tracks of a rolling stone-第20部分

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ramighty！　　Buckra　berry　fat！'　　The　latter　　attribute　was　the　source　of　genuine　admiration；　but　the　　object　of　it　hardly　appreciated　its　recognition；　and　waved　　off　his　subjects　with　a　mixture　of　impatience　and　alarm。

We　had　scarcely　been　a　week　at　Golden　Grove；　when　my　two　　companions　and　Durham's　servant　were　down　with　yellow　fever。　　　Being　'salted；'　perhaps；　I　escaped　scot…free；　so　helped　　Archy's　valet　and　Mr。　Forbes；　his　factor；　to　nurse　and　to　　carry　out　professional　orders。　　As　we　were　thirty　miles　from　　Kingston　the　doctor　could　only　come　every　other　day。　　The　　responsibility；　therefore；　of　attending　three　patients　　smitten　with　so　deadly　a　disease　was　no　light　matter。　　The　　factor　seemed　to　think　discretion　the　better　part　of　valour；　　and　that　Jamaica　rum　was　the　best　specific　for　keeping　his　　up。　　All　physicians　were　SANGRADOS　in　those　days；　and　when　　the　Kingston　doctor　decided　upon　bleeding；　the　hysterical　　state　of　the　darky　girls　（we　had　no　men　in　the　bungalow　　except　Durham's　and　Archy's　servants）　rendered　them　worse　　than　useless。　　It　fell　to　me；　therefore；　to　hold　the　basin　　while　Archy's　man　was　attending　to　his　master。

Durham；　who　had　nerves　of　steel；　bore　his　lot　with　the　grim　　stoicism　which　marked　his　character。　　But　at　one　time　the　　doctor　considered　his　state　so　serious　that　he　thought　his　　lordship's　family　should　be　informed　of　it。　　Accordingly　I　　wrote　to　the　last　Lord　Grey；　his　uncle　and　guardian；　stating　　that　there　was　little　hope　of　his　recovery。　　Poor　Phoca　was　　at　once　tragic　and　comic。　　His　medicine　had　to　be　　administered　every；　two　hours。　　Each　time；　he　begged　and　　prayed　in　lacrymose　tones　to　be　let　off。　　It　was　doing　him　no　　good。　　He　might　as　well　be　allowed　to　die　in　peace。　　If　we　　would　only　spare　him　the　beastliness　this　once；　on　his　honour　　he　would　take　it　next　time　'like　a　man。'　　We　were　inexorable；　　of　course；　and　treated　him　exactly　as　one　treats　a　child。

At　last　the　crisis　was　over。　　Wonderful　to　relate；　all　three　　began　to　recover。　　During　their　convalescence；　I　amused　　myself　by　shooting　alligators　in　the　mangrove　swamps　at　　Holland　Bay；　which　was　within　half　an　hour's　ride　of　the　　bungalow。　　It　was　curious　sport。　　The　great　saurians　would　　lie　motionless　in　the　pools　amidst　the　snake…like　tangle　of　　mangrove　roots。　　They　would　float　with　just　their　eyes　and　　noses　out　of　water；　but　so　still　that；　without　a　glass；　　（which　I　had　not；）　it　was　difficult　to　distinguish　their　　heads　from　the　countless　roots　and　rotten　logs　around　them。　　　If　one　fired　by　mistake；　the　sport　was　spoiled　for　an　hour　to　　come。

I　used　to　sit　watching　patiently　for　one　of　them　to　show　　itself；　or　for　something　to　disturb　the　glassy　surface　of　the　　dark　waters。　　Overhead　the　foliage　was　so　dense　that　the　heat　　was　not　oppressive。　　All　Nature　seemed　asleep。　　The　deathlike　　stillness　was　rarely　broken　by　the　faintest　sound；　…　though　　unseen　life；　amidst　the　heat　and　moisture；　was　teeming　　everywhere；　life　feeding　upon　life。　　For　what　purpose？　　To　　what　end？　　Is　this　a　primary　law　of　Nature？　　Does　cannibalism　　prevail　in　Mars？　　Sometimes　a　mocking…bird　would　pipe　its　　weird　notes；　deepening　silence　by　the　contrast。　　But　besides　　pestilent　mosquitos；　the　only　living　things　in　sight　were　　humming…birds　of　every　hue；　some　no　bigger　than　a　butterfly；　　fluttering　over　the　blossoms　of　the　orchids；　or　darting　from　　flower　to　flower　like　flashes　of　prismatic　rays。

