north america-1-第16章

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eyances　in　Canada　did　not　seem　to　be　very　closely　bound　as　to　time；　but　they　are　regulated　by　clock…work　in　comparison　with　some　of　them　in　the　United　States。　〃Are　you　going　this　morning？〃　I　said　to　a　mail…driver　in　Vermont。　〃I　thought　you　always　started　in　the　evening。〃　　〃Wa'll；　I　guess　I　do；　but　it　rained　some　last　night；　so　I　jist　stayed　at　home。〃　　I　do　not　know　that　I　ever　felt　more　shocked　in　my　life；　and　I　could　hardly　keep　my　tongue　off　the　man。　　The　mails；　however；　would　have　paid　no　respect　to　me　in　Vermont；　and　I　was　obliged　to　walk　away　crest…fallen。　We　went　with　the　mails　from　Sherbrooke　to　a　village　called　Magog；　at　the　outlet　of　the　lake；　and　from　thence　by　a　steamer　up　the　lake；　to　a　solitary　hotel　called　the　Mountain　House；　which　is　built　at　the　foot　of　the　mountain；　on　the　shore；　and　which　is　surrounded　on　every　side　by　thick　forest。　　There　is　no　road　within　two　miles　of　the　house。　　The　lake　therefore　is　the　only　highway；　and　that　is　frozen　up　for　four　months　in　the　year。　　When　frozen；　however；　it　is　still　a　road；　for　it　is　passable　for　sledges。　　I　have　seldom　been　in　a　house　that　seemed　so　remote　from　the　world；　and　so　little　within　reach　of　doctors；　parsons；　or　butchers。　　Bakers　in　this　country　are　not　required；　as　all　persons　make　their　own　bread。　　But　in　spite　of　its　position　the　hotel　is　well　kept；　and　on　the　whole　we　were　more　comfortable　there　than　at　any　other　inn　in　Lower　Canada。　　The　Mountain　house　is　but　five　miles　from　the　borders　of　Vermont；　in　which　State　the　head　of　the　lake　lies。　　The　steamer　which　brought　us　runs　on　to　Newport；　or　rather　from　Newport　to　Magog　and　back　again。　　And　Newport　is　in　Vermont。　The　one　thing　to　be　done　at　the　Mountain　House　is　the　ascent　of　the　mountain　called　the　Owl's　head。　　The　world　there　offers　nothing　else　of　active　enterprise　to　the　traveler；　unless　fishing　be　considered　an　active　enterprise。　　I　am　not　capable　of　fishing；　therefore　we　resolved　on　going　up　the　Owl's　Head。　　To　dine　in　the　middle　of　the　day　is　absolutely　imperative　at　these　hotels；　and　thus　we　were　driven　to　select　either　the　morning　or　the　afternoon。　Evening　lights　we　declared　were　the　best　for　all　views；　and　therefore　we　decided　on　the　afternoon。　　It　is　but　two　miles；　but　then；　as　we　were　told　more　than　once　by　those　who　had　spoken　to　us　on　the　subject；　those　two　miles　are　not　like　other　miles。　　〃I　doubt　if　the　lady　can　do　it；〃　one　man　said　to　me。　　I　asked　if　ladies　did　not　sometimes　go　up。　　〃Yes；　young　women　do；　at　times；〃　he　said。　After　that　my　wife　resolved　that　she　would　see　the　top　of　the　Owl's　Head；　or　die　in　the　attempt；　and　so　we　started。　　They　never　think　of　sending　a　guide　with　one　in　these　places；　whereas　in　Europe　a　traveler　is　not　allowed　to　go　a　step　without　one。　　When　I　asked　for　one　to　show　us　the　way　up　Mount　Washington；　I　was　told　that　there　were　no　idle　boys　about　that　place。　　The　path　was　indicated　to　us；　and　off　we　started　with　high　hopes。　I　have　been　up　many　mountains；　and　have　climbed　some　that　were　perhaps　somewhat　dangerous　in　their　ascent。　　In　climbing　the　Owl's　Head　there　is　no　danger。　　