voyage of the paper canoe-第30部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ren　and　Masonboro　are　the　only　inlets　which　supply　the　three　little　sounds　above　mentioned　with　water；　after　Rich　Inlet　is　passed。

The　coast　from　Cape　Fear　southward　eighty　miles；　to　Georgetown；　South　Carolina；　has　several　small　inlets　through　the　beach；　but　there　are　no　interior　waters　parallel　with　the　coast　in　all　that　distance；　which　can　be　of　any　service　to　the　canoeist　for　a　coast　route。　　It　therefore　became　necessary　for　me　to　follow　the　next　watercourse　that　could　be　utilized　for　reaching　Winyah　Bay；　which　is　the　first　entrance　to　the　system　of　　continuous　watercourses　south　of　Cape　Fear。

The　trees　of　the　Nickson　Plantation　hid　the　house　of　the　proprietor　from　view；　but　upon　beaching　my　canoe；　a　drove　of　hogs　greeted　me　with　friendly　grunts；　as　if　the　hospitality　of　their　master　infected　the　drove；　and；　as　it　grew　dark；　they　trotted　across　the　field；　conducting　me　up　to　the　very　doors　of　the　planter's　home；　where　Captain　Mosely；　late　of　the　Confederate　army；　gave　me　a　soldier's　hearty　welcome。

〃The　war　is　over；〃　he　said；　〃and　any　northern　gentleman　is　welcome　to　what　we　have　left。〃　Until　midnight；　this　keen…eyed；　intelligent　officer　entertained　me　with　a　flow　of　anecdotes　of　the　war　times；　his　hair…breadth　escapes；　&c。；　the　conversation　being　only　interrupted　when　he　paused　to　pile　wood　upon　the　fire；　the　　chimney…place　meantime　glowing　like　a　furnace。　　He　told　me　that　Captain　Maffitt；　of　the　late　　Confederate　navy；　lived　at　Masonboro；　on　the　sound；　and　that　had　I　called　upon　him；　he　could　have　furnished；　as　an　old　officer　of　the　Coast　Survey；　much　valuable　geographical　information。　　This　pleasant　conversation　was　at　last　interrupted　by　the　wife　of　my　host；　who　warned　us　in　her　courteous　way　of　the　lateness　of　the　hour。　With　a　good…night　to　my　host；　and　a　sad　farewell　to　the　sea；　I　prepared　myself　for　the　morrow's　journey。




CHAPTER　XI。　　FROM　CAPE　FEAR　TO　CHARLESTON；　SOUTH　CAROLINA。



A　　PORTAGE　TO　LAKE　WACCAMAW。　　THE　SUBMERGED　SWAMPS。　　NIGHT　AT　A　TURPENTINE　DISTILLER　　A　DISMAL　　WILDERNESS。　　OWLS　AND　MISTLETOE。　　CRACKERS　AND　NEGROES。　　ACROSS　THE　SOUTH　CAROLINA　LINE。　　A　CRACKER'S　IDEA　OF　HOSPITALITY。　　POT　BLUFF。　　PEEDEE　RIVER。　　GEORGETOWN。　　WINYAH　BAY。　　THE　RICE　PLANTATIONS　OF　THE　SANTEE　RIVERS。　　A　NIGHT　WITH　THE　SANTEE　NEGROES。　　ARRIVAL　AT　CHARLESTON。


To　reach　my　next　point　of　embarkation　a　portage　was　necessary。　　Wilmington　was　twelve　miles　distant；　and　I　reached　the　railroad　station　of　that　city　with　my　canoe　packed　in　a　bed　of　corn…husks；　on　a　one…horse　dray；　in　time　to　take　the　evening　train　to　Flemington；　on　Lake　Waccamaw。　　The　polite　general　freight…agent；　Mr。　A。　Pope；　allowed　my　canoe　to　be　transported　in　the　passenger　baggage…car；　where；　as　it　had　no　covering；　I　was　obliged　to　steady　it　during　the　ride　of　thirty…two　miles；　to　protect　it　from　the　friction　caused　by　the　motion　of　the　train。

Mr。　Pope　quietly　telegraphed　to　the　few　families　at　the　lake；　〃Take　care　of　the　paper　canoe；〃　so　when　my　destination　was　reached；　kind　voices　greeted　me　through　the　darkness　and　offered　me　the　hospitalities　of　Mrs。　Brothers'　home…like　inn　at　the　Flemington　Station。　After　Mr。　Carroll　had　conveyed　the　boat　to　his　storehouse；　we　all　sat　down　to　tea　as　sociably　as　though　we　were　old　friends。

