erewhon revisited-第53章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


buildings　of　a　large　town　which　seemed　to　be　embosomed　in　trees；
and　this　I　reached　in　about　an　hour　and　a　half；　for　I　had　to
descend　at　a　foot's　pace；　and　Doctor's　many　virtues　did　not
comprise　a　willingness　to　go　beyond　an　amble。

At　the　town　above　referred　to　I　spent　the　night；　and　began　to
strike　across　the　plains　on　the　following　morning。　　I　might　have
crossed　these　in　three　days　at　twenty…five　miles　a　day；　but　I　had
too　much　time　on　my　hands；　and　my　load　of　gold　was　so　uncomfortable
that　I　was　glad　to　stay　at　one　accommodation　house　after　another；
averaging　about　eighteen　miles　a　day。　　I　have　no　doubt　that　if　I
had　taken　advice；　I　could　have　stowed　my　load　more　conveniently；
but　I　could　not　unpack　it；　and　made　the　best　of　it　as　it　was。

On　the　evening　of　Wednesday；　December　2；　I　reached　the　river　which
I　should　have　to　follow　up；　it　was　here　nearing　the　gorge　through
which　it　had　to　pass　before　the　country　opened　out　again　at　the
back　of　the　front　range。　　I　came　upon　it　quite　suddenly　on　reaching
the　brink　of　a　great　terrace；　the　bank　of　which　sloped　almost
precipitously　down　towards　it；　but　was　covered　with　grass。　　The
terrace　was　some　three　hundred　feet　above　the　river；　and　faced
another　similar　one；　which　was　from　a　mile　and　a　half　to　two　miles
distant。　　At　the　bottom　of　this　huge　yawning　chasm；　rolled　the
mighty　river；　and　I　shuddered　at　the　thought　of　having　to　cross　and
recross　it。　　For　it　was　angry；　muddy；　evidently　in　heavy　fresh；　and
filled　bank　and　bank　for　nearly　a　mile　with　a　flood　of　seething
waters。

I　followed　along　the　northern　edge　of　the　terrace；　till　I　reached
the　last　accommodation　house　that　could　be　said　to　be　on　the
plainswhich；　by　the　way；　were　here　some　eight　or　nine　hundred
feet　above　sea　level。　　When　I　reached　this　house；　I　was　glad　to
learn　that　the　river　was　not　likely　to　remain　high　for　more　than　a
day　or　two；　and　that　if　what　was　called　a　Southerly　Burster　came
up；　as　it　might　be　expected　to　do　at　any　moment；　it　would　be　quite
low　again　before　three　days　were　over。

At　this　house　I　stayed　the　night；　and　in　the　course　of　the　evening
a　stray　doga　retriever；　hardly　full　grown；　and　evidently　very
much　down　on　his　lucktook　up　with　me；　when　I　inquired　about　him；
and　asked　if　I　might　take　him　with　me；　the　landlord　said　he　wished
I　would；　for　he　knew　nothing　about　him　and　was　trying　to　drive　him
from　the　house。　　Knowing　what　a　boon　the　companionship　of　this　poor
beast　would　be　to　me　when　I　was　camping　out　alone；　I　encouraged
him；　and　next　morning　he　followed　me　as　a　matter　of　course。

In　the　night　the　Southerly　Burster　which　my　host　anticipated　had
come　up；　cold　and　blustering；　but　invigorating　after　the　hot；　dry；
wind　that　had　been　blowing　hard　during　the　daytime　as　I　had　crossed
the　plains。　　A　mile　or　two　higher　up　I　passed　a　large　sheep…
station；　but　did　not　stay　there。　　One　or　two　men　looked　at　me　with
surprise；　and　asked　me　where　I　was　going；　whereon　I　said　I　was　in
search　of　rare　plants　and　birds　for　the　Museum　of　the　town　at　which
I　had　slept　the　night　after　my　arrival。　　This　satisfied　their
curiosity；　and　I　ambled　on　accompanied　by　the　dog。　　In　passing　I
may　say　that　I　found　Doctor　not　to　excel　at　any　pace　except　an
amble；　but　for　a　long　journey；　especially　for　one　who　is　carrying　a
heavy；　awkward　load；　there　is　no　pace　so　comfortable；　and　he　ambled
fairly　fast。

I　followed　the　horse　track　which　had　been　cut　through　the　gorge；
and　in　many　places　I　disliked　it　extremely；　for　the　river；　still　in
fresh；　was　raging　furiously；　twice；　for　some　few　yards；　where　the
gorge　was　wider　and　the　stream　less　rapid；　it　covered　the　track；
and　I　had　no　confidence　that　it　might　not　have　washed　it　away；　on
these　occasions　Doctor　pricked　his　ears　towards　the　water；　and　was
evidently　thinking　exactly　what　his　rider　was。　　He　decided；
however；　that　all　would　be　sound；　and　took　to　the　water　without　any
urging　on　my　part。　　Seeing　his　opinion；　I　remembered　my　father's
advice；　and　let　him　do　what　he　liked；　but　in　one　place　for　three　or
four　yards　the　water　came　nearly　up　to　his　belly；　and　I　was　in
great　fear　for　the　watches　that　were　in　my　saddlebags。　　As　for　the
dog；　I　feared　I　had　lost　him；　but　after　a　time　he　rejoined　me；
though　how　he　contrived　to　do　so　I　cannot　say。

