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This was Henry Shepherd's journal. When he died this was donated to the royal London museum. he wrote it in 1550 and published 1986. Kirasogishy was from the Scalamana tribe. To find out more about this culture read The Lost Society.

Silenced

Spring 1550

She was silenced. She was not heard. This story makes me wonder if women today in our culture are not listened to, if they are silenced. She talks about the many stories but this one made me think, is “England that great?” I know if the king got his hands on this, he'd have my head. That makes me wonder “are we really free, as is just?”
Kirasogishy was a woman we found stuck in a canoe in a horrid storm. We took her on board. Kirasogishy was an Indian . She was strange but I found her to be quite interesting.
After the storm she wanted us to go to her village called Sclamana, so we took her there. It was rather smooth sailing, a sunny day, just, beautiful with a rainbow in the sky. When we arrived Kirasogishy ran through all sorts of mud and puddles. When she found her village, all of her people were dead from the storm. I'm guessing a large wave came and drowned the village.
She was in tears looking at her mess of a village. I was saddened and I didn't even know the people of Kirasogishy's village. She ran to every hut hoping there was some one who was alive. No one. We took her back to our ship and offered her the cabin that Samuel slept in.
After a while, Kirasogishy learned some English and we asked her to tell us a story of her tribe. She smiled and began.
''One day when I was avoiding work, like any young person would do, I laid in one of the canoes that just came in from a fishing trip. As I laid there enjoying the summer sun, listening to the crickets chirp merrily, I chewed a piece of sweet grass, and I thought of a remarkable Idea.
I thought of how we, as a tribe could have a better weapon for the hunters. I leapt out of the canoe and ran back to the village. were I looked for my mother, she was always interested in my Ideas.
When I arrived at the village, I was greeted by work. Of course, I was disappointed but I didn't dare argue I chose my job of a sewer and needed to learn it! If I didn't co-operate I'd have to be a hunter! Hunting really isn't my forte. I decided that after my work was done, I would go tell mother.
When I arrived home I said ''Mother! Mother!! I have found the answers to all the hunters’ problems!!''
my mother rolled her eyes and explained '' darling how many times do I have to tell you? We don't need to see more light; we have enough to survive and that's all we need. Don't you remember the hearing when the elders and chief decided that if we found a better way we may see more dead animals and run out of food! Remember? we need good and bad, light and dark, intelligence and stupidity!!!! Darling it's not that I don't think that your Idea is brilliant, it's just it might bring harm to our tribe and I don't want you to humiliate your self! Please understand. I respect you. I don't want any harm to come to you''
As she said this, a tear rolled down her face. Just the memory of her mother made her cry. This made me think if I'd see my mother again. If this boat would sink and wouldn't live to tell the tale. I've done some bad things that I don't think god can forgive me for. If I don't survive I won't be able to see her again. After a few minutes of remembrance she continued her story.
''I got angry. I was frustrated. I yelled at my mother: ''I hate it here!! The only reason I'm staying is that I have no place to go I can't hunt, fish and farm all by my self!!! How do you expect me to stand by and watch our tribe starve when I know the answer?? You say I'm brilliant but I'm not; I'm just a fool for following this gibberish!!! It's a scandal! I can not live like this and yet I'm forced to!! It's not fair!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!''
My mother's reply was ''you stay because of family. You stay because you care. Yes some of the rules my appear dumb, but they make sense f you think about it. If you want you can approach the chief talk to him I might be wrong.''
She smiled it was as if she had connection with her dead mother. I could tell just by her face. Kirasogishy smiled for the first time on this ship it wasn't just a nice to-see-you-smile it was a glowing-warm-smile; she truly loved her mother.
Her story was interrupted by a sudden gust of wind that hit the ship. We all got to our feet and waited for orders. We ran about carrying out captain’s orders, even Kirasogishy! She is strong and brilliant she was meant to sail. She has enhanced the ship so much!
When we set anchor none of us wanted to stay up we were to tired! So I guess I’ll have to wait to hear the rest of her story.

As I write this I'm eager for her to finish it. I don't know why I’m so captivated. Maybe because it deals with some thing I have never though of, maybe to see why she chose this story above all, Or maybe it’s just hearing her lovely voice or seeing her eye’s shimmer in the moon light.

Next day

Finally this day has ended! The weather was very stormy today, so we had a lot of work. Luckily, we found an island on Which to rest. We'll probably stay for a week or so.
We went in search of food. Most of it was strange. Luckily Kirasogishy was here to help us. She knew which plants were good and bad and how to cook them. After we ate, she built a fire for us and told us the rest of her story:
I did in fact go to the chief. He laughed at me and said, ''Kirasogishy, my dear, there was already a trial we have decided that we should not persue this. We may know too much and we can't go in reverse with learning. We know what we know! We can’t change that. And if we know too much already, how will a weapon help?''
I wanted to argue, but it was no use. The chief led the tribe. I could have called a vote to get a new chief, but so many thought he was the right one. So many thought he cared about the tribe. They thought he wasn't after the control or the so-called ''easy life''. They think of him as a friend.”
This made Kirasogishy angry! Angier than when she saw her village in the ruins angrier than any other time. I have only known her for a short time but she is the most fearless woman I have ever seen. In England women are not trained the same as men. In Kirasogishy’s tribe young girls are treated the same as boys. Women are allowed to hunt and fish, not just cook and sew. I know my captain thinks their tribe is barbaric, but I think it's well thought out if Kirasogishy can be so talented at mechanics, as she showed. If we let women work our civilization we would be much more advanced.
She said this with hatred in her voice. She continued ''the chief was dishonest he didn't care about the people, all he wanted was women! He didn’t even care who! All he wanted was to be with them. The problem was they didn't want him. He wanted to impress them. They didn't care! All he did was ask others about a problem they tell him what to do! he would never form an opinion. Even with trials it was his mother who decided! He wasn't a real chief!
I made a promise to my self, at that moment: I would be a chief of my own tribe! I wouldn't lead this old one with old traditions that didn't make sense that didn't allow progress! I would find an island and take my friends there and we would make new homes, new rules and a new way of life. I could do that because our island was getting too small. That is how I found your ship. I was carrying out my plan!''
She left us at that. It really made me think, “is this time really so great?” Are all our Ideas as good as they could be?? If we didn't silence people and every one could say what they thought without being judged. We would have a fantastic society.
We, as a society, have unwritten laws about how to act how to dress etcetera. We need to break those down and be willing to listen in order to have rights! I am a man and I feel pressured to act a certain way. Imagine how bad it is for the women of our culture or a different skinned person! I cannot imagine!