the complete writings-4-第22节

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religious　sociability。　　The　raising　of　funds　appeared　to　be　the　burden　on　the　preacher's　mind。　Two　collections　were　taken　up。　　At　the　first；　the　boxes　appeared　to　get　no　supply　except　from　the　two　white　trash　present。　　But　the　second　was　more　successful。　　After　the　sermon　was　over；　an　elder　took　his　place　at　a　table　within　the　rails；　and　the　real　business　of　the　evening　began。　　Somebody　in　the　Amen　corner　struck　up　a　tune　that　had　no　end；　but　a　mighty　power　of　setting　the　congregation　in　motion。　The　leader　had　a　voice　like　the　pleasant　droning　of　a　bag…pipe；　and　the　faculty　of　emitting　a　continuous　note　like　that　instrument；　without　stopping　to　breathe。　　It　went　on　and　on　like　a　Bach　fugue；　winding　and　whining　its　way；　turning　the　corners　of　the　lines　of　the　catch　without　a　break。　　The　effect　was　soon　visible　in　the　emotional　crowd：　feet　began　to　move　in　a　regular　cadence　and　voices　to　join　in；　with　spurts　of　ejaculation；　and　soon；　with　an　air　of　martyrdom；　the　members　began　to　leave　their　seats　and　pass　before　the　table　and　deposit　their　contributions。　　It　was　a　cent　contribution；　and　we　found　it　very　difficult；　under　the　contagious　influence　of　the　hum　from　the　Amen　corner；　not　to　rise　and　go　forward　and　deposit　a　cent。　If　anything　could　extract　the　pennies　from　a　reluctant　worldling；　it　would　be　the　buzzing　of　this　tune。　　It　went　on　and　on；　until　the　house　appeared　to　be　drained　dry　of　its　cash；　and　we　inferred　by　the　stopping　of　the　melody　that　the　preacher's　salary　was　secure　for　the　time　being。　　On　inquiring；　we　ascertained　that　the　pecuniary　flood　that　evening　had　risen　to　the　height　of　a　dollar　and　sixty　cents。

All　was　ready　for　the　start。　　It　should　have　been　early　in　the　morning；　but　it　was　not；　for　Virginia　is　not　only　one　of　the　blessed　regions　where　one　can　get　a　late　breakfast；　but　where　it　is　almost　impossible　to　get　an　early　one。　　At　ten　A。　M。　　the　two　horsemen　rode　away　out　of　sight　of　the　Abingdon　spectators；　down　the　eastern　turnpike。　　The　day　was　warm；　but　the　air　was　full　of　vitality　and　the　spirit　of　adventure。　　It　was　the　22d　of　July。　　The　horses　were　not　ambitious；　but　went　on　at　an　easy　fox…trot　that　permits　observation　and　encourages　conversation。　　It　had　been　stipulated　that　the　horses　should　be　good　walkers；　the　one　essential　thing　in　a　horseback　journey。　　Few　horses；　even　in　a　country　where　riding　is　general；　are　trained　to　walk　fast。　　We　hear　much　of　horses　that　can　walk　five　miles　an　hour；　but　they　are　as　rare　as　white　elephants。　　Our　horses　were　only　fair　walkers。　　We　realized　how　necessary　this　accomplishment　is；　for　between　the　Tennessee　line　and　Asheville；　North　Carolina；　there　is　scarcely　a　mile　of　trotting…ground。

