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later　from　hunger。



Itwas　a　desolate　land　of　rocks　and　foaming　streams

and　clattering　cataracts。　　We　climbed　and　descended

mighty　canyons　and　gorges；　and　ever；　from　every　view

point；　there　spread　out　before　us；　in　all　directions；

range　upon　range；　the　unceasing　mountains。　We　slept　at

night　in　holes　and　crevices；　and　on　one　cold　night　we

perched　on　top　a　slender　pinnacle　of　rock　that　was

almost　like　a　tree。



And　then；　at　last；　one　hot　midday；　dizzy　with　hunger；

we　gained　the　divide。　　From　this　high　backbone　of

earth；　to　the　north；　across　the　diminishing；

down…falling　ranges；　we　caught　a　glimpse　of　a　far　lake。

The　sun　shone　upon　it；　and　about　it　were　open；　level

grass…lands；　while　to　the　eastward　we　saw　the　dark　line

of　a　wide…stretching　forest。



We　were　two　days　in　gaining　the　lake；　and　we　were　weak

with　hunger；　but　on　its　shore；　sleeping　snugly　in　a

thicket；　we　found　a　part…grown　calf。　　It　gave　us　much

trouble；　for　we　knew　no　other　way　to　kill　than　with　our

hands。　　When　we　had　gorged　our　fill；　we　carried　the

remainder　of　the　meat　to　the　eastward　forest　and　hid　it

in　a　tree。　　We　never　returned　to　that　tree；　for　the

shore　of　the　stream　that　drained　Far　Lake　was　packed

thick　with　salmon　that　had　come　up　from　the　sea　to

spawn。



Westward　from　the　lake　stretched　the　grass…lands；　and

here　were　multitudes　of　bison　and　wild　cattle。　　Also

were　there　many　packs　of　wild　dogs；　and　as　there　were

no　trees　it　was　not　a　safe　place　for　us。　　We　followed

north　along　the　stream　for　days。　　Then；　and　for　what

reason　I　do　not　know；　we　abruptly　left　the　stream　and

swung　to　the　east；　and　then　to　the　southeast；　through　a

great　forest。　　I　shall　not　bore　you　with　our　journey。

I　but　indicate　it　to　show　how　we　finally　arrived　at　the

Fire　People's　country。



We　came　out　upon　the　river；　but　we　did　not　know　it　for

our　river。　We　had　been　lost　so　long　that　we　had　come　to

accept　the　condition　of　being　lost　as　habitual。　　As　I

look　back　I　see　clearly　how　our　lives　and　destinies　are

shaped　by　the　merest　chance。　　We　did　not　know　it　was

our　riverthere　was　no　way　of　telling；　and　if　we　had

never　crossed　it　we　would　most　probably　have　never

returned　to　the　horde；　and　I；　the　modern；　the　thousand

centuries　yet　to　be　born；　would　never　have　been　born　。



And　yet　Lop…Ear　and　I　wanted　greatly　to　return。　　We　had

experienced　homesickness　on　our　journey；　the　yearning

for　our　own　kind　and　land；　and　often　had　I　had

recollections　of　the　Swift　One；　the　young　female　who

made　soft　sounds；　whom　it　was　good　to　be　with；　and　who

lived　by　herself　nobody　knew　where。　　My　recollections

of　her　were　accompanied　by　sensations　of　hunger；　and

these　I　felt　when　I　was　not　hungry　and　when　I　had　just

eaten。



But　to　come　back　to　the　river。　　Food　was　plentiful；

principally　berries　and　succulent　roots；　and　on　the

river　bank　we　played　and　lingered　for　days。　　And　then

the　idea　came　to　Lop…Ear。　　It　was　a　visible　process；

the　coming　of　the　idea。　　I　saw　it。　　The　expression　in

his　eyes　became　plaintive　and　querulous；　and　he　was

greatly　perturbed。　　Then　his　eyes　went　muddy；　as　if　he

had　lost　his　grip　on　the　inchoate　thought。　　This　was

