voyage of the paper canoe-第26部分

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h　his　family。　　This　　generous　treatment　from　a　stranger　was　fully　　appreciated；　and　I　determined　to　push　on　to　Morehead　City；　from　which　place　it　would　be　convenient　to　reach　Newbern　by　rail　without　changing　my　established　route　southward；　as　I　would　be　compelled　to　do　if　the　regular　water　route　of　the　Neuse　River　from　Pamlico　Sound　were　followed。

On　this　Saturday　night；　spent　at　Hatteras　Inlet；　there　broke　upon　us　one　of　the　fiercest　tempests　I　ever　witnessed；　even　in　the　tropics。　　My　　pedestrian　tramp　down　the　shore　had　scarcely　ended　when　it　commenced　in　reality。　　For　miles　along　the　beach　thousands　of　acres　of　land　were　soon　submerged　by　the　sea　and　by　the　torrents　of　water　which　fell　from　the　clouds。　　While　for　a　moment　the　night　was　dark　as　Erebus；　again　the　vivid　flash　of　lightning　exposed　to　view　the　swaying　forests　and　the　gloomy　sound。　The　sea　pounded　on　the　beach　as　if　asking　for　admission　to　old　Pamplico。　　It　seemed　to　say；　I　demand　a　new　inlet；　and；　as　though　trying　to　carry　out　its　desire；　sent　great　waves　rolling　up　the　shingle　and　over　into　the　hollows　among　the　hills；　　washing　down　the　low　sand　dunes　as　if　they　also　were　in　collusion　with　it　to　remove　this　frail　barrier；　this　narrow　strip　of　low　land　which　separated　the　Atlantic　from　the　wide　interior　sheet　of　water。

The　phosphorescent　sea；　covered　with　its　tens　of　millions　of　animalcula；　each　one　a　miniature　light…house；　changed　in　color　from　inky　blackness　to　silver　sheen。　　Will　the　ocean　take　to　itself　this　frail　foothold？　　we　queried。　　Will　it　　ingulf　us　in　its　insatiable　maw；　as　the　whale　did　Jonah？　There　was　no　subsidence；　no　pause　in　the　storm。　It　howled；　bellowed；　and　screeched　like　a　legion　of　demons；　so　that　the　crashing　of　falling　trees；　and　the　twisting　of　the　sturdy　　live　oak's　toughest　limbs；　could　hardly　be　heard　in　the　din。　　Yet　during　this　wild　night　my　　storm…hardened　companion　sat　with　his　pretty　wife　by　the　open　fireplace；　as　unmoved　as　though　we　were　in　the　shelter　of　a　mountain　side；　while　he　calmly　discoursed　of　storms；　shipwrecks；　and　terrible　struggles　for　life　that　this　lonely　coast　had　witnessed；　which　sent　thrills　of　horror　to　my　heart。

While　traversing　the　beach　during　the　　afternoon；　as　wreck　after　wreck；　the　gravestones　of　departed　ships；　projected　their　timbers　from　the　sands；　I　had　made　a　calculation　of　the　number　of　vessels　which　had　left　their　hulls　to　rot　on　Hatteras　beach　since　the　ships　of　Sir　Walter　Raleigh　had　anchored　above　the　cape；　and　it　　resulted　in　making　one　continuous　line　of　vessels；　wreck　touching　wreck；　along　the　coast　for　many；　many　miles。　　Hundreds　of　miles　of　the　Atlantic　coast　beaches　would　have　been　walled　in　by　the　wrecks　could　they　have　come　on　to　the　strand　at　one　time；　and　all　the　dwellers　along　the　coast；　outside　of　the　towns；　would　have　been　placed　in　independent　circumstances　by　wrecking　their　cargoes。

