voyage of the paper canoe-第22部分

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e　is　dust；　dry　dust　on　her　hull。　She　ahain't　ben　in　the　water　mor'n　ten　minutes；　I　sware；〃　It　required　but　a　moment's　　investigation　of　my　Chincoteague　audience　to　discover　that　the　dust　was　mud　from　the　tide；　and　the　doubter　brought　down　the　ridicule　of　his　more　discriminating　neighbors　upon　him；　and　slunk　away　amid　their　jeers。

Of　all　this　community　of　watermen　but　one　could　be　found　that　night　who　had　threaded　the　interior　watercourses　as　far　as　Cape　Charles；　and　he　was　the　youngest　of　the　lot。　　Taking　out　my　note…book；　I　jotted　down　his　amusing　directions。　〃Look　out　for　Cat　Creek　below　Four　Mouths；〃　he　said；　　〃you'll　catch　it　round　there。〃　　〃Yes；〃　broke　in　several　voices；　〃Cat　Creek's　an　awful　place　unless　you　run　through　on　a　full　ebb…tide。　Oyster　boats　always　has　a　time　a…shoving　through　Cat　Creek；〃　&c。

After　the　council　with　my　Chincoteague　friends　had　ended；　the　route　to　be　travelled　the　next　day　was　in　my　mental　vision　〃as　clear　as　mud。〃　　The　inhabitants　of　this　island　are　not　all　oystermen；　for　many　find　occupation　and　profit　in　raising　ponies　upon　the　beach　of　Assateague；　where　the　wild；　coarse　grass　furnishes　them　a　livelihood。　　These　hardy　little　animals　are　called　〃Marsh　Tackies；〃　and　are　found　at　intervals　along　the　beaches　down　to　the　sea…islands　of　the　Carolinas。　They　hold　at　Chincoteague　an　annual　fair；　to　which　all　the　〃pony…penners；〃　as　they　are　called；　bring　their　surplus　animals　to　sell。　The　average　price　is　about　ninety　dollars　for　a　good　beast；　though　some　have　sold　for　two　　hundred　and　fifty　dollars。　　All　these　horses　are　sold　in　a　semi…wild　and　unbroken　state。

The　following　morning　Mr。　J。　L。　Caulk；　　ex…collector　of　the　oyster　port；　and　about　fifty　　persons；　escorted　me　to　the　landing；　and　sent　me　away　with　a　hearty　〃Good　luck　to　ye。〃

It　was　three　miles　and　three　quarters　to　the　southern　end　of　the　island；　which　has　an　inlet　from　the　ocean　upon　each　side　of　that　end　　the　northern　one　being　Assateague；　the　southern　one　Chincoteague　Inlet。　　Fortunately；　I　crossed　the　latter　in　smooth　water　to　Ballast　Narrows　in　the　marshes；　and　soon　reached　Four　Mouths；　where　I　found　five　mouths　of　thoroughfares；　and　became　perplexed；　for　had　not　the　pilots　of　Chincoteague　called　this　interesting　display　of　mouths　〃Four　Mouths〃？　I　clung　to　the　authority　of　local　knowledge；　however；　and　was　soon　in　a　labyrinth　of　creeks　which　ended　in　the　marshes　near　the　beach。

Returning　over　the　course；　I　once　more　faced　the　four；　or　five　mouths　rather；　and　taking　a　new　departure　by　entering　the　next　mouth　to　the　one　I　had　so　unsatisfactorily　explored；　soon　entered　Rogue's　Bay；　across　which　could　be　seen　the　entrance　to　Cat　Creek；　where　I　was　to　　experience　the　difficulties　predicted　by　my　Chincoteague　　friends。　　Cat　Creek　furnished　at　half　tide　sufficient　water　for　my　canoe；　and　not　the　　slightest　difficulty　was　experienced　in　getting　through　it。　　The　oystermen　had　in　their　minds　their　own　sloop…rigged　oyster…boats　when　they　discoursed　to　me　about　the　hard　passage　of　Cat　Creek。　They　had　not　considered　the　fact　that　my　craft　drew　only　five　inches　of　water。

