An early morning mist hid the small narrow canoes of the Meskwaki as they quietly and with swift precision navigated the narrow ghanish channel. Their target, two large over-grown maples just west of the Gananoque dockside marina, besides the cover of the Maples, the small sandy beach was the perfect landing area for the untoward raiding party.

Along the shore was a well travelled trail made by the livestock from the nearby farms. Kneeling on the sandy shore, Takoda, was one of the first to land, with Bow in hand he clutched at the earth holding it up for a better look, bringing it closer he sniffed at the dead embers of a days old fire. Murmur-ring in Meskwaki tongue the message was clear.

This beach is more than just a watering hole for animals. Weapons in hand and with a heightened sensitivity Takoda led the raiding party eastward down the trail, a cautious shuffle turned into a slow jog back to a cautious shuffle then a dead stop. As he surveyed the trail ahead. A course he repeated until reaching the clearing 60 yards west of the dockyard.

Eleven Meskwaki braves had made the early morning journey in four canoes that had been carefully crafted from hickory and elm bark, moose hide and buffalo skin. The hides had been tanned over two years. The Meskwaki used an old tanning recipe that included a mixture of tree sap and the mud from the Saratoga Hot Springs. They called it "gropea."Once stretched around the canoe frame they would apply the "gropea" in a circular fashion rubbing it in with their hands until it seemed to dissapear. They would spend the next two weeks sprinkling water on the two year old skin slowly allowing it to cure into a hardened rigid material.

Once done they had a formidable craft that could be used in a variety of ways. They say a good Meskwaki warrior using a "Gropea Canoe" could sneak up on duck and pluck him right out of the water.

Today. Today however, the canoes carried the 11 man war party to the northern shores of the Kaniatarowanenneh river (St. Lawerence), just minutes from the American Settlement, who's commander Colonel Joel Stone, who served with the Loyalist militia during the American Revolutionary War, had attacked and raided the Meskwaki village of Kwiando.

Colonel Stone was a hardened mean son-of-a-bitch who had a full detachment under his command. Taking prisoners wasn't his thing and every man under his command knew it. He had a special place for Indians and prisoners of war that would take food out of the mouths of his soldiers and their families. That place was 6 feet under the ground. No Sir! We don't take prisoners...

Unless. Unless they would make good slaves. And, slaves they took. during each of their raids young men and woman alike were spared to be slaves. But, very few lived out the year. Colonel Stone and his men were hard and harsh on slaves. Kwiando was no different, 4 male and 2 females were spared to be slaves. Unknown to Colonel Stone and his men was they had spared very special Meskwaki female slave...

And well, that just wasn't going to stand, not this day, not the day 11 Meskwaki Braves landed on the West shore of the Kaniatarowanenneh river. Colonel Stone was about to discover the Meskwaki were as determined in war as the are at making canoes...

The Raid...

The Sun broke over the mist...