the complete writings-3-第6节

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hat　irreverent　guide；　but　I　told　him　to　back　water；　and　make　for　the　center　of　the　lake。　The　trout；　as　soon　as　he　felt　the　prick　of　the　hook；　was　off　like　a　shot；　and　took　out　the　whole　of　the　line　with　a　rapidity　that　made　it　smoke。　　〃Give　him　the　butt！〃　shouted　Luke。　　It　is　the　usual　remark　in　such　an　emergency。　　I　gave　him　the　butt；　and；　recognizing　the　fact　and　my　spirit；　the　trout　at　once　sank　to　the　bottom；　and　sulked。　　It　is　the　most　dangerous　mood　of　a　trout；　for　you　cannot　tell　what　he　will　do　next。　　We　reeled　up　a　little；　and　waited　five　minutes　for　him　to　reflect。　　A　tightening　of　the　line　enraged　him；　and　he　soon　developed　his　tactics。　　Coming　to　the　surface；　he　made　straight　for　the　boat　faster　than　I　could　reel　in；　and　evidently　with　hostile　intentions。　　〃Look　out　for　him！〃　cried　Luke　as　he　came　flying　in　the　air。　　I　evaded　him　by　dropping　flat　in　the　bottom　of　the　boat；　and；　when　I　picked　my　traps　up；　he　was　spinning　across　the　lake　as　if　he　had　a　new　idea：　but　the　line　was　still　fast。　　He　did　not　run　far。　　I　gave　him　the　butt　again；　a　thing　he　seemed　to　hate；　even　as　a　gift。　In　a　moment　the　evil…minded　fish；　lashing　the　water　in　his　rage；　was　coming　back　again；　making　straight　for　the　boat　as　before。　　Luke；　who　was　used　to　these　encounters；　having　read　of　them　in　the　writings　of　travelers　he　had　accompanied；　raised　his　paddle　in　self…defense。　　The　trout　left　the　water　about　ten　feet　from　the　boat；　and　came　directly　at　me　with　fiery　eyes；　his　speckled　sides　flashing　like　a　meteor。　　I　dodged　as　he　whisked　by　with　a　vicious　slap　of　his　bifurcated　tail；　and　nearly　upset　the　boat。　　The　line　was　of　course　slack；　and　the　danger　was　that　he　would　entangle　it　about　me；　and　carry　away　a　leg。　This　was　evidently　his　game；　but　I　untangled　it；　and　only　lost　a　breast　button　or　two　by　the　swiftly…moving　string。　　The　trout　plunged　into　the　water　with　a　hissing　sound；　and　went　away　again　with　all　the　line　on　the　reel。　　More　butt；　more　indignation　on　the　part　of　the　captive。　　The　contest　had　now　been　going　on　for　half　an　hour；　and　I　was　getting　exhausted。　　We　had　been　back　and　forth　across　the　lake；　and　round　and　round　the　lake。　　What　I　feared　was　that　the　trout　would　start　up　the　inlet　and　wreck　us　in　the　bushes。　　But　he　had　a　new　fancy；　and　began　the　execution　of　a　manoeuvre　which　I　had　never　read　of。　　Instead　of　coming　straight　towards　me；　he　took　a　large　circle；　swimming　rapidly；　and　gradually　contracting　his　orbit。　　I　reeled　in；　and　kept　my　eye　on　him。　　Round　and　round　he　went；　narrowing　his　circle。　　I　began　to　suspect　the　game；　which　was；　to　twist　my　head　off。When　he　had　reduced　the　radius　of　his　circle　to　about　twenty…　five　feet；　he　struck　a　tremendous　pace　through　the　water。　　It　would　be　false　modesty　in　a　sportsman　to　say　that　I　was　not　equal　to　the　occasion。　　Instead　of　turning　round　with　him；　as　he　expected；　I　stepped　to　the　bow；　braced　myself；　and　let　the　boat　swing。　　Round　went　the　fish；　and　round　we　went　like　a　top。　　I　saw　a　line　of　Mount　Marcys　all　round　the　horizon；　the　rosy　tint　in　the　west　made　a　broad　band　of　pink　along　the　sky　above　the　tree…tops；　the　evening　star　was　a　perfect　circle　of　light；　a　hoop　of　gold　in　the　heavens。　　We　whirled　and　reeled；　and　reeled　and　whirled。　　I　was　willing　to　give　the　malicious　beast　butt　and　line；　and　all；　if　he　would　only　go　the　other　way　for　a　change。

