As Kino takes a boat downriver and enjoys a lazy fishing trip, they finds themselves recalling the people they have met on their travels — people who were undertaking journeys of their own, from a woman seeking revenge for her husband's death to another hoping to spread the word of peace. But as Kino recalls their past — and how they chose not to intervene — they cannot help remembering an encounter with a dying wise man that ultimately proved that even observers can have an effect.