voyage of the paper canoe-第28部分

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〃Sullers；　captain；　why；　there　ain't　a　suller　to　a　buildin'　within　thirty　miles　of　the　Quarters。　We　never　uses　sullers　hereabouts。〃

By　my　side　was　a　young　fisherman；　who　had　got　home　from　a　cruise；　and　was　overflowing　with　affection　towards　every　girl　present。　　〃O；　gals；〃　he　would　cry；　〃you　don't　know　how　nice　I　feels　to　get　back　to　you　once　more！〃　　　Throwing　his　arms　around　a　bright…eyed　girl；　who　vainly　tried　to　escape　him；　he　said；　〃O；　weary　mariner；　here　is　thy　rest！　　No　more　shall　he　wander　from　thee。〃

This　sentimental　strain　was　interrupted　by　an　old　lady；　who　reached　her　arm　over　my　　shoulder　to　administer　a　rebuke。　〃Sam；　ye're　a　fool！〃　she　cried；　　〃ye're　beside　yourself　to…night；　and　afore　this　paper…canoe　captain；　too。　　Ef　I　was　a　gal　I'd　drap　yere　society；　wid　yere　familiar　ways　right　in　company。〃

The　blow　and　the　admonition　fell　harmlessly　upon　the　head　and　the　heart　of　the　sailor；　who　replied；　〃Aunty；　I　knows　my　advantages　in　Hunting　Quarters　　women　is　plenty；　and　men　is　few。〃

The　crowd　roared　with　laughter　at　this　truism；　but　were　quieted　by　the　shout　of　a　boy　that　the　preacher　was　a…coming；　whereupon　the　　reverend　gentleman　elbowed　　his　way　through　the　guests　to　the　quiet　couple；　and　requested　them　to　stand　up。　　A　few　hurried　words　by　the　clergyman；　a　few　bashful　replies　from　the　young　people；　and　the　two　were　made　one。　　The　crowd　rushed　outside　of　the　house；　where　a　general　scramble　took　place　among　the　boys　for　their　girls。　　Then　a　procession　was　formed；　headed　by　the　clergyman；　which　marched　along　the　sandy　road　to　another　house　in　the　woods；　where　the　second　marriage　was　to　be　celebrated。

It　was　amusing　to　see　the　young　men　dash　away　from　the　procession；　to　run　to　the　village　store　for　candy　at　twenty…five　cents　per　pound；　　containing　as　much　terra　alba　（white　clay）　as　sugar。　With　well…filled　pockets　they　would　run　back　to　the　procession　and　fill　the　girls'　aprons　with　the　sweets；　soon　repeating　the　process；　and　　showering　upon　the　fair　ones　cakes；　raisins；　nuts；　and　oranges。　　The　only　young　man　who　seemed　to　find　no　favor　in　any　woman's　eyes　invested　more　capital　in　sweetmeats　than　the　others；　and　though　every　girl　in　the　procession　gave　him　a　sharp　word　or　a　kick　as　he　passed；　yet　none　　refused　his　candies　as　he　tossed　them　at　the　　maidens；　or　stuffed　them　into　the　pockets　of　their　dresses。

The　second　ceremony　was　performed　in　about　three　minutes；　and　the　preacher　feeling　faint　from　his　long　ride　through　the　woods；　declared　he　must　have　some　supper。　　So；　while　he　was　being　served；　the　girls　chatted　together；　the　old　ladies　helped　each　other　to　snuff　with　little　wooden　　paddles；　which　were　left　protruding　from　one　corner　of　their　mouths　after　they　had　taken　〃a　dip；〃　as　they　called　it。　　The　boys；　after　learning　that　the　preacher　had　postponed　the　third　marriage　for　an　hour；　with　a　wild　shout　scampered　off　to　Stewart's　store　for　more　candies。　　I　took　advantage　of　the　interim　to　inquire　how　it　was　that　the　young　ladies　and　gentlemen　were　upon　such　terms　of　pleasant　intimacy。

〃Well；　captain；〃　replied　the　person　　interrogated；　〃you　sees　we　is　all　growed　up　together；　and　brotherly　love　and　sisterly　affection　is　our　teaching。　　The　brethren　love　the　sisteren；　and　they　say　that　love　begets　love；　so　the　sisteren　loves　the　brethren。　It's　parfecly　nateral。　That's　the　hull　story；　captain。　　How　is　it　up　your　way？〃

