north america-1- 第25部分

ove　that　one　great　object　of　wonder　and　beauty；　there　is　so　much　little　loveliness　loveliness　especially　of　water　I　mean。　　There　are　little　rivulets　running　here　and　there　over　little　falls；　with　pendent　boughs　above　them；　and　stones　shining　under　their　shallow　depths。　　As　the　visitor　stands　and　looks　through　the　trees；　the　rapids　glitter　before　him；　and　then　hide　themselves　behind　islands。　　They　glitter　and　sparkle　in　far　distances　under　the　bright　foliage；　till　the　remembrance　is　lost；　and　one　knows　not　which　way　they　run。　　And　then　the　river　below；　with　its　whirlpool；but　we　shall　come　to　that　by…and…by；　and　to　the　mad　voyage　which　was　made　down　the　rapids　by　that　mad　captain　who　ran　the　gantlet　of　the　waters　at　the　risk　of　his　own　life；　with　fifty　to　one　against　him；　in　order　that　he　might　save　another　man's　property　from　the　sheriff。　The　readiest　way　across　to　Canada　is　by　the　ferry；　and　on　the　American　side　this　is　very　pleasantly　done。　　You　go　into　a　little　house；　pay　twenty　cents；　take　a　seat　on　a　wooden　car　of　wonderful　shape；　and　on　the　touch　of　a　spring　find　yourself　traveling　down　an　inclined　plane　of　terrible　declivity；　and　at　a　very　fast　rate。　　You　catch　a　glance　of　the　river　below　you；　and　recognize　the　fact　that　if　the　rope　by　which　you　are　held　should　break；　you　would　go　down　at　a　very　fast　rate　indeed；　and　find　your　final　resting…place　in　the　river。　　As　I　have　gone　down　some　dozen　times；　and　have　come　to　no　such　grief；　I　will　not　presume　that　you　will　be　less　lucky。　Below　there　is　a　boat　generally　ready。　　If　it　be　not　there；　the　place　is　not　chosen　amiss　for　a　rest　of　ten　minutes；　for　the　lesser　fall　is　close　at　hand；　and　the　larger　one　is　in　full　view。　　Looking　at　the　rapidity　of　the　river；　you　will　think　that　the　passage　must　be　dangerous　and　difficult。　　But　no　accidents　ever　happen；　and　the　lad　who　takes　you　over　seems　to　do　it　with　sufficient　ease。　　The　walk　up　the　hill　on　the　other　side　is　another　thing。　　It　is　very　steep；　and　for　those　who　have　not　good　locomotive　power　of　their　own；　will　be　found　to　be　disagreeable。　　In　the　full　season；　however；　carriages　are　generally　waiting　there。　　In　so　short　a　distance　I　have　always　been　ashamed　to　trust　to　other　legs　than　my　own；　but　I　have　observed　that　Americans　are　always　dragged　up。　　I　have　seen　single　young　men　of　from　eighteen　to　twenty…five；　from　whose　outward　appearance　no　story　of　idle；　luxurious　life　can　be　read；　carried　about　alone　in　carriages　over　distances　which　would　be　counted　as　nothing　by　any　healthy　English　lady　of　fifty。　　None　but　the　old　invalids　should　require　the　assistance　of　carriages　in　seeing　Niagara；　but　the　trade　in　carriages　is　to　all　appearance　the　most　brisk　trade　there。　Having　mounted　the　hill　on　the　Canada　side；　you　will　walk　on　toward　the　falls。　　As　I　have　said　before；　you　will　from　this　side　look　directly　into　the　full　circle　of　the　upper　cataract；　while　you　will　have　before　you；　at　your　left　hand；　the　whole　expanse　of　the　lesser　fall。　　For　those　who　desire　to　see　all　at　a　glance；　who　wish　to　comprise　the　whole　with　their　eyes；　and　to　leave　nothing　to　be　guessed；　nothing　to　be　surmised；　this　no　doubt　is　the　best　point　of　view。　You　will　be　covered　with　spray　as　you　walk　up　to　the　ledge　of　rocks；　but　I　do　not　think　that　the　spray　will　hurt　you。　　If　a　man　gets　wet　through　going　to　his　daily　work；　cold；　catarrh；　cough；　and　all　their　attendant　evils；　may　be　expected；　but　these　maladies　usually　spare　the　tourist。　　