erewhon-第6节

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as　I　thought　I　could　carry；　and　also　some　tobacco；　tea；　and　a　few
matches。　　I　rolled　all　these　things　（together　with　a　flask　nearly
full　of　brandy；　which　I　had　kept　in　my　pocket　for　fear　lest　Chowbok
should　get　hold　of　it）　inside　my　blankets；　and　strapped　them　very
tightly；　making　the　whole　into　a　long　roll　of　some　seven　feet　in
length　and　six　inches　in　diameter。　　Then　I　tied　the　two　ends
together；　and　put　the　whole　round　my　neck　and　over　one　shoulder。
This　is　the　easiest　way　of　carrying　a　heavy　swag；　for　one　can　rest
one's　self　by　shifting　the　burden　from　one　shoulder　to　the　other。
I　strapped　my　pannikin　and　a　small　axe　about　my　waist；　and　thus
equipped　began　to　ascend　the　valley；　angry　at　having　been　misled　by
Chowbok；　but　determined　not　to　return　till　I　was　compelled　to　do
so。

I　crossed　and　recrossed　the　stream　several　times　without
difficulty；　for　there　were　many　good　fords。　　At　one　o'clock　I　was
at　the　foot　of　the　saddle；　for　four　hours　I　mounted；　the　last　two
on　the　snow；　where　the　going　was　easier；　by　five；　I　was　within　ten
minutes　of　the　top；　in　a　state　of　excitement　greater；　I　think；　than
I　had　ever　known　before。　　Ten　minutes　more；　and　the　cold　air　from
the　other　side　came　rushing　upon　me。

A　glance。　　I　was　NOT　on　the　main　range。

Another　glance。　　There　was　an　awful　river；　muddy　and　horribly
angry；　roaring　over　an　immense　riverbed；　thousands　of　feet　below
me。

It　went　round　to　the　westward；　and　I　could　see　no　farther　up　the
valley；　save　that　there　were　enormous　glaciers　which　must　extend
round　the　source　of　the　river；　and　from　which　it　must　spring。

Another　glance；　and　then　I　remained　motionless。

There　was　an　easy　pass　in　the　mountains　directly　opposite　to　me；
through　which　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　an　immeasurable　extent　of　blue
and　distant　plains。

Easy？　　Yes；　perfectly　easy；　grassed　nearly　to　the　summit；　which
was；　as　it　were；　an　open　path　between　two　glaciers；　from　which　an
inconsiderable　stream　came　tumbling　down　over　rough　but　very
possible　hillsides；　till　it　got　down　to　the　level　of　the　great
river；　and　formed　a　flat　where　there　was　grass　and　a　small　bush　of
stunted　timber。

Almost　before　I　could　believe　my　eyes；　a　cloud　had　come　up　from　the
valley　on　the　other　side；　and　the　plains　were　hidden。　　What
wonderful　luck　was　mine！　　Had　I　arrived　five　minutes　later；　the
cloud　would　have　been　over　the　pass；　and　I　should　not　have　known　of
its　existence。　　Now　that　the　cloud　was　there；　I　began　to　doubt　my
memory；　and　to　be　uncertain　whether　it　had　been　more　than　a　blue
line　of　distant　vapour　that　had　filled　up　the　opening。　　I　could
only　be　certain　of　this　much；　namely；　that　the　river　in　the　valley
below　must　be　the　one　next　to　the　northward　of　that　which　flowed
past　my　master's　station；　of　this　there　could　be　no　doubt。　　Could
I；　however；　imagine　that　my　luck　should　have　led　me　up　a　wrong
river　in　search　of　a　pass；　and　yet　brought　me　to　the　spot　where　I
could　detect　the　one　weak　place　in　the　fortifications　of　a　more
northern　basin？　　This　was　too　improbable。　　But　even　as　I　doubted
there　came　a　rent　in　the　cloud　opposite；　and　a　second　time　I　saw
blue　lines　of　heaving　downs；　growing　gradually　fainter；　and
retiring　into　a　far　space　of　plain。　　It　was　substantial；　there　had
been　no　mistake　whatsoever。　　I　had　hardly　made　myself　perfectly
sure　of　this；　ere　the　rent　in　the　clouds　joined　up　again　and　I
could　see　nothing　more。

What；　then；　should　I　do？　　The　night　would　be　upon　me　shortly；　and　I
was　already　chilled　with　standing　still　after　the　exertion　of
climbing。　　To　stay　where　I　was　would　be　impossible；　I　must　either
go　backwards　or　forwards。　　I　found　a　rock　which　gave　me　shelter
from　the　evening　wind；　and　took　a　good　pull　at　the　brandy　flask；
which　immediately　warmed　and　encouraged　me。

I　asked　myself；　Could　I　descend　upon　the　river…bed　beneath　me？　　It
was　impossible　to　say　what　precipices　might　prevent　my　doing　so。
If　I　were　on　the　river…bed；　dare　I　cross　the　river？　　I　am　an
excellent　swimmer；　yet；　once　in　that　frightful　rush　of　waters；　I
should　be　hurled　whithersoever　it　willed；　absolutely　powerless。
Moreover；　there　was　my　swag；　I　should　perish　of　cold　and　hunger　if
I　left　it；　but　I　should　certainly　be　drowned　if　I　attempted　to
carry　it　across　the　river。　　These　were　serious　considerations；　but
the　hope　of　finding　an　immense　tract　of　available　sheep　country
（which　I　was　determined　that　I　would　monopolise　as　far　as　I
possibly　could）　sufficed　to　outweigh　them；　and；　in　a　few　minutes；　I
felt　resolved　that；　having　made　so　important　a　discovery　as　a　pass
into　a　country　which　was　probably　as　valuable　as　that　on　our　own
side　of　the　ranges；　I　would　follow　it　up　and　ascertain　its　value；
even　though　I　should　pay　the　penalty　of　failure　with　life　itself。
The　more　I　thought；　the　more　determined　I　became　either　to　win　fame
and　perhaps　fortune；　by　entering　upon　this　unknown　world；　or　give
up　life　in　the　attempt。　　In　fact；　I　felt　that　life　would　be　no
longer　valuable　if　I　were　to　have　seen　so　great　a　prize　and　refused
to　grasp　at　the　possible　profits　therefrom。

