voyage of the paper canoe-第16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！


o　had　so　kindly　offered　me　his　hospitality。　The　canoe　was　emptied　of　its　　shifting　liquid　ballast　and　carefully　sponged　dry。　My　host　and　his　son　carried　it　into　the　main　hall　of　the　mansion　and　placed　it　upon　the　floor；　where　the　entire　household　gathered；　an　　admiring　group。　　Proud；　indeed；　might　my　dainty　craft　have　been　of　the　appreciation　of　so　lovely　a　company。　　her　master　fully　appreciated　the　generous　board　of　his　kind　host；　and　in　present　comfort　soon　forgot　past　trials　and　his　wet　pull　across　the　upper　bay　of　New　York　harbor。

My　work　for　the　next　day；　October　27th；　was　the　navigation　of　the　interesting　strait　of　the　old　Dutch　settlers　and　the　Raritan　River；　of　New　Jersey；　as　far　as　New　Brunswick。　　The　average　width　of　Kill　Van　Kull　is　three…eighths　of　a　mile。　From　its　entrance；　at　Constable's　Point；　to　the　mouth　of　Newark　Bay；　which　enters　it　on　the　Jersey　side；　it　is　three　miles；　and　nearly　two　miles　across　the　bay　to　Elizabethport。　　Bergen　Point　is　on　the　east　and　Elizabethport　on　the　west　entrance　of　the　bay；　while　on　Staten　Island；　New　Brighton；　Factoryville；　and　North　Shore；　furnish　homes　for　many　New　York　business　men。

At　Elizabethport　the　strait　narrows　to　one　eighth　of　a　mile；　and　as　the　mouth　of　the　　Rahway　is　approached　it　widens。　　It　now　runs　through　marshes　for　most　of　the　way；　a　distance　of　twelve　miles　to　Raritan　Bay；　which　is　an　arm　of　the　lower　bay　of　New　York　harbor。　　The　strait；　from　Elizabethport　to　its　mouth；　is　called　Arthur　Kill；　the　whole　distance　through　the　Kills；　from　Constable's　Point　to　Raritan　Bay；　is　about　seventeen　statute　miles。　　At　the　mouth　of　Arthur　Kill　the　Raritan　River　opens　to　the　bay；　and　the　city　of　Perth　Amboy　rests　on　the　point　of　high　land　between　the　river　and　the　strait。

Roseville　and　Tottenville　are　on　the　Staten　Island　shores　of　Arthur　Kill；　the　former　six　miles；　the　latter　ten　miles　from　Elizabethport。　The　tide　runs　swiftly　through　the　Kills。　　Leaving　Mr。　Campbell's　residence　at　nine　A。　M。；　with　a　tide　in　my　favor　as　far　as　Newark　Bay；　I　soon　had　the　tide　against　me　from　the　other　Kill　until　I　passed　the　Rahway　River；　when　it　commenced　to　ebb　towards　Raritan　Bay。　The　marshy　shores　of　the　Kills　were　submerged　in　places　by　the　high　tide；　but　their　monotony　was　relieved　by　the　farms　upon　the　hills　back　of　the　flats。

At　one　o'clock　my　canoe　rounded　the　heights　upon　which　Perth　Amboy　is　perched；　with　its　snug　cottages；　the　homes　of　many　oystermen　whose　fleet　of　boats　was　anchored　in　front　of　the　town。　　Curious　yard…like　pens　constructed　of　poles　rose　out　of　the　water；　in　which　boats　could　find　shelter　from　the　rough　sea。

The　entrance　to　the　Raritan　River　is　wide；　and　above　its　mouth　it　is　crossed　by　a　long　　railroad　bridge。　The　pull　up　the　crooked　river　（sixteen　miles）　against　a　strong　ebb…tide；　through　extensive　reedy　marshes；　was　uninteresting。　I　came　upon　the　entrance　of　the　canal　which　connects　　the　rivers　Raritan　and　Delaware　after　six　o'clock　P。　M。；　which　at　this　season　of　the　year　was　after　dark。　Hiding　the　canoe　in　a　secure　place　I　went　to　visit　an　old　friend；　Professor　George　Cook；　of　the　New　Jersey　State　Geological　Survey；　who　resides　at　New　Brunswick。　In　the　morning　the　professor　kindly　assisted　me；　and　we　climbed　the　high　bank　of　the　canal　with　the　canoe　upon　our　shoulders；　putting　it　into　the　water　below　the　first　two　locks。　　I　now　　commenced　an　unexciting　row　of　forty…two　miles　to　Bordentown；　on　the　Delaware；　where　this　　artificial　watercourse　ends。

This　canal　is　much　travelled　by　steam　tugs　towing　schooners　of　two　hundred　tons；　and　by　barges　and　canal…boats　of　all　sizes　drawing　not　above　seven　feet　and　a　half　of　water。　　The　boats　are　drawn　through　the　locks　by　stationary　steam…engines；　the　use　of　which　is　discontinued　when　the　business　becomes　slack；　then　the　　boatmen　use　their　mules　for　the　same　purpose。　　To　tow　an　average…sized　canal…boat；　loaded；　requires　four　mules；　while　an　empty　one　is　easily　drawn　by　two。　　It　proved　most　expeditious　as　well　as　convenient　not　to　trouble　the　lock…master　to　open　the　gates；　but　to　secure　his　assistance　in　carrying　the　canoe　along　the　tow…path　to　the　end　of　the　lock；　which　service　occupied　less　than　five　　minutes。　　In　this　way　the　canoe　was　carried　around　seven　locks　the　first　day；　and　when　dusk　　approached　she　was　sheltered　beside　a　paper　shell　in　the　boat…house　of　Princeton　College　Club；　which　is　located　on　the　banks　of　the　canal　about　one　mile　and　a　half　from　the　city　of　Princeton。

