09-the ponds-第2章

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or　changeable　silks　and　sword　blades　suggest；　more　cerulean　than　the

sky　itself；　alternating　with　the　original　dark　green　on　the　opposite

sides　of　the　waves；　which　last　appeared　but　muddy　in　comparison。　　It

is　a　vitreous　greenish　blue；　as　I　remember　it；　like　those　patches　of

the　winter　sky　seen　through　cloud　vistas　in　the　west　before　sundown。

Yet　a　single　glass　of　its　water　held　up　to　the　light　is　as　colorless

as　an　equal　quantity　of　air。　　It　is　well　known　that　a　large　plate　of

glass　will　have　a　green　tint；　owing；　as　the　makers　say；　to　its

〃body；〃　but　a　small　piece　of　the　same　will　be　colorless。　　How　large

a　body　of　Walden　water　would　be　required　to　reflect　a　green　tint　I

have　never　proved。　　The　water　of　our　river　is　black　or　a　very　dark

brown　to　one　looking　directly　down　on　it；　and；　like　that　of　most

ponds；　imparts　to　the　body　of　one　bathing　in　it　a　yellowish　tinge；

but　this　water　is　of　such　crystalline　purity　that　the　body　of　the

bather　appears　of　an　alabaster　whiteness；　still　more　unnatural；

which；　as　the　limbs　are　magnified　and　distorted　withal；　produces　a

monstrous　effect；　making　fit　studies　for　a　Michael　Angelo。

　　　　The　water　is　so　transparent　that　the　bottom　can　easily　be

discerned　at　the　depth　of　twenty…five　or　thirty　feet。　　Paddling　over

it；　you　may　see；　many　feet　beneath　the　surface；　the　schools　of　perch

and　shiners；　perhaps　only　an　inch　long；　yet　the　former　easily

distinguished　by　their　transverse　bars；　and　you　think　that　they　must

be　ascetic　fish　that　find　a　subsistence　there。　　Once；　in　the　winter；

many　years　ago；　when　I　had　been　cutting　holes　through　the　ice　in

order　to　catch　pickerel；　as　I　stepped　ashore　I　tossed　my　axe　back　on

to　the　ice；　but；　as　if　some　evil　genius　had　directed　it；　it　slid

four　or　five　rods　directly　into　one　of　the　holes；　where　the　water

was　twenty…five　feet　deep。　　Out　of　curiosity；　I　lay　down　on　the　ice

and　looked　through　the　hole；　until　I　saw　the　axe　a　little　on　one

side；　standing　on　its　head；　with　its　helve　erect　and　gently　swaying

to　and　fro　with　the　pulse　of　the　pond；　and　there　it　might　have　stood

erect　and　swaying　till　in　the　course　of　time　the　handle　rotted　off；

if　I　had　not　disturbed　it。　　Making　another　hole　directly　over　it

with　an　ice　chisel　which　I　had；　and　cutting　down　the　longest　birch

which　I　could　find　in　the　neighborhood　with　my　knife；　I　made　a

slip…noose；　which　I　attached　to　its　end；　and；　letting　it　down

carefully；　passed　it　over　the　knob　of　the　handle；　and　drew　it　by　a

line　along　the　birch；　and　so　pulled　the　axe　out　again。

　　　　The　shore　is　composed　of　a　belt　of　smooth　rounded　white　stones

like　paving…stones；　excepting　one　or　two　short　sand　beaches；　and　is

so　steep　that　in　many　places　a　single　leap　will　carry　you　into　water

over　your　head；　and　were　it　not　for　its　remarkable　transparency；

that　would　be　the　last　to　be　seen　of　its　bottom　till　it　rose　on　the

opposite　side。　　Some　think　it　is　bottomless。　　It　is　nowhere　muddy；

and　a　casual　observer　would　say　that　there　were　no　weeds　at　all　in

it；　and　of　noticeable　plants；　except　in　the　little　meadows　recently

overflowed；　which　do　not　properly　belong　to　it；　a　closer　scrutiny

does　not　detect　a　flag　nor　a　bulrush；　nor　even　a　lily；　yellow　or

white；　but　only　a　few　small　heart…leaves　and　potamogetons；　and

perhaps　a　water…target　or　two；　all　which　however　a　bather　might　not

perceive；　and　these　plants　are　clean　and　bright　like　the　element

they　grow　in。　　The　stones　extend　a　rod　or　two　into　the　water；　and

then　the　bottom　is　pure　sand；　except　in　the　deepest　parts；　where

there　is　usually　a　little　sediment；　probably　from　the　decay　of　the

leaves　which　have　been　wafted　on　to　it　so　many　successive　falls；　and

a　bright　green　weed　is　brought　up　on　anchors　even　in　midwinter。

　　　　We　have　one　other　pond　just　like　this；　White　Pond；　in　Nine　Acre

Corner；　about　two　and　a　half　miles　westerly；　but；　though　I　am

acquainted　with　most　of　the　ponds　within　a　dozen　miles　of　this

centre　I　do　not　know　a　third　of　this　pure　and　well…like　character。

