voyage of the paper canoe-第38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！


ployers　had　sent　him　from　　Wilmington；　to　hold　and　protect　〃their　turpentine　farm；〃　which　was　a　wilderness　of　trees　covering　four　thousand　acres；　and　was　valued；　with　its　distillery；　at　five　thousand　dollars。　　An　old　negro；　who　attended　the　still　and　cooked　the　meals；　was　his　only　companion。

We　had　finished　our　frugal　repast；　when　a　man；　shouting　in　the　darkness；　approached　the　house　on　horseback。　　This　individual；　though　very　tipsy；　represented　Law　and　Order　in　that　district；　as　I　was　informed　when　〃Jim　Gore；〃　a　justice　of　the　peace；　saluted　me　in　a　boisterous　manner。　　Seating　himself　by　the　fire；　he　　earnestly　inquired　for　the　bottle。　　His　stomach；　he　said；　was　as　dry　as　a　lime…kiln；　and；　though　　water　answers　to　slake　lime；　he　demanded　　something　stronger　to　slake　the　fire　that　burned　　within　him。　　He　was　very　suspicious　of　me　when　Hall　told　him　of　my　canoe　journey。　　After　eying　me　from　head　to　toe　in　as　steady　a　manner　as　he　was　capable　of；　he　broke　forth　with：　〃Now；　stranger；　this　won't　do。　　What　are　ye　a…travel'ing　in　this　sort　of　way　for；　in　a　paper　dug…out？〃

I　pleaded　a　strong　desire　to　study　geography；　but　the　wise　fellow　replied：

〃Geography！　geography！　　Why；　the　fellers　who　rite　geography　never　travel；　they　stay　at　home　and　spin　their　yarns　'bout　things　they　never　sees。〃　Then；　glancing　at　his　poor　　butternut　coat　and　pantaloons；　he　felt　my　blue　woollen　suit；　and　continued；　in　a　slow；　husky　voice：　〃Stranger；　them　clothes　cost　something；　they　be　store…clothes。　That　paper　dug…out　cost　money；　I　tell　ye；　and　it　costs　something　to　travel　the　hull　length　of　the　land。　　No；　stranger；　if　ye　be　not　on　a　bet；　then　somebody's　a…paying　ye　well　for　it。〃

For　an　hour　I　entertained　this　roughest　of　law　dignitaries　with　an　account　of　my　long　row；　its　trials　and　its　pleasures。　　He　became　interested　in　the　story；　and　finally　related　to　me　his　own　aspirations；　and　the　difficulties　attending　his　　efforts　to　make　the　piny…woods　people　respect　the　laws　and　good　government。　　He　then　described　the　river　route　through　the　swamps　to　the　sea；　and；　putting　his　arm　around　me　in　the　most　　affectionate　manner；　he　mournfully　said：

〃O　stranger；　my　heart　is　with　ye；　but　O；　how　ye　will　have　to　take　it　when　ye　go　past　those　awful　wretches　to…morrow；　how　they　will　give　it　to　ye！　　They　most　knocked　me　off　my　raft；　last　time　I　went　to　Georgetown。　　Beware　of　them；　I　warn　ye　in　time。　　Dern　the　hussies。〃

Squire　Jim　so　emphasized　the　danger　that　I　became　somewhat　alarmed；　for；　more　than　　anything　else；　I　dreaded　an　outbreak　with　rough　women。　　And　then；　too；　my　new　acquaintance　informed　me　that　there　were　four　or　five　of　these　wretches；　of　the　worst　kind；　located　several　miles　down　the　stream。　　As　I　was　about　to　　inquire　into　the　habits　of　these　ugly　old　crones；　Mr。　Hall；　wishing　to　give　Squire　James　a　hint；　remarked　that　Mr。　B_____　might　at　any　time　　retire　to　the　next　room；　where　half　the　bed　was　at　his　disposal。

〃Half　the　bed！〃　roared　the　squire；　〃here　are　three　of　us；　and　where's　my　half？〃

〃Why；　squire；〃　hesitatingly　responded　my　host；　　Mr。　B_____　is　my　guest；　and　having　but　one　bed；　he　must　have　half　of　it　　no　less。〃

〃Then　what's　to　become　of　me？〃　thundered　his　Majesty　of　the　law。

Having　been　informed　that　a　shake…down　would　have　been　ready　had　he　given　notice　of　his　visit；　and　that　at　some　future　time；　when　not　so　crowded；　he　could　be　entertained　like　a　　gentleman；　he　drew　himself　up；　wrapped　in　the　mantle　of　dignity；　and　replied：

〃None　of　that　soft　talk；　my　friend。　　This　man　　is　a　traveller；　let　him　take　travellers'　luck　　three　in　a　bed　to…night。　　I'm　bound　to　sleep　with　him　to…night。　　Hall；　where's　the　bottle？〃

I　now　retired　to　the　back　room；　and；　without　undressing；　planted　myself　on　the　side　of　the　bed　next　the　wall。　　Sleep　was；　however；　an　　unattainable　luxury；　with　the　squire's　voice　in　the　next　room；　as　he　told　how　the　country　was　going　to　the　dogs；　because　〃niggers　and　white　folks　wouldn't　respect　the　laws。　　It　took　half　a　man's　time　to　larn　it　to　'em；　and　much　thanks　he　ever　got　by　setting　everybody　to　rights。〃　　He　wound　up　by　lecturing　Hall　for　being　so　temperate；　his　diligent　search　in　all　directions　for　bottles　or　jugs　being　rewarded　by　finding　them　filled　with　unsatisfactory　emptiness。

