voyage of the paper canoe-第23部分

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　houses　upon　the　high　banks；　and　a　　windmill　supplied　the　place　of　a　water…power　for　grinding　corn。　The　improvements　made　by　Mr。　Van　Slyck；　of　New　York；　were　in　cheering　　contrast　to　what　had　been　seen　since　leaving　　Norfolk。　　Here　a　comfortable　hotel　welcomes　the　northern　sportsmen；　few　of　whom；　for　lack　of　accommodations　and　travelling　conveniences；　go　much　south　of　this　locality；　in　this　state；　to　shoot　wild…fowl。　　Currituck　Sound　has　an　average　width　of　four　miles。　　Its　length　is　about　　thirty…five　miles。　　At　the　Narrows；　a　group　of　marshy　islands　divides　it　into　two　sections；　the　northern　one　being　the　longest。

The　keen；　cold　air　of　the　next　day　made　　rowing　a　pleasant　exercise。　After　passing　through　the　tortuous　channel；　I　should　have　crossed　to　the　beach　and　followed　it；　but　this　part　of　the　bay　is　very　shallow；　and　deeper　water　was　found　on　the　west　side。　　It　was　an　enjoyable　morning；　for　gunners　were　passed；　secreted　behind　their　〃blinds；〃　or　pens；　of　pine　brush；　which　looked　like　little　groves　of　conifera　growing　out　of　the　shoal　water。　　Geese　were　honking　and　ducks　were　quacking；　while　the　deep　booming　of　guns　was　heard　every　few　minutes。　　Decoy…birds　were　anchored　in　many　places　near　the　marshes。　Every　sportsman　gave　me　a　cheering　word　as　the　canoe　glided　over　the　smooth　water；　while　here　and　there　the　violet…backed　swallow　　darted　about　over　the　marshes　as　though　it　were　summer。

When　opposite　Dew's　Quarter　Island；　several　men　hailed　me　from　a　newly　constructed　shanty。　When　the　oldest　man　in　the　company；　who　had　never　seen　a　shell　like　the　paper　canoe；　had　　examined　it；　he　shook　his　head　ominously；　and　when　I　told　him　Nag's　Head　must　be　reached　that　day；　he　grew　excited；　exclaiming；　〃Then　be　off　now！　now！　　Git　across　the　bay　under　Bald　Beach　as　soon　as　ye　can；　and　hug　the　shore；　hug　it　well　clean　down　to　Collington's；　and　git　across　the　sound　afore　the　wind　rises。　　Sich　a　boat　as　that　aren't　fit　for　these　here　waters。〃

Taking　this　kindly　meant　advice；　I　pulled　to　the　east　side；　where　there　was　now　a　good　depth　of　water　for　the　canoe。　On　this　high　beach　the　hills　were　well　covered　with　yellow　pines；　many　of　which　were　noble　old　trees。　　On　a　narrow　point　of　the　shore　was　the　comfortable　house　of　Hodges　Gallup；　the　Baptist　minister；　a　generous　old　gentleman；　who　seemed　to　be　loved　by　all　the　watermen　along　the　sound。　　He　was　　described　as　being　〃full　of　fun　and　hospitality。〃　His　domain　extended　for　several　miles　along　the　beach；　and；　with　deer　quietly　browsing　in　his　grand　old　woods；　formed　a　pretty　picture。

The　beach　shore　now　became　more　thickly　settled；　while　out　in　the　water；　a　few　rods　from　each　little　house；　arose　the　duck…blind；　with　the　gunner　and　his　boat　inside；　anxiously　watching　for　birds；　while　their　decoys　floated　quietly　on　the　surface　of　the　water。　A　few　miles　below　Mr。　Gallup's　estate　the　canoe　entered　upon　the　broad　waters　of　Albemarle　Sound；　and　at　dusk　I　approached　Roanoke　Island。　　The　large　　buildings　of　the　hotels　of　Nag's　Head　on　the　beach　rose　up　as　boldly　to　the　eye　as　a　fortification。　The　little　sound　between　Roanoke　Island　and　the　beach　was　traversed　at　dusk　as　far　as　the　first　long　pier　of　Nag's　head；　upon　which　with　great　difficulty　I　landed；　and　was　soon　joined　by　the　keeper　of　the　now　deserted　summer　watering　place；　Mr。　C。　D。　Rutter；　who　helped　me　to　carry　my　property　into　a　room　of　the　old　hotel。

