erewhon-第4章

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head；　and　I　could　not　banish　them。



CHAPTER　II：　　IN　THE　WOOL…SHED



At　last　shearing　came；　and　with　the　shearers　there　was　an　old
native；　whom　they　had　nicknamed　Chowbokthough；　I　believe；　his
real　name　was　Kahabuka。　　He　was　a　sort　of　chief　of　the　natives；
could　speak　a　little　English；　and　was　a　great　favourite　with　the
missionaries。　　He　did　not　do　any　regular　work　with　the　shearers；
but　pretended　to　help　in　the　yards；　his　real　aim　being　to　get　the
grog；　which　is　always　more　freely　circulated　at　shearing…time：　　he
did　not　get　much；　for　he　was　apt　to　be　dangerous　when　drunk；　and
very　little　would　make　him　so：　　still　he　did　get　it　occasionally；
and　if　one　wanted　to　get　anything　out　of　him；　it　was　the　best　bribe
to　offer　him。　　I　resolved　to　question　him；　and　get　as　much
information　from　him　as　I　could。　　I　did　so。　　As　long　as　I　kept　to
questions　about　the　nearer　ranges；　he　was　easy　to　get　on　withhe
had　never　been　there；　but　there　were　traditions　among　his　tribe　to
the　effect　that　there　was　no　sheep…country；　nothing；　in　fact；　but
stunted　timber　and　a　few　river…bed　flats。　　It　was　very　difficult　to
reach；　still　there　were　passes：　　one　of　them　up　our　own　river；
though　not　directly　along　the　river…bed；　the　gorge　of　which　was　not
practicable；　he　had　never　seen　any　one　who　had　been　there：　　was
there　to　not　enough　on　this　side？　　But　when　I　came　to　the　main
range；　his　manner　changed　at　once。　　He　became　uneasy；　and　began　to
prevaricate　and　shuffle。　　In　a　very　few　minutes　I　could　see　that　of
this　too　there　existed　traditions　in　his　tribe；　but　no　efforts　or
coaxing　could　get　a　word　from　him　about　them。　　At　last　I　hinted
about　grog；　and　presently　he　feigned　consent：　　I　gave　it　him；　but
as　soon　as　he　had　drunk　it　he　began　shamming　intoxication；　and　then
went　to　sleep；　or　pretended　to　do　so；　letting　me　kick　him　pretty
hard　and　never　budging。

I　was　angry；　for　I　had　to　go　without　my　own　grog　and　had　got
nothing　out　of　him；　so　the　next　day　I　determined　that　he　should
tell　me　before　I　gave　him　any；　or　get　none　at　all。

Accordingly；　when　night　came　and　the　shearers　had　knocked　off　work
and　had　their　supper；　I　got　my　share　of　rum　in　a　tin　pannikin　and
made　a　sign　to　Chowbok　to　follow　me　to　the　wool…shed；　which　he
willingly　did；　slipping　out　after　me；　and　no　one　taking　any　notice
of　either　of　us。　　When　we　got　down　to　the　wool…shed　we　lit　a　tallow
candle；　and　having　stuck　it　in　an　old　bottle　we　sat　down　upon　the
wool　bales　and　began　to　smoke。　　A　wool…shed　is　a　roomy　place；　built
somewhat　on　the　same　plan　as　a　cathedral；　with　aisles　on　either
side　full　of　pens　for　the　sheep；　a　great　nave；　at　the　upper　end　of
which　the　shearers　work；　and　a　further　space　for　wool　sorters　and
packers。　　It　always　refreshed　me　with　a　semblance　of　antiquity
（precious　in　a　new　country）；　though　I　very　well　knew　that　the
oldest　wool…shed　in　the　settlement　was　not　more　than　seven　years
old；　while　this　was　only　two。　　Chowbok　pretended　to　expect　his　grog
at　once；　though　we　both　of　us　knew　very　well　what　the　other　was
after；　and　that　we　were　each　playing　against　the　other；　the　one　for
grog　the　other　for　information。

We　had　a　hard　fight：　　for　more　than　two　hours　he　had　tried　to　put
me　off　with　lies　but　had　carried　no　conviction；　during　the　whole
time　we　had　been　morally　wrestling　with　one　another　and　had　neither
of　us　apparently　gained　the　least　advantage；　at　length；　however；　I
had　become　sure　that　he　would　give　in　ultimately；　and　that　with　a
little　further　patience　I　should　get　his　story　out　of　him。　　As　upon
a　cold　day　in　winter；　when　one　has　churned　（as　I　had　often　had　to
do）；　and　churned　in　vain；　and　the　butter　makes　no　sign　of　coming；
at　last　one　tells　by　the　sound　that　the　cream　has　gone　to　sleep；
and　then　upon　a　sudden　the　butter　comes；　so　I　had　churned　at
Chowbok　until　I　perceived　that　he　had　arrived；　as　it　were；　at　the
sleepy　stage；　and　that　with　a　continuance　of　steady　quiet　pressure
the　day　was　mine。　　On　a　sudden；　without　a　word　of　warning；　he
rolled　two　bales　of　wool　（his　strength　was　very　great）　into　the
middle　of　the　floor；　and　on　the　top　of　these　he　placed　another
crosswise；　he　snatched　up　an　empty　wool…pack；　threw　it　like　a
mantle　over　his　shoulders；　jumped　upon　the　uppermost　bale；　and　sat
upon　it。　　In　a　moment　his　whole　form　was　changed。　　His　high
shoulders　dropped；　he　set　his　feet　close　together；　heel　to　heel　and
toe　to　toe；　he　laid　his　arms　and　hands　close　alongside　of　his　body；
the　palms　following　his　thighs；　he　held　his　head　high　but　quite
straight；　and　his　eyes　stared　right　in　front　of　him；　but　he　frowned
horribly；　and　assumed　an　expression　of　face　that　was　positively
fiendish。　　At　the　best　of　times　Chowbok　was　very　ugly；　but　he　now
exceeded　all　conceivable　limits　of　the　hideous。　　His　mouth　extended
almost　from　ear　to　ear；　grinning　horribly　and　showing　all　his
teeth；　his　eyes　glared；　though　they　remained　quite　fixed；　and　his
forehead　was　contracted　with　a　most　malevolent　scowl。