On　the　morrow　we　carried　the　Maria　Theresa　on　our　shoulders　to　the　little　lake；　out　of　which　the　long　and　crooked　river　with　its　dark　cypress　waters　flowed　to　the　sea。　　A　son　of　Mr。　Short；　a　landed　proprietor　who　holds　some　sixty　　thousand　acres　of　the　swamp　lands　of　the　Waccamaw；　escorted　me　in　his　yacht；　with　a　party　of　ladies　and　gentlemen；　five　miles　across　the　lake　to　my　point　of　departure。　　It　was　now　noon；　and　our　little　party　picnicked　under　the　lofty　trees　which　rise　from　the　low　shores　of　Lake　Waccamaw。

A　little　later　we　said　our　adieu；　and　the　paper　canoe　shot　into　the　whirling　current　which　rushes　out　of　the　lake　through　a　narrow　aperture　into　a　great　and　dismal　swamp。　　Before　leaving　the　party；　Mr。　Carroll　had　handed　me　a　letter　　addressed　to　Mr。　Hall；　who　was　in　charge　of　a　turpentine　distillery　on　my　route。　　〃It　is　twenty　miles　by　the　river　to　my　friend　Hall's；〃　he　said；　〃but　in　a　straight　line　the　place　is　just　four　miles　from　here。〃　　Such　is　the　character　of　the　Waccamaw；　this　most　crooked　of　rivers。

I　had　never　been　on　so　rapid　and　continuous　a　current。　　As　it　whirled　me　along　the　narrow　watercourse　I　was　compelled　to　abandon　my　oars　and　use　the　paddle　in　order　to　have　my　face　to　the　bow；　as　the　abrupt　turns　of　the　stream　seemed　to　wall　me　in　on　every　side。　　Down　the　tortuous；　black；　rolling　current　went　the　paper　canoe；　with　a　giant　forest　covering　the　great　swamp　and　screening　me　from　the　light　of　day。　　The　swamps　were　submerged；　and　as　the　water　poured　out　of　the　thickets　into　the　river　it　would　shoot　across　the　land　from　one　bend　to　another；　presenting　in　places　the　　mystifying　spectacle　of　water　running　up　stream；　but　not　up　an　inclined　plain。　　Festoons　of　gray　Spanish　moss　hung　from　the　weird　limbs　of　monster　trees；　giving　a　funeral　aspect　to　the　gloomy　forest；　while　the　owls　hooted　as　though　it　were　night。　　The　creamy；　wax…like　berries　of　the　mistletoe　gave　a　Druidical　aspect　to　the　woods；　for　this　parasite　grew　upon　the　branches　of　many　trees。

One　spot　only　of　firm　land　rose　from　the　water　in　sixteen　miles　of　paddling　from　the　lake；　and　passing　it；　I　went　flying　on　with　the　turbulent　stream　four　miles　further；　to　where　rafts　of　logs　blocked　the　river；　and　the　sandy　banks；　covered　with　the　upland　forest　of　pines；　encroached　upon　the　lowlands。　　This　was　Old　Dock；　with　its　turpentine　distillery　smoking　and　sending　out　resinous　vapors。

Young　Mr。　Hall　read　my　letter　and　invited　me　to　his　temporary　home；　which；　though　roughly　built　of　unplaned　boards；　possessed　two　comfortable　rooms；　and　a　large　fireplace；　in　which　light…wood；　the　terebinthine　heart　of　the　pine…tree；　was　cheerfully　blazing。

I　had　made　the　twenty　miles　in　three　hours；　but　the　credit　of　this　quick　time　must　be　given　to　the　rapid　current。　　My　host　did　not　seem　well　pleased　with　the　solitude　imposed　upon　him。　　His　employers　had　sent　him　from　　Wilmington；　to　hold　and　protect　〃their　turpentine　farm；〃　which　was　a　wilderness　of　trees　covering　four　thousand　acres；　and　was　valued；　with　its　distillery；　at　five　thousand　dollars。　　An　old　negro；　who　attended　the　still　and　cooked　the　meals；　was　his　only　companion。

