north america-1-第32章
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
k to thee then； no； not even a brother。 As you stand there speak only to the waters。 Two miles below the falls the river is crossed by a suspension bridge of marvelous construction。 It affords two thoroughfares； one above the other。 The lower road is for carriages and horses； and the upper one bears a railway belonging to the Great Western Canada Line。 The view from hence； both up and down the river； is very beautiful； for the bridge is built immediately over the first of a series of rapids。 One mile below the bridge these rapids end in a broad basin called the whirlpool； and； issuing out of this； the current turns to the right through a narrow channel overhung by cliffs and trees； and then makes its way down to Lake Ontario with comparative tranquillity。 But I will beg you to take notice of those rapids from the bridge； and to ask yourself what chance of life would remain to any ship； craft； or boat required by destiny to undergo navigation beneath the bridge and down into that whirlpool。 Heretofore all men would have said that no chance of life could remain to so ill…starred a bark。 The navigation； however； has been effected。 But men used to the river still say that the chances would be fifty to one against any vessel which should attempt to repeat the experiment。 The story of that wondrous voyage was as follows： A small steamer； called the Maid of the Mist； was built upon the river； between the falls and the rapids； and was used for taking adventurous tourists up amid the spray as near to the cataract as was possible。 〃The Maid of the Mist plied in this way for a year or two； and was； I believe； much patronized during the season。 But in the early part of last summer an evil time had come。 Either the Maid got into debt； or her owner had embarked in other and less profitable speculations。 At any rate； he became subject to the law； and tidings reached him that the sheriff would seize the Maid。 On most occasions the sheriff is bound to keep such intentions secret； seeing that property is movable； and that an insolvent debtor will not always await the officers of justice。 But with the poor Maid there was no need of such secrecy。 There was but a mile or so of water on which she could ply； and she was forbidden by the nature of her properties to make any way upon land； The sheriff's prey； therefore； was easy； and the poor Maid was doomed。 In any country in the world but America such would have been the case； but an American would steam down Phlegethon to save his property from the sheriffhe would steam down Phlegethon； or get some one else to do it for him。 Whether or no； in this case； the captain of the boat was the proprietor； or whether； as I was told； he was paid for the job； I do not know。 But he determined to run the rapids； and he procured two others to accompany him in the risk。 He got up his steam； and took the Maid up amid the spray according to his custom。 Then； suddenly turning on his course； he； with one of his companions； fixed himself at the wheel； while the other remained at his engine。 I wish I could look into the mind of that man； and understand what his thoughts were at that moment what were his thoughts and what his beliefs。 As to one of the men； I was told that he was carried down not knowing what he was about to do but I am inclined to believe that all the three were joined together in the attempt。 I was told by a man who saw the boat pass under the bridge that she made one long leap down； as she came thither； that her funnel was at once knocked flat on the deck by the force of the blow； that the waters covered her from stem to stern； and that then she rose again； and skimmed into the whirlpool a mile below。 When there she rode with comparative ease upon the waters； and took the sharp turn round into the river below without a struggle。 The feat was done； and the Maid was rescued from the sheriff。 It is said that she was sold below at the mouth of the river； and carried from thence over Lake Ontario； and down the St。 Lawrence to Quebec。
CHAPTER VIII。 NORTH AND WEST。
From Niagara we determined to proceed Northwestas far to the Northwest as we could go with any reasonable hope of finding American citizens in a state of political civilization； and perhaps guided also in some measure by our hopes as to hotel accommodation。 Looking to these two matters； we resolved to get across to the Mississippi； and to go up that river as far as the town of St。 Paul and the Falls of St。 Anthony； which are some twelve miles above the town； then to descend the river as far as the States of Iowa on the west and Illinois on the east； and to return eastward through Chicago and the large cities on the southern shores of Lake Erie； from whence we would go across to Albany； the capital of New York state； and down the Hudson to New York； the capital of the Western World。 For such a journey； in which scenery was one great object； we were rather late； as we did not leave Niagara till the 10th of October； but though the winters are extremely cold through all this portion of the American continentfifteen； twenty； and even twenty…five degrees below zero being an ordinary state of the atmosphere in latitudes equal to those of Florence； Nice； and Turinnevertheless the autumns are mild； the noonday being always warm； and the colors of the foliage are then in all their glory。 I was also very anxious to ascertain； if it might be in my power to do so； with what spirit or true feeling as to the matter the work of recruiting for the now enormous army of the States was going on in those remote regions。 That men should be on fire in Boston and New York； in Philadelphia and along the borders of secession； I could understand。 I could understand also that they should be on fire throughout the cotton； sugar； and rice plantations of the South。 But I could hardly understand that this political fervor should have communicated itself to the far…off farmers who had thinly spread themselves over the enormous wheat…growing districts of the Northwest。 St。 Paul； the capital of Minnesota； is nine hundred miles directly north of St。 Louis； the most northern point to which slavery extends in the Western States of the Union； and the farming lands of Minnesota stretch away again for some hundreds of miles north and west of St。 Paul。 Could it be that those scanty and far…off pioneers of agriculturethose frontier farmers； who are nearly one…half German and nearly the other half Irish； would desert their clearings and ruin their chances of progress in the world for distant wars of which the causes must； as I thought； be to them unintelligible？ I had been told that distance had but lent enchantment to the view； and that the war was even more popular in the remote and newly…settled States than in those which have been longer known as great political bodies。 So I resolved that I would go and see。 It may be as well to explain here that that great political Union hitherto called the United States of America may be more properly divided into three than into two distinct interests； In England we have long heard of North and South as pitted against each other； and we have always understood that the Southern politicians； or Democrats； have prevailed over the Northern politicians； or Republicans； because they were assisted in their views by Northern men of mark who have held Southern principlesthat is； by Northern men who have been willing to obtain political power by joining themselves to the Southern party。 That； as far as I can understand； has been the general idea in England； and in a broad way it has been true； But as years have advanced； and as the States have extended themselves westward； a third large party has been formed； which sometimes rejoices to call itself The Great West； and though； at the present time； the West and the North are joined together against the South； the interests of the North and West are not； I think； more closely interwoven than are those of the West and South； and when the final settlement of this question shall be made； there will doubtless be great difficulty in satisfying the different aspirations and feelings of two great free…soil populations。 The North； I think； will ultimately perceive that it will gain much
