the works of edgar allan poe-3-第28章

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seated　himself　by　the　side　of　Captain　Guy；　pointing　at　the　same　time
to　the　schooner；　and　repeating　the　word　Anamoo…moo！　and　Lama…Lama！　We
now　put　back　to　the　vessel；　the　four　canoes　following　at　a　little
distance。

　　　　　Upon　getting　alongside；　the　chief　evinced　symptoms　of　extreme
surprise　and　delight；　clapping　his　hands；　slapping　his　thighs　and
breast；　and　laughing　obstreperously。　His　followers　behind　joined　in
his　merriment；　and　for　some　minutes　the　din　was　so　excessive　as　to　be
absolutely　deafening。　Quiet　being　at　length　restored；　Captain　Guy
ordered　the　boats　to　be　hoisted　up；　as　a　necessary　precaution；　and
gave　the　chief　（whose　name　we　soon　found　to　be　Too…wit）　to　understand
that　we　could　admit　no　more　than　twenty　of　his　men　on　deck　at　one
time。　With　this　arrangement　he　appeared　perfectly　satisfied；　and　gave
some　directions　to　the　canoes；　when　one　of　them　approached；　the　rest
remaining　about　fifty　yards　off。　Twenty　of　the　savages　now　got　on
board；　and　proceeded　to　ramble　over　every　part　of　the　deck；　and
scramble　about　among　the　rigging；　making　themselves　much　at　home；　and
examining　every　article　with　great　inquisitiveness。

　　　　　It　was　quite　evident　that　they　had　never　before　seen　any　of　the
white　race…　from　whose　complexion；　indeed；　they　appeared　to　recoil。
They　believed　the　Jane　to　be　a　living　creature；　and　seemed　to　be
afraid　of　hurting　it　with　the　points　of　their　spears；　carefully
turning　them　up。　Our　crew　were　much　amused　with　the　conduct　of
Too…wit　in　one　instance。　The　cook　was　splitting　some　wood　near　the
galley；　and；　by　accident；　struck　his　axe　into　the　deck；　making　a　gash
of　considerable　depth。　The　chief　immediately　ran　up；　and　pushing　the
cook　on　one　side　rather　roughly；　commenced　a　half　whine；　half　howl；
strongly　indicative　of　sympathy　in　what　he　considered　the　sufferings
of　the　schooner；　patting　and　smoothing　the　gash　with　his　hand；　and
washing　it　from　a　bucket　of　seawater　which　stood　by。　This　was　a
degree　of　ignorance　for　which　we　were　not　prepared；　and　for　my　part　I
could　not　help　thinking　some　of　it　affected。

　　　　　When　the　visitors　had　satisfied；　as　well　as　they　could；　their
curiosity　in　regard　to　our　upper　works；　they　were　admitted　below；
when　their　amazement　exceeded　all　bounds。　Their　astonishment　now
appeared　to　be　far　too　deep　for　words；　for　they　roamed　about　in
silence；　broken　only　by　low　ejaculations。　The　arms　afforded　them　much
food　for　speculation；　and　they　were　suffered　to　handle　and　examine
them　at　leisure。　I　do　not　believe　that　they　had　the　least　suspicion
of　their　actual　use；　but　rather　took　them　for　idols；　seeing　the　care
we　had　of　them；　and　the　attention　with　which　we　watched　their
movements　while　handling　them。　At　the　great　guns　their　wonder　was
redoubled。　They　approached　them　with　every　mark　of　the　profoundest
reverence　and　awe；　but　forbore　to　examine　them　minutely。　There　were
two　large　mirrors　in　the　cabin；　and　here　was　the　acme　of　their
amazement。　Too…wit　was　the　first　to　approach　them；　and　he　had　got　in
the　middle　of　the　cabin；　with　his　face　to　one　and　his　back　to　the
other；　before　he　fairly　perceived　them。　Upon　raising　his　eyes　and
seeing　his　reflected　self　in　the　glass；　I　thought　the　savage　would　go
mad；　but；　upon　turning　short　round　to　make　a　retreat；　and　beholding
himself　a　second　time　in　the　opposite　direction；　I　was　afraid　he
would　expire　upon　the　spot。　No　persuasion　could　prevail　upon　him　to
take　another　look；　throwing　himself　upon　the　floor；　with　his　face
buried　in　his　hands；　he　remained　thus　until　we　were　obliged　to　drag
him　upon　deck。