In　this　narrow　watercourse　these　　indefatigable　collegians；　under　great　disadvantages；　drill　their　crews　for　the　annual　intercollegiate　struggle　for　championship。　　One　Noah　Reed　provided　entertainment　for　man　and　beast　at　his　country　inn　half　a　mile　from　the　boat…house；　and　thither　I　repaired　for　the　night。

This　day's　row　of　twenty…six　miles　and　a　half　had　been　through　a　hilly　country；　　abounding　in　rich　farm　lands　which　were　well　　cultivated。　　　The　next　morning　an　officer　of　the　Princeton　Bank　awaited　my　coming　on　the　banks　of　the　sluggish　canal。　He　had　taken　an　early　walk　from　the　town　to　see　the　canoe。　　At　　Baker's　Basin　the　bridge…tender；　a　one…legged　man；　pressed　me　to　tarry　till　he　could　summon　the　Methodist　minister；　who　had　charged　him　to　　notify　him　of　the　approach　of　a　paper　canoe。

Through　all　my　boat　journeys　I　have　remarked　that　professional　men　take　more　interest　in　canoe　journeys　than　professional　oarsmen；　and　nearly　all　the　canoeists　of　my　acquaintance　are　　ministers　of　the　gospel。　　It　is　an　innocent　way　of　　obtaining　relaxation；　and　opportunities　thus　offered　the　weary　clergyman　of　studying　nature　in　her　ever…changing　but　always　restful　moods；　must　indeed　be　grateful　after　being　for　months　in　daily　contact　with　the　world；　the　flesh；　and　the　devil。　The　tendency　of　the　present　age　to　liberal　ideas　permits　clergymen　in　large　towns　and　cities　to　drive　fast　horses；　and　spend　an　hour　of　each　day　at　a　harmless　game　of　billiards；　without　giving　rise　to　remarks　from　his　own　congregation；　but　let　the　overworked　rector　of　a　country　village　seek　in　his　friendly　canoe　that　relief　which　nature　offers　to　the　tired　brain；　let　him　go　into　the　　wilderness　and　live　close　to　his　Creator　by　studying　his　works；　and　a　whole　community　vex　him　on　his　return　with　〃the　appearance　of　the　thing。〃　These　self…constituted　critics；　who　are　generally　ignorant　of　the　laws　which　God　has　made　to　　secure　health　and　give　contentment　to　his　creatures；　would　poison　the　sick　man's　body　with　drugs　and　nostrums　when　he　might　have　the　delightful　and　generally　successful　services　of　Dr。　Camp　Cure　without　the　after　dose　of　a　bill。　　These　　hardworked　and　miserably　paid　country　clergymen；　who　are　rarely；　nowadays；　treated　as　the　head　of　the　congregation　or　the　shepherd　of　the　flock　they　are　supposed　to　lead；　but　rather　as　victims　of　the　whims　of　influential　members　of　the　church；　tell　me　that　to　own　a　canoe　is　indeed　a　cross；　and　that　if　they　spend　a　vacation　in　the　grand　old　forests　of　the　Adirondacks；　the　　brethren　are　sorely　exercised　over　the　time　wasted　in　such　unusual　and　unministerial　conduct。

Everywhere　along　the　route　the　peculiar　　character　of　the　paper　canoe　attracted　many　remarks　from　the　bystanders。　　The　first　impression　given　was　that　I　had　engaged　in　this　rowing　enterprise　under　the　stimulus　of　a　bet；　and　when　the　　curious　were　informed　that　it　was　a　voyage　of　study；　the　next　question　was　〃How　much　are　you　going　to　make　out　of　it？〃　Upon　learning　that　there　was　neither　a　bet　nor　money　in　it；　a　shade　of　disappointment　and　incredulity　rested　upon　the　features　of　the　bystanders；　and　the　canoeist　was　often　rated　as　a　〃blockhead〃　for　risking　his　life　without　being　paid　for　it。

At　Trenton　the　canal　passes　through　the　city　and　here　it　was　necessary　to　carry　the　boat　around　two　locks。　At　noon　the　canoe　ended　her　voyage　of　forty…two　miles　by　reaching　the　last　lock；　on　the　Delaware　River；　at　Bordentown；　New　Jersey；　where　friendly　arms　received　the　Maria　Theresa　and　placed　her　on　the　trestles　which　had　supported　her　sister　craft；　the　Mayeta；　in　the　shop　of　the　builder；　Mr。　J。　S。　Lamson；　situated　under　the　high　cliffs　along　the　crests　of　which　an　ex…king　of　Spain；　in　times　gone　by；　was　wont　to　walk　and　sadly　ponder　on　his　exile　from　la　belle　France。