voyage of the paper canoe-第38部分

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ven　more　　mysterious　than　when；　mirage…like；　it　peered　forth　from　a　cloud　of　mist。　　But　it　was　real；　and　not　fantastic。　　Another　hail；　louder　than　the　first；　went　forth　into　the　night　air；　and　penetrated　to　the　ship's　forecastle；　for　a　sailor　answered　my　call；　and　reported　to　the　captain　in　the　cabin　the　presence　of　a　boat　at　the　ship's　side。

A　quick；　firm　tread　sounded　upon　the　deck；　then；　with　a　light　bound；　a　powerfully…built　young　man　landed　upon　the　high　rail　of　the　　vessel。　　He　peered　down　from　his　stately　ship　upon　the　little　speck　which　floated　upon　the　gurgling　current；　then；　with　a　voice　〃filled　with　the　fogs　of　the　ocean；〃　he　thundered　forth；　as　though　he　were　hailing　a　man…of…war：　〃What　boat's　that？〃

〃Paper　canoe　Maria　Theresa；〃　I　replied；　in　as　foggy　a　voice　as　I　could　assume。

〃Where　from；　and　where　bound？〃　again　roared　the　captain。

〃From　Quebec；　Canada；　and　bound　to　sleep　on　board　your　vessel；　if　I　can　ever　get　up　there；〃　I　politely　responded；　in　a　more　subdued　voice；　for　I　soon　discovered　that　nature　had　never　　intended　me　for　a　fog…trumpet。

〃Ah；　is　it　you？〃　cheerily　responded　the　　captain；　suddenly　dispensing　with　all　his　fogginess；　〃I've　been　looking　for　you　this　long　time。　Got　a　Charleston　paper　on　board；　your　trip　all　in　it。　Come　up；　and　break　a　bottle　of　wine　with　me。〃

〃All　hands〃　came　from　the　forecastle；　and　Finland　mates　and　Finland　sailors；　speaking　both　English　and　Russian；　crowded　to　the　rail　to　receive　the　paper　canoe；　which　had　first　been　described　to　them　by　English　newspapers　when　the　vessel　lay　in　a　British　port；　awaiting　the　charter…party　which　afterwards　sent　them　to　Bull　River；　South　Carolina；　for　a　load　of　phosphates。

The　jolly　crew　lowered　buntlines　and　　clewlines；　to　which　I　attached　my　boat's　stores。　These　were　hoisted　up　the　high　sides　of　the　ship；　and；　after　bending　on　a　line　to　the　bow　and　stern　rings　of　the　canoe；　I　ascended　by　the　　ladder；　while　Captain　Johs。　Bergelund　and　his　mates　claimed　the　pleasure　of　landing　the　paper　canoe　on　the　deck　of　the　Rurik。　　The　tiny　shell　looked　very　small　as　she　rested　on　the　broad；　white　decks　of　the　emperor　of　Russia's　old　steam　yacht；　which　bore　the　name　of　the　founder　of　the　Russian　empire。　　Though　now　a　bark　and　not　a　steamer；　though　a　freighter　and　not　a　royal　yacht；　the　Rurik　looked　every　inch　a　government　vessel；　for　her　young　captain；　with　a　sailor's　pride；　kept　her　in　a　thorough　state　of　cleanliness　and　order。　　We　went　to　supper。　The　captain；　his　mates；　and　the　stranger　　gathered　around　the　board；　while　the　generous　sailor　brought　out　his　curious　bottles　and　put　them　by　the　side　of　the　still　more　curious　dishes　of　food。

All　my　surroundings　were　those　of　the　　country　of　the　midnight　sun；　and　I　should　have　felt　more　bewildered　than　when　in　the　fog　I　viewed　and　chased　this　spectral…looking　ship；　had　not　Captain　Bergelund；　in　most　excellent　English；　entertained　me　with　a　flow　of　conversation　which　put　me　at　my　ease。　　He　discoursed　of　Finland；　where　lakes　covered　the　country　from　near　Abo；　its　chief　city；　to　the　far　north；　where　the　summer　days　are　〃nearly　all　night　long。〃

Painting　in　high　colors　the　delights　of　his　　native　land；　he　begged　me　to　visit　it。　　Finally；　as　midnight　drew　near；　this　genial　sailor　insisted　upon　putting　me　in　his　own　comfortable　　stateroom；　while　he　slept　upon　a　lounge　in　the　cabin。

