2. 1833: How Cutting Bird Got His Name

The Geechee men arrived first at the camp near Island Lake. Levi and Toney cut saplings and palmetto leaves for the shelter, while the boys Moses and Aaron made the fire and arranged logs and stones for the men to sit on. Then the boys went out for game.

Moses brought in a rabbit he’d caught. The Seminoles had arrived. Levi, his father, was sitting with them: the Talasi Tustenuggee called Asin-Yahola and his uncle, Yaha Hadjo, and the Miccosukee called Coacoochee, slight and wicked-looking. One of Asin Yahola’s women was there, too—Asin Yahola always had women around him. Moses knew her. Her name was Chechoter and she was dark like his own mother, who had died. She smiled at him.

Levi was saying:

—We have heard that the delegation is back from the West. Abraham is anxious to hear what they saw there.

Asin-Yahola adjusted his shirt diplomatically.

—They have only said that they were there. They will want to talk to their women about it. Holata Micco told me that the land was good but the country was very hostile. Their horses were stolen. The Choctaws and the Muscogees are very strong.

—Slaves?

—Yes, many slaves. We are not like you, though, Yanasa. You are one people with one will. We are many. We have to persuade. My uncle knows this better than anyone.

Yaha Hadjo, like Abraham an uncle of Asin-Yahola, snarled past a mouthful of jerky:

—There are some among us who are tired of losing fights.

—Abraham is concerned about Charlie Emathla, Holata Emathla, Huithle Emathla; all the ones who want to leave. The Estelusti cannot leave, brother.

—They know all the arguments. They will have to be persuaded.

Moses dressed the rabbit. He only had Aaron’s bad knife and made clumsy work of it. Coacoochee barked at him.

—You, Moses. You’re making a mess. Where is the good knife I lent you?

Moses kept his mouth smooth.

—Well, I was dressing a rabbit, like this one, and I put it down for a moment. A bird came and took it.

—That’s ridiculous. What would a bird do with my good knife?

He had lost the knife dicing with some of the Buckra soldiers. Coacoochee looked really angry. He had an angry sort of face, all lean at the bottom like a fox.

—I guess the same as me. It needed to cut up its dinner. He might be done with it, do you want me to look for him?

Chechoter laughed and Coacoochee had to laugh too. Levi gave Moses a warning look as Aaron came crashing through the brush, wet to the hips, carrying nothing. Levi and Aaron made the stew. Later, when the men had said what they came to say and they had all sat down to eat, Chechoter came over to him. From inside her sash, she produced a small sharp knife, not longer a man’s thumb. She said:

—Don’t lose this one, Cutting Bird. Give my love to my sister.