I　had　still　an　hour　of　good　daylight　during　which　I　might　begin　my
descent　on　to　some　suitable　camping…ground；　but　there　was　not　a
moment　to　be　lost。　　At　first　I　got　along　rapidly；　for　I　was　on　the
snow；　and　sank　into　it　enough　to　save　me　from　falling；　though　I
went　forward　straight　down　the　mountain　side　as　fast　as　I　could；
but　there　was　less　snow　on　this　side　than　on　the　other；　and　I　had
soon　done　with　it；　getting　on　to　a　coomb　of　dangerous　and　very
stony　ground；　where　a　slip　might　have　given　me　a　disastrous　fall。
But　I　was　careful　with　all　my　speed；　and　got　safely　to　the　bottom；
where　there　were　patches　of　coarse　grass；　and　an　attempt　here　and
there　at　brushwood：　　what　was　below　this　I　could　not　see。　　I
advanced　a　few　hundred　yards　farther；　and　found　that　I　was　on　the
brink　of　a　frightful　precipice；　which　no　one　in　his　senses　would
attempt　descending。　　I　bethought　me；　however；　to　try　the　creek
which　drained　the　coomb；　and　see　whether　it　might　not　have　made
itself　a　smoother　way。　　In　a　few　minutes　I　found　myself　at　the
upper　end　of　a　chasm　in　the　rocks；　something　like　Twll　Dhu；　only　on
a　greatly　larger　scale；　the　creek　had　found　its　way　into　it；　and
had　worn　a　deep　channel　through　a　material　which　appeared　softer
than　that　upon　the　other　side　of　the　mountain。　　I　believe　it　must
have　been　a　different　geological　formation；　though　I　regret　to　say
that　I　cannot　tell　what　it　was。

I　looked　at　this　rift　in　great　doubt；　then　I　went　a　little　way　on
either　side　of　it；　and　found　myself　looking　over　the　edge　of
horrible　precipices　on　to　the　river；　which　roared　some　four　or　five
thousand　feet　below　me。　　I　dared　not　think　of　getting　down　at　all；
unless　I　committed　myself　to　the　rift；　of　which　I　was　hopeful　when
I　reflected　that　the　rock　was　soft；　and　that　the　water　might　have
worn　its　channel　tolerably　evenly　through　the　whole　extent。　　The
darkness　was　increasing　with　every　minute；　but　I　should　have
twilight　for　another　half…hour；　so　I　went　into　the　chasm　（though　by
no　means　without　fear）；　and　resolved　to　return　and　camp；　and　try
some　other　path　next　day；　should　I　come　to　any　serious　difficulty。
In　about　five　minutes　I　had　completely　lost　my　head；　the　side　of
the　rift　became　hundreds　of　feet　in　height；　and　overhung　so　that　I
could　not　see　the　sky。　　It　was　full　of　rocks；　and　I　had　many　falls
and　bruises。　　I　was　wet　through　from　falling　into　the　water；　of
which　there　was　no　great　volume；　but　it　had　such　force　that　I　could
do　nothing　against　it；　once　I　had　to　leap　down　a　not　inconsiderable
waterfall　into　a　deep　pool　below；　and　my　swag　was　so　heavy　that　I
was　very　nearly　drowned。　　I　had　indeed　a　hair's…breadth　escape；
but；　as　luck　would　have　it；　Providence　was　on　my　side。　　Shortly
afterwards　I　began　to　fancy　that　the　rift　was　getting　wider；　and
that　there　was　more　brushwood。　　Presently　I　found　myself　on　an　open
grassy　slope；　and　feeling　my　way　a　little　farther　along　the　stream；
I　came　upon　a　flat　place　with　wood；　where　I　could　camp　comfortably；
which　was　well；　for　it　was　now　quite　dark。

My　first　care　was　for　my　matches；　were　they　dry？　　The　outside　of　my
swag　had　got　completely　wet；　but；　on　undoing　the　blankets；　I　found
things　warm　and　dry　within。　　How　thankful　I　was！　　I　lit　a　fire；　and
was　grateful　for　its　warmth　and　company。　　I　made　myself　some　tea
and　ate　two　of　my　biscuits：　　my　brandy　I　did　not　touch；　for　I　had
little　left；　and　might　want　it　when　my　courage　failed　me。　　All　that
I　did；　I　did　almost　mechanically；　for　I　could　not　realise　my
situation　to　myself；　beyond　knowing　that　I　was　alone；　and　that
return　through　the　chasm　which　I　had　just　descended　would　be
impossible。　　It　is　a　dreadful　feeling　that　of　being　cut　off　from
all　one's　kind。　　I　was　still　full　of　hope；　and　built　golden　castles
for　myself　as　soon　as　I　was　warmed　with　food　and　fire；　but　I　do　not
believe　that　any　man　could　long　retain　his　reason　in　such　solitude；
unless　he　had　the　companionship　of　animals。　　One　begins　doubting
one's　own　identity。

I　remember　deriving　comfort　even　from　the　sight　of　my　blankets；　and
the　sound　of　my　watch　tickingthings　which　seemed　to　link　me　to
other　people；　but