before adam(亚当之前)-第29节
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The Swift One and I crept quietly away； only to run foul of another
party of Fire…Men。 They chased us into the blueberry swamp； but we
knew the tree…paths across the farther morasses where they could not
follow on the ground； and so we escaped。 We came out on the other side
into a narrow strip of forest that separated the blueberry swamp from the
great swamp that extended westward。 Here we met Lop…Ear。 How he
had escaped I cannot imagine； unless he had not slept the preceding night
at the caves。
Here； in the strip of forest； we might have built tree…shelters and
settled down； but the Fire People were performing their work of
extermination thoroughly。 In the afternoon； Hair…Face and his wife fled out
from among the trees to the east； passed us； and were gone。 They fled
silently and swiftly； with alarm in their faces。 In the direction from
which they had come we heard the cries and yells of the hunters； and the
screeching of some one of the Folk。 The Fire People had found their way
across the swamp。
The Swift One； Lop…Ear； and I followed on the heels of Hair…Face and
his wife。 When we came to the edge of the great swamp； we stopped。
We did not know its paths。 It was outside our territory； and it had been
always avoided by the Folk。 None had ever gone into itat least； to
return。 In our minds it represented mystery and fear； the terrible
unknown。 As I say； we stopped at the edge of it。 We were afraid。 The
cries of the Fire…Men were drawing nearer。 We looked at one another。
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Hair…Face ran out on the quaking morass and gained the firmer footing of
a grass…hummock a dozen yards away。 His wife did not follow。 She tried
to； but shrank back from the treacherous surface and cowered down。
The Swift One did not wait for me； nor did she pause till she had
passed beyond Hair…Face a hundred yards and gained a much larger
hummock。 By the time Lop…Ear and I had caught up with her； the Fire…
Men appeared among the trees。 Hair…Face's wife； driven by them into
panic terror； dashed after us。 But she ran blindly； without caution； and
broke through the crust。 We turned and watched； and saw them shoot her
with arrows as she sank down in the mud。 The arrows began falling
about us。 Hair…Face had now joined us； and the four of us plunged on；
we knew not whither； deeper and deeper into the swamp。
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CHAPTER XVIII
Of our wanderings in the great swamp I have no clear knowledge。
When I strive to remember； I have a riot of unrelated impressions and a
loss of time…value。 I have no idea of how long we were in that vast
everglade； but it must have been for weeks。 My memories of what
occurred invariably take the form of nightmare。 For untold ages；
oppressed by protean fear； I am aware of wandering； endlessly wandering；
through a dank and soggy wilderness； where poisonous snakes struck at us；
and animals roared around us； and the mud quaked under us and sucked at
our heels。
I know that we were turned from our course countless times by
streams and lakes and slimy seas。 Then there were storms and risings of
the water over great areas of the low…lying lands； and there were periods
of hunger and misery when we were kept prisoners in the trees for days
and days by these transient floods。
Very strong upon me is one picture。 Large trees are about us； and
from their branches hang gray filaments of moss； while great creepers； like
monstrous serpents； curl around the trunks and writhe in tangles through
the air。 And all about is the mud； soft mud； that bubbles forth gases； and
that heaves and sighs with internal agitations。 And in the midst of all this
are a dozen of us。 We are lean and wretched； and our bones show
through our tight…stretched skins。 We do not sing and chatter and laugh。
We play no pranks。 For once our volatile and exuberant spirits are
hopelessly subdued。 We make plaintive； querulous noises； look at one
another； and cluster close together。 It is like the meeting of the handful
of survivors after the day of the end of the world。
This event is without connection with the other events in the swamp。
How we ever managed to cross it； I do not know； but at last we came out
where a low range of hills ran down to the bank of the river。 It was our
river emerging like ourselves from the great swamp。 On the south bank；
where the river had broken its way through the hills； we found many sand…
stone caves。 Beyond； toward the west； the ocean boomed on the bar that
lay across the river's mouth。 And here； in the caves； we settled down in
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our abiding…place by the sea。
There were not many of us。 From time to time； as the days went by；
more of the Folk appeared。 They dragged themselves from the swamp
singly； and in twos and threes； more dead than alive； mere perambulating
skeletons； until at last there were thirty of us。 Then no more came from the
swamp； and Red…Eye was not among us。 It was noticeable that no children
had survived the frightful journey。
I shall not tell in detail of the years we lived by the sea。 It was not a
happy abiding…place。 The air was raw and chill； and we suffered
continually from coughing and colds。 We could not survive in such an
environment。 True； we had children； but they had little hold on life and
died early； while we died faster than new ones were born。 Our number
steadily diminished。
Then the radical change in our diet was not good for us。 We got few
vegetables and fruits； and became fish…eaters。 There were mussels and
abalones and clams and rock…oysters； and great ocean…crabs that were
thrown upon the beaches in stormy weather。 Also； we found several
kinds of seaweed that were good to eat。 But the change in diet caused us
stomach troubles； and none of us ever waxed fat。 We were all lean and
dyspeptic…looking。 It was in getting the big abalones that Lop…Ear was
lost。 One of them closed upon his fingers at low…tide； and then the flood…
tide came in and drowned him。 We found his body the next day； and it
was a lesson to us。 Not another one of us was ever caught in the closing
shell of an abalone。
The Swift One and I managed to bring up one child； a boyat least we
managed to bring him along for several years。 But I am quite confident
he could never have survived that terrible climate。 And then； one day； the
Fire People appeared again。 They had come down the river； not on a
catamaran； but in a rude dug…out。 There were three of them that paddled in
it； and one of them was the little wizened old hunter。 They landed on our
beach； and he limped across the sand and examined our caves。
They went away in a few minutes； but the Swift One was badly scared。
We were all frightened； but none of us to the extent that she was。 She
whimpered and cried and was restless all that night。 In the morning she
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took the child in her arms； and by sharp cries； gestures； and example；
started me on our second long flight。 There were eight of the Folk （all that
was left of the horde） that remained behind in the caves。 There was no
hope for them。 Without doubt； even if the Fire People did not return； they
must soon have perished。 It was a bad climate down there by the
