the lake gun-第1节

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The　Lake　Gun

by　James　Fenimore　Cooper






The　Seneca　is　remarkable　for　its　〃Wandering　Jew；〃　and　the
〃Lake　Gun。〃　The　first　is　a　tree　so　balanced　that　when　its
roots　are　clear　of　the　bottom　it　floats　with　its　broken　and
pointed　trunk　a　few　feet　above　the　surface　of　the　water；
driving　before　the　winds；　or　following　in　the　course　of　the
currents。　At　times；　the　〃Wandering　Jew〃　is　seen　off
Jefferson；　near　the　head　of　this　beautiful　sheet；　and　next　it
will　appear　anchored；　as　it　might　be；　in　the　shallow　water
near　the　outlet。

｛〃Wandering　Jew〃　=　The　medieval　legend　of　Ahasueras；
who　mocked　Christ　on　his　way　to　the　cross　and　was
condemned　to　live　until　Judgment　Day；　is　widespread
throughout　Europe；　though　he　was　only　identified　as　a
〃Jew〃　in　the　17th　centurystudents　at　Geneva　College
（now　Hobart　College）　applied　the　name　to　a　supposedly
unsinkable　floating　log　in　Lake　Seneca；　identified　as　the
legendary　〃Chief　Agayentha〃；　Jefferson　=　I　have　been
unable　to　locate　any　〃Jefferson〃　on　Lake　Seneca｝

For　more　than　half　a　century　has　this　remnant　of　the　forest
floated　about；　from　point　to　point；　its　bald　head　whitening
with　time；　until　its　features　have　become　familiar　to　all　the
older　inhabitants　of　that　region　of　country。　The　great　depth
of　the　Seneca　prevents　it　from　freezing；　and　summer　and
winter；　springtime　and　autumn；　is　this　wanderer　to　be
observed；　occasionally　battling　with　the　ice　that　makes　a
short　distance　from　the　shore；　now　pursuing　its　quiet　way
before　a　mild　southern　air　in　June；　or；　again；　anchored；　by
its　roots　touching　the　bottom；　as　it　passes　a　point；　or
comes　in　contact　with　the　flats。　It　has　been　known　to
remain　a　year　or　two　at　a　time　in　view　of　the　village　of
Geneva；　until；　accustomed　to　its　sight；　the　people　began　to
think　that　it　was　never　to　move　from　its　berth　any　more；
but　a　fresh　northerly　breeze　changes　all　this；　the　〃Jew〃
swings　to　the　gale；　and；　like　a　ship　unmooring；　drags　clear
of　the　bottom；　and　goes　off　to　the　southward；　with　its　head
just　high　enough　above　water　to　be　visible。　It　would　seem
really　that　his　wanderings　are　not　to　cease　as　long　as　wood
will　float。

｛village　of　Geneva　=　now　the　City　of　Geneva；　at　the
northern　end　of　Lake　Seneca｝

No　white　man　can　give　the　history　of　this　〃Jew。〃　He　was
found　laving　his　sides　in　the　pure　waters　of　the　Seneca　by
the　earliest　settlers；　and　it　may　have　been　ages　since　his
wanderings　commenced。　When　they　are　to　cease　is　a
secret　in　the　womb　of　time。

The　〃Lake　Gun〃　is　a　mystery。　It　is　a　sound　resembling　the
explosion　of　a　heavy　piece　of　artillery；　that　can　be
accounted　for　by　none　of　the　known　laws　of　nature。　The
report　is　deep；　hollow；　distant；　and　imposing。　The　lake
seems　to　be　speaking　to　the　surrounding　hills；　which　send
back　the　echoes　of　its　voice　in　accurate　reply。　No
satisfactory　theory　has　ever　been　broached　to　explain
these　noises。　Conjectures　have　been　hazarded　about
chasms；　and　the　escape　of　compressed　air　by　the　sudden
admission　of　water；　but　all　this　is　talking　at　random；　and
has　probably　no　foundation　in　truth。　The　most　that　can　be
said　is；　that　such　sounds　are　heard；　though　at　long
intervals；　and　that　no　one　as　yet　has　succeeded　in
ascertaining　their　cause。