Nag's　Head　Beach　is　a　most　desolate　locality；　with　its　high　sand…hills；　composed　of　fine　sand；　the　forms　of　which　are　constantly　changing　with　the　action　of　the　dry；　hard；　varying　winds。　　A　new　and　very　large　hotel　was　located　south　of　the　first　one；　and　was　inhabited　by　the　family　of　Captain　Jasper　Toler；　who　furnished　me　with　lodgings。　　A　few　fishermen　have　their　homes　on　this　dreary　beach；　but　the　village；　with　its　one　store；　is　a　forlorn　place。

The　bright　flashes　of　Body　Island　Light；　ten　miles　distant；　on　the　north　side　of　Oregon　Inlet；　showed　me　my　next　abiding…place。

The　beach　from　Nag's　Head　to　Oregon　Inlet　is　destitute　of　trees；　and　the　wind　sweeps　across　it；　from　the　ocean　to　the　sound；　with　great　　violence；　forcing　the　shallow　waters　to　retire；　and　leaving　the　bottom　dry　as　far　out　as　three　miles。

The　next　day　was　very　windy；　and　the　long；　finger…like；　sandy　shoals；　which　extended　one　or　two　miles　out　into　the　sound；　were　covered　with　only　from　three　to　eight　inches　of　water。　　I　could　not　hug　the　beach　for　protection；　but　was　forced　to　keep　far　out　in　the　sound。　　Frequently　it　　became　necessary　to　get　overboard　and　wade；　　pushing　my　boat　before　me。　　Then　a　deep　channel　between　the　shoals　would　be　crossed；　so；　by　walking　and　rowing　in　Roanoke　Sound；　with　the　wind　blowing　the　water　over　the　canoe　and　drenching　its　captain；　the　roundabout　twelve　miles'　passage　to　Oregon　Inlet　was　at　last　　accomplished；　and　a　most　trying　one　it　was。

Body　Island　Lighthouse　was　erected　in　1872；　on　the　north　side　of　Oregon　Inlet；　to　take　the　place　of　the　old　tower　on　the　south　shore。　　It　is　in　latitude　35　deg　48'；　and　longitude　75　deg　33'。　　　Captain　William　F。　Hatzel；　a　loyal　North　Carolinian；　is　the　principal　keeper；　and　a　most　efficient　one　he　is。

The　temperature　was　falling　rapidly　when　I　crawled　into　the　high　rushes　of　the　wet　marsh　near　the　light…house　to　seek　shelter　from　the　strong　wind　that　was　blowing。　　As　this　treeless　beach　was　destitute　of　fire…wood；　or　natural　　shelter　of　any　kind；　necessity　compelled　me　to　have　recourse　to　other　means　for　procuring　them。　　I　carried　in　my　pocket　a　talisman　which　must　open　any　light…keeper's　door；　from　Maine　to　the　Rio　Grande；　from　Southern　California　to　Alaska；　even　to　the　vicinity　of　the　Arctic　Circle；　the　　Lighthouse　Establishment　of　the　United　States　has　planted　a　tower　or　erected　a　light。　　While　　shivering　in　wet　clothes　on　this　desolate　beach；　most　thankfully　did　I　remember　that　kind　and　thoughtful　　friend；　who　through　his　potent　influence　had　supplied　me　with　this　open　sesame　to　　lightkeepers。

There　resides　in　Washington；　when　not　　engaged　elsewhere　in　the　important　duties　of　the　Commission　of　Fisheries；　a　genial　gentleman；　an　ardent　naturalist；　a　great　scientist。　　To　him　the　young　naturalists　of　America　turn　for　information　and　advice；　and　to　the　humblest　applicant　　Professor　Spencer　F。　Baird　never　turns　a　deaf　ear。　How　this　distinguished　author　can　attend　to　so　many　and　such　varied　duties　with　his　laborious　investigations；　and　can　so　successfully　keep　up　a　large　correspondence　with　perhaps　one　thousand　scientific　associations　of　nearly　every　nation　of　the　universe；　is　a　difficult　thing　to　imagine；　but　the　popular　and　much　beloved　Assistant　　Secretary　of　the　Smithsonian　Institution；　seemingly　ubiquitous　in　his　busy　life；　does　all　this　and　much　more。　　America　may　well　feel　proud　of　this　man　of　noble　nature；　shedding　light　and　truth　　wheresoever　he　moves；　encouraging　alike　old　and　young　with　his　kindly　sympathy；　　now　taking　his　precious　moments　to　answer　with　his　own　busy　hand　the　question　in　the　letter　of　some　boy　naturalist　about　beasts；　birds；　reptiles；　or　fishes；　with　which　epistles　his　desk　is　always　covered；　now　stimulating　to　further　effort　the　old　man　of　science　as　he　struggles　with　the　cares　of　this　world；　striving；　sometimes　vainly；　save　for　this　ever　ready　aid；　to　work　out　patiently　theories　which　are　soon　to　blaze　forth　as　substantial　facts。　The　young　generation　of　naturalists；　which　is　soon　to　fill　the　place　of　their　predecessors；　have　in　this　man　the　type　of　all　they　need　ever　strive　to　attain。　　How　many；　alas；　will　fall　far　short　of　it！

