rambling idle excursion-第4部分

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men　was　sicknothing　much　the　matter。　　I　looked　in　the　book：　it　said
give　him　a　teaspoonful　of　No。　15。　　I　went　to　the　medicine…chest；　and　I
see　I　was　out　of　No。　15。　　I　judged　I'd　got　to　get　up　a　combination
somehow　that　would　fill　the　bill；　so　I　hove　into　the　fellow　half　a
teaspoonful　of　No。　8　and　half　a　teaspoonful　of　No。　7；　and　I'll　be　hanged
if　it　didn't　kill　him　in　fifteen　minutes！　　There's　something　about　this
medicine…chest　system　that's　too　many　for　me！〃

There　was　a　good　deal　of　pleasant　gossip　about　old　Captain　〃Hurricane〃
Jones；　of　the　Pacific　Oceanpeace　to　his　ashes！　　Two　or　three　of　us
present　had　known　him；　I　particularly　well；　for　I　had　made　four　sea…
voyages　with　him。　　He　was　a　very　remarkable　man。　　He　was　born　in　a　ship；
he　picked　up　what　little　education　he　had　among　his　shipmates；　he　began
life　in　the　forecastle；　and　climbed　grade　by　grade　to　the　captaincy。
More　than　fifty　years　of　his　sixty…five　were　spent　at　sea。　　He　had　sailed
all　oceans；　seen　all　lands；　and　borrowed　a　tint　from　all　climates。　　When
a　man　has　been　fifty　years　at　sea　he　necessarily　knows　nothing　of　men；
nothing　of　the　world　but　its　surface；　nothing　of　the　world's　thought；
nothing　of　the　world's　learning　but　it's　a　B　C；　and　that　blurred　and
distorted　by　the　unfocused　lenses　of　an　untrained　mind。　　Such　a　man　is
only　a　gray　and　bearded　child。　　That　is　what　old　Hurricane　Jones　was
simply　an　innocent；　lovable　old　infant。　　When　his　spirit　was　in　repose　he
was　as　sweet　and　gentle　as　a　girl；　when　his　wrath　was　up　he　was　a
hurricane　that　made　his　nickname　seem　tamely　descriptive。　　He　was
formidable　in　a　fight；　for　he　was　of　powerful　build　and　dauntless
courage。　　He　was　frescoed　from　head　to　heel　with　pictures　and　mottoes
tattooed　in　red　and　blue　India　ink。　　I　was　with　him　one　voyage　when　he
got　his　last　vacant　space　tattooed；　this　vacant　space　was　around　his　left
ankle。　　During　three　days　he　stumped　about　the　ship　with　his　ankle　bare
and　swollen；　and　this　legend　gleaming　red　and　angry　out　from　a　clouding
of　India　ink：　〃Virtue　is　its　own　R'd。〃　　（There　was　a　lack　of　room。）　He
was　deeply　and　sincerely　pious；　and　swore　like　a　fishwoman。　　He
considered　swearing　blameless；　because　sailors　would　not　understand　an
order　unillumined　by　it。　　He　was　a　profound　biblical　scholarthat　is；
he　thought　he　was。　　He　believed　everything　in　the　Bible；　but　he　had　his
own　methods　of　arriving　at　his　beliefs。　　He　was　of　the　〃advanced〃　school
of　thinkers；　and　applied　natural　laws　to　the　interpretation　of　all
miracles；　somewhat　on　the　plan　of　the　people　who　make　the　six　days　of
creation　six　geological　epochs；　and　so　forth。　　Without　being　aware　of　it；
he　was　a　rather　severe　satire　on　modern　scientific　religionists。　　Such　a
man　as　I　have　been　describing　is　rabidly　fond　of　disquisition　and
argument；　one　knows　that　without　being　told　it。

One　trip　the　captain　had　a　clergyman　on　board；　but　did　not　know　he　was　a
clergyman；　since　the　passenger…list　did　not　betray　the　fact。　　He　took　a
great　liking　to　this　Reverend　Mr。　Peters；　and　talked　with　him　a　great
deal；　told　him　yarns；　gave　him　toothsome　scraps　of　personal　history；　and
wove　a　glittering　streak　of　profanity　through　his　garrulous　fabric　that
was　refreshing　to　a　spirit　weary　of　the　dull　neutralities　of　undecorated
speech。　　One　day　the　captain　said；　〃Peters；　do　you　ever　read　the　Bible？〃

