the complete writings-4-第38章

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he　mountain。　　The　task　was　not　easy。　　A　road　had　to　be　cut；　over　which　a　sledge　could　be　hauled；　and　the　hardy　mountaineers　who　undertook　the　removal　were　three　days　in　reaching　the　summit　with　their　burden。　　The　remains　were　accompanied　by　a　considerable　concourse；　and　the　last　rites　on　the　top　were　participated　in　by　a　hundred　or　more　scientists　and　prominent　men　from　different　parts　of　the　State。　　Such　a　strange　cortege　had　never　before　broken　the　silence　of　this　lonely　wilderness；　nor　was　ever　burial　more　impressive　than　this　wild　interment　above　the　clouds。

We　had　been　preceded　in　our　climb　all　the　way　by　a　huge　bear。　　That　he　was　huge；　a　lunker；　a　monstrous　old　varmint；　Big　Tom　knew　by　the　size　of　his　tracks；　that　he　was　making　the　ascent　that　morning　ahead　of　us；　Big　Tom　knew　by　the　freshness　of　the　trail。　　We　might　come　upon　him　at　any　moment；　he　might　be　in　the　garden；　was　quite　likely　to　be　found　in　the　raspberry　patch。　　That　we　did　not　encounter　him　I　am　convinced　was　not　the　fault　of　Big　Tom；　but　of　the　bear。

After　a　struggle　of　five　hours　we　emerged　from　the　balsams　and　briers　into　a　lovely　open　meadow；　of　lush　clover；　timothy；　and　blue　grass。　We　unsaddled　the　horses　and　turned　them　loose　to　feed　in　it。　　The　meadow　sloped　up　to　a　belt　of　balsams　and　firs；　a　steep　rocky　knob；　and　climbing　that　on　foot　we　stood　upon　the　summit　of　Mitchell　at　one　o'clock。　　We　were　none　too　soon；　for　already　the　clouds　were　preparing　for　what　appears　to　be　a　daily　storm　at　this　season。

The　summit　is　a　nearly　level　spot　of　some　thirty　or　forty　feet　in　extent　either　way；　with　a　floor　of　rock　and　loose　stones。　　The　stunted　balsams　have　been　cut　away　so　as　to　give　a　view。　　The　sweep　of　prospect　is　vast；　and　we　could　see　the　whole　horizon　except　in　the　direction　of　Roan；　whose　long　bulk　was　enveloped　in　cloud。　　Portions　of　six　States　were　in　sight；　we　were　told；　but　that　is　merely　a　geographical　expression。　　What　we　saw；　wherever　we　looked；　was　an　inextricable　tumble　of　mountains；　without　order　or　leading　line　of　direction；domes；　peaks；　ridges；　endless　and　countless；　everywhere；　some　in　shadow；　some　tipped　with　shafts　of　sunlight；　all　wooded　and　green　or　black；　and　all　in　more　softened　contours　than　our　Northern　hills；　but　still　wild；　lonesome；　terrible。　　Away　in　the　southwest；　lifting　themselves　up　in　a　gleam　of　the　western　sky；　the　Great　Smoky　Mountains　loomed　like　a　frowning　continental　fortress；　sullen　and　remote。　　With　Clingman　and　Gibbs　and　Holdback　peaks　near　at　hand　and　apparently　of　equal　height；　Mitchell　seemed　only　a　part　and　not　separate　from　the　mighty　congregation　of　giants。

In　the　center　of　the　stony　plot　on　the　summit　lie　the　remains　of　Mitchell。　　To　dig　a　grave　in　the　rock　was　impracticable；　but　the　loose　stones　were　scooped　away　to　the　depth　of　a　foot　or　so；　the　body　was　deposited；　and　the　stones　were　replaced　over　it。　　It　was　the　original　intention　to　erect　a　monument；　but　the　enterprise　of　the　projectors　of　this　royal　entombment　failed　at　that　point。　　The　grave　is　surrounded　by　a　low　wall　of　loose　stones；　to　which　each　visitor　adds　one；　and　in　the　course　of　ages　the　cairn　may　grow　to　a　good　size。　　The　explorer　lies　there　without　name　or　headstone　to　mark　his　awful　resting…place。　　The　mountain　is　his　monument。　　He　is　alone　with　its　majesty。　　He　is　there　in　the　clouds；　in　the　tempests；　where　the　lightnings　play；　and　thunders　leap；　amid　the　elemental　tumult；　in　the　occasional　great　calm　and　silence　and　the　pale　sunlight。　　It　is　the　most　majestic；　the　most　lonesome　grave　on　earth。

