The Adjid

During his early morning patrol, Dipuc found asbans (1) (raccoons) raiding the herring run.  His approach made them run off, but fish scales and carcasses lined both the stream bank and the path that led up out of the valley.  Upon his return to the lodges, he told Atnas of his find and it was decided that a gathering crew would be sent to collect the dead fish.  They would then be taken into the eastern pine forest, where they would be buried next to selected low-bush blueberry plants. This use of dead or stranded fish as a fertilizer for various plants was a common practice, and it is said by some that the method was taught to them by the native tribesmen, yet there is no evidence to prove this. Regardless how they came upon it, the method did indeed seem to improve production, as those bushes of that chosen site always produced more berries than other populations nearby.  

The fish were quickly gathered up, and each crew member now carried a small basket full upon their backs, and they headed out toward the pines.  As they made their way up the hillside, they came upon a large midden of the adjid (2).  Looking up into the large old pine they saw the small animal, which was about half the size of a gray squirrel.  Its red bushy tail standing almost straight up, the fury creature seemed to greet them with a long chattering of clucks and grunts, but they soon realized this chatter was more intended for another adjid making its way toward them. The men laughed as they watched the first jump from branch to branch, chasing the rival male that had entered his territory.  The two scrambled up and down the trees and soon were out of site.  

Adjids are known to store great quantities of food, a practice highly regarded by the Nubbins. Their legends told how the food stores of the adjid had once been used by the clan during the long great winter of many years before.  In fact, it is this legend that is the reason why some adjids are now trained by the elders to store certain berries, to then be collected as needed at a future time.  

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(1) Of interest, Asban is also a Native American (Natick tribe) term for the raccoon meaning more or less ‘one who lifts things up’, seemingly to describe the use of the fore-paws.

(2) Adjid, the Nubbin term for the American Red Squirrel, is likely derived from Native Americans as well, though no source for its origin could be found. These squirrels feed primarily on conifer seeds, and the scales of the cones which hold the seeds often collect in large middens below the favorite dining place of these little animals.  These middens are a sure sign a red squirrel is in the tree above or nearby, as they are very territorial.