It’s the metaphor for ultimate peace, right? Predators lying down with prey.
Maybe that’s what Meriwether Lewis did. Night after night. On his trek from Fort Pickering (modern-day Memphis) to the Natchez Trace. Maybe he visited the Chickasaw Indian Agency in northern Alabama. Perhaps he crossed the Tennessee River at Colbert Ferry.
No one knows where he went as he zigzagged across the territory.
But his escort might have been the enemy.
James Neely was a Chickasaw Indian agent, policing territory that extended from middle Mississippi to the Alabama-Tennessee border. In 1809, it was land still claimed by Spain and called Spanish Florida, but the United States government felt it necessary to employ agents to protect their citizens who poached on Spanish lands from the Natives who claimed the land for a millennia or more.
Anyway.
Neely accompanied Lewis. Did that make him the enemy?
Maybe.
Neely’s direct superior was a man named James Wilkinson.
Yes, THAT James Wilkinson.
(And, if you haven’t read my novel, you can find out who he was for $2.99. Or, you can google. Google may be free, but my story is more entertaining.)
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TODAY’S MERIWETHER LEWIS BIRTHDAY MONTH TRIVIA QUESTION:
WHAT WAS MERRY’S ASTROLOGICAL SIGN?
Answer to yesterday’s Meriwether Lewis Birthday Month Trivia Question: LEWIS AND CLARK WERE CHARGED WITH FINDING EVIDENCE OF A LOST EUROPEAN TRIBE AMONG THE NATIVE AMERICANS. FROM WHAT PART OF EUROPE DID THIS SUPPOSED TRIBE HAIL?
ANSWER: SAGAS CLAIM PRINCE MADOC WAS FROM WALES.
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To Live Forever: An Afterlife Journey of Meriwether Lewishttps://amzn.to/3Leg92i is just $2.99 on Kindle during August in celebration of Meriwether Lewis’ Birthday Month. Click below and GET READING!
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To check out the entire Meriwether Lewis Birthday Month Series, follow the links below:
Lewis and Clark: Screwing Their Way Across a Continent
Lewis and Clark and Sex Bombs
Who Was Meriwether Lewis Godfather?
If Meriwether Lewis Had Lived to be 80
Lewis and Clark and Old Blue Eyes
34 Comments
The concept to the Lion lying down with Lamb always makes me smile. It’s the perfect description of a bad night’s sleep:)
It is. You’re right, Roger.
Let’s see. A lion is a Leo, and I am a Leo. So I will say Leo. Even though I should remember his birthday, because you have told me, but I don’t. But I will still guess Leo.
Good guess.
it would have been hard to sleep at all during all of that, with so much intrigue going on. he’s a leo like my mother was, don’t mess with the lions –
My dad is a leo, too.:)
My dad was also.
Joining everyone on the Leo guess
Another good guess.
He was a Leo, but edging closer to Virgo, and, all things considered, I find that a tad funny.
Me too.
“…and a little child shall lead them.” This makes me think of Advent (which is only four months away!). And, of course, a little child led Merry in you book.
I never made those connections when I wrote this, Jill. Thanks for helping me see something else in the story.
I’m off to Sumter now. I have an author appearance for lunch.
Jill what a great connection! Yes, the little child Em did lead Merry back to his hope and life. Yup, he was a Leo. Born on Aug. 18…that makes him one.
I feel lame also parroting Leo. But that’s my best guess.
Might as well join in with Leo (’cause just plain ol’ don’t know). Hope your lunchtime author appearance was fun – and profitable.
Are you doing any YA author presentations?
Well, I’ll just keep adding to the line…my mother is a Leo so…
Wilkinson fascinates me. I had never heard of him before your novel, but as I told you when you were walking the Trace, I picked up a book to give me more history of that historic trail and he was mentioned in that book. There just seem to be so many cloudy stories around Meriwether Lewis. We know so much, yet can’t know it all. You have created such a hunger to know more, however. And that’s the mark of a very strong writer! I hope you have a great weekend, Andra–with some rest thrown in, if possible. 🙂
Well dang.
Leo?
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