voyage of the paper canoe-第14部分

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ar　bluffs；　near　Hoboken；　present　a　perpendicular　front　of　three　hundred　or　four　hundred　feet　in　height。　Piles　of　broken　rock　rest　against　their　base：　the　contribution　of　the　cliffs　above　from　the　effects　of　frost　and　sun。

While　approaching　the　great　city　of　New　York；　strong　squalls　of　wind；　blowing　against　the　ebb…tide；　sent　swashy　waves　into　my　open　canoe；　the　sides　of　which；　amidships；　were　only　five　or　six　inches　above　water；　but　the　great　buoyancy　of　the　light　craft　and　its　very　smooth　exterior　created　but　little　friction　in　the　water　and　made　her　very　seaworthy；　when　carefully　watched　and　handled；　even　without　a　deck　of　canvas　or　wood。　　While　the　canoe　forged　ahead　through　the　troubled　waters；　and　the　breezes　loaded　with　the　saltness　of　the　sea　now　near　at　hand　struck　my　back；　I　confess　that　a　longing　to　reach　Philadelphia；　where　I　could　complete　my　outfit　and　increase　the　safety　of　my　little　craft；　gave　renewed　vigor　to　my　stroke　as　I　exchanged　the　quiet　atmosphere　of　the　country　for　the　smoke　and　noise　of　the　city。　　Every　instinct　was　now　challenged；　and　every　muscle　brought　into　action；　as　I　dodged　tug…boats；　steamers；　yachts；　and　vessels；　while　running　the　thoroughfare　along　the　crowded　wharves　between　New　York　on　one　side　and　Jersey　City　on　the　other。　　I　found　the　slips　between　the　piers　most　excellent　ports　of　refuge　at　times；　when　the　ferry…boats；　following　each　other　in　quick　succession；　made　the　river　with　its　angry　tide　boil　like　a　vortex。　The　task　soon　ended；　and　I　left　the　Hudson　at　Castle　Garden　and　entered　the　upper　bay　of　New　York　harbor。　　As　it　was　dark；　I　would　gladly　have　gone　ashore　for　the　night；　but　a　great　city　offers　no　inducement　for　a　canoeist　to　land　as　a　stranger　at　its　wharves。

A　much　more　pleasant　reception　awaited　me　down　on　Staten　Island；　a　gentleman　having　　notified　me　by　mail　that　he　would　welcome　the　　canoe　and　its　owner。　　The　ebb　had　ceased；　and　the　incoming　tide　was　being　already　felt　close　in　shore；　so　with　tide　and　wind　against　me；　and　the　darkness　of　night　settling　down　gloomily　upon　the　wide　bay；　I　pulled　a　strong　oar　for　five　miles　to　the　entrance　of　Kill　Van　Kull　Strait；　which　separates　Staten　Island　from　New　Jersey　and　connects　the　upper　bay　with　Raritan　Bay。

The　bright　beams　from　the　light…house　on　Robbin's　Reef；　which　is　one　mile　and　a　quarter　off　the　entrance　of　the　strait；　guided　me　on　my　course。　　The　head…sea；　in　little；　splashy　waves；　began　to　fill　my　canoe。　The　water　soon　reached　the　foot…rest；　but　there　was　no　time　to　stop　to　bale　out　the　boat；　for　a　friendly　current　was　near；　and　if　once　reached；　my　little　craft　would　enter　smoother　waters。　　The　flood　which　poured　into　the　mouth　of　Kill　Van　Kull　soon　caught　my　boat；　and　the　head…tide　was　changed　to　a　favorable　　current　which　carried　me　in　its　strong　arms　far　into　the　salt…water　strait；　and　I　reached　West　New　Brighton；　along　the　high　banks　of　which　I　found　my　haven　of　rest。　　Against　the　sky　I　traced　the　outlines　of　my　land…mark；　three　　poplars；　standing　sentinel…like　before　the　house　of　the　gentleman　who　had　so　kindly　offered　me　his　hospitality。　The　canoe　was　emptied　of　its　　shifting　liquid　ballast　and　carefully　sponged　dry。　My　host　and　his　son　carried　it　into　the　main　hall　of　the　mansion　and　placed　it　upon　the　floor；　where　the　entire　household　gathered；　an　　admiring　group。　　Proud；　indeed；　might　my　dainty　craft　have　been　of　the　appreciation　of　so　lovely　a　company。　　her　master　fully　appreciated　the　generous　board　of　his　kind　host；　and　in　present　comfort　soon　forgot　past　trials　and　his　wet　pull　across　the　upper　bay　of　New　York　harbor。

