roughing it-第77章

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it。　　The　lava　surface　was　all　alike　in　the　lantern　light。　　But　he　was　an
ingenious　man。　　He　said　it　was　not　the　lantern　that　had　informed　him　that
we　were　out　of　the　path；　but　his　feet。　　He　had　noticed　a　crisp　grinding
of　fine　lava…needles　under　his　feet；　and　some　instinct　reminded　him　that
in　the　path　these　were　all　worn　away。　　So　he　put　the　lantern　behind　him；
and　began　to　search　with　his　boots　instead　of　his　eyes。　　It　was　good
sagacity。　　The　first　time　his　foot　touched　a　surface　that　did　not　grind
under　it　he　announced　that　the　trail　was　found　again；　and　after　that　we
kept　up　a　sharp　listening　for　the　rasping　sound　and　it　always　warned　us
in　time。

It　was　a　long　tramp；　but　an　exciting　one。　　We　reached　the　North　Lake
between　ten　and　eleven　o'clock；　and　sat　down　on　a　huge　overhanging　lava…
shelf；　tired　but　satisfied。　　The　spectacle　presented　was　worth　coming
double　the　distance　to　see。　　Under　us；　and　stretching　away　before　us；　was
a　heaving　sea　of　molten　fire　of　seemingly　limitless　extent。　　The　glare
from　it　was　so　blinding　that　it　was　some　time　before　we　could　bear　to
look　upon　it　steadily。

It　was　like　gazing　at　the　sun　at　noon…day；　except　that　the　glare　was　not
quite　so　white。　　At　unequal　distances　all　around　the　shores　of　the　lake
were　nearly　white…hot　chimneys　or　hollow　drums　of　lava；　four　or　five　feet
high；　and　up　through　them　were　bursting　gorgeous　sprays　of　lava…gouts　and
gem　spangles；　some　white；　some　red　and　some　goldena　ceaseless
bombardment；　and　one　that　fascinated　the　eye　with　its　unapproachable
splendor。　　The　mere　distant　jets；　sparkling　up　through　an　intervening
gossamer　veil　of　vapor；　seemed　miles　away；　and　the　further　the　curving
ranks　of　fiery　fountains　receded；　the　more　fairy…like　and　beautiful　they
appeared。

Now　and　then　the　surging　bosom　of　the　lake　under　our　noses　would　calm
down　ominously　and　seem　to　be　gathering　strength　for　an　enterprise；　and
then　all　of　a　sudden　a　red　dome　of　lava　of　the　bulk　of　an　ordinary
dwelling　would　heave　itself　aloft　like　an　escaping　balloon；　then　burst
asunder；　and　out　of　its　heart　would　flit　a　pale…green　film　of　vapor；　and
float　upward　and　vanish　in　the　darknessa　released　soul　soaring　homeward
from　captivity　with　the　damned；　no　doubt。　　The　crashing　plunge　of　the
ruined　dome　into　the　lake　again　would　send　a　world　of　seething　billows
lashing　against　the　shores　and　shaking　the　foundations　of　our　perch。　　By
and　by；　a　loosened　mass　of　the　hanging　shelf　we　sat　on　tumbled　into　the
lake；　jarring　the　surroundings　like　an　earthquake　and　delivering　a
suggestion　that　may　have　been　intended　for　a　hint；　and　may　not。　　We　did
not　wait　to　see。

We　got　lost　again　on　our　way　back；　and　were　more　than　an　hour　hunting　for
the　path。　　We　were　where　we　could　see　the　beacon　lantern　at　the　look…out
house　at　the　time；　but　thought　it　was　a　star　and　paid　no　attention　to　it。
We　reached　the　hotel　at　two　o'clock　in　the　morning　pretty　well　fagged
out。

Kilauea　never　overflows　its　vast　crater；　but　bursts　a　passage　for　its
lava　through　the　mountain　side　when　relief　is　necessary；　and　then　the
destruction　is　fearful。　　About　1840　it　rent　its　overburdened　stomach　and
sent　a　broad　river　of　fire　careering　down　to　the　sea；　which　swept　away
forests；　huts；　plantations　and　every　thing　else　that　lay　in　its　path。
The　stream　was　five　miles　broad；　in　places；　and　two　hundred　feet　deep；
and　the　distance　it　traveled　was　forty　miles。　　It　tore　up　and　bore　away
acre…patches　of　land　on　its　bosom　like　raftsrocks；　trees　and　all
intact。　　At　night　the　red　glare　was　visible　a　hundred　miles　at　sea；　and
at　a　distance　of　forty　miles　fine　print　could　be　read　at　midnight。　　The
atmosphere　was　poisoned　with　sulphurous　vapors　and　choked　with　falling
ashes；　pumice　stones　and　cinders；　countless　columns　of　smoke　rose　up　and
blended　together　in　a　tumbled　canopy　that　hid　the　heavens　and　glowed　with
a　ruddy　flush　reflected　from　the　fires　below；　here　and　there　jets　of　lava
sprung　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　air　and　burst　into　rocket…sprays　that
returned　to　earth　in　a　crimson　rain；　and　all　the　while　the　laboring
mountain　shook　with　Nature's　great　palsy　and　voiced　its　distress　in
moanings　and　the　muffled　booming　of　subterranean　thunders。

