From the Journal of Thomas Adam Smith

June 5th, 1721

Today I met the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, a Cherokee named Soothing Brook. Her eyes are light brown and her hair is medium brown with reddish highlights, tied in long braids. She is exceptionally tall, I would estimate well over 5 and a half feet in height. She was the youngest daughter of one Chief Fire Wind and cousin of a man named Clear Water, one of the young braves I saved at Orion’s Knob yesterday. Both Fire Wind and Clear Water are friendly and gracious hosts, as have been their entire tribe. Indeed, the Chief himself actually held a celebratory feast in my honor when Clear Water and his fellows took me to their camp for lodging after yesterday’s skirmish.

It was quite the affair, and I was somewhat embarrassed by the degree of warm sentiments and thanks which I received. The food was excellent and plentiful. I  have never eaten such succulent venison or mouth-watering corn before. (Note: obtain the seasoning recipe for the venison before you leave) The assortment of plump and juicy berries were likewise delightful after the main course, and the water cold and fresh as I have ever had, taken directly from a spring not two miles from here, near Andromeda’s Pass. They passed me the peace pipe, which I took, not wanting to offend them…and caused a little bit of a stir when I coughed upon inhaling the fumes. Clear Water and the Chief looked as if it was all they could do not to laugh at my predicament, but they politely refrained for my sake.

After the meal, the children were sent to bed and the tribal elders discussed politics, mostly involving the vicious bandits who had attacked us. Fire Water said they were led by a man calling himself Tomahawk, one of the most dangerous hooligans in West Virginia. He said that Tomahawk himself had slain over five hundred warriors in his various nefarious exploits. From what he and the others explained of him, the only thing good that could be said of the brigand was that he operated under a strict code of honor which prevented him from ever slaying any but could well defend themselves. However, it had also been that code of honor that had caused the fight to begin with, as Clear Water had once bested him in hand-to-hand combat several months prior, and the lout had apparently had a hard time sleeping at night ever since…so he had taken a party and ambushed Clear Water and his tribesmen just to “settle the score.” Barbaric and petty to say the least.

But, as I say,  the highlight of this enter affair has been my meeting the young squaw Soothing Brook. Even though we only talked for a few minutes before she had to go with her sisters to fetch berries and nuts for the tribe, I felt that something very pleasant passed between us. Look forward to investigating this attraction phenomenon later.