north america-1-第27章

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　hand。　　A　monstrous　cantle　has　been　worn　back　out　of　the　center　of　the　rock；　so　that　the　fury　of　the　waters　converges；　and　the　spectator；　as　he　gazes　into　the　hollow　with　wishful　eyes；　fancies　that　he　can　hardly　trace　out　the　center　of　the　abyss。　Go　down　to　the　end　of　that　wooden　bridge；　seat　yourself　on　the　rail；　and　there　sit　till　all　the　outer　world　is　lost　to　you。　　There　is　no　grander　spot　about　Niagara　than　this。　　The　waters　are　absolutely　around　you。　　If　you　have　that　power　of　eye…contrio　which　is　so　necessary　to　the　full　enjoyment　of　scenery；　you　will　see　nothing　but　the　water。　　You　will　certainly　hear　nothing　else；　and　the　sound；　I　beg　you　to　remember；　is　not　an　ear…cracking；　agonizing　crash　and　clang　of　noises；　but　is　melodious　and　soft　withal；　though　loud　as　thunder。　　It　fills　your　ears；　and；　as　it　were；　envelops　them；　but　at　the　same　time　you　can　speak　to　your　neighbor　without　an　effort。　　But　at　this　place；　and　in　these　moments；　the　less　of　speaking；　I　should　say；　the　better。　　There　is　no　grander　spot　than　this。　　Here；　seated　on　the　rail　of　the　bridge；　you　will　not　see　the　whole　depth　of　the　fall。　　In　looking　at　the　grandest　works　of　nature；　and　of　art　too；　I　fancy　it　is　never　well　to　see　all。　　There　should　be　something　left　to　the　imagination；　and　much　should　be　half　concealed　in　mystery。　　The　greatest　charm　of　a　mountain　range　is　the　wild　feeling　that　there　must　be　strange；　unknown；　desolate　worlds　in　those　far…off　valleys　beyond。　　And　so　here；　at　Niagara；　that　converging　rush　of　waters　may　fall　down；　down　at　once　into　a　hell　of　rivers；　for　what　the　eye　can　see。　　It　is　glorious　to　watch　them　in　their　first　curve　over　the　rocks。　　They　come　green　as　a　bank　of　emeralds；　but　with　a　fitful；　flying　color；　as　though　conscious　that　in　one　moment　more　they　would　be　dashed　into　spray　and　rise　into　air；　pale　as　driven　snow。　　The　vapor　rises　high　into　the　air；　and　is　gathered　there；　visible　always　as　a　permanent　white　cloud　over　the　cataract；　but　the　bulk　of　the　spray　which　fills　the　lower　hollow　of　that　horseshoe　is　like　a　tumult　of　snow。　　This　you　will　not　fully　see　from　your　seat　on　the　rail。　　The　head　of　it　rises　ever　and　anon　out　of　that　caldron　below；　but　the　caldron　itself　will　be　invisible。　　It　is　ever　so　far　downfar　as　your　own　imagination　can　sink　it。　　But　your　eyes　will　rest　full　upon　the　curve　of　the　waters。　　The　shape　you　will　be　looking　at　is　that　of　a　horseshoe；　but　of　a　horseshoe　miraculously　deep　from　toe　to　heel；　and　this　depth　becomes　greater　as　you　sit　there。　　That　which　at　first　was　only　great　and　beautiful　becomes　gigantic　and　sublime；　till　the　mind　is　at　loss　to　find　an　epithet　for　its　own　use。　　To　realize　Niagara；　you　must　sit　there　till　you　see　nothing　else　than　that　which　you　have　come　to　see。　　You　will　hear　nothing　else；　and　think　of　nothing　else。　　At　length　you　will　be　at　one　with　the　tumbling　river　before　you。　　You　will　find　yourself　among　the　waters　as　though　you　belonged　to　them。　　The　cool；　liquid　green　will　run　through　your　veins；　and　the　voice　of　the　cataract　will　be　the　expression　of　your　own　heart。　　