Fishes　were　killed　for　twenty　miles　along　the　shore；　where　the　lava
entered　the　sea。　　The　earthquakes　caused　some　loss　of　human　life；　and　a
prodigious　tidal　wave　swept　inland；　carrying　every　thing　before　it　and
drowning　a　number　of　natives。　　The　devastation　consummated　along　the
route　traversed　by　the　river　of　lava　was　complete　and　incalculable。　　Only
a　Pompeii　and　a　Herculaneum　were　needed　at　the　foot　of　Kilauea　to　make
the　story　of　the　irruption　immortal。




CHAPTER　LXXVI。

We　rode　horseback　all　around　the　island　of　Hawaii　（the　crooked　road
making　the　distance　two　hundred　miles）；　and　enjoyed　the　journey　very
much。　　We　were　more　than　a　week　making　the　trip；　because　our　Kanaka
horses　would　not　go　by　a　house　or　a　hut　without　stoppingwhip　and　spur
could　not　alter　their　minds　about　it；　and　so　we　finally　found　that　it
economized　time　to　let　them　have　their　way。　　Upon　inquiry　the　mystery　was
explained：　the　natives　are　such　thorough…going　gossips　that　they　never
pass　a　house　without　stopping　to　swap　news；　and　consequently　their　horses
learn　to　regard　that　sort　of　thing　as　an　essential　part　of　the　whole　duty
of　man；　and　his　salvation　not　to　be　compassed　without　it。　　However；　at　a
former　crisis　of　my　life　I　had　once　taken　an　aristocratic　young　lady　out
driving；　behind　a　horse　that　had　just　retired　from　a　long　and　honorable
career　as　the　moving　impulse　of　a　milk　wagon；　and　so　this　present
experience　awoke　a　reminiscent　sadness　in　me　in　place　of　the　exasperation
more　natural　to　the　occasion。　　I　remembered　how　helpless　I　was　that　day；
and　how　humiliated；　how　ashamed　I　was　of　having　intimated　to　the　girl
that　I　had　always　owned　the　horse　and　was　accustomed　to　grandeur；　how
hard　I　tried　to　appear　easy；　and　even　vivacious；　under　suffering　that　was
consuming　my　vitals；　how　placidly　and　maliciously　the　girl　smiled；　and
kept　on　smiling；　while　my　hot　blushes　baked　themselves　into　a　permanent
blood…pudding　in　my　face；　how　the　horse　ambled　from　one　side　of　the
street　to　the　other　and　waited　complacently　before　every　third　house　two
minutes　and　a　quarter　while　I　belabored　his　back　and　reviled　him　in　my
heart；　how　I　tried　to　keep　him　from　turning　corners　and　failed；　how　I
moved　heaven　and　earth　to　get　him　out　of　town；　and　did　not　succeed；　how
he　traversed　the　entire　settlement　and　delivered　imaginary　milk　at　a
hundred　and　sixty…two　different　domiciles；　and　how　he　finally　brought　up
at　a　dairy　depot　and　refused　to　budge　further；　thus　rounding　and
completing　the　revealment　of　what　the　plebeian　service　of　his　life　had
been；　how；　in　eloquent　silence；　I　walked　the　girl　home；　and　how；　when　I
took　leave　of　her；　her　parting　remark　scorched　my　soul　and　appeared　to
blister　me　all　over：　she　said　that　my　horse　was　a　fine；　capable　animal；
and　I　must　have　taken　great　comfort　in　him　in　my　timebut　that　if　I
would　take　along　some　milk…tickets　next　time；　and　appear　to　deliver　them
at　the　various　halting　places；　it　might　expedite　his　movements　a　little。
There　was　a　coolness　between　us　after　that。