One　is　closed　in　by　thick　trees　the　whole　way。　　But　I　doubt　if　I　ever　went　up　a　steeper　ascent。　　It　was　very　hard　work；　but　we　were　not　beaten。　　We　reached　the　top；　and　there　sitting　down；　thoroughly　enjoyed　our　victory。　　It　was　then　half…　past　five　o'clock；　and　the　sun　was　not　yet　absolutely　sinking。　　It　did　not　seem　to　give　us　any　warning　that　we　should　especially　require　its　aid；　and；　as　the　prospect　below　us　was　very　lovely；　we　remained　there　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour。　　The　ascent　of　the　Owl's　Head　is　certainly　a　thing　to　do；　and　I　still　think；　in　spite　of　our　following　misfortune；　that　it　is　a　thing　to　do　late　in　the　afternoon。　　The　view　down　upon　the　lakes　and　the　forests　around；　and　on　the　wooded　hills　below；　is　wonderfully　lovely。　　I　never　was　on　a　mountain　which　gave　me　a　more　perfect　command　of　all　the　country　round。　　But　as　we　arose　to　descend　we　saw　a　little　cloud　coming　toward　us　from　over　Newport。　The　little　cloud　came　on　with　speed；　and　we　had　hardly　freed　ourselves　from　the　rocks　of　the　summit　before　we　were　surrounded　by　rain。　　As　the　rain　became　thicker；　we　were　surrounded　by　darkness　also；　or；　if　not　by　darkness；　by　so　dim　a　light　that　it　became　a　task　to　find　our　path。　　I　still　thought　that　the　daylight　had　not　gone；　and　that　as　we　descended；　and　so　escaped　from　the　cloud；　we　should　find　light　enough　to　guide　us。　　But　it　was　not　so。　　The　rain　soon　became　a　matter　of　indifference；　and　so　also　did　the　mud　and　briers　beneath　our　feet。　　Even　the　steepness　of　the　way　was　almost　forgotten　as　we　endeavored　to　thread　our　path　through　the　forest　before　it　should　become　impossible　to　discern　the　track。　　A　dog　had　followed　us　up；　and　though　the　beast　would　not　stay　with　us　so　as　to　be　our　guide；　he　returned　ever　and　anon；　and　made　us　aware　of　his　presence　by　dashing　by　us。　　I　may　confess　now　that　I　became　much　frightened。　　We　were　wet　through；　and　a　night　out　in　the　forest　would　have　been　unpleasant　to　us。　　At　last　I　did　utterly　lose　the　track；　it　had　become　quite　dark；　so　dark　that　we　could　hardly　see　each　other。　　We　had　succeeded　in　getting　down　the　steepest　and　worst　part　of　the　mountain；　but　we　were　still　among　dense　forest　trees；　and　up　to　our　knees　in　mud。　　But　the　people　at　the　Mountain　house　were　Christians；　and　men　with　lanterns　were　sent　hallooing　after　us　through　the　dark　night。　　When　we　were　thus　found　we　were　not　many　yards　from　the　path；　but　unfortunately　on　the　wrong　side　of　a　stream。　　Through　that　we　waded；　and　then　made　our　way　in　safety　to　the　inn。　　In　spite　of　which　misadventure　I　advise　all　travelers　in　Lower　Canada　to　go　up　the　Owl's　Head。　On　the　following　day　we　crossed　the　lake　to　Georgeville；　and　drove　around　another　lake　called　the　Massawhippi　back　to　Sherbrooke。　This　was　all　very　well；　for　it　showed　us　a　part　of　the　country　which　is　comparatively　well　tilled；　and　has　been　long　settled；　but　the　Massawhippi　itself　is　not　worth　a　visit。　　The　route　by　which　we　returned　occupies　a　longer　time　than　the　other；　and　is　more　costly；　as　it　must　be　made　in　a　hired　vehicle。　　The　people　here　are　quiet；　orderly；　and　I　should　say　a　little　slow。　　