When　I　came　to　myself；　Luke　was　gaffing　the　trout　at　the　boat…side。　After　we　had　got　him　in　and　dressed　him；　he　weighed　three…quarters　of　a　pound。　　Fish　always　lose　by　being　〃got　in　and　dressed。〃　　It　is　best　to　weigh　them　while　they　are　in　the　water。　　The　only　really　large　one　I　ever　caught　got　away　with　my　leader　when　I　first　struck　him。　　He　weighed　ten　pounds。




IV

A…HUNTING　OF　THE　DEER

If　civilization　owes　a　debt　of　gratitude　to　the　self…sacrificing　sportsmen　who　have　cleared　the　Adirondack　regions　of　catamounts　and　savage　trout；　what　shall　be　said　of　the　army　which　has　so　nobly　relieved　them　of　the　terror　of　the　deer？　　The　deer…slayers　have　somewhat　celebrated　their　exploits　in　print；　but　I　think　that　justice　has　never　been　done　them。

The　American　deer　in　the　wilderness；　left　to　himself；　leads　a　comparatively　harmless　but　rather　stupid　life；　with　only　such　excitement　as　his　own　timid　fancy　raises。　　It　was　very　seldom　that　one　of　his　tribe　was　eaten　by　the　North　American　tiger。　　For　a　wild　animal　he　is　very　domestic；　simple　in　his　tastes；　regular　in　his　habits；　affectionate　in　his　family。　　Unfortunately　for　his　repose；　his　haunch　is　as　tender　as　his　heart。　　Of　all　wild　creatures　he　is　one　of　the　most　graceful　in　action；　and　he　poses　with　the　skill　of　an　experienced　model。　　I　have　seen　the　goats　on　Mount　Pentelicus　scatter　at　the　approach　of　a　stranger；　climb　to　the　sharp　points　of　projecting　rocks；　and　attitudinize　in　the　most　self…conscious　manner；　striking　at　once　those　picturesque　postures　against　the　sky　with　which　Oriental　pictures　have　made　us　and　them　familiar。　　But　the　whole　proceeding　was　theatrical。

Greece　is　the　home　of　art；　and　it　is　rare　to　find　anything　there　natural　and　unstudied。　　I　presume　that　these　goats　have　no　nonsense　about　them　when　they　are　alone　with　the　goatherds；　any　more　than　the　goatherds　have；　except　when　they　come　to　pose　in　the　studio；　but　the　long　ages　of　culture；　the　presence　always　to　the　eye　of　the　best　models　and　the　forms　of　immortal　beauty；　the　heroic　friezes　of　the　Temple　of　Theseus；　the　marble　processions　of　sacrificial　animals；　have　had　a　steady　molding；　educating　influence　equal　to　a　society　of　decorative　art　upon　the　people　and　the　animals　who　have　dwelt　in　this　artistic　atmosphere。　　The　Attic　goat　has　become　an　artificially　artistic　being；　though　of　course　he　is　not　now　what　he　was；　as　a　poser；　in　the　days　of　Polycletus。　　There　is　opportunity　for　a　very　instructive　essay　by　Mr。　E。　A。　Freeman　on　the　decadence　of　the　Attic　goat　under　the　influence　of　the　Ottoman　Turk。