Cat　Creek　took　me　quite　down　to　the　beach；　where；　through　an　inlet；　the　dark…blue　ocean；　sparkling　in　its　white　caps；　came　pleasantly　into　view。　　Another　inlet　was　to　be　crossed；　and　again　I　was　favored　with　smooth　water。　　This　was　Assawaman　Inlet；　which　divided　the　beach　into　two　islands　　Wallops　on　the　north；　and　Assawaman　on　the　south。

It　seemed　a　singular　fact　that　the　two　　Assawaman　bays　are　forty…five　miles　to　the　north　of　an　inlet　of　the　same　name。　　In　following　the　creeks　through　the　marshes　between　Assawaman　Island　and　the　mainland；　I　crossed　another　shoal　bay；　and　another　inlet　opened　in　the　beach；　through　which　the　ocean　was　again　seen。　　This　last　was　Gargathy　Inlet。　Before　reaching　it；　as　night　was　coming　on；　I　turned　up　a　thoroughfare　and　rowed　some　distance　to　the　mainland；　where　I　found　lodgings　with　a　hospitable　farmer；　Mr。　Martin　R。　Kelly。　At　daybreak　I　crossed　Gargathy　Inlet。

It　was　now　Saturday；　November　28；　and　being　encouraged　by　the　successful　crossing　of　the　　inlets　in　my　tiny　craft；　I　pushed　on　to　try　the　less　inviting　one　at　the　end　of　Matomkin　Island。　Fine　weather　favored　me；　and　I　pushed　across　the　strong　tide　that　swept　through　this　inlet　without　shipping　a　sea。　　Assawaman　and　　Gargathy　are　constantly　shifting　their　channels。　　At　times　there　will　be　six　feet　of　water；　and　again　they　will　shoal　to　two　feet。　　Matomkin；　also；　is　not　to　be　relied　on。　　Every　northeaster　will　shift　a　buoy　placed　in　the　channels　of　these　three　　inlets；　so　they　are　not　buoyed。

Watchapreague　Inlet；　to　the　south　of　the　three　last　named；　is　less　changeable　in　character；　and　is　also　a　much　more　dangerous　inlet　to　cross　in　rough　weather。　　From　Matoinkin　Inlet　the　　interior　thoroughfares　were　followed　inside　of　Cedar　Island；　when　darkness　forced　me　to　seek　shelter　with　Captain　William　F。　Burton；　whose　　comfortable　home　was　on　the　shore　of　the　mainland；　about　five　miles　from　Watchapreague　Inlet。　Here　I　was　kindly　invited　to　spend　Sunday。　Captain　Burton　told　me　much　of　interest；　and　among　other　things　mentioned　the　fact　that　　during　one　August；　a　few　years　before　my　visit；　a　large　lobster　was　taken　on　a　fish…hook　in　　Watchapreague　Inlet；　and　that　a　smaller　one　was　　captured　in　the　same　manner　during　the　summer　of　1874。

Monday　was　a　gusty　day。　　My　canoe　scraped　its　keel　upon　the　shoals　as　I　dodged　the　broken　oyster　reefs；　called　here　〃oyster　rocks；〃　while　on　the　passage　down　to　Watchapreague　Inlet。　The　tide　was　very　low；　but　the　water　deepened　as　the　beach　was　approached。　　A　northeaster　was　blowing　freshly；　and　I　was　looking　for　a　lee　under　the　beach；　when　suddenly　the　canoe　shot　around　a　sandy　point；　and　was　tugging　for　life　in　the　rough　waters　of　the　inlet。　The　tide　was　　running　in　from　the　sea　with　the　force　of　a　rapid；　and　the　short；　quick　puffs　of　wind　tossed　the　waves　wildly。　　It　was　useless　to　attempt　to　turn　the　canoe　back　to　the　beach　in　such　rough　water；　but；　intent　on　keeping　the　boat　above　the　caps；　I　gave　her　all　the　momentum　that　muscular　power　could　exert；　as　she　was　headed　for　the　southern　point　of　the　beach；　across　the　dangerous　inlet。

