the complete writings-3-第18部分

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At　daylight　we　were　astir；　and；　having　pressed　the　principle　of　fire　into　our　service　to　make　a　pot　of　tea；　we　carefully　extinguished　it　or　sent　it　into　another　place；　and　addressed　ourselves　to　the　climb　of　some　thing　over　two　thousand　feet。　　The　arduous　labor　of　scaling　an　Alpine　peak　has　a　compensating　glory；　but　the　dead　lift　of　our　bodies　up　Nipple　Top　had　no　stimulus　of　this　sort。　　It　is　simply　hard　work；　for　which　the　strained　muscles　only　get　the　approbation　of　the　individual　conscience　that　drives　them　to　the　task。　　The　pleasure　of　such　an　ascent　is　difficult　to　explain　on　the　spot；　and　I　suspect　consists　not　so　much　in　positive　enjoyment　as　in　the　delight　the　mind　experiences　in　tyrannizing　over　the　body。　　I　do　not　object　to　the　elevation　of　this　mountain；　nor　to　the　uncommonly　steep　grade　by　which　it　attains　it；　but　only　to　the　other　obstacles　thrown　in　the　way　of　the　climber。　　All　the　slopes　of　Nipple　Top　are　hirsute　and　jagged　to　the　last　degree。　　Granite　ledges　interpose；　granite　bowlders　seem　to　have　been　dumped　over　the　sides　with　no　more　attempt　at　arrangement　than　in　a　rip…rap　wall；　the　slashes　and　windfalls　of　a　century　present　here　and　there　an　almost　impenetrable　chevalier　des　arbres；　and　the　steep　sides　bristle　with　a　mass　of　thick　balsams；　with　dead；　protruding　spikes；　as　unyielding　as　iron　stakes。　　The　mountain　has　had　its　own　way　forever；　and　is　as　untamed　as　a　wolf；　or　rather　the　elements；　the　frightful　tempests；　the　frosts；　the　heavy　snows；　the　coaxing　sun；　and　the　avalanches　have　had　their　way　with　it　until　its　surface　is　in　hopeless　confusion。　　We　made　our　way　very　slowly；　and　it　was　ten　o'clock　before　we　reached　what　appeared　to　be　the　summit；　a　ridge　deeply　covered　with　moss；　low　balsams；　and　blueberry…bushes。

I　say；　appeared　to　be；　for　we　stood　in　thick　fog　or　in　the　heart　of　clouds　which　limited　our　dim　view　to　a　radius　of　twenty　feet。　　It　was　a　warm　and　cheerful　fog；　stirred　by　little　wind；　but　moving；　shifting；　and　boiling　as　by　its　own　volatile　nature；　rolling　up　black　from　below　and　dancing　in　silvery　splendor　overhead　As　a　fog　it　could　not　have　been　improved；　as　a　medium　for　viewing　the　landscape　it　was　a　failure　and　we　lay　down　upon　the　Sybarite　couch　of　moss；　as　in　a　Russian　bath；　to　await　revelations。

