Northwest Passage Page #4

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Good work, men.

All we have to do now

is get down

to the bottom.

Funny thing about a boat...

is no good to you

on the top of a hill.

Good work, men.

I'm proud of you.

Did you hear that?

Now bring those mohawks

to me.

Keep a report of this,

towne.

Our friends the mohawks

are known

throughout the world

as great warriors.

They've come

a long journey

from their homes

in the mohawk valley,

and we, their friends,

thought they had come

to raise their hatchets

for the great king

their father.

We trusted them to find

the french's hiding place.

They returned saying

they'd seen nothing,

yet three french war boats

were in the way,

enough to kill us all.

It is impossible to make war

if you are dead.

Tell them that.

[Speaking mohawk]

[Speaking mohawk]

He say their father,

sir william johnson,

understand

there is time

make war

and time

not make war.

This is not time

make war.

Ohh.

Well, now we understand

why sir william johnson

sent our brothers

the mohawks to join us.

He sent them

to drink our rum,

eat our food,

and do nothing.

Since they won't

obey orders,

they must return

to crown point.

If they tell the real reason

they came back,

general amherst

might have them shot,

so they'll say

they became sick.

It may seem remarkable

that all of the mohawks

became sick.

They may be called old women

for doing so.

Better to be called

old women

than to be shot.

They will return at once

by land.

Les move.

Get their belongings

from the boat.

I'm going to see

what those sloops are doing.

Them mohawks had pelts

half as good

as a weasel,

they'd be

worth shooting.

I'd burn them alive.

Injuns is

peculiar people.

You can't judge them

like white folks.

Those mohawks

are snakes.

Hey, put that down!

Whas going on here?

Captain,

you can't do that.

Can't?

What can't i?

These red skunks

stole the powder

out of the boat.

Blow his head off!

Step aside.

Let this indian through.

I won't back down

for that dirty skunk.

Follow orders.

Go jump in the lake.

You can't

throw us orders.

We've got

more brains

than you.

You dirty provincial.

Dirty provincials?

Thas what

you think.

You and your

highlanders

and your

black irish.

You ain't rangers.

Your brass-button

soldiers

filled up

with poisoned

skunk water

and sawdust!

Major,

we needed that powder.

If captain williams

hadn't interfered,

none of this

wouldve happened.

You can't

take liberties

with an indian.

No matter how

these indians behave,

you've got to

keep them friendly.

We've got enough

unfriendly ones.

But thas

beside the point.

You didn't

maintain discipline.

The moment

discipline's gone,

everything's gone.

Major,

i thought...

captain butterfield,

you're going back.

Report to general amherst

that you got sick, too.

You're sick,

and so is every man

with a powder burn

who goes back

with you.

Captain williams...

captain williams,

i'm putting you in charge

of all these sick men.

You'll start

back at once.

Major, i'd like

to say a word.

Say it.

Counting the mohawks,

you're sending back

40 men.

Thas 20%

of your command.

You can't afford

to lose that many,

major.

Couldn't you...

reconsider

those orders?

I can still see

out of one eye.

Captain williams,

you're going back

because you're in

no condition to go on,

but most of you

are going back

because you can't

maintain discipline.

I'd make this expedition

with 50 men.

Yes, with 10 men.

I'd do more

with those 10

than i could with 200

who didn't obey orders.

All the men

in this detachment

are rangers.

Do you understand?

They're not englishmen

or highlanders or irishmen.

They're rangers.

And if i find

two men leading together

as americans or englishmen,

by heavens,

i'll send them back

if we're within 20 feet

of where we're going.

Dismissed.

Injured men

fall in there.

The rest of us

will push on.

We can't risk

being bottled up

in a little stream.

Fall in!

Follow me to the boats!

Any orders, sir?

Have them

cover the boats well.

Yes, sir.

Well, captain,

this is as far as we can go

with the boats.

Have every man

fill his meal bag.

Assemble all ranks

at the base of split rock

in full marching kit.

Very good, sir.

Captain jacobs, kankaba.

Men, you've followed me

faithfully

and without questions,

and i appreciate it.

Now the time has come

for you to know

where we're going,

although some of you

probably have already guessed.

Here's general amherst

and our forces

at crown point.

Here's lake champlain

and missisquoi bay

where we are now.

Up here is

the st. Lawrence river

and canada.

And right there

is the spot

we're headed for...

the abanochi indians

at st. Francis.

Thas where

we wanted to go, major.

I don't have to tell you

who the abanochis are.

Most of you have lost

folks and friends

in indian raids

since '57.

You'll find their scalps

at st. Francis.

Some of you men

fought in the battle

on snowshoes last year.

Ask joe turner.

He was there.

He'll tell you.

They captured lieutenants

crofton and phillips

and 20 other rangers.

Lieutenant crofton's

brother is here.

He can tell you

what happened to them.

Yes, major.

I can tell you.

Phillips had

a strip of skin

torn upward

from his stomach.

They hung him

from a tree

while still alive.

They chopped his men up

with hatchets

and threw the pieces

into the pine.

They tore

my brother's arms

out of him.

They chopped

the ends of his ribs

away from his backbone

and pried them

out through his skin

one by one.

Thas what happened

to crofton and phillips.

But they were soldiers.

Tey had to take their chances.

But your folks

on the border farms,

they weren't

fighting anybody.

They were clearing woods

and plowing

and raising children,

trying to make

a home of it.

And then one night,

abanochi tomahawks

at the door.

If it was over quick,

they were lucky.

Now, if there's

any man here

who doesn't want

to follow me

against these indians,

he can step out now.

Destroy that map.

We'll leave provisions here

for our return.

Take two indians

and watch the boats.

If the french find them,

notify me quickly.

Well, men, you won't have

any boats to row,

and you won't have any time

to sit down.

You won't be bothered

with blisters

where you got them now.

We're going

through the swamps

so we won't leave

any tracks.

Number one squad!

Till we're out

of the bog,

we'll march three abreast.

Straighten that line!

We'll stop every hour

to save straggling.

We can't afford

to lose anybody

on this trip.

All set?

Yeah!

Yeah!

Forward!

We'll go north

all afternoon.

Should strike some

shallow water by evening.

Mosquitoes

don't bite you,

do they?

Nope.

You put something on

to keep them off?

Rancid bear's grease.

They hate the stink

worse than i do.

Thanks.

I'll keep

the mosquitoes.

Get off that dry land.

No tracks.

Where does he get

that energy?

Don't you wish

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