voyage of the paper canoe-第30部分

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a　marsh…tacky。　Then　a　few　sheep　came　out　of　the　hollows　among　the　hills　and　browsed　on　the　coarse　grass　near　the　cabin；　as　though　they　felt　the　loneliness　of　their　situation　so　far　removed　from　mankind。　With　the　marsh…ponies；　the　sheep；　the　wild…fowls　of　the　sound；　and　the　sighing　sea　for　companions；　the　night　passed　away。

The　bright　moonlight　roused　me　at　five　o'clock　in　the　morning；　and　I　pushed　off　again　in　shoal　water　on　an　ebb…tide；　experiencing　much　　difficulty　in　dragging　the　canoe　over　shallow　places　until　deep　water　was　entered；　when　the　row　to　Ocracoke　became　an　agreeable　one。　The　　landing…place　at　Ocracoke；　not　far　from　the　　lighthouse；　was　reached　at　noon；　and　the　people　gathered　to　see　the　paper　boat；　having　been　notified　of　my　proximity　by　fishermen。

The　women　here　can　pull　a　pretty　good　stroke；　and　frequently　assist　their　husbands　in　the　　fisheries。　　These　old　dames　ridiculed　the　idea　of　having　a　boat　so　small　and　light　as　the　canoe。　One　old　lady　laid　aside　her　pipe　and　　snuff…paddle　（snuff…rubbing　is　a　time…honored　　institution　in　the　south）；　and　roughly　grasping　the　bow　of　the　craft；　lifted　it　high　in　the　air；　then；　glancing　at　the　fine　model；　she　lowered　it　slowly　to　the　ground；　exclaiming；　〃I　reckon　I　wouldn't　risk　my　life　acrossing　a　creek　in　her。〃

These　people　told　me　that　the　yacht　Julia　had　stopped　there　to　make　inquiries　for　me；　and　had　departed　for　Newbern。

It　was　more　than　a　mile　from　the　landing　to　Ocracoke　Inlet；　and　a　mile　and　three　quarters　across　it　to　the　beach。　　A　straight　course　from　the　landing　to　the　village　of　Portsmouth；　on　the　lower　side　of　the　inlet；　was　a　distance　of　five　miles；　and　not　one　of　the　hardy　watermen；　who　thumped　the　sides　of　my　boat　with　their　hard　fists　to　ascertain　its　strength；　believed　that　I　could　cross　the　sound　to　the　other　village　　without　rolling　over。　　One　kind…hearted　oysterman　offered　to　carry　myself　and　boat　to　Portsmouth；　but　as　the　day　was　calm；　I　rowed　away　on　the　five…mile　stretch　amid　doleful　prognostications；　such　as：　〃That　feller　will　make　a　coffin　for　　hisself　out　of　that　yere　gimcrack　of　an　egg…shell。　It's　all　a　man's　life　is　wurth　to　go　in　her；〃　&c。

While　approaching　the　low　Portsmouth　shore　of　the　sound；　flocks　of　Canada　geese　flew　within　pistol…shot　of　my　head。　　A　man　in　a　dug…out　canoe　told　me　that　the　gunners　of　the　village　had　reared　from　the　egg　a　flock　of　wild　geese　which　now　aggregated　some　seven　or　eight　　hundred　birds；　and　that　these　now　flying　about　were　used　to　decoy　their　wild　relatives。

Near　the　beach　a　sandy　hill　had　been　the　place　of　sepulture　for　the　inhabitants　of　other　　generations；　but　for　years　past　the　tidal　current　had　been　cutting　the　shore　away　until　coffin　after　coffin　with　its　contents　had　been　washed　into　the　sound。　　Captain　Isaac　S。　Jennings；　of　Ocean　County；　New　Jersey；　had　described　this　spot　to　me　as　follows：

