erewhon-第3章

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country；　going　inland　one　behind　the　other；　till　in　a　few　years
there　was　not　an　acre　between　the　sea　and　the　front　ranges　which
was　not　taken　up；　and　stations　either　for　sheep　or　cattle　were
spotted　about　at　intervals　of　some　twenty　or　thirty　miles　over　the
whole　country。　　The　front　ranges　stopped　the　tide　of　squatters　for
some　little　time；　it　was　thought　that　there　was　too　much　snow　upon
them　for　too　many　months　in　the　year；that　the　sheep　would　get
lost；　the　ground　being　too　difficult　for　shepherding；that　the
expense　of　getting　wool　down　to　the　ship's　side　would　eat　up　the
farmer's　profits；and　that　the　grass　was　too　rough　and　sour　for
sheep　to　thrive　upon；　but　one　after　another　determined　to　try　the
experiment；　and　it　was　wonderful　how　successfully　it　turned　out。
Men　pushed　farther　and　farther　into　the　mountains；　and　found　a　very
considerable　tract　inside　the　front　range；　between　it　and　another
which　was　loftier　still；　though　even　this　was　not　the　highest；　the
great　snowy　one　which　could　be　seen　from　out　upon　the　plains。　　This
second　range；　however；　seemed　to　mark　the　extreme　limits　of
pastoral　country；　and　it　was　here；　at　a　small　and　newly　founded
station；　that　I　was　received　as　a　cadet；　and　soon　regularly
employed。　　I　was　then　just　twenty…two　years　old。

I　was　delighted　with　the　country　and　the　manner　of　life。　　It　was　my
daily　business　to　go　up　to　the　top　of　a　certain　high　mountain；　and
down　one　of　its　spurs　on　to　the　flat；　in　order　to　make　sure　that　no
sheep　had　crossed　their　boundaries。　　I　was　to　see　the　sheep；　not
necessarily　close　at　hand；　nor　to　get　them　in　a　single　mob；　but　to
see　enough　of　them　here　and　there　to　feel　easy　that　nothing　had
gone　wrong；　this　was　no　difficult　matter；　for　there　were　not　above
eight　hundred　of　them；　and；　being　all　breeding　ewes；　they　were
pretty　quiet。

There　were　a　good　many　sheep　which　I　knew；　as　two　or　three　black
ewes；　and　a　black　lamb　or　two；　and　several　others　which　had　some
distinguishing　mark　whereby　I　could　tell　them。　　I　would　try　and　see
all　these；　and　if　they　were　all　there；　and　the　mob　looked　large
enough；　I　might　rest　assured　that　all　was　well。　　It　is　surprising
how　soon　the　eye　becomes　accustomed　to　missing　twenty　sheep　out　of
two　or　three　hundred。　　I　had　a　telescope　and　a　dog；　and　would　take
bread　and　meat　and　tobacco　with　me。　　Starting　with　early　dawn；　it
would　be　night　before　I　could　complete　my　round；　for　the　mountain
over　which　I　had　to　go　was　very　high。　　In　winter　it　was　covered
with　snow；　and　the　sheep　needed　no　watching　from　above。　　If　I　were
to　see　sheep　dung　or　tracks　going　down　on　to　the　other　side　of　the
mountain　（where　there　was　a　valley　with　a　streama　mere　cul　de
sac）；　I　was　to　follow　them；　and　look　out　for　sheep；　but　I　never　saw
any；　the　sheep　always　descending　on　to　their　own　side；　partly　from
habit；　and　partly　because　there　was　abundance　of　good　sweet　feed；
which　had　been　burnt　in　the　early　spring；　just　before　I　came；　and
was　now　deliciously　green　and　rich；　while　that　on　the　other　side
had　never　been　burnt；　and　was　rank　and　coarse。

It　was　a　monotonous　life；　but　it　was　very　healthy　and　one　does　not
much　mind　anything　when　one　is　well。　　The　country　was　the　grandest
that　can　be　imagined。　　How　often　have　I　sat　on　the　mountain　side
and　watched　the　waving　downs；　with　the　two　white　specks　of　huts　in
the　distance；　and　the　little　square　of　garden　behind　them；　the
paddock　with　a　patch　of　bright　green　oats　above　the　huts；　and　the
yards　and　wool…sheds　down　on　the　flat　below；　all　seen　as　through
the　wrong　end　of　a　telescope；　so　clear　and　brilliant　was　the　air；
or　as　upon　a　colossal　model　or　map　spread　out　beneath　me。　　Beyond
the　downs　was　a　plain；　going　down　to　a　river　of　great　size；　on　the
farther　side　of　which　there　were　other　high　mountains；　with　the
winter's　snow　still　not　quite　melted；　up　the　river；　which　ran
winding　in　many　streams　over　a　bed　some　two　miles　broad；　I　looked
upon　the　second　great　chain；　and　could　see　a　narrow　gorge　where　the
river　retired　and　was　lost。　　I　knew　that　there　was　a　range　still
farther　back；　but　except　from　one　place　near　the　very　top　of　my　own
mountain；　no　part　of　it　was　visible：　　from　this　point；　however；　I
saw；　whenever　there　were　no　clouds；　a　single　snow…clad　peak；　many
miles　away；　and　I　should　think　about　as　high　as　any　mountain　in　the
world。　　Never　shall　I　forget　the　utter　loneliness　of　the　prospect
only　the　little　far…away　homestead　giving　sign　of　human　handiwork；…
…the　vastness　of　mountain　and　plain；　of　river　and　sky；　the
marvellous　atmospheric　effectssometimes　black　mountains　against　a
white　sky；　and　then　again；　after　cold　weather；　white　mountains
against　a　black　skysometimes　seen　through　breaks　and　swirls　of
cloudand　sometimes；　which　was　best　of　all；　I　went　up　my　mountain
in　a　fog；　and　then　got　above　the　mist；　going　higher　and　higher；　I
would　look　down　upon　a　sea　of　whiteness；　through　which　would　be
thrust　innumerable　mountain　tops　that　looked　like　islands。