I　killed　several　alligators；　but　one　day；　while　stalking　what　　seemed　to　be　an　unusual　monster；　narrowly　escaped　an　　accident。　　Under　the　excitement；　my　eye　was　so　intently　fixed　　upon　the　object；　that　I　rather　felt　than　saw　my　way。　　　Presently　over　I　went；　just　managed　to　save　my　rifle；　and；　to　　my　amazement；　found　I　had　set　my　foot　on　a　sleeping　reptile。　　　Fortunately　the　brute　was　as　much　astonished　as　I　was；　and　　plunged　with　a　splash　into　the　adjacent　pool。

A　Cambridge　friend；　Mr。　Walter　Shirley；　owned　an　estate　at　　Trelawny；　on　the　other　side　of　Jamaica；　while　the　invalids　　were　recovering；　I　paid　him　a　visit；　and　was　initiated　into　　the　mysteries　of　cane…growing　and　sugar…making。　　As　the　great　　split　between　the　Northern　and　Southern　States　on　the　　question　of　slavery　was　pending；　the　life；　condition；　and　　treatment　of　the　negro　was　of　the　greatest　interest。　　Mr。　　Shirley　was　a　gentleman　of　exceptional　ability；　and　full　of　　valuable　information　on　these　subjects。　　He　passed　me　on　to　　other　plantations；　and　I　made　the　complete　round　of　the　　island　before　returning　to　my　comrades　at　Golden　Grove。　　A　　few　weeks　afterwards　I　stayed　with　a　Spanish　gentleman；　the　　Marquis　d'Iznaga；　who　owned　six　large　sugar　plantations　in　　Cuba；　and　rode　with　his　son　from　Casilda　to　Cienfuegos；　from　　which　port　I　got　a　steamer　to　the　Havana。　　The　ride　afforded　　abundant　opportunities　of　comparing　the　slave　with　the　free　　negro。　　But；　as　I　have　written　on　the　subject　elsewhere；　I　　will　pass　to　matters　more　entertaining。



CHAPTER　XVII



ON　my　arrival　at　the　Havana　I　found　that　Durham；　who　was　　still　an　invalid；　had　taken　up　his　quarters　at　Mr。　　Crauford's；　the　Consul…General。　　Phoca；　who　was　nearly　well　　again；　was　at　the　hotel；　the　only　one　in　the　town。　　And　who　　should　I　meet　there　but　my　old　Cambridge　ally；　Fred；　the　last　　Lord　Calthorpe。　　This　event　was　a　fruitful　one；　…　it　　determined　the　plans　of　both　of　us　for　a　year　or　more　to　　come。

Fred　…　as　I　shall　henceforth　call　him　…　had　just　returned　　from　a　hunting　expedition　in　Texas；　with　another　sportsman　　whom　he　had　accidentally　met　there。　　This　gentleman　　ultimately　became　of　even　more　importance　to　me　than　my　old　　friend。　　I　purposely　abstain　from　giving　either　his　name　or　　his　profession；　for　reasons　which　will　become　obvious　enough　　by…and…by；　the　outward　man　may　be　described。　　He　stood　well　　over　six　　feet　in　his　socks；　his　frame　and　limbs　were　those　　of　a　gladiator；　he　could　crush　a　horseshoe　in　one　hand；　he　　had　a　small　head　with　a　bull…neck；　purely　Grecian　features；　　thick　curly　hair　with　crisp　beard　and　silky　moustache。　　He　so　　closely　resembled　a　marble　Hercules　that　（as　he　must　have　a　　name）　we　will　call　him　Samson。

Before　Fred　stumbled　upon　him；　he　had　spent　a　winter　camping　　out　in　the　snows　of　Canada；　bear　and　elk　shooting。　　He　was　　six　years　or　so　older　than　either　of　us　…　I。E。　about　eight…　and…twenty。

As　to　Fred　Calthorpe；　it　would　be　difficult　to　find　a　more　　'manly'　man。　　He　was　unacquainted　with　fear。　　Yet　his　　courage；　though　sometimes　reckless；　was　by　no　means　of　the　　brute　kind。　　He　did　not　run　risks　unless　he　thought　the　gain　　would　compensate　them；　and　no　one　was　more　capable　of　　weighing　consequences　than　he。　　His　temper　was　admirable；　his　　spirits　excellent；　and　for　any　enterprise　where　danger　and　　hardship　were　to　be　encountered　few　men　could　have　been　　better　qualified。　　By　the　end　of　a　week　these　two　had　agreed　　to　accompany　me　across　the　Rocky　Mountains。