Though　it　was　only　half　a　mile　across；　the　passage　of　Watchapreague　taxed　me　severely。　Waves　washed　over　my　canoe；　but　the　gallant　little　craft　after　each　rebuff　rose　like　a　bird　to　the　surface　of　the　water；　answering　the　slightest　touch　of　my　oar　better　than　the　best…trained　steed。　　After　entering　the　south…side　swash；　the　wind　struck　me　on　the　back；　and　seas　came　　tumbling　over　and　around　the　boat；　fairly　forcing　me　on　to　the　beach。　　As　we　flew　along；　the　　tumultuous　waters　made　my　head　swim；　so；　to　　prevent　mental　confusion；　I　kept　my　eyes　only　upon　the　oars；　which；　strange　to　say；　never　betrayed　me　into　a　false　stroke。

As　a　heavy　blast　beat　down　the　raging　sea　for　a　moment；　I　looked　over　my　shoulder　and　　beheld　the　low；　sandy　dunes　of　the　southern　shore　of　the　inlet　close　at　hand；　and　with　a　severe　jolt　the　canoe　grounded　high　on　the　strand。　　I　leaped　out　and　drew　my　precious　craft　away　from　the　tide；　breathing　a　prayer　of　thankfulness　for　my　escape　from　danger；　and　mentally　vowing　that　the　canoe　should　cross　all　other　treacherous　inlets　in　a　fisherman's　sloop。　　I　went　into　camp　in　a　hollow　of　the　beach；　where　the　sand…hills　protected　me　from　the　piercing　wind。　　All　that　afternoon　I　watched　from　my　burrow　in　the　ground　the　raging　of　the　elements；　and　towards　evening　was　pleased　to　note　a　general　subsidence　of　wind　and　sea。

The　canoe　was　again　put　into　the　water　and　the　thoroughfare　followed　southward　for　a　mile　or　two；　when　the　short　day　ended；　leaving　me　beside　a　marshy　island；　which　was　fringed　with　an　oyster…bed　of　sharp…beaked　bivalves。　　　Stepping　overboard　in　the　mud　and　water；　the　oars　and　paddle　were　laid　upon　the　shell　reef　to　　protect　the　canoe；　which　was　dragged　on　to　the　marsh。　　It　grew　colder　as　the　wind　died　out。　The　marsh　was　wet；　and　no　fire…wood　could　be　found。　The　canvas　cover　was　removed；　the　cargo　was　piled　up　on　a　platform　of　oars　and　shells　to　secure　it　from　the　next　tide；　and　then　I　slowly　and　laboriously　packed　myself　away　in　the　narrow　　shell　for　the　night。　　The　canvas　deck…cover　was　buttoned　in　its　place；　a　rubber　blanket　　covered　the　cockpit；　and　I　tried　to　sleep　and　dream　that　I　was　not　a　sardine；　nor　securely　confined　in　some　inhospitable　vault。　　It　was　impossible　to　turn　over　without　unbuttoning　one　side　of　the　deck…cover　and　going　through　contortions　that　would　have　done　credit　to　a　first…class　acrobat。　For　the　first　time　in　my　life　I　found　it　necessary　to　get　out　of　bed　in　order　to　turn　over　in　it。

At　midnight；　mallards　（Anas　boschas）　came　close　to　the　marsh。　　The　soft　whagh　of　the　drake；　which　is　not　in　this　species　blessed　with　the　loud　quack　of　the　female　bird；　sufficiently　established　the　identity　of　the　duck。　　Then　muskrats；　and　the　oyster…eating　coon；　came　round；　no　doubt　scenting　my　provisions。　　Brisk　raps　from　my　knuckles　on　the　inside　shell　of　the　canoe　astonished　these　animals　and　aroused　their　curiosity；　for　they　annoyed　me　until　daybreak。

When　I　emerged　from　my　narrow　bed；　the　frosty　air　struck　my　cheeks；　and　the　cold；　wet　marsh　chilled　my　feet。　　It　was　the　delay