that is, keeps it from drifting downstream so the ferry is pushed across the river by the current."

  "That's it. This is called a reaction ferry, and it will save us
a lot of work in the long run. That wide area on the other side, that's where we'll land. I'm going to put Lee and a couple of others over there first for security. They can just push the ferry off from the bank and it will come back to this side."

  "Matt, this is going to take a couple of days at least. Can we move the temporary camp here while we're working?"

  "I don't see why not. You won't need to waste time going back and forth. I'll talk to Colin about it."

  "You do that. We'll stay here and dig a latrine over by those trees, dig a firepit for the kitchen crew too."

  Matt nodded and headed back to find Colin.

  #

  The move was finished by midafternoon. Margrette and Callie soon had the evening meal cooking over the new campfire.

  Matt found Lee and Tex near their campsite.

  "Lee, we need meat. I'd like to hunt, but I'm needed here to oversee building the ferry. We saw tracks and droppings on the way here. There are more pigs around, and the larger droppings were left by elk, maybe a stag-moose. After we get across, we'll take a real hunting party out and see if we can find some of those bison, what Tex calls buffalo. We need the meat. Anyway, feel like going hunting tomorrow?"

  "Matt, what say I take one of them fellers of yours and go huntin'? Never crossed the river, not that I remember, but I've hunted all through here. Shouldn't take long. Stag-moose, you said? Big rascal, dappled hide like, got more antlers than anything else I've ever seen?"

  "I don't know what you've seen, Tex, but that's a pretty good description, big palm-like antlers with long spikes coming off. They're dangerous, really dangerous. I saw one kill a lioness. She charged, he caught her with those spikes and tossed her. Then he finished her off with his front hooves."

  "That's the critter. Never saw one kill a lion, though. You saw this?"

  "I did. And while he was celebrating, I put an arrow in him. We ate him. Tasted a lot like elk, like really lean beef from downtime."

  "Yeah, I know what you mean. How about I take two men? One of the carts, maybe? We'll need it to bring back the meat."

  "Sure, Tex; pick a cart, take Piotr and Marc. I think they'd like to hunt."

  "I'll do that. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

  Lee posted his sentries and announced who would relieve them during the night. Laz, now his deputy, would oversee the changes. Soon the camp grew quiet and people slept.

  #

  Tex, Piotr, and Marc were gone by the time Matt woke up.

  Lilia was at the campfire when he went there for breakfast. Sal and his crew were eating and talking together, off to one side. They soon finished and moved away to find the tools they'd need for constructing the ferry.

  "You sent Marc and Piotr with Tex, Matt?"

  "I did. Is there a problem with that?"

  "I'm not sure." Lilia looked away. "It's just that Tex was talking to Marja. I got a funny feeling about it. I don't think she wanted to talk to him. Piotr was off helping Colin at the time. But Marja didn't say anything, so maybe it was nothing."

  "Let's not borrow trouble, Lilia, OK? It could be nothing. If there's a problem, she'll tell us about it."

  "Well, she didn't mention it to me. I hope she didn't say anything to Piotr."

  "If it happens again, let me know. I'll talk to her."

  "I will, Matt." Lilia went back to working at the fire.

  #

  The hunting party came back late that afternoon. The three had indeed found a stag-moose. They'd also found a large doe and two pigs. The animals had all been field-dressed and the heavily loaded cart groaned under the weight. Piotr and Marc pulled the cart, one to each of the poles. Tex followed behind, arrow nocked on his bow.

  Matt looked on and approved. There were plenty of dangers around. Even the stag-moose was dangerous, although it appeared they'd had no problems bagging this large male.

  Matt congratulated the three and helped push the cart to the kitchen fire. Colin was there and reached for his butcher tools. There would be fresh meat for tomorrow, enough to feed the entire tribe even with the new additions.

  #

  Matt found Lee and asked if he'd talked to the rescued captives.

  "What do you think about the people we picked up, Lee?"

  "Matt, they're mostly from Spain, wherever that is. They speak Spanish but they all have some English. They learned it from the slavers; if they misunderstood, the slavers used those whips. So they learned enough words to be understood. They're all from one village, the last one the slavers captured.

  "These weren't fighters but I think we need them anyway. The fighting men were killed when the raiders took their village. The others are craftsmen, but not like Sal. They work with things like our spear points."

  "They work with iron, you mean?"

  "Right. They had a small deposit of some kind of ore, I didn’t understand the term they used. They were using charcoal to heat it. It took a lot of fuel, but they got the ore hot enough to get the iron out. I didn't understand everything they were talking about, but we could sure use more of that iron stuff."

