Wind Rises in North America 1625

Chapter 276 North Corner Fort

In the northwest corner of the Qinglan Peninsula (now the Olympia Peninsula in Washington State) (present-day the small town of Ernebe), the Maka Indians have lived here for thousands of years.

They make a living by whaling, fishing and gathering, leading a simple life in harmony with nature.

Two years ago, a group of outsiders claiming to be from Xinhua suddenly broke into this peaceful land.

They brought salt, knives and some food, and exchanged them for a piece of land by the sea from the nearby Maka tribe.

Before long, a small wooden village was built, and a simple wooden fence was built around it.

These new Chinese also built a high lookout tower on a nearby hillside. Two people would be stationed there every day, holding a "short tube" and staring at the sea in the distance, as if looking for something.

At first, the Maka people thought they were observing large fish (whales) in the sea, and then they would kill them in their small boats like they did.

However, these new Chinese have no intention of hunting big fish.

Every day, in addition to keeping a close eye on the sea, they cut wood, level the land around the camp, and occasionally catch migratory salmon, flounder and crabs.

They could make these foods extremely delicious. Some Maka people who could not resist the temptation would exchange a large number of animals and fish they caught with them in order to eat the delicacies, even if it was just to drink a small sip of the delicious fish soup.

As time went on, the Maka people gradually became dependent on these outsiders, especially the novel items and delicious food they brought, and the trade and exchanges between the two sides became closer.

However, in late autumn last year, these new Chinese suddenly became nervous, as if they had discovered something dangerous at sea.

The Xinhua people surrounded the wooden village where they lived, frantically hammering thick logs into the ground, making the village, which already seemed very solid, even more indestructible.

They also found the Maka tribe and asked them to form an alliance with them to fight against another group of possible invading outsiders.

They used extremely exaggerated language and actions to describe the invader as extremely brutal, saying that once he landed, he would kill all the indigenous people and steal everything there.

Therefore, these new Chinese asked the surrounding Maka people to stand with them and jointly fight back against the invaders' attacks.

The Maka people seemed very surprised and puzzled by this.

They have lived here for generations, peacefully without conflict with the world. Why would those invaders hurt them?
However, considering the large amount of benefits given by the New Chinese: wine, food, knives, salt and spices, the Maka people decided to stand on their side and jointly defend this land.

At least, the new Chinese brought them many useful "tools", which made their once difficult lives a little better.

After being on full alert for more than a month, they did not receive any invaders. Instead, a small boat belonging to the new Chinese arrived.

Afterwards, the Xinhua people in the wooden village burst into very enthusiastic cheers, saying that they had defeated the invader.

While the Macanese people breathed a sigh of relief, they also had a greater respect for the new Chinese.

Because they claimed that they had killed more than a thousand invaders and forced them to flee in a panic.

For the Maka people, more than a thousand people is an unimaginable concept.

Xinhua stretched out his hands and drew a big circle, saying that all the Maka people within a radius of dozens of kilometers were less than a thousand people.

After "listening" to this, the Maka people did not express any doubts.

The Xinhua people had sharp spears and short knives that could easily pierce or cut the bodies of animals.

They also have a short-barreled weapon that can emit fire and kill a ferocious black bear.

With such powerful strength, it should not be difficult to defeat foreign invaders.

So, these new Chinese came here probably to guard against the arrival of invaders and provide early warning for them to defeat them.

However, strangely, after the invasion risk was lifted, the new Chinese did not leave here, but instead acted as if they were going to live here permanently.

When the weather turned warmer this year, more than ten of their companions arrived by boat, bringing the number of new Chinese in the village to more than 30. With their military force and various rare items, they became the most influential "tribe" within a few kilometers.

However, as time went on, the relationship between the New Chinese and the Maka people gradually became delicate.

In addition to being very fond of the furs stored by the Maka people, they also showed great interest in the Maka people's land and resources.

In the name of better "protecting" the safety of the Maka people, they began to expand their control and even interfere in the internal affairs of the Maka people.

