--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The journey they took up the Negro and…" description: "\"“The journey they took up the Negro and into the Agarapi River was very different from the dreamy voyage Finn and Maia had made the week before. “Faste..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/eva-ibbotson-2965_black-day_the-journey-they-took-up-the-negro-and-i_1529198.png" --- # The journey they took up the Negro and into the Agarapi… ![“The journey they took up the Negro and into the Agarapi River was very different from the dreamy voyage Finn and Maia had made the week before. “Faster--can’t we go faster?” Miss Minton kept saying. When their supply of wood ran low, she jumped ashore, grasping the machete which Furo had left with…” quote by Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/eva-ibbotson-2965_black-day_the-journey-they-took-up-the-negro-and-i_1529198.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/eva-ibbotson-2965_black-day_the-journey-they-took-up-the-negro-and-i_1529198.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5bb/eva-ibbotson-2965_black-day_the-journey-they-took-up-the-negro-and-i_1529198.png) > ““The journey they took up the Negro and into the Agarapi River was very different from the dreamy voyage Finn and Maia had made the week before. “Faster--can’t we go faster?” Miss Minton kept saying. When their supply of wood ran low, she jumped ashore, grasping the machete which Furo had left with the other tools, and slashed her way through the undergrowth as though she had been born with a knife in her hand. Everything she had forbidden her pupils to do, she did herself--thinking gloomy thoughts, going off into black daydreams. One minute she thought that Maia had died in the fire, and the child seen on the Arabella was an Indian girl to whom Finn had given a ride. The next minute she thought that it had been Maia, but that she had now drowned, or had reached the Xanti, who had killed her. “You couldn’t blame them if they’d turned savage,” she said, “the way some of the tribes have been treated.” “Yara was a very gentle soul,” said the professor. “Finn’s mother.” “That was then ,” said Miss Minton.”” [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A guide confronts harsh realities, oscillating between fear and hope while confronting colonial impact on indigenous peoples. **In simple terms:** She struggles with fear, hope, and moral conflict in a dangerous journey. Key Takeaway Acknowledge fear, act responsibly. Themes colonialism survival identity morality conflict Mood anxious reflective determined Type narrative philosophical When to use this quote - expedition - leadership - cross‑cultural encounters - resource scarcity Key Concepts postcolonialism psychology environmental ethics Questions to Reflect On - How do personal fears shape leadership decisions? - When does protecting others become imposing control? A Different Perspective Her actions may perpetuate the very savior complex she critiques. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-day/) [Finn Mother](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/finn-mother-5670135/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Girl Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/girl-finn-4471285/) [Journey Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/journey-took-473864/) [Miss Minton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miss-minton-307725/) [Travel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travel/) [Voyage Finn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/voyage-finn-5670136/) ## Related quotes > [I'm a big girl, Finn.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ridley-pearson/i-m-a-big-girl-finn/) [Ridley Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ridley-pearson/) > [“They had reached Euston station. Miss Minton waved her umbrella at a porter, and Maia’s trunk and her suitcase were lifted onto a trolley.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/they-had-reached-euston-station-miss-minton-waved-her-umbrella-at-a/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Mr. Murray had no doubt about Miss Minton’s honesty. It was her sanity he was not sure about.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/mr-murray-had-no-doubt-about-miss-minton-s-honesty-it-was-her-sanity/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Right,” she said. “Come down off that chair. I think we are ready for the next step.” “What do you mean?” “I am going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/right-she-said-come-down-off-that-chair-i-think-we-are-ready-for-the/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“The interview took place in Miss Banks’ private sitting room while Maia waited in the hall, and as soon as she saw Mr. Murray’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/the-interview-took-place-in-miss-banks-private-sitting-room-while/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Miss Minton, what on earth made you let a young girl travel up the Amazon and spend weeks living with savages? What made you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/miss-minton-what-on-earth-made-you-let-a-young-girl-travel-up-the/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“For the first part of the journey Maia kept her eyes on the side of the road. Now that she was really leaving her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/for-the-first-part-of-the-journey-maia-kept-her-eyes-on-the-side-of/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Miss Minton knew she was going to be dismissed, and she thought this was perfectly fair. A governess who let her charge sail up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/miss-minton-knew-she-was-going-to-be-dismissed-and-she-thought-this/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Anyway, since you and I must choose one road to follow, out of the many that run to the same place in the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-s-beagle/anyway-since-you-and-i-must-choose-one-road-to-follow-out-of-the-many/) [Peter S. Beagle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-s-beagle/) > [It's not like I'm a Buddhist or anything, but I think we've all got, to a certain extent, a predestined life. My journey took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howie-long/it-s-not-like-i-m-a-buddhist-or-anything-but-i-think-we-ve-all-got-to/) [Howie Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howie-long/) > [“Whatever separate roads their hearts had set on, they needed to finish the journey … see where it took them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-kingsbury/whatever-separate-roads-their-hearts-had-set-on-they-needed-to-finish/) [Karen Kingsbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-kingsbury/) > [Death was just the beginning of a journey that everyone took at some point.