to call attention to extenuating circumstances, to explain how she was misunderstood, to make clear what she truly intended, or was trying to do, to wheedle, beg, cajole, solicit indulgence or mercy, and so on?
It was toward evening when we were grateful that the mistresses would make camp. How ironic, I thought, that I had managed to escape Shipcamp, but only in this fashion. We hoped to be permitted to rest, certainly I did, but, linked together, by our neck rope, we were soon set to labors on behalf of our mistresses, and were seldom out of the sight of one or another of them. Certainly we dared not speak to one another. Do pack beasts speak?
We were first to prepare the ground for the camp, and so we gathered up forest debris from the site, stones, leaves, and sticks, and, with branches, swept the ground smooth. I did not think men would be so particular. We were also put, in the preparing of the site, to the gathering of a plenitude of soft boughs on which our mistresses, to rest more comfortably, might spread their blankets. Then, given cloths, to be fashioned into sacks, we were sent into the woods to gather gim berries, under the supervision of short-haired Hiza. We did not dare eat any. We hoped we might be permitted some. I had no thought of running away. I was on the rope, and Hiza had her small spear, or javelin. Too, as I now understood, with much misery, the forest was dangerous, formidable, and lonely, and there was really nowhere to run. Well then was I convinced of my condition, which was helpless, and slave. Too, my chances of survival were much higher here than if I were alone, here with these armed, skilled, dangerous, and mighty women, almost like creatures of the forest themselves, who could detect sign and move with stealth, whose passage would be little marked by the forest floor, who could read the sun, the moons, the growth on trees, the declivities of the Alexandra’s basin, signifying the drainage of water, the seasonal flights of birds. After we had poured our berries onto the mat, Tula was removed from the rope and her ankles were fastened together, some horts apart, by rope shackles. She could walk with care, but not run. Then she was given a stick and set to the digging of a fire hole.
“Mila, Vulo,” said Hiza. “Fetch water.”
We were each given a pitcher, and we then went down to the shore, on our rope, filled our vessels, and returned to the camp. Hiza observed us, from the camp. It was not necessary. We would not run. We were slaves, obedient slaves.
“Mila, Vulo,” said Hiza. “Gather fire wood.”
This task was much less difficult than I had anticipated. Whereas last night it had rained fiercely further east on the Alexandra, it had rained less heavily in this area, and the day had been sunny and warm. The best wood would be gathered on the shore of the Alexandra, which was quite close, where debris was exposed to the sun.
Mila and I, bending over, roped together by the neck, filled our arms at the shore. We were accompanied by Hiza and Emerald.
“You can sell Mila,” said Emerald to Hiza. “I will sell Vulo.”
“Darla will decide,” said Hiza.
“I caught Vulo,” said Emerald.
“Darla will decide,” said Hiza.
“It does not matter,” said Emerald. “All is shared.”
“I trust so,” said Hiza.
“I can exhibit her better,” said Emerald.
“Only men know how to exhibit a slave,” said Hiza.
Mila and I could scarcely bear more wood. Hiza then, with a gesture of her javelin, indicated that we should return to the camp.
The fire hole had been dug, and soon Darla, with a fire drill and shredded tinder extracted from a pouch in one of the packs, and a number of small sticks removed from a wrapper in the same pack, had ignited a small blaze. She then, after adding some of our wood to the blaze, placed four stones about the blaze. On these stones she placed a small iron fire rack. Soon, then, a pot of sullage, tended by Tula, was bubbling over the fire. Emerald put some dried meat from her pack into the brew, and Hiza cast in two handfuls of our picked berries into the brew. When the provender was ready, Tula, with a ladle, filled four shallow, golden bowls with the sullage, and, humbly, head down, as a slave, served the mistresses. I was