erewhon-第5节

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the　ruddy　glow　of　the　fire；　the　subdued　rushing　of　the　river；　the
sombre　forest；　and　the　immediate　foreground　of　our　saddles　packs
and　blankets；　made　a　picture　worthy　of　a　Salvator　Rosa　or　a　Nicolas
Poussin。　　I　call　it　to　mind　and　delight　in　it　now；　but　I　did　not
notice　it　at　the　time。　　We　next　to　never　know　when　we　are　well　off：
but　this　cuts　two　ways；for　if　we　did；　we　should　perhaps　know
better　when　we　are　ill　off　also；　and　I　have　sometimes　thought　that
there　are　as　many　ignorant　of　the　one　as　of　the　other。　　He　who
wrote；　〃O　fortunatos　nimium　sua　si　bona　norint　agricolas；〃　might
have　written　quite　as　truly；　〃O　infortunatos　nimium　sua　si　mala
norint〃；　and　there　are　few　of　us　who　are　not　protected　from　the
keenest　pain　by　our　inability　to　see　what　it　is　that　we　have　done；
what　we　are　suffering；　and　what　we　truly　are。　　Let　us　be　grateful
to　the　mirror　for　revealing　to　us　our　appearance　only。

We　found　as　soft　a　piece　of　ground　as　we　couldthough　it　was　all
stonyand　having　collected　grass　and　so　disposed　of　ourselves　that
we　had　a　little　hollow　for　our　hip…bones；　we　strapped　our　blankets
around　us　and　went　to　sleep。　　Waking　in　the　night　I　saw　the　stars
overhead　and　the　moonlight　bright　upon　the　mountains。　　The　river
was　ever　rushing；　I　heard　one　of　our　horses　neigh　to　its　companion；
and　was　assured　that　they　were　still　at　hand；　I　had　no　care　of　mind
or　body；　save　that　I　had　doubtless　many　difficulties　to　overcome；
there　came　upon　me　a　delicious　sense　of　peace；　a　fulness　of
contentment　which　I　do　not　believe　can　be　felt　by　any　but　those　who
have　spent　days　consecutively　on　horseback；　or　at　any　rate　in　the
open　air。

Next　morning　we　found　our　last　night's　tea…leaves　frozen　at　the
bottom　of　the　pannikins；　though　it　was　not　nearly　the　beginning　of
autumn；　we　breakfasted　as　we　had　supped；　and　were　on　our　way　by　six
o'clock。　　In　half　an　hour　we　had　entered　the　gorge；　and　turning
round　a　corner　we　bade　farewell　to　the　last　sight　of　my　master's
country。

The　gorge　was　narrow　and　precipitous；　the　river　was　now　only　a　few
yards　wide；　and　roared　and　thundered　against　rocks　of　many　tons　in
weight；　the　sound　was　deafening；　for　there　was　a　great　volume　of
water。　　We　were　two　hours　in　making　less　than　a　mile；　and　that　with
danger；　sometimes　in　the　river　and　sometimes　on　the　rock。　　There
was　that　damp　black　smell　of　rocks　covered　with　slimy　vegetation；
as　near　some　huge　waterfall　where　spray　is　ever　rising。　　The　air
was　clammy　and　cold。　　I　cannot　conceive　how　our　horses　managed　to
keep　their　footing；　especially　the　one　with　the　pack；　and　I　dreaded
the　having　to　return　almost　as　much　as　going　forward。　　I　suppose
this　lasted　three　miles；　but　it　was　well　midday　when　the　gorge　got
a　little　wider；　and　a　small　stream　came　into　it　from　a　tributary
valley。　　Farther　progress　up　the　main　river　was　impossible；　for　the
cliffs　descended　like　walls；　so　we　went　up　the　side　stream；　Chowbok
seeming　to　think　that　here　must　be　the　pass　of　which　reports
existed　among　his　people。　　We　now　incurred　less　of　actual　danger
but　more　fatigue；　and　it　was　only　after　infinite　trouble；　owing　to
the　rocks　and　tangled　vegetation；　that　we　got　ourselves　and　our
horses　upon　the　saddle　from　which　this　small　stream　descended；　by
that　time　clouds　had　descended　upon　us；　and　it　was　raining　heavily。
Moreover；　it　was　six　o'clock　and　we　were　tired　out；　having　made
perhaps　six　miles　in　twelve　hours。

On　the　saddle　there　was　some　coarse　grass　which　was　in　full　seed；
and　therefore　very　nourishing　for　the　horses；　also　abundance　of
anise　and　sow…thistle；　of　which　they　are　extravagantly　fond；　so　we
turned　them　loose　and　prepared　to　camp。　　Everything　was　soaking　wet
and　we　were　half…perished　with　cold；　indeed　we　were　very
uncomfortable。　　There　was　brushwood　about；　but　we　could　get　no　fire
till　we　had　shaved　off　the　wet　outside　of　some　dead　branches　and
filled　our　pockets　with　the　dry　inside　chips。　　Having　done　this　we
managed　to　start　a　fire；　nor　did　we　allow　it　to　go　out　when　we　had
once　started　it；　we　pitched　the　tent　and　by　nine　o'clock　were
comparatively　warm　and　dry。　　Next　morning　it　was　fine；　we　broke
camp；　and　after　advancing　a　short　distance　we　found　that；　by
descending　over　ground　less　difficult　than　yesterday's；　we　should
come　again　upon　the　river…bed；　which　had　opened　out　above　the
gorge；　but　it　was　plain　at　a　glance　that　there　was　no　available
sheep　country；　nothing　but　a　few　flats　covered　with　scrub　on　either
side　the　river；　and　mountains　which　were　perfectly　worthless。　　But
we　could　see　the　main　range。　　There　was　no　mistake　about　this。　　The
glaciers　were　tumbling　down　the　mountain　sides　like　cataracts；　and
seemed　actually　to　descend　upon　the　river…bed；　there　could　be　no
serious　difficulty　in　reaching　them　by　following　up　the　river；
which　was　wide　and　open；　but　it　seemed　rather　an　objectless　thing
to　do；　for　the　main　range　looked　hopeless；　and　my　curiosity　about
the　nature　of　the　country　above　the　gorge　was　now　quite　satisfied；
there　was　no　money　in　it　whatever；　unless　there　should　be　minerals；
of　which　I　saw　no　more　signs　than　lower　down。