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-de-la-cruz/death-was-just-the-beginning-of-a-journey-that-everyone-took-at-some/) [Melissa de la Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-de-la-cruz/) > [“The journey took about a week each way, and each day had my parents both in its grip. Riding behind my father, I could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/the-journey-took-about-a-week-each-way-and-each-day-had-my-parents/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [“It seemed to me that Q. was talking about the nature of the midnight disease, which started as a simple feeling of disconnection from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-seemed-to-me-that-q-was-talking-about-the-nature-of-the-midnight/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [What is this Charity, this clinking of money between strangers, and when did Charity cease to be a comforting and secret thing between one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-benson/what-is-this-charity-this-clinking-of-money-between-strangers-and/) [Stella Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-benson/) ## More by Eva Ibbotson > [“They had reached Euston station. Miss Minton waved her umbrella at a porter, and Maia’s trunk and her suitcase were lifted onto a trolley.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/they-had-reached-euston-station-miss-minton-waved-her-umbrella-at-a/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Muriel sprinkled salt over her haddock mousse. ‘It is not easy to be specific, but both morally and hygienically there is . . .…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/muriel-sprinkled-salt-over-her-haddock-mousse-it-is-not-easy-to-be/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“You’re taking this very well, my boy. Very well indeed. You’re taking it like a man. I confess I expected arguments, even tantrums.” “Well,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/you-re-taking-this-very-well-my-boy-very-well-indeed-you-re-taking-it/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [She stood looking carefully at the labeled portraits Ursala had put up: Little Crow, Chief of the Santees, Geronimo, last of the Apaches, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/she-stood-looking-carefully-at-the-labeled-portraits-ursala-had-put/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“For the first part of the journey Maia kept her eyes on the side of the road. Now that she was really leaving her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/for-the-first-part-of-the-journey-maia-kept-her-eyes-on-the-side-of/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“She realized that adventures, once they were over, were things that had to stay inside one--that no one else could quite understand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/she-realized-that-adventures-once-they-were-over-were-things-that-had/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [What are you afraid of then? Not Being able to see, I think not seeing because your obsessed by something that blots out the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/what-are-you-afraid-of-then-not-being-able-to-see-i-think-not-seeing/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [The sisters worked from dawn to dusk. One of them was an idiot; she started shaving her legs and marrying tax inspectors, so she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/the-sisters-worked-from-dawn-to-dusk-one-of-them-was-an-idiot-she/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“When we’re grown up I’ll come back for you, I promise. No one can stop us then.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/when-we-re-grown-up-i-ll-come-back-for-you-i-promise-no-one-can-stop/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“But in the evening, when at last she had a moment alone, she slipped into the library and leaned her head against the mahogany…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/but-in-the-evening-when-at-last-she-had-a-moment-alone-she-slipped/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [But she had to know words. She had to know everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/but-she-had-to-know-words-she-had-to-know-everything/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [Please, God,' Ruth would pray, 'don't let me be competitive. Let me realize what a privilege it is to study. Let me remember that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/please-god-ruth-would-pray-don-t-let-me-be-competitive-let-me-realize/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“It was the Indian side of Finn that had taken over when he found her in the wood. That managed to carry her to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/it-was-the-indian-side-of-finn-that-had-taken-over-when-he-found-her/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“Then, when he said her name, she opened her eyes. One hand went out to his sleeve. “Can we go now?” she whispered. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/then-when-he-said-her-name-she-opened-her-eyes-one-hand-went-out-to/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) > [“The children turned and saw the spinach-green boat coming toward them. “Oh no! Not the Carters!” said Maia. She looked round desperately for somewhere…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-ibbotson/the-children-turned-and-saw-the-spinach-green-boat-coming-toward-them/) [Eva Ibbotson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) [Explore all 144 Eva Ibbotson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-ibbotson/) ## More Black day quotes > [What is this Charity, this clinking of money between strangers, and when did Charity cease to be a comforting and secret thing between one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stella-benson/what-is-this-charity-this-clinking-of-money-between-strangers-and/) [Stella Benson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stella-benson/) > [“It seemed to me that Q. was talking about the nature of the midnight disease, which started as a simple feeling of disconnection from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-chabon/it-seemed-to-me-that-q-was-talking-about-the-nature-of-the-midnight/) [Michael Chabon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-chabon/) > [“OH THIS IS A BLACK DAY FOR YOU, YOUNG YOKUM--AND FOR ALL HUMANITY!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-capp/oh-this-is-a-black-day-for-you-young-yokum-and-for-all-humanity/) [Al Capp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-capp/) > [“Who takes the Pandorica takes the Universe. But bad news everyone. 'Cause guess who! Hah! Listen, you lot, you're all whizzing about. It's really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-moffat/who-takes-the-pandorica-takes-the-universe-but-bad-news-everyone/) [Steven Moffat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-moffat/) > [“Hello Stonehedge!!!! who takes the Pandorica takes the Universe!! but bad news everyone. cause guess who! HAH! Except you lot your all Whizzing about,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-eleventh-doctor/hello-stonehedge-who-takes-the-pandorica-takes-the-universe-but-bad/) [The Eleventh Doctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-eleventh-doctor/) > [I've always considered movies evil; the day that cinema was invented was a black day for mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-anger/i-ve-always-considered-movies-evil-the-day-that-cinema-was-invented/) [Kenneth Anger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-anger/) > [Now, the question of the hour is, "Who's got the Pandorica?" Answer: I do. Next question: Who's coming to take it from me? Come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-smith/now-the-question-of-the-hour-is-who-s-got-the-pandorica-answer-i-do/) [Matt Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-smith/) > [Considering the popularity of soaps with the African-American audience, it's grotesque that the entertainment industry, for all its vaunted liberalism, is lagging so far…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/considering-the-popularity-of-soaps-with-the-african-american/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [A lang, lang time ago…” MacPhee began, ignoring St.Vincent’s low groan, “there was a bonnie maid called Malvina. She was the betrothed of Oscar,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-kleypas/a-lang-lang-time-ago-macphee-began-ignoring-st-vincent-s-low-groan/) [Lisa Kleypas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-kleypas/) > [...it's only on a black day that you begin to have friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/it-s-only-on-a-black-day-that-you-begin-to-have-friends/) [Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn/) > [“a total stranger one black day knocked living the hell out of me- who found forgiveness hard because my(as it happened)self he was -but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-e-cummings-2/a-total-stranger-one-black-day-knocked-living-the-hell-out-of-me-who/) [e.e. cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-e-cummings-2/) > [“Mr. Jeavons, the psychologist at the school, once asked me why 4 red cars in a row made it a Good Day, and 3…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-haddon/mr-jeavons-the-psychologist-at-the-school-once-asked-me-why-4-red/) [Mark Haddon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-haddon/) > [“Today is a black day. Tomorrow it may be white. You may look beautiful one day, and not the next. It is not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-thurlow/today-is-a-black-day-tomorrow-it-may-be-white-you-may-look-beautiful/) [Chloe Thurlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-thurlow/) > [Rest in peace,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/rest-in-peace/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“Let your mistress’s birthday be one of great terror to you: that’s a black day when anything has to be given. However much you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/let-your-mistress-s-birthday-be-one-of-great-terror-to-you-that-s-a/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) [Browse all 17 Black day quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-day/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“The journey they took up the Negro and into the Agarapi River was very different from the dreamy voyage Finn and Maia had made the week before. “Faster--can’t we go faster?” Miss Minton kept saying. When their supply of wood ran low, she jumped ashore, grasping the machete which Furo had left with the other tools, and slashed her way through the undergrowth as though she had been born with a knife in her hand. Everything she had forbidden her pupils to do, she did herself--thinking gloomy thoughts, going off into black daydreams. One minute she thought that Maia had died in the fire, and the child seen on the Arabella was an Indian girl to whom Finn had given a ride. 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