Before　leaving　the　Havana；　I　witnessed　an　event　which；　though　　disgusting　in　itself；　gives　rise　to　serious　reflections。　　　Every　thoughtful　reader　is　conversant　enough　with　them；　if；　　therefore；　he　should　find　them　out　of　place　or　trite；　apology　　is　needless；　as　he　will　pass　them　by　without　the　asking。

The　circumstance　referred　to　is　a　public　execution。　　Mr。　　Sydney　Smith；　the　vice…consul；　informed　me　that　a　criminal　　was　to　be　garrotted　on　the　following　morning；　and　asked　me　　whether　I　cared　to　look　over　the　prison　and　see　the　man　in　　his　cell　that　afternoon。　　We　went　together。　　The　poor　wretch　　bore　the　stamp　of　innate　brutality。　　His　crime　was　the　most　　revolting　that　a　human　being　is　capable　of　…　the　violation　　and　murder　of　a　mere　child。　　When　we　were　first　admitted　he　　was　sullen；　merely　glaring　at　us；　but；　hearing　the　warder　　describe　his　crime；　he　became　furiously　abusive；　and　worked　　himself　into　such　a　passion　that；　had　he　not　been　chained　to　　the　wall；　he　would　certainly　have　attacked　us。

At　half…past　six　next　morning　I　went　with　Mr。　Smith　to　the　　Campo　del　Marte；　the　principal　square。　　The　crowd　had　already　　assembled；　and　the　tops　of　the　houses　were　thronged　with　　spectators。　　The　women；　dressed　as　if　for　a　bull…fight　or　a　　ball；　occupied　the　front　seats。　　By　squeezing　and　pushing　we　　contrived　to　get　within　eight　or　nine　yards　of　the　machine；　　where　I　had　not　long　been　before　the　procession　was　seen　　moving　up　the　Passeo。　　A　few　mounted　troops　were　in　front　to　　clear　the　road；　behind　them　came　the　Host；　with　a　number　of　　priests　and　the　prisoner　on　foot；　dressed　in　white；　a　large　　guard　brought　up　the　rear。　　The　soldiers　formed　an　open　　square。　　The　executioner；　the　culprit；　and　one　priest　　ascended　the　steps　of　the　platform。

The　garrotte　is　a　short　stout　post；　at　the　top　of　which　is　an　　iron　crook；　just　wide　enough　to　admit　the　neck　of　a　man　　seated　in　a　chair　beneath　it。　　Through　the　post；　parallel　　with　the　crook；　is　the　loop　of　a　rope；　whose　ends　are　　fastened　to　a　bar　held　by　the　executioner。　　The　loop；　being　　round　the　throat　of　the　victim；　is　so　powerfully　tightened　　from　behind　by　half　a　turn　of　the　bar；　that　an　extra　twist　　would　sever　a　man's　head　from　his　body。

The　murderer　showed　no　signs　of　fear；　he　quietly　seated　　himself；　but　got　up　again　to　adjust　the　chair　and　make　　himself　comfortable！　　The　executioner　then　arranged　the　rope　　round　his　neck；　tied　his　legs　and　his　arms；　and　retired　　behind　the　post。　　At　a　word　or　a　look　from　the　priest　the　　wrench　was　turned。　　For　a　single　instant　the　limbs　of　the　　victim　were　convulsed；　and　all　was　over。

No　exclamation；　no　whisper　of　horror　escaped　from　the　lookers　　on。　　Such　a　scene　was　too　familiar　to　excite　any　feeling　but　　morbid　curiosity；　and；　had　the　execution　taken　place　at　the　　usual　spot　instead　of　in　the　town；　few　would　have　given　　themselves　the　trouble　to　attend　it。

It　is　impossible　to　see　or　even　to　think　of　what　is　here　　described　without　gravely　meditating　on　its　suggestions。　　Is　　capital　punishment　justifiable？　　This　is　the　question　I　　purpose　to　consider　in　the　following　chapter。



CHAPTER　XVIII



ALL　punishments　or　penal　remedies　for　crime；　except　capital　　punishment；　may　be　considered　from　two　points　of　view：　　　First；　as　they　regard　Society；　secondly；　as　they　regard　the　　offender。

Where　capital　punishment