
    ,,*APT] ,,XVIII

,( \R W&]+S 9 ! GRT SWAMP ,I H NO CLE>
K4 ,:5 ,I /RIVE 6REMEMB]1 ,I H A RIOT (
UNRELAT$ IMPRES.NS &A LOSS ( "T-VALUE4
  ,I H
NO IDEA ( H[ L;G WE 7 9 T VA/ "EGLADE1 B
X M/ H BE5 = WEEKS4 ,MY MEMORIES ( :AT
O3URR$ 9V>IABLY TAKE ! =M ( NI<TM>E4 ,=
UNTOLD AGES1 OPPRESS$ 0PROT1N FE>1 ,I AM
  AW>E (
W&]+1 5D.SLY W&]+1 "? A DANK &
SO7Y WILD];S1 ": POISON\S SNAKES /RUCK
  AT U1
& ANIMALS RO>$ >.D U1 &! MUD QUAK$ "U
U & SUCK$ AT \R HEELS4

,I "K T WE 7 TURN$ F \R C\RSE C.T.S
"TS 0/R1MS & LAKES & SLIMY S1S4 ,!N "!
7 /ORMS & RIS+S (! WAT] OV] GRT >1S
(! L[-LY+ L&S2 & "! 7 P]IODS (
HUNG] & MIS]Y :5 WE 7 KEPT PRISON]S 9 !
TREES = "DS & "DS 0^! TRANSI5T FLOODS4

,V /R;G ^U ME IS "O PICTURE4 ,L>GE TREES
  >E
AB U1 & F _! BRAN*ES HANG GRAY FILA;TS
( MOSS1 :ILE GRT CREEP]S1 L MON/R\S
  S]P5TS1
CURL >.D ! TRUNKS & WRI! 9 TANGLES "?
! AIR4 ,& ALL AB IS ! MUD1 S(T MUD1 T
BUB#S =? GASES1 & T H1VES & SI<S )
9T]NAL AGIT,NS4 ,& 9 ! MID/ ( ALL ? >E
A DOZ5 ( U4 ,WE >E L1N & WRET*$1 & \R
  B"OS
%[ "? \R TI<T-/RET*$ SK9S4 ,WE D N S+
& *ATT] & LAU<4 ,WE PLAY NO PRANKS4 ,=
  ONCE
\R VOLATILE & EXUB]ANT _SS >E HOPE.SLY
SUBDU$4 ,WE MAKE PLA9TIVE1 QU]UL\S
  NOISES1 LOOK AT
"O ANO!R1 & CLU/] CLOSE TGR4 ,X IS L
! MEET+ (! H&;L ( SURVIVORS AF ! "D
(! 5D (! _W4





,? EV5T IS )\T 3NEC;N )! O!R EV5TS
9 ! SWAMP4 ,H[ WE "E MANAG$ 6CROSS X1 ,I
  D
N "K1 B AT LA/ WE CAME \ ": A L[ RANGE (
HILLS RAN D[N 6! BANK (! RIV]4 ,X 0 \R
RIV] EM]G+ L \RVS F ! GRT SWAMP4 ,ON
! S\? BANK1 ": ! RIV] _H BROK5 XS WAY
"? ! HILLS1 WE F.D _M S&-/"O CAVES4
,2Y1 T[>D ! WE/1 ! OC1N BOOM$ ON ! B>
T LAY ACR ! RIV]'S M\?4 ,& "H1 9 !
CAVES1 WE SETTL$ D[N 9 \R ABID+-PLACE 0!
  SEA4

,"! 7 N _M ( U4 ,F "T 6"T1 Z !
"DS W5T BY1 M (! ,FOLK APPE>$4 ,!Y DRA7$
!MVS F ! SWAMP S+LY1 & 9 TWOS &
?REES1 M D1D ?AN ALIVE1 M]E P]AMBULAT+
SKELETONS1 UNTIL AT LA/ "! 7 ?IRTY ( U4
  ,!N
NO M CAME F ! SWAMP1 & ,R$-,EYE 0 N AM;G
U4 ,X 0 NOTICEA# T NO *N _H SURVIV$ !
F"R;L J\RNEY4



,I % N TELL 9 DETAIL (! YE>S WE LIV$ 0!
SEA4 ,X 0 N A HAPPY ABID+-PLACE4 ,! AIR
  0
RAW & *ILL1 & WE SU6]$ 3T9U,Y F
C\<+ & COLDS4 ,WE CD N SURVIVE 9 S* AN
5VIRON;T4 ,TRUE1 WE _H *N2 B !Y _H
LL HOLD ON LIFE & DI$ E>LY1 :ILE WE DI$
FA/] ?AN NEW "OS 7 BORN4 ,\R NUMB]
  /1DILY
DIM9I%$4















