voyage of the paper canoe-第27章

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It　was　almost　dark　when　I　reached　the　　storehouse　at　Pungo　Ferry；　and　as　Sunday　is　a　sacred　day　with　me；　I　determined　to　camp　there　until　Monday。　　A　deformed　negro　held　a　lease　of　the　ferry；　and　pulled　a　flat　back　and　forth　across　the　river　by　means　of　a　chain　and　windlass。　He　was　very　civil；　and　placed　his　quarters　at　my　　disposal　until　I　should　be　ready　to　start　southward　to　Currituck　Sound。　　We　lifted　the　canoe　and　pushed　it　through　an　open　window　into　the　little　store…room；　where　it　rested　upon　an　unoccupied　counter。　　The　negro　went　up　to　the　loft　above；　and　threw　down　two　large　bundles　of　flags　for　a　bed；　upon　which　I　spread　my　blankets。　　An　old　stove　in　a　corner　was　soon　aglow　with　burning　light　wood。　　While　I　was　cooking　my　supper；　the　little　propeller　Cygnet；　which　runs　between　Norfolk　and　Van　Slyck's　Landing；　at　Currituck　Narrows；　touched　at　Pungo　Ferry；　and　put　off　an　old　woman　who　had　been　on　a　two　years'　visit　to　her　relatives。　　She　kindly　accosted　the　dwarfed　black　with；　〃Charles；　have　you　got　a　match　for　my　pipe？〃　〃Yes；　missus；〃　civilly　responded　the　negro；　handing　her　a　light。　〃Well；　this　is　good！〃　soliloquized　the　ancient　dame；　as　she　seated　herself　on　a　box　and　puffed　away　at　the　short…stemmed　pipe。　　　Ah；　good　indeed　to　get　away　from　city　folks；　with　their　stuck…up　manners　and　queer　ways；　a…fault…finding　when　you　stick　your　knife　in　your　mouth　in　place　of　your　fork；　and　a…feeding　you　on　China　tea　in　place　of　dear　old　yaupon。　　Charles；　you　can't　reckon　how　I　longs　to　get　a　cup　of　good　yaupon。〃

As　the　reader　is　about　entering　a　country　where　the　laboring　classes　draw　largely　upon　nature　for　their　supply　of　〃the　cup　that　cheers　but　not　inebriates；〃　I　will　describe　he　shrub　which　produces　it。

This　substitute　for　the　tea　of　China　is　a　holly　（ilex）；　and　is　called　by　the　natives　〃yaupon〃　（I。　cassine；　Linn。）。　　It　is　a　handsome　shrub；　growing　a　few　feet　in　height；　with　alternate；　　perennial；　shining　leaves；　and　bearing　small　scarlet　berries。　　It　is　found　in　the　vicinity　of　salt　water；　in　the　light　soils　of　Virginia　and　the　Carolinas。　The　leaves　and　twigs　are　dried　by　the　women；　and　when　ready　for　market　are　sold　at　one　dollar　per　bushel。　　It　is　not　to　be　compared　in　　excellence　with　the　tea　of　China；　nor　does　it　approach　in　taste　or　good　qualities　the　well…known　　yerbamate；　another　species　of　holly；　which　is　found　in　Paraguay；　and　is　the　common　drink　of　the　people　of　South　America。

The　old　woman　having　gone　on　her　way；　and　we　being　again　alone　in　the　rude　little　shanty；　the　good…natured　freedman　told　me　his　history；　ending　with；　…


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃O　that　was　a　glorious　day　for　me；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　When　Massa　Lincoln　set　me　free。〃


He　had　too　much　ambition；　he　said；　deformed　as　he　was；　to　be　supported　as　a　pauper　by　the　　public。　〃I　can　make　just　about　twelve　dollars　a　month　by　dis　here　ferry；〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　don't　want　for　nuffin'；　I'se　got　no　wife　　no　woman　will　hab　me。　　I　want　to　support　myself　and　live　an　honest　man。〃

About　seven　o'clock　he　left　me　to　waddle　up　the　road　nearly　a　mile　to　a　little　house。

〃I　an'　another　cullo'd　man　live　in　　partnership；〃　he　said。　　He　could　not　account　for　the　fact　that　I　had　no　fear　of　sleeping　alone　in　the　shanty　on　the　marshes。　　He　went　home　for　the　company　of　his　partner；　as　he　〃didn't　like　to　sleep　alone　noways。〃

Though　the　cold　wind　entered　through　broken　window…lights　and　under　the　rudely　constructed　door；　I　slept　comfortably　until　morning。　　Before　Charles　had　returned；　my　breakfast　was　cooked　and　eaten。

With　the　sunshine　of　the　morning　came　a　new　visitor。　　I　had　made　the　acquaintance　of　the　late　slave；　now　I　received　a　call　from　the　late　master。　　My　visitor　was　a　pleasant；　　gentlemanly　personage；　the　owner　of　the　surrounding　acres。　　His　large　white　house　could　be　seen　from　the　landing；　a　quarter　of　a　mile　up　the　road。

〃I　learned　that　a　stranger　from　the　north　was　camped　here；　and　was　expecting　that　he　would　come　up　and　take　breakfast　with　me；〃　was　his　kindly　way　of　introducing　himself。

