the complete writings-4-第25章

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d　this　mountain；　without　fail。　People　recommend　mountains　to　their　friends　as　they　do　patent　medicines。　　As　we　leisurely　jogged　along　we　discussed　this；　and　endeavored　to　arrive　at　some　rule　of　conduct　for　the　journey。　　The　Professor　expressed　at　once　a　feeling　about　mountain…climbing　that　amounted　to　hostility；he　would　go　nowhere　that　he　could　not　ride。　Climbing　was　the　most　unsatisfactory　use　to　which　a　mountain　could　be　put。　　As　to　White…Top；　it　was　a　small　mountain；　and　not　worth　ascending。　　The　Friend　of　Humanity；　who　believes　in　mountain…climbing　as　a　theory；　and　for　other　people；　and　knows　the　value　of　being　able　to　say；　without　detection；　that　he　has　ascended　any　high　mountain　about　which　he　is　questioned；since　this　question　is　the　first　one　asked　about　an　exploration　in　a　new　country；saw　that　he　should　have　to　use　a　good　deal　of　diplomacy　to　get　the　Professor　over　any　considerable　elevation　on　the　trip。　　And　he　had　to　confess　also　that　a　view　from　a　mountain　is　never　so　satisfactory　as　a　view　of　a　mountain；　from　a　moderate　height。　　The　Professor；　however；　did　not　argue　the　matter　on　any　such　reasonable　ground；　but　took　his　stand　on　his　right　as　a　man　not　to　ascend　a　mountain。　　With　this　appeal　to　first　principles；a　position　that　could　not　be　confuted　on　account　of　its　vagueness　（although　it　might　probably　be　demonstrated　that　in　society　man　has　no　such　right）；　there　was　no　way　of　agreement　except　by　a　compromise。　　It　was　accordingly　agreed　that　no　mountain　under　six　thousand　feet　is　worth　ascending；　that　disposed　of　White…Top。　　It　was　further　agreed　that　any　mountain　that　is　over　six　thousand　feet　high　is　too　high　to　ascend　on　foot。

With　this　amicable　adjustment　we　forded　the　Holston；　crossing　it　twice　within　a　few　miles。　　This　upper　branch　of　the　Tennessee　is　a　noble　stream；　broad；　with　a　rocky　bed　and　a　swift　current。　　Fording　it　is　ticklish　business　except　at　comparatively　low　water；　and　as　it　is　subject　to　sudden　rises；　there　must　be　times　when　it　seriously　interrupts　travel。　　This　whole　region；　full　of　swift　streams；　is　without　a　bridge；　and；　as　a　consequence；　getting　over　rivers　and　brooks　and　the　dangers　of　ferries　occupy　a　prominent　place　in　the　thoughts　of　the　inhabitants。　　The　life　necessarily　had　the　〃frontier〃　quality　all　through；　for　there　can　be　little　solid　advance　in　civilization　in　the　uncertainties　of　a　bridgeless　condition。　　An　open；　pleasant　valley；　the　Holston；　but　cultivation　is　more　and　more　negligent　and　houses　are　few　and　poorer　as　we　advance。

We　had　left　behind　the　hotels　of　〃perfect　satisfaction；〃　and　expected　to　live　on　the　country；　trusting　to　the　infrequent　but　remunerated　hospitality　of　the　widely　scattered　inhabitants。　　We　were　to　dine　at　Ramsey's。　　Ramsey's　had　been　recommended　to　us　as　a　royal　place　of　entertainment　the　best　in　all　that　region；　and　as　the　sun　grew　hot　in　the　sandy　valley；　and　the　weariness　of　noon　fell　upon　us；　we　magnified　Ramsey's　in　our　imagination；the　nobility　of　its　situation；　its　cuisine；　its　inviting　restfulness；and　half　decided　to　pass　the　night　there　in　the　true　abandon　of　plantation　life。　　Long　before　we　reached　it；　the　Holston　River　which　we　followed　had　become　the　Laurel；　a　most　lovely；　rocky；　winding　stream；　which　we　forded　continually；　for　the　valley　became　too　narrow　much　of　the　way　to　accommodate　a　road　and　a　river。　　Eagerly　as　we　were　looking　out　for　it；　we　passed　the　great　Ramsey's　without　knowing　it；　for　it　was　the　first　of　a　little　settlement　of　two　houses　and　a　saw…mill　and　barn。　It　was　a　neat　log　house　of　two　lower　rooms　and　a　summer　kitchen；　quite　the　best　of　the　class　that　we　saw；　and　the　pleasant　mistress　of　it　made　us　welcome。　　Across　the　road　and　close；　to　the　Laurel　was　the　spring…house；　the　invariable　adjunct　to　every　well…to…do　house　in　the　region；　and　on　the　stony　margin　of　the　stream　was　set　up　the　big　caldron　for　the　family　washing；　and　here；　paddling　in　the　shallow　stream；　while　dinner　was　preparing；　we　established　an　intimacy　with　the　children　and　exchanged　philosophical　observations　on　life　with　the　old　negress　who　was　dabbling　the　clothes。　　What　impressed　this　woman　was　the　inequality　in　life。　　She　jumped　to　the　unwarranted　conclusion　that　the　Professor　and　the　Friend　were　very　rich；　and　spoke　with　asperity　of　the　difficulty　she　experienced　in　getting　shoes　and　tobacco。　　It　was　useless　to　point　out　to　her　that　her　alfresco　life　was　singularly　blessed　and　free　from　care；　and　the　happy　lot　of　any　one　who　could　loiter　all　day　by　this　laughing　stream；　undisturbed　by　debt　or　ambition。　　Everybody　about　the　place　was　barefooted；　except　the　mistress；　including　the　comely　daughter　of　eighteen；　who　served　our　dinner　in　the　kitchen。　　The　dinner　was　abundant；　and　though　it　seemed　to　us　incongruous　at　the　time；　we　were　not　twelve　hours　older　when　we　looked　back　upon　it　with　longing。　　On　the　table　were　hot　biscuit；　ham；　pork；　and　green　beans；　apple…sauce；　blackberry　preserves；　cucumbers；　coffee；　plenty　of　milk；　honey；　and　apple　and　blackberry　pie。　　Here　we　had　our　first　experience；　and　I　may　say　new　sensation；　of　〃honey　on　pie。〃　It　has　a　cloying　sound　as　it　is　written；　but　the　handmaiden　recommended　it　with　enthusiasm；　and　we　evidently　fell　in　her　esteem；　as　persons　from　an　uncultivated　society；　when　we　declared　our　inexperience　of　〃honey　on　pie。〃　　〃Where　be　you　from？〃　　It　turned　out　to　be　very　good；　and　we　have　tried　to　introduce　it　in　families　since　our　return；　with　indifferent　success。　There　did　not　seem　to　be　in　this　family　much　curiosity　about　the　world　at　large；　nor　much　stir　of　social　life。　　The　gayety　of　madame　appeared　to　consist　in　an　occasional　visit　to　paw　and　maw　and　grandmaw；　up　the　river　a　few　miles；　where　she　was　raised。