｛〃The　Lake　Gun〃　=　The　〃Lake　Gun〃　or　〃Lake　Drum〃　is　a
mysterious　booming　sound　occasionally　heard　on　Lake
Seneca　（and　on　neighboring　Lake　Cayuga）；　which　has　been
given　a　variety　of　scientific；　literary；　and　legendary
interpretations。｝

It　is　not　many　lustrums　since　curiosity　induced　an　idler；　a
traveler；　and　one　possessed　of　much　attainment　derived
from　journeys　in　distant　lands；　first　to　inquire　closely　into
all　the　traditions　connected　with　these　two　peculiarities　of
the　Seneca；　and；　having　thus　obtained　all　he　could；　to　lead
him　to　make　the　tour　of　the　entire　lake；　in　the　hope　of
learning　more　by　actual　personal　observation。　He　went　up
and　down　in　the　steamboat；　was　much　gratified　with　his
trip；　but　could　see　or　hear　nothing　to　help　him　in　his
investigation。　The　〃Gun〃　had　not　been　heard　in　a　long
time；　and　no　one　could　tell　him　what　had　become　of　the
〃Wandering　Jew。〃　In　vain　did　his　eyes　roam　over　the　broad
expanse　of　water；　they　could　discover　nothing　to　reward
their　search。　There　was　an　old　man　in　the　boat；　of　the
name　of　Peter；　who　had　passed　his　life　on　the　Seneca；　and
to　him　was　our　traveler　referred；　as　the　person　most　likely
to　gratify　his　curiosity。　Fuller　（for　so　we　shall　call　the
stranger　for　the　sake　of　convenience）　was　not　slow　to
profit　by　this　hint；　and　was　soon　in　amicable　relations　with
the　tough；　old；　fresh…water　mariner。　A　half…eagle
opportunely　bestowed　opened　all　the　stores　of　Peter's　lore；
and　he　professed　himself　ready　to　undertake　a　cruise；
even；　for　the　especial　purpose　of　hunting　up　the　〃Jew。〃

｛lustrum　=　a　period　of　five　years；　half　eagle　=　a　U。S。　gold
coin　worth　5。00｝

〃I　haven't　seen　that　ere　crittur　now〃Peter　always　spoke
of　the　tree　as　if　it　had　animal　life〃these　three　years。　We
think　he　doesn't　like　the　steamboats。　The　very　last　time　I
seed　the　old　chap　he　was　a…goin'　up　afore　a　smart
norwester；　and　we　was　a…comin'　down　with　the　wind　in　our
teeth；　when　I　made　out　the　'Jew；'　about　a　mile；　or；　at
most；　a　mile　and　a　half　ahead　of　us；　and　right　in　our　track。
I　remember　that　I　said　to　myself；　says　I；　'Old　fellow；　we'll
get　a　sight　of　your　countenance　this　time。'　I　suppose　you
know；　sir；　that　the　'Jew'　has　a　face　just　like　a　human？〃

〃I　did　not　know　that；　but　what　became　of　the　tree？〃

〃Tree；〃　answered　Peter；　shaking　his　head；　〃why；　can't　we
cut　a　tree　down　in　the　woods；　saw　it　and　carve　it　as　we
will；　and　make　it　last　a　hundred　years？　What　become　of
the　tree；　sir；why；　as　soon　as　the　'Jew'　saw　we　was　a…
comin'　so　straight　upon　him；　what　does　the　old　chap　do　but
shift　his　helm；　and　make　for　the　west　shore。　You　never
seed　a　steamer　leave　sich　a　wake；　or　make　sich　time。　If　he
went　half　a　knot；　he　went　twenty！〃

