THE 17TH CENTURY FIREARMS TRADE

AND ITS IMPACT ON THE INDIANS OF THE NORTHEAST 
To The Reader:
   As I began the research for this article I knew I would find enough information to write an interesting piece on firearms and their effect on the lives of the Indians in colonial America.  What I have written here is a very trim version of one aspect of white-Indian relations in the northeastern colonies during the 17th century – I have hit the high points.  Since there is so much known, and so much more being learned even as I write this, I’ve had to continually narrow the scope of this article so I could at least present work with which I hope to pique your interest. 
         Edward Maurer            

Gator Callin’

“I wish you wouldn’t go into that filthy swamp by yourself, Jerry.”

Mom scowled when she said those words to me. Sometimes she would look me in the eye when she criticized me, sometimes not. I think she knew I’d only listen when she agreed with me. It happened less and less these days. I told her there was nothing to be afraid of. “Look . . . Mom, if you know what you’re doing then you’re as safe as in your own bed.”

Well, that was the lie I told her and never about the snakes and gators and everything else in the swamp. Actually, the only thing I’m really afraid of are snapping turtles, I mean BIG snapping turtles that are all over the place out there. I swear some are the size of garbage can lids, and some are even bigger…they always give me the creeps. A turtle can take your hand off SNAP!

High Up On a Helicopter, So Close To the Ground

I shouldn’t be here. It should have been me who burned up, covered with flaming jet fuel on the side of a New Mexico mountain that fall morning. It’s been more than 20 years now that we lost that aircrew and it still bothers me to this day.