  "Will they fight if we teach them, make weapons for them?"

  "I'm sure they will, Matt. They just don't know much, but once they learn, I don't think they'll hang back."

  "I'll talk to Colin and see what he thinks. If he agrees, we'll offer them membership in the tribe. You'll be responsible for teaching them, you know. I'll put Piotr in charge of making weapons, he'll need some help."

  "Marc can help Piotr. I've got others too."

  "Not Tex, Lee? He made the bow he’s using, and it's a good one."

  "No. Not Tex. Matt, did you see the bruise on Piotr's cheekbone?"

  "No. I pushed on the cart and I didn't see anything unusual. Did Piotr say how he got it?"

  "He said he walked into a limb in the dark this morning, right after they left camp."

  "You think he's hiding something, Lee?"

  "Matt, I don't know. He's usually pretty careful. Walking into a limb...well, that's not like Piotr."

  Matt nodded thoughtfully; it was just one more possible issue.

  But if Tex caused problems within the tribe, Matt would indeed have to deal with it.

  Chapter 22

  "Anyone seen Tex this morning?"

  "Not this morning. He talked to Lee last evening. Maybe he knows where Tex is."

  "Thanks, Colin. Lee's out with his security guys right now but I'll check with him when he gets back. How's Sal doing with the ferry?"

  "He figures today or maybe tomorrow at the latest, if the rope's ready. That's the drawback, having a rope cable that's long enough and heavy enough. We've only got one chance to test the cable when it's done, and if it snaps we'll lose the ferry. Maybe the people on the ferry too."

  "It might be best if no one's on the ferry the first time we try the rope, Colin. We can push it out into the stream and use a kind of rope tether attached to the bridle we talked about. Have people ready who can pull on the rope and change the bridle angle to bring the ferry back. It doesn’t have to be as strong as the main rope."

  "Simpler to just tie the rope to the ferry, Matt. Let it swing out, leave it there for a few minutes, then bring it back with the tether rope."

  "You're right. Do it that way. The tether rope needs to be almost as strong as the main rope but maybe only half as long."

  "We'll see to it, Matt."

  "Thanks, Colin."

  With Lee and Tex both gone, Matt decided to talk to Elizabeth the Wise Woman. He found her camp south of the kitchen fire, but she was nowhere around. Perhaps she was off looking for herbs. Matt thought for a moment, then realized that Lilia had vanished too. Bella had probably gone with Elizabeth. Shani was helping Sandra with the little ones, not yet teaching so much as getting to know them better. The oldest child, Bear, looked like he would be a handful. Sandra would deal with him, likely with a quick slap on the butt. If she had problems, she could get immediate help from the boy's mother; it helped that the tribespeopl
e were rarely more than a few minutes away from each other.

  Piotr was working, chipping at a flint core. This one came from an outcrop just down the ridge from where the tribe had fought the slave raiders. Matt wandered over to see how the project was going.

  "You're making progress, Piotr. Have you finished anything yet?"

  "I've got a leather bag of arrowheads, Matt. They're not as nice as the ones you made, but they'll do. I'm still getting the hang of using that antler tip to flake the edges. I tried making a knife blade, but it broke, so I made it into another arrowhead."

  "I did that too, Piotr. Knife blade, spear blade, if they broke I just converted them to the next smaller tool. They can always be scrapers or bits for boring holes. I didn't waste much after I learned how to flake edges instead of chip them. Have you tried making a bow or spear yet?"

  "Just my own, Matt. José is working on weapons for his people. He'll do the wood part, I'll provide the flints, Marja is learning to make bowstrings. Lilia's teaching her."

  "Good, the more people who know how to do things, the better. Eventually we'll have paper and can start writing things down before they're forgotten. But for now, just spread the knowledge as wide as we can and hope for the best. Anyway, I'll stop interrupting you. I'm going to have a look at what everyone else is doing."

  "See you later, Matt."

  A larger group was working just upstream, so Matt went to see if they needed help. As he got closer, he saw that most of the tribe's women and a few of the men were working on the main rope for the ferry. Dominick and two other men had dragged the end into the woods, then wrapped the heavy rope around a large tree. They now adjusted the rope as the women worked, sliding more of it around the tree periodically to take up the slack.

  Lilia was there, directing a group of women as they assembled smaller strands into the larger cable. She watched them plait the smaller strands, then twist them together to make the main rope. With each twist the heavy cable grew an inch or two.

  Other women waited with replacements for the strands that were being plaited. When one grew short, another was fed in to replace it and the plaiting continued without a pause.