voyage of the paper canoe-第36节
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from the forest。 This sound was indeed pleasant to my ears； for I knew the upland was near； and that a warm fire awaited my benumbed limbs in the cabin of this unknown man。 Pushing the canoe towards the sound； and feeling the submerged border of the swamp with my paddle； I struck the upland where it touched the water； and disembarking； felt my way along a well…trodden path to a little clearing。 Here a drove of hogs were crowding around their owner； who was scattering kernels of corn about him as he vociferated； 〃pe…ig pe…ig … pe…ig … pig … pig … pig。〃 We stood face to face； yet neither could see the face of the other in the darkness。 I told my tale； and asked where I could find a sheltered spot to camp。
〃Stranger；〃 slowly replied the Cracker； 〃my cabin's close at hand。 Come home with me。 It's a bad night for a man to lay out in； and the niggers would steal your traps if they knew you had anything worth taking。 Come with me。〃
In the tall pines near at hand was a cabin of peeled rails； the chinks between them being stuffed with moss。 A roof of cypress shingles kept the rain out。 The log chimney； which was plastered with mud； was built outside of the walls and against an end of the rustic…looking structure。 The wide…mouthed fireplace sent forth a blaze of light as we entered the poor man's home。 I saw in the nicely swept floor； the clean bed…spreads； and the general neatness of the place； the character of Wilson Edge's wife。
〃Hog and hominy's our food here in the piny woods；〃 said Mr。 Edge； as his wife invited us to the little table； 〃and we've a few eggs now and then to eat with sweet potatoes； but it's up…hill work to keep the niggers from killing every fowl and animal we have。 The carpet…bag politicians promised them every one； for his vote； forty acres of land and a mule。 They sed as how the northern government was a…going to give it to um； but the poor devils never got any thanks even for their votes。 They had been stuffed with all sorts of notions by the carpet…baggers； and I don't blame um for putting on airs and trying to rule us。 It's human natur； that's all。 We don't blame the niggers half so much as those who puts it in their heads to do so； but it's hard times we've had； we poor woods folks。 They took our children for the cussed war； to fight fur niggers and rich people as owned um。
〃We never could find out what all the fuss was about； but when Jeff Davis made a law to exempt every man from the army who owned fifteen niggers； then our blood riz right up； and we sez to our neighbors； 'This ere thing's a…getting to be a rich man's quarrel and a poor man's fight。' After all they dragged off my boy to Chambersburg； Pennsylvania； and killed him a fighting for what？ Why； for rich nigger owners。 Our young men hid in the swamps； but they were hunted up and forced into the army。 Niggers has been our ruin。 Ef a white man takes a case before a nigger justice； he gives the nigger everything； and the white man has to stand one side。 Now； would you folks up north like to have a nigger justice who can't read nor count ten figgurs？〃
I tried to comfort the poor man； by assuring him that outside of the political enemies of our peace； the masses in the north were honestly inclined towards the south now that slavery was at an end； and that wrong could not long prevail； with the cheerful prospect of a new administration； and the removal of all unconstitutional forces that preyed upon the south。
The two beds in the single room of the cabin were occupied by the family； while I slept upon the floor by the fire； with my blankets for a couch and a roll of homespun for a pillow； which the women called 〃heading。〃 They often said； 〃Let me give you some heading for your bed。〃 We waited until eight o'clock the next day for the mists to rise from the swamps。 My daily trouble was now upon me。 How could I remunerate a southerner for his cost of keeping me； when not； in the true sense of the word； an invited guest to his hospitality？
Wilson Edge sat by the fire； while his wife and little ones were preparing to accompany me to see the paper boat。 〃Mr。 Edge；〃 I stammered； 〃you have treated me with great kindness； your wife has been put to some inconvenience as I came in so unexpected a manner； and you will really oblige me if you will accept a little money for all this； though money cannot pay for your hospitality。 Grant my wish； and you will send me away with a light heart。〃 The poor Cracker lowered his head and slowly ran his fingers through his coal black hair。 For a moment he seemed studying a reply； and then he spoke as though HE represented the whole generous heart of the south。
