Shining Mountains, Western Sea

Shining Mountains, Western Sea, Margaret Wyman, Idyllwild Publishing Co, 2002

This novel tells the story of the expedition of Lewis and Clark across early 1800s America, but not from the usual perspective. It doesn't use the point of view of Lewis or Clark, but those of John Colter and George Shannon, two Privates on the expedition.

Colter is an experienced mountain man and hunter, and Shannon is an inexperienced graduate of West Point, who tries, unsuccessfully, to get promoted to Lieutenant. The two Privates have an on and off relationship, ranging from tolerating each other to, figuratively, wanting to kill each other. They also have reasons for wanting to be away for a long time.

The expedition is one day after another of very hard work, rowing or pulling their boat upriver, hauling supplies down the side of a waterfall, or walking for days without seeing another person. Shannon's paralyzing fear of deep water is no help. Colter seriously considers abandoning the expedition, and joining a much more lucrative one, but his conscience gets in the way (he made an oath to the expedition). Also holding him back is another member of the expedition, Sergeant Ordway, who seems to have made it his personal mission to make Colter's life a living hell.

Some of the Native American tribes encountered along the way, who Colter would rather avoid at all costs, are decent and reasonable, while others are simply bloodthirsty thieves. Among the former are the Mandans, near whom the expedition makes camp for the winter. It seems to be almost a point of honor among the Mandans for their women to be intimate with the "paleskins" (the men of the expedition are happy to oblige). Against his better judgement, Colter meets, and falls very hard for, a recently widowed woman named Fragrant Grass.

Every waking moment of Colter's life, after the expedition continues on its way, is filled with thoughts of Fragrant Grass. Several chances to desert present themselves, but Colter's conscience again gets in the way, along with Sergeant Ordway. They reach the Pacific Coast, spend a miserable winter there, and Colter gets back to Fragrant Grass, only to discover that she is no longer "available."

This is a fine piece of writing. The author does a good job with the characters, and with showing a famous bit of American history from an uncommon perspective. My only criticism about this book is that the length could have been reduced by at least a few pages. I understand what the author was trying to do, and this is the sort of story that takes a long time to tell, but, personally, this book did not have to be 671 pages long. Don't let that get in the way of reading a really interesting story.

Mission

Mission, Margaret Wyman, Idyllwild Publishing Co, 2002

Subtitled "The Birth of California, The Death of a Nation," this novel tells the story of a Native American tribe who were losing their freedom at the same time that the United States was gaining its freedom.
A young woman named Web (because of her webbed fingers) is a member of the Kumeyaay, a tribe living near present-day San Diego. It's marriage time, and Web is taken to another Kumeyaay band, several days journey away, to meet her new husband, Shadow Dancer. Because of her webbed fingers, the reception is not pleasant. In the beginning, Shadow Dancer wants nothing to do with Web. Another woman in the band, Crooked Basket, who can't deal with not becoming Mrs. Shadow Dancer, makes Web's life as difficult as possible. One day, Web catches Shadow Dancer and Crooked Basket having an affair. Casts No Shadow, the band's shaman, and Shadow Dancer's father, makes it clear that the affair shall stop--now.
Around this time, the paleskins (Spanish) arrive in their giant canoes. Some of the other Kumeyaay bands advocate ignoring the Spanish, figuring that they'll leave, while others say Attack Now. An attack is launched, which turns into a disaster for the Kumeyaay. Shadow Dancer decides that he must go to a nearby Spanish mission, and learn their magic to bring back to his people. Casts No Shadow wants him to stay and continue his shaman training. The Kumeyaay who visit the mission to see what this new thing is all about are taught that their culture and religious beliefs are wrong, and the only way to clean out their "heathenism" is to be forbidden to go back to their band.

Later, after another disastrous Kumeyaay attack, Spanish troops arrest Casts No Shadow and throw him into a "dungeon." Web is able to regularly bring him native food. Separated from his sacred herbs and from nature, Casts No Shadow turns into an old man practically right before Web's eyes. Shadow Dancer, back with the Kumeyaay by this time, offers himself in exchange for his father. He is forced into slave labor by the Spanish, and is released months later, almost worked to death. The growing string of bad happenings is blamed on Web, because of her webbed fingers.

In a way, this is not pleasant reading. It's highly recommended because this is a well-researched, interesting novel that helps put to rest the perception that Spanish imperialism in the American Southwest was run by kind, benevolent people whose only motivation was love for all of God's children. It's very much worth reading.