In　one　place　in　the　island　of　Hawaii；　we　saw　a　laced　and　ruffled　cataract
of　limpid　water　leaping　from　a　sheer　precipice　fifteen　hundred　feet　high；
but　that　sort　of　scenery　finds　its　stanchest　ally　in　the　arithmetic
rather　than　in　spectacular　effect。　　If　one　desires　to　be　so　stirred　by　a
poem　of　Nature　wrought　in　the　happily　commingled　graces　of　picturesque
rocks；　glimpsed　distances；　foliage；　color；　shifting　lights　and　shadows；
and　failing　water；　that　the　tears　almost　come　into　his　eyes　so　potent　is
the　charm　exerted；　he　need　not　go　away　from　America　to　enjoy　such　an
experience。　　The　Rainbow　Fall；　in　Watkins　Glen　（N。Y。）；　on　the　Erie
railway；　is　an　example。　　It　would　recede　into　pitiable　insignificance　if
the　callous　tourist　drew　on　arithmetic　on　it；　but　left　to　compete　for　the
honors　simply　on　scenic　grace　and　beautythe　grand；　the　august　and　the
sublime　being　barred　the　contestit　could　challenge　the　old　world　and
the　new　to　produce　its　peer。

In　one　locality；　on　our　journey；　we　saw　some　horses　that　had　been　born
and　reared　on　top　of　the　mountains；　above　the　range　of　running　water；　and
consequently　they　had　never　drank　that　fluid　in　their　lives；　but　had　been
always　accustomed　to　quenching　their　thirst　by　eating　dew…laden　or
shower…wetted　leaves。　　And　now　it　was　destructively　funny　to　see　them
sniff　suspiciously　at　a　pail　of　water；　and　then　put　in　their　noses　and
try　to　take　a　bite　out　of　the　fluid；　as　if　it　were　a　solid。　　Finding　it
liquid；　they　would　snatch　away　their　heads　and　fall　to　trembling；
snorting　and　showing　other　evidences　of　fright。　　When　they　became
convinced　at　last　that　the　water　was　friendly　and　harmless；　they　thrust
in　their　noses　up　to　their　eyes；　brought　out　a　mouthful　of　water；　and
proceeded　to　chew　it　complacently。　　We　saw　a　man　coax；　kick　and　spur　one
of　them　five　or　ten　minutes　before　he　could　make　it　cross　a　running
stream。　　It　spread　its　nostrils；　distended　its　eyes　and　trembled　all
over；　just　as　horses　customarily　do　in　the　presence　of　a　serpentand　for
aught　I　know　it　thought　the　crawling　stream　was　a　serpent。

In　due　course　of　time　our　journey　came　to　an　end　at　Kawaehae　（usually
pronounced　To…a…hiand　before　we　find　fault　with　this　elaborate
orthographical　method　of　arriving　at　such　an　unostentatious　result；　let
us　lop　off　the　ugh　from　our　word　〃though〃）。　　I　made　this　horseback　trip
on　a　mule。　　I　paid　ten　dollars　for　him　at　Kau　（Kah…oo）；　added　four　to　get
him　shod；　rode　him　two　hundred　miles；　and　then　sold　him　for　fifteen
dollars。　　I　mark　the　circumstance　with　a　white　stone　（in　the　absence　of
chalkfor　I　never　saw　a　white　stone　that　a　body　could　mark　anything
with；　though　out　of　respect　for　the　ancients　I　have　tried　it　often
enough）；　for　up　to　that　day　and　date　it　was　the　first　strictly　commercial
transaction　I　had　ever　entered　into；　and　come　out　winner。　　We　returned　to
Honolulu；　and　from　thence　sailed　to　the　island　of　Maui；　and　spent　several
weeks　there　very　pleasantly。　　I　still　remember；　with　a　sense　of　indolent
luxury；　a　picnicing　excursion　up　a　romantic　gorge　there；　called　the　Iao
Valley。　　The　trail　lay　along　the　edge　of　a　brawling　stream　in　the　bottom
of　the　gorgea　shady　route；　for　it　was　well　roofed　with　the　verdant
domes　of　forest　trees。　　Through　openings　in　the　foliage　we　glimpsed
picturesque　scenery　that　revealed　ceaseless　changes　and　new　charms　with
every　step　of　our　progress。　　Perpendicular　walls　from　one　to　three
thousand　feet　high　guarded　the　way；　and　were　sumptuously　plumed　with
varied　foliage；　in　places；　and　in　places　swathed　in　waving　ferns。
Passing　shreds　of　cloud　trailed　their　shadows　across　these　shining
fronts；　mottling　them　with　blots；　billowy　masses　of　white　vapor　hid　the
turreted　summits；　and　far　above　the　vapor　swelled　a　background　of
gleaming　green　crags　and　cones　that　came　and　went；　through　the　veiling
mists；　like　islands　drifting　in　a　fog；　sometimes　the　cloudy　curtain
descended　till　half　the　canon　wall　was　hidden；　then　shredded　gradually
away　till　only　airy　gl