north america-2-第26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！
h were submerged； as to the streets and ground floors of the houses。 At Shipping Port； one of these suburbs； I saw the women and children clustering in the up…stairs room； while the men were going about in punts and wherries； collecting drift…wood from the river for their winter's firing。 In some places bedding and furniture had been brought over to the high ground； and the women were sitting； guarding their little property。 That village； amid the waters； was a sad sight to see； but I heard no complaints。 There was no tearing of hair and no gnashing of teeth； no bitter tears or moans of sorrow。 The men who were not at work in the boats stood loafing about in clusters； looking at the still rising river； but each seemed to be personally indifferent to the matter。 When the house of an American is carried down the river； he builds himself another； as he would get himself a new coat when his old coat became unserviceable。 But he never laments or moans for such a loss。 Surely there is no other people so passive under personal misfortune！ Going from Louisville up to St。 Louis； I crossed the Ohio River and passed through parts of Indiana and of Illinois； and； striking the Mississippi opposite St。 Louis； crossed that river also； and then entered the State of Missouri。 The Ohio was； as I have said； flooded； and we went over it at night。 The boat had been moored at some unaccustomed place。 There was no light。 The road was deep in mud up to the axle…tree； and was crowded with wagons and carts； which in the darkness of the night seemed to have stuck there。 But the man drove his four horses through it all； and into the ferry… boat； over its side。 There were three or four such omnibuses； and as many wagons； as to each of which I predicted in my own mind some fatal catastrophe。 But they were all driven on to the boat in the dark； the horses mixing in through each other in a chaos which would have altogether incapacitated any English coachman。 And then the vessel labored across the flood； going sideways； and hardly keeping her own against the stream。 But we did get over； and were all driven out again； up to the railway station in safety。 On reaching the Mississippi about the middle of the next day； we found it frozen over； or rather covered from side to side with blocks of ice which had forced their way down the river； so that the steam…ferry could not reach its proper landing。 I do not think that we in England would have attempted the feat of carrying over horses and carriages under stress of such circumstances。 But it was done here。 Huge plankings were laid down over the ice； and omnibuses and wagons were driven on。 In getting out again； these vehicles； each with four horses； had to be twisted about； and driven in and across the vessel； and turned in spaces to look at which would have broken the heart of an English coachman。 And then with a spring they were driven up a bank as steep as a ladder！ Ah me！ under what mistaken illusions have I not labored all the days of my youth； in supposing that no man could drive four horses well but an English stage coachman！ I have seen performances in Americaand in Italy and France also； but above all in Americawhich would have made the hair of any English professional driver stand on end。 And in this way I entered St。 Louis。
CHAPTER V。 MISSOURI。
Missouri is a slave State； lying to the west of the Mississippi and to the north of Arkansas。 It forms a portion of the territory ceded by France to the United States in 1803。 Indeed； it is difficult to say how large a portion of the continent of North America is supposed to be included in that territory。 It contains the States of Louisiana； Arkansas； Missouri； and Kansas； as also the present Indian Territory； but it also is said to have contained all the land lying back from them to the Rocky Mountains； Utah； Nebraska； and Dakota； and forms no doubt the widest dominion ever ceded by one nationality to another。 Missouri lies exactly north of the old Missouri compromise line that is； 36。30 north。 When the Missouri compromise was made it was arranged that Missouri should be a slave State； but that no other State north of the 36。30 line should ever become slave soil。 Kentucky and Virginia； as also of course Maryland and Delaware； four of the old slave States； were already north of that line； but the compromise was intended to prevent the advance of slavery in the Northwest。 The compromise has been since annulled； on the ground； I believe； that Congress had not constitutionally the power to declare that any soil should be free； or that any should be slave soil。 That is a question to be decided by the States themselves； as each individual State may please。 So the compromise was repealed。 But slavery has not on that account advanced。 The battle has been fought in Kansas； and； after a long and terrible struggle； Kansas has come out of the fight as a free State。 Kansas is in the same parallel of latitude as Virginia； and stretches west as far as the Rocky Mountains； When the census of the population of Missouri was taken in 1860； the slaves amounted to ten per cent。 of the whole number。 In the Gulf States the slave population is about forty…five per cent。 of the whole。 In the three border States of Kentucky； Virginia； and Maryland； the slaves amount to thirty per cent。 of the whole population。 From these figures it will be seen that Missouri； which is comparatively a new slave State； has not gone ahead with slavery as the old slave States have done； although from its position and climate； lying as far south as Virginia； it might seem to have had the same reasons for doing so。 I think there is every reason to believe that slavery will die out in Missouri。 The institution is not popular with the people generally； and as white labor becomes abundantand before the war it was becoming abundantmen recognize the fact that the white man's labor is the more profitable。 The heat in this State； in midsummer； is very great； especially in the valleys of the rivers。 At St。 Louis； on the Mississippi； it reaches commonly to ninety degrees； and very frequently goes above that。 The nights； moreover； are nearly as hot as the days； but this great heat does not last for any very long period； and it seems that white men are able to work throughout the year。 If correspondingly severe weather in winter affords any compensation to the white man for what of heat he endures during the summer； I can testify that such compensation is to be found in Missouri。 When I was there we were afflicted with a combination of snow； sleet； frost； and wind； with a mixture of ice and mud； that makes me regard Missouri as the most inclement land into which I ever penetrated。 St。 Louis； on the Mississippi； is the great town of Missouri； and is considered by the Missourians to be the star of the West。 It is not to be beaten in population； wealth； or natural advantages by any other city so far west； but it has not increased with such rapidity as Chicago； which is considerably to the north of it； on Lake Michigan。 Of the great Western cities I regard Chicago as the most remarkable； seeing that St。 Louis was a large town before Chicago had been founded。 The population of St。 Louis is 170；000。 Of this number only 2000 are slaves。 I was told that a large proportion of the slaves of Missouri are employed near the Missouri River in breaking hemp。 The growth of hemp is very profitably carried on in that valley； and the labor attached to it is one which white men do not like to encounter。 Slaves are not generally employed in St。 Louis for domestic service as is done almost universally in the towns of Kentucky。 This work is chiefly in the hands of Irish and Germans。 Considerably above one…third of the population of the whole city is made up of these two nationalities。 So much is confessed； but if I were to form an opinion from the language I heard in the streets of the town； I should say that nearly every man was either an Irishman or a German。 St。 Louis has none of the aspects of a slave city。 I cannot say that I found it an attractive place； but then I did not visit it at an attractive time。 The war had disturbed everything； given a special color of its own to men's thoughts