We　had　finished　our　frugal　repast；　when　a　man；　shouting　in　the　darkness；　approached　the　house　on　horseback。　　This　individual；　though　very　tipsy；　represented　Law　and　Order　in　that　district；　as　I　was　informed　when　〃Jim　Gore；〃　a　justice　of　the　peace；　saluted　me　in　a　boisterous　manner。　　Seating　himself　by　the　fire；　he　　earnestly　inquired　for　the　bottle。　　His　stomach；　he　said；　was　as　dry　as　a　lime…kiln；　and；　though　　water　answers　to　slake　lime；　he　demanded　　something　stronger　to　slake　the　fire　that　burned　　within　him。　　He　was　very　suspicious　of　me　when　Hall　told　him　of　my　canoe　journey。　　After　eying　me　from　head　to　toe　in　as　steady　a　manner　as　he　was　capable　of；　he　broke　forth　with：　〃Now；　stranger；　this　won't　do。　　What　are　ye　a…travel'ing　in　this　sort　of　way　for；　in　a　paper　dug…out？〃

I　pleaded　a　strong　desire　to　study　geography；　but　the　wise　fellow　replied：

〃Geography！　geography！　　Why；　the　fellers　who　rite　geography　never　travel；　they　stay　at　home　and　spin　their　yarns　'bout　things　they　never　sees。〃　Then；　glancing　at　his　poor　　butternut　coat　and　pantaloons；　he　felt　my　blue　woollen　suit；　and　continued；　in　a　slow；　husky　voice：　〃Stranger；　them　clothes　cost　something；　they　be　store…clothes。　That　paper　dug…out　cost　money；　I　tell　ye；　and　it　costs　something　to　travel　the　hull　length　of　the　land。　　No；　stranger；　if　ye　be　not　on　a　bet；　then　somebody's　a…paying　ye　well　for　it。〃

For　an　hour　I　entertained　this　roughest　of　law　dignitaries　with　an　account　of　my　long　row；　its　trials　and　its　pleasures。　　He　became　interested　in　the　story；　and　finally　related　to　me　his　own　aspirations；　and　the　difficulties　attending　his　　efforts　to　make　the　piny…woods　people　respect　the　laws　and　good　government。　　He　then　described　the　river　route　through　the　swamps　to　the　sea；　and；　putting　his　arm　around　me　in　the　most　　affectionate　manner；　he　mournfully　said：

〃O　stranger；　my　heart　is　with　ye；　but　O；　how　ye　will　have　to　take　it　when　ye　go　past　those　awful　wretches　to…morrow；　how　they　will　give　it　to　ye！　　They　most　knocked　me　off　my　raft；　last　time　I　went　to　Georgetown。　　Beware　of　them；　I　warn　ye　in　time。　　Dern　the　hussies。〃

Squire　Jim　so　emphasized　the　danger　that　I　became　somewhat　alarmed；　for；　more　than　　anything　else；　I　dreaded　an　outbreak　with　rough　women。　　And　then；　too；　my　new　acquaintance　informed　me　that　there　were　four　or　five　of　these　wretches；　of　the　worst　kind；　located　several　miles　down　the　stream。　　As　I　was　about　to　　inquire　into　the　habits　of　these　ugly　old　crones；　Mr。　Hall；　wishing　to　give　Squire　James　a　hint；　remarked　that　Mr。　B_____　might　at　any　time　　retire　to　the　next　room；　where　half　the　bed　was　at　his　disposal。

〃Half　the　bed！〃　roared　the　squire；　〃here　are　three　of　us；　and　where's　my　half？〃

〃Why；　squire；〃　hesitatingly　responded　my　host；　　Mr。　B_____　is　my　guest；　and　having　but　one　bed；　he　must　have　half　of　it　　no　less。〃

〃Then　what's　to　become　of　me？〃　thundered　his　Majesty　of　the　law。

Having　been　informed　that　a　shake…down　would　have　been　ready　had　he　given　notice　of　his　visit；　and　that　at　some　future　time；　when　not　so　crowded；　he　could　be　entertained　like　a　　gentleman；　he　drew　himself　up；　wrapped　in　the　mantle　of　dignity；　and　replied：

〃None　of　that　soft　talk；　my　friend。　　This　man　　is　a　traveller；　let　him　take　travellers'　luck　　three　in　a　bed　to…night。　　I'm　bound　to　sleep　with　him　to…night。　　Hall；　where's　the　bottle？〃

I　now　retired　to　the　back　room；　and；　without　undressing；　planted　myself　on　the　side　of　the　bed　next　the　wall。　　Sleep　was；　however；　an　　unattainable　luxury；　with　the　squire's　voice　in　the　next　room；　as　he　told　how　the　country　was　going　to　the　dogs；　because　〃niggers　and　white　folks　wouldn't　respect　the　laws。　　It　took　half　a　man's　time　to　larn　it　to　'em；　and　much　thanks　he　ever　got　by　setting　everybody　to　rights。〃　　He　wound　up　by　lecturing　Hall　for　being　so　temperate；　his　diligent　search　in　all　directions　fo