,!N ! RADICAL *ANGE 9 \R DIET 0 N GD =
U4 ,WE GOT FEW VEGETA#S & FRUITS1 &
  2CAME
FI%-EAT]S4 ,"! 7 MUSSELS & ABAL"OS &
  CLAMS
& ROCK-OY/]S1 & GRT OC1N-CRABS T 7
?R[N ^U ! B1*ES 9 /ORMY W1!R4 ,AL1 WE
F.D S"EAL K9DS ( S1WE$ T 7 GD 6EAT4
,B ! *ANGE 9 DIET CAUS$ U /OMA* TR\#S1 &
N"O ( U "E WAX$ FAT4 ,WE 7 ALL L1N &
DYSPEPTIC-LOOK+4 ,X 0 9 GETT+ ! BIG
  ABAL"OS
T ,LOP-,E> 0 LO/4 ,"O ( !M CLOS$ ^U 8
F+]S AT L[-TIDE1 & !N ! FLOOD-TIDE CAME
  9
& DR[N$ HM4 ,WE F.D 8 BODY ! NEXT "D1 &
X 0 A LESSON 6U4 ,N ANO!R "O ( U 0 "E
CAU<T 9 ! CLOS+ %ELL ( AN ABALONE4







,! ,SWIFT ,"O & ,I MANAG$ 6BR+ UP "O *1
  A
BOY--AT L1/ WE MANAG$ 6BR+ HM AL;G =
  S"EAL
YE>S4 ,B ,I AM Q 3FID5T HE CD N"E H
SURVIV$ T T]RI# CLIMATE4 ,& !N1 "O "D1 !
,FIRE ,P APPE>$ AG4 ,!Y _H -E D[N !
RIV]1 N ON A CATAM>AN1 B 9 A RUDE DUG-\4
,"! 7 ?REE ( !M T PA4L$ 9 X1 & "O (
!M 0 ! LL WIZ5$ OLD HUNT]4 ,!Y L&$ ON
\R B1*1 & HE LIMP$ ACR ! S& & EXAM9$
\R CAVES4

,!Y W5T AWAY 9 A FEW M9UTES1 B ! ,SWIFT
  ,"O 0
BADLY SC>$4 ,WE 7 ALL F"R5$1 B N"O ( U
6! EXT5T T %E WAS4 ,%E :IMP]$ & CRI$
& 0 RE/.S ALL T NI<T4 ,9 ! MORN+ %E
TOOK ! * 9 H] >MS1 & 0%>P CRIES1
GE/URES1 & EXAMPLE1 />T$ ME ON \R SECOND
  L;G
FLI<T4 ,"! 7 EI<T (! ,FOLK 7ALL T 0 LEFT



(! HORDE7 T REMA9$ 2H 9 ! CAVES4 ,"!
0 NO HOPE = !M4 ,)\T D\BT1 EV5 IF !
  ,FIRE
,P DID N RETURN1 !Y M/ SOON H P]I%$4
,X 0 A BAD CLIMATE D[N "! 0! SEA4 ,!
  ,FOLK
7 N 3/ITUT$ =! COA/-DWELL+ LIFE4

,WE TRAVELL$ S\?1 = "DS SKIRT+ ! GRT
  SWAMP
B N"E V5TUR+ 96X4 ,ONCE WE BROKE BACK 6!
WE/W>D1 CROSS+ A RANGE ( M.TA9S & -+ D[N
6! COA/4 ,B X 0 NO PLACE = U4 ,"! 7
NO TREES--ONLY BL1K H1DL&S1 A ?"U+ SURF1
  &
/R;G W9DS T SEEM$ N"E 6C1SE F BL[+4
,WE TURN$ BACK ACR ! M.TA9S1 TRAVELL+
  EA/
& S\?1 UNTIL WE CAME 9 T\* )! GRT SWAMP
AG4





,SOON WE GA9$ ! S\!RN EXTREM;Y (! SWAMP1
  &
WE 3T9U$ \R C\RSE S\? & EA/4 ,X 0 A
PL1SANT L&4 ,! AIR 0 W>M1 & WE 7 AG 9
! =E/4 ,LAT] ON WE CROSS$ A L[-LY+ RANGE
  (
HILLS & F.D \RVS 9 AN EV5 BETT] =E/
C.TRY4 ,! F>!R WE P5ETRAT$ F ! COA/ !
W>M] WE F.D X1 & WE W5T ON & ON UNTIL WE
  CAME
6A L>GE RIV] T SEEM$ FAMILI> 6! ,SWIFT
  ,"O4
,X 0 ": %E M/ H -E DUR+ ! F\R YE>S'
ABS;E F ! H>DE4 ,? RIV] WE CROSS$ ON
  LOGS1
L&+ ON SIDE AT ! L>GE BLUFF4 ,HI< UP ON
  !
BLUFF WE F.D \R NEW HOME MO/ DI6ICULT (
  A3ESS
& Q HI45 F ANY EYE 2N4