Successive　nations　perchance　have　drank　at；　admired；　and　fathomed

it；　and　passed　away；　and　still　its　water　is　green　and　pellucid　as

ever。　　Not　an　intermitting　spring！　　Perhaps　on　that　spring　morning

when　Adam　and　Eve　were　driven　out　of　Eden　Walden　Pond　was　already　in

existence；　and　even　then　breaking　up　in　a　gentle　spring　rain

accompanied　with　mist　and　a　southerly　wind；　and　covered　with　myriads

of　ducks　and　geese；　which　had　not　heard　of　the　fall；　when　still　such

pure　lakes　sufficed　them。　　Even　then　it　had　commenced　to　rise　and

fall；　and　had　clarified　its　waters　and　colored　them　of　the　hue　they

now　wear；　and　obtained　a　patent　of　Heaven　to　be　the　only　Walden　Pond

in　the　world　and　distiller　of　celestial　dews。　　Who　knows　in　how　many

unremembered　nations'　literatures　this　has　been　the　Castalian

Fountain？　or　what　nymphs　presided　over　it　in　the　Golden　Age？　　It　is

a　gem　of　the　first　water　which　Concord　wears　in　her　coronet。

　　　　Yet　perchance　the　first　who　came　to　this　well　have　left　some

trace　of　their　footsteps。　　I　have　been　surprised　to　detect

encircling　the　pond；　even　where　a　thick　wood　has　just　been　cut　down

on　the　shore；　a　narrow　shelf…like　path　in　the　steep　hillside；

alternately　rising　and　falling；　approaching　and　receding　from　the

water's　edge；　as　old　probably　as　the　race　of　man　here；　worn　by　the

feet　of　aboriginal　hunters；　and　still　from　time　to　time　unwittingly

trodden　by　the　present　occupants　of　the　land。　　This　is　particularly

distinct　to　one　standing　on　the　middle　of　the　pond　in　winter；　just

after　a　light　snow　has　fallen；　appearing　as　a　clear　undulating　white

line；　unobscured　by　weeds　and　twigs；　and　very　obvious　a　quarter　of　a

mile　off　in　many　places　where　in　summer　it　is　hardly　distinguishable

close　at　hand。　　The　snow　reprints　it；　as　it　were；　in　clear　white

type　alto…relievo。　　The　ornamented　grounds　of　villas　which　will　one

day　be　built　here　may　still　preserve　some　trace　of　this。

　　　　The　pond　rises　and　falls；　but　whether　regularly　or　not；　and

within　what　period；　nobody　knows；　though；　as　usual；　many　pretend　to

know。　　It　is　commonly　higher　in　the　winter　and　lower　in　the　summer；

though　not　corresponding　to　the　general　wet　and　dryness。　　I　can

remember　when　it　was　a　foot　or　two　lower；　and　also　when　it　was　at

least　five　feet　higher；　than　when　I　lived　by　it。　　There　is　a　narrow

sand…bar　running　into　it；　with　very　deep　water　on　one　side；　on　which

I　helped　boil　a　kettle　of　chowder；　some　six　rods　from　the　main

shore；　about　the　year　1824；　which　it　has　not　been　possible　to　do　for

twenty…five　years；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　my　friends　used　to　listen

with　incredulity　when　I　told　them；　that　a　few　years　later　I　was

accustomed　to　fish　from　a　boat　in　a　secluded　cove　in　the　woods；

fifteen　rods　from　the　only　shore　they　knew；　which　place　was　long

since　converted　into　a　meadow。　　But　the　pond　has　risen　steadily　for

two　years；　and　now；　in　the　summer　of　'52；　is　just　five　feet　higher

than　when　I　lived　there；　or　as　high　as　it　was　thirty　years　ago；　and

fishing　goes　on　again　in　the　meadow。　　This　makes　a　difference　of

level；　at　the　outside；　of　six　or　seven　feet；　and　yet　the　water　shed

by　the　surrounding　hills　is　insignificant　in　amount；　and　this

overflow　must　be　referred　to　causes　which　affect　the　deep　springs。

This　same　summer　the　pond　has　begun　to　fall　again。　　It　is　remarkable

that　this　fluctuation；　whether　periodical　or　not；　appears　thus　to

require　many　years　for　its　accomplishment。　　I　have　observed　one　rise

and　a　part　of　two　falls；　and　I　expect　that　a　dozen　or　fifteen　years

hence　the　water　will　again　be　as　low　as　I　have　ever　known　it。

Flint's　Pond；　a　mile　eastward；　allowing　for　the　disturbance

occasioned　by　its　inlets　and　outlets；　and　the　smaller　intermediate

ponds　also；　sympathize　with　Walden；　and　recently　attained　their

greatest　height　at　the　same　time　with　the　latter。　　The　same　is　true；

as　far　as　my　observation　goes；　of　White　Pond。

　　　　This　rise　and　fall　of　Walden　at　long　intervals　serves　this　use

at　le