north america-1-第28节

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eir　eyes；　and　to　leave　nothing　to　be　guessed；　nothing　to　be　surmised；　this　no　doubt　is　the　best　point　of　view。　You　will　be　covered　with　spray　as　you　walk　up　to　the　ledge　of　rocks；　but　I　do　not　think　that　the　spray　will　hurt　you。　　If　a　man　gets　wet　through　going　to　his　daily　work；　cold；　catarrh；　cough；　and　all　their　attendant　evils；　may　be　expected；　but　these　maladies　usually　spare　the　tourist。　　Change　of　air；　plenty　of　air；　excellence　of　air；　and　increased　exercise；　make　these　things　powerless。　　I　should　therefore　bid　you　disregard　the　spray。　　If；　however；　you　are　yourself　of　a　different　opinion；　you　may　hire　a　suit　of　oil…cloth　clothes　for；　I　believe；　a　quarter　of　a　dollar。　They　are　nasty　of　course；　and　have　this　further　disadvantage；　that　you　become　much　more　wet　having　them　on　than　you　would　be　without　them。　Here；　on　this　side；　you　walk　on　to　the　very　edge　of　the　cataract；　and；　if　your　tread　be　steady　and　your　legs　firm；　you　dip　your　foot　into　the　water　exactly　at　the　spot　where　the　thin　outside　margin　of　the　current　reaches　the　rocky　edge　and　jumps　to　join　the　mass　of　the　fall。　　The　bed　of　white　foam　beneath　is　certainly　seen　better　here　than　elsewhere；　and　the　green　curve　of　the　water　is　as　bright　here　as　when　seen　from　the　wooden　rail　across。　　But　nevertheless　I　say　again　that　that　wooden　rail　is　the　one　point　from　whence　Niagara　may　be　best　seen　aright。　Close　to　the　cataract；　exactly　at　the　spot　from　whence　in　former　days　the　Table　Rock　used　to　project　from　the　land　over　the　boiling　caldron　below；　there　is　now　a　shaft；　down　which　you　will　descend　to　the　level　of　the　river；　and　pass　between　the　rock　and　the　torrent。　This　Table　Rock　broke　away　from　the　cliff　and　fell；　as　up　the　whole　course　of　the　river　the　seceding　rocks　have　split　and　fallen　from　time　to　time　through　countless　years；　and　will　continue　to　do　till　the　bed　of　the　upper　lake　is　reached。　　You　will　descend　this　shaft；　taking　to　yourself　or　not　taking　to　yourself　a　suit　of　oil…clothes　as　you　may　think　best。　　I　have　gone　with　and　without　the　suit；　and　again　recommend　that　they　be　left　behind。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　ordinary　payment　should　be　made　for　their　use；　as　otherwise　it　will　appear　to　those　whose　trade　it　is　to　prepare　them　that　you　are　injuring　them　in　their　vested　rights。　Some　three　years　since　I　visited　Niagara　on　my　way　back　to　England　from　Bermuda；　and　in　a　volume　of　travels　which　I　then　published　I　endeavored　to　explain　the　impression　made　upon　me　by　this　passage　between　the　rock　and　the　waterfall。　　An　author　should　not　quote　himself；　but　as　I　feel　myself　bound；　in　writing　a　chapter　specially　about　Niagara；　to　give　some　account　of　this　strange　position；　I　will　venture　to　repeat　my　own　words。　In　the　spot　to　which　I　allude　the　visitor　stands　on　a　broad；　safe　path；　made　of　shingles；　between　the　rock　over　which　the　water　rushes　and　the　rushing　water。　　He　will　go　in　so　far　that　the　spray；　rising　back　from　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　does　not　incommode　him。　