　　　　　The　whole　of　the　savages　were　admitted　on　board　in　this　manner；
twenty　at　a　time；　Too…wit　being　suffered　to　remain　during　the　entire
period。　We　saw　no　disposition　to　thievery　among　them；　nor　did　we　miss
a　single　article　after　their　departure。　Throughout　the　whole　of　their
visit　they　evinced　the　most　friendly　manner。　There　were；　however；
some　points　in　their　demeanour　which　we　found　it　impossible　to
understand；　for　example；　we　could　not　get　them　to　approach　several
very　harmless　objects…　such　as　the　schooner's　sails；　an　egg；　an　open
book；　or　a　pan　of　flour。　We　endeavoured　to　ascertain　if　they　had
among　them　any　articles　which　might　be　turned　to　account　in　the　way
of　traffic；　but　found　great　difficulty　in　being　comprehended。　We　made
out；　nevertheless；　what　greatly　astonished　us；　that　the　islands
abounded　in　the　large　tortoise　of　the　Gallipagos；　one　of　which　we　saw
in　the　canoe　of　Too…wit。　We　saw　also　some　biche　de　mer　in　the　hands
of　one　of　the　savages；　who　was　greedily　devouring　it　in　its　natural
state。　These　anomalies…　for　they　were　such　when　considered　in　regard
to　the　latitude…　induced　Captain　Guy　to　wish　for　a　thorough
investigation　of　the　country；　in　the　hope　of　making　a　profitable
speculation　in　his　discovery。　For　my　own　part；　anxious　as　I　was　to
know　something　more　of　these　islands；　I　was　still　more　earnestly　bent
on　prosecuting　the　voyage　to　the　southward　without　delay。　We　had　now
fine　weather；　but　there　was　no　telling　how　long　it　would　last；　and
being　already　in　the　eighty…fourth　parallel；　with　an　open　sea　before
us；　a　current　setting　strongly　to　the　southward；　and　the　wind　fair；　I
could　not　listen　with　any　patience　to　a　proposition　of　stopping
longer　than　was　absolutely　necessary　for　the　health　of　the　crew　and
the　taking　on　board　a　proper　supply　of　fuel　and　fresh　provisions。　I
represented　to　the　captain　that　we　might　easily　make　this　group　on
our　return；　and　winter　here　in　the　event　of　being　blocked　up　by　the
ice。　He　at　length　came　into　my　views　（for　in　some　way；　hardly　known
to　myself；　I　had　acquired　much　influence　over　him）；　and　it　was
finally　resolved　that；　even　in　the　event　of　our　finding　biche　de　mer；
we　should　only　stay　here　a　week　to　recruit；　and　then　push　on　to　the
southward　while　we　might。　Accordingly　we　made　every　necessary
preparation；　and；　under　the　guidance　of　Too…wit；　got　the　Jane　through
the　reef　in　safety；　coming　to　anchor　about　a　mile　from　the　shore；　in
an　excellent　bay；　completely　landlocked；　on　the　southeastern　coast　of
the　main　island；　and　in　ten　fathoms　of　water；　black　sandy　bottom。　At
the　head　of　this　bay　there　were　three　fine　springs　（we　were　told）　of
good　water；　and　we　saw　abundance　of　wood　in　the　vicinity。　The　four
canoes　followed　us　in；　keeping；　however；　at　a　respectful　distance。
Too…wit　himself　remained　on　board；　and；　upon　our　dropping　anchor；
invited　us　to　accompany　him　on　shore；　and　visit　his　village　in　the
interior。　To　this　Captain　Guy　consented；　and　ten　savages　being　left
on　board　as　hostages；　a　party　of　us；　twelve　in　all；　got　in　readiness
to　attend　the　chief。　We　took　care　to　be　well　armed；　yet　without
evincing　any　distrust。　The　schooner　had　her　guns　run　out；　her
boarding…nettings　up；　and　every　other　proper　precaution　was　taken　to
guard　against　surprise。　Directions　were　left　with　the　chief　mate　to
admit　no　person　on　board　during　our　absence；　and；　in　the　event　of　our
not　appearing　in　twelve　hours；　to　send　the　cutter；　with　a　swivel；
around　the　island　in　search　of　us。