We　waited　two　hours　without　change；　except　an　occasional　hopeful　lightness　in　the　fog　above；　and　at　last　the　appearance　for　a　moment　of　the　spectral　sun。　　Only　for　an　instant　was　this　luminous　promise　vouchsafed。　　But　we　watched　in　intense　excitement。　　There　it　was　again；　and　this　time　the　fog　was　so　thin　overhead　that　we　caught　sight　of　a　patch　of　blue　sky　a　yard　square；　across　which　the　curtain　was　instantly　drawn。　　A　little　wind　was　stirring；　and　the　fog　boiled　up　from　the　valley　caldrons　thicker　than　ever。　　But　the　spell　was　broken。　　In　a　moment　more　Old　Phelps　was　shouting；　〃The　sun！〃　and　before　we　could　gain　our　feet　there　was　a　patch　of　sky　overhead　as　big　as　a　farm。　　〃See！　quick！〃　　The　old　man　was　dancing　like　a　lunatic。　　There　was　a　rift　in　the　vapor　at　our　feet；　down；　down；　three　thousand　feet　into　the　forest　abyss；　and　lo！　lifting　out　of　it　yonder　the　tawny　side　of　Dix；the　vision　of　a　second；　snatched　away　in　the　rolling　fog。　　The　play　had　just　begun。　　Before　we　could　turn；　there　was　the　gorge　of　Caribou　Pass；　savage　and　dark；　visible　to　the　bottom。　　The　opening　shut　as　suddenly；　and　then；　looking　over　the　clouds；　miles　away　we　saw　the　peaceful　farms　of　the　Au　Sable　Valley；　and　in　a　moment　more　the　plateau　of　North　Elba　and　the　sentinel　mountains　about　the　grave　of　John　Brown。　　These　glimpses　were　as　fleeting　as　thought；　and　instantly　we　were　again　isolated　in　the　sea　of　mist。　　The　expectation　of　these　sudden　strokes　of　sublimity　kept　us　exultingly　on　the　alert；　and　yet　it　was　a　blow　of　surprise　when　the　curtain　was　swiftly　withdrawn　on　the　west；　and　the　long　ridge　of　Colvin；　seemingly　within　a　stone's　throw；　heaved　up　like　an　island　out　of　the　ocean；　and　was　the　next　moment　ingulfed。　　We　waited　longer　for　Dix　to　show　its　shapely　peak　and　its　glistening　sides　of　rock　gashed　by　avalanches。　　The　fantastic　clouds；　torn　and　streaming；　hurried　up　from　the　south　in　haste　as　if　to　a　witch's　rendezvous；　hiding　and　disclosing　the　great　summit　in　their　flight。　　The　mist　boiled　up　from　the　valley；　whirled　over　the　summit　where　we　stood；　and　plunged　again　into　the　depths。　　Objects　were　forming　and　disappearing；　shifting　and　dancing；　now　in　sun　and　now　gone　in　fog；　and　in　the　elemental　whirl　we　felt　that　we　were　〃assisting〃　in　an　original　process　of　creation。　　The　sun　strove；　and　his　very　striving　called　up　new　vapors；　the　wind　rent　away　the　clouds；　and　brought　new　masses　to　surge　about　us；　and　the　spectacle　to　right　and　left；　above　and　below；　changed　with　incredible　swiftness。　　Such　glory　of　abyss　and　summit；　of　color　and　form　and　transformation；　is　seldom　granted　to　mortal　eyes。　　For　an　hour　we　watched　it　until　our　vast　mountain　was　revealed　in　all　its　bulk；　its　long　spurs；　its　abysses　and　its　savagery；　and　the　great　basins　of　wilderness　with　their　shining　lakes；　and　the　giant　peaks　of　the　region；　were　one　by　one　disclosed；　and　hidden　and　again　tranquil　in　the　sunshine。

Where　was　the　cave？　　There　was　ample　surface　in　which　to　look　for　it。　If　we　could　have　flitted　about；　like　the　hawks　that　came　circling　round；　over　the　steep　slopes；　the　long　spurs；　the　jagged　precipices；　I　have　no　doubt　we　should　have　found　it。　　But　moving　about　on　this　mountain　is　not　a　holiday　pastime；　and　we　were　chiefly　anxious　to　discover　a　practicable　mode　of　descent　into　the　great　wilderness　basin　on　the　south；　which　we　must　traverse　that　afternoon　before　reaching　the　hospitable　shanty　on　Mud　Pond。　　It　was　enough　for　us　to　have　discovered　the　general　whereabouts　of　the　Spanish　Cave；　and　we　left　the　fixing　of　its　exact　position　to　future　explorers。

The　spur　we　chose　for　our　escape　looked　smooth　in　the　distance；　but　we　found　it　bristling　with　obstructions；　dead　balsams　set　thickly　together；　slashes　of　fallen　timber；　and　every　manner　of　woody　chaos；　and　when　at　length　we　swung　and　tumbled　off　the　ledge　to　the　general　slope；　we　exchanged　only　for　more　disagreeable　going。　　The　slope　for　a　couple　of　thousand　feet　was　steep　enough；　but　it　was　formed　of　granite　rocks　all　moss…covered；　so　that　the　footing　could　not　be　determined；　and　at　short　intervals　we　nearly　went　out　of　sight　in　holes　under　the　treacherous　carpeting。　　Add　to　this　that　stems　of　great　trees　were　laid　longitudinally　and　transversely　and　criss…cross　over　and　among　the　rocks；　and　the　reader　can　see　that　a　good　deal　of　work　needs　to　be　done　to　make　this　a　practicable　highway　for　anything　but　a　squirrel。。。。

