north america-1-第97章

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s　that　are　not　yet　very　old；　for　I　was　told　of　their　doings　by　a　gentleman　who　had　long　been　a　member　of　the　hunt。　　The　country　looks　as　a　hunting　country　should　look；　whereas　no　man　that　ever　crossed　a　field　after　a　pack　of　hounds　would　feel　the　slightest　wish　to　attempt　that　process　in　New　England　or　New　York。　　There　is　in　Baltimore　an　old　inn　with　an　old　sign；　standing　at　the　corner　of　Eutaw　and　Franklin　Streets；　just　such　as　may　still　be　seen　in　the　towns　of　Somersetshire；　and　before　it　there　are　to　be　seen　old　wagons；　covered　and　soiled　and　battered；　about　to　return　from　the　city　to　the　country；　just　as　the　wagons　do　in　our　own　agricultural　counties。　　I　have　seen　nothing　so　thoroughly　English　in　any　other　part　of　the　Union。　But　canvas…back　ducks　and　terrapins　are　the　great　glories　of　Baltimore。　　Of　the　nature　of　the　former　bird　I　believe　all　the　world　knows　something。　　It　is　a　wild　duck　which　obtains　the　peculiarity　of　its　flavor　from　the　wild　celery　on　which　it　feeds。　This　celery　grows　on　the　Chesapeake　Bay；　and　I　believe　on　the　Chesapeake　Bay　only。　　At　any　rate；　Baltimore　is　the　headquarters　of　the　canvas…backs；　and　it　is　on　the　Chesapeake　Bay　that　they　are　shot。　　I　was　kindly　invited　to　go　down　on　a　shooting…party；　but　when　I　learned　that　I　should　have　to　ensconce　myself　alone　for　hours　in　a　wet　wooden　box　on　the　water's　edge；　waiting　there　for　the　chance　of　a　duck　to　come　to　me；　I　declined。　　The　fact　of　my　never　having　as　yet　been　successful　in　shooting　a　bird　of　any　kind　conduced　somewhat；　perhaps；　to　my　decision。　I　must　acknowledge　that　the　canvas…back　duck　fully　deserves　all　the　reputation　it　has　acquired。　　As　to　the　terrapin；　I　have　not　so　much　to　say。　　The　terrapin　is　a　small　turtle；　found　on　the　shores　of　Maryland　and　Virginia；　out　of　which　a　very　rich　soup　is　made。　　It　is　cooked　with　wines　and　spices；　and　is　served　in　the　shape　of　a　hash；　with　heaps　of　little　bones　mixed　through　it。　　It　is　held　in　great　repute；　and　the　guest　is　expected　as　a　matter　of　course　to　be　helped　twice。　The　man　who　did　not　eat　twice　of　terrapin　would　be　held　in　small　repute；　as　the　Londoner　is　held　who　at　a　city　banquet　does　not　partake　of　both　thick　and　thin　turtle。　　I　must；　however；　confess　that　the　terrapin　for　me　had　no　surpassing　charms。　Maryland　was　so　called　from　Henrietta　Maria；　the　wife　of　Charles　I。；　by　which　king；　in　1632；　the　territory　was　conceded　to　the　Roman　Catholic　Lord　Baltimore。　　It　was　chiefly　peopled　by　Roman　Catholics；　but　I　do　not　think　that　there　is　now　any　such　specialty　attaching　to　the　State。　　There　are　in　it　two　or　three　old　Roman　Catholic　families；　but　the　people　have　come　down　from　the　North；　and　have　no　peculiar　religious　tendencies。　　Some　of　Lord　Baltimore's　descendants　remained　in　the　State　up　to　the　time　of　the　Revolution。　　From　Baltimore　I　went　on　to　Washington。


END　OF　VOL。　I。