The Sugar Bowl

Spuzzum, 1874

Soon more people were gathered along Spuzzum Creek as the sounds of the approaching pack train grew louder. Whips cracked and rough voices urged the animals up the hill. Finally their hooves began to clatter on the bridge, and the white bell mare ambled into sight, bringing a happy shout from the villagers, and a surge of elation through Amelia’s heart. Cataline!

The name escaped from several mouths just as she was thinking it, and at that moment a rider appeared alongside the pack train. His head turned toward the enthusiastic shouts, and with a flash of white teeth he waved his wide-brimmed hat at them.

The crowd dispersed as quickly as it had materialized, as everyone ran to prepare for Cataline’s trading. Men went to build a fire and ready the common area for visitors, women ran home to gather their trading goods and food for a feast; and the children raced each other, striving to be the first to inform the chief of the new arrivals.

Amelia took little William and Henry in her arms and sprinted home too. She had been anticipating Cataline’s arrival for the past five or six days, since he had passed through from his latest trip north. The last few times he had stopped to trade he had been giving her very special looks, his sparkling eyes warm and inviting. He had learned that her grandfather, Chief Kowpelst, had sent her husband away for good, as he had been drinking a lot of whiskey with white men and had grown violent. Amelia had taken refuge in her father’s house several times, and now that she was raising her brother’s son as well as her own, this influence on the little future chief was not desired.

Amelia had worshiped Cataline since he had bounced her on his knee at six years old, indeed all the children did. As a matter of fact, he was everyone’s favourite trader. He was highly regarded for his honesty and respectful attitude toward native people.

Two large berry baskets stood by Amelia’s door, full of trade goods. One contained the more practical thick blankets and watertight baskets desired by residents of the north; the other held the decorative and colourful blankets, moccasins, baskets and beadwork prized by collectors west of Yale.

Amelia rummaged through the food baskets to collect her donation to the feast which was to come. Wind-dried salmon, wild potatoes, fresh greens gathered this very morning, ripe huckleberries from yesterday afternoon on the mountain, and the pot of fish-head & roe soup she had been preparing for supper. She strapped little Henry’s cradleboard to her back, secured her son William to her front, threw the trading basket over one shoulder, the food basket over another, and picked up the pot of soup on her way out the door.

The fire was crackling merrily as she arrived, and the men were driving sticks which held salmon into the ground near the fire to roast. The native way of barbecuing salmon was to butterfly the fish from the backbone, so it was one large piece. A stick would be split, and cedar splints held the fish open as they inserted it into the split, then tied the top so the meat was held securely. Fat ran down and basted the salmon as it roasted.

The pack train arrived, Cataline’s men brought them into a loose circle around the gathering area, and proceeded to unload the gear. Amelia joined the other women in preparing the food, but kept one eye on Cataline as he moved around the mules and horses.

His secundo, Dave Wiggins brought out a chair of rawhide and birch while Cataline donned his special trading clothes. He attached a collar and cravat to his shirt, put on a French frock coat with a matching hat, and wrapped a red sash around his waist. He looked very impressive, and the sight of his beautiful black curls cascading over his shoulders made Amelia’s stomach flutter in quite a ridiculous way. She chided herself sternly, being a grown woman, for feeling like a teen girl.

Chief Kowpelst seated himself next to Cataline, followed by the rest of the men, and lit the friendship pipe. He passed it to the guest of honour, then it was handed around to everyone else.

Amelia noticed Cataline’s eyes searching her out, feeling a warm flush as he found her. She waited until the first amenities were observed, then presented herself between her grandfather and the trader with baskets of her own huckleberries and dried salmon. The men smiled their appreciation as the food was passed around, then the trading began.

Much later, after the trading was done and everyone had eaten their fill, she noticed Cataline in a quiet conversation with her father and grandfather as they socialized around the fire. All three of them kept looking her way and the chief was nodding amiably. Her stomach gave a nervous leap when Cataline rose and approached her.

Through broken Chinook Jargon and sign language he made her understand the he wanted her to take a walk with him. A sideways glance at her menfolk confirmed that they were waving her to go on. Along the way Cataline stopped at his personal pack and withdrew a lumpy object wrapped in cloth. They strolled along the riverbank a short way before he turned and presented the object with a bow and a flourish. Amelia covered her mouth in delight, and exclaimed her pleased surprise as the gift caught the rays of the setting sun. It was a beautiful red glass sugar bowl, the like of which she had never seen. No one had ever given her such a gift, and her chest heaved as if her heart would burst.

Cataline smiled at this lovely creature, whom he had desired for several years now. He took her hand in his, and despite the language barrier, somehow made her understand that he wanted her to be his wife. He admitted that he would be away for long periods of time, but that he would always care for her and her children.

Amelia threw her arms around him in acceptance, still unable to believe he would be hers. It was to be the beginning of eight happy years, before their ways would have to part.

Later they made their way back to the fire to announce their joyful news, Amelia proudly showing off her sugar bowl and receiving hugs from all of her friends and family. Cataline was welcomed by the whole community, and there was much dancing and celebrating, just as happens everywhere.

As Amelia led him by the hand to her dwelling that night, she knew she was about to enter into the best years of her life. In later times, long after he had moved on, she treasured that sugar bowl more than any other possession, and with it her memories of that first wonderful night.

By Irene Bjerky

© Irene Bjerky