New World 1620

Beginning in the 16th century, European adventurers gradually drew a map of the coastline of North America. In the early 17th century, Dutch fur traders went deep into the upper reaches of the Hudson River along the river.

Fur and gold have become the commodities that European adventurous merchants frantically pursued. At the beginning, the trading behavior of the Indians almost collapsed the Europeans who had just arrived.

Any monetary economist can't help but chuckle as he writes about this initial trade scenario.The shiny silver coins offered by the first Dutch merchants to land on the banks of the Hudson had no effect, and the deal was rejected!

Because the "currency" acceptable to North American Indians will not be much different from that of natives on other continents.A certain kind of special shells from rivers and lakes in eastern North America are the "hard currency", and they even have a strict currency value system, such as 2 strings of white shells can be exchanged for 1 string of black shells (囧...).

It is said that the Europeans frantically dug up shells and shipped them to North America by boats, earning all the Indians' trousers for nearly a hundred years.

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The harvest of the first phase of mineral exploration and the news of the infestation of Indians made the Manhattan Community Self-Help Members happy and worried.

The joy is that the basic raw materials for bricks, tiles and cement are produced so close, but the worry is that the key coal fuel has not been released yet, and the traces of the Indians make a group of people who only know a little bit about Indians from history books Modern people are uneasy.

Geography teacher An Shaoqing placed his hope in finding Staten Island, ten kilometers to the southwest, and led the team off the next day after returning to the Manhattan community.As for Su Zining and Yan Xiaosong, because they took the lead in proposing a plan to contact the Indians, they were kicked to Brooklyn on the other side by Zheng Quan in line with the principle of whoever proposes it.

Excluding the two unlucky proponents, Zhou Kemin, a former customs anti-smuggling officer, Li Xiang, a third-rate tour guide and part-time Indian translator with two swords, and several armed policemen became the "special envoys for visiting Indian tribes in the Long Island area".

Under Su Zining's instruction, the materials prepared were also various, but in Yan Xiaosong's view, those "gifts" carried by Zhou Kemin in the luggage would be outrageous if they were taken out—three plastic mineral water bottles that had been drunk, two A string of keys I don’t know where to find, a bamboo “don’t ask for help” for scratching my back!

Beginning on October 10, a group of people carrying supplies for three days each time wandered along the forest on the North River Bank of Brooklyn towards the east in several general directions.

Today is the third time to explore. In the first two times, except for a large rare North American sugar maple forest and a vast wild blueberry growing area, no human habitation was found.

Su Zining was once again showing off his knowledge. According to him, next summer, with maple syrup, people in the Manhattan community can enjoy sweet corn cakes and drink charming blueberry fruit wine.

"Old Su... Now I finally understand why you asked Zhou Kemin to carry those things!" Yan Xiaosong stepped into the muddy water by the river again, frowning and looking thoughtfully at his leg.

"Huh? You finally found out with your conscience?" Su Zining took out the binoculars and looked in vain at the forest in the distance to the east of the small river, while spitting out the cigarette butts in his mouth.

"Because they are light enough! They can save us more burdens and bring more supplies!" Yan Xiaosong sat down on a rock and took out a pair of new travel boots from his backpack. Such imported goods are almost in stock in the ruined dock warehouse. Pulled out thousands of pairs.

"Not all, because I have to prepare for the worst." Su Zining also sat down, took off his backpack, and waved to Li Xiang, the tour guide who only watched the scenery and didn't care about anything else, "Li Xiang, please come from the river. Get some water from the pool, let's boil some water and wash your feet."

"Well, after a day of walking, I want to relieve the fatigue of my legs. By the way...what's the worst plan?" Yan Xiaosong helped several armed police unpack their backpacks and began to set up a tent in a dry place by the river.

"I don't dare to bring really useful things, such as iron tools. If the Indians feel that they are too expensive and look too pleasing to the eye, God knows if they will abide by the rule of 'buying and selling is not what people want'..." Su Zining said Muttering, he walked towards the woods on the other side of the river, planning to get some firewood.

"Su Zining, you are not so mean!" Yan Xiaosong nailed the last tent stake into the soil, straightened up, and gestured to the little armed police soldiers beside him, "Hehe, is there still smoke?"

After comfortably lighting a cigarette, Yan Xiaosong began to take out the drawing board in his backpack, and began to sketch the scenery around the quiet forest and small river with the last twilight of the evening.

The staggering figure of Li Xiang fetching water on the small river beach not far away was regarded by Yan Xiaosong as the golden section point of the landscape painting. A distance away from the water's edge several times in vain to fish for water.

A small figure suddenly appeared on the other side of the river not far from Li Xiang. Standing on all fours, it was no more than half a meter tall, with a pair of exaggeratedly big ears on its small head.

It seemed that he had never seen a person dressed like this before. The cute little moose blinked its big round eyes and looked curiously at the human being less than ten meters away from it, with its ears shaking up and down.

"Li Xiang, turn your head! Yes, there, did you see it, it's a small moose! Don't scare it away... Today's dinner is settled!"

Hehe, it's a moose cub, what a good thing!Yan Xiaosong quickly put down the drawing board, and shouted softly to Li Xiang who was still fishing for water.

The young tour guide was taken aback for a moment, and also showed a surprised expression at the inexplicably appearing little animal in front of him.

