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！
An Old Town By The Sea
An Old Town By The Sea
by Thomas Bailey Aldrich
1
… Page 2…
An Old Town By The Sea
PISCATAQUA RIVER
Thou singest by the gleaming isles； By woods； and fields of corn；
Thou singest； and the sunlight smiles Upon my birthday morn。
But I within a city； I； So full of vague unrest； Would almost give my
life to lie An hour upon upon thy breast。
To let the wherry listless go； And； wrapt in dreamy joy； Dip； and surge
idly to and fro； Like the red harbor…buoy；
To sit in happy indolence； To rest upon the oars； And catch the heavy
earthy scents That blow from summer shores；
To see the rounded sun go down； And with its parting fires Light up
the windows of the town And burn the tapering spires；
And then to hear the muffled tolls From steeples slim and white； And
watch； among the Isles of Shoals； The Beacon's orange light。
O River！ flowing to the main Through woods； and fields of corn； Hear
thou my longing and my pain This sunny birthday morn；
And take this song which fancy shapes To music like thine own； And
sing it to the cliffs and capes And crags where I am known！
2
… Page 3…
An Old Town By The Sea
I。 CAPTAIN JOHN SMITH
I CALL it an old town； but it is only relatively old。 When one
reflects on the countless centuries that have gone to the for…mation of this
crust of earth on which we temporarily move； the most ancient cities on its
surface seem merely things of the week before last。 It was only the other
day； thenthat is to say； in the month of June； 1603that one Martin Pring；
in the ship Speedwell； an enormous ship of nearly fifty tons burden； from
Bristol； England； sailed up the Piscataqua River。 The Speedwell；
numbering thirty men； officers and crew； had for consort the Discoverer；
of twenty…six tons and thirteen men。 After following the windings of 〃the
brave river〃 for twelve miles or more； the two vessels turned back and put
to sea again； having failed in the chief object of the expedition； which was
to obtain a cargo of the medicinal sassafras…tree； from the bark of which；
as well known to our ancestors； could be distilled the Elixir of Life。
It was at some point on the left bank of the Piscataqua； three or four
miles from the mouth of the river； that worthy Master Pring probably
effected one of his several landings。 The beautiful stream widens suddenly
at this place； and the green banks； then covered with a network of
strawberry vines； and sloping invitingly to the lip of the crystal water；
must have won the tired mariners。
The explorers found themselves on the edge of a vast forest of oak；
hemlock； maple； and pine； but they saw no sassafras…trees to speak of； nor
did they encounterwhat would have been infinitely less to their taste
and red…men。 Here and there were discoverable the scattered ashes of
fires where the Indians had encamped earlier in the spring； they were
absent now； at the silvery falls； higher up the stream； where fish abounded
at that season。 The soft June breeze； laden with the delicate breath of
wild…flowers and the pungent odors of spruce and pine； ruffled the
duplicate sky in the water； the new leaves lisped pleasantly in the tree tops；
and the birds were singing as if they had gone mad。 No ruder sound or
movement of life disturbed the primeval solitude。 Master Pring would
scarcely recognize the spot were he to land there to…day。
Eleven years afterwards a much cleverer man than the commander of
3
… Page 4…
An Old Town By The Sea
the Speedwell dropped anchor in the PiscataquaCaptain John Smith of
famous memory。 After slaying Turks in hand…to…hand combats； and
doing all sorts of doughty deeds wherever he chanced to decorate the
globe with his presence； he had come with two vessels to the fisheries on
the rocky selvage of Maine； when curiosity； or perhaps a deeper motive；
led him to examine the neighboring shore lines。 With eight of his men in
a small boat； a ship's yawl； he skirted the coast from Penobscot Bay to
Cape Cod； keeping his eye open。 This keeping his eye open was a
peculiarity of the little captain； possibly a family trait。 It was Smith who
really discovered the Isles of Shoals； exploring in person those masses of
bleached rockthose 〃isles assez hautes；〃 of which the French navigator
Pierre de Guast； Sieur de Monts； had caught a bird's…eye glimpse through
the twilight in 1605。 Captain Smith christened the group Smith's Isles； a
title which posterity； with singular persistence of ingratitude； has ignored。
It was a tardy sense of justice that expressed itself a few years ago in
erecting on Star Island a simple marble shaft to the memory of JOHN
SMITHthe multitudinous！ Perhaps this long delay is explained by a
natural hesitation to label a monument so ambiguously。
The modern Jason； meanwhile； was not without honor in his own
country； whatever may have happened to him in his own house； for the
poet George Wither addressed a copy of pompous verses 〃To his Friend
Captain Smith； upon his Description of New England。〃〃Sir；〃 he says
〃Sir： your Relations I haue read： which shew Ther's
reason I should honor them and you： And if their meaning I have
vnderstood； I dare to censure thus： Your Project's good； And
may （if follow'd） doubtlesse quit the paine With honour； pleasure and
a trebble gaine； Beside the benefit that shall arise To make
more happy our Posterities。〃
The earliest map of this portion of our seaboard was prepared by
Smith and laid before Prince Charles； who asked to give the country a
name。 He christened it New England。 In that remarkable map the site of
Portsmouth is call Hull； and Kittery and York are known as Boston。
It was doubtless owing to Captain John Smith's representation on his
return to England that the Laconia Company selected the banks of the
4
… Page 5…
An Old Town By The Sea
Piscataqua for their plantation。 Smith was on an intimate footing with Sir
Ferinand Gorges； who； five years subsequently； made a tour of inspection
along the New England coast； in company with John Mason； then
Governor of Newfoundland。 One of the results of this summer cruise is
the town of Portsmouth； among whose leafy ways； and into some of whose
old…fashioned houses； I purpose to take the reader； if he have an idle hour
on his hands。 Should we meet the flitting ghost of some old…time worthy；
on the staircase or at a lonely street corner； the reader must be prepared for
it。
5
… Page 6…
An Old Town By The Sea
II。 ALONG THE WATER SIDE
IT is not supposable that the early settlers selected the site of their
plantation on account of its picturesqueness。 They were influenced entirely
by the lay of the land； its nearness and easy access to the sea； and the
secure harbor it offered to their fishing…vessels； yet they could not have
chosen a more beautiful spot had beauty been the sole consideration。 The
first settlement was made at Odiorne's Pointthe Pilgrims' Rock of New
Hampshire； there the Manor； or Mason's Hall； was built by the Laconia
Company in 1623。 It was not until 1631 that the Great House was
erected by Humphrey Chadborn on Strawberry Bank。 Mr。 Chadborn；
consciously or unconsciously； sowed a seed from which a city has sprung。
The town of Portsm