My　work　for　the　next　day；　October　27th；　was　the　navigation　of　the　interesting　strait　of　the　old　Dutch　settlers　and　the　Raritan　River；　of　New　Jersey；　as　far　as　New　Brunswick。　　The　average　width　of　Kill　Van　Kull　is　three…eighths　of　a　mile。　From　its　entrance；　at　Constable's　Point；　to　the　mouth　of　Newark　Bay；　which　enters　it　on　the　Jersey　side；　it　is　three　miles；　and　nearly　two　miles　across　the　bay　to　Elizabethport。　　Bergen　Point　is　on　the　east　and　Elizabethport　on　the　west　entrance　of　the　bay；　while　on　Staten　Island；　New　Brighton；　Factoryville；　and　North　Shore；　furnish　homes　for　many　New　York　business　men。

At　Elizabethport　the　strait　narrows　to　one　eighth　of　a　mile；　and　as　the　mouth　of　the　　Rahway　is　approached　it　widens。　　It　now　runs　through　marshes　for　most　of　the　way；　a　distance　of　twelve　miles　to　Raritan　Bay；　which　is　an　arm　of　the　lower　bay　of　New　York　harbor。　　The　strait；　from　Elizabethport　to　its　mouth；　is　called　Arthur　Kill；　the　whole　distance　through　the　Kills；　from　Constable's　Point　to　Raritan　Bay；　is　about　seventeen　statute　miles。　　At　the　mouth　of　Arthur　Kill　the　Raritan　River　opens　to　the　bay；　and　the　city　of　Perth　Amboy　rests　on　the　point　of　high　land　between　the　river　and　the　strait。

Roseville　and　Tottenville　are　on　the　Staten　Island　shores　of　Arthur　Kill；　the　former　six　miles；　the　latter　ten　miles　from　Elizabethport。　The　tide　runs　swiftly　through　the　Kills。　　Leaving　Mr。　Campbell's　residence　at　nine　A。　M。；　with　a　tide　in　my　favor　as　far　as　Newark　Bay；　I　soon　had　the　tide　against　me　from　the　other　Kill　until　I　passed　the　Rahway　River；　when　it　commenced　to　ebb　towards　Raritan　Bay。　The　marshy　shores　of　the　Kills　were　submerged　in　places　by　the　high　tide；　but　their　monotony　was　relieved　by　the　farms　upon　the　hills　back　of　the　flats。

At　one　o'clock　my　canoe　rounded　the　heights　upon　which　Perth　Amboy　is　perched；　with　its　snug　cottages；　the　homes　of　many　oystermen　whose　fleet　of　boats　was　anchored　in　front　of　the　town。　　Curious　yard…like　pens　constructed　of　poles　rose　out　of　the　water；　in　which　boats　could　find　shelter　from　the　rough　sea。