The　American　deer；　in　the　free　atmosphere　of　our　country；　and　as　yet　untouched　by　our　decorative　art；　is　without　self…consciousness；　and　all　his　attitudes　are　free　and　unstudied。　　The　favorite　position　of　the　deerhis　fore…feet　in　the　shallow　margin　of　the　lake；　among　the　lily…pads；　his　antlers　thrown　back　and　his　nose　in　the　air　at　the　moment　he　hears　the　stealthy　breaking　of　a　twig　in　the　forestis　still　spirited　and　graceful；　and　wholly　unaffected　by　the　pictures　of　him　which　the　artists　have　put　upon　canvas。

Wherever　you　go　in　the　Northern　forest　you　will　find　deer…paths。　　So　plainly　marked　and　well…trodden　are　they　that　it　is　easy　to　mistake　them　for　trails　made　by　hunters；　but　he　who　follows　one　of　them　is　soon　in　difficulties。　　He　may　find　himself　climbing　through　cedar　thickets　an　almost　inaccessible　cliff；　or　immersed　in　the　intricacies　of　a　marsh。　　The　〃run；〃　in　one　direction；　will　lead　to　water；　but；　in　the　other；　it　climbs　the　highest　hills；　to　which　the　deer　retires；　for　safety　and　repose；　in　impenetrable　thickets。　　The　hunters；　in　winter；　find　them　congregated　in　〃　yards；〃　where　they　can　be　surrounded　and　shot　as　easily　as　our　troops　shoot　Comanche　women　and　children　in　their　winter　villages。　　These　little　paths　are　full　of　pitfalls　among　the　roots　and　stones；　and；　nimble　as　the　deer　is；　he　sometimes　breaks　one　of　his　slender　legs　in　them。　　Yet　he　knows　how　to　treat　himself　without　a　surgeon。　　I　knew　of　a　tame　deer　in　a　settlement　in　the　edge　of　the　forest　who　had　the　misfortune　to　break　her　leg。　　She　immediately　disappeared　with　a　delicacy　rare　in　an　invalid；　and　was　not　seen　for　two　weeks。　　Her　friends　had　given　her　up；　supposing　that　she　had　dragged　herself　away　into　the　depths　of　the　woods；　and　died　of　starvation；　when　one　day　she　returned；　cured　of　lameness；　but　thin　as　a　virgin　shadow。　　She　had　the　sense　to　shun　the　doctor；　to　lie　down　in　some　safe　place；　and　patiently　wait　for　her　leg　to　heal。　　I　have　observed　in　many　of　the　more　refined　animals　this　sort　of　shyness；　and　reluctance　to　give　trouble；　which　excite　our　admiration　when　noticed　in　mankind。

The　deer　is　called　a　timid　animal；　and　taunted　with　possessing　courage　only　when　he　is　〃at　bay〃；　the　stag　will　fight　when　he　can　no　longer　flee；　and　the　doe　will　defend　her　young　in　the　face　of　murderous　enemies。　　The　deer　gets　little　credit　for　this　eleventh…　hour　bravery。　　But　I　think　that　in　any　truly　Christian　condition　of　society　the　deer　would　not　be　conspicuous　for　cowardice。　　I　suppose　that　if　the　American　girl；　even　as　she　is　described　in　foreign　romances；　were　pursued　by　bull…dogs；　and　fired　at　from　behind　fences　every　time　she　ventured　outdoors；　she　would　become　timid；　and　reluctant　to　go　abroad。　　When　that　golden　era　comes　which　the　poets　think　is　behind　us；　and　the　prophets　declare　is　about　to　be　ushered　in　by　the　opening　of　the　〃vials；〃　and　the　killing　of　everybody　who　does　not　believe　as　those　nations　believe　which　have　the　most　cannon；　when　we　all　live　in　real　concord；perhaps　the　gentle…hearted　deer　will　be　respected；　and　will　find　that　men　are　not　more　savage　to　the　weak　than　are　the　cougars　and　panthers。　　If　the　little　spotted　fawn　can　think；　it　must　seem　to　her　a　queer　world　in　which　the　advent　of　innocence　is　hailed　by　the　baying　of　fierce　hounds　and　the　〃ping〃　of　the　rifle。

Hunting　the　deer　in　the　Adirondacks　is　c