Chapter 10

The weather was turning warmer now, everyone was beginning to get back to outdoor work. On the Island, it was a rainy day but not cold. Many shed their winter clothing and started to wear the cooler clothes of spring and summer. Chris, Jake, and Mark continued for another month working at the lime company. Merilee and Mary Star both were showing by now.

With the trees and flowers beginning to bloom, Chris walked with his nephew Jake to the barn. They were discussing Jakes interest in Lisabeth.

"I would like to go to the village to see how she is doing, Uncle Chris. I am hoping since we have not heard that there were any more deaths this winter from the illness that maybe she is doing well, and I will be able to court her?"

Chris looked at Jake and thought a long while before he answered. He then said:

"Jake, it may not be as you had hoped. She may well have survived but things change and sometimes for the sake of the family she may have already become a wife. If you go now, it may not go so well for you."

"But, Uncle Chris, would you be able to go and find out?" Jake asked this with his heart burning inside to find out about Lisabeth.

Chris shook his head and said: "We have to get the crops started and I have much work to do making sure the fishing equipment will be ready when we go out fishing. I will not have time for a couple of months. I am sorry, but with Merilee and Mary Star, both having new babies, I cannot leave for any length of time. You will have to wait. We will be going after the babies are born."

Jake looked at Chris, he knew that Chris was right, but he also knew that if he did not declare his intentions, he might lose Lisabeth forever. He nodded in agreement and walked away from the barn with his head low and thinking.

Mark was just leaving the house when Jake came in the door.

"Hey Jake! Want to come with me? I have to deliver some things to Charles from Mary."

"No, not this time!" said Jake with a sorrowful note to his voice.

"Okay, suit yourself." Mark said as he walked over to his horse.

"Wait a minute Mark," Jake said, "Are you going to the village? May I come with you?"

"I am not going to the village but going near it. Charles has been out hunting and I am going to his camp. But you can come along. I don't mind having a friend along.' Mark said as he saddled his horse.

"give me a few minutes to get a few things…"
"Jake, it will be a two-day trip. We come back tomorrow. See if mom will give you some extra pemmican for the ride. I only have enough for myself!"
Jake nodded and went inside and asked for a couple days' worth of food. Merilee questioned him why he needed that.

"I am going to go with Mark to see Charles."

Merilee looked at him. Mary Star was in the same room and spoke up:

"You are going to try to find out about Lisabeth aren't you?"

Jake looked at her and said yes.

"You know it is not acceptable to do that. You must wait! I can get a message to Charles and he will find out for you."

Mary Star said. "You must not go now; tell Mark you have changed your mind. I will ask Mark to ask Charles to find out more about Lisabeth."

Jake was not happy, he wanted to see her for himself. He thanked Mary Star but said he would only go to Charles' camp no further. He would find out from Charles instead of from Lisabeth.

Both Merilee and Mary Star seemed to think that this was agreeable.

"Do not go to the village at all. If you are caught, things may not go right for you." Merilee said.

The boys had saddled their horses and rode to the village. They did not ride fast so they were able to talk about things.

"Mark, I don't understand, I thought Chris said I had to make her mom and dad happy, but since her dad is gone, I don't see why I can't do the same for her mom?"

"Jake, it is a custom and we can't really change that. Her mothers' brother is now her guardian. He will have to be consulted. What Peter would have done is not necessarily what her mother's brother sees as a good thing. That is why we have to wait."

Jake sat on his horse just thinking. He was so lost in thought that he did not notice that he had stopped. Mark was at least a mile or more ahead of him. He started the horse and they galloped to catch up to Mark, who was letting his horse have a drink of water, while he waited for Jake.

John Wolf sat on a log on the beach. He was thinking. His village and many other villages were devastated from the severe illness that killed many of the people of the sea. He was not sure what could be done. He knew that the white people who had started to come and make their homes were probably responsible for that. But how could he convince his chiefs, the elders, that they must wipe out these others! He looked across the water with a scowl on his face.

The gentle waves came up onto the beach, and swiftly pulled sand and pebbles back into the endless ocean. It had been many moons since Peter had passed away, Lisabeth was sitting on the shore and praying hoping for some relief from the disaster that had befallen them. She was tired, her mother was still not well. There was talk that she should be married to keep their fishing rights, but she did not want to get married so soon. She was having thoughts about a young man she had seen at the potlatch last time. He was not of her people, yet she felt a strange attraction to him and wanted to explore that and find out more about him. Barefoot, she climbed a rock and sat on the edge watching the waves come in and out just like her thoughts.

"Lisabeth, Lisabeth" her sister was calling to her. "there you are mother is looking for you. Your uncle would like to talk to you he is waiting…"

Lisabeth sat as if she did not hear her sister.

"Lisabeth, the elders are with him, you must come at once!" Her sister came closer and shouted as loud as she could.

"What is it? Why is Uncle there?" Lisabeth said.

"I don't know, but he needs to talk to you and mother right away!"

Lisabeth sighed and came over beside her sister and they ran back to the village to meet with her uncle and the elders.

Her mother's brother was a tall dark man. He looked sometimes like he was unhappy but when he saw his children and his nieces and nephews, his face would lighten up.

"I am here uncle." Lisabeth said with a bright smile on her face.