〃Stranger；〃 he slowly articulated；〃Stranger； I have known white men to be niggers enough to take a stranger's money for lodgings and vittles； but I am not that man。〃
We found the canoe as it had been left the night before； and I was soon pulling down the river。 The great wilderness was traversed thirty miles to the county town of Conwayborough； where the negroes roared with laughter at the working of the double paddle； as I shot past the landing…place where cotton and naval stores were piled； waiting to be lightered nine miles to Pot Bluff； so called from the fact of a pot being lost from a vessel near it； which place is reached by vessels from New York drawing twelve feet of water。 Though still a long distance from the ocean； I was beginning to feel its tidal influences。 At Pot Bluff； the landing and comfortable home of its owner； Mr。 Z。 W。 Dusenberry； presented a pleasant relief after the monotony of the great pine forests。 This enterprising business man made my short stay a very pleasant one。
Wednesday； January 20th； was cold for this latitude； and ice formed in thin sheets in the water…pails。 Twenty…two miles below Pot Bluff； Bull Creek enters the Waccamaw from the Peedee River。 At the mouth of this connecting watercourse is Tip Top； the first rice plantation of the Waccamaw。 The Peedee and its sister stream run an almost parallel course from Bull Creek to Winyah Bay； making their debouchure close to the city of Georgetown。 Steam sawmills and rice plantations take the place of the forests from a few miles below Tip Top to the vicinity of Georgetown。
Mr。 M。 L。 Blakely； of New York； one of the largest shingle manufacturers of the south； occupied as his headquarters the Bates Hill Plantation； on the Peedee。 This gentleman had invited me； through the medium of the post…office； to visit him in the rice…growing regions of South Carolina。 To reach his home I took the short 〃cut…off〃 which Bull Creek offered； and entered upon the strongest of head…currents。 The thick yellow； muddy torrent of the Peedee rushed through Bull Creek with such volume； that I wondered if it left much water on the other side to give character to the river； as it followed its own channel to Winyah Bay。
One and a half miles of vigorous paddling brought me to a branch of the watercourse； which is much narrower than the main one； and is consequently called Little Bull Creek。 This also comes from the Peedee River； and its source is nearer to the Bates Hill plantation than the main Bull Creek。 To urge the canoe up this narrow stream three miles and a half to the parent river Peedee； was a most trying ordeal。 At times the boat would not move a hundred feet in five minutes； and often； as my strength seemed failing me； I caught the friendly branches of trees； and held on to keep the canoe from being whirled down the current towards the Waccamaw。 After long and persistent efforts had exhausted my strength； I was about to seek for a resting…place in the swamp； when a view of the broad Peedee opened before me； and with vigorous strokes of the paddle the canoe slowly approached the mighty current。 A moment more and it was within its grasp； and went flying down the turbulent stream at the rate of ten miles an hour。
A loud halloo greeted me from the swamp； where a party of negro shingle…makers were at work。 They manned their boat； a long cypress dug…out； and followed me。 Their employer； who proved to be the gentleman whose abiding…place I was now rapidly approaching； sat in the stern。 We landed together before the old plantation house； which had been occupied a few years before by members of the wealthy and powerful rice…planting aristocracy of the Peedee； but was now the temporary home of a northern man； who was busily employed in guiding the labors of his four hundred freedmen in the swamps of North and South Carolina。
The paper canoe had now entered the regions of the rice…planter。 Along the low banks of the Peedee were diked marshes where； before the civil war； each estate produced from five thousand to forty thousand bushels of rice annually； and the lords of rice were more powerful than those of cotton； though cotton was king。 The rich lands here produced as high as fifty…five bushels of rice to the acre； under forced slave labor； now the free blacks cannot wrest from nature more than twenty…five or thirty bushels。
Fine old mansions lined the river's banks； but the families had been so reduced by the ravages of war； that I saw refined ladies； who had been educated in the schools of Edinburgh； Scotland； overseeing the negroes a