With　this　exception；　the　farther　he　can　go　in　the　better；　but　circumstances　will　clearly　show　him　the　spot　to　which　he　should　advance。　　Unless　the　water　be　driven　in　by　a　very　strong　wind；　five　yards　make　the　difference　between　a　comparatively　dry　coat　and　an　absolutely　wet　one。　　And　then　let　him　stand　with　his　back　to　the　entrance；　thus　hiding　the　last　glimmer　of　the　expiring　day。　　So　standing；　he　will　look　up　among　the　falling　waters；　or　down　into　the　deep；　misty　pit；　from　which　they　re…ascend　in　almost　as　palpable　a　bulk。　　The　rock　will　be　at　his　right　hand；　high　and　hard；　and　dark　and　straight；　like　the　wall　of　some　huge　cavern；　such　as　children　enter　in　their　dreams。　　For　the　first　five　minutes　he　will　be　looking　but　at　the　waters　of　a　cataractat　the　waters；　indeed；　of　such　a　cataract　as　we　know　no　other；　and　at　their　interior　curves　which　elsewhere　we　cannot　see。　　But　by…and…by　all　this　will　change。　　He　will　no　longer　be　on　a　shingly　path　beneath　a　waterfall；　but　that　feeling　of　a　cavern　wall　will　grow　upon　him；　of　a　cavern　deep；　below　roaring　seas；　in　which　the　waves　are　there；　though　they　do　not　enter　in　upon　him；　or　rather；　not　the　waves；　but　the　very　bowels　of　the　ocean。　　He　will　feel　as　though　the　floods　surrounded　him；　coming　and　going　with　their　wild　sounds；　and　he　will　hardly　recognize　that　though　among　them　he　is　not　in　them。　And　they；　as　they　fall　with　a　continual　roar；　not　hurting　the　ear；　but　musical　withal；　will　seem　to　move　as　the　vast　ocean　waters　may　perhaps　move　in　their　internal　currents。　　He　will　lose　the　sense　of　one　continued　descent；　and　think　that　they　are　passing　round　him　in　their　appointed　courses。　　The　broken　spray　that　rises　from　the　depths　below；　rises　so　strongly；　so　palpably；　so　rapidly　that　the　motion　in　every　direction　will　seem　equal。　　And；　as　he　looks　on；　strange　colors　will　show　themselves　through　the　mist；　the　shades　of　gray　will　become　green　or　blue；　with　ever　and　anon　a　flash　of　white；　and　then；　when　some　gust　of　wind　blows　in　with　greater　violence；　the　sea…girt　cavern　will　become　all　dark　and　black。　　Oh；　my　friend；　let　there　be　no　one　there　to　speak　to　thee　then；　no；　not　even　a　brother。　　As　you　stand　there　speak　only　to　the　waters。　Two　miles　below　the　falls　the　river　is　crossed　by　a　suspension　bridge　of　marvelous　construction。　　It　affords　two　thoroughfares；　one　above　the　other。　　The　lower　road　is　for　carriages　and　horses；　and　the　upper　one　bears　a　railway　belonging　to　the　Great　Western　Canada　Line。　　The　view　from　hence；　both　up　and　down　the　river；　is　very　beautiful；　for　the　bridge　is　built　immediately　over　the　first　of　a　series　of　rapids。　　One　mile　below　the　bridge　these　rapids　end　in　a　broad　basin　called　the　whirlpool；　and；　issuing　out　of　this；　the　current　turns　to　the　right　through　a　narrow　channel　overhung　by　cliffs　and　trees；　and　then　makes　its　way　down　to　Lake　Ontario　with　comparative　tranquillity。　But　I　will　beg　you　to　take　notice　of　those　rapids　from　the　bridge；　and　to　ask　yourself　what　chance　of　life　would　remain　to　any　ship；　craft；　or　boat　required　by　destiny　to　undergo　navigation　beneath　the　bridge　and　down　into　that　whirlpool。　　