I　am　there　now；　as　I　write；　I　fancy　that　I　can　see　the　downs；　the
huts；　the　plain；　and　the　river…bedthat　torrent　pathway　of
desolation；　with　its　distant　roar　of　waters。　　Oh；　wonderful！
wonderful！　so　lonely　and　so　solemn；　with　the　sad　grey　clouds　above；
and　no　sound　save　a　lost　lamb　bleating　upon　the　mountain　side；　as
though　its　little　heart　were　breaking。　　Then　there　comes　some　lean
and　withered　old　ewe；　with　deep　gruff　voice　and　unlovely　aspect；
trotting　back　from　the　seductive　pasture；　now　she　examines　this
gully；　and　now　that；　and　now　she　stands　listening　with　uplifted
head；　that　she　may　hear　the　distant　wailing　and　obey　it。　　Aha！　they
see；　and　rush　towards　each　other。　　Alas！　they　are　both　mistaken；
the　ewe　is　not　the　lamb's　ewe；　they　are　neither　kin　nor　kind　to　one
another；　and　part　in　coldness。　　Each　must　cry　louder；　and　wander
farther　yet；　may　luck　be　with　them　both　that　they　may　find　their
own　at　nightfall。　　But　this　is　mere　dreaming；　and　I　must　proceed。

I　could　not　help　speculating　upon　what　might　lie　farther　up　the
river　and　behind　the　second　range。　　I　had　no　money；　but　if　I　could
only　find　workable　country；　I　might　stock　it　with　borrowed　capital；
and　consider　myself　a　made　man。　　True；　the　range　looked　so　vast；
that　there　seemed　little　chance　of　getting　a　sufficient　road
through　it　or　over　it；　but　no　one　had　yet　explored　it；　and　it　is
wonderful　how　one　finds　that　one　can　make　a　path　into　all　sorts　of
places　（and　even　get　a　road　for　pack…horses）；　which　from　a　distance
appear　inaccessible；　the　river　was　so　great　that　it　must　drain　an
inner　tractat　least　I　thought　so；　and　though　every　one　said　it
would　be　madness　to　attempt　taking　sheep　farther　inland；　I　knew
that　only　three　years　ago　the　same　cry　had　been　raised　against　the
country　which　my　master's　flock　was　now　overrunning。　　I　could　not
keep　these　thoughts　out　of　my　head　as　I　would　rest　myself　upon　the
mountain　side；　they　haunted　me　as　I　went　my　daily　rounds；　and　grew
upon　me　from　hour　to　hour；　till　I　resolved　that　after　shearing　I
would　remain　in　doubt　no　longer；　but　saddle　my　horse；　take　as　much
provision　with　me　as　I　could；　and　go　and　see　for　myself。

But　over　and　above　these　thoughts　came　that　of　the　great　range
itself。　　What　was　beyond　it？　　Ah！　who　could　say？　　There　was　no　one
in　the　whole　world　who　had　the　smallest　idea；　save　those　who　were
themselves　on　the　other　side　of　itif；　indeed；　there　was　any　one
at　all。　　Could　I　hope　to　cross　it？　　This　would　be　the　highest
triumph　that　I　could　wish　for；　but　it　was　too　much　to　think　of　yet。
I　would　try　the　nearer　range；　and　see　how　far　I　could　go。　　Even　if
I　did　not　find　country；　might　I　not　find　gold；　or　diamonds；　or
copper；　or　silver？　　I　would　sometimes　lie　flat　down　to　drink　out　of
a　stream；　and　could　see　little　yellow　specks　among　the　sand；　were
these　gold？　　People　said　no；　but　then　people　always　said　there　was
no　gold　until　it　was　found　to　be　abundant：　　there　was　plenty　of
slate　and　granite；　which　I　had　always　understood　to　accompany　gold；
and　even　though　it　was　not　found　in　paying　quantities　here；　it
might　be　abundant　in　the　main　ranges。　　These　thoughts　filled　my
head；　and　I　could　not　banish　them。



CHAPTER　II：　　IN　THE　WOOL…SHED



A