Change　of　air；　plenty　of　air；　excellence　of　air；　and　increased　exercise；　make　these　things　powerless。　　I　should　therefore　bid　you　disregard　the　spray。　　If；　however；　you　are　yourself　of　a　different　opinion；　you　may　hire　a　suit　of　oil…cloth　clothes　for；　I　believe；　a　quarter　of　a　dollar。　They　are　nasty　of　course；　and　have　this　further　disadvantage；　that　you　become　much　more　wet　having　them　on　than　you　would　be　without　them。　Here；　on　this　side；　you　walk　on　to　the　very　edge　of　the　cataract；　and；　if　your　tread　be　steady　and　your　legs　firm；　you　dip　your　foot　into　the　water　exactly　at　the　spot　where　the　thin　outside　margin　of　the　current　reaches　the　rocky　edge　and　jumps　to　join　the　mass　of　the　fall。　　The　bed　of　white　foam　beneath　is　certainly　seen　better　here　than　elsewhere；　and　the　green　curve　of　the　water　is　as　bright　here　as　when　seen　from　the　wooden　rail　across。　　But　nevertheless　I　say　again　that　that　wooden　rail　is　the　one　point　from　whence　Niagara　may　be　best　seen　aright。　Close　to　the　cataract；　exactly　at　the　spot　from　whence　in　former　days　the　Table　Rock　used　to　project　from　the　land　over　the　boiling　caldron　below；　there　is　now　a　shaft；　down　which　you　will　descend　to　the　level　of　the　river；　and　pass　between　the　rock　and　the　torrent。　This　Table　Rock　broke　away　from　the　cliff　and　fell；　as　up　the　whole　course　of　the　river　the　seceding　rocks　have　split　and　fallen　from　time　to　time　through　countless　years；　and　will　continue　to　do　till　the　bed　of　the　upper　lake　is　reached。　　You　will　descend　this　shaft；　taking　to　yourself　or　not　taking　to　yourself　a　suit　of　oil…clothes　as　you　may　think　best。　　I　have　gone　with　and　without　the　suit；　and　again　recommend　that　they　be　left　behind。　　I　am　inclined　to　think　that　the　ordinary　payment　should　be　made　for　their　use；　as　otherwise　it　will　appear　to　those　whose　trade　it　is　to　prepare　them　that　you　are　injuring　them　in　their　vested　rights。　Some　three　years　since　I　visited　Niagara　on　my　way　back　to　England　from　Bermuda；　and　in　a　volume　of　travels　which　I　then　published　I　endeavored　to　explain　the　impression　made　upon　me　by　this　passage　between　the　rock　and　the　waterfall。　　An　author　should　not　quote　himself；　but　as　I　feel　myself　bound；　in　writing　a　chapter　specially　about　Niagara；　to　give　some　account　of　this　strange　position；　I　will　venture　to　repeat　my　own　words。　In　the　spot　to　which　I　allude　the　visitor　stands　on　a　broad；　safe　path；　made　of　shingles；　between　the　rock　over　which　the　water　rushes　and　the　rushing　water。　　He　will　go　in　so　far　that　the　spray；　rising　back　from　the　bed　of　the　torrent；　does　not　incommode　him。　With　this　exception；　the　farther　he　can　go　in　the　better；　but　circumstances　will　clearly　show　him　the　spot　to　which　he　should　advance。　　Unless　the　water　be　driven　in　by　a　very　strong　wind；　five　yards　make　the　difference　between　a　comparatively　dry　coat　and　an　absolutely　wet　one。　　And　then　let　him　stand　with　his　back　to　the　entrance；　thus　hiding　the　last　glimmer　of　the　expiring　day。　　So　standing；　he　will　look　up　among　the　falling　waters；　or　down　into　the　deep；　misty　pit；　from　which　they　re…ascend　in　almost　as　palpable　a　bulk。　　The　rock　will　be　at　his　right　hand；　high　and　hard；　and　dark　and　straight；　like　the　wall　of　some　huge　cavern；　such　as　children　enter　in　their　dreams。　　For　the　first　five　minutes　he　will　be　looking　but　at　the　waters　of　a　cataractat　the　waters；　indeed；　of　such　a　cataract　as　we　know　no　other；　and　at　their　interior　curves　which　elsewhere　we　cannot　see。　　