tracks of a rolling stone-第23部分

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！


before　I　touched　　them。　　Susan　was　an　angel　…　the　angel。　　What　more　logical　　proof　could　I　have　of　the　immortality　of　the　soul？

Mrs。　…　asked　me　whether　I　was　satisfied。　　I　said　it　was　　miraculous；　so　much　so　indeed；　that　I　could　hardly　believe　　the　miracle；　until　corroborated　by　another。　　Would　the　　spirits　be　kind　enough　to　suspend　this　pencil　in　the　air？　　　'Oh！　that　was　nonsense。　　The　spirits　never　lent　themselves　to　　mere　frivolity。'　　'I　beg　the　spirits'　pardon；　I　am　sure；'　　said　I。　　'I　have　heard　that　they　often　move　heavy　tables。　　I　　thought　perhaps　the　pencil　would　save　them　trouble。　　Will　　they　move　this　round　table　up　to　this　little　one？'　　I　had；　be　　it　observed；　when　alone；　moved　and　changed　the　relative　　positions　of　both　tables；　and　had　determined　to　make　this　my　　crucial　test。　　To　my　astonishment；　Mrs。　…　replied　that　she　　could　not　say　whether　they　would　or　not。　　She　would　ask　them。　　　She　did　so；　and　the　spirits　rapped　'Yes。'

I　drew　my　chair　aside。　　The　woman　remained　seated　in　the　　corner。　　I　watched　everything。　　Nothing　happened。　　After　a　　while；　I　took　out　my　watch；　and　said：　　'I　fear　the　spirits　do　　not　intend　to　keep　their　word。　　I　have　an　appointment　twenty　　minutes　hence；　and　can　only　give　them　ten　minutes　more。'　　She　　calmly　replied　she　had　nothing　to　do　with　it。　　I　had　heard　　what　the　spirits　said。　　I　had　better　wait　a　little　longer。　　　Scarcely　were　the　words　out　of　her　mouth；　when　the　table　gave　　a　distinct　crack；　as　if　about　to　start。　　The　medium　instantly　　called　my　attention　to　it。　　I　jumped　out　of　my　seat；　passed　　between　the　two　tables；　when　of　a　sudden　the　large　table　　moved　in　the　direction　of　the　smaller　one；　and　did　not　stop　　till　it　had　pushed　the　little　one　over。　　I　make　no　comments。　　　No　explanation　to　me　is　conceivable。　　I　simply　narrate　what　　happened　as　accurately　as　I　am　able。

One　other　case　deserves　to　be　added　to　the　above。　　I　have　　connected　both　of　the　foregoing　with　religious　persuasions。　　　The　SEANCE　I　am　about　to　speak　of　was　for　the　express　purpose　　of　bringing　a　brokenhearted　and　widowed　mother　into　　communication　with　the　soul　of　her　only　son　…　a　young　artist　　of　genius　whom　I　had　known；　and　who　had　died　about　a　year　　before。　　The　occasion　was；　of　course；　a　solemn　one。　　The　　interest　of　it　was　enhanced　by　the　presence　of　the　great　　apostle　of　Spiritualism　…　Sir　William　Crookes。　　The　medium　　was　Miss　Kate　Fox；　again　an　American。　　The　SEANCE　took　place　　in　the　house　of　a　very　old　friend　of　mine；　the　late　Dr。　　George　Bird。　　He　had　spiritualistic　tendencies；　but　was　　supremely　honest　and　single…minded；　utterly　incapable　of　　connivance　with　deception　of　any　kind。　　As　far　as　I　know；　the　　medium　had　never　been　in　the　room　before。　　The　company　　present　were　Dr。　Bird's　intimate　friend　Sir　William　Crookes　…　　future　President　of　the　Royal　Society　…　Miss　Bird；　Dr。　Bird's　　daughter；　and　her　husband　…　Mr。　Ionides　…　and　Mrs。　…；　the　　mother　of　the　young　artist。　　The　room；　a　large　one；　was　　darkened；　the　last　light　being　extinguished　after　we　had　　taken　our　places　round　the　dining…table。　　We　were　strenuously　　enjoined　to　hold　one　another's　hands。　　Unless　we　did　so　the　　SEANCE　would　fail。