We　soon　turned　southward　and　descended　into　the　Holston　River　Valley。　Beyond　lay　the　Tennessee　hills　and　conspicuous　White…Top　Mountain　（5530　feet）；　which　has　a　good　deal　of　local　celebrity　（standing　where　the　States　of　Virginia；　Tennessee；　and　North　Carolina　corner）；　and　had　been　pointed　out　to　us　at　Abingdon。　　We　had　been　urged；　personally　and　by　letter；　to　ascend　this　mountain；　without　fail。　People　recommend　mountains　to　their　friends　as　they　do　patent　medicines。　　As　we　leisurely　jogged　along　we　discussed　this；　and　endeavored　to　arrive　at　some　rule　of　conduct　for　the　journey。　　The　Professor　expressed　at　once　a　feeling　about　mountain…climbing　that　amounted　to　hostility；he　would　go　nowhere　that　he　could　not　ride。　Climbing　was　the　most　unsatisfactory　use　to　which　a　mountain　could　be　put。　　As　to　White…Top；　it　was　a　small　mountain；　and　not　worth　ascending。　　The　Friend　of　Humanity；　who　believes　in　mountain…climbing　as　a　theory；　and　for　other　people；　and　knows　the　value　of　being　able　to　say；　without　detection；　that　he　has　ascended　any　high　mountain　about　which　he　is　questioned；since　this　question　is　the　first　one　asked　about　an　exploration　in　a　new　country；saw　that　he　should　have　to　use　a　good　deal　of　diplomacy　to　get　the　Professor　over　any　considerable　elevation　on　the　trip。　　And　he　had　to　confess　also　that　a　view　from　a　mountain　is　never　so　satisfactory　as　a　view　of　a　mountain；　from　a　moderate　height。　　The　Professor；　however；　did　not　argue　the　matter　on　any　such　reasonable　ground；　but　took　his　stand　on　his　right　as　a　man　not　to　ascend　a　mountain。　　With　this　appeal　to　first　principles；a　position　that　could　not　be　confuted　on　account　of　its　vagueness　（although　it　might　probably　be　demonstrated　that　in　society　man　has　no　such　right）；　there　was　no　way　of　agreement　except　by　a　compromise。　　It　was　accordingly　agreed　that　no　mountain　under　six　thousand　feet　is　worth　ascending；　that　disposed　of　White…Top。　　It　was　further　agreed　that　any　mountain　that　is　over　six　thousand　feet　high　is　too　high　to　ascend　on　foot。

With　this　amicable　adjustment　we　forded　the　Holston；　crossing　it　twice　within　a　few　miles。　　This　upper　branch　of　the　Tennessee　is　a　noble　stream；　broad；　with　a　rocky　bed　and　a　swift　current。　　Fording　it　is　ticklish　business　except　at　comparatively　low　water；　and　as　it　is　subject　to　sudden　rises；　there　must　be　times　when　it　seriously　interrupts　travel。　　This　whole　region；　full　of　swift　streams；　is　without　a　bridge；　and；　as　a　consequence；　getting　over　rivers　and　brooks　and　the　dangers　of　ferries　occupy　a　prominent　place　in　the　thoughts　of　the　inhabitants。　　The　life　necessarily　had　the　〃frontier〃　quality　all　through；　for　there　can　be　little　solid　advance　in　civilization　in　the　uncertainties　of　a　bridgeless　condition。　　An　open；　pleasant　valley；　the　Holston；　but　cultivation　is　more　and　more　negligent　and　houses　are　few　and　poorer　as　we　advance。

