chapter 21

The Hyena-Swine remains at large for most of this period, and Prendick also notices a very distinct loss of humanity in the Beast Folk. They develop difficulty in articulation and speech, difficulty in walking erect, loss of the finer control of their hands, and so on. As they become more and more bestial, so does Prendick turn the way of an island savage, at least in appearance. He has no human company. A sail suddenly appears one day, but as Prendick hails it to the island, he notices that it moves strangely. It turns out that the crew is dead. He dumps the bodies and takes the boat to the stream, where he fills up with water and fruit. He sets out alone.