We were wanderers on a prehistoric earth, of an earth that wore the aspect of an unknown planet. We could have fancied ourselves the first of men taking possession of an accursed inheritance, to be subdued at the cost of profound anguish and of excessive toilo. But suddenly, as we struggled round a bend, there would be a glimpse of rush walls, of peaked grass-roofs, a burst of yells, a whirl of black limbs, a mass of hands clapping, of feet stamping, of bodies swaying, of eyes rolling, under the droop of heavy and motionless foliage. The steamer toiled along slowly on the edge of a black and incomprehensible frenzy. The prehistoric man was cursing us, praying to us, welcoming us - who could tell? We were cut off from the comprehension of our surroundings; we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would before an enthousiastic outbreak in a madhouse. Joseph Conrad
About This Quote

The first man who, as a hunter, came upon a tribe of prehistoric humans had a great shock. The men of the tribe were not human at all - they were something from another planet. They had no language, they could not be bought or sold, they would do nothing for you, and they would kill you if you tried to hurt them. At first sight these people seemed the most fearsome creatures the hunter had ever seen.

Then he realized that they were actually not so frightening at all. In fact, everything about these people was just as he had expected it to be. He was pleasantly surprised that they did things that he could learn from them and that their actions didn't seem so alien after all.

Source: Heart Of Darkness

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More Quotes By Joseph Conrad
  1. Droll thing life is -- that mysterious arrangement of merciless logic for a futile purpose. The most you can hope from it is some knowledge of yourself -- that comes too late -- a crop of inextinguishable regrets.
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