Slowly putting down the container in his hand, Li Xiang bowed his body and walked towards the little moose.The little moose, who didn't know that he had been missed by the other party, even took the initiative to take two steps towards Li Xiang who was approaching.

Suddenly, an animal roar came from the depths of the woods. Li Xiang, who had just crossed the river bank and was about to approach, was surprised to find the little moose turned around and ran towards the woods.It seems that the female moose nearby noticed Li Xiang's hostility and began to issue a warning.

"Damn! Don't run away!" Li Xiang was in a hurry, let go of the girl and started chasing, followed the little moose and rushed towards the direction of the forest moose.

"Oops! Li Xiang, don't chase, the female moose will fight back!" Seeing this scene, Su Zining, who was walking back with the firewood, suddenly reacted, and threw away the firewood in his hand. , Several armed policemen in the camp also quickly picked up their automatic rifles.

Sure enough, just a few seconds after rushing into the woods, the third-rate little guide ran out again, followed by a strong moose like a car out of control.At a distance of tens of meters, the figures of people and deer intertwined one after the other, and the armed police did not dare to shoot at all.

Li Xiang, who was staggering and running, accidentally slipped on the edge of the river beach, and fell into the water like a log. The strong female moose rushed behind him and raised its front hooves high.

As the largest deer animal in North America, even the North American wild wolf will stay away from the attack of the moose guarding the cubs!

When Li Xiang turned over, he had already seen the deer hooves approaching from the sky, and closed his eyes in despair.

At the moment when everyone's nerves were short-circuited, a long wooden javelin tied with bone spurs flew out of the woods not far away, and stabbed the female moose's neck unbiasedly, maybe it just hit it In the carotid artery, a large stream of blood spewed out of the wound unstoppably.

The female moose lost her body support amidst the wailing, and fell to the edge of the river beach. The thick front hooves of the deer almost crushed Li Xiang, who had given up resistance.

Several figures appeared in the woods, and then I saw a petite Indian girl wearing linen clothes and long hair in a ponytail walking out with a vigilant expression, followed by several people holding bone spears or bows and arrows, Indian men of thin or strong stature.

"What did you say yesterday?" Su Zining walked slowly to Yan Xiaosong, looking helplessly at the bizarre scene in the distance, "An Indian girl appeared, but the one who was saved was Li Xiang..."

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On the last day of October, Su Zinning and his team, who had explored the central part of Long Island through the forests of Brooklyn several times, finally brought news that a village of Delaware Indians was discovered in the east of Brooklyn.

News is still controlled only to a limited extent, but the entire committee is taking it seriously.

When several Indians wearing animal skins or linen clothes came down to the bank of the East River under the guidance of Su Zining and others, they prostrated themselves on the ground at the same time.In their sight, on the river dozens of meters away, the customs anti-smuggling boat 516 really surprised them.

After Kiri made a fuss, Li Xiang, who was accompanying him, scratched his head. It took him a long time to give an answer with difficulty: Indians believed that anti-smuggling boats were made of stone.

The negotiations with a good atmosphere were carried out on the shore. Except for a few members of the committee who could not be there because they were responsible for more important matters, most of the committee members had strange expressions on their faces and surrounded the fire with three Indian men.

Chirping, squatting...

Su Zining changed his sitting position wearily, the whole communication scene was a farce.Zheng Quan and others wanted to convey so much content, Li Xiang's Indian translation process can only be described as horrible, thanks to the fact that he had flirted with the Indian girl who had saved him for a long time .

"Actually, Indian languages ​​are divided into many departments. I know more about western languages." Li Xiang pressed his face bitterly, and explained to Zheng Quan and others in a low voice.

"Simple, let's see if they can provide us with some food. Meat, potatoes or corn are fine. We are willing to exchange things." Without waiting for the tour guide to translate, Su Zining raised his hand, facing a very imposing man The middle-aged Indian man smiled.

Pointing to a dangling bone ornament on the other party's waist, he took out a rearview mirror from an unknown scrapped vehicle from his pocket and gestured.

The Indian suddenly realized, showed a knowing smile, and made a gesture of "bring it" with his hand.

A motorcycle rearview mirror was much bigger than a slap, and the three Indians at the scene all showed surprised expressions.Grumbling again and again.Then the three of them took off the bones or shell ornaments from their waists at the same time, and pointed their hands in the direction of the Long Island Forest apologetically.

"What they mean is that they don't have anything better to exchange for our baby, and all their valuable things are at home." Su Zining "translated" with a smile in front of many stunned committee members.

Su Zining waved his hands to the Indians holding bones or shell ornaments, then tapped his lips several times with his fingers, and tapped the rearview mirror.

The Indians completely understood, each laughed heartily and nodded repeatedly.The deal was reached, and the crossing people will be able to receive local specialty food from these Indians at the next meeting.

"I admit that you have an extraordinary talent for communicating with others, and I also admit that Indians are easy to bully in this day and age. However, whose Buick's rearview mirror did you take off?" Yan Xiaosong kept muttering something during the return journey. if.

"It's always good to be prepared. You've been guarding the ruins every day, but you haven't found anything of value?" Su Zining actually hummed a song, while giving Yan Xiaosong an extremely playful smile, "I have a plan For future transactions with these Indians, the total value of the goods we provide must be less than 24 dollars! If possible, 24 yuan is the best."

"You are so harsh. It seems that you are very dissatisfied with the cheap profits that the Dutch once made." Yan Xiaosong laughed loudly, which made the committee members on board puzzled.