As　we　sat　there；　awed　a　little　by　this　presence；　the　clouds　were　gathering　from　various　quarters　and　drifting　towards　us。　　We　could　watch　the　process　of　thunder…storms　and　the　manufacture　of　tempests。　I　have　often　noticed　on　other　high　mountains　how　the　clouds；　forming　like　genii　released　from　the　earth；　mount　into　the　upper　air；　and　in　masses　of　torn　fragments　of　mist　hurry　across　the　sky　as　to　a　rendezvous　of　witches。　　This　was　a　different　display。　　These　clouds　came　slowly　sailing　from　the　distant　horizon；　like　ships　on　an　aerial　voyage。　　Some　were　below　us；　some　on　our　level；　they　were　all　in　well…defined；　distinct　masses；　molten　silver　on　deck；　below　trailing　rain；　and　attended　on　earth　by　gigantic　shadows　that　moved　with　them。　This　strange　fleet　of　battle…ships；　drifted　by　the　shifting　currents；　was　maneuvering　for　an　engagement。　　One　after　another；　as　they　came　into　range　about　our　peak　of　observation；　they　opened　fire。　　Sharp　flashes　of　lightning　darted　from　one　to　the　other；　a　jet　of　flame　from　one　leaped　across　the　interval　and　was　buried　in　the　bosom　of　its　adversary；　and　at　every　discharge　the　boom　of　great　guns　echoed　through　the　mountains。　　It　was　something　more　than　a　royal　salute　to　the　tomb　of　the　mortal　at　our　feet；　for　the　masses　of　cloud　were　rent　in　the　fray；　at　every　discharge　the　rain　was　precipitated　in　increasing　torrents；　and　soon　the　vast　hulks　were　trailing　torn　fragments　and　wreaths　of　mist；　like　the　shot…away　shrouds　and　sails　of　ships　in　battle。　　Gradually；　from　this　long…range　practice　with　single　guns　and　exchange　of　broadsides；　they　drifted　into　closer　conflict；　rushed　together；　and　we　lost　sight　of　the　individual　combatants　in　the　general　tumult　of　this　aerial　war。

We　had　barely　twenty　minutes　for　our　observations；　when　it　was　time　to　go；　and　had　scarcely　left　the　peak　when　the　clouds　enveloped　it。　We　hastened　down　under　the　threatening　sky　to　the　saddles　and　the　luncheon。　　Just　off　from　the　summit；　amid　the　rocks；　is　a　complete　arbor；　or　tunnel；　of　rhododendrons。　　This　cavernous　place　a　Western　writer　has　made　the　scene　of　a　desperate　encounter　between　Big　Tom　and　a　catamount；　or　American　panther；　which　had　been　caught　in　a　trap　and　dragged　it　there；　pursued　by　Wilson。　　It　is　an　exceedingly　graphic　narrative；　and　is　enlivened　by　the　statement　that　Big　Tom　had　the　night　before　drunk　up　all　the　whisky　of　the　party　which　had　spent　the　night　on　the　summit。　　Now　Big　Tom　assured　us　that　the　whisky　part　of　the　story　was　an　invention；　he　was　not　（which　is　true）　in　the　habit　of　using　it；　if　he　ever　did　take　any；　it　might　be　a　drop　on　Mitchell；　in　fact；　when　he　inquired　if　we　had　a　flask；　he　remarked　that　a　taste　of　it　would　do　him　good　then　and　there。　　We　regretted　the　lack　of　it　in　our　baggage。　　But　what　inclined　Big　Tom　to　discredit　the　Western　writer's　story　altogether　was　the　fact　that　he　never　in　his　life　had　had　a　difficulty　with　a　catamount；　and　never　had　seen　one　in　these　mountains。

Our　lunch　was　eaten　in　haste。　　Big　Tom　refused　the　chicken　he　had　provided　for　us；　and　strengthened　himself　with　slices　of　raw　salt　pork；　which　he　cut　from　a　hunk　with　his　clasp…knife。　　We　caught　and　saddled　our　horses；　who　were　reluctant　to　leave　the　rich　feed；　enveloped　ourselves　in　waterproofs；　and　got　into　the　stony　path　for　the　descent　just　as　the　torrent　came　down。　　It　did　rain。　　It　lightened；　the　thunder　crashed；　the　wind　howled　and　twisted　the　treetops。　　It　was　as　if　we　were　pursued　by　the　avenging　spirits　of　the　mountains　for　our　intrusion。　　Such　a　tempest　on　this　height　had　its　terrors　even　for　our　hardy　guide。　　He　preferred　to　be　lower　down　while　it　was　going　on。　　The　crash　and　reverberation　of　the　thunder　did　not　trouble　us　so　much　as　the　swish　of　the　wet　branches　in　our　faces　and　the　horrible　road；　with　its　mud；　tripping　roots；　loose　stones；　and　slippery　rocks。　　Progress　was　slow。　　The　horses　were　in　momentary　danger　of　breaking　their　legs。　　In　the　first　hour　there　was　not　much　descent。　　In　the　clouds　we　were　passing　over　Clingman；　Gibbs；　and　Holdback。　　The　rain　had　ceased；　but　the　mist　still　shut　off　all　view；　if　any　had　been　attainable；　and　bushes　and　paths　were　deluged。　　The　descent　was　more　uncomfortable　than　the　ascent；　and　we　were　compelled　a　good　deal　of　the　way　to　lead　the　jaded　horses　down　the　slippery　rocks。

》From　the　peak　to　the　Widow　Patten's；　where　we　proposed　to　pass　the　night；　is　twelve　miles；　a　distance　we　rode　or　scrambled　down；　every　step　of　the　road　bad；　in　five　and　a　half　hours。　　Halfway　down　we　came　out　upon　a　cleared　place；　a　farm；　with　fruit…trees　and　a　house　in　ruins。　　Here　had　been　a　summer　hotel　much　resorted　to　before　the　war；　but　now　abandoned。　　Above　it　we　turned　aside　for　the