the complete writings-3-第6部分

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Greece　is　the　home　of　art；　and　it　is　rare　to　find　anything　there　natural　and　unstudied。　　I　presume　that　these　goats　have　no　nonsense　about　them　when　they　are　alone　with　the　goatherds；　any　more　than　the　goatherds　have；　except　when　they　come　to　pose　in　the　studio；　but　the　long　ages　of　culture；　the　presence　always　to　the　eye　of　the　best　models　and　the　forms　of　immortal　beauty；　the　heroic　friezes　of　the　Temple　of　Theseus；　the　marble　processions　of　sacrificial　animals；　have　had　a　steady　molding；　educating　influence　equal　to　a　society　of　decorative　art　upon　the　people　and　the　animals　who　have　dwelt　in　this　artistic　atmosphere。　　The　Attic　goat　has　become　an　artificially　artistic　being；　though　of　course　he　is　not　now　what　he　was；　as　a　poser；　in　the　days　of　Polycletus。　　There　is　opportunity　for　a　very　instructive　essay　by　Mr。　E。　A。　Freeman　on　the　decadence　of　the　Attic　goat　under　the　influence　of　the　Ottoman　Turk。

The　American　deer；　in　the　free　atmosphere　of　our　country；　and　as　yet　untouched　by　our　decorative　art；　is　without　self…consciousness；　and　all　his　attitudes　are　free　and　unstudied。　　The　favorite　position　of　the　deerhis　fore…feet　in　the　shallow　margin　of　the　lake；　among　the　lily…pads；　his　antlers　thrown　back　and　his　nose　in　the　air　at　the　moment　he　hears　the　stealthy　breaking　of　a　twig　in　the　forestis　still　spirited　and　graceful；　and　wholly　unaffected　by　the　pictures　of　him　which　the　artists　have　put　upon　canvas。

Wherever　you　go　in　the　Northern　forest　you　will　find　deer…paths。　　So　plainly　marked　and　well…trodden　are　they　that　it　is　easy　to　mistake　them　for　trails　made　by　hunters；　but　he　who　follows　one　of　them　is　soon　in　difficulties。　　He　may　find　himself　climbing　through　cedar　thickets　an　almost　inaccessible　cliff；　or　immersed　in　the　intricacies　of　a　marsh。　　The　〃run；〃　in　one　direction；　will　lead　to　water；　but；　in　the　other；　it　climbs　the　highest　hills；　to　which　the　deer　retires；　for　safety　and　repose；　in　impenetrable　thickets。　　The　hunters；　in　winter；　find　them　congregated　in　〃　yards；〃　where　they　can　be　surrounded　and　shot　as　easily　as　our　troops　shoot　Comanche　women　and　children　in　their　winter　villages。　　These　little　paths　are　full　of　pitfalls　among　the　roots　and　stones；　and；　nimble　as　the　deer　is；　he　sometimes　breaks　one　of　his　slender　legs　in　them。　　Yet　he　knows　how　to　treat　himself　without　a　surgeon。　　I　knew　of　a　tame　deer　in　a　settlement　in　the　edge　of　the　forest　who　had　the　misfortune　to　break　her　leg。　　She　immediately　disappeared　with　a　delicacy　rare　in　an　invalid；　and　was　not　seen　for　two　weeks。　　Her　friends　had　given　her　up；　supposing　that　she　had　dragged　herself　away　into　the　depths　of　the　woods；　and　died　of　starvation；　when　one　day　she　returned；　cured　of　lameness；　but　thin　as　a　virgin　shadow。　　She　had　the　sense　to　shun　the　doctor；　to　lie　down　in　some　safe　place；　and　patiently　wait　for　her　leg　to　heal。　　I　have　observed　in　many　of　the　more　refined　animals　this　sort　of　shyness；　and　reluctance　to　give　trouble；　which　excite　our　admiration　when　noticed　in　mankind。