You　will　fall　as　the　bright　waters　fall；　rushing　down　into　your　new　world　with　no　hesitation　and　with　no　dismay；　and　you　will　rise　again　as　the　spray　rises；　bright；　beautiful；　and　pure。　　Then　you　will　flow　away　in　your　course　to　the　uncompassed；　distant；　and　eternal　ocean。　When　this　state　has　been　reached　and　has　passed　away；　you　may　get　off　your　rail　and　mount　the　tower。　　I　do　not　quite　approve　of　that　tower；　seeing　that　it　has　about　it　a　gingerbread　air；　and　reminds　one　of　those　well…arranged　scenes　of　romance　in　which　one　is　told　that　on　the　left　you　turn　to　the　lady's　bower；　price　sixpence；　and　on　the　right　ascend　to　the　knight's　bed；　price　sixpence　more；　with　a　view　of　the　hermit's　tomb　thrown　in。　　But　nevertheless　the　tower　is　worth　mounting；　and　no　money　is　charged　for　the　use　of　it。　　It　is　not　very　high；　and　there　is　a　balcony　at　the　top　on　which　some　half　dozen　persons　may　stand　at　ease。　　Here　the　mystery　is　lost；　but　the　whole　fall　is　seen。　　It　is　not　even　at　this　spot　brought　so　fully　before　your　eye；　made　to　show　itself　in　so　complete　and　entire　a　shape；　as　it　will　do　when　you　come　to　stand　near　to　it　on　the　opposite　or　Canadian　shore。　　But　I　think　that　it　shows　itself　more　beautifully。　　And　the　form　of　the　cataract　is　such　that　here；　on　Goat　Island；　on　the　American　side；　no　spray　will　reach　you；　although　you　are　absolutely　over　the　waters。　　But　on　the　Canadian　side；　the　road　as　it　approaches　the　fall　is　wet　and　rotten　with　spray；　and　you；　as　you　stand　close　upon　the　edge；　will　be　wet　also。　The　rainbows　as　they　are　seen　through　the　rising　cloudfor　the　sun's　rays　as　seen　through　these　waters　show　themselves　in　a　bow；　as　they　do　when　seen　through　rainare　pretty　enough；　and　are　greatly　loved。　　For　myself；　I　do　not　care　for　this　prettiness　at　Niagara。　　It　is　there；　but　I　forget　it；　and　do　not　mind　how　soon　it　is　forgotten。　But　we　are　still　on　the　tower；　and　here　I　must　declare　that　though　I　forgive　the　tower；　I　cannot　forgive　the　horrid　obelisk　which　has　latterly　been　built　opposite　to　it；　on　the　Canadian　side；　up　above　the　fall；　built　apparentlyfor　I　did　not　go　to　itwith　some　camera…obscura　intention　for　which　the　projector　deserves　to　be　put　in　Coventry　by　all　good　Christian　men　and　women。　　At　such　a　place　as　Niagara　tasteless　buildings；　run　up　in　wrong　places　with　a　view　to　money　making；　are　perhaps　necessary　evils。　　It　may　be　that　they　are　not　evils　at　all；　that　they　give　more　pleasure　than　pain；　seeing　that　they　tend　to　the　enjoyment　of　the　multitude。　　But　there　are　edifices　of　this　description　which　cry　aloud　to　the　gods　by　the　force　of　their　own　ugliness　and　malposition。　　As　to　such；　it　may　be　said　that　there　should　somewhere　exist　a　power　capable　of　crushing　them　in　their　birth。　　This　new　obelisk；　or　picture…building　at　Niagara；　is　one　of　such。　And　now　we　will　cross　the　water；　and　with　this　object　will　return　by　the　bridge　out　of　Goat　Island；　on　the　main　land　of　the　American　side。　　But　as　we　do　so；　let　me　say　that　one　of　the　great　charms　of　Niagara　consists　in　this：　that　over　and　above　that　one　great　object　of　wonder　and　beauty；　there　is　so　much　little　loveliness　loveliness　especially　of　water　I　mean。　　