At　last　the　preacher　declared　himself　satisfied　with　all　he　had　eaten；　and　that　enough　was　as　good　as　a　feast；　so　the　young　people　fell　into　line；　and　we　trudged　to　the　third　house；　where；　with　the　same　dispatch；　the　third　couple　were　united。　Then　the　fiddler　scraped　the　strings　of　his　　instrument；　and　a　double…shuffle　dance　commenced。　The　girls　stamped　and　moved　their　feet　about　in　the　same　manner　as　the　men。　　Soon　four　or　five　of　the　young　ladies　left　the　dancing…party；　and　seated　themselves　in　a　corner；　pouting　　discontentedly。　　My　companion　explained　to　me　that　the　deserters　were　a　little　stuck…up；　having　made　two　or　three　visits　on　a　schooner　to　the　city　（Newbern）；　where　they　had　other　ways　of　dancing；　and　where　the　folks　didn't　think　it　pretty　for　a　girl　to　strike　her　heels　upon　the　floor；　&c。

How　long　they　danced　I　know　not；　for　the　prospect　of　a　long　row　on　the　morrow　sent　me　to　rest　in　the　storehouse；　from　which　I　was　called　by　a　kind　old　couple　sending　for　me　to　take　tea　with　them　at　half　an　hour　after　midnight。　　　Unwilling　to　wound　the　sensitive　feelings　of　these　hospitable　people；　I　answered　the　summons　in　propia　persona；　and　found　it　was　the　mother　of　bride　No。　1；　to　whom　I　was　indebted　for　the　invitation。　　A　well…filled　table　took　up　the　space　in　the　centre　of　the　room；　where　a　few　hours　before　the　timbers　creaked　beneath　the　weight　of　the　curious　crowd；　and　there；　sitting　on　one　side　in　the　same　affectionate　manner　I　have　described；　were　the　bride　and　groom；　　apparently　unmoved　by　the　change　of　scene；　while　the　bride's　mother　rocked　in　her　chair；　moaning；　〃O　John；　if　you'd　taken　the　other　gal；　I　might　have　stood　it；　but　this　yere　one　has　been　my　comfort。〃

At　dawn　the　canoe　was　put　into　Core　Sound；　and　I　followed　the　western　shore；　cheered　by　the　bright　sun　of　our　Saviour's　natal　day。　　At　noon　the　mouth　of　the　thoroughfare　between　Harker's　Island　and　the　mainland　was　unintentionally　passed；　and　I　rowed　along　by　the　side　of　the　island　next　Fort　Macon；　which　is　inside　of　the　angle　made　by　Cape　Lookout。

Finding　it　impossible　to　reach　Newbern　via　Morehead　City　that　day；　the　canoe　was　beached　upon　the　end　of　Harker's　Island；　where　I　　breakfasted　at　the　fashionable　hour　of　two　P。　M。；　with　men；　women；　and　children　around　me。　　My　mode　of　cooking　the　condensed　food　and　liquid　beef；　so　quickly　prepared　for　the　palate；　and　the　remarkable　boat　of　paper；　all　filled　the　islanders　with　wonder。　　They　were　at　first　a　little　shy；　looking　upon　the　apparition　　which　seemed　in　some　wonderful　way　to　have　dropped　upon　their　beach　　with　the　light　of　curiosity　in　their　eyes。

Then；　as　I　explained　the　many　uses　to　which　paper　was　put；　even　to　the　paying　off　of　great　national　debts；　my　audience　became　very　　friendly；　and　offered　to　get　me　up　a　Christmas　dinner　in　their　cabins　among　the　groves　of　trees　near　the　strand；　if　I　would　tarry　with　them　until　night。　But　time　was　precious；　so；　with　thanks　on　my　part　for　their　kind　offers；　we　parted；　they　helping　me　launch　my　little　boat；　and　waving　a　cheerful　adieu　as　I　headed　the　canoe　for　Beaufort；　which　was　quietly　passed　in　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。

Three　miles　further　on；　the　railroad　pier　of　Morehead　City；　in　Bogue　Sound；　was　reached；　and　a　crowd　of　people　carried　the　canoe　into　the　hotel。　　A　telegram　was　soon　received　from　the　superintendent　of　the　railroad　at　Newbern；　inviting　me　to　a　free　ride　to　the　city　in　the　first　train　of　the　following　morning。