The originally free life of the Maka people seemed to be affected a lot, and everyone began to become busy.

They needed to hunt harder and fish harder than before in order to exchange for various items from the new Chinese.

Because the conditions for exchanging goods for new Chinese people are becoming more and more harsh.

Last year, when they first arrived, a beautiful and soft otter skin could be exchanged for half a bag of grain, and a dozen fat salmon could be exchanged for a handful of salt.

However, the new Chinese now began to demand more fish and animal skins in exchange for the same amount of food or salt.

The Makar people were dissatisfied, but they could not resist the temptation of these items.

Especially those sharp knives and axes, which made them both afraid and eager.

In order to solve the problem of insufficient goods for exchange, the Xinhua people would ask the Macanese to do things for them in exchange for corresponding "remuneration".

There is a lot of work waiting for them to do every day, such as tilling the land, cutting wood, or building houses.

To be honest, this kind of life is not what the Maca people want.

They advocate freedom and like to be unrestrained. After eating, they can lean under a big tree and have a comfortable sleep, instead of being driven (induced) by the new Chinese to do very hard work.

The new Chinese reclaimed a lot of land around the village. They demanded more labor from the Maka people, more fish, furs and timber, and more resources.

Maca people experience a feeling called "tiredness".

Some young people in the tribe began to question this unfair exchange, believing that the new Chinese were bullying them.

Xinhua people feel very puzzled and even a little aggrieved by the Maca people's statement.

Before we new Chinese came, take a look at what kind of life you Maca people lived?
They lived in leaky thatched huts, wore bark clothes that were not warm at all, and ate tasteless salmon. In winter or when there was a shortage of food, they could only dig up wild vegetables and roots on the ground, and had to go without meals.

A blizzard hit, and one-third of the tribe was frozen to death.

As for the tools that could be used, apart from wooden sticks, there were only primitive and crude stone knives and stone axes, and it took a lot of effort to do anything.

Since we, the New Chinese, arrived here, your living standards have skyrocketed, and productivity has also been greatly improved. You now have proper food and metal tools. We have also guided you in building warmer and more comfortable mud houses, and provided you with soft and warm cotton and linen cloth.

You work for us and get a certain amount of "remuneration". We don't order you around for nothing!

By the way, we can also treat your illnesses.

Oh, of course, although due to my limited skills, I didn’t cure many people.

But it is much more effective than those charlatans and witches in your tribe who pray to God in a fierce and violent manner!

Look, our arrival has greatly improved your lives, so why do you complain and feel dissatisfied with us?
The conflict finally broke out one day.

On the afternoon of June 6, a sunny day, two young Maka hunters came to North Point Fort (now the town of Ernibe) with an elk they had captured, hoping to exchange it for a knife and a jar of potato wine.

However, the Xinhua people examined the elk and thought it was too thin, so they only gave it a pinch of salt and half a can of wine.

The young man waved his hands and angrily "questioned" them why they only got so little in exchange and whether the conditions were too harsh.

Xinhua told them with gestures that the village didn't really need the elk.

Because, at this season, they can fish on the seashore and in the streams, and hunt in the jungle for themselves, and they have plenty of food and are not short of game.

The only thing of value in this elk is its fur, and its meat cannot be preserved for long.

I give you these things because we are neighbors.

Otherwise, let alone half a can of wine, I'm afraid I won't even give you a pinch of salt.

You know, our village is far away from the mainland of Xinhua, and transportation is inconvenient. It takes about three or four months for someone to send us supplies.

These wine and salt are so expensive!
But you can't exchange as much as you want.

If you don't want to exchange, then find someone else!
Perhaps they did not understand the explanation of the Xinhua man, perhaps they were unwilling to be "taken advantage of" by them, or more likely their needs were not met. The two Maka people angrily knocked the Xinhua man to the ground, stole his sword and supplies, and quickly fled into the nearby jungle while the guards in the village did not react.

This move immediately made the relationship between the two sides sharp and confrontational.

