north america-1-第47章
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cents a day any way。〃 He knew at least where the shoe pinched him。 He was a handsome； manly； noble… looking fellow； tall and thin； with black hair and bright eyes。 But he had the hollow look about his jaws； and so had his wife； and so had his brother。 They all owned to fever and ague。 They had a touch of it most years； and sometimes pretty sharply。 〃It was a coarse place to live in；〃 the old woman said； 〃but there was no one to meddle with them； and she guessed that it suited。〃 They had books and newspapers； tidy delf； and clean glass upon their shelves； and undoubtedly provisions in plenty。 Whether fever and ague yearly； and cords of wood stretched from fifteen to twenty…two are more than a set…off for these good things； I will leave every one to decide according to his own taste。 In another cabin I found women and children only； and one of the children was in the last stage of illness。 But nevertheless the woman of the house seemed glad to see me； and talked cheerfully as long as I would remain。 She inquired what had happened to the vessel； but it had never occurred to her to go out and see。 Her cabin was neat and well furnished； and there also I saw newspapers and Harper's everlasting magazine。 She said it was a coarse； desolate place for living； but that she could raise almost anything in her garden。 I could not then understand； nor can I now understand； why none of the numerous passengers out of the boat should have entered those cabins except myself； and why the inmates of the cabins should not have come out to speak to any one。 Had they been surly； morose people； made silent by the specialties of their life； it would have been explicable； but they were delighted to talk and to listen。 The fact； I take it； is that the people are all harsh to each other。 They do not care to go out of their way to speak to any one unless something is to be gained。 They say that two Englishmen meeting in the desert would not speak unless they were introduced。 The farther I travel the less true do I find this of Englishmen； and the more true of other people。
CHAPTER XI。 CERES AMERICANA。
We stopped at the Julien House； Dubuque。 Dubuque is a city in Iowa； on the western shore of the Mississippi； and as the names both of the town and of the hotel sounded French in my ears； I asked for an explanation。 I was then told that Julien Dubuque； a Canadian Frenchman； had been buried on one of the bluffs of the river within the precincts of the present town； that he had been the first white settler in Iowa； and had been the only man who had ever prevailed upon the Indians to work。 Among them he had become a great 〃Medicine；〃 and seems for awhile to have had absolute power over them。 He died； I think； in 1800； and was buried on one of the hills over the river。 〃He was a bold； bad man；〃 my informant told me； 〃and committed every sin under heaven。 But he made the Indians work。〃 Lead mines are the glory of Dubuque； and very large sums of money have been made from them。 I was taken out to see one of them； and to go down it； but we found； not altogether to my sorrow； that the works had been stopped on account of the water。 No effort has been made in any of these mines to subdue the water； nor has steam been applied to the working of them。 The lodes have been so rich with lead that the speculators have been content to take out the metal that was easily reached； and to go off in search of fresh ground when disturbed by water。 〃And are wages here paid pretty punctually？〃 I asked。 〃Well； a man has to be smart； you know。〃 And then my friend went on to acknowledge that it would be better for the country if smartness were not so essential。 Iowa has a population of 674；000 souls； and in October； 1861； had already mustered eighteen regiments of one thousand men each。 Such a population would give probably 170；000 men capable of bearing arms； and therefore the number of soldiers sent had already amounted to more than a decimation of the available strength of the State。 When we were at Dubuque； nothing was talked of but the army。 It seemed that mines； coal…pits； and corn…fields were all of no account in comparison with the war。 How many regiments could be squeezed out of the State； was the one question which filled all minds； and the general desire was that such regiments should be sent to the Western army； to swell the triumph which was still expected for General Fremont； and to assist in sweeping slavery out into the Gulf of Mexico。 The patriotism of the West has been quite as keen as that of the North； and has produced results as memorable； but it has sprung from a different source； and been conducted and animated by a different sentiment。 National greatness and support of the law have been the idea of the North； national greatness and abolition of slavery have been those of the West。 How they are to agree as to terms when between them they have crushed the Souththat is the difficulty。 At Dubuque in Iowa； I ate the best apple that I ever encountered。 I make that statement with the purpose of doing justice to the Americans on a matter which is to them one of considerable importance。 Americans； as rule； do not believe in English apples。 They declare that there are none； and receive accounts of Devonshire cider with manifest incredulity。 〃But at any rate there are no apples in England equal to ours。〃 That is an assertion to which an Englishman is called upon to give an absolute assent； and I hereby give it。 Apples so excellent as some which were given to us at Dubuque I have never eaten in England。 There is a great jealousy respecting all the fruits of the earth。 〃Your peaches are fine to look at；〃 was said to me； 〃but they have no flavor。〃 This was the assertion of a lady； and I made no answer。 My idea had been that American peaches had no flavor； that French peaches had none； that those of Italy had none； that little as there might be of which England could boast with truth； she might at any rate boast of her peaches without fear of contradiction。 Indeed； my idea had been that good peaches were to be got in England only。 I am beginning to doubt whether my belief on the matter has not been the product of insular ignorance and idolatrous self…worship。 It may be that a peach should be a combination of an apple and a turnip。 〃My great objection to your country； sir；〃 said another； 〃is that you have got no vegetables。〃 Had he told me that we had got no sea…board； or no coals； he would not have surprised me more。 No vegetables in England！ I could not restrain myself altogether； and replied by a confession 〃that we 'raised' no squash。〃 Squash is the pulp of the pumpkin； and is much used in the States； both as a vegetable and for pies。 No vegetables in England！ Did my surprise arise from the insular ignorance and idolatrous self… worship of a Britisher； or was my American friend laboring under a delusion？ Is Covent Garden well supplied with vegetables； or is it not？ Do we cultivate our kitchen…gardens with success； or am I under a delusion on that subject？ Do I dream； or is it true that out of my own little patches at home I have enough； for all domestic purposes； of peas； beans； broccoli； cauliflower； celery； beet…root； onions； carrots； parsnips； turnips； sea…kale； asparagus； French beans； artichokes； vegetable marrow； cucumbers； tomatoes； endive； lettuce； as well as herbs of many kinds； cabbages throughout the year； and potatoes？ No vegetables！ Had the gentleman told me that England did not suit him because we had nothing but vegetables； I should have been less surprised。 From Dubuque； on the western shore of the river； we passed over to Dunleath； in Illinois； and went on from thence by railway to Dixon。 I was induced to visit this not very flourishing town by a desire to see the rolling prairie of Illinois； and to learn by eyesight something of the crops of corn or Indian maize which are produced upon the land。 Had that gentleman told me that we knew nothing of producing corn in England； he would have been nearer the mark； for of corn； in the profusion in which it is grown here； we do not know much。 Better land than the prairies of Illinois for cereal crops the world's surface probably cannot show。 And here there has bee