The　reader　who　has　followed　me　since　I　left　the　chilly　regions　of　the　St。　Lawrence　must　not　have　his　patience　taxed　by　too　much　detail；　lest　he　should　weary　of　my　story　and　desert　my　company。　Were　it　not　for　this　fear；　it　would　give　me　pleasure　to　tell　how　a　week　was　passed　in　Newbern；　how　the　people　came　even　from　interior　towns　to　see　the　paper　canoe；　how　some；　doubting　my　veracity；　slyly　stuck　the　blades　of　their　pocket…knives　through　the　thin　sides　of　the　canoe；　forgetting　that　it　had　yet　to　traverse　many　dangerous　inlets；　and　that　its　owner　preferred　a　tight；　dry　boat　to　one　　punctured　by　knives。　　Even　old　men　became　　enthusiastic；　and　when　I　was　absent　from　my　little　craft；　an　uncontrollable　ambition　seized　them；　and　they　got　into　the　frail　shell　as　it　rested　upon　the　floor　of　a　hall；　and　threatened　its　　destruction。　　It　seemed　impossible　to　make　one　　gentleman　of　Newbern　understand　that　when　the　boat　was　in　the　water　she　was　resting　upon　all　her　bearings；　but　when　out　of　water　only　upon　a　thin　strip　of　wood。

〃By　George；〃　said　this　stout　gentleman　in　a　whisper　to　a　friend；　〃I　told　my　wife　I　would　get　into　that　boat　if　I　smashed　it。〃

〃And　what　did　the　lady　say；　old　fellow？〃　asked　the　friend。　〃O；〃　he　replied；　'〃she　said；　'Now　don't　make　a　fool　of　yourself；　Fatness；　or　your　ambition　may　get　you　into　the　papers；'〃　and　the　speaker　fairly　shook　with　laughter。

While　at　Newbern；　Judge　West　and　his　brother　organized　a　grand　hunt；　and　the　railroad　　company　sent　us　down　the　road　eighteen　miles　to　a　wild　district；　where　deer；　coons；　and　wild…fowl　were　plentiful；　and　where　we　hunted　all　night　for　coons　and　ducks；　and　all　day　for　deer。　　Under　these　genial　influences　the　practical　study　of　geography　for　the　first　time　seemed　dull；　and　I　became　aware　that；　under　the　efforts　of　the　　citizens　of　Newbern　to　remind　me　of　the　charms　of　civilized　society；　I　was；　as　a　travelling　　geographer；　fast　becoming　demoralized。

Could　I；　after　the　many　pleasures　I　was　daily　enjoying；　settle　down　to　a　steady　pull　and　one　meal　a　day　with　a　lunch　of　dry　crackers；　or　sleep　on　the　floor　of　fishermen's　cabins；　with　fleas　and　other　little　annoyances　attendant　　thereon？　　Having　realized　my　position；　I　tore　myself　away　from　my　many　new　friends　and　retraced　my　steps　to　Morehead　City；　leaving　it　on　　Tuesday；　January　5th；　and　rowing　down　the　little　sound　called　Bogue　towards　Cape　Fear。

As　night　came　on　I　discovered　on　the　shore　a　grass　cabin；　which　was　on　the　plantation　of　Dr。　Emmett；　and　had　been　left　tenantless　by　some　fisherman。　　This　served　for　shelter　during　the　night　though　the　struggles　and　squealings　of　a　drove　of　hogs　attempting　to　enter　through　the　rickety　door　did　not　contribute　much　to　my　repose。

The　watercourses　now　became　more　　intricate；　growing　narrower　as　I　rowed　southward。　The　open　waters　of　the　sound　were　left　behind；　and　I　entered　a　labyrinth　of　creeks　and　small　sheets　of　water；　which　form　a　network　in　the　marshes　between　the　sandy　beach…islands　and　the　mainland　all　the　way　to　Cape　Fear　River。　The　Core　Sound　sheet　of　the　United　States　Coast　Survey　ended　at　Cape　Lookout；　there　　being　no　charts　of　the　route　to　Masonboro。　　I　was　therefore　now　travelling　upon　local　knowledge；　which　proves　usually　a　very　uncertain　guide。

In　a　cold　rain　the　canoe　reached　the　little　　village　of　Swansboro；　where　the　chief　personage　of　the　place　of　two　hundred　inhabitants；　Mr。　McLain；　removed　me　from　my　temporary　　camping…plac