However；　I　resolved　that　I　would　follow　the　river　up；　and　not
return　until　I　was　compelled　to　do　so。　　I　would　go　up　every　branch
as　far　as　I　could；　and　wash　well　for　gold。　　Chowbok　liked　seeing　me
do　this；　but　it　never　came　to　anything；　for　we　did　not　even　find
the　colour。　　His　dislike　of　the　main　range　appeared　to　have　worn
off；　and　he　made　no　objections　to　approaching　it。　　I　think　he
thought　there　was　no　danger　of　my　trying　to　cross　it；　and　he　was
not　afraid　of　anything　on　this　side；　besides；　we　might　find　gold。
But　the　fact　was　that　he　had　made　up　his　mind　what　to　do　if　he　saw
me　getting　too　near　it。

We　passed　three　weeks　in　exploring；　and　never　did　I　find　time　go
more　quickly。　　The　weather　was　fine；　though　the　nights　got　very
cold。　　We　followed　every　stream　but　one；　and　always　found　it　lead
us　to　a　glacier　which　was　plainly　impassable；　at　any　rate　without　a
larger　party　and　ropes。　　One　stream　remained；　which　I　should　have
followed　up　already；　had　not　Chowbok　said　that　he　had　risen　early
one　morning　while　I　was　yet　asleep；　and　after　going　up　it　for　three
or　four　miles；　had　seen　that　it　was　impossible　to　go　farther。　　I
had　long　ago　discovered　that　he　was　a　great　liar；　so　I　was　bent　on
going　up　myself：　　in　brief；　I　did　so：　　so　far　from　being
impossible；　it　was　quite　easy　travelling；　and　after　five　or　six
miles　I　saw　a　saddle　at　the　end　of　it；　which；　though　covered　deep
in　snow；　was　not　glaciered；　and　which　did　verily　appear　to　be　part
of　the　main　range　itself。　　No　words　can　express　the　intensity　of　my
delight。　　My　blood　was　all　on　fire　with　hope　and　elation；　but　on
looking　round　for　Chowbok；　who　was　behind　me；　I　saw　to　my　surprise
and　anger　that　he　had　turned　back；　and　was　going　down　the　valley　as
hard　as　he　could。　　He　had　left　me。



CHAPTER　IV：　　THE　SADDLE



I　cooeyed　to　him；　but　he　would　not　hear。　　I　ran　after　him；　but　he
had　got　too　good　a　start。　　Then　I　sat　down　on　a　stone　and　thought
the　matter　carefully　over。　　It　was　plain　that　Chowbok　had
designedly　attempted　to　keep　me　from　going　up　this　valley；　yet　he
had　shown　no　unwillingness　to　follow　me　anywhere　else。　　What　could
this　mean；　unless　that　I　was　now　upon　the　route　by　which　alone　the
mysteries　of　the　great　ranges　could　be　revealed？　　What　then　should
I　do？　　Go　back　at　the　very　moment　when　it　had　become　plain　that　I
was　on　the　right　scent？　　Hardly；　yet　to　proceed　alone　would　be　both
difficult　and　dangerous。　　It　would　be　bad　enough　to　return　to　my
master's　run；　and　pass　through　the　rocky　gorges；　with　no　chance　of
help　from　another　should　I　get　into　a　difficulty；　but　to　advance
for　any　considerable　distance　without　a　companion　would　be　next
door　to　madness。　　Accidents　which　are　slight　when　there　is　another
at　hand　（as　the　spraining　of　an　ankle；　or　the　falling　into　some
place　whence　escape　would　be　easy　by　means　of　an　outstretched　hand
and　a　bit　of　rope）　may　be　fatal　to　one　who　is　alone。　　The　more　I
pondered　the　less　I　liked　it；　and　yet；　the　less　could　I　make　up　my
mind　to　return　when　I　looked　at　the　saddle　at　the　head　of　the
valley；　and　noted　the　comparative　ease　with　which　its　smooth　sweep
of　snow　might　be　surmounted：　　I　seemed　to　see　my　way　almost　from　my
present　position　to　the　very　top。　　After　much　thought；　I　resolved
to　go　forward　until　I　should　come　to　some　place　which　was　really
dangerous；　but　then　to　return。　　I　should　thus；　I　hoped；　at　any　rate
reach　the　top　of　the　saddle；　and　satisfy　myself　as　to　what　might　be
on　the　other　side。

I　had　no　time　to　lose；　for　it　was　now　between　ten　and　eleven　in　the
morning。　　Fortunately　I　was　well　equipped；　for　on　leaving　the　camp
and　the　horses　at　the　lower　end　of　the　valley　I　had　provided　myself
（according　to　my　custom）　with　everything　that　I　was　likely　to　want
for　four　or　five　days。　　Chowbok　had　carried　half；　but　had　dropped
his　whole　swagI　suppose；　at　the　moment　of　his　taking　flightfor
I　came　upon　it　when　I　ran　after　him。　　I　had；　therefore；　his
provisions　as　well　as　my　own。　　Accordingly；　I　took　as　many　biscuits
as　I　thought　I　could　carry；　and　also　some　tobacco；　tea；　and　a　few
matches。　　I　rolled　all　thes