“Baf..baf!” She repeated and was quite happy about her new found hairy freedom. She smiled at Blair and climbed on his back. She liked to be close. He was so big!

“You can go to the river master. Or we can bring you some water to wash her here.” Njombo offered.

"Njombo, please bring some water up here. I don't even know if she can swim. I don't want to take a chance on the river." While several men went off to carry water, Blair lifted the girl off his back and put her on the ground holding her hand. "People hold hands." he said.

The youngster watched him and happily took his hand. “Oh.” She made understanding what he said. “Hands. Hold.” She repeated. Well alright hands holding it was.

They got some water and heated it, filling a wooden tub with it. Sandy saw the fire and pointed at it with a worried face. She had seen fires happening in the bush.

Blair picked her up again and carried her closer. "It's a small fire, Sandy. It's OK. He scooped up a bit of water. "The water is cold. The fire will make it hot." After a while he took some more water and let her feel it was warmer. "Warm water. Now it's time for Sandy's bath." He took her shirt off.

Sandy hid her face onto Blair but then he showed it was ok. The water got warm! “Wata! Cold...wa’m!” She smiled. She had understood. “Ohh baf!” She seemed to know what it was and looked forward to it.

"Oh you remember baths?" Blair wondered if that was a clue to her past. Did she remember getting baths from a mother or father before. "Did Sandy's mother give you baths before?" He emphasized the words he thought she might understand.


He picked her up and lowered her gently into the water.

Sandy looked up as he spoke. “Mo..ma?” She asked then smiled and made ape noises again. The ape had been her mother. She splashed a bit with the water, not having had a good bath in ages

Blair wondered about the girl. Her ability to recognize and use English indicated to him she must have spent some time with a human family before going to live with the apes. She appeared to be about 7. Blair thought she must have lived with her parents or other until she was about 3. Most people had very few memories from before they were three or four so it would make sense she might have no specific memories, but she apparently had had some exposure to English, which was very fortunate.


He produced a bar of soap and s cloth. He showed her how he rubbed the soap on the cloth then washed one of her arms. Then he handed it to her to see if she'd get the idea.

Sandy watched how he lathered the cloth and washed up the arm. It smelled nice and the dirt went off! He reached the cloth to her and she did taste it. She pulled her tongue out. Yuck! Though then she rubbed it over the other arm. She looked up to Blair. Was it good?

Yes either Sandy remembered baths or she was incredibly bright -- perhaps both. She began to wash herself. Blair laughed when she tasted the soap. He knew form experience as a child just how bad it tasted.

"Very good, Sandy. Can you stand up and do your legs?" He mimed the action rubbing his legs with his hands.