I　am　afraid　my　description　will　have　conveyed　only　the　ridiculous
side　of　his　appearance；　but　the　ridiculous　and　the　sublime　are
near；　and　the　grotesque　fiendishness　of　Chowbok's　face　approached
this　last；　if　it　did　not　reach　it。　　I　tried　to　be　amused；　but　I
felt　a　sort　of　creeping　at　the　roots　of　my　hair　and　over　my　whole
body；　as　I　looked　and　wondered　what　he　could　possibly　be　intending
to　signify。　　He　continued　thus　for　about　a　minute；　sitting　bolt
upright；　as　stiff　as　a　stone；　and　making　this　fearful　face。　　Then
there　came　from　his　lips　a　low　moaning　like　the　wind；　rising　and
falling　by　infinitely　small　gradations　till　it　became　almost　a
shriek；　from　which　it　descended　and　died　away；　after　that；　he
jumped　down　from　the　bale　and　held　up　the　extended　fingers　of　both
his　hands；　as　one　who　should　say　〃Ten；〃　though　I　did　not　then
understand　him。

For　myself　I　was　open…mouthed　with　astonishment。　　Chowbok　rolled
the　bales　rapidly　into　their　place；　and　stood　before　me　shuddering
as　in　great　fear；　horror　was　written　upon　his　facethis　time　quite
involuntarilyas　though　the　natural　panic　of　one　who　had　committed
an　awful　crime　against　unknown　and　superhuman　agencies。　　He　nodded
his　head　and　gibbered；　and　pointed　repeatedly　to　the　mountains。　　He
would　not　touch　the　grog；　but；　after　a　few　seconds　he　made　a　run
through　the　wool…shed　door　into　the　moonlight；　nor　did　he　reappear
till　next　day　at　dinner…time；　when　he　turned　up；　looking　very
sheepish　and　abject　in　his　civility　towards　myself。

Of　his　meaning　I　had　no　conception。　　How　could　I？　　All　I　could　feel
sure　of　was；　that　he　had　a　meaning　which　was　true　and　awful　to
himself。　　It　was　enough　for　me　that　I　believed　him　to　have　given　me
the　best　he　had　and　all　he　had。　　This　kindled　my　imagination　more
than　if　he　had　told　me　intelligible　stories　by　the　hour　together。
I　knew　not　what　the　great　snowy　ranges　might　conceal；　but　I　could
no　longer　doubt　that　it　would　be　something　well　worth　discovering。

I　kept　aloof　from　Chowbok　for　the　next　few　days；　and　showed　no
desire　to　question　him　further；　when　I　spoke　to　him　I　called　him
Kahabuka；　which　gratified　him　greatly：　　he　seemed　to　have　become
afraid　of　me；　and　acted　as　one　who　was　in　my　power。　　Having
therefore　made　up　my　mind　that　I　would　begin　exploring　as　soon　as
shearing　was　over；　I　thought　it　would　be　a　good　thing　to　take
Chowbok　with　me；　so　I　told　him　that　I　meant　going　to　the　nearer
ranges　for　a　few　days'　prospecting；　and　that　he　was　to　come　too。　　I
made　him　promises　of　nightly　grog；　and　held　out　the　chances　of
finding　gold。　　I　said　nothing　about　the　main　range；　for　I　knew　it
would　frighten　him。　　I　would　get　him　as　far　up　our　own　river　as　I
could；　and　trace　it　if　possible　to　its　source。　　I　would　then　either
go　on　by　myself；　if　I　felt　my　courage　equal　to　the　attempt；　or
return　with　Chowbok。　　So；　as　soon　as　ever　shearing　was　over　and　the
wool　sent　off；　I　asked　leave　of　absence；　and　obtained　it。　　Also；　I
bought　an　old　pack…horse　and　pack…saddle；　so　that　I　might　take
plenty　of　provisions；　and　blankets；　and　a　small　tent。　　I　was　to
ride　and　find　fords　over　the　river；　Chowbok　was　to　follow　and　lead
the　pack…horse；　which　would　also　carry　him　over　the　fords。　　My
master　let　me