〃I　landed　at　Portsmouth　and　examined　this　curious　burial…ground。　　Here　by　the　water　were　the　remains　of　the　fathers；　mothers；　brothers；　and　sisters　of　the　people　of　the　village　so　near　at　hand；　yet　these　dismal　relics　of　their　ancestors　were　allowed　to　be　stolen　away　piecemeal　by　the　encroaching　ocean。　　While　I　gazed　sadly　upon　the　strata　of　coffins　protruding　from　the　banks；　shining　objects　like　jewels　seemed　to　be　sparkling　from　between　the　cracks　of　their　　fractured　sides；　and　as　I　tore　away　the　rotten　wood；　rows　of　toads　were　discovered　sitting　in　　solemn　council；　their　bright　eyes　peering　from　among　the　debris　of　bones　and　decomposed　substances。〃

Portsmouth　Island　is　nearly　eight　miles　long。　Whalebone　Inlet　is　at　its　lower　end；　but　is　too　shallow　to　be　of　any　service　to　commerce。　　　Hatteras　and　Ocracoke　inlets　admit　sea…going　　vessels。　　It　is　thirty…eight　miles　from　Whalebone　Inlet　to　Cape　Lookout；　which　projects　like　a　wedge　into　the　sea　nearly　three　miles　from　the　mainland；　and　there　is　not　another　passage　through　the　narrow　beach　in　all　that　distance　that　is　of　any　use　to　the　mariner。　　Following　the　trend　of　the　coast　for　eleven　miles　from　the　point　of　Cape　Lookout；　there　is　an　inlet；　but；　from　the　character　of　its　channel　and　its　　shallowness；　it　is　not　of　much　value。

Leaving　Portsmouth；　the　canoe　entered　Core　Sound；　which　grew　narrower　as　the　shoals　inside　of　Whalebone　Inlet　were　crossed；　partly　by　　rowing　and　partly　by　wading　on　the　sand…flats。　　As　night　came　on；　a　barren　stretch　of　beach　on　my　left　hand　was　followed　until　I　espied　the　only　house　within　a　distance　of　sixteen　miles　along　the　sea。　　It　was　occupied　by　a　coasting　skipper；　whose　fine　little　schooner　was　anchored　a　long　distance　from　the　land　on　account　of　the　　shoalness　of　the　water。　　Dreary　sand…hills　protected　the　cottage　from　the　bleak　winds　of　the　ocean。

While　yet　a　long　distance　from　the　skipper's　home；　a　black　object　could　be　seen　crawling　up　the　sides　of　a　mound　of　white　sand；　and　after　it　reached　the　apex　it　remained　in　one　position；　while　I　rowed；　and　waded；　and　pulled　my　canoe　towards　the　shore。　When　the　goal　was　reached；　and　the　boat　was　landed　high　up　among　the　scrub　growth；　I　shouldered　my　blankets　and　charts；　and　plodded　through　the　soft　soil　towards　the　dark　object；　which　I　now　recognized　to　be　a　man　on　a　lookout　post。　　He　did　not　move　from　his　position　until　I　reached　the　hillock；　when　he　suddenly　slid　down　the　bank　and　landed　at　my　feet；　with　a　cheery　

〃Well；　now；　I　thought　it　was　you。　Sez　I　to　myself；　That's　him；　sure；　when　I　seed　you　four　miles　away。　　Fust　thinks　I；　It's　only　a　log；　or　a　piece　of　wrak…stuff　afloating。　　Pretty　soon　up　comes　your　head　and　shoulders　into　sight；　then　sez　I；　It's　a　man；　sure；　but　where　is　his　boat？　for　you　see；　I　couldn't　see　your　boat；　it　was　so　low　down　in　the　water。　Then　I　reckoned　it　was　a　man　afloating　on　a　log；　but　arter　a　while　the　boat　loomed　up　too；　and　I　says；　I'll　be　dog…goned　if　that　isn't　him。　　I　went　up　to　　Newbern；　some　time　ago；　in　the　schooner；　and　the　people　there　said　there　was　a　man　coming　down　the　coast　a…rowing　a　paper　boat　on　a　bet。　　The　boat　weighed　only　fifty…eight　pounds；　and　the　man　had　a　heft　of　only　eighty　pounds。　　When　pa　and　me　went　up　to　the　city　agin；　the　folks　said　the　man　was　close　on　to　us；　and　this　time　they　said　the　man　and　his　boat　together　weighed　only　eighty　pounds。　　Now　I　should　think　you　weighed　more　than　that　yourself；　letting　alone　the　boat。〃

