Sacred Hunger - Barry Unsworth [232]
‘I didn’t know.’
‘Any that were not with us were regarded as being against us. It was part of the policy of terror adopted by our forces to unsettle the region. You couldn’t always tell who the scalps had belonged to, but the bounty was paid all the same. The point is that this Nipke has worked for the English before and so he knows the clink of guineas, which makes him easier to talk to. He may not know of your fugitives, but he knows the terrain and will be skilled at following tracks and moving quietly.’
‘He sounds just the man.’
‘If you are interested, we might ride over to Matanzas tomorrow and see if we can find him. I could spare an hour or two in the morning. Things are at an awkward pass here but there is no danger while the treaty is under discussion. It is the only way, if you want to come to terms with this Nipke. If we send for him, he may come next week or next month or he may not come at all.’
Erasmus hesitated. ‘I should like it of all things,’ he said. ‘I am anxious to get the matter settled. But I am due to attend the conference tomorrow.’
‘As to that, I fancy Watson and the Governor will not mind your absence, quite the reverse in fact, they will be able to put it to good account.’
‘How do you mean?’
‘Things have not gone well today, I gather, and they seem likely to go even worse tomorrow. It will be found necessary to sow dismay among the Indians, for that is the surest way of disuniting them – that and the jealousies among them and their fears of being left out when it comes to the presents. The ships have been sighted, by the way, did you know?’
‘No.’
‘They are expected to cross the bar some time tomorrow morning. That will strengthen our hand considerably. Watson will simply tell the Creeks that the envoy of their Great White Father has not seen fit to be present.’
‘Yes, I see.’ Erasmus was silent for some moments. ‘It is like dealing with opponents in business,’ he said. ‘You seek to unsettle them and divide their counsels. Quite lawful, of course.’
‘Oh, quite.’ Redwood drank some wine. His eyes were partially concealed under lowered lashes – long lashes for a man, Erasmus noticed now, and giving a certain delicacy to the fair-skinned, careless, rather sensual face. ‘That was the idea behind our paying bounties for the scalps,’ the major said. ‘It unsettled the Timucua and divided their counsels very considerably.’
‘I cannot say that I see much similarity.’ Erasmus spoke rather coldly. He had not liked this joking repetition of his own words. There was a sort of arbitrary quality about Redwood’s style of speech which he was beginning to find irksome. He felt that he understood now that grimace of irritation, resembling pain, that would sometimes come to Campbell’s face. All the same, Redwood was doing him a favour, and it was obvious now that he was the worse for drink. His colour was high and his voice had thickened slightly. ‘However it may be,’ Erasmus said in more friendly tones, ‘I thank you for your offer of tomorrow and I would be glad of your company.’
‘Good, that is settled then. Tell me, what did you think of the business today?’
‘Much of the time was taken up with ceremony. It was interesting for me, of course, who have not seen these Indian customs before. They were all decked out in their best beads and feathers.’ He laughed a little saying this.
‘So were you I suppose?’
‘What do you mean?’ Erasmus said, staring.
‘Campbell in his dress uniform, Watson in his best broadcloth and his silver wig and you, as always, irreproachably turned out. Just a question of fashion, really. Theirs suits