He smiled at her and said to her: "Lisabeth, there is a decision that must be made. As you are aware, you have reached your womanhood and should be married within a year. We need to keep our fishing rights and to do this you will have to marry soon."

Lisabeth looked at him and though she had been taught to respect her elders, she did have a voice in that she could suggest a person that she was interested in.

"My Uncle, would it be permissible for me to request someone that I would like to get to know? A person who I might be disposed to marry?"

Her uncle looked at her and then went over to the elders for this discussion. She stood still and did not waver but waited, hoping that they would listen to her. Her Uncle came over to her and said:

"Lisabeth, I realize that your father would have given you permission to see a young man whom you were interested in…" She started to say something, but her uncle said: "but since we have been most nearly destroyed, brought low by this disease of the white man, it has been decided who you will marry and when." He stood with a sad look on his face. She was his favorite and he would have allowed her the luxury of being courted by someone else, even a white man, however, at this time the elders felt that it was better for the tribes to stick together.

Lisabeth looked at him a little confused: "But Uncle, usually I would be allowed to be courted by someone else first…."

"My dear child, yes but under these circumstances you will be married to John Wolf. Our fishing rights will be kept, and we will not lose them.! Now, I must go, your will be married within a month. Do you have any more questions?"

She looked at him, she had one more but knew the answer, it would be to John Wolf. He was the son of the chief and very wealthy and that would help her family. There would be a place for her mother to live since he was a part of her mothers' family.

"No uncle." Her eyes were down, and she looked incredibly sad. Her uncle, although he did not show it, his heart hurt for her as well.

"Good, then you will make preparations along with your mother and we will leave when the time is right." He said this and then walked away with the other elders.

"Lisabeth, Lisabeth!" Her mother was calling.

"I'm coming mother!" She did not have time for tears. She did so want to get to know Jacob Bolt. She had played with Chris's sons and was very fond of Anna.

Jake and Mark came upon Charles as he was skinning the duck.
"Well, how are you? What brings you here?"
"We brought news of Marry Star and Merilee." Mark said with a smile on his face: "They are both big and round, mom is the same as she was when she was with Anna. Mary Star asked me to give you these and hopes that you will be back before the baby is born."
Charles looked at the gifts that Mary had sent him. He was well pleased. The winter had been extremely hard, and she had learned to knit, so a new cap to wear was just what he wanted. But he looked up at Jake and said:

"And why are you here? Surely it was not to keep this young brave company?"

Jake looked at him sheepishly and said: "I was hoping you would give Lisabeth a message for me, or at least be able to see her and tell her I am thinking of her."

Charles looked up at Jake, he stopped what he was doing. It was time to tell him but Chris, had not said a word and he did not know if he should or not. After thinking for a moment, he said:

"Jake, has Chris said anything to you?" by Jakes expression the answer was no. Charles, knowing the protocols and culture decided it would be a mistake not to tell Jake, but he had wanted Chris there so that if Jake did get upset, he would have help to stop him. He looked at Mark and whispered something in Mark's ear and Mark took his horse and left for the village.

"Sit down Jake, help me with this duck, can you finish the skinning?"
Jake looked at him, said nothing but took the duck and proceeded to finish the skinning. Charles sat also. He looked at Jake a while and then began to relate a story about how the People of the Sea came to be.

Jake listened politely but began to wonder why this story and where had Mark gone? He squirmed a little as he listened and waited. Hearing horses coming, he jumped up to see Mark and an elder, one of the elder's he had met at the potlatch coming. Charles stood up and greeted the elder and Mark and Jake did the same thing. The elder bid them to sit down. Then the elder spoke:

"Jacob Bolt, your last name precedes you. Your family is known all over these islands. They have been known to be fair minded and just and kind. I am happy to meet someone from your family. Your Uncle Chris is also a Bolt by adoption. He learned his wisdom from the elders in that family. Charles had Mark bring me so that he and I could explain that you will no longer be allowed to see Lisabeth, she will be married very soon!"

Jake sat and looked at both Charles and the elder. He did not know what to say, He had really had his heart set on marrying her or at least finding out if they were compatible. He looked at Charles and said:

"Why, what happened that we can't see each other? Did I do something wrong? Did I say something or do something to someone by mistake? I don't understand!"

"Jake, it is nothing that you have done!" Charles said: "It is because of the disease that has killed most of our people this winter. Also, there is danger in that some are wanting to go to war with the white's and the elders do not want that. So, at this time, you and your family will not be going to potlatches or marriages and our people will not be coming to visit you. I will be collecting Mary Star after the baby is born and we will not be seeing each other for a long time!"

"Does Chris know this? Did he know that Lisabeth would be married to someone else? Who is it? Does she even love him?" Jake was beside himself with anger, hurt and fury. He was ready to run.

"Jake, let's gather our things and head back home." Said Mark.

"I will escort you boys back to Chris's and check on Mary Star and then leave.

"But you did not answer my question? Did Chris know that this would happen?"

"He knew about the disease that killed most of our people, but not about Lisabeth! "Charles said then he said to the elder:

"Thank you, my brother, for coming."

"You are welcome Charles, When the baby is born, bring it to us so we can have a naming ceremony."

The boys had everything packed and ready to go. Charles put his supplies.

on his horse as well, then they left for the other side of the island nearer to Friday Harbor.