Heretofore　all　men　would　have　said　that　no　chance　of　life　could　remain　to　so　ill…starred　a　bark。　　The　navigation；　however；　has　been　effected。　　But　men　used　to　the　river　still　say　that　the　chances　would　be　fifty　to　one　against　any　vessel　which　should　attempt　to　repeat　the　experiment。　The　story　of　that　wondrous　voyage　was　as　follows：　　A　small　steamer；　called　the　Maid　of　the　Mist；　was　built　upon　the　river；　between　the　falls　and　the　rapids；　and　was　used　for　taking　adventurous　tourists　up　amid　the　spray　as　near　to　the　cataract　as　was　possible。　　〃The　Maid　of　the　Mist　plied　in　this　way　for　a　year　or　two；　and　was；　I　believe；　much　patronized　during　the　season。　　But　in　the　early　part　of　last　summer　an　evil　time　had　come。　　Either　the　Maid　got　into　debt；　or　her　owner　had　embarked　in　other　and　less　profitable　speculations。　　At　any　rate；　he　became　subject　to　the　law；　and　tidings　reached　him　that　the　sheriff　would　seize　the　Maid。　　On　most　occasions　the　sheriff　is　bound　to　keep　such　intentions　secret；　seeing　that　property　is　movable；　and　that　an　insolvent　debtor　will　not　always　await　the　officers　of　justice。　　But　with　the　poor　Maid　there　was　no　need　of　such　secrecy。　　There　was　but　a　mile　or　so　of　water　on　which　she　could　ply；　and　she　was　forbidden　by　the　nature　of　her　properties　to　make　any　way　upon　land；　The　sheriff's　prey；　therefore；　was　easy；　and　the　poor　Maid　was　doomed。　In　any　country　in　the　world　but　America　such　would　have　been　the　case；　but　an　American　would　steam　down　Phlegethon　to　save　his　property　from　the　sheriffhe　would　steam　down　Phlegethon；　or　get　some　one　else　to　do　it　for　him。　　Whether　or　no；　in　this　case；　the　captain　of　the　boat　was　the　proprietor；　or　whether；　as　I　was　told；　he　was　paid　for　the　job；　I　do　not　know。　　But　he　determined　to　run　the　rapids；　and　he　procured　two　others　to　accompany　him　in　the　risk。　　He　got　up　his　steam；　and　took　the　Maid　up　amid　the　spray　according　to　his　custom。　　Then；　suddenly　turning　on　his　course；　he；　with　one　of　his　companions；　fixed　himself　at　the　wheel；　while　the　other　remained　at　his　engine。　　I　wish　I　could　look　into　the　mind　of　that　man；　and　understand　what　his　thoughts　were　at　that　moment　what　were　his　thoughts　and　what　his　beliefs。　　As　to　one　of　the　men；　I　was　told　that　he　was　carried　down　not　knowing　what　he　was　about　to　do　but　I　am　inclined　to　believe　that　all　the　three　were　joined　together　in　the　attempt。　I　was　told　by　a　man　who　saw　the　boat　pass　under　the　bridge　that　she　made　one　long　leap　down；　as　she　came　thither；　that　her　funnel　was　at　once　knocked　flat　on　the　deck　by　the　force　of　the　blow；　that　the　waters　covered　her　from　stem　to　stern；　and　that　then　she　rose　again；　and　skimmed　into　the　whirlpool　a　mile　below。　　When　there　she　rode　with　comparative　ease　upon　the　waters；　and　took　the　sharp　turn　round　into　the　river　below　without　a　struggle。　　The　feat　was　done；　and　the　Maid　was　rescued　from　the　sheriff。　　It　is　said　that　she　was　sold　below　at　the　mouth　of　the　river；　and　carried　from　thence　over　Lake　Ontario；　and　down　the　St。　Lawrence　to　Quebec。

CHAPTER　VIII。　NORTH　AND　WEST。

From　Niagara　we　determined　to　proceed　Northwestas　far　to　the　Northwest　as　we　could　go　with　any　reasonable　h