Before　entering　the　room；　I　secretly　arranged　with　Mr。　　Ionides；　who　shared　my　scepticism；　that　we　should　sit　side　by　　side；　and　so　each　have　one　hand　free。　　It　is　not　necessary　to　　relate　what　passed　between　the　unhappy　mother　and　the　medium；　　suffice　it　to　say　that　she　put　questions　to　her　son；　and　the　　medium　interpreted　the　rappings　which　came　in　reply。　　These；　　I　believe；　were　all　the　poor　lady　could　wish　for。　　To　the　　rest　of　us；　the　astounding　events　of　the　SEANCE　were　the　dim　　lights；　accompanied　by　faint　sounds　of　an　accordion；　which　　floated　about　the　room　over　our　heads。　　And　now　comes；　to　me；　　the　strangest　part　of　the　whole　performance。　　All　the　while　I　　kept　my　right　arm　extended　under　the　table；　moving　my　hand　to　　and　fro。　　Presently　it　touched　something。　　I　make　a　grab；　and　　caught；　but　could　not　hold　for　an　instant；　another　hand。　　It　　was　on　the　side　away　from　Mr。　Ionides。　　I　said　nothing；　　except　to　him；　and　the　SEANCE　was　immediately　broken　up。

It　may　be　thought　by　some　that　this　narration　is　a　biassed　　one。　　But　those　acquainted　with　the　charlatanry　in　these　days　　of　what　is　called　'Christian　Science；'　and　know　the　extent　to　　which　crass　ignorance　and　predisposed　credulity　can　be　duped　　by　childish　delusions；　may　have　some　'idea　how　acute　was　the　　spirit…rapping　epidemic　some　forty　or　fifty　years　ago。　　'At　　this　moment；'　writes　Froude；　in　'Fraser's　Magazine；'　1863；　　'we　are　beset　with　reports　of　conversations　with　spirits；　of　　tables　miraculously　lifted；　of　hands　projecting　out　of　the　　world　of　shadows　into　this　mortal　life。　　An　unusually　able；　　accomplished　person；　accustomed　to　deal　with　common…sense　　facts；　a　celebrated　political　economist；　and　notorious　for　　business…like　habits；　assured　this　writer　that　a　certain　　mesmerist；　who　was　my　informer's　intimate　friend；　had　raised　　a　dead　girl　to　life。'　　Can　we　wonder　that　miracles　are　still　　believed　in？　　Ah！　no。　　The　need；　the　dire　need；　of　them　　remains；　and　will　remain　with　us　for　ever。



CHAPTER　XX



WE　must　move　on；　we　have　a　long　and　rough　journey　before　us。　　　Durham　had　old　friends　in　New　York；　Fred　Calthorpe　had　　letters　to　Colonel　Fremont；　who　was　then　a　candidate　for　the　　Presidency；　and　who　had　discovered　the　South　Pass；　and　Mr。　　Ellice　had　given　me　a　letter　to　John　Jacob　Astor　…　THE　　American　millionaire　of　that　day。　　We　were　thus　well　provided　　with　introductions；　and　nothing　could　exceed　the　kindness　and　　hospitality　of　our　American　friends。

But　time　was　precious。　　It　was　already　mid　May；　and　we　had　　everything　to　get　…　wagons；　horses；　men；　mules；　and　　provisions。　　So　that　we　were　anxious　not　to　waste　a　day；　but　　hurry　on　to　St。　Louis　as　fast　as　we　could。　　Durham　was　too　　ill　to　go　with　us。　　Phoca　had　never　intended　to　do　so。　　Fred；　　Samson；　and　I；　took　leave　of　our　companions；　and　travelling　　via　the　Hudson　to　Albany；　Buffalo；　down　Lake　Erie；　and　across　　to　Chicago；　we　reached　St。　Louis　in　about　eight　days。　　As　a　　single　illustration　of　what　this　meant　before　railroads；　　Samson　and　I；　having　to　stop　a　day　at　Chicago；　hired　a　buggy　　and　drove　into　the　neighbouring　woods；　or　wilderness；　to　hunt　　for　wild　turkeys。

Our　outfit；　the　whole　of　which　we　got　at　St。　Louis；　consisted　　of　two　heavy　wagons；　nine　mules；　and　eight　horses。　　We　hired　　eight　men；　on　the　nominal　understanding　that　they　were　to　go　　with　us　as　far　as　the　Rocky　Mountains　on　a　hunting　　expedition。　　In　reality　all　seven　of　them；　before　joining　us；　　had　separately　decided　to　go　to　California。