Refreshed　by　the　honey　and　fodder　at　Ramsey's；　the　pilgrims　went　gayly　along　the　musical　Laurel；　in　the　slanting　rays　of　the　afternoon　sun；　which　played　upon　the　rapids　and　illumined　all　the　woody　way。　Inspired　by　the　misapprehension　of　the　colored　philosopher　and　the　dainties　of　the　dinner；　the　Professor　soliloquized：

　　　　〃So　am　I　as　the　rich；　whose　blessed　key　　　　　　Can　bring　him　to　his　sweet　up…locked　treasure；　　　　　　The　which　he　will　not　every　hour　survey；　　　　　　For　blunting　the　fine　point　of　seldom　pleasure。　　　　　　Therefore　are　feasts　so　solemn　and　so　rare；　　　　　　Since　seldom　coming；　in　the　long　year　set；　　　　　　Like　stones　of　wealth　they　thinly　placed　are；　　　　　　Or　captain　jewels　in　the　carcanet。〃

Five　miles　beyond　Ramsey's　the　Tennessee　line　was　crossed。　　The　Laurel　became　more　rocky；　swift；　full　of　rapids；　and　the　valley　narrowed　down　to　the　riverway；　with　standing　room；　however；　for　stately　trees　along　the　banks。　　The　oaks；　both　black　and　white；　were；　as　they　had　been　all　day；　gigantic　in　size　and　splendid　in　foliage。　There　is　a　certain　dignity　in　riding　in　such　stately　company；　and　the　travelers　clattered　along　over　the　stony　road　under　the　impression　of　possible　high　adventure　in　a　new　world　of　such　freshness。　　Nor　was　beauty　wanting。　　The　rhododendrons　had；　perhaps；　a　week　ago　reached　their　climax；　and　now　began　to　strew　the　water　and　the　ground　with　their　brilliant　petals；　dashing　all　the　way　with　color；　but　they　were　still　matchlessly　beautiful。　　Great　banks　of　pink　and　white　covered　the　steep　hillsides；　the　bending　stems；　ten　to　twenty　feet　high；　hung　their　rich　clusters　over　the　river；　avenues　of　glory　opened　away　in　the　glade　of　the　stream；　and　at　every　turn　of　the　winding　way　vistas　glowing　with　the　hues　of　romance　wrenched　exclamations　of　delight　and　wonder　from　the　Shakespearean　sonneteer　and　his　humble　Friend。　　In　the　deep　recesses　of　the　forest　suddenly　flamed　to　the　view；　like　the　splashes　of　splendor　on　the　somber　canvas　of　an　old　Venetian；　these　wonders　of　color；the　glowing　summer…heart　of　the　woods。

It　was　difficult　to　say；　meantime；　whether　the　road　was　laid　out　in　the　river；　or　the　river　in　the　road。　　In　the　few　miles　to　Egger's　（this　was　the　destination　of　our　great　expectations　for　the　night）　the　stream　was　crossed　twenty…seven　times；or　perhaps　it　would　be　more　proper　to　say　that　the　road　was　crossed　twenty…seven　times。　Where　the　road　did　not　run　in　the　river；　its　bed　was　washed　out　and　as　stony　as　the　bed　of　the　stream。　　This　is　a　general　and　accurate　description　of　all　the　roads