〃Wellyes。〃

〃I　judge　it　ain't　often；　by　the　way　you　say　it。　　Now；　you　tackle　it　in
dead　earnest　once；　and　you'll　find　it　'll　pay。　　Don't　you　get
discouraged；　but　hang　right　on。　　First；　you　won't　understand　it；　but　by
and　by　things　will　begin　to　clear　up；　and　then　you　wouldn't　lay　it　down
to　eat。〃

〃Yes；　I　have　heard　that　said。〃

〃And　it's　so；　too。　　There　ain't　a　book　that　begins　with　it。　　It　lays　over
'm　all；　Peters。　　There's　some　pretty　tough　things　in　itthere　ain't　any
getting　around　thatbut　you　stick　to　them　and　think　them　out；　and　when
once　you　get　on　the　inside　everything's　plain　as　day。〃

〃The　miracles；　too；　captain？〃

〃Yes；　sir！　　the　miracles；　too。　　Every　one　of　them。　　Now；　there's　that
business　with　the　prophets　of　Baal；　like　enough　that　stumped　you？〃

〃Well；　I　don't　know　but〃

〃Own　up　now；　it　stumped　you。　　Well；　I　don't　wonder。　　You　hadn't　had　any
experience　in　raveling　such　things　out；　and　naturally　it　was　too　many　for
you。　　Would　you　like　to　have　me　explain　that　thing　to　you；　and　show　you
how　to　get　at　the　meat　of　these　matters？〃

〃Indeed；　I　would；　captain；　if　you　don't　mind。〃

Then　the　captain　proceeded　as　follows：　〃I'll　do　it　with　pleasure。　　First；
you　see；　I　read　and　read；　and　thought　and　thought；　till　I　got　to
understand　what　sort　of　people　they　were　in　the　old　Bible　times；　and　then
after　that　it　was　all　clear　and　easy。　　Now　this　was　the　way　I　put　it　up；
concerning　Isaac＇This　is　the　captain's　own　mistake＇and　the　prophets
of　Baal。　　There　was　some　mighty　sharp　men　among　the　public　characters　of
that　old　ancient　day；　and　Isaac　was　one　of　them。　　Isaac　had　his　failings
plenty　of　them；　too；　it　ain't　for　me　to　apologize　for　Isaac；　he　played
it　on　the　prophets　of　Baal；　and　like　enough　he　was　justifiable；
considering　the　odds　that　was　against　him。　　No；　all　I　say　is；　'twa'n't
any　miracle；　and　that　I'll　show　you　so's't　you　can　see　it　yourself。

〃Well；　times　had　been　getting　rougher　and　rougher　for　prophetsthat　is；
prophets　of　Isaac's　denomination。　　There　was　four　hundred　and　fifty
prophets　of　Baal　in　the　community；　and　only　one　Presbyterian；　that　is；
if　Isaac　was　a　Presbyterian；　which　I　reckon　he　was；　but　it　don't　say。
Naturally；　the　prophets　of　Baal　took　all　the　trade。　　Isaac　was　pretty
low…spirited；　I　reckon；　but　he　was　a　good　deal　of　a　man；　and　no　doubt　he
went　a…prophesying　around；　letting　on　to　be　doing　a　land…office　business；
but　'twa'n't　any　use；　he　couldn't　run　any　opposition　to　amount　to
anything。　　By　and　by　things　got　desperate　with　him；　he　sets　his　head　to
work　and　thinks　it　all　out；　and　then　what　does　he　do？　　Why；　he　begins　to
throw　out　hints　that　the　other　parties　are　this　and　that　and　t'other…
nothing　very　definite；　maybe；　but　just　kind　of　undermining　their
reputation　in　a　quiet　way。　　This　made　talk；　of　course；　and　finally　got　to
the　king。　　The　king　asked　Isaac　what　he　meant　by　his　talk。　　Says　Isaac；
'Oh；　nothing　particular；　only；　can　they　pray…down　fire　from　heaven　on　an
altar？　　It　ain't　much；　maybe；　your　majesty；　only　can　they　do　it？　　That's
the　idea。'　　So　the　king　was　a　good　deal　disturbed；　and　he　went　to　the
prophets　of　Baal；　and　they　said；　pretty　airy；　that　if　he　had　an　altar
ready；　they　were　ready；　and　they　intimated　he　better　get　it　insured；　too。