Having　assured　the　young　man　that　I　was　indeed　myself；　and　that　the　Newbern　people　had　played　upon　his　credulity；　we　walked　on　to　the　house；　where　the　family　of　Captain　James　Mason　kindly　welcomed　me　to　a　glowing　wood…fire　and　hearty　supper。　　Though　I　had　never　heard　of　their　existence　till　I　entered　Core　Sound；　the　kindness　of　these　people　was　like　that　of　old　friends。

Half　a　mile　below　Captain　Mason's　home；　a　short　time　before　my　visit；　a　new　breach　had　been　made　by　the　ocean　through　the　beach。　About　twenty　years　before　a　similar　breach　had　occurred　in　the　same　locality；　and　was　known　during　its　short　life　as　〃Pillintary　Inlet。〃　　The　next　day　I　crossed　the　sound；　which　is　here　four　miles　in　width；　and　coasted　along　to　the　　oystermen's　village　of　Hunting　Quarters；　on　the　　mainland。　　The　houses　were　very　small；　but　the　hearts　of　the　poor　folks　were　very　large。　　They　came　to　the　water's　edge　and　carried　the　canoe　into　the　only　store　in　the　neighborhood。　　Its　proprietor；　Mr。　William　H。　Stewart；　insisted　upon　my　sharing　his　bachelor's　quarters　in　an　unfinished　room　of　the　storehouse。　　My　young　host　was　hardly　out　of　his　teens。　　In　his　boyish　way　he　kindly　remarked：

〃I　am　here　all　alone。　　Father　told　me；　before　he　died；　never　to　let　a　stranger　pass　my　door　but　to　make　him　share　my　lodgings；　humble　though　they　are；　and　now；　any　way；　you're　just　in　time　for　the　fun；　for　we　are　to　have　three　weddings　to…night；　and　all　the　boys　and　girls　of　the　　neighborhood　will　be　at　Hunting　Quarters。〃

I　entered　a　mild　protest　against　joining　in　the　festivities；　on　the　plea　of　not　having　received　an　invitation；　at　which　the　handsome　youth　laughed　heartily。

〃Invitation！〃　he　exclaimed；　〃why；　no　one　ever　gives　out　invitations　in　Hunting　Quarters。　When　there　is　to　be　a　'jolliflcation'　of　any　sort；　everybody　goes　to　the　house　without　being　asked。　You　see　we　are　all　neighbors　here。　Up　at　Newbern　and　at　Beaufort；　and　other　great　cities；　people　have　their　ways；　but　here　all　are　friends。〃

So　we　went　to　the　little　house　in　the　piny　forest；　where　two　hearts　were　to　be　made　one。　The　only　room　on　the　first　floor　was　crowded　with　people。　　The　minister　had　not　arrived；　and　the　crowd　was　gazing　at　the　young　groom　and　his　pretty　bride…elect　as　they　sat　in　two　chairs　in　the　middle　of　the　company；　with　their　arms　around　each　other；　never　speaking　a　word　to　any　one。　The　heavy　weight　of　people　began　to　settle　the　floor；　and　as　two　joists　gave　way　I　struggled　to　escape　through　an　open　window；　thinking　we　would　be　precipitated　into　the　cellar　below。　But　the　good…natured　company　took　no　notice　of　the　snapping　timbers；　only　ejaculating；　〃She'll　soon　touch　bottom；〃　and　to　my　inquiries　about　the　inconvenience　of　being　pitched　through　to　the　cellar；　a　rustic　youth；　with　great　merriment　depicted　upon　his　countenance；　replied：

〃Sullers；　captain；　why；　there　ain't　a　suller　to　a　buildin'　within　thirty　miles　of　the　Quarters。　We