До Адама
Chapter XVIII
Thiseventiswithoutconnectionwiththeothereventsintheswamp.Howweevermanagedtocrossit,Idonotknow,butatlastwecameoutwherealowrangeofhillsrandowntothebankoftheriver.Itwasourriveremerginglikeourselvesfromthegreatswamp.Onthesouthbank,wheretheriverhadbrokenitswaythroughthehills,wefoundmanysand-stonecaves.Beyond,towardthewest,theoceanboomedonthebarthatlayacrosstheriver’smouth.Andhere,inthecaves,wesettleddowninourabiding-placebythesea.
Therewerenotmanyofus.Fromtimetotime,asthedayswentby,moreoftheFolkappeared.Theydraggedthemselvesfromtheswampsingly,andintwosandthrees,moredeadthanalive,mereperambulatingskeletons,untilatlasttherewerethirtyofus.Thennomorecamefromtheswamp,andRed-Eyewasnotamongus.Itwasnoticeablethatnochildrenhadsurvivedthefrightfuljourney.
Ishallnottellindetailoftheyearswelivedbythesea.Itwasnotahappyabiding-place.Theairwasrawandchill,andwesufferedcontinuallyfromcoughingandcolds.Wecouldnotsurviveinsuchanenvironment.True,wehadchildren;buttheyhadlittleholdonlifeanddiedearly,whilewediedfasterthannewoneswereborn.Ournumbersteadilydiminished.
Thentheradicalchangeinourdietwasnotgoodforus.Wegotfewvegetablesandfruits,andbecamefish-eaters.Thereweremusselsandabalonesandclamsandrock-oysters,andgreatocean-crabsthatwerethrownuponthebeachesinstormyweather.Also,wefoundseveralkindsofseaweedthatweregoodtoeat.