During　this　wild　night；　while　the　paper　canoe　was　safely　stowed　in　the　rushes　of　the　marsh　at　the　cape；　and　its　owner　was　enjoying　the　warmth　of　the　young　astronomer's　fire　at　the　inlet；　less　than　twenty　miles　from　us；　on　the　dangerous　edge　of　Ocracoke　shoals；　the　searching　party　of　the　yacht　Julia　were　in　momentary　expectation　of　going　to　the　bottom　of　the　sound。　　For　hours　the　gallant　craft　hung　to　her　anchors；　which　were　heavily　backed　by　all　the　iron　ballast　that　could　be　attached　to　the　cables。　　Wave　after　wave　swept　over　her；　and　not　a　man　could　put　his　head　above　the　hatches。　Then；　as　she　rolled　in　the　sea；　her　cabin…windows　went　under；　and　streams　of　water　were　forced　through　the　ports　　into　the　confined　space　which　was　occupied　by　the　little　party。　　For　a　time　they　were　in　imminent　danger；　for　the　vessel　dragged　anchor　to　the　edge　of　the　shoal；　and　with　a　heavy　thud　the　yacht　struck　on　the　bottom。　　All　hopes　of　ever　　returning　to　Newbern　were　lost；　when　the　changing　tide　swung　the　boat　off　into　deeper　water；　where　she　rode　out　the　storm　in　safety。

Before　morning　the　wind　shifted；　and　by　nine　o'clock　I　retraced　my　steps　to　the　cape；　and　on　Tuesday　rowed　down　to　Hatteras　Inlet；　which　was　reached　a　little　past　noon。　　Before　　attempting　to　cross　this　dangerous　tidal　gate…way　of　the　ocean　I　hugged　the　shore　close　to　its　edge；　and　paused　to　make　myself　familiar　with　the　　sandhills　of　the　opposite　side；　a　mile　away；　which　were　to　serve　as　the　guiding…beacons　in　the　　passage。　How　often　had　I；　lying　awake　at　night；　thought　of　and　dreaded　the　crossing　of　this　ill…omened　inlet！　　It　had　given　me　much　mental　suffering。　　Now　it　was　before　me。　　Here　on　my　right　was　the　great　sound；　on　my　left　the　　narrow　beach　island；　and　out　through　the　portal　of　the　open　inlet　surged　and　moaned　under　a　leaden　sky　that　old　ocean　which　now　seemed　to　frown　at　me；　and　to　say：　〃Wait；　my　boy；　until　the　inlet's　waves　deliver　you　to　me；　and　I　will　put　you　among　my　other　victims　for　your　　temerity。〃

As　I　gazed　across　the　current　I　remarked　that　it　did　not　seem　very　rough；　though　a　strong　ebb　was　running　out　to　the　sea；　and　if　crossed　　immediately；　before　the　wind　arose；　there　could　be　no　unreasonable　risk。　　My　canvas　deck…cover　was　carefully　pulled　close　about　my　waist；　and　a　rigid　inspection　of　oars　and　row…locks　was　made；　then；　with　a　desire　to　reserve　my　strength　for　any　great　demand　that　might　be　made　upon　it　a　little　later；　I　rowed　with　a　steady　stroke　out　into　Hatteras　Inlet。　　There　was　no　help　nearer　than　Styron's；　two　miles　away　on　the　upper　shore；　while　the　beach　I　was　approaching　on　the　other　side　was　uninhabited　for　nearly　sixteen　miles；　to　the　village　at　its　southern　end；　near　Ocracoke　Inlet。　　Upon　entering　the　swash　I　thought　of　the　sharks　which　the　Hatteras　fishermen　had　told　me　frequently　seized　their　oars；　snapping　the　thin　blades　in　pieces；　assuring　me；　at　the　same　time；　that　mine　would　prove　very　attractive；　being　so　white　and　glimmering　in　the　water；　and　offering　the　same　glittering　fascination　as　a　silver…spoon　bait　does　to　a　blue…fish。　　These　cheerful　suggestions　caused　a　peculiar　creeping　sensation　to　come　over　me；　but　I　tried　to　quiet　myself　with　the　belief　that　the　sharks　had　　followed　the　blue…fish　into　deeper　water；　to　escape　cold　weather。