One　mile　above　the　Rurik's　anchorage　was　the　phosphate…mill　of　the　Pacific　Company；　which　was　supplying　Captain　Bergelund；　by　lighters；　with　his　freight　of　unground　fertilizer。

The　next　morning　I　took　leave　of　the　Rurik；　but；　instead　of　descending　the　Bull　River　to　the　Coosaw；　I　determined　to　save　time　by　crossing　the　peninsula　between　the　two　rivers　by　means　of　two　short　creeks　which　were　connected　at　their　sources　by　a　very　short　canal　near　〃the　mines〃　of　the　Phosphate　Company。　　When　I　entered　Horse　Island　Creek；　at　eleven　o'clock；　the　tide　was　on　the　last　of　the　ebb；　and　I　sat　in　the　canoe　a　long　time　awaiting　the　flood　to　float　me　up　the　wide　ditch；　which　would　conduct　me　to　the　creek　that　emptied　into　the　Coosaw。　Upon　the　banks　of　the　canal　three　hours　were　lost　waiting　for　the　tide　to　give　me　one　foot　of　water；　when　I　rowed　into　the　second　　watercourse；　and　late　in　the　afternoon　entered　the　wide　Coosaw。　　The　two　creeks　and　the　connecting　canal　are　called　the　Haulover　Creek。

As　I　turned　up　the　Coosaw；　and　skirted　the　now　submerged　marshes　of　its　left　bank；　two　dredging…machines　were　at　work　up　the　river　raising　the　remains　of　the　marine　monsters　of　antiquity。　　The　strong　wind　and　swashing　seas　being　in　my　favor；　the　canoe　soon　arrived　　opposite　the　spot　of　upland　I　had　so　longed　to　reach　the　previous　night。

This　was　Chisolm's　Landing；　back　of　which　were　the　phosphate　　works　of　the　Coosaw　Mine　Company。　　The　inspector　of　phosphates；　Mr。　John　Hunn；　offered　me　the　hospitality　of　Alligator　Hall；　where　he　and　some　of　the　　gentlemen　employed　by　the　company　resided　in　bachelor　retirement。　　My　host　described　a　　mammal's　tooth　that　weighed　nearly　fourteen　pounds；　which　had　been　taken　from　a　phosphate　mine；　it　had　been　sent　to　a　public　room　at　Beaufort；　South　Carolina。　　A　fossil　shark's　tooth；　weighing　four　and　a　half　pounds；　was　also　found；　and　a　learned　ichthyologist　has　asserted　that　the　owner　of　this　remarkable　relic　of　the　past　must　have　been　one　hundred　feet　in　length。

Beaufort　was　near　at　hand；　and　could　be　easily　reached　by　entering　Brickyard　Creek；　the　　entrance　of　which　was　on　the　right　bank　of　the　Coosaw；　nearly　opposite　Chisolm's　Landing。　　It　was　nearly　six　miles　by　this　creek　to　Beaufort；　and　from　that　town　to　Port　Royal　Sound；　by　　following　Beaufort　River；　was　a　distance　of　eleven　miles。　The　mouth　of　Beaufort　River　is　only　two　miles　from　the　sea。　　Preferring　to　follow　a　more　interior　water　route　than　the　Beaufort　one；　the　　canoe　was　rowed　up　the　Coosaw　five　miles　to　Whale　Branch；　which　is　crossed　by　the　Port　Royal　　railroad　bridge。　　Whale　Branch；　five　miles　in　length；　empties　into　Broad　River；　which　I　descended　thirteen　miles；　to　the　lower　end　of　Daw　Island；　on　its　right　bank。　　Here；　in　this　region　of　marshy　shores；　the　Chechessee　River　and　the　Broad　River　mingle　their　strong　currents　in　Port　Royal　Sound。　It　was　dusk　when　the　sound　was　entered　from　the　extreme　end　of　Daw　Island；　where　it　became　necessary　to　cross　immediately　to　Skull　Creek；　at　Hilton　Head　Island；　or　go　into　camp　for　the　night。

I　looked　down　the　sound　six　miles　to　the　broad　Atlantic；　which　was　sending　in　clouds　of　mist　on　a　fresh　breeze。　　I　gazed　across　the　mouth　of　the　Chechessee；　and　the　sound　at　the　entrance　of　the　port　of　refuge。　　I　desired　to　traverse　nearly　three　miles　of　this　rough　water。　　I　would　gladly　have　camped；　hut　the　shore　I　was　about　to　leave　offered　to　submerge　me　with　the　next　high　water。　　No　friendly　hammock　of　trees　could　be　seen　as　I　glided　from　the　shadow　of　the　high　rushes　of　Daw　Island。　　Circumstances　decided　the　point　in　debate；　and　I　rowed　rapidly　into　the　sound。　The　canoe　had　not　gone　half　a　mile　when　the　Chechessee　River　opened　fully　to　view；　and　a　pretty　little　hammock；　with　two　or　three　shanties　beneath　its　trees；　could　be　plainly　seen　on　Daw's　Island。

