voyage of the paper canoe-第42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！


　live…oaks；　which　were　draped　in　the　weird　festoons　of　Spanish　moss；　on　the　upland　arose　the　stately　home　of　the　planter；　who　still　kept　his　plantation　in　cultivation；　though　on　a　scale　of　less　magnitude　than　formerly。　It　was；　indeed；　a　　pleasant　evening　that　I　passed　in　the　company　of　the　refined　members　of　the　old　commodore's　　household；　and　with　a　pang　of　regret　the　next　day　I　paddled　along　the　main　canal　of　the　lowlands；　casting　backward　glances　at　the　old　house；　with　its　grand　old　trees。　　The　canal　ended　at　North　Santee　Bay。

While　I　was　preparing　to　ascend　the　river　a　tempest　arose；　which　kept　me　a　weary　prisoner　among　the　reeds　of　the　rice　marsh。　　The　hollow　reeds　made　poor　fuel　for　cooking；　and　when　the　dark；　stormy　night　shut　down　upon　me；　the　damp　soil　grew　damper　as　the　tide　arose；　until　it　　threatened　to　overflow　the　land。　　For　hours　I　lay　in　my　narrow　canoe　waiting　for　the　tidal　flood　to　do　its　worst；　but　it　receded；　and　left　me　without　any　means　of　building　a　fire；　as　the　reeds　were　wet　by　the　storm。　　The　next　afternoon；　being　tired　of　this　sort　of　prison…life；　and　cramped　for　lack　of　exercise；　I　launched　the　canoe　into　the　rough　water；　and　crossing　to　Crow　Island　found　a　lee　under　its　shores；　which　permitted　me　to　ascend　the　river　to　the　mouth　of　Atchison　Creek；　through　which　I　passed；　two　miles；　to　the　South　Santee　River。

All　these　rivers　are　bordered　by　rice　　plantations；　many　of　them　having　been　abandoned　to　the　care　of　the　freedmen。　　I　saw　no　white　men　upon　them。　　Buildings　and　dikes　are　falling　into　ruins；　and　the　river　freshets　frequently　inundate　the　land。　Many　of　the　owners　of　these　once　valuable　estates　are　too　much　reduced　in　wealth　to　attempt　their　proper　cultivation。　　It　is　in　any　case　　difficult　to　get　the　freedmen　to　work　through　an　entire　season；　even　when　well　paid　for　their　　services；　and　they　flock　to　the　towns　whenever　opportunity　permits。

The　North　and　South　Santee　rivers　empty　into　the　Atlantic；　but　their　entrances　are　so　shallow　that　Georgetown　Entrance　is　the　inlet　through　which　most　of　the　produce　of　the　country　…　pitch；　tar；　turpentine；　rice；　and　lumber　　finds　exit　to　the　sea。　　As　I　left　the　canal；　which；　with　the　creek；　makes　a　complete　thoroughfare　for　lighters　and　small　coasters　from　one　Santee　River　to　the　other；　a　renewal　of　the　tempest　made　me　seek　shelter　in　an　old　cabin　in　a　negro　settlement；　each　house　of　which　was　built　upon　piles　driven　into　the　marshes。　The　old　negro　overseer　of　the　plantation　hinted　to　me　that　his　〃hands　were　berry　spicious　of　ebbry　stranger；〃　and　advised　me　to　row　to　some　other　locality。　　I　told　him　I　was　from　the　north；　and　would　not　hurt　even　one　of　the　fleas　which　in　multitudes　infested　his　negroes'　quarters；　but　the　old　fellow　shook　his　head；　and　would　not　be　responsible　for　me　if　I　staid　there　all　night。　　A　tall　darkey；　who　had　listened　to　the　conversation；　broke　in　with；　〃Now；　uncle；　ye　knows　dat　if　dis　gemmum　is　from　de　norf　he　is　one　of　wees；　and　ye　must　du　fur　him　jis　dis　time。〃　　But　〃Uncle　Overseer〃　kept　repeating；　〃Some　niggers　here　is　mity　spicious。　　Du　not　no　who　white　man　is　anyhow。〃　〃Well；　uncle；〃　replied　the　tall　black；　〃ef　dis　man　is　a　　Yankeemans；　Ise　will　see　him　froo。〃

Then　he　questioned　me；　while　the　fleas；　　having　telegraphed　to　each　other　that　a　stranger　had　arrived；　made　sad　havoc　of　me　and　my　patience。

〃My　name's　Jacob　Gilleu；　what's　yourn？〃　I　gave　it。　〃Whar's　your　home？〃　came　next。　〃I　am　a　citizen　of　the　United　States；〃　I　replied。　〃De　'Nited　States　　whar's　dat？　neber　hurd　him　afore；〃　said　Jacob　Gilleu。　　Having　　informed　him　it　was　the　land　which　General　Grant　governed；　he　exclaimed：　〃O；　you's　a　Grant　man；　all　rite　den；　you　is　one　of　wees　　all　de　same　as　wees。　Den　look　a…here；　boss。　I　send　you　to　one　good　place　on　Alligator　Creek；　whar　Seba　　Gillings　libs。　　He　black　man；　but　he　treat　you　jes　like　white　man。〃

