Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Chapter Eight

 Saint Julians River 

 Copyright Bill Gallagher

Tampa Florida 

Deming New Mexico
 

 

 

    8.



   
     
     The three men left the Thonotosassa bar by early afternoon, the place was a dud, and that gave them time to lollygag as they made their way back to camp.  Danny had been correct again; three musket shots in the little slough by the lake brought down 2 very large turkeys.  Turkey Bar-B-Q'd well, they all knew.  Pluck 'em, gut 'em, put a stick through 'em, suspend over coals, turn every 10 minutes, heaven.  
     Danny Smith carried the turkeys over his shoulder, by their necks.  The men continued to tramp through the slough, then all of a sudden they were at lakes edge.  Lake Thonotosassa, Stone Lake, spread out before them, and they could see it was really a shallow lake, with sand bars showing offshore in places.  The high water line was visible, but because of these dry years the lake had dropped at least ten vertical feet and most likely more.  Between the old high water line and the water itself there was a white sand beach running around the edge of the lake, ringing it.  This made for easier walking.  Out of habit Johnny looked down as they walked the sand beach, searching.
     Danny said: "Lookit there.  Thems sure some funny looking leaves ain't they?"
     There were sharp pointed things scattered all over the beach just ahead, but they weren't leaves.  Johnny knew what they were, and hurried to the spot.  He began picking up some of the most finely made spearpoints he had ever seen.  There were thousands of them.  They were all different colors, like glass, and every one was perfect.  They all had the same shape too, like triangles, with a little triangle coming off the center of one side, the stem.
     "These aren't leaves Danny, they're spearpoints, here, look."  Johnny held one out to the man and he seemed stunned.  Shane was looking around and doing the hand to pocket action so familiar to anyone who has ever treasure hunted in Florida.
     "Where'd ya 'spose these things come from?" asked Danny, as he too began collecting.  He set the turkeys down on the white sand.
     "From a time before." said Johnny.
     They filled their pockets, and the next day they brought the Captain and Chuckie Stevens back, and they filled boots and bags full of spearpoints, until there were none to be seen.  If they could look forward in time about 80 years they would see that someday a resort hotel would be built on this very spot, advertising in magazines the pleasures of its location, and inviting visitors to walk the lakes edge and fill bucket after bucket with arrowheads.   The whole area of Thonotosassa is like this,  it has to do with a stone mine that the Indians of Florida used for over ten thousand years.  Stone Lake, oh yes.  The flint mine was very nearby, and there was a place on the northwest side of the lake, opposite of the surveyors camp, where two large springs ran to Saint Julians river, and the spearpoints there were even more prevalent than around the lake.  Those would not be discovered for another 100 years, until a later Army Corp Of Engineers started building canals and a train track through the area.  
     Later, these spearpoints would become world renowned among collectors of ancient weaponry.  They would be called Batwing Hillsboroughs, and anyone who is anyone in weaponry knows all about Thonotosassa, and what happened there so long ago.  The rifling effect is manifest on some of Floridas spearpoints, one of the earliest known examples of it.
     In an even farther future advanced numismatists would realize that things like this represented the very earliest beginnings of money.  Stone coinage.  The place had been a mass production mint.  There are many places like that, around all the prehistoric stone mines that ever were.
     

