Driftwood Valley:Excerpts

"... As usual we traveled in complete restful silence. To be able to gain thoughts and impressions all one's own, unsullied by vocal observations from companions, exactly as if one were walking by oneself, is sheer pleasure. This gift of quiet is one which inhabitants of the civilized world don't possess. They don't understand that impressions are often far more impressive if no word is spoken. Besides, when one travels a wilderness, being quiet so that one can really use one's senses of sight and hearing and felling is a necessary safeguard. Though sometimes I accuse J. of being garrulous in polite society (when I am apt be rather quiet), the minute he strikes the wilds J. becomes the big silent man! (J. always adapts himself to environment better than I do.)..."

"...J. told me once how, after traveling all day with an Eskimo across the barrens, he was unable to elicit any verbal response whatever from his companion. Later, in reply to J.'s comment on this mode of companionship, the Eskimo remarked that as they both had eyes and could see the same things, where was the use of talking?..."

Driftwood Valley- Theodora Stanwell-Fletcher