Since　boyhood　the　counsels　of　this　friend　had　guided　me　on　many　a　journey　of　exploration。　He　had　not　deserted　me　even　in　this　experiment；　which　my　friends　called　〃your　wildest　and　most　foolish　undertaking。〃　　He　had　obtained　from　the　Light　House　Board　a　general　letter　to　the　　lightkeepers　of　the　United　States；　signed　by　the　naval　secretary；　Mr。　Walker；　in　which　the　　keepers　were　authorized　to　grant　me　shelter；　&c。；　when　necessary。　　I　did　not　have　occasion　to　use　this　letter　more　than　twice　during　my　journey。　Having　secreted　my　canoe　in　the　coarse　grass　of　the　lowland；　I　trudged；　with　my　letter　in　hand；　over　the　sands　to　the　house　of　the　light…keeper；　Captain　Hatzel；　who　received　me　cordially；　and　after　recording　in　his　log…book　the　circumstances　and　date　of　my　arrival；　conducted　me　into　a　comfortable　room；　which　was　warmed　by　a　cheerful　fire；　and　lighted　up　by　the　smiles　of　his　most　orderly　wife。　　Everything　showed　　discipline　and　neatness；　both　in　the　house　and　the　light…tower。　　The　whitest　of　cloths　was　spread　upon　the　table；　and　covered　with　a　well…cooked　meal；　then　the　father；　mother；　and　two　sons；　with　the　stranger　within　their　gates；　thanked　the　Giver　of　good　gifts　for　his　mercies。

Joining　the　night…watch　of　the　chief　　lightkeeper；　I　also　joined　in　the　good　man's　　enthusiasm　for　his　wonderful　〃fixed　white　light；〃　the　bright　beams　of　which　poured　out　upon　the　　surrounding　waters　a　flood　if　brilliancy；　gladdening　hearts　far　out　at　sea；　even　though　twenty　miles　away；　and　plainly　saying；　〃This　is　Body　Island　Beach：　keep　off！〃　　How　grand　it　was　to　walk　out　on　this　gallery　in　the　sky！　　Looking　　eastward；　a　limitless　expanse　of　ocean；　gazing　　westward；　the　waters　of　the　great　sound；　the　shores　of　which　were　low　marshes　miles　away。　　Below　me　could　be　heard　the　soft　cackle　of　the　　snow…goose　（Anser　hyperboreus）；　which　had　left　its　nesting…place　on　the　barren　grounds　of　arctic　America；　and　was　now　feeding　contentedly　in　its　winter　home　in　the　shallow　salt…ponds；　which　the　gentle　shur…r…r…　of　the　waves　softly　broke　on　the　strand。　Above；　the　star…lit　heavens；　whose　tender　beauty　seemed　almost　within　my　grasp。　Perched　thus　upon　a　single　shaft；　on　a　narrow　strip　of　sand　far　out　in　the　great　water；　the　many　thoughts　born　of　solitude　crowded　my　mind；　when　my　reverie　was　abruptly　broken　by　an　exclamation　from　Captain　Hatzel；　who　threw　open　the　door；　and　exclaimed；　with　beaming　eyes　peering　into　the　darkness　as　he　spoke；　〃I　see　it！　　Yes；　it　is！　　Hatteras　Light；　thirty…five　miles　away。　　This　night；　December　13th；　is　the　first　time　I　have　caught　its　flash。　　Tell　it　to　the　Hatteras　keeper　when　you　visit　the　cape。〃

From　Captain　Hatzel　I　gleaned　some　facts　of　deep　interest　in　regard　to　the　inhabitants