Nothing　could　be　grander　than　the　sight　of　this　great　river　pent
into　a　narrow　compass；　and　occasionally　becoming　more　like　an
immense　waterfall　than　a　river；　but　I　was　in　continual　fear　of
coming　to　more　places　where　the　water　would　be　over　the　track；　and
perhaps　of　finding　myself　unable　to　get　any　farther。　　I　therefore
failed　to　enjoy　what　was　really　far　the　most　impressive　sight　in
its　way　that　I　had　ever　seen。　　〃Give　me；〃　I　said　to　myself；　〃the
Thames　at　Richmond；〃　and　right　thankful　was　I；　when　at　about　two
o'clock　I　found　that　I　was　through　the　gorge　and　in　a　wide　valley；
the　greater　part　of　which；　however；　was　still　covered　by　the　river。
It　was　here　that　I　heard　for　the　first　time　the　curious　sound　of
boulders　knocking　against　each　other　underneath　the　great　body　of
water　that　kept　rolling　them　round　and　round。

I　now　halted；　and　lit　a　fire；　for　there　was　much　dead　scrub
standing　that　had　remained　after　the　ground　had　been　burned　for　the
first　time　some　years　previously。　　I　made　myself　some　tea；　and
turned　Doctor　out　for　a　couple　of　hours　to　feed。　　I　did　not　hobble
him；　for　my　father　had　told　me　that　he　would　always　come　for　bread。
When　I　had　dined；　and　smoked；　and　slept　for　a　couple　of　hours　or
so；　I　reloaded　Doctor　and　resumed　my　journey　towards　the　shepherd's
hut；　which　I　caught　sight　of　about　a　mile　before　I　reached　it。
When　nearly　half　a　mile　off　it；　I　dismounted；　and　made　a　written
note　of　the　exact　spot　at　which　I　did　so。　　I　then　turned　for　a
couple　of　hundred　yards　to　my　right；　at　right　angles　to　the　track；
where　some　huge　rocks　were　lyingfallen　ages　since　from　the
mountain　that　flanked　this　side　of　the　valley。　　Here　I　deposited　my
knapsack　in　a　hollow　underneath　some　of　the　rocks；　and　put　a　good
sized　stone　in　front　of　it；　for　I　meant　spending　a　couple　of　days
with　the　shepherd　to　let　the　river　go　down。　　Moreover；　as　it　was
now　only　December　3；　I　had　too　much　time　on　my　hands；　but　I　had　not
dared　to　cut　things　finer。

I　reached　the　hut　at　about　six　o'clock；　and　introduced　myself　to
the　shepherd；　who　was　a　nice；　kind　old　man；　commonly　called　Harris；
but　his　real　name　he　told　me　was　HoraceHorace　Taylor。　　I　had　the
conversation　with　him　of　which　I　have　already　told　the　reader；
adding　that　my　father　had　been　unable　to　give　a　coherent　account　of
what　he　had　seen；　and　that　I　had　been　sent　to　get　the　information
he　had　failed　to　furnish。

The　old　man　said　that　I　must　certainly　wait　a　couple　of　days　before
I　went　higher　up　the　river。　　He　had　made　himself　a　nice　garden；　in
which　he　took　the　greatest　pride；　and　which　supplied　him　with
plenty　of　vegetables。　　He　was　very　glad　to　have　company；　and　to
receive　the　newspapers　which　I　had　taken　care　to　bring　him。　　He　had
a　real　genius　for　simple　cookery；　and　fed　me　excellently。　　My
father's　5　pounds；　and　the　ration　of　brandy　which　I　nightly　gave
him；　made　me　a　welcome　guest；　and　though　I　was　longing　to　be　at　any
rate　as　far　as　the　foot　of　the　pass　into　Erewhon；　I　amused　myself
very　well　in　an　abundance　of　ways　with　which　I　need　not　trouble　the
reader。

One　of　the　first　things　that　Harris　said　to　me　was；　〃I　wish　I　knew
what　your　father　did　with　the　nice　red　blanket　he　had　with　him　when
he　went　up　the　river。　　He　had　none　when　he　came　down　again；　I　have
no　horse　here；　but　I　borrowed　one　from　a　man　who　came　up　one　day
from　down　below；　and　rode　to　a　place　where　I　found　what　I　am　sure
were　the　ashes　of　the　last　fire　he　made；　but　I　could　find　neither
the　blanket　nor　the　billy　and　pannikin　he　took　away　with　him。　　He
said　he　supposed　he　must　have　left　the　things　there；　but　he　could
remember　nothing　about　it。〃

〃I　am　afraid；〃　said　I；　〃that　I　cannot　help　you。〃

〃At　any　rate；〃　continued　the　shepherd；　〃I　did　not　have　my　ride　for
nothing；　for　as　I　was　coming　back　I　found　this　rug　half　covered
with　sand　on　the　river…bed。〃

As　he　spoke　he　pointed　to　an　excellent　warm　rug；　on　the　spar