voyage of the paper canoe-第27部分

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　a　tree　the　name　of　the　　locality　to　which　they　should　remove；　and　if　distress　had　overtaken　them　they　were　to　add　a　cross　over　the　lettering。　　Anxiously　gathering　round　this　interesting　relic　of　the　lost　Englishmen；　the　rude　chirography　was　eagerly　scanned；　but　no　vestige　of　a　cross　was　found。

Much　relieved　in　mind；　the　little　company　continued　their　investigations；　when；　farther　on；　almost　in　their　very　pathway；　there　rose　a　noble　tree；　pointing　its　top　heavenward；　as　though　to　remind　them　in　whose　care　their　lost　ones　had　been。　　Approaching　this　giant；　who　had　stood　a　silent　sentinel　through　winter　storms　and　summer　skies；　they　found　he　bore　upon　his　body　a　message　for　them。　　Stripped　of　its　bark；　five　feet　upward　from　the　ground　there　appeared　upon　the　bare　surface　in　bold　lettering　the　word　so　full　of　hope　　Croatan；　and　now　also；　as　in　the　last　case；　without　the　graven　cross。　Cheered　by　these　signs；　and　believing　that　the　lost　　colonists　had　carried　out　their　early　intentions；　and　were　now　located　among　the　friendly　tribe　of　Croatans；　wheresoever　their　country　might　be；　the　boat's　company　decided　to　go　at　once　to　the　ships；　and　return　the　next　day　in　search　of　the　lost　colony。

One　of　the　ships；　in　moving　its　position　from　the　unprotected　anchorage…ground；　parted　its　cable　and　left　an　anchor　on　the　bottom　　the　second　that　had　been　lost。　　The　wind　drove　the　ships　towards　the　beach；　when　a　third　anchor　was　lowered；　but　it　held　the　little　fleet　so　close　in　to　the　breakers；　that　the　sailors　were　forced　to　slip　their　cable　and　work　into　a　　channel…way；　where；　in　deeper　water；　they　held　their　ground。

In　debating　the　propriety　of　holding　on　and　attempting　to　wear　out　the　gale；　the　scarcity　of　their　provisions；　and　the　possession　of　but　one　cask　of　water；　and　only　one　anchor　for　the　fleet　to　ride　at；　decided　them　to　go　southward　in　quest　of　some　favorable　landing；　where　water　could　be　found。　　The　council　held　out　the　hope　of　　capturing　Spanish　vessels　in　the　vicinity　of　the　West　Indies；　and　it　was　agreed　that；　if　　successful　they　should　return；　richly　laden　with　spoil；　to　seek　their　exiled　countrymen。　　One　of　these　vessels　returned　to　England；　while　the　Admiral　laid　his　course　for　Trinidad；　and　this　was　the　last　attempt　made　to　find　the　colonists。

More　than　a　century　after　Admiral　White　had　abandoned　his　colony；　Lawson；　in　writing　about　the　Hatteras　Indians；　says：　〃They　said　that　several　of　their　ancestors　were　white　people；　and　could　talk　in　a　book　as　we　do；　the　truth　of　which　is　confirmed　by　grey　eyes　being　frequently　found　among　them；　and　no　others。　　They　value　themselves　extremely　for　their　affinity　to　the　English；　and　are　ready　to　do　them　all　friendly　offices。　　It　is　probable　that　the　settlement　　miscarried　for　want　of　supplies　from　England；　or　through　the　treachery　of　the　natives；　for　we　may　reasonably　suppose　that　the　English　were　forced　to　cohabit　with　them　for　relief　and　　conversation；　and　that　in　process　of　time　they　conformed　themselves　to　the　manners　of　their　Indian　relations。〃

Dr。　Hawks　thinks；　〃that；　driven　by　starvation；　such　as　survived　the　famine　were　merged　into　the　tribes　of　friendly　Indians　at　Croatan；　and；　alas！　lost　ere　long　every　vestige　of　Christianity　and　civilization；　and　those　who　came　to　shed　light　on　the　darkness　of　paganism；　in　the　　mysterious　providence　of　God　ended　by　relapsing　themselves　into　the　heathenism　they　came　to　remove。　　It　is　a　sad　picture　of　poor　human　nature。〃

