north america-2-第33章
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ved in the hotel at Cairo reminded me of that old woman。 In that room I did not dare to brush my teeth lest I should give offense； and I saw at once that I was regarded with suspicion when I used my own comb instead of that provided for the public。 At length we got a room； one room for the two。 I had become so depressed in spirits that I did not dare to object to this arrangement。 My friend could not complain much； even to me； feeling that these miseries had been produced by his own obstinacy。 〃It is a new phase of life；〃 he said。 That at any rate was true。 If nothing more be necessary for pleasurable excitement than a new phase of life； I would recommend all who require pleasurable excitement to go to Cairo。 They will certainly find a new phase of life。 But do not let them remain too long； or they may find something beyond a new phase of life。 Within a week of that time my friend was taking quinine； looking hollow about the eyes； and whispering to me of fever and ague。 To say that there was nothing eatable or drinkable in that hotel； would be to tell that which will be understood without telling。 My friend； however； was a cautious man； carrying with him comfortable tin pots； hermetically sealed； from Fortnum & Mason's； and on the second day of our sojourn we were invited by two officers to join their dinner at a Cairo eating… house。 We plowed our way gallantly through the mud to a little shanty； at the door of which we were peremptorily commanded by the landlord to scrub ourselves； before we entered； with the stump of an old broom。 This we did； producing on our nether persons the appearance of bread which has been carefully spread with treacle by an economic housekeeper。 And the proprietor was right； for had we not done so； the treacle would have run off through the whole house。 But after this we fared royally。 Squirrel soup and prairie chickens regaled us。 One of our new friends had laden his pockets with champagne and brandy； the other with glasses and a corkscrew； and as the bottle went round； I began to feel something of the spirit of Mark Tapley in my soul。 But our visit to Cairo had been made rather with reference to its present warlike character than with any eye to the natural beauties of the place。 A large force of men had been collected there； and also a fleet of gun…boats。 We had come there fortified with letters to generals and commodores； and were prepared to go through a large amount of military inspection。 But the bird had flown before our arrival； or rather the body and wings of the bird； leaving behind only a draggled tail and a few of its feathers。 There were only a thousand soldiers at Cairo when we were therethat is； a thousand stationed in the Cairo sheds。 Two regiments passed through the place during the time； getting out of one steamer on to another； or passing from the railway into boats。 One of these regiments passed before me down the slope of the river bank； and the men as a body seemed to be healthy。 Very many were drunk； and all were mud… clogged up to their shoulders and very caps。 In other respects they appeared to be in good order。 It must be understood that these soldiers； the volunteers； had never been made subject to any discipline as to cleanliness。 They wore their hair long。 Their hats or caps； though all made in some military form and with some military appendance； were various and ill assorted。 They all were covered with loose； thick； blue…gray great…coats； which no doubt were warm and wholesome； but which from their looseness and color seemed to be peculiarly susceptible of receiving and showing a very large amount of mud。 Their boots were always good； but each man was shod as he liked。 Many wore heavy overboots coming up the leg boots of excellent manufacture； and from their cost； if for no other reason； quite out of the reach of an English soldierboots in which a man would be not at all unfortunate to find himself hunting； but from these； or from their high…lows； shoes； or whatever they might wear； the mud had never been even scraped。 These men were all warmly clothed； but clothed apparently with an endeavor to contract as much mud as might be possible。 The generals and commodores were gone up the Ohio River and up the Tennessee in an expedition with gunboats； which turned out to be successful； and of which we have all read in the daily history of this war。 They had departed the day before our arrival； and though we still found at Cairo a squadron of gun…boatsif gun…boats go in squadronsthe bulk of the army had been moved。 There were left there one regiment and one colonel； who kindly described to us the battles he had fought； and gave us permission to see everything that was to be seen。 Four of these gun…boats were still lying in the Ohio； close under the terminus of the railway； with their flat； ugly noses against the muddy bank； and we were shown over two of them。 They certainly seemed to be formidable weapons for river warfare； and to have been 〃got up quite irrespective of expense。〃 So much； indeed； may be said for the Americans throughout the war。 They cannot be accused of parsimony。 The largest of these vessels； called the 〃Benton；〃 had cost 36；000l。 These boats are made with sides sloping inward at an angle of forty…five degrees。 The iron is two and a half inches thick； and it has not； I believe； been calculated that this will resist cannon…shot of great weight； should it be struck in a direct line。 But the angle of the sides of the boat makes it improbable that any such shot should strike them； and the iron； bedded as it is upon oak； is supposed to be sufficient to turn a shot that does not hit it in a direct line。 The boats are also roofed in with iron； and the pilots who steer the vessel stand incased； as it were； under an iron cupola。 I imagine that these boats are well calculated for the river service； for which they have been built。 Six or seven of them had gone up the Tennessee River the day before we reached Cairo； and while we were there they succeeded in knocking down Fort Henry； and in carrying off the soldiers stationed there and the officer in command。 One of the boats； however； had been penetrated by a shot； which made its way into the boiler； and the men on decksix； I think； in numberwere scalded to death by the escaping steam。 The two pilots up in the cupola were destroyed in this terrible manner。 As they were altogether closed in by the iron roof and sides； there was no escape for the steam。 The boats； however； were well made and very powerfully armed； and will probably succeed in driving the secessionist armies away from the great river banks。 By what machinery the secessionist armies are to be followed into the interior is altogether another question。 But there was also another fleet at Cairo； and we were informed that we were just in time to see the first essay made at testing the utility of this armada。 It consisted of no less than thirty…eight mortar…boats； each of which had cost 1700l。 These mortar…boats were broad； flat…bottomed rafts； each constructed with a deck raised three feet above the bottom。 They were protected by high iron sides supposed to be proof against rifle…balls； and； when supplied； had been furnished each with a little boat； a rope； and four rough sweeps or oars。 They had no other furniture or belongings； and were to be moved either by steam…tugs or by the use of the long oars which were sent with them。 It was intended that one 13…inch mortar； of enormous weight； should be put upon each； that these mortars should be fired with twenty…three pounds of powder； and that the shell thrown should； at a distance of three miles； fall with absolute precision into any devoted town which the rebels might hold the river banks。 The grandeur of the idea is almost sublime。 So large an amount of powder had； I imagine； never then been used for the single charge in any instrument of war； and when we were told that thirty…eight of them were to play at once on a city； and that they could be used with absolute precision； it seemed as though the fate of Sodom and Gomorrah could not be worse than the fate of that city。 Could any city be safe when such implements of war were about upon the waters？ But when we came
