An Oral HistoryIt must have been four moons ago that my people followed Princess Dido into the sea. Although we knew nothing of how to tame its mighty swells, we had no choice but to flee the small island that sheltered my ancestors for many years. As we drifted farther from shore, we watched the island shake violently, breathe fire into the sky, and then slowly break apart. When the sun rose again we saw nothing of our Phoenician homeland... or the brave warriors that stayed behind.
With trust in our princess, the remaining tribe members clung only to hope as we watched the moon look down on us night after night. No one had ventured beyond the sight of our shoreline before and no one knew what, if anything, would meet us on the horizon.
It was on the third passing of the moon that we finally washed upon this new land. It looks much like our beloved island but seems much larger. We immediately set up a camp on the coastline that we now call Carthage. It is a bountiful place with lots of shell fish to fill our stomachs. My father, Hamilcar, did not fair well on the trip so he stayed in Carthage to help the women fish and set up shelter. Although our island had provided caves for protection, this new land requires us to bend trees and branches in hopes of staying warm.
Princess Dido, the daughter of our brave chief, decided to send part of the tribe inland to look for meat and more substantial shelter. I am a member of this hunting party and my name is Hannibal.
After crossing a great river and watching the moon disappear once more into the sea, we woke to the sound of a horrible beast in the distance. We have yet to view this beast, but Princess Dido has decided to set up camp on a hilltop that overlooks its valley. We only hope it doesn't find us before we are done sharpening our arrows and building our huts. After a few days of rest and preparation, we will branch out to see what this new land provides us and what creatures it harbors.