The　canoe　crossed　the　upper　ebb；　and　entered　an　area　where　the　ebb　from　the　opposite　side　of　the　inlet　struck　the　first　one。　　While　crossing　the　union　of　the　two　currents；　a　wind　came　in　at　the　opening　through　the　beach；　and　though　not　a　strong　one；　it　created　a　great　agitation　of　the　water。　　The　dangerous　experience　at　　Watchapreague　Inlet　had　taught　me　that　when　in　such　a　sea　one　must　pull　with　all　his　strength；　and　that　the　increased　momentum　would　give　greater　buoyancy　to　the　shell；　for　while　under　this　　treatment　she　bounced　from　one　irregular　wave　to　another　with　a　climbing　action　which　greatly　relieved　my　anxiety。　　The　danger　seemed　to　be　decreasing；　and　I　stole　a　furtive　glance　over　my　shoulder　at　the　low　dunes　of　the　beach　shore　which　I　was　approaching；　to　see　how　far　into　the　inlet　the　tide　had　dragged　me。　　The　white　water　to　leeward　warned　me　of　a　shoal；　and　forced　me　to　pull　hard　for　the　sound　to　escape　being　drawn　into　the　breakers。　　This　danger　was　hardly　passed；　when　suddenly　the　waters　around　me　seethed　and　foamed；　and　the　short　waves　parted　and　closed；　as　great　creatures　rose　from　the　deep　into　the　air　several　feet；　and　then　fell　　heavily　into　the　sea。　　My　tiny　shell　rocked　and　pitched　about　wildly　as　these　animals　appeared　and　disappeared；　leaping　from　the　waves　all　around　me；　diving　under　the　boat　and　reappearing　on　the　opposite　side。　　They　lashed　the　current　with　their　strong　tails；　and　snorted　or　blowed　most　dismally。　　For　an　instant　surprise　and　alarm　took　such　possession　of　me　that　not　a　muscle　of　my　arms　obeyed　my　will；　and　the　canoe　commenced　to　drift　in　the　driving　stream　towards　the　open　sea。　This　confusion　was　only　momentary；　for　as　soon　as　I　discovered　that　my　companions　were　porpoises　and　only　old　acquaintances；　I　　determined　to　avoid　them　as　soon　as　possible。

With　a　quick　glance　at　my　stern　range；　a　　sandhill　on　the　shore　of　the　inlet；　and　another　look　over　my　shoulder　for　the　sand　dunes　of　the　other　side；　I　exerted　every　muscle　to　reach　the　beach；　but　my　frisky　friends　were　in　no　mood　to　leave　me；　but　continued　their　fun　with　increased　　energy　as　reinforcements　came　up　from　all　directions。　The　faster　I　rowed　the　more　they　multiplied；　ploughing　the　sea　in　erratic　courses。　　They　were　from　five　to　seven　feet　in　length；　and　must　have　weighed　from　two　hundred　to　four　hundred　pounds　each。　Though　their　attentions　were　　kindly　meant；　their　brusqueness　on　such　an　unsteady　footing　was　unpardonable。　　I　most　feared　the　strong；　shooting　movements　of　their　tails　in　the　sudden　dives　under　my　canoe；　for　one　sportive　touch　of　such　a　caudality　would　have　rolled　me　over；　and　furnished　material　for　a　tale　the　very　anticipation　of　which　was　unpleasant。


Crossing　Hatteras　Inlet　（112K）


The　aquatic　gambols　of　the　porpoises　lasted　but　a　few　minutes　after　they　had　called　in　all　their　neighbors；　and　had　chased　me　into　three　feet　depth　of　water。　They　then　spouted　a　nasal　farewell；　which　sounded　more　catarrhal　than　guitaral；　and　left　me　for　the　more　profitable　　occupation　of　fishing　in　the　tide…way　of　the　inlet；　while　I　rowed　into　a　shallow　cove；　out　of　the　ebb；　to　rest；　and　to　recover　from　the　effects　of　my　fright。

As　I　pulled　along　the　beach　the　tide　receded　so　rapidly　that　the　canoe　was　constantly　　grounding；　and　wading　became　necessary；　for　I　could　not　get　within　several　feet　of　the　shore。　When　five　miles　from　Hatteras　Inlet　I　espied　an　empty　grass　cabin；　which　the　fishermen　used　in　　February　while　catching　shad；　and；　as　a　southerly　wind　was　now　blowing　from　the　sea；　and　rain　was　falling；　it　offered　a　night's　shelter　for　the　traveller。　This　Robinson　Crusoe　looking　structure　was　located　upon　the　low　land　near　the　sound；　while　bleak；　sharp…pointed；　treeless　and　grassless　　sandhills；　blown　into　shape　by　the　winds；　arose　in　the　background；　and　cut　off　a　view　of　the　ocean；　which；　judging　from　the　low；　melancholy　　moaning　coming　over　the　dunes；　was　in　a　sad　mood。

The　canoe　was　hauled　into　the　bushes　and　tied　securely　for　fear　a　deceptive　tide　might　bear　it　away。　　The　provisions；　blankets；　&c。；　were　moved　into　the　grass　hut；　which　needed　　repairi