It　needed　not　the　fierce　gusts　of　wind　that　howled　about　the　tall　tower；　causing　it　to　vibrate　until　water　would　be　spilled　out　of　a　pail　resting　upon　the　floor　of　the　lantern；　blowing　one　day　from　one　quarter　of　the　compass；　and　changing　the　next　to　another；　to　warn　me　that　I　was　near　the　Cape　of　Storms。

Refusing　to　continue　longer　with　my　new　friends；　the　canoe　was　put　into　the　water　on　the　16th；　and　Captain　Hatzel's　two　sons　proceeded　in　advance　with　a　strong　boat　to　break　a　　channelway　through　the　thin　ice　which　had　formed　in　the　quiet　coves。　We　were　soon　out　in　the　sound；　where　the　boys　left　me；　and　I　rowed　out　of　the　southern　end　of　Roanoke　and　entered　upon　the　wide　area　of　Pamplico　Sound。　　To　avoid　shoals；　it　being　calm；　I　kept　about　three　miles　from　the　beach　in　three　feet　of　water；　until　beyond　Duck　Island；　when　the　trees　on　Roanoke　Island　slowly　sank　below　the　horizon；　then　gradually　drawing　in　to　the　beach；　the　two　clumps　of　trees　of　north　and　south　Chicamicomio　came　into　view。　　A　life…saving　station　had　recently　been　erected　north　of　the　first　grove；　and　there　is　another　fourteen　miles　further　south。　The　two　　Chicamicomio　settlements　of　scattered　houses　are　each　nearly　a　mile　in　length；　and　are　separated　by　a　high；　bald　sand…beach　of　about　the　same　length；　which　was　once　heavily　wooded；　but　the　wind　has　blown　the　sand　into　the　forest　and　destroyed　it。　　A　wind…mill　in　each　village　raised　its　weird　arms　to　the　breeze。

Three　miles　further　down　is　Kitty　Midget's　Hammock；　where　a　few　red　cedars　and　some　remains　of　live…oaks　tell　of　the　extensive　forest　that　once　covered　the　beach。　　Here　Captain　Abraham　Hooper　lives；　and　occupies　himself　in　fishing　with　nets　in　the　ocean　for　blue…fish；　which　are　salted　down　and　sent　to　the　inland　towns　for　a　market。　　I　had　drawn　my　boat　into　the　sedge　to　secure　a　night's　shelter；　when　the　old　captain　on　his　rounds　captured　me。　　The　change　from　a　bed　in　the　damp　sedge　to　the　inside　seat　of　the　largest　fireplace　I　had　ever　beheld；　was　indeed　a　pleasant　one。　Its　inviting　front　covered　almost　one　side　of　the　room。　　While　the　fire　flashed　up　the　wide　chimney；　I　sat　inside　the　fireplace　with　the　three　children　of　my　host；　and　enjoyed　the　genial　glow　which　arose　from　the　fragments　of　the　wreck　of　a　vessel　which　had　pounded　　herself　to　death　upon　the　strand　near　Kitty　Midget's　Hammock。　　How　curiously　those　white…haired　children　watched　the　man　who　had　come　so　far　in　a　paper　boat！　　〃Why　did　not　the　paper　boat　soak　to　pieces？〃　they　asked。　　Each　explanation　seemed　but　to　puzzle　them　the　more；　and　I　found　myself　in　much　the　same　condition　of　mind　when　trying　to　make　some　discoveries　concerning　Kitty　Midget。　　She　must；　however；　have　lived　somewhere　on　Clark's　Beach　long　before　the　present　proprietor　was　born。　　We　spent　the　next　day　fishing　with　nets　in　the　surf　for　blue…fish；　it　being　about　the　last　day　of　their　stay　in　that　vicinity。　　They　go　south　as　far　as　Cape　Hatteras；　and　then　disappear　in　deep　water；　while　the　great　flocks　of　gulls；　that　　accompany　them　to　gather　the　remnants　of　fish　they　scatter　in　their　savage　meals；　rise　in　the　air　and　fly　rapidly　away　in　search　of　other　dainties。