The　entrance　to　the　Raritan　River　is　wide；　and　above　its　mouth　it　is　crossed　by　a　long　　railroad　bridge。　The　pull　up　the　crooked　river　（sixteen　miles）　against　a　strong　ebb…tide；　through　extensive　reedy　marshes；　was　uninteresting。　I　came　upon　the　entrance　of　the　canal　which　connects　　the　rivers　Raritan　and　Delaware　after　six　o'clock　P。　M。；　which　at　this　season　of　the　year　was　after　dark。　Hiding　the　canoe　in　a　secure　place　I　went　to　visit　an　old　friend；　Professor　George　Cook；　of　the　New　Jersey　State　Geological　Survey；　who　resides　at　New　Brunswick。　In　the　morning　the　professor　kindly　assisted　me；　and　we　climbed　the　high　bank　of　the　canal　with　the　canoe　upon　our　shoulders；　putting　it　into　the　water　below　the　first　two　locks。　　I　now　　commenced　an　unexciting　row　of　forty…two　miles　to　Bordentown；　on　the　Delaware；　where　this　　artificial　watercourse　ends。

This　canal　is　much　travelled　by　steam　tugs　towing　schooners　of　two　hundred　tons；　and　by　barges　and　canal…boats　of　all　sizes　drawing　not　above　seven　feet　and　a　half　of　water。　　The　boats　are　drawn　through　the　locks　by　stationary　steam…engines；　the　use　of　which　is　discontinued　when　the　business　becomes　slack；　then　the　　boatmen　use　their　mules　for　the　same　purpose。　　To　tow　an　average…sized　canal…boat；　loaded；　requires　four　mules；　while　an　empty　one　is　easily　drawn　by　two。　　It　proved　most　expeditious　as　well　as　convenient　not　to　trouble　the　lock…master　to　open　the　gates；　but　to　secure　his　assistance　in　carrying　the　canoe　along　the　tow…path　to　the　end　of　the　lock；　which　service　occupied　less　than　five　　minutes。　　In　this　way　the　canoe　was　carried　around　seven　locks　the　first　day；　and　when　dusk　　approached　she　was　sheltered　beside　a　paper　shell　in　the　boat…house　of　Princeton　College　Club；　which　is　located　on　the　banks　of　the　canal　about　one　mile　and　a　half　from　the　city　of　Princeton。

In　this　narrow　watercourse　these　　indefatigable　collegians；　under　great　disadvantages；　drill　their　crews　for　the　annual　intercollegiate　struggle　for　championship。　　One　Noah　Reed　provided　entertainment　for　man　and　beast　at　his　country　inn　half　a　mile　from　the　boat…house；　and　thither　I　repaired　for　the　night。

This　day's　row　of　twenty…six　miles　and　a　half　had　been　through　a　hilly　country；　　abounding　in　rich　farm　lands　which　were　well　　cultivated。　　　The　next　morning　an　officer　of　the　Princeton　Bank　awaited　my　coming　on　the　banks　of　the　sluggish　canal。　He　had　taken　an　early　walk　from　the　town　to　see　the　canoe。　　At　　Baker's　Basin　the　bridge…tender；　a　one…legged　man；　pressed　me　to　tarry　till　he　could　summon　the　Methodist　minister；　who　had　charged　him　to　　notify　him　of　the　approach　of　a　paper　canoe。

Through　all　my　boat　journeys　I　have　remarked　that　professional　men　take　more　interest　in　canoe　journeys　than　professional　oarsmen；　and　nearly　all　the　canoeists　of　my　acquaintance　are　　ministers　of　the　gospel。　　It　is　an　innocent　way　of　　obtaining　relaxation；　and　opportunities　thus　offered　the　weary　clergyman　of　studying　nature　in　her　ever…changing　but　always　restful　moods；　must　indeed　be　grateful　after　being　for　months　in　daily　contact　with　the　world；　the　flesh；　and　the　devil。　The　tendency　of　the　present　age　to　liberal　ideas　permits　clergymen　in　large　towns　and　cities　to　drive　fast　horses；　and　spend　an　hour　of　each　day　at　a　harmless　game　of　billiards；　without　giving　rise　to　remarks　from　his　own　congregation；　but　let　the　overworked　rector　of　a　country　village　seek　in　his　friendly　canoe　that　relief　which　nature　offers　to　the　tired　brain；　let　him　go　into　the　　wilderness　and　live　close　to　his　Creator　by　studying　his　works；　and　a　whole