More than 20 fully armed New Chinese rushed to the Maka tribe, demanding that they hand over the murderer and impose severe punishment on him.

This is a blatant act of robbery, and it happened at the gate of the Xinhua village. It is a naked armed provocation!
Although the Maka tribe has more than 70 people and nearly 30 young and strong men, in terms of numbers, they seem to be on par with the new Chinese.

But the other side has "short-barreled" weapons that can spit fire, as well as tough and sharp daggers and spears. After a conflict, the Maka tribe will definitely be at a disadvantage, and there may even be a large number of casualties.

After a brief discussion, several elders in the tribe decided to surrender to the Xinhua people, but asked themselves to punish the two violent tribesmen as an explanation to them.

The Xinhua people can supervise from the side to show the fairness of the Maka people.

After a little thought, the Xinhua people agreed to the Maka people's suggestion.

After all, they are outsiders and have not yet gained absolute advantage, so they cannot let things get out of hand.

Moreover, they would need the help of these Maka people in the future to collect furs, cut wood, organize the land and many other matters.

Although they are all clumsy, they are still a help to the sparsely populated North Corner Fort and can contribute the necessary strength for their development.

Besides, these Maka people knew their limits. They only robbed things and did not kill or injure anyone.

Well, a small punishment will be enough to teach them a lesson.

The elder of the Maka people personally wielded a wooden stick as thick as his arm and beat the two tribesmen who caused the trouble. The stick made a loud noise and he beat them twenty times, leaving their skin and flesh torn.

The Xinhua people were honored and left the Maka tribe and returned to their wooden village.

"Our world may undergo some unimaginable changes with the arrival of the new Chinese!" The Maka elder muttered to himself after punishing his people.

They are unwilling to continue to be "exploited" by the new Chinese, but are unable to break free from their influence, and are even less able to fight against them.

Where will the Macans go in the future?

Five days later, some disaffected young men in the tribe decided to take drastic action.

They secretly united with other nearby tribes and gathered nearly a hundred warriors, preparing to attack the wooden village of the Xinhua people under the cover of night, seize their supplies, and drive them out of the land.

However, the Xinhua people had anticipated this and were prepared for defense.

Liu Sanshui, the commander of Beijiao Fort, is an old immigrant who participated in the counterattack against the Spanish invasion last year and has certain military experience.

Every day, whether it is day or night, two groups of people are arranged to guard the village wall, plus a few alert hunting dogs. The Maka people's raid is destined to be a tragedy.

When they tried to sneak up on the wooden stronghold and prepare to climb in to catch the Xinhua people off guard, their actions were discovered by the guards early on.

Several torches were thrown out, illuminating the figures of all the attackers. Five or six muskets fired one after another, shooting and killing several Maka people who were running wildly under the wall of the village.

Even when the Maka people climbed up the wooden village using their hands and feet while the Xinhua people were reloading their muskets, they were easily stabbed down by the enemy with their spears and sharp blades.

After suffering more than twenty casualties, the Maka people finally couldn't hold it anymore and fled into the night with a shout.

This night raid completely tore apart the relationship between the Maka people and the New Chinese.

Afterwards, the elders of the Maka tribe who received this news immediately realized that if they could not defeat these outsiders through force, they would only have two options left.

Either they submit to the new Chinese and accept their "control", or they can only flee from here and take refuge in the dense primitive jungle.

After a heated debate, some people immediately decided to leave the land where they had lived for generations and migrate to more distant mountains and forests.

Others chose to stay, prepared to surrender in exchange for acceptance by the new Chinese.

After all, the pursuit of a better life is the deepest desire in the hearts of many people.

Just as the Maka people were anxiously waiting for the Xinhua people's response, they found that the Xinhua people had remained motionless and showed no signs of breaking out of the wooden village.

Because, a Xinhua immigrant express ship sailed into the simple dock of North Corner Fort on the morning of the day after the attack, temporarily delaying their impending revenge.
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(End of this chapter)