We　had　left　behind　the　hotels　of　〃perfect　satisfaction；〃　and　expected　to　live　on　the　country；　trusting　to　the　infrequent　but　remunerated　hospitality　of　the　widely　scattered　inhabitants。　　We　were　to　dine　at　Ramsey's。　　Ramsey's　had　been　recommended　to　us　as　a　royal　place　of　entertainment　the　best　in　all　that　region；　and　as　the　sun　grew　hot　in　the　sandy　valley；　and　the　weariness　of　noon　fell　upon　us；　we　magnified　Ramsey's　in　our　imagination；the　nobility　of　its　situation；　its　cuisine；　its　inviting　restfulness；and　half　decided　to　pass　the　night　there　in　the　true　abandon　of　plantation　life。　　Long　before　we　reached　it；　the　Holston　River　which　we　followed　had　become　the　Laurel；　a　most　lovely；　rocky；　winding　stream；　which　we　forded　continually；　for　the　valley　became　too　narrow　much　of　the　way　to　accommodate　a　road　and　a　river。　　Eagerly　as　we　were　looking　out　for　it；　we　passed　the　great　Ramsey's　without　knowing　it；　for　it　was　the　first　of　a　little　settlement　of　two　houses　and　a　saw…mill　and　barn。　It　was　a　neat　log　house　of　two　lower　rooms　and　a　summer　kitchen；　quite　the　best　of　the　class　that　we　saw；　and　the　pleasant　mistress　of　it　made　us　welcome。　　Across　the　road　and　close；　to　the　Laurel　was　the　spring…house；　the　invariable　adjunct　to　every　well…to…do　house　in　the　region；　and　on　the　stony　margin　of　the　stream　was　set　up　the　big　caldron　for　the　family　washing；　and　here；　paddling　in　the　shallow　stream；　while　dinner　was　preparing；　we　established　an　intimacy　with　the　children　and　exchanged　philosophical　observations　on　life　with　the　old　negress　who　was　dabbling　the　clothes。　　What　impressed　this　woman　was　the　inequality　in　life。　　She　jumped　to　the　unwarranted　conclusion　that　the　Professor　and　the　Friend　were　very　rich；　and　spoke　with　asperity　of　the　difficulty　she　experienced　in　getting　shoes　and　tobacco。　　It　was　useless　to　point　out　to　her　that　her　alfresco　life　was　singularly　blessed　and　free　from　care；　and　the　happy　lot　of　any　one　who　could　loiter　all　day　by　this　laughing　stream；　undisturbed　by　debt　or　ambition。　　Everybody　about　the　place　was　barefooted；　except　the　mistress；　including　the　comely　daughter　of　eighteen；　who　served　our　dinner　in　the　kitchen。　　The　dinner　was　abundant；　and　though　it　seemed　to　us　incongruous　at　the　time；　we　were　not　twelve　hours　older　when　we　looked　back　upon　it　with　longing。　　On　the　table　were　hot　biscuit；　ham；　pork；　and　green　beans；　apple…sauce；　blackberry　preserves；　cucumbers；　coffee；　plenty　of　milk；　honey；　and　apple　and　blackberry　pie。　　Here　we　had　our　first　experience；　and　I　may　say　new　sensation；　of　〃honey　on　pie。〃　It　has　a　cloying　sound　as　it　is　written；　but　the　handmaiden　recommended　it　with　enthusiasm；　and　we　evidently　fell　in　her　esteem；　as　persons　from　an　uncultivated　society；　when　we　declared　our　inexperience　of　〃honey　on　pie。〃　　〃Where　be　you　from？〃　　It　turned　out　to　be　very　good；　and　we　have　tried　to　introduce　it　in　families　since　our　return；　with　indifferent　success。　There　did　not　seem　to　be　in　this　family　much　curiosity　about　the　world　at　large；　nor　much　stir　of　social　life。　　The　gayety　of　madame　appeared　to　consist　in　an　occasional　visit　to　paw　and　maw　and　grandmaw；　up　the　river　a　few　miles；　where　she　was　raised。

Refreshed　by　the　honey　and　fodder　at　Ramsey's；　the　pilgrims　went　gayly　along　the　musical　Laurel；　in　the　slanting　rays　of　the　afternoon　sun；　which　played　upon　the　rapids　and　illumined　all　the　woody　way。　Inspired　by　the　misapprehension　of　the　colored　philosopher　and　the　dainties　of　the　dinner；　the　Professor　soliloquized：

　　　　〃So　am　I　as　the　rich；　whose　blessed　key　　　　　　Can　bring　him　to　his　sweet　up…locked　treasure；　　　　　　The　which　he　will　not　every　hour　survey；　　　　　　For　blunting　the　fine　point　of　seldom