Jacob　helped　me　launch　my　boat　through　the　soft　mud；　which　nearly　stalled　us；　and　following　his　directions　I　paddled　across　the　South　Santee　and　coasted　down　to　Alligator　Creek；　where　　extensive　marshes；　covered　by　tall　reeds；　hid　the　landscape　from　my　view。　　About　half　a　mile　from　the　mouth　of　the　creek；　which　watercourse　was　on　my　direct　route　to　Bull's　Bay；　a　large　tide…gate　was　found　at　the　mouth　of　a　canal。　This　being　wide　open；　I　pushed　up　the　canal　to　a　low　point　of　land　which　rose　like　an　island　out　of　the　rushes。　　Here　was　a　negro　hamlet　of　a　dozen　houses；　or　shanties；　and　the　ruins　of　a　rice…mill。　　The　majority　of　the　negroes　were　absent　working　within　the　diked　enclosures　of　this　large　estate；　which　before　the　war　had　　produced　forty　thousand　bushels　of　rice　annually。　Now　the　place　was　leased　by　a　former　slave；　and　but　little　work　was　accomplished　under　the　present　management。

Seba　Gillings；　a　powerfully　built　negro；　came　to　the　dike　upon　which　I　had　landed　the　canoe。　I　quickly　told　him　my　story；　and　how　I　had　been　forced　to　leave　the　last　negro　quarters。　　I　used　Jacob　Gilleu's　name　as　authority　for　seeking　shelter　with　him　from　the　damps　of　the　　half…submerged　lands。　　The　dignified　black　man　bade　me　〃fear　nuffing；　stay　here　all　de　night；　long's　you　please；　treat　you　like　white　man。　　I'se　mity　poor；　but　gib　you　de　berry　best　I　hab。〃　He　locked　my　boat　in　a　rickety　old　storehouse；　and　gave　me　to　understand　〃dat　niggers　will　steal　de　berry　breff　from　a　man's　mouff。〃

He　took　me　to　his　home；　and　soon　showed　me　how　he　managed　〃de　niggers。〃　　His　wife　sat　silently　by　the　fire。　　He　ordered　her　to　〃pound　de　rice；〃　and　she　threw　a　quantity　of　unhulled　rice　into　a　wooden　mortar　three　feet　high　planted　in　the　ground　in　front　of　the　shanty。　Then；　with　an　enormous　pestle；　the　black　woman　pounded　the　grains　until　the　hulls　were　removed；　when；　seating　herself　upon　the　floor　of　the　dark；　smoky　cabin；　she　winnowed　the　rice　with　her　breath；　while　her　long；　slim　fingers　caught　and　removed　all　the　specks　of　dirt　from　the　mass。　　It　was　cooked　as　the　Chinese　cook　it　　not　to　a　　glutinous　mass；　as　we　of　the　north　prepare　it…　but　each　grain　was　dry　and　entire。　　Then　eggs　and　bacon　were　prepared；　not　by　the　woman；　but　by　the　son；　a　lad　of　fourteen　years。

All　these　movements　were　superintended　by　old　Seba；　who　sat　looking　as　dark　and　as　solemn　and　as　learned　as　an　associate　judge　on　the　bench　of　a　New　Jersey　county　court。　　On　the　blackest　of　tables；　minus　a　cloth；　the　well…cooked　food　was　placed　for　the　stranger。　　As　soon　as　my　meal　was　finished；　every　member　of　the　　family　made　a　dash　for　the　fragments；　and　the　board　was　cleared　in　a　wonderfully　short　space　of　time。

Then　we　gathered　round　the　great；　　black…mouthed　fireplace；　and　while　the　bright　coals　of　live…oak　spread　a　streak　of　light　through　the　darkness；　black　men　and　black　women　stole　into　the　room　until　everything　from　floor　to　ceiling；　from　door　to　chimney…place；　seemed　to　be　　growing　blacker　and　blacker；　and　I　felt　as　black　as　my　surroundings。　　The　scant　clothing　of　the　men　only　half　covered　their　shiny；　ebony　skins。　The　whole　company　preserved　a　dignified　　silence；　which　was　occasionally　broken　by　deep　sighs　coming　from　the　women　in　reply　to　a　　half…whispered　〃All　de　way　from　de　norf　in　a　paper　canno　　bless　de　Lord！　bless　de　Lord！〃

This　dull　monotony　was　broken　by　the　　entrance　of　a　young　negro　who；　having　made　a　passage　in　a　sloop　to　Charleston　through　Bull's　Bay；　was　looked　upon　as　a　great　traveller；　and　to　him　were　referred　disputes　upon　nautical　　matters。　　He　had　not　yet　seen　the　boat；　but　he　　proceeded　to　tell　the　negroes　present　all　about　it。　He　first　bowed　to　me　with　a　〃How'dy；　how'dy；　cap'n；〃　and　then　struck　an　attitude　in　the　middle　of　the　floor。　　Upon　this　natural　orator　Seba　　Gillings'　dignity　had　no　effect　　was　he　not　a　　travelled　man？

His　exordium　was：　〃How　fur　you　cum；　sar？〃　I　replied；　about　fourteen　hundred　miles。　〃　Fourteen　hundred　miles！〃　he　roared；　〃duz　you　knows　how　much　dat　is；　honnies？　it's　jes　one　thousand　four　hundred　miles。〃　　All　the　women　groaned　out；　〃Bless　de　Lord！　bless　de　Lord！〃　and　clapped　their　shrivelled　hands　in　ecstasy。

The　little　black　tried　to　run　his　fingers　through　his　short；　woolly　hair　as　he　continued：　〃What　is　dis　yere　world　a…coming　to？　　Now；　yous　ere　folks；　did　ye's　eber　hear　de　likes　o'　dis　　a　paper　boat？〃　　To　wh