The　deer　is　called　a　timid　animal；　and　taunted　with　possessing　courage　only　when　he　is　〃at　bay〃；　the　stag　will　fight　when　he　can　no　longer　flee；　and　the　doe　will　defend　her　young　in　the　face　of　murderous　enemies。　　The　deer　gets　little　credit　for　this　eleventh…　hour　bravery。　　But　I　think　that　in　any　truly　Christian　condition　of　society　the　deer　would　not　be　conspicuous　for　cowardice。　　I　suppose　that　if　the　American　girl；　even　as　she　is　described　in　foreign　romances；　were　pursued　by　bull…dogs；　and　fired　at　from　behind　fences　every　time　she　ventured　outdoors；　she　would　become　timid；　and　reluctant　to　go　abroad。　　When　that　golden　era　comes　which　the　poets　think　is　behind　us；　and　the　prophets　declare　is　about　to　be　ushered　in　by　the　opening　of　the　〃vials；〃　and　the　killing　of　everybody　who　does　not　believe　as　those　nations　believe　which　have　the　most　cannon；　when　we　all　live　in　real　concord；perhaps　the　gentle…hearted　deer　will　be　respected；　and　will　find　that　men　are　not　more　savage　to　the　weak　than　are　the　cougars　and　panthers。　　If　the　little　spotted　fawn　can　think；　it　must　seem　to　her　a　queer　world　in　which　the　advent　of　innocence　is　hailed　by　the　baying　of　fierce　hounds　and　the　〃ping〃　of　the　rifle。

Hunting　the　deer　in　the　Adirondacks　is　conducted　in　the　most　manly　fashion。　　There　are　several　methods；　and　in　none　of　them　is　a　fair　chance　to　the　deer　considered。　　A　favorite　method　with　the　natives　is　practiced　in　winter；　and　is　called　by　them　〃still　hunting。〃　　My　idea　of　still　hunting　is　for　one　man　to　go　alone　into　the　forest；　look　about　for　a　deer；　put　his　wits　fairly　against　the　wits　of　the　keen…　scented　animal；　and　kill　his　deer；　or　get　lost　in　the　attempt。　　There　seems　to　be　a　sort　of　fairness　about　this。　　It　is　private　assassination；　tempered　with　a　little　uncertainty　about　finding　your　man。　　The　still　hunting　of　the　natives　has　all　the　romance　and　danger　attending　the　slaughter　of　sheep　in　an　abattoir。　　As　the　snow　gets　deep；　many　deer　congregate　in　the　depths　of　the　forest；　and　keep　a　place　trodden　down；　which　grows　larger　as　they　tramp　down　the　snow　in　search　of　food。　　In　time　this　refuge　becomes　a　sort　of　〃yard；〃　surrounded　by　unbroken　snow…banks。　　The　hunters　then　make　their　way　to　this　retreat　on　snowshoes；　and　from　the　top　of　the　banks　pick　off　the　deer　at　leisure　with　their　rifles；　and　haul　them　away　to　market；　until　the　enclosure　is　pretty　much　emptied。　　This　is　one　of　the　surest　methods　of　exterminating　the　deer；　it　is　also　one　of　the　most　merciful；　and；　being　the　plan　adopted　by　our　government　for　civilizing　the　Indian；　it　ought　to　be　popular。　　The　only　people　who　object　to　it　are　the　summer　sportsmen。　　They　naturally　want　some　pleasure　out　of　the　death　of　the　deer。

Some　of　our　best　sportsmen；　who　desire　to　protract　the　pleasure　of　slaying　deer　through　as　many　seasons　as　possible；　object　to　the　practice　of　the　hunters；　who　make　it　their　chief　business　to　slaughter　as　many　deer　in　a　camping　season　as　they　can。　　Their　own　rule；　they　say；　is　to　kill　a　deer　only　when　they　need　venison　to　eat。　Their　excuse　is　specious。　　What　right　have　these　sophists　to　put　themselves　into　a　desert　place；　out　of　the　reach　of　provisions；　and　then　ground　a　right　to　slay　deer　on　their　own　improvidence？　　If　it　is　necessary　for　these　people　to　have　anything　to　eat；　which　I　doubt；　it　is　not　necessary　that　they　should　have　the　luxury　of　venison。