He　then　tumbled　into　the　centre　of　the　bed；　crowding　me　close　against　the　wall。　　Poor　Hall；　having　the　outside　left　to　him；　spent　the　night　in　exercising　his　brain　and　muscles　in　vain　attempts　to　keep　in　his　bed；　for　when　his　Majesty　of　the　law　put　his　arms　akimbo；　the　traveller　went　to　the　wall；　and　the　host　to　the　floor。　　Thus　passed　my　first　night　in　the　great　swamps　of　the　　Waccamaw　River。

The　negro　cook　gave　us　an　early　breakfast　of　bacon；　sweet　potatoes；　and　corn　bread。　　The　squire　again　looked　round　for　the　bottle；　and　again　found　nothing　but　emptiness。　　He　helped　me　to　carry　my　canoe　along　the　unsteady　footing　of　the　dark　swamp　to　the　lower　side　of　the　raft　of　logs；　and　warmly　pressed　my　hand　as　he　whispered：　〃My　dear　B____；　I　shall　think　of　you　until　you　get　past　those　dreadful　'wretches。'　Keep　an　eye　on　your　little　boat；　or　they'll　devil　you。〃

Propelled　by　my　double　paddle；　the　canoe　seemed　to　fly　through　the　great　forest　that　rose　with　its　tall　trunks　and　weird；　moss…draped　arms；　out　of　the　water。　　The　owls　were　still　hooting。　　Indeed；　the　dolorous　voice　of　this　bird　of　darkness　sounded　through　the　heavy　woods　at　intervals　throughout　the　day。　　I　seemed　to　have　left　the　real　world　behind　me；　and　to　have　entered　upon　a　landless　region　of　sky；　trees；　and　water。

〃Beware　of　the　cut…offs；〃　said　Hall；　before　I　left。　　　Only　the　Crackers　and　shingle…makers　know　them。　　If　followed；　they　would　save　you　many　a　mile；　but　every　opening　through　the　swamp　is　not　a　cut…off。　　Keep　to　the　main　stream；　though　it　be　more　crooked　and　longer。　If　you　take　to　the　cut…offs；　you　may　get　into　passages　that　will　lead　you　off　into　the　swamps　and　into　interior　bayous；　from　which　you　will　never　emerge。　　Men　have　starved　to　death　in　such　places。〃

So　I　followed　the　winding　stream；　which　turned　back　upon　itself；　running　north　and　south；　and　east　and　west；　as　if　trying　to　box　the　　compass　by　following　the　sun　in　its　revolution。　After　paddling　down　one　bend；　I　could　toss　a　stick　through　the　trees　into　the　stream　where　the　canoe　had　cleaved　its　waters　a　quarter　of　a　mile　　behind　me。

The　thought　of　what　I　should　do　in　this　　landless　region　if　my　frail　shell；　in　its　rapid　flight　to　the　sea；　happened　to　be　pierced　by　a　snag；　was；　to　say　the　least；　not　a　comforting　one。　　On　what　could　I　stand　to　repair　it？　　To　climb　a　tree　seemed；　in　such　a　case；　the　only　resource；　and　then　what　anxious　waiting　there　would　be　for　some　cypress…shingle　maker；　in　his　dug…out　　canoe；　to　come　to　the　rescue；　and　take　the　traveller　from　his　dangerous　lodgings　between　heaven　and　earth；　or　it　might　be　that　no　one　would　pass　that　way；　and　the　weary　waiting　would　be　even　unto　death。

But　sounds　now　reached　my　ears　that　made　me　feel　that　I　was　not　quite　alone　in　this　desolate　swamp。　The　gray　squirrels　scolded　among　the　tree…tops；　robins；　the　brown　thrush；　and　a　large　black　woodpecker　with　his　bright　red　head；　each　reminded　me　of　Him　without　whose　notice　not　a　sparrow　falleth　to　the　ground。

Ten　miles　of　this　black　current　were　passed　over；　when　the　first　signs　of　civilization　appeared；　in　the　shape　of　a　sombre…looking；　two…storied　house；　located　upon　a　point　of　the　mainland　which　entered　the　swamp　on　the　left　shore　of　the　river。　At　this　point　the　river　widened　to　five　or　six　rods；　and　at　intervals　land　appeared　a　few　inches　above　the　water。　　Wherever　the　pine　land　touched　the　river　a　pig…pen　of　rails　offered　shelter　and　a　gathering…place　for　the　hogs；　which　are　turned　loose　by　the　white　Cracker　to　feed　upon　the　roots　and　mast　of　the　　wilderness。

Reeve's　Ferry；　on　the　right　bank；　with　a　little　store　and　turpentine…still；　twenty　miles　from　Old　Dock；　was　the　next　sign　of　the　presence　of　man　in　this　swamp。　The　river　now　became　broad　as　I　approached　Piraway　Ferry；　which　is　two　miles　below　Piraway　Farm。　　Remembering　the　　warnings　of　the　squire　as　to　the　〃awful　wretches　in　the　big　pine　woods；〃　I　kept　a　sharp　lookout　for　the　old　women　who　were　to　give　me　so　much　trouble；　but　th