erewhon revisited-第43部分

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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　spare　bunk
in　his　hut。　　〃It　is　none　of　our　make；〃　said　he；　〃I　suppose　some
foreign　digger　has　come　over　from　the　next　river　down　south　and　got
drowned；　for　it　had　not　been　very　long　where　I　found　it；　at　least　I
think　not；　for　it　was　not　much　fly…blown；　and　no　one　had　passed
here　to　go　up　the　river　since　your　father。〃

I　knew　what　it　was；　but　I　held　my　tongue　beyond　saying　that　the　rug
was　a　very　good　one。

The　next　day；　December　4；　was　lovely；　after　a　night　that　had　been
clear　and　cold；　with　frost　towards　early　morning。　　When　the
shepherd　had　gone　for　some　three　hours　in　the　forenoon　to　see　his
sheep　（that　were　now　lambing）；　I　walked　down　to　the　place　where　I
had　left　my　knapsack；　and　carried　it　a　good　mile　above　the　hut；
where　I　again　hid　it。　　I　could　see　the　great　range　from　one　place；
and　the　thick　new　fallen　snow　assured　me　that　the　river　would　be
quite　normal　shortly。　　Indeed；　by　evening　it　was　hardly　at　all
discoloured；　but　I　waited　another　day；　and　set　out　on　the　morning
of　Sunday；　December　6。　　The　river　was　now　almost　as　low　as　in
winter；　and　Harris　assured　me　that　if　I　used　my　eyes　I　could　not
miss　finding　a　ford　over　one　stream　or　another　every　half　mile　or
so。　　I　had　the　greatest　difficulty　in　preventing　him　from
accompanying　me　on　foot　for　some　little　distance；　but　I　got　rid　of
him　in　the　end；　he　came　with　me　beyond　the　place　where　I　had　hidden
my　knapsack；　but　when　he　had　left　me　long　enough；　I　rode　back　and
got　it。

I　see　I　am　dwelling　too　long　upon　my　own　small　adventures。　　Suffice
it　that；　accompanied　by　my　dog；　I　followed　the　north　bank　of　the
river　till　I　found　I　must　cross　one　stream　before　I　could　get　any
farther。　　This　place　would　not　do；　and　I　had　to　ride　half　a　mile
back　before　I　found　one　that　seemed　as　if　it　might　be　safe。　　I
fancy　my　father　must　have　done　just　the　same　thing；　for　Doctor
seemed　to　know　the　ground；　and　took　to　the　water　the　moment　I
brought　him　to　it。　　It　never　reached　his　belly；　but　I　confess　I　did
not　like　it。　　By　and　by　I　had　to　recross；　and　so　on；　off　and　on；
till　at　noon　I　camped　for　dinner。　　Here　the　dog　found　me　a　nest　of
young　ducks；　nearly　fledged；　from　which　the　parent　birds　tried　with
great　success　to　decoy　me。　　I　fully　thought　I　was　going　to　catch
them；　but　the　dog　knew　better　and　made　straight　for　the　nest；　from
which　he　returned　immediately　with　a　fine　young　duck　in　his　mouth；
which　he　laid　at　my　feet；　wagging　his　tail　and　barking。　　I　took
another　from　the　nest　and　left　two　for　the　old　birds。