followed　by　the　plaintive；　querulous　expression　as　the

idea　persisted　and　he　clutched　it　anew。　　He　looked　at

me；　and　at　the　river　and　the　far　shore。　　He　tried　to

speak；　but　had　no　sounds　with　which　to　express　the

idea。　　The　result　was　a　gibberish　that　made　me　laugh。

This　angered　him；　and　he　grabbed　me　suddenly　and　threw

me　on　my　back。　Of　course　we　fought；　and　in　the　end　I

chased　him　up　a　tree；　where　he　secured　a　long　branch

and　poked　me　every　time　I　tried　to　get　at　him。



And　the　idea　had　gone　glimmering。　　I　did　not　know；　and

he　had　forgotten。　　But　the　next　morning　it　awoke　in　him

again。　　Perhaps　it　was　the　homing　instinct　in　him

asserting　itself　that　made　the　idea　persist。　　At　any

rate　it　was　there；　and　clearer　than　before。　He　led　me

down　to　the　water；　where　a　log　had　grounded　in　an　eddy。

I　thought　he　was　minded　to　play；　as　we　had　played　in

the　mouth　of　the　slough。　　Nor　did　I　change　my　mind　as　I

watched　him　tow　up　a　second　log　from　farther　down　the

shore。



It　was　not　until　we　were　on　the　logs；　side　by　side　and

holding　them　together；　and　had　paddled　out　into　the

current；　that　I　learned　his　intention。　　He　paused　to

point　at　the　far　shore；　and　resumed　his　paddling；　at

the　same　time　uttering　loud　and　encouraging　cries。　　I

understood；　and　we　paddled　energetically。　The　swift

current　caught　us；　flung　us　toward　the　south　shore；　but

before　we　could　make　a　landing　flung　us　back　toward　the

north　shore。



Here　arose　dissension。　　Seeing　the　north　shore　so　near；

I　began　to　paddle　for　it。　　Lop…Ear　tried　to　paddle　for

the　south　shore。　　The　logs　swung　around　in　circles；　and

we　got　nowhere；　and　all　the　time　the　forest　was

flashing　past　as　we　drifted　down　the　stream。　　We　could

not　fight。　　We　knew　better　than　to　let　go　the　grips　of

hands　and　feet　that　held　the　logs　together。　　But　we

chattered　and　abused　each　other　with　our　tongues　until

the　current　flung　us　toward　the　south　bank　again。　　That

was　now　the　nearest　goal；　and　together　and　amicably　we

paddled　for　it。　　We　landed　in　an　eddy；　and　climbed

directly　into　the　trees　to　reconnoitre。







CHAPTER　XIII





It　was　not　until　the　night　of　our　first　day　on　the

south　bank　of　the　river　that　we　discovered　the　Fire

People。　　What　must　have　been　a　band　of　wandering

hunters　went　into　camp　not　far　from　the　tree　in　which

Lop…Ear　and　I　had　elected　to　roost　for　the　night。　　The

voices　of　the　Fire　People　at　first　alarmed　us；　but

later；　when　darkness　had　come；　we　were　attracted　by　the

fire。　　We　crept　cautiously　and　silently　from　tree　to

tree　till　we　got　a　good　view　of　the　scene。



In　an　open　space　among　the　trees；　near　to　the　river；

the　fire　was　burning。　　About　it　were　half　a　dozen

Fire…Men。　　Lop…Ear　clutched　me　suddenly；　and　I　could

feel　him　tremble。　　I　looked　more　closely；　and　saw　the

wizened　little　old　hunter　who　had　shot　Broken…Tooth　out

of　the　tree　years　before。　　When　he　got　up　and　walked

about；　throwing　fresh　wood　upon　the　fire；　I　saw　that　he

limped　with　his　crippled　leg。　　Whatever　it　was；　it　was

a　permanent　injury。　　He　seemed　more　dried　up　and

wizened　than　ever；　and　the　hair　on　his　face　was　quite

gray。



The　other　hunters　were　young　men。　　I　noted；　lying　near

them　on　the　ground；　their　bows　and　arrows；　and　I　knew

