I can’t get used to this journal. It’s been a week since my last entry and several more things have happened. Three days after meeting the mother and toddler son, we had run into a camp of some sort. It wasn’t settlers, but indians. We stopped several feet away from their camp and I walked towards them, wondering if they were friendly and would let us pass through. Unlike our government, we like to be kind whenever we ought to be. The Indians of course came out, some holding bows, others with rifles, and they pointed them at me. I stopped in my tracks and raised my arms. I spoke loudly and said ‘we only wish for safe passage. We ain’t lookin’ for trouble.’ They must’ve had someone who could understand me because after several minutes, the Indians lowered their weapons and, who I assumed was their leader, ushered my family and I into their camp. We made our way inside, but the Indians had another idea for us. The ones with rifles raised them again. An Indian came up and spoke in English ‘why are you looking for safe passage? What have you seen?’ I kept my composure and spoke up saying ‘We only wish to spend the night here and be on our way. We sold our home to find a new place to live out west. But we are also being cautious because we saw a mother and child… barely hanging on to their life. Their carriage was torn to shreds, and from the contents inside, it seems like they had more than two people with them. So please, let us take refuge for the night, I only want to protect my family. At any cost.’ The English speaking Indian had walked away from us and spoke to their leader. After some deliberation the English speaking one came back and told me ‘If you truly wish for your family’s safety, then you, and you alone must join us in a ritualistic hunt for what had hurt the family you saw. If you deny this generous offer, then we must cast you out.’ I had agreed to their terms. My family looked scared, but relieved. The English speaking one had come up to me and whispered ‘If anything happens to you, you have my, and my tribe’s word that they will be taken care of.’ I looked at this Indian and thought him mad, but what would come the following days would make me understand why he had even suggested that Idea. They had gotten me ready for the ritual hunt, but they neglected to tell me what we were hunting for. They had bows, rifles, pistols, all kinds of weaponry. I had no clue what they wanted to hunt, but it would have to be something like a bear for us to have this much firepower. I didn’t question it as I wanted to keep my family safe, no matter the cost.

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