Chapter XII

           IhavenoideahowlongLop-EarandIwanderedinthelandnorthoftheriver.Wewerelikemarinerswreckedonadesertisle,sofarasconcernedthelikelihoodofourgettinghomeagain.Weturnedourbacksupontheriver,andforweeksandmonthsadventuredinthatwildernesswheretherewerenoFolk.Itisverydifficultformetoreconstructourjourneying,andimpossibletodoitfromdaytoday.Mostofitishazyandindistinct,thoughhereandthereIhavevividrecollectionsofthingsthathappened.

           EspeciallydoIrememberthehungerweenduredonthemountainsbetweenLongLakeandFarLake,andthecalfwecaughtsleepinginthethicket.Also,therearetheTreePeoplewhodweltintheforestbetweenLongLakeandthemountains.ItwastheywhochasedusintothemountainsandcompelledustotravelontoFarLake.

           First,afterwelefttheriver,weworkedtowardthewesttillwecametoasmallstreamthatflowedthroughmarshlands.Hereweturnedawaytowardthenorth,skirtingthemarshesandafterseveraldaysarrivingatwhatIhavecalledLongLake.Wespentsometimearounditsupperend,wherewefoundfoodinplenty;andthen,oneday,intheforest,weranfouloftheTreePeople.Thesecreatureswereferociousapes,nothingmore.Andyettheywerenotsodifferentfromus.