Chapter 14 Summary

Nhamo begins teaching herself to swim, or at least to feel comfortable in the water. She kills some guinea fowl to eat and fashions some fish traps to catch fish to smoke. She is beginning to feel more confident in herself and her ability to take care of her needs. She sings songs of pride in herself. She stays in this spot for several days, eating and growing strong.

One day, the hippos are gone and she realizes that she misses them. She had grown accustomed to their sounds and their presence. Eventually, she decides to continue on her journey. She paddles along for the entire day. Then she runs into some sandbars. She decides to stop fighting the sand, so she ties up the boat and rests.

As night descends, Nhamo sees a bright light that she thinks is a star at...