August on the Northern California coast is the clearest and most beautiful time of the year. The turquoise ocean, tan beaches, lush forests and grasslands, and green-brown eastern mountains are constantly alternating in the fleet's sight, full of vitality.
This is the season when all things multiply, and most northern flowers bloom during this season. Purple sea chrysanthemums appear on the beach, and together with equally magnificent aster, they dot the salty tidal flats. As for the white daisies, they grow on the high cliffs and sway gently in the wind. This small, low-growing flower has surprisingly deep roots that can withstand strong sea breezes from high altitudes. Between the tidal flats and cliffs, the moist grassland where the river passes is filled with pink sea thrift flowers. These brilliant flowers cluster in clusters, like an umbrella canopy blooming on the earth. They are also the blessings of Mother Earth among the Pomo people!
"Praise the Lord God! The northern coast is so beautiful in August!..."
Exploration captain Zuvalo stood on the bow of the boat, looking at the undulating colors along the coast, and couldn't help but sigh.
"So many summer flowers, such beautiful colors! They are even more beautiful than the priestess of the kingdom! Ah! I want to lie on those flowers, sing a spring song, and flutter with the most beautiful girl …”
"Well?…"
Hearing Zuvalo's praise, Knowledgeable Mickey's smile froze instantly. He curled his lips in disgust, and his eyes fell on the seals on the shore.
Under the warm sunshine, these round and cute animals have separated into two circles. One circle was quarreling and fighting, while the other circle was lying lazily watching. And soon, a male seal won the fight and couldn't wait to crawl to the other female's circle and start flopping together.
"Well!."
Mikey, the knowledgeable man, kept his expression frozen and observed intently for a while. Then, he turned around, looked at his friend Zuvalo who was also shocked, and laughed.
"Zuvarro! So what you want is to be a seal!..."
"."
After a while, the exploration captain Zuvalo twitched the corners of his mouth, gritted his teeth, and said harshly.
"Damn it! These cheerful seals...just provide the fleet with some meat!"
"No! No!"
Hearing this, Mikey, the knowledgeable man, shook his head and reached out to hold his friend's shoulder.
"God bless you! August is the season for the reproduction of all things, and it is also the day when tribes stop hunting. According to the tradition of the local tribe, hunters will not start hunting until October, when the seals have finished mating and the female seals have obvious signs of pregnancy. ! And the target of hunting is also a male seal, and will never hunt a pregnant female..."
"Everything in the North follows a cycle. Whether hunting or fishing, the balance of the population must be maintained! This is a tradition formed by the tribes in the North for thousands of years, and it is also the law that maintains survival. If we destroy these laws, You will be hostile to all the ministries!"
"Uh! The traditions of the North, the rules of survival? This... okay!"
The exploration captain Zuvalo thought for a moment, glanced at the seals angrily, and then looked forward again. Driven by the Alaskan warm current, the fleet headed north non-stop. Soon, the low villages of the Pomo people and their canoes appeared in front of everyone.
"We have arrived at the hunting grounds of the Bomo people! Further ahead, there is their most powerful tribe on the coast! I have been there!"
The cloaked hunter Lotte gestured with his hands and feet and shouted excitedly. This place is about 600 miles away from the Golden Bay where the Beiwan Department is located, which is the limit of hunting he has ever done. The large tribe in front, close to the seaside, was also the northernmost tribe he had ever visited.
"Look! The big river! The totem pole! ... Ba'po! Ba'po! The Ba'po tribe is ahead!"
"ah?"
Mickey the Knowledgeable stood on tiptoes, and after a while, he saw a quiet river flowing into the sea in the west. Then, a tall totem pole was erected on the river bank, symbolizing the tribe's territory. There seemed to be some kind of fighting scene engraved on that totem pole. As we got closer, we could see that it was a female hunter holding a spear and a giant bear!
"Huh? Lotte, what do you mean when you call 'Bapo'?"
"Oh! That's their language, and it's also one of the languages of the Palapa tribe. The meaning of 'Bapo' is bear, and one who fights with bears. And the name of the Bapo tribe is actually the 'Bear Hunting Division'! "
The cloaked hunter Lotte touched his chin, recalling his experiences long ago and the stories told by the cedar shaman, and told them intermittently.
"The Bear Hunting Tribe is the most powerful tribe among the Pomo people! According to legend, their ancestor was a huntress who wandered in the north. She was very strong and brave, and even went to the forest to hunt bears alone! She Holding a spear in her hand, she fought with a legendary brown bear all night before stabbing the bear to death. But the bear also wounded her, and its blood flowed to her body and blended with her blood..."
"Ah! A huntress who hunts bears alone? Stabs a giant bear to death and is injured?"
Hearing this, Mikey, the knowledgeable man, looked surprised and asked aloud.
"What happened next? She bathed in the blood of the legendary giant bear, became stronger, and gained divinity from then on?"
"Huh? Why do you think so? The thoughts of the southern tribes are really strange! Everything has spirituality, including people..."
The cloaked hunter scratched his head and gave Mickey a strange look. In this difficult and cold northern land, there are no noble chiefs of divine descent passed down from generation to generation, and productivity does not allow for it.
".Later? Later, of course, the huntress was infected with bear blood, became pregnant, and gave birth to a Pomo with bear blood! And the Pomo people also became a strong bear tribe, able to fight bears in the forest. As for Among them, the most powerful Pomo tribe is called the Bear Hunting Tribe!"
"The tribe of Pomo bears...the Bear Hunting Department..."
After hearing this ancestral myth of the Pomo people, Zuvalo and Mickey looked at each other, not knowing what to say for a moment.
The appearance of the exploration fleet quickly alarmed the hunters of the Bear Hunting Department. These powerful forest hunters were accustomed to fighting and quickly mobilized. The entire Bear Hunting Department organized more than 400 tribal warriors, armed with throwing spears and hunting bows, to give a "warm welcome" on the beach. From the size of the quickly mobilized warriors, one can roughly guess that the population of the Bear Hunting Department should be around 3,000.
"God bless you! These Bomo people are so enthusiastic!..."
Seeing the Bear Hunting Team in a fighting posture, Mikey the Knowledgeable sighed with helplessness on his face. He pulled the cloaked hunter Lotte and asked in a low voice.
"Lotte, you have been to the Pomo tribe. You must speak the language of the Pomo people, right? Can you negotiate with them on behalf of the fleet? Tell them that we are the trusted allies of the Cedar Shaman and are going to the north. Here’s some extra food and water…”
"Uh... I only know a few Pomer words."
The cloaked hunter Lotte pulled his hair and smiled sheepishly. But soon, a confident expression appeared on his face.
"But communication is no problem! I'm familiar with this, so there's no need to talk!..."
"Praise the Lord God! Okay! I'll leave it to you then!"
After a while, the caped hunter Lotte came to the shore holding a bow. Under the gaze of hundreds of Bomo warriors, he first raised his hand, revealing the bow without arrows, and placed it on the ground. Then he took off his leather clothes, put down his dagger, and was naked except for his bearskin cloak. Finally, he let go of his arms and legs, danced a grouse-like war dance, knelt on the beach, spread his arms and waited.
"."
Mickey, the knowledgeable man, was stunned, looking at this dazzling dance that seemed to be full of profound meaning, but could not figure out anything.
But a moment later, a strong tribal hunter walked out from among the Bomo warriors. He also put down his bow and arrow, stepped forward, touched Lotte's bearskin cloak, and shouted a few words in surprise. Then, he lifted up Lotte with both hands, and the crowd of spectators burst into enthusiastic cheers.
"Pomo'loktol! Nyi'tah!"
"Bear hunter! Friend!"