I　told　him　I　was　comfortably　established　in　dry　quarters；　and　did　not　feel　justified　in　　forcing　myself　upon　his　hospitality　while　I　had　so　many　good　things　of　this　life　in　my　　provision…basket。

Mr。　Dudley　would　take　no　excuse；　but　　conducted　me　to　his　house；　where　I　remained　that　day；　attending　the　religious　services　in　a　little　church　in　the　vicinity。　　My　kind　host　introduced　me　to　his　neighbors；　several　of　whom　returned　with　us　to　dinner。　　I　found　the　people　about　Pungo　Ferry；　like　those　I　had　met　along　the　sounds　of　the　eastern　shore　of　Maryland　and　Virginia；　very　piously　inclined；　　the　same　　kindhearted；　hospitable　people。

My　host　entertained　me　the　next　day；　which　was　rainy；　with　his　life　in　the　Confederate　army；　in　which　he　served　as　a　lieutenant。　　He　was　a　prisoner　at　Johnson's　Island　for　twenty…two　months。　　He　bore　no　malice　towards　northern　men　who　came　south　to　join　with　the　natives　in　working　for　the　true　interests　of　the　country。　The　people　of　the　south　had　become　weary　of　political　sufferings　inflicted　by　a　floating　　population　from　the　north；　they　needed　actual　settlers；　not　politicians。　　This　sentiment　I　found　　everywhere　expressed。　　On　Tuesday　I　bade　farewell　to　my　new　friends；　and　rowed　down　the　North　Landing　River　towards　Currituck　Sound。

The　North　Carolina　line　is　only　a　few　miles　south　of　the　ferry。　　The　river　enters　the　head　of　the　sound　six　or　eight　miles　below　Pungo　Ferry。　　A　stiff　northerly　breeze　was　blowing；　and　as　the　river　widened；　on　reaching　the　head　of　the　sound；　to　a　mile　or　more；　and　bays　were　to　be　crossed　from　point　to　point；　it　required　the　exercise　of　considerable　patience　and　　muscular　exertion　to　keep　the　sea　from　boarding　the　little　craft　amidship。　　As　I　was　endeavoring　to　weather　a　point；　the　swivel　of　one　of　the　　outriggers　parted　at　its　junction　with　the　row…lock；　and　it　became　necessary　to　get　under　the　south　point　of　the　marshes　for　shelter。

The　lee　side　offered　a　smooth　bay。　　It　was　but　a　few　minutes'　work　to　unload　and　haul　the　canoe　into　the　tall　rushes；　which　afforded　ample　protection　against　the　cold　wind。　　It　was　three　hours　before　the　wind　went　down；　when　the　canoe　was　launched；　and；　propelled　by　the　double　paddle；　（always　kept　in　reserve　against　accidents　to　oars　and　row…locks；）　I　continued　over　the　waters　of　Currituck　Sound。

Swans　could　now　be　seen　in　flocks　of　twenties　and　fifties。　　They　were　exceedingly　wary；　not　permitting　the　canoe　to　approach　within　rifle　range。　　Clouds　of　ducks；　and　some　Canada　geese；　as　well　as　brant；　kept　up　a　continuous　flutter　as　they　rose　from　the　surface　of　the　water。　Away　to　the　southeast　extended　the　glimmering　bosom　of　the　sound；　with　a　few　islands　relieving　its　monotony。　The　three　or　four　houses　and　two　small　storehouses　at　the　landing　of　Currituck　Court　House；　which；　with　the　brick　court…house；　comprise　the　whole　village；　are　situated　on　the　west　bank；　and　opposite；　eight　miles　to　the　　eastward；　is　the　narrow　beach　island　that　serves　as　a　barrier　to　the　ingress　of　the　ocean。

At　sunset　I　started　the　last　flock　of　white　swans；　and　grounded　in　the　shoal　waters　at　the　landing。　　There　is　no　regular　hotel　here；　but　a　kind　lady；　Mrs。　Simmons；　accommodates　the　necessities　of　the　occasional　traveller。　　The　　canoe　was　soon　locked　up　in　the　landing…house。　Fortunately　a　blacksmith　was　found　outside　the　village；　who　promised　to　repair　the　broken　　rowlock　early　upon　the　following　morning。　　Before　a　pleasant　wood　fire　giving　out　its　heat　from　a　grand　old　fireplace；　with　an　agreeable　visitor；　　the　physician　of　the　place；　　the　tediousness　of　the　three…hours'　camp　on　the　marshes　was　soon　forgotten；　while　the　country　and　its　resources　were　fully　discussed　until　a　late　hour。

Dr。　Baxter　had　experimented　in　grape　culture；　and　gave　me　many　interesting　details　in　regard　to　the　native　wine。　In　1714；　Lawson　described　six　varieties　of　native　grapes　found　in　North　Carolina。　Our　three　finest　varieties　of　native　grapes　were　taken　from　North　Carolina。　They　are　the　Scuppernong；　the　Catawba；　and　the　　Isabella。　The　Scuppernong　was　found　upon　the　banks　of　the　stream　bearing　that　name；　the　mouth　of　which　is　near　the　eastern　end　　of　Albemarle　Sound。　The　Catawba　was　originally　　obtained　on　the　Cataw