One　of　the　most　picturesque　methods　of　hunting　the　poor　deer　is　called　〃　floating。〃　The　person；　with　murder　in　his　heart；　chooses　a　cloudy　night；　seats　himself；　rifle　in　hand；　in　a　canoe；　which　is　noiselessly　paddled　by　the　guide；　and　explores　the　shore　of　the　lake　or　the　dark　inlet。　　In　the　bow　of　the　boat　is　a　light　in　a　〃jack；〃　the　rays　of　which　are　shielded　from　the　boat　and　its　occupants。　　A　deer　comes　down　to　feed　upon　the　lily…pads。　　The　boat　approaches　him。　He　looks　up；　and　stands　a　moment；　terrified　or　fascinated　by　the　bright　flames。　　In　that　moment　the　sportsman　is　supposed　to　shoot　the　deer。　　As　an　historical　fact；　his　hand　usually　shakes　so　that　he　misses　the　animal；　or　only　wounds　him；　and　the　stag　limps　away　to　die　after　days　of　suffering。　　Usually；　however；　the　hunters　remain　out　all　night；　get　stiff　from　cold　and　the　cramped　position　in　the　boat；　and；　when　they　return　in　the　morning　to　camp；　cloud　their　future　existence　by　the　assertion　that　they　〃heard　a　big　buck〃　moving　along　the　shore；　but　the　people　in　camp　made　so　much　noise　that　he　was　frightened　off。

By　all　odds；　the　favorite　and　prevalent　mode　is　hunting　with　dogs。　The　dogs　do　the　hunting；　the　men　the　killing。　　The　hounds　are　sent　into　the　forest　to　rouse　the　deer；　and　drive　him　from　his　cover。　They　climb　the　mountains；　strike　the　trails；　and　go　baying　and　yelping　on　the　track　of　the　poor　beast。　　The　deer　have　their　established　runways；　as　I　said；　and；　when　they　are　disturbed　in　their　retreat；　they　are　certain　to　attempt　to　escape　by　following　one　which　invariably　leads　to　some　lake　or　stream。　　All　that　the　hunter　has　to　do　is　to　seat　himself　by　one　of　these　runways；　or　sit　in　a　boat　on　the　lake；　and　wait　the　coming　of　the　pursued　deer。　　The　frightened　beast；　fleeing　from　the　unreasoning　brutality　of　the　hounds；　will　often　seek　the　open　country；　with　a　mistaken　confidence　in　the　humanity　of　man。　　To　kill　a　deer　when　he　suddenly　passes　one　on　a　runway　demands　presence　of　mind　and　quickness　of　aim：　to　shoot　him　from　the　boat；　after　he　has　plunged　panting　into　the　lake；　requires　the　rare　ability　to　hit　a　moving　object　the　size　of　a　deer's　head　a　few　rods　distant。　　Either　exploit　is　sufficient　to　make　a　hero　of　a　common　man。　　To　paddle　up　to　the　swimming　deer；　and　cut　his　throat；　is　a　sure　means　of　getting　venison；　and　has　its　charms　for　some。　Even　women　and　doctors　of　divinity　have　enjoyed　this　exquisite　pleasure。　　It　cannot　be　denied　that　we　are　so　constituted　by　a　wise　Creator　as　to　feel　a　delight　in　killing　a　wild　animal　which　we　do　not　experience　in　killing　a　tame　one。

The　pleasurable　excitement　of　a　deer…hunt　has　never；　I　believe；　been　regarded　from　the　deer's　point　of　view。　　I　happen　to　be　in　a　position；　by　reason　of　a　lucky　Adirondack　experience；　to　present　it　in　that　light。　　I　am　sorry　if　this　introduction　to　my　little　story　has　seemed　long　to　the　reader：　it　is　too　late　now　to　skip　it；　but　he　can　recoup　himself　by　omitting　the　story。

Early　on　the　morning　of　the　23d　of　August；　1877；　a　doe　was　feeding　on　Basin　Mountain。　　The　night　had　been　warm　and　showery；　and　the　morning　opened　in　an　undecided　way。　　The　wind　was　southerly：　it　is　what　the　deer　call　a　dog…wind；　having　come　to　know　quite　well　the　meaning　of　〃a　southerly　wind　and　a　cloudy　sky。〃　　The　sole　companion　of　the　doe　was　her　only　child；　a　charming　little　fawn；　whose　brown　coat　was　just　beginning　to　be　mottled　with　the　beautiful　spots　which　make　this　young　creature　as　lovely　as　the　gazelle。　　The　buck；　its　father；　had　been　that　night　on　a　long　tramp　across　the　mountain　to　Clear　Pond；　and　had　not　yet　returned：　he　went　ostensibly　to　feed　on　the　succulent　lily…pads　there。　　〃He　feedeth　among　the　lilies　until　the　day　break　and　the　shadows　flee　away；　and　he　should　be　here　by　this　hour；　but　he　cometh　not；〃　she　said；　〃leaping　upon　the　mountains；　skipping　upon　the　hills。〃　　Clear　Pond　was　too　far　off　fo