,"! IS LL M ( MY TALE 6TELL4 ,"H !
,SWIFT ,"O & ,I LIV$ & RE>$ \R FAMILY4
  ,& "H
MY MEMORIES 5D4 ,WE N"E MADE ANO!R
  MIGR,N4 ,I
N"E DR1M 2Y \R HI<1 9A3ESSI# CAVE4 ,&
"H M/ H BE5 BORN ! * T 9H]IT$ !
/UFF ( MY DR1MS1 T _H M\LD$ 96XS 2+ ALL
! IMPRES.NS ( MY LIFE--OR (! LIFE (
,BIG-,TOO?1 R1 :O IS MY O!R-SELF1 & N MY
R1L SELF1 B :O IS S R1L 6ME T (T5 ,I AM
UNA# 6TELL :AT AGE ,I AM LIV+ IN4













,I (T5 WOND] AB ? L9E ( DESC5T4 ,I1 !
MOD]N1 AM 9CONTE/ABLY A MAN2 YET ,I1
  ,BIG-,TOO?1 !
PRIMITIVE1 AM N A MAN4 ,"S":1 & 0/RAI<T
L9E ( DESC5T1 ^! TWO "PIES 6MY DUAL
P]SONAL;Y 7 3NECT$4 ,7 ! ,FOLK1 2F
_! DE/RUC;N1 9 ! PROCESS ( 2COM+ M58 ,&
DID ,I & M9E C>RY "? ? PROCESS8 ,ON !
  O!R
H&1 MAY N "S DESC5DANT ( M9E H G"O 9 TO
! ,FIRE ,P & 2COME "O ( !M8 ,I D N "K4
,"! IS NO WAY ( LE>N+4 ,"O ?+ ONLY IS
C]TA91 & T IS T ,BIG-,TOO? DID /AMP 96!
C]EBRAL 3/ITU;N ( "O ( 8 PROG5Y ALL !
IMPRES.NS ( 8 LIFE1 & /AMP$ !M 9 S
9DELIBLY T ! HO/S ( 9T]V5+ G5],NS
H FAIL$ 6OBLIT]ATE !M4








,"! IS "O O!R ?+ ( : ,I M/ SP1K 2F ,I
CLOSE4 ,X IS A DR1M T ,I DR1M (T51 & 9
  PO9T
( "T ! R1L EV5T M/ H O3URR$ DUR+ !
P]IOD ( MY LIV+ 9 ! HI<1 9A3ESSI# CAVE4
  ,I
REMEMB] T ,I W&]$ F> 9 ! =E/ T[>D !
EA/4 ,"! ,I CAME ^U A TRIBE ( ,TREE ,P4
  ,I
CR\*$ 9 A ?ICKET & WAT*$ !M AT PLAY4 ,!Y
7 HOLD+ A LAU<+ C\NCIL1 JUMP+ UP & D[N
& SCREE*+ RUDE *ORUSES4













,SU45LY !Y HU%$ _! NOISE & C1S$ _!
CAP]+4 ,!Y %RANK D[N 9 FE>1 & QUE/$
ANXI\SLY AB ) _! EYES =A WAY ( RETR1T4
,!N ,R$-,EYE WALK$ 9 AM;G !M4 ,!Y C[]$
  AWAY
F HM4 ,ALL 7 F"R5$4 ,B HE MADE NO
  ATTEMPT
6HURT !M4 ,HE 0 "O ( !M4 ,AT 8 HEELS1 ON
/R+Y B5D$ LEGS1 SUPPORT+ H]F ) KNUCKLES
6! GR.D ON EI SIDE1 WALK$ AN OLD FEMALE
  (
! ,TREE ,P1 8 LATE/ WIFE4 ,HE SAT D[N 9
  !
MID/ (! CIRCLE4 ,I C SEE HM N[1 Z ,I
  WRITE
?1 SC[L+1 8 EYES 9FLAM$1 Z HE PE]S AB
HM AT ! CIRCLE (! ,TREE ,P4 ,& Z HE PE]S
HE CROOKS "O MON/R\S LEG &) 8 GN>LY TOES
SCRAT*ES HMF ON ! /OMA*4 ,HE IS ,R$-
  ,EYE1 !
ATAVISM4