Having　published　in　1852　an　account　of　our　journey；　entitled　　'A　Ride　over　the　Rocky　Mountains；'　I　shall　not　repeat　the　　story；　but　merely　give　a　summary　of　the　undertaking；　with　a　　few　of　the　more　striking　incidents　to　show　what　travelling　　across　unknown　America　entailed　fifty　or　sixty　years　ago。

A　steamer　took　us　up　the　Missouri　to　Omaha。　　Here　we　　disembarked　on　the　confines　of　occupied　territory。　　From　near　　this　point；　where　the　Platte　river　empties　into　the　Missouri；　　to　the　mouth　of　the　Columbia；　on　the　Pacific　…　which　we　　ultimately　reached　…　is　at　least　1；500　miles　as　the　crow　　flies；　for　us　（as　we　had　to　follow　watercourses　and　avoid　　impassable　ridges）　it　was　very　much　more。　　Some　five…and…　forty　miles　from　our　starting…place　we　passed　a　small　village　　called　Savannah。　　Between　it　and　Vancouver　there　was　not　a　　single　white　man's　abode；　with　the　exception　of　three　trading　　stations　…　mere　mud　buildings　…　Fort　Laramie；　Fort　Hall；　and　　Fort　Boise。

The　vast　prairies　on　this　side　of　the　Rocky　Mountains　were　　grazed　by　herds　of　countless　bison；　wapiti；　antelope；　and　　deer　of　various　species。　　These　were　hunted　by　moving　tribes　　of　Indians　…　Pawnees；　Omahaws；　Cheyennes；　Ponkaws；　Sioux；　&c。　　　On　the　Pacific　side　of　the　great　range；　a　due　west　course　…　　which　ours　was　as　near　as　we　could　keep　it　…　lay　across　a　　huge　rocky　desert　of　volcanic　debris；　where　hardly　any　　vegetation　was　to　be　met　with；　save　artemisia　…　a　species　of　　wormwood　…　scanty　blades　of　gramma　grass；　and　occasional　　osiers　by　river…banks。　　The　rivers　themselves　often　ran　　through　canons　or　gulches；　so　deep　that　one　might　travel　for　　days　within　a　hundred　feet　of　water　yet　perish　（some　of　our　　animals　did　so）　for　the　want　of　a　drop　to　drink。　　Game　was　　here　very　scarce　…　a　few　antelope；　wolves；　and　abundance　of　　rattlesnakes；　were　nearly　the　only　living　things　we　saw。　　The　　Indians　were　mainly　fishers　of　the　Shoshone　…　or　Great　Snake　　River　…　tribe；　feeding　mostly　on　salmon；　which　they　speared　　with　marvellous　dexterity；　and　Root…diggers；　who　live　upon　　wild　roots。　　When　hard　put　to　it；　however；　in　winter；　the　　latter　miserable　creatures　certainly；　if　not　the　former；　　devoured　their　own　children。　　There　was　no　map　of　the　　country。　　It　was　entirely　unexplored；　in　fact；　Bancroft　the　　American　historian；　in　his　description　of　the　Indian　tribes；　　quotes　my　account　of　the　Root…diggers；　which　shows　how　little　　was　known　of　this　region　up　to　this　date。　　I　carried　a　small　　compass　fastened　round　my　neck。　　That　and　the　stars　（we　　travelled　by　night　when　in　the　vicinity　of　Indians）　were　my　　only　guides　for　hundreds　of　dreary　miles。

Such　then　was　the　task　we　had　set　ourselves　to　grapple　with。　　　As　with　life　itself；　nothing　but　the　magic　powers　of　youth　　and　ignorance　could　have　cajoled　us　to　face　it　with　heedless　　confidence　and　eager　zest。　　These　conditions　given；　with　　health　…　the　one　essential　of　all　enjoyment　…　added；　the　　first　escape　from　civilised　restraint；　the　first　survey　of　　primordial　nature　as　seen　in　the　boundless　expanse　of　the　　open　prairie；　the　habitat　of　wild　men　and　wild　animals；　…　　exhilarate　one　with　emotions　akin　to　the　schoolboy's　rapture　　in　the　playground；　and　the　thoughtful　man's　contemplation　of　　the　stars。　　Freedom　and　change；　space　and　the　possibilities　　of　the　unknown；　these　are　constant　elements　of　our　day…　dreams；　now　and　then　actual　life　dangles　visions　of　them　　before　our　eyes；　alas！　only　to　teach　us　that　the　aspirations　　which　they　inspire　are；　for　the　most　part；　illusory。

Brief　indeed；　in　our　case；　were　the　pleasures　of　novelty。　　　For　the　first　few　days　the