But　by…and…by　all　this　will　change。　　He　will　no　longer　be　on　a　shingly　path　beneath　a　waterfall；　but　that　feeling　of　a　cavern　wall　will　grow　upon　him；　of　a　cavern　deep；　below　roaring　seas；　in　which　the　waves　are　there；　though　they　do　not　enter　in　upon　him；　or　rather；　not　the　waves；　but　the　very　bowels　of　the　ocean。　　He　will　feel　as　though　the　floods　surrounded　him；　coming　and　going　with　their　wild　sounds；　and　he　will　hardly　recognize　that　though　among　them　he　is　not　in　them。　And　they；　as　they　fall　with　a　continual　roar；　not　hurting　the　ear；　but　musical　withal；　will　seem　to　move　as　the　vast　ocean　waters　may　perhaps　move　in　their　internal　currents。　　He　will　lose　the　sense　of　one　continued　descent；　and　think　that　they　are　passing　round　him　in　their　appointed　courses。　　The　broken　spray　that　rises　from　the　depths　below；　rises　so　strongly；　so　palpably；　so　rapidly　that　the　motion　in　every　direction　will　seem　equal。　　And；　as　he　looks　on；　strange　colors　will　show　themselves　through　the　mist；　the　shades　of　gray　will　become　green　or　blue；　with　ever　and　anon　a　flash　of　white；　and　then；　when　some　gust　of　wind　blows　in　with　greater　violence；　the　sea…girt　cavern　will　become　all　dark　and　black。　　Oh；　my　friend；　let　there　be　no　one　there　to　speak　to　thee　then；　no；　not　even　a　brother。　　As　you　stand　there　speak　only　to　the　waters。　Two　miles　below　the　falls　the　river　is　crossed　by　a　suspension　bridge　of　marvelous　construction。　　It　affords　two　thoroughfares；　one　above　the　other。　　The　lower　road　is　for　carriages　and　horses；　and　the　upper　one　bears　a　railway　belonging　to　the　Great　Western　Canada　Line。　　The　view　from　hence；　both　up　and　down　the　river；　is　very　beautiful；　for　the　bridge　is　built　immediately　over　the　first　of　a　series　of　rapids。　　One　mile　below　the　bridge　these　rapids　end　in　a　broad　basin　called　the　whirlpool；　and；　issuing　out　of　this；　the　current　turns　to　the　right　through　a　narrow　channel　overhung　by　cliffs　and　trees；　and　then　makes　its　way　down　to　Lake　Ontario　with　comparative　tranquillity。　But　I　will　beg　you　to　take　notice　of　those　rapids　from　the　bridge；　and　to　ask　yourself　what　chance　of　life　would　remain　to　any　ship；　craft；　or　boat　required　by　destiny　to　undergo　navigation　beneath　the　bridge　and　down　into　that　whirlpool。　　Heretofore　all　men　would　have　said　that　no　chance　of　life　could　remain　to　so　ill…starred　a　bark。　　The　navigation；　however；　has　been　effected。　　But　men　used　to　the　river　still　say　that　the　chances　would　be　fifty　to　one　against　any　vessel　which　should　attempt　to　repeat　the　experiment。　The　story　of　that　wondrous　voyage　was　as　follows：　　A　small　steamer；　called　the　Maid　of　the　Mist；　was　built　upon　the　river；　between　the　falls　and　the　rapids；　and　was　used　for　taking　adventurous　tourists　up　amid　the　spray　as　near　to　the　cataract　as　was　possible。　　〃The　Maid　of　the　Mist　plied　in　this　way　for　a　year　or　two；　and　was；　I　believe；　much　patronized　during　the　season。　　But　in　the　early　part　of　last　summer　an　evil　time　had　come。　　Either　the　Maid　got　into　debt；　or　her　owner　had　embarked　in　other　and　less　profitable　speculations。　　At　any　rate；　he　became　subject　to　the　law；　and　tidings　reached　him　that　the　sheriff　would　seize　the　Maid。　　On　most　occasions　the　sheriff　is　bound　to　keep　such　intentions　secret；　seeing　that　property　is　movable；　and　that　an　insolvent　debtor　will　not　always　await　the　officers　of　justice。　　But　with　the　poor　Maid　the