The　afternoon　was　much　as　the　morning　and　towards　seven　I　reached　a
place　which　suggested　itself　as　a　good　camping　ground。　　I　had
hardly　fixed　on　it　and　halted；　before　I　saw　a　few　pieces　of　charred
wood；　and　felt　sure　that　my　father　must　have　camped　at　this　very
place　before　me。　　I　hobbled　Doctor；　unloaded；　plucked　and　singed　a
duck；　and　gave　the　dog　some　of　the　meat　with　which　Harris　had
furnished　me；　I　made　tea；　laid　my　duck　on　the　embers　till　it　was
cooked；　smoked；　gave　myself　a　nightcap　of　brandy　and　water；　and　by
and　by　rolled　myself　round　in　my　blanket；　with　the　dog　curled　up
beside　me。　　I　will　not　dwell　upon　the　strangeness　of　my　feelings
nor　the　extreme　beauty　of　the　night。　　But　for　the　dog；　and　Doctor；
I　should　have　been　frightened；　but　I　knew　that　there　were　no　savage
creatures　or　venomous　snakes　in　the　country；　and　both　the　dog　and
Doctor　were　such　good　companionable　creatures；　that　I　did　not　feel
so　much　oppressed　by　the　solitude　as　I　had　feared　I　should　be。　　But
the　night　was　cold；　and　my　blanket　was　not　enough　to　keep　me
comfortably　warm。

The　following　day　was　delightfully　warm　as　soon　as　the　sun　got　to
the　bottom　of　the　valley；　and　the　fresh　fallen　snow　disappeared　so
fast　from　the　snowy　range　that　I　was　afraid　it　would　raise　the
riverwhich；　indeed；　rose　in　the　afternoon　and　became　slightly
discoloured；　but　it　cannot　have　been　more　than　three　or　four　inches
deeper；　for　it　never　reached　the　bottom　of　my　saddle…bags。　　I
believe　Doctor　knew　exactly　where　I　was　going；　for　he　wanted　no
guidance。　　I　halted　again　at　midday；　got　two　more　ducks；　crossed
and　recrossed　the　river；　or　some　of　its　streams；　several　times；　and
at　about　six；　caught　sight；　after　a　bend　in　the　valley；　of　the
glacier　descending　on　to　the　river…bed。　　This　I　knew　to　be　close　to
the　point　at　which　I　was　to　camp　for　the　night；　and　from　which　I
was　to　ascend　the　mountain。　　After　another　hour's　slow　progress
over　the　increasing　roughness　of　the　river…bed；　I　saw　the
triangular　delta　of　which　my　father　had　told　me；　and　the　stream
that　had　formed　it；　bounding　down　the　mountain　side。　　Doctor　went
right　up　to　the　place　where　my　father's　fire　had　been；　and　I　again
found　many　pieces　of　charred　wood　and　ashes。

As　soon　as　I　had　unloaded　Doctor　and　hobbled　him；　I　went　to　a　tree
hard　by；　on　which　I　could　see　the　mark　of　a　blaze；　and　towards
which　I　thought　I　could　see　a　line　of　wood　ashes　running。　　There　I
found　a　hole　in　which　some　bird　had　evidently　been　wont　to　build；
and　surmised　correctly　that　it　must　be　the　one　in　which　my　father
had　hidden　his　box　of　sovereigns。　　There　was　no　box　in　the　hole
now；　and　I　began　to　feel　that　I　was　at　last　within　measureable
distance　of　Erewhon　and　the　Erewhonians。

I　camped　for　the　night　here；　and　again　found　my　single　blanket
insufficient。　　The　next　day；　i。e。　Tuesday；　December　8；　I　had　to
pass　as　I　best　could；　and　it　occurred　to　me　that　as　I　should　find
the　gold　a　great　weight；　I　had　better　take　it　some　three　hours　up
the　mountain　side　and　leave　it　there；　so　as　to　make　the　following
day　less　fatiguing；　and　this　I　did；　returning　to　my　camp　for
dinner；　but　I　was　panic…stricken　all　the　rest　of　the　day　lest　I
should　not　have　hidden　it　safely；　or　lest　I　should　be　unable　to
find　it　next　dayconjuring　up　a　hundred　absurd　fancies　as　to　what
might　befall　it。　　And　after　all；　heavy　though　it　was；　I　could　have
carried　it　all　the　way。　　In　the　afternoon　I　saddled　Doctor　and　rode
him　up　to　the　glaciers；　which　were　indeed　magnificent；　and　then　I
made　the　few　notes　of　my　journey　from　which　this　cha