the　weapons　for　what　they　were。　　The　Fire…Men　wore

animal　skins　around　their　waists　and　across　their

shoulders。　　Their　arms　and　legs；　however；　were　bare；

and　they　wore　no　footgear。　　As　I　have　said　before；　they

were　not　quite　so　hairy　as　we　of　the　Folk。　　They　did

not　have　large　heads；　and　between　them　and　the　Folk

there　was　very　little　difference　in　the　degree　of　the

slant　of　the　head　back　from　the　eyes。



They　were　less　stooped　than　we；　less　springy　in　their

movements。　Their　backbones　and　hips　and　knee…joints

seemed　more　rigid。　　Their　arms　were　not　so　long　as　ours

either；　and　I　did　not　notice　that　they　ever　balanced

themselves　when　they　walked；　by　touching　the　ground　on

either　side　with　their　hands。　　Also；　their　muscles　were

more　rounded　and　symmetrical　than　ours；　and　their　faces

were　more　pleasing。　　Their　nose　orifices　opened

downward；　likewise　the　bridges　of　their　noses　were　more

developed；　did　not　look　so　squat　nor　crushed　as　ours。

Their　lips　were　less　flabby　and　pendent；　and　their

eye…teeth　did　not　look　so　much　like　fangs。　　However；

they　were　quite　as　thin…hipped　as　we；　and　did　not　weigh

much　more。　Take　it　all　in　all；　they　were　less　different

from　us　than　were　we　from　the　Tree　People。　　Certainly；

all　three　kinds　were　related；　and　not　so　remotely

related　at　that。



The　fire　around　which　they　sat　was　especially

attractive。　　Lop…Ear　and　I　sat　for　hours；　watching　the

flames　and　smoke。　　It　was　most　fascinating　when　fresh

fuel　was　thrown　on　and　showers　of　sparks　went　flying

upward。　　I　wanted　to　come　closer　and　look　at　the　fire；

but　there　was　no　way。　　We　were　crouching　in　the　forks

of　a　tree　on　the　edge　of　the　open　space；　and　we　did　not

dare　run　the　risk　of　being　discovered。



The　Fire…Men　squatted　around　the　fire　and　slept　with

their　heads　bowed　forward　on　their　knees。　　They　did　not

sleep　soundly。　　Their　ears　twitched　in　their　sleep；　and

they　were　restless。　　Every　little　while　one　or　another

got　up　and　threw　more　wood　upon　the　fire。　　About　the

circle　of　light　in　the　forest；　in　the　darkness　beyond；

roamed　hunting　animals。　　Lop…Ear　and　I　could　tell　them

by　their　sounds。　　There　were　wild　dogs　and　a　hyena；　and

for　a　time　there　was　a　great　yelping　and　snarling　that

awakened　on　the　instant　the　whole　circle　of　sleeping

Fire…Men。



Once　a　lion　and　a　lioness　stood　beneath　our　tree　and

gazed　out　with　bristling　hair　and　blinking　eyes。　　The

lion　licked　his　chops　and　was　nervous　with　eagerness；

as　if　he　wanted　to　go　forward　and　make　a　meal。　　But　the

lioness　was　more　cautious。　　It　was　she　that　discovered

us；　and　the　pair　stood　and　looked　up　at　us；　silently；

with　twitching；　scenting　nostrils。　　Then　they　growled；

looked　once　again　at　the　fire；　and　turned　away　into　the

forest。



For　a　much　longer　time　Lop…Ear　and　I　remained　and

watched。　　Now　and　again　we　could　hear　the　crashing　of

heavy　bodies　in　the　thickets　and　underbrush；　and　from

the　darkness　of　the　other　side；　across　the　circle；　we

could　see　eyes　gleaming　in　the　firelight。　In　the

distance　we　heard　a　lion　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　through　the

forest　to　make　sure；　and　then　we　ran　to　the　fire。　　I

wanted　to　see　what　it　was　like；　and　b