We　had　had　no　water　since　our　daylight　breakfast：　our　lunch　on　the　mountain　had　been　moistened　only　by　the　fog。　　Our　thirst　began　to　be　that　of　Tantalus；　because　we　could　hear　the　water　running　deep　down　among　the　rocks；　but　we　could　not　come　at　it。　　The　imagination　drank　the　living　stream；　and　we　realized　anew　what　delusive　food　the　imagination　furnishes　in　an　actual　strait。　　A　good　deal　of　the　crime　of　this　world；　I　am　convinced；　is　the　direct　result　of　the　unlicensed　play　of　the　imagination　in　adverse　circumstances。　　This　reflection　had　nothing　to　do　with　our　actual　situation；　for　we　added　to　our　imagination　patience；　and　to　our　patience　long…suffering；　and　probably　all　the　Christian　virtues　would　have　been　developed　in　us　if　the　descent　had　been　long　enough。　　Before　we　reached　the　bottom　of　Caribou　Pass；　the　water　burst　out　from　the　rocks　in　a　clear　stream　that　was　as　cold　as　ice。　　Shortly　after；　we　struck　the　roaring　brook　that　issues　from　the　Pass　to　the　south。　　It　is　a　stream　full　of　character；　not　navigable　even　for　trout　in　the　upper　part；　but　a　succession　of　falls；　cascades；　flumes；　and　pools　that　would　delight　an　artist。　　It　is　not　an　easy　bed　for　anything　except　water　to　descend；　and　before　we　reached　the　level　reaches；　where　the　stream　flows　with　a　murmurous　noise　through　open　woods；　one　of　our　party　began　to　show　signs　of　exhaustion。

This　was　Old　Phelps；　whose　appetite　had　failed　the　day　before；his　imagination　being　in　better　working　order　than　his　stomach：　he　had　eaten　little　that　day；　and　his　legs　became　so　groggy　that　he　was　obliged　to　rest　at　short　intervals。　　Here　was　a　situation！　　The　afternoon　was　wearing　away。　　We　had　six　or　seven　miles　of　unknown　wilderness　to　traverse；　a　portion　of　it　swampy；　in　which　a　progress　of　more　than　a　mile　an　hour　is　difficult；　and　the　condition　of　the　guide　compelled　even　a　slower　march。　　What　should　we　do　in　that　lonesome　solitude　if　the　guide　became　disabled？　　We　couldn't　carry　him　out；　could　we　find　our　own　way　out　to　get　assistance？　　The　guide　himself　had　never　been　there　before；　and　although　he　knew　the　general　direction　of　our　point　of　egress；　and　was　entirely　adequate　to　extricate　himself　from　any　position　in　the　woods；　his　knowledge　was　of　that　occult　sort　possessed　by　woodsmen　which　it　is　impossible　to　communicate。　　Our　object　was　to　strike　a　trail　that　led　from　the　Au　Sable　Pond；　the　other　side　of　the　mountain…range；　to　an　inlet　on　Mud　Pond。　　We　knew　that　if　we　traveled　southwestward　far　enough　we　must　strike　that　trail；　but　how　far？　　No　one　could　tell。　　If　we　reached　that　trail；　and　found　a　boat　at　the　inlet；　there　would　be　only　a　row　of　a　couple　of　miles　to　the　house　at　the　foot　of　the　lake。　　If　no　boat　was　there；　then　we　must　circle　the　lake　three　or　four　miles　farther　through　a　cedar…swamp；　with　no　trail　in　particular。　　The　prospect　was　not　pleasing。　　We　were　short　of　supplies；　for　we　had　not　expected　to　pass　that　night　in　the　woods。　　The　pleasure　of　the　excursion　began　to　develop　itself。

We　stumbled　on　in　the　general　direction　marked　out；　through　a　forest　that　began　to　seem　endless　as　hour　after　hour　passed；　compelled　as　we　were　to　make　long　detours　over　the　ridges　of　the　foothills　to　avoid　the　swamp；　which　sent　out　from　the　border　of　the　lake　long　tongues　into　the　firm　ground。　　The　guide　became　more　ill　at　every　step；　and　needed　frequent　halts　and　long　rests。　　Food　he　could　not　eat；　and　tea；　water；　and　even　brandy　he　rejected。　　Again　and　again　the　old　philosopher；　enfeebled　by　excessive　exertion　and　illness；　would　collapse　in　a　heap　on　the　ground；　an　almost　comical　picture　of　despair；