On　Thursday　I　set　out　for　Cape　Hatteras。　The　old　sailor's　song；　that　…


　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　〃Hatteras　has　a　blow　in　store　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　For　those　who　pass　her　howling　door；〃


has　far　more　truth　than　poetry　in　it。　　Before　　proceeding　far　the　wind　blew　a　tempest；　when　a　young　fisherman　in　his　sailboat　bore　down　upon　me；　and　begged　me　to　come　on　board。　　We　　attempted　to　tow　the　canoe　astern；　but　she　filled　with　water；　which　obliged　us　to　take　her　on　board。　　As　we　flew　along　before　the　wind；　dashing　over　the　shoals　with　mad…cap　temerity；　I　discovered　that　my　new　acquaintance；　Burnett；　was　a　most　daring　as　well　as　reckless　sailor。　He　told　me　how　he　had　capsized　his　father's　schooner　by　carrying　sail　too　long。　　〃This　'ere　slow　way　of　doing　things〃　he　detested。　　His　recital　was　characteristic　of　the　man。

〃You　see；　sir；　we　was　bound　for　Newbern　up　the　Neuse　River；　and　as　we　were　well　into　the　sound　with　all　sail　set；　and　travelling　along　lively；　daddy　says；　　'Lorenzo；　I　reckon　a　little　yaupon　wouldn't　hurt　me；　so　I'll　go　below　and　start　a　firs　under　the　kittle。'　　Do　as　you　likes；　daddy；'　sez　I。　　So　down　below　he　goes；　and　I　takes　command　of　the　schooner。　　A　big　black　squall　soon　come　over　Cape　Hatteras　from　the　Gulf　Stream；　and　it　did　look　like　a　screecher。　Now；　I　thought；　old　woman；　I'll　make　your　sides　ache；　so　I　pinted　her　at　it；　and　afore　I　could　luff　her　up　in　the　wind；　the　squall　kreened　her　on　to　her　beam…ends。　You'd　a　laughed　to　have　split　yourself；　mister；　if　you　could　have　seen　daddy　a…crawling　out　of　the　companion…way　while　the　water　was　a…running　down　stairs　like　a　crick。　Says　he；　ruther　hurriedly；　'Sonny；　what's　up？'　It　isn't　what's　up；　daddy；　but　what's　down；'　sez　I；　it　sort　o'　looks　as　if　we　had　capsized。'　Sure　'nuff；'　answered　dad；　as　the　ballast　shifted　and　the　schooner　rolled　over　keel　uppermost。　We　floundered　about　like　porpoises；　but　managed　to　get　astride　her　backbone；　when　dad　looked　kind　of　scornfully　at　me；　and　burst　out　with；　'Sonny；　do　you　call　yourself　a　keerful　sailor？'　'Keerful　enough；　dad；'　sez　I；　'for　a　smart　one。　It's　more　credit　to　a　man　to　drive　his　vessel　like　a　sailor；　than　to　be　crawling　and　bobbing　along　like　a　diamond…backed　terrapin。'　　Now；　stranger；　if　you'll　believe　me；　that　keerful　old　father　of　mine　would　never　let　me　take　the　helum　again；　so　I　sticks　to　my　aunt　at　the　cape。〃

I　found　that　the　boat　in　which　we　were　sailing　was　a　dug…out；　made　from　two　immense　cypress　logs。　　Larger　boats　than　this　are　made　of　three　logs；　and　smaller　ones　are　dug　out　of　one。

Burnett　told　me　that　frame　boats　were　so　easily　pounded　to　pieces　on　the　shoals；　that　dug…outs　were