It　is　manifest　that　a　strong　feeling　against　the　Northern　States　has　lately　sprung　up。　This　is　much　to　be　deprecated；　but　I　cannot　but　say　that　it　is　natural。　　It　is　not　that　the　Canadians　have　any　special　secession　feelings；　or　that　they　have　entered　with　peculiar　warmth　into　the　questions　of　American　politics；　but　they　have　been　vexed　and　acerbated　by　the　braggadocio　of　the　Northern　States。　　They　constantly　hear　that　they　are　to　be　invaded；　and　translated　into　citizens　of　the　Union；　that　British　rule　is　to　be　swept　off　the　continent；　and　that　the　star…spangled　banner　is　to　be　waved　over　them　in　pity。　　The　star…spangled　banner　is　in　fact　a　fine　flag；　and　has　waved　to　some　purpose；　but　those　who　live　near　it；　and　not　under　it；　fancy　that　they　hear　too　much　of　it。　　At　the　present　moment　the　loyalty　of　both　the　Canadas　to　Great　Britain　is　beyond　all　question。　　From　all　that　I　can　hear；　I　doubt　whether　this　feeling　in　the　provinces　was　ever　so　strong；　and　under　such　circumstances　American　abuse　of　England　and　American　braggadocio　is　more　than　usually　distasteful。　　All　this　abuse　and　all　this　braggadocio　come　to　Canada　from　the　Northern　States；　and　therefore　the　Southern　cause　is　at　the　present　moment　the　more　popular　with　them。　I　have　said　that　the　Canadians　hereabouts　are　somewhat　slow。　　As　we　were　driving　back　to　Sherbrooke　it　became　necessary　that　we　should　rest　for　an　hour　or　so　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　and　for　this　purpose　we　stopped　at　a　village　inn。　　It　was　a　large　house；　in　which　there　appeared　to　be　three　public　sitting…rooms　of　ample　size；　one　of　which　was　occupied　as　the　bar。　　In　this　there　were　congregated　some　six　or　seven　men；　seated　in　arm…chairs　round　a　stove；　and　among　these　I　placed　myself。　　No　one　spoke　a　word　either　to　me　or　to　any　one　else。　　No　one　smoked；　and　no　one　read；　nor　did　they　even　whittle　sticks。　　I　asked　a　question；　first　of　one　and　then　of　another；　and　was　answered　with　monosyllables。　　So　I　gave　up　any　hope　in　that　direction；　and　sat　staring　at　the　big　stove　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　as　the　others　did。　　Presently　another　stranger　entered；　having　arrived　in　a　wagon；　as　I　had　done。　　He　entered　the　room　and　sat　down；　addressing　no　one；　and　addressed　by　no　one。　After　awhile；　however；　he　spoke。　　〃Will　there　be　any　chance　of　dinner　here？〃　he　said。　　〃I　guess　there'll　be　dinner　by…and…by；〃　answered　the　landlord；　and　then　there　was　silence　for　another　ten　minutes；　during　which　the　stranger　stared　at　the　stove。　　〃Is　that　dinner　any　way　ready？〃　he　asked　again。　　〃I　guess　it　is；〃　said　the　landlord。　　And　then　the　stranger　went　out　to　see　after　his　dinner　himself。　　When　we　started；　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　nobody　said　anything　to　us。　　The　driver　〃hitched〃　on　the　horses；　as　they　call　it；　and　we　started　on　our　way；　having　been　charged　nothing　for　our　accommodation。　　That　some　profit　arose　from　the　horse　provender　is　to　be　hoped。　On　the　following　day　we　reached　Montreal；　which；　as　I　have　said　before；　is　the　commercial　capital　of　the　two　Provinces。　　This　question　of　the　capitals　is　at　the　present　moment　a　subject　of　great　interes