Part 1 — Chapter 6

Summary

• The scene is set on a sunny morning in September, where the protagonist encounters two indigenous women on a beach in Canada.
• Intrigued by their unfamiliar language, looks, and especially a pair of shell earrings one woman is wearing, he attempts to make conversation by greeting them.
• One woman responds politely, while the other, marked by smallpox scars, remains silent. The protagonist feels unnerved by her indifference.
• He considers discussing his thoughts on colonization with them, but ultimately decides against it, believing his words would lack sincerity given his current setting.
• Feeling uncomfortable under their gaze, he chooses to divert his path into the forest, despite his fear of predators within.
• He sets a goal of venturing a hundred paces into the forest, hoping the act of counting will calm him down and prevent him from getting lost.
• The last part of the chapter paints the forest as an indifferent entity, emphasizing its neutrality towards his existence--a realization which leaves him feeling deranged.