There　are　little　rivulets　running　here　and　there　over　little　falls；　with　pendent　boughs　above　them；　and　stones　shining　under　their　shallow　depths。　　As　the　visitor　stands　and　looks　through　the　trees；　the　rapids　glitter　before　him；　and　then　hide　themselves　behind　islands。　　They　glitter　and　sparkle　in　far　distances　under　the　bright　foliage；　till　the　remembrance　is　lost；　and　one　knows　not　which　way　they　run。　　And　then　the　river　below；　with　its　whirlpool；but　we　shall　come　to　that　by…and…by；　and　to　the　mad　voyage　which　was　made　down　the　rapids　by　that　mad　captain　who　ran　the　gantlet　of　the　waters　at　the　risk　of　his　own　life；　with　fifty　to　one　against　him；　in　order　that　he　might　save　another　man's　property　from　the　sheriff。　The　readiest　way　across　to　Canada　is　by　the　ferry；　and　on　the　American　side　this　is　very　pleasantly　done。　　You　go　into　a　little　house；　pay　twenty　cents；　take　a　seat　on　a　wooden　car　of　wonderful　shape；　and　on　the　touch　of　a　spring　find　yourself　traveling　down　an　inclined　plane　of　terrible　declivity；　and　at　a　very　fast　rate。　　You　catch　a　glance　of　the　river　below　you；　and　recognize　the　fact　that　if　the　rope　by　which　you　are　held　should　break；　you　would　go　down　at　a　very　fast　rate　indeed；　and　find　your　final　resting…place　in　the　river。　　As　I　have　gone　down　some　dozen　times；　and　have　come　to　no　such　grief；　I　will　not　presume　that　you　will　be　less　lucky。　Below　there　is　a　boat　generally　ready。　　If　it　be　not　there；　the　place　is　not　chosen　amiss　for　a　rest　of　ten　minutes；　for　the　lesser　fall　is　close　at　hand；　and　the　larger　one　is　in　full　view。　　Looking　at　the　rapidity　of　the　river；　you　will　think　that　the　passage　must　be　dangerous　and　difficult。　　But　no　accidents　ever　happen；　and　the　lad　who　takes　you　over　seems　to　do　it　with　sufficient　ease。　　The　walk　up　the　hill　on　the　other　side　is　another　thing。　　It　is　very　steep；　and　for　those　who　have　not　good　locomotive　power　of　their　own；　will　be　found　to　be　disagreeable。　　In　the　full　season；　however；　carriages　are　generally　waiting　there。　　In　so　short　a　distance　I　have　always　been　ashamed　to　trust　to　other　legs　than　my　own；　but　I　have　observed　that　Americans　are　always　dragged　up。　　I　have　seen　single　young　men　of　from　eighteen　to　twenty…five；　from　whose　outward　appearance　no　story　of　idle；　luxurious　life　can　be　read；　carried　about　alone　in　carriages　over　distances　which　would　be　counted　as　nothing　by　any　healthy　English　lady　of　fifty。　　None　but　the　old　invalids　should　require　the　assistance　of　carriages　in　seeing　Niagara；　but　the　trade　in　carriages　is　to　all　appearance　the　most　brisk　trade　there。　Having　mounted　the　hill　on　the　Canada　side；　you　will　walk　on　toward　the　falls。　　As　I　have　said　before；　you　will　from　this　side　look　directly　into　the　full　circle　of　the　upper　cataract；　while　you　will　have　before　you；　at　your　left　hand；　the　whole　expanse　of　the　lesser　fall。　　For　those　who　desire　to　see　all　at　a　glance；　who　wish　to　comprise　the　whole　with　their　eyes；　and　to　leave　nothing　to　be　guessed；　nothing　to　be　surmised；　this　no　doubt　is　the　best　poin