1840Indian rebirth

One morning in June.

The Apaches in the camp received news that American traders from the east had arrived nearby, and the traders would stay for a day to purchase or exchange their bison hides.

So, under the leadership of Chiricahua Chief Oak and Plains High Priest Rainy Day, a group of Apaches took the bison hides and headed to the designated trading place.

Indians will not trust white people, and white people will not trust Indians.

Therefore, the transaction location between the two parties was carefully selected. It was some distance away from the Apache camp. At the same time, the terrain was flat and the view was wide, so it was impossible to set up an ambush here.

There is also a limit on the number of people on both sides, and neither party can exceed fifty people.

There were more than forty people on the Apache side. When they were about to arrive at their destination, the horse sentry made a visual inspection from a distance and estimated that the number of white caravans in front should be about thirty, and most of them were cavalry guards with guns.

, looking at them warily.

Oak was the leader of this Apache team, and the horse whistle followed closely behind, riding parallel to the rainy day.

"These stirrups are really useful." He stepped on the wooden stirrups on a rainy day and said, "It's much easier to ride a horse than before."

Oak, who was walking in front, also said: "Yes, we should have used it long ago. But it's just not durable. I've already broken one by stepping on it."

Ma Shao said: "After all, it is made of wood. If it is replaced with metal, the durability will be much better... We need metal."

With the help of rainy days, the promotion of stirrups and strong bows went very smoothly, and thousands of Apaches in the camp had already put on these two pieces of equipment.

For this reason, Ma Shao also received a resounding nickname: The Great Craftsman.

This is undoubtedly a good name. If it were replaced by someone else, it would probably replace the original name and become the new official title.

But the horse whistle is different. His whistle is more impressive.

In the past two months, Ma Shao has held countless "whole camp tour concerts". His whistle skills are almost indispensable in every gathering and ceremony, making everyone deeply remember his otherworldly whistle.

Therefore, the name Mashao is even more deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and even the title of Great Craftsman cannot replace it.

Not long after, everyone arrived at the trading place. They rode a few steps forward on horseback on a rainy day, and two people from the white caravan on the opposite side also came over.

One of them was obviously the leader, a man in his thirties, slightly fat and with some stubble on his chin. He greeted with a smile: "We meet again, high priest, I believe you still remember me."

"Hello, Mr. Smith." I greeted him in English even on a rainy day.

This was not the first transaction between the two parties, so there was no nonsense. Businessman Smith said directly: "I have brought you your favorite liquor. There are six hundred and twenty gallons, enough for you to fill one thousand, two hundred bags."

"The price of wine is still the same as last time. The best-quality bison hide can be exchanged for four gallons, the average-quality bison hide can be exchanged for one and a half gallons, and the poor-quality bison hide can be exchanged for half a gallon... I wonder how much you need this time? Five hundred gallons

?”

Cow hides were exchanged for spirits, and other goods were sold in small quantities. This was how the business had always been done, and Smith thought it would be the same this time.

However, what he said on the rainy day was completely beyond his expectation: "No, we don't want wine this time."

"?" Smith thought he heard wrongly and showed a confused expression.

On the rainy day, he immediately said it again in Apache language, with clear enunciation: "We are not buying wine this time."

The translator in the white team translated this sentence to Smith, and Smith finally confirmed that he had heard it correctly.

The Indians actually stopped buying wine!

He suddenly felt confused and annoyed, and said: "What, why? Don't you have to buy spirits every time? Delicious whiskey, don't you like it anymore?"

"Yes." Yutian said with a calm expression, "We have decided to stay away from strong alcohol, which will corrode our bodies. We should have done this a long time ago."

"No, who told you this? It's nonsense!" Smith waved his hand and sounded excited.

He swore that if he knew who persuaded the Apaches to give up drinking, he would tear that person's head off!

"In the name of God, whiskey will never harm our bodies. Not only that, it will also make us more spiritual." Smith continued quickly, while instructing the translator to ensure that his meaning could be conveyed more accurately.

"... Of course, some people drink too much, and some bad consequences will indeed occur. But this is the case with anything, even if it is water, drinking a gallon will burst your belly, right? This does not explain the wine

It’s a harmful thing and absolutely unacceptable.”

Yutian replied: “The problem with strong alcohol has never been that the belly is full, no one can drink it to that extent...In fact, one of our shamans has pointed out that alcohol is actually a medicine and is not suitable for diet at all.

"

"medicine?"

Smith hesitated, not knowing what to say.

But he quickly regained his composure, took a deep breath, and said in a deep voice: "Well, although the benefits of drinking are obvious, I have to admit that everyone is free to drink or not."

Then he changed the subject: "You have the right not to drink, but you should keep your word. This is not the first time we have traded. Every time we prepare at least three hundred gallons of wine and deliver it to you personally, you don't

You should break the agreement. If you don't want to buy wine, you should tell us in advance."

Rainy Day: “We didn’t sign the agreement.”

Smith argued: "Last year you told me you needed more spirits."

"Perhaps, but that's just verbal at best. According to your white people's nominal integrity principle, only the written contract must be abided by." Rainy Day said with some sarcasm in his tone.

Smith was speechless. For a moment he could only purse his lips and hold the reins tightly, as if trying to suppress his anger.

The other white people in the caravan were also agitated and talking among themselves.

"What the hell, the Indians don't want wine anymore!"

"Are we going to make this trip in vain?"

"This is a huge loss!"

There were also some white people who went straight to the edge of fear and discussed the possibility of conflict in low voices with the people around them.

"I think we might need a fight."

"You're right, but you can't do it here. You have to know that not far away is the base camp of the Apaches. And even if there is a fight, it's best not to take action..."

Seeing the commotion of the white people, he remained unmoved on the rainy day. In fact, this was completely expected by him.

The Apaches have never considered not buying alcohol. This is simply impossible. Not to mention that some alcoholics in the tribe will be unable to quit for a while, and it is impossible for the Apache to give up the medical use of spirits.

He just wanted to buy less, and what he just said was just a negotiation tactic.