before adam(亚当之前)-第21节
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roar； and from far off came the scream of some stricken animal； splashing
and floundering in a drinking…place。 Also； from the river； came a great
grunting of rhinoceroses。
In the morning； after having had our sleep； we crept back to the fire。
It was still smouldering； and the Fire…Men were gone。 We made a circle
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through the forest to make sure； and then we ran to the fire。 I wanted to
see what it was like； and between thumb and finger I picked up a glowing
coal。 My cry of pain and fear； as I dropped it； stampeded Lop…Ear into
the trees； and his flight frightened me after him。
The next time we came back more cautiously； and we avoided the
glowing coals。 We fell to imitating the Fire…Men。 We squatted down by
the fire； and with heads bent forward on our knees； made believe to sleep。
Then we mimicked their speech； talking to each other in their fashion and
making a great gibberish。 I remembered seeing the wizened old hunter
poke the fire with a stick。 I poked the fire with a stick； turning up masses
of live coals and clouds of white ashes。 This was great sport； and soon we
were coated white with the ashes。
It was inevitable that we should imitate the Fire…Men in replenishing
the fire。 We tried it first with small pieces of wood。 It was a success。
The wood flamed up and crackled； and we danced and gibbered with
delight。 Then we began to throw on larger pieces of wood。 We put on
more and more； until we had a mighty fire。 We dashed excitedly back
and forth； dragging dead limbs and branches from out the forest。 The
flames soared higher and higher； and the smoke…column out…towered the
trees。 There was a tremendous snapping and crackling and roaring。 It
was the most monumental work we had ever effected with our hands； and
we were proud of it。 We； too； were Fire…Men； we thought； as we danced
there； white gnomes in the conflagration。
The dried grass and underbrush caught fire； but we did not notice it。
Suddenly a great tree on the edge of the open space burst into flames。
We looked at it with startled eyes。 The heat of it drove us back。
Another tree caught； and another； and then half a dozen。 We were
frightened。 The monster had broken loose。 We crouched down in fear；
while the fire ate around the circle and hemmed us in。 Into Lop…Ear's
eyes came the plaintive look that always accompanied incomprehension；
and I know that in my eyes must have been the same look。 We huddled；
with our arms around each other； until the heat began to reach us and the
odor of burning hair was in our nostrils。 Then we made a dash of it； and
fled away westward through the forest； looking back and laughing as we
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ran。
By the middle of the day we came to a neck of land； made； as we
afterward discovered； by a great curve of the river that almost completed a
circle。 Right across the neck lay bunched several low and partly wooded
hills。 Over these we climbed； looking backward at the forest which had
become a sea of flame that swept eastward before a rising wind。 We
continued to the west； following the river bank； and before we knew it we
were in the midst of the abiding…place of the Fire People。
This abiding…place was a splendid strategic selection。 It was a
peninsula； protected on three sides by the curving river。 On only one side
was it accessible by land。 This was the narrow neck of the peninsula； and
here the several low hills were a natural obstacle。 Practically isolated from
the rest of the world； the Fire People must have here lived and prospered
for a long time。 In fact； I think it was their prosperity that was responsible
for the subsequent migration that worked such calamity upon the Folk。
The Fire People must have increased in numbers until they pressed
uncomfortably against the bounds of their habitat。 They were expanding；
and in the course of their expanding they drove the Folk before them； and
settled down themselves in the caves and occupied the territory that we
had occupied。
But Lop…Ear and I little dreamed of all this when we found ourselves
in the Fire People's stronghold。 We had but one idea； and that was to get
away； though we could not forbear humoring our curiosity by peeping out
upon the village。 For the first time we saw the women and children of
the Fire People。 The latter ran for the most part naked； though the former
wore skins of wild animals。
The Fire People； like ourselves； lived in caves。 The open space in
front of the caves sloped down to the river； and in the open space burned
many small fires。 But whether or not the Fire People cooked their food； I
do not know。 Lop…Ear and I did not see them cook。 Yet it is my opinion
that they surely must have performed some sort of rude cookery。 Like us；
they carried water in gourds from the river。 There was much coming and
going； and loud cries made by the women and children。 The latter played
about and cut up antics quite in the same way as did the children of the
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Folk； and they more nearly resembled the children of the Folk than did the
grown Fire People resemble the grown Folk。
Lop…Ear and I did not linger long。 We saw some of the part…grown
boys shooting with bow and arrow； and we sneaked back into the thicker
forest and made our way to the river。 And there we found a catamaran； a
real catamaran； one evidently made by some Fire…Man。 The two logs
were small and straight； and were lashed together by means of tough roots
and crosspieces of wood。
This time the idea occurred simultaneously to us。 We were trying to
escape out of the Fire People's territory。 What better way than by
crossing the river on these logs？ We climbed on board and shoved off。
A sudden something gripped the catamaran and flung it downstream
violently against the bank。 The abrupt stoppage almost whipped us off
into the water。 The catamaran was tied to a tree by a rope of twisted
roots。 This we untied before shoving off again。
By the time we had paddled well out into the current； we had drifted so
far downstream that we were in full view of the Fire People's abiding…
place。 So occupied were we with our paddling； our eyes fixed upon the
other bank； that we knew nothing until aroused by a yell from the shore。
We looked around。 There were the Fire People； many of them； looking at
us and pointing at us； and more were crawling out of the caves。 We sat
up to watch； and forgot all about paddling。 There was a great hullabaloo
on the shore。 Some of the Fire…Men discharged their bows at us； and a
few of the arrows fell near us； but the range was too great。
It was a great day for Lop…Ear and me。 To the east the conflagration
we had started was filling half the sky with smoke。 And here we were；
perfectly safe in the middle of the river； encircling the Fire People's
stronghold。 We sat and laughed at them as we dashed by； swinging south；
and southeast to east； and even to northeast； and then east again； southeast
and south and on around to the west； a great double curve where the river
nearly tied a knot in itself。
As we swept on to the west； the Fire People far behind； a familiar
scene flashed upon our eyes。
It was the great drinking…place； where we had wandered once or twice
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to watch the circus of the animals when they came down to drink。
Beyond it； we knew； was the carrot patch； and beyond that the caves and
the abiding…place of the horde。 We began to paddle for the bank that slid
swiftly past； and before we