　　　　　At　every　step　we　took　inland　the　conviction　forced　itself　upon
us　that　we　were　in　a　country　differing　essentially　from　any　hitherto
visited　by　civilized　men。　We　saw　nothing　with　which　we　had　been
formerly　conversant。　The　trees　resembled　no　growth　of　either　the
torrid；　the　temperate；　of　the　northern　frigid　zones；　and　were
altogether　unlike　those　of　the　lower　southern　latitudes　we　had
already　traversed。　The　very　rocks　were　novel　in　their　mass；　their
color；　and　their　stratification；　and　the　streams　themselves；　utterly
incredible　as　it　may　appear；　had　so　little　in　common　with　those　of
other　climates；　that　we　were　scrupulous　of　tasting　them；　and；　indeed；
had　difficulty　in　bringing　ourselves　to　believe　that　their　qualities
were　purely　those　of　nature。　At　a　small　brook　which　crossed　our　path
（the　first　we　had　reached）　Too…wit　and　his　attendants　halted　to
drink。　On　account　of　the　singular　character　of　the　water；　we　refused
to　taste　it；　supposing　it　to　be　polluted；　and　it　was　not　until　some
time　afterward　we　came　to　understand　that　such　was　the　appearance　of
the　streams　throughout　the　whole　group。　I　am　at　a　loss　to　give　a
distinct　idea　of　the　nature　of　this　liquid；　and　cannot　do　so　without
many　words。　Although　it　flowed　with　rapidity　in　all　declivities　where
common　water　would　do　so；　yet　never；　except　when　falling　in　a
cascade；　had　it　the　customary　appearance　of　limpidity。　It　was；
nevertheless；　in　point　of　fact；　as　perfectly　limpid　as　any　limestone
water　in　existence；　the　difference　being　only　in　appearance。　At　first
sight；　and　especially　in　cases　where　little　declivity　was　found；　it
bore　re。　semblance；　as　regards　consistency；　to　a　thick　infusion　of
gum　arabic　in　common　water。　But　this　was　only　the　least　remarkable　of
its　extraordinary　qualities。　It　was　not　colourless；　nor　was　it　of　any
one　uniform　colour…　presenting　to　the　eye；　as　it　flowed；　every
possible　shade　of　purple；　like　the　hues　of　a　changeable　silk。　This
variation　in　shade　was　produced　in　a　manner　which　excited　as　profound
astonishment　in　the　minds　of　our　party　as　the　mirror　had　done　in　the
case　of　Too…wit。　Upon　collecting　a　basinful；　and　allowing　it　to
settle　thoroughly；　we　perceived　that　the　whole　mass　of　liquid　was
made　up　of　a　number　of　distinct　veins；　each　of　a　distinct　hue；　that
these　veins　did　not　commingle；　and　that　their　cohesion　was　perfect　in
regard　to　their　own　particles　among　themselves；　and　imperfect　in
regard　to　neighbouring　veins。　Upon　passing　the　blade　of　a　knife
athwart　the　veins；　the　water　closed　over　it　immediately；　as　with　us；
and　also；　in　withdrawing　it；　all　traces　of　the　passage　of　the　knife
were　instantly　obliterated。　If；　however；　the　blade　was　passed　down
accurately　between　the　two　veins；　a　perfect　separation　was　effected；
which　the　power　of　cohesion　did　not　immediately　rectify。　The
phenomena　of　this　water　formed　the　first　definite　link　in　that　vast
chain　of　apparent　miracles　with　which　I　was　destined　to　be　at　length
encircled。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　18　~~~

CHAPTER　19



　　　　　We　were　nearly　three　hours　in　reaching　the　village；　it　being
more　than　nine　miles　in　the　interior；　and　the　path　lying　through　a
rugged　country。　As　we　passed　along；　the　party　of　Too…wit　（the　whole
hundred　and　ten　savages　of　the　canoes）　was　momentarily　strengthened
by　smaller　detachments；　of　from　two　to　six　or　seven；　which　joined　us；
as　if　by　accident；　at　different　turns　of　the　road。　There　appeared　so
much　of　system　in　this　that　I　could　not　help　feeling　distrust；　and　I
spoke　to　Captain　Guy　of　my　apprehensions。　It　was　now　too　late；
however；　to　recede；　and　we　concluded　that　our　best　security　lay　in
evincing　a　perfect　confidence　in　the　good　faith　of　Too…wit。　We
accordingly　went　on；　keeping　a　wary　eye　upon　the　manoeuvres　of　the
savages；　and　not　permitting　them　to　divide　our　numbers　by　pushing　in
between。　In　this　way；　passing　through　a　precipitous　ravine；　we　at
length　reached　what　we　were　told　was　the　only　collection　of
habitations　upon　the　island。　As　we　came　in　sight　of　them；　the　chief
set　up　a　shout；　and　frequently　repeated　the　word　Klock…klock；　which
we　sup。　posed　to　be　the　name　of　the　village；　or　perhaps　the　generic
name　for　v