This　little　episode　rather　shook　Fuller's　faith　in　Peter's
accuracy；　but　it　did　not　prevent　his　making　an
arrangement　by　which　he　and　the　old　man　were　to　take　a
cruise　in　quest　of　the　tree；　after　having　fruitlessly
endeavored　to　discover　in　what　part　of　the　lake　it　was　just
then　to　be　seen。

〃Some　folks　pretend　he's　gone　down；〃　said　Peter；　in
continuation　of　a　discourse　on　the　subject；　as　he　flattened
in　the　sheets　of　a　very　comfortable　and　rather　spacious
sailboat；　on　quitting　the　wharf　of　Geneva；　〃and　will　never
come　up　ag'in。　But　they　may　just　as　well　tell　me　that　the
sky　is　coming　down；　and　that　we　may　set　about　picking　up
the　larks。　That　'Jew'　will　no　more　sink　than　a　well…corked
bottle　will　sink。〃

｛picking　up　the　larks　=　〃When　the　sky　falls　we　shall　catch
larks〃　is　an　old　proverb；　meaning　that　an　idea　or
suggestion　is　ridiculous｝

This　was　the　opinion　of　Peter。　Fuller　cared　but　little　for　it；
though　he　still　fancied　he　might　make　his　companion　useful
in　hunting　up　the　object　of　his　search。　These　two
strangely…assorted　companions　cruised　up　and　down　the
Seneca　for　a　week；　vainly　endeavoring　to　find　the
〃Wandering　Jew。〃　Various　were　the　accounts　they　gleaned
from　the　different　boatmen。　One　had　heard　he　was　to　be
met　with　off　this　point；　another；　in　that　bay：　all　believed
he　might　be　found；　though　no　one　had　seen　him　lately
some　said；　in　many　years。

〃He'll　turn　up；〃　said　Peter；　positively；　〃or　the　Seneca　would
go　down　bows　foremost。　We　shall　light　on　the　old　chap
when　we　least　expect　it。〃

It　must　be　confessed　that　Peter　had　many　sufficient
reasons　for　entertaining　these　encouraging　hopes。　He　was
capitally　fed；　had　very　little　more　to　do　than　to　ease　off；　or
flatten　in　a　sheet；　the　boat　being　too　large　to　be　rowed；
and　cigars；　and　liquors　of　various　sorts　were　pretty　much
at　his　command；　for　the　obvious　reason　that　they　were
under　his　care。　In　delivering　his　sentiments；　however；
Peter　was　reasonably　honest；　for　he　had　the　most　implicit
faith；　not　only　in　the　existence　of　this　〃Jew；〃　but　in　the
beneficent　influence　of　his　visits。　His　presence　was
universally　deemed　a　sign　of　good　luck。

Fuller　passed　most　of　the　nights　in　a　comfortable　bed；
leaving　Peter　in　the　boat；　sometimes　asking　for　lodgings　in
a　farm…house；　and；　at　others；　obtaining　them　in　an　inn。
Wherever　he　might　be；　he　inquired　about　the　〃Wandering
Jew〃　and　the　〃Lake　Gun；〃　bent　on　solving　these　two
difficult　problems；　if　possible；　and　always　with　the　same
success。　Most　persons　had　seen　the　former；　but　not　lately；
while　about　one　in　ten　had　heard　the　latter。　It　occurred　to
our　traveler　that　more　of　the　last　were　to　be　found　nearer
to　the　northern　than　to　the　southern　end　of　the　lake。

The　cruise　continued　a　fortnight　in　this　desultory　manner；
with　the　same　want　of　success。　One　morning；　as　Fuller　was
returning　to　the　boat；　after　passing　the　night　in　a　farm…
house；　he　was　struck　by　the　statue…like　appearance　of　a
figure　which　stood　on　the　extreme　point　of　a　low；　rocky
promontory；　that　was　considerably　aside　from　any　dwelling
or　building。　The　place　was　just　at　the　commencement　of
the　hill　country；　and　where　the　shores　of　the　Seneca　cease
to　offer　those　smiling　pictures　of　successful　husbandry　that
so　much　abound