It　was　now　too　late　to　return　and　ascend　the　river　to　the　hammock；　for　the　sound　was　　disturbed　by　the　freshening　breeze　from　the　sea　blowing　against　the　ebb…tide；　which　was　increased　in　power　by　the　outflowing　flume　of　water　from　the　wide　Chechessee。　　It　required　all　the　energy　I　possessed　to　keep　the　canoe　from　being　　overrun　by　the　swashy；　sharp…pointed　seas。　　Once　or　twice　I　thought　my　last　struggle　for　life　had　come；　but　a　merciful　Power　gave　me　the　strength　and　coolness　that　this　trying　ordeal　required；　and　I　somehow　weathered　the　dangerous　oyster　reefs　above　Skull　Creek；　and　landed　at　〃Seabrook　Plantation；〃　upon　Hilton　Head　Island；　near　two　or　three　old　houses；　one　of　which　was　being　fitted　up　as　a　store　by　Mr。　Kleim；　of　the　First　New　York　Volunteers；　who　had　lived　on　the　island　since　1861。　　Mr。　Kleim　took　me　to　his　bachelor　quarters；　where　the　wet　cargo　of　the　Maria　　Theresa　was　dried　by　the　kitchen　fireplace。

The　next　day；　February　18；　I　left　Seabrook　and　followed　Skull　Creek　to　Mackay's　Creek；　and；　passing　the　mouth　of　May　River；　entered　Calibogue　Sound；　where　a　sudden　tempest　arose　and　drove　me　into　a　creek　which　flowed　out　of　the　marshes　of　Bull　Island。　　A　few　negro　huts　were　discovered　on　a　low　mound　of　earth。　　The　blacks　told　me　their　hammock　was　called　Bird　Island。

The　tempest　lasted　all　day；　and　as　no　shelter　could　be　found　on　the　creek；　a　darky　hauled　my　canoe　on　a　cart　a　couple　of　miles　to　Bull　Creek；　which　enters　into　Cooper　River；　one　of　the　　watercourses　I　was　to　enter　from　Calibogue　Sound。　Upon　reaching　the　wooded　shores　of　Bull　Creek；　my　carter　introduced　me　to　the　head　man　of　the　settlement；　a　weazened…looking　little　old　　creature　called　Cuffy；　who；　though　respectful　in　his　demeanor　to　〃de　Yankee…mans；〃　was　cross　and　overbearing　to　the　few　families　occupying　the　shanties　in　the　magnificent　grove　of　live…oaks　which　shaded　them。

Cuffy's　cook…house；　or　kitchen；　which　was　a　log　structure　measuring　nine　by　ten　feet；　with　posts　only　three　feet　high；　was　the　only　building　which　could　be　emptied　of　its　contents　for　my　accommodation。　　Our　contract　or　lease　was　a　verbal　one；　Cuffy's　terms　being　〃whateber　de　white　man　likes　to　gib　an　ole　nigger。〃　　Cuffy　cut　a　big　switch；　and　sent　in　his　〃darter；〃　a　girl　of　about　fourteen　years；　to　clean　out　the　shanty。　When　she　did　not　move　fast　enough　to　suit　the　old　man's　wishes；　he　switched　her　over　the　shoulders　till　it　excited　my　pity；　but　the　girl　seemed　to　take　the　beating　as　an　every…day　amusement；　for　it　made　no　impression　on　her　hard　skull　and　thick　skin。

After　commencing　to　〃keep　house；〃　the　old　women　came　to　sell　me　eggs　and　beg　for　〃bacca。〃　They　requested　me　never　to　throw　away　my　coffee…grounds；　as　it　made　coffee　〃good　'nuf　for　black　folks。〃　　I　distributed　some　of　my　stores　among　them；　and；　after　cutting　rushes　and　boughs　for　my　bed；　turned　in　for　the　night。

These　negroes　had　been　raising　Sea…Island　cotton；　but　the　price　having　declined　to　five　cents　a　pound；　they　could　not　get　twenty…five　cents　a　day　for　their　labor　by　cultivating　it。

The　fierce　wind　subsided　before　dawn；　but　a　heav