but my friends, the Shining Ones, protected me. We crossed deserts so dty they were scattered with the bones of cactus. We wintered in mountains so high you could touch the moon with your finger tips. We saw bears who could talk and ravens who made fun of them for it All the while we were travelling, the party of Shining Ones became smaller. In groups, or pairs, or all alone, they would slip away, to make their new homes in whatever place was easy on their hearts. That is how there came to be Shining People, big and little, powerful or foolish, always invisible but still living in every place across the land. I saw that happen! Finally, we reached the Great Western Sea. There was no place farther we could go. Only the strongest and strangest of the Shining Ones were still with me at the end of the trail. As I stood looking out at the blue waves coming in from the place where the sun was setting, I heard them say good- bye to me. When I turned to look for them, they too had vanished, and I was alone at the end of the world.* I waited there on the beach, for many days, for an idea. It was given to me in the form of four strange Indians, who tried to kill me. They were riding the first horse I had ever seen. Because there were only four of them on the horse, I made up my mind to steal it. That night I crept up on their camp and stole that horse. I began to ride north. The next night, while I was asleep, someone crept up on my camp and stole
旅が進むにつれて、 輝く人びとのグループ
がしだいに小さくなっていった。 数人とか、
ふたりとか、たったひとりとかで、グループ
を離れていくものがあったんだ。 気にいった
a 土地で新しい生活をはじめるためにな。
こうして、大きいものも小さいものも、カ
の強いものも愚かなものも、 輝く人びとは国
じゅうに住むようになった。 姿は見えないが
な。 わしはそれをこの目で見たんだ!
最後にわしらは、偉大な西の海へ着いた。
そこが行きどまりだった。 旅の最後までわし
といっしだったのは、 輝く人びとのなかで
いちばん強く、いちばん奇妙なものだった。
太陽が没する方角からこちらに向けてうち
よせる波を見つめていると、 彼らがわしに別
れをつげている声がきこえた。 驚いてふりか
えると、そこにはなんの姿もなかったんじゃ。
わしは、 地の果てでひとりぼっちになってし
まったんだ。
わしは何日も浜辺にすわりこんで、 なにか
50
名案はないかと考えていた。
やがて、4人の奇妙な原住民が現われて、
わしを殺そうとしたんだ。 彼らは、わしがは
じめて目にする馬というやつに乗っていた。
4人しかいなくて、 それも1頭の馬に乗って
いたんで、わしはそいつを盗んでやろうと決
心したんじゃ。
その晩、 やつらの野営地へしのびよって、
うまく馬を盗んでやった。
つぎの晩、わしが眠っていると、 だれかが
こっそりやってきてその馬を盗み返しおった。
さらにつぎの晩、 またわしは盗み返してや
つた。
こうして、 馬の盗みあいがしばらくつづい
たんじゃが、とうとうわしはいい考えを思い
ついた。つまりだ、昼間のうちに馬を盗んで
そうそうに逃げだすってわけだ。 そうすれば、
4人のインディアンたちも追いつけまい。
何日も馬に乗って、とうとうここ、 ヌトカ
族の地にたどりついた。 ヌトカ族の連中も、
やっぱり馬を見るのははじめてだった。 馬に
乗ったわしを見ると、連中はわしを輝く人び
51
As the journey progressed, the group of Shining People gradually grew smaller. Some would leave the group — two or three at a time, or in pairs, or completely alone — to begin new lives in whatever land suited their hearts.
And so the Shining People, large and small, powerful and foolish, came to live throughout the land — invisible, every one of them. I saw that with my own eyes!
At last we reached the great western sea. There was nowhere further to go. Those who remained with me until the very end of the journey were the strongest and strangest of the Shining People.
As I stood watching the waves rolling in from the direction where the sun sets, I heard their voices saying farewell to me. I turned in surprise — and there was nothing there. I was completely alone at the end of the world.
I sat on the beach for many days, thinking whether any good idea might come to me.
Eventually four strange native people appeared and tried to kill me. They were riding what I saw for the first time — a horse. There were only four of them, and only one horse between them, so I decided to steal it.
That night I crept to their camp and successfully stole the horse.
The next night, while I was sleeping, someone crept up and stole it back.
The following night I stole it back again.
This horse-stealing went back and forth for some time — but at last I hit upon a good idea. That is — I would steal the horse during the daytime and make my escape immediately. That way the four Indians couldn’t catch up with me.
Riding for many days, I finally arrived here — in the land of the Nootka. The Nootka people had never seen a horse either. Seeing me riding one, they took me for one of the Shining Peo…
50-51