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      Around Tampa the land drops down to the bay, so the trip from Thonotosassa was almost all downhill.  It wasn't a steep downhill trend, mostly it was not discernible, but the horses made effortless time, and the men were not as tired at the end of the day.  They'd come through Jolly Corner but the bar there had burnt down, and just recently by the looks of it, so there was only one thing to do, and that was get back to the fort at Tampa.  It was still some days away, but everyone began drawing into themselves a little more, becoming involved once again in their ongoing personal plans, and the next steps through them, which would separate from everyone elses once they hit Tampa.  
     Johnny expected mail at the fort, though he would not hear about the birth of his child for a month or two, because the new year was still weeks away, the new year being about 9 months from conception.  
     He was given temporary quarters near the river, nice.  He picked up his trunk at the armory.  When he got back to his room there were two envelopes on his bunk, one was the familiar paper from Nancy, and the other one was official looking.  Nancys writing had become somewhat stilted and distracted, though still upbeat.  She said this was going to be a great Christmas and he didn't doubt that one bit.  She wrote about the change of weather and her life on the farm.  Her father had finally gotten over his problems and was acting resigned about the whole thing.  She thought it was because deep inside he was worried.  It was one of the things people cannot escape, worry.  It does no good, except it lets us feel we are doing something in situations where, really, nothing can be done.  It is far more productive to pray, than worry.
    Next Johnny opened the official looking envelope.  Orders to Fort Frank Brook, Esteenhatchee, departure to commence in two days!  Johnny saw the Captains hand in this and he was right.  He saw the Captain that night at the mess hall.  Matthew Gilmour brought his plate to Johnnys table and they talked one last time, before they had to part ways, for awhile at least.  Johnny felt good that he could be useful to the Captain, and he would do whatever it took to keep things right in Esteenhatchee for him.
     "You got the orders John?"
     "Yes sir and thank you."
     "Can you ride a horse?"
     "Yes sir."
     "Good. On the morning of your departure bring this letter to the stables.  You can get there as early as you want.  The horse you will be issued is to be turned in at the stables at the other Fort Brook as soon as you get there. Your trunk will be sent on, so take whatever you need with you.  And here is a letter explaining things to Major Johnson, who I have known a long time and can be trusted.  Finally, a letter for Martin at the boatyard, and a map to my place, look now..." and the Captain showed Johnny how to get to his house in the mangroves, out by Dead Mans Island, where the pirate treasure was found.  They ate as they talked, and when they finished they rose from the table and shook hands.
     "God speed Johnny.  I hope you make it for the babys birth."  
      John Prestwick thought he was very lucky to have a friend like Matthew Gilmour, and he was right.
                                                                

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    Johnny had to make a trip into Tampa town proper.  He needed to see Liam the Leathersmith about some repairs, and he needed a grocer.
    On his way back to the fort, up pops Lewis, the sharp shooting card player and guide who had broken the news to him about his survey duty, all those months ago. And on the same sidewalk they had met before!  Maybe Lewis lived around here.
     "Hiya there Johnny man, how the devil are ya?"
     "Lewis!  Good to see you sir, we just got back from that surveying up north, and I have orders for Esteenhatchee, I will do my last 4 months there."  Johnny didn't bring up Nancy. Lewis was not the type one divulged personal details to.
     "Esteenhatchee?  Never heard of it."
     "Its a nice place, we went through on the survey.  I think I'll like it.  Say Lewis, I've been looking for lieutenant Reich since we got back, he was my commanding officer when I left, but I can't find him, do you know if he got transferred or something?"
     Lewis laughed out loud and said: "Oh he got transferred all right, he got transferred right to eternity."  Then Lewis told him the story.
     It was in the last couple days of March this year, a freak accident right after sundown, a steam boiler over by carpenter stores exploded.  The lieutenant had been walking right in front of it when it happened.  He was the only injury/fatality.  A freak accident.  Lewis laughed out loud again.  He certainly was a rough one.  Then he said something that made Johnnys scalp tingle:
     "Mayhap 'twere the Faire folk, grantin' someones wish." Lewis winked knowingly. "They found the lieutenents left hand in St. Julians River."
     Johnny was speechless.  Then:
     "Say Lewis, I just bought this goat cheese, but decided I didn't really want it, can you put it to use?"  Lewis said thanks, he would have it for lunch.
     They shook hands and went their separate ways.


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     The days flew by and the horse was fast.  It helped that Johnny knew the way.  He did not rest much, he was up, as up as he had ever been.  The sun and the moon criss-crossed the sky and he was a silhouette against them both, coat flapping, head down.  
     Johnny was waiting at the south side of the river when the boatyard crew came to work, and one of the men undid the ferry and took him and the horse across with no delays.  He gave the Captains letter to Martin, and told them all he would be back later to explain things.  
     He and the horse trotted through the gate at Fort Frank Brook in Esteenhatchee early in the morning of December 15, 1838.  The stable master received the horse and showed him some bunks to choose from.  Johnny stowed his gear, got a shower (The boiler was fixed) and clean clothes, then began the walk to Nancys farm.  It was still early but he saw smoke from the chimney and movement inside the house as he approached.  He walked up the porch and knocked on the door.  An older man with vaguely familiar features answered.  
     "Good morning sir, my name is John Prestwick and I am here to see my wife."  Johnny held out his hand and the man slowly took it.
     From behind the man came a cry.  "Johnny!"  She ran into his arms and he held her.  She was heavy with their baby, and he felt a great relief having made it in time for the birth.  He kissed the top of her head, felt his eyes water.
     Everything was all right now.
     All right.
     

Fin


 

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