A Girl Named Disaster

Nhamo makes progress on her boat, but still feels lonely. One day, she follows the baboons into the woods, hoping they’ll lead her to more food and supplies. After taking some of the fruit the baboons found, she returns to her cave. She fashions a bow and arrows and hunts for dassies, but they’re too quick for her. Her food disappears and Nhamo’s dizziness returns.

Nhamo is too weak to continue the boat. Then one day, she finds a dead antelope and waits for it to dry out. When she goes to collect the meat, she encounters a leopard. The leopard leaves and Nhamo cuts off a piece of the hind leg. She smokes the leg in her hut.

Nhamo tells Mother a story about a farmer who lives in the forest with baboons (203). Afterward, she lies awake worrying about the baboons, the elephants, and the upcoming rainy season.

Nhamo tends to her meat instead of working on the boat. She goes in search of the remaining antelope carcass but discovers the leopard has already dragged it away. Meanwhile, the baboons jump around in a panic.