〃So　next　morning　all　the　children　of　Israel　and　their　parents　and　the
other　people　gathered　themselves　together。　　Well；　here　was　that　great
crowd　of　prophets　of　Baal　packed　together　on　one　side；　and　Isaac　walking
up　and　down　all　alone　on　the　other；　putting　up　his　job。　　When　time　was
called；　Isaac　let　on　to　be　comfortable　and　indifferent；　told　the　other
team　to　take　the　first　innings。　　So　they　went　at　it；　the　whole　four
hundred　and　fifty；　praying　around　the　altar；　very　hopeful；　and　doing
their　level　best。　　They　prayed　an　hourtwo　hoursthree　hoursand　so
on；　plumb　till　noon。　　It　wa'n't　any　use；　they　hadn't　took　a　trick。　　Of
course　they　felt　kind　of　ashamed　before　all　those　people；　and　well　they
might。　　Now；　what　would　a　magnanimous　man　do？　　Keep　still；　wouldn't　he？
Of　course。　　What　did　Isaac　do？　　He　graveled　the　prophets　of　Baal　every
way　he　could　think　of。　　Says　he；　'You　don't　speak　up　loud　enough；　your
god's　asleep；　like　enough；　or　maybe　he's　taking　a　walk；　you　want　to
holler；　you　know'or　words　to　that　effect；　I　don't　recollect　the　exact
language。　　Mind；　I　don't　apologize　for　Isaac；　he　had　his　faults。

〃Well；　the　prophets　of　Baal　prayed　along　the　best　they　knew　how　all　the
afternoon；　and　never　raised；　a　spark。　　At　last；　about　sundown；　they　were
all　tuckered　out；　and　they　owned　up　and　quit。

〃What　does　Isaac　do　now？　　He　steps　up　and　says　to　some　friends　of　his
there；　'Pour　four　barrels　of　water　on　the　altar！'　　Everybody　was
astonished；　for　the　other　side　had　prayed　at　it　dry；　you　know；　and　got
whitewashed。　　They　poured　it　on。　　Says　he；　'Heave　on　four　more　barrels。'
Then　he　says；　'Heave　on　four　more。'　　Twelve　barrels；　you　see；　altogether。
The　water　ran　all　over　the　altar；　and　all　down　the　sides；　and　filled　up　a
trench　around　it　that　would　hold　a　couple　of　hogsheads…'measures；'　it
says；　I　reckon　it　means　about　a　hogshead。　　Some　of　the　people　were　going
to　put　on　their　things　and　go；　for　they　allowed　he　was　crazy。　　They
didn't　know　Isaac。　　Isaac　knelt　down　and　began　to　pray；　he　strung　along；
and　strung　along；　about　the　heathen　in　distant　lands；　and　about　the
sister　churches；　and　about　the　state　and　the　country　at　large；　and　about
those　that's　in　authority　in　the　government；　and　all　the　usual　program；
you　know；　till　everybody　had　got　tired　and　gone　to　thinking　about
something　else；　and　then；　all　of　a　sudden；　when　nobody　was　noticing；　he
outs　with　a　match　and　rakes　it　on　the　under　side　of　his　leg；　and　pff！　up
the　whole　thing　blazes　like　a　house　afire！　　Twelve　barrels　of　water？
Petroleum；　sir；　PETROLEUM！　that's　what　it　was！〃

〃Petroleum；　captain？〃

〃Yes；　sir；　the　country　was　full　of　it。　　Isaac　knew　all　about　that。
You　read　the　Bible。　　Don't　you　worry　about　the　tough　places。　　They　ain't
tough　when　you　come　to　think　them　out　and　throw　light　on　them。　　There
ain't　a　thing　in　the　Bible　but　what　is　true；　all　you　want　is　to　go
prayerfully　to　work　and　cipher　out　how　'twas　done。〃

At　eight　o'clock　on　the　third　morning　out　from　New　York；　land　was
sighted。　　Away　across　the　sunny　waves　one　saw　a　faint　dark　stripe
stretched　along　under　the　horizon…or　pretended　to　see　it；　for　the　credit
of　his　eyesight。　　Even　the　Reverend　said　he　saw　it；　a　thing　which　was
manifestly　not　so。　　But　I　never　have　seen　any　one　who　was　morally　strong
enough　to　confess　that　he　could　not　see　land　when　others　claimed　that
they　could。

By　and　by　the　Bermuda　Islands　were　easily　visible。　　The　principal　one　lay
upon　the　water　in　the　distance；　a　long；　dull…colored　body；　scalloped　with
slight　hills　and　valleys。　　We　could　not　go　straight　at　it；　but　had　to
travel　all　the　way　around　it；　si