the pathfinder-第49部分

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died　away　to　a　calm　about　midnight；　or　just　as　he　was
thinking　of　heaving…to；　to　sound；　for　islands　ahead　were
beginning　to　be　seen。　　At　one　A。M。　it　began　to　blow　from
the　north…east；　accompanied　by　a　drizzle；　and　he　stood　off
to　the　northward　and　westward；　knowing　that　the　coast　of
New　York　lay　in　the　opposite　direction。　　At　half…past
one　he　stowed　the　flying…jib；　reefed　the　mainsail；　and　took
the　bonnet　off　the　jib。　　At　two　he　was　compelled　to　get　a
second　reef　aft；　and　by　half…past　two　he　had　put　a　bal…
ance…reef　in　the　sail；　and　was　lying…to。

〃I　can't　say　but　the　boat　behaves　well；　Sergeant；〃　the
old　sailor　added；　〃but　it　blows　forty…two　pounders。　　I　had
no　idea　there　were　any　such　currents　of　air　up　here　on
this　bit　of　fresh　water；　though　I　care　not　the　knotting　of
a　yarn　for　it；　as　your　lake　has　now　somewhat　of　a　natural
look；　and　if　this　dd　water　had　a　savor　of　salt　about　it；
one　might　be　comfortable。〃

〃How　long　have　you　been　heading　in　this　direction；
brother　Cap？〃　inquired　the　prudent　soldier；　〃and　at
what　rate　may　we　be　going　through　the　water？〃

〃Why；　two　or　three　hours；　mayhap；　and　she　went　like　a
horse　for　the　first　pair　of　them。　　Oh；　we've　a　fine　offing
now！　for；　to　own　the　truth；　little　relishing　the　neighbor…
hood　of　them　said　islands；　although　they　are　to　windward；
I　took　the　helm　myself；　and　run　her　off　free　for　some
league　or　two。　　We　are　well　to　leeward　of　them；　I'll　engage
…　I　say　to　leeward；　for　though　one　might　wish　to　be　well
to　windward　of　one　island；　or　even　half　a　dozen；　when　it
comes　to　a　thousand；　the　better　way　is　to　give　it　up　at
once；　and　to　slide　down　under　their　lee　as　fast　as　possible。
No；　no；　there　they　are　up　yonder　in　the　dingle；　and　there
they　may　stay；　for　anything　Charles　Cap　cares。〃

〃As　the　north　shore　lies　only　some　five　or　six　leagues
from　us；　brother；　and　I　know　there　is　a　large　bay　in　that
quarter；　might　it　not　be　well　to　consult　some　of　the　crew
concerning　our　position；　if；　indeed；　we　do　not　call　up　Jas…
per　Eau…douce；　and　tell　him　to　carry　us　back　to　Oswego？
For　it　is　quite　impossible　we　should　ever　reach　the　station
with　this　wind　directly　in　our　teeth。〃

〃There　are　several　serious　professional　reasons；　Sergeant；
against　all　your　propositions。　　In　the　first　place；　an　ad…
mission　of　ignorance　on　the　part　of　a　commander　would
destroy　discipline。　　No　matter；　brother；　I　understand
your　shake　of　the　head；　but　nothing　capsizes　discipline　so
much　as　to　confess　ignorance。　　I　once　knew　a　master　of　a
vessel　who　went　a　week　on　a　wrong　course　rather　than
allow　he　had　made　a　mistake；　and　it　was　surprising　how
much　he　rose　in　the　opinions　of　his　people；　just　because
they　could　not　understand　him。〃

〃That　may　do　on　salt　water；　brother　Cap；　but　it　will
hardly　do　on　fresh。　　Rather　than　wreck　my　command　on
the　Canada　shore；　I　shall　feel　it　a　duty　to　take　Jasper　out
of　arrest。〃

〃And　make　a　haven　in　Frontenac。　　No；　Sergeant；　the
_Scud_　is　in　good　hands；　and　will　now　learn　something　of
seamanship。　　We　have　a　fine　offing；　and　no　one　but　a　mad…
man　would　think　of　going　upon　a　coast　in　a　gale　like　this。
I　shall　ware　every　watch；　and　then　we　shall　be　safe　against
all　dangers　but　those　of　the　drift；　which；　in　a　light　low
craft　like　this；　without　top…hamper；　will　be　next　to　noth…
ing。　　Leave　it　all　to　me；　Sergeant；　and　I　pledge　you　the
character　of　Charles　Cap　that　all　will　go　well。〃

Sergeant　Dunham　was　fain　to　yield。　　He　had　great　con…
fidence　in　his　connection's　professional　skill；　and　hoped
that　he　would　take　such　care　of　the　cutter　as　would　amply
justify　his　opinion　of　him。　　On　the　other　hand；　as　dis…
trust；　like　care；　grows　by　what　it　feeds　on；　he　entertained
so　much　apprehension　of　treachery；　that　he　was　quite　will…
ing　any　one　but　Jasper　should　just　then　have　the　control
of　the　fate　of　the　whole　party。　　Truth；　moreover；　compels
us　to　admit　another　motive。　　The　particular　duty　on　which
he　was　now　sent　of　right　should　have　been　confided　to　a
commissioned　officer；　and　Major　Duncan　had　excited　a
good　deal　of　discontent　among　the　subalterns　of　the　gar…
rison；　by　having　confided　it　to　one　of　the　Sergeant's　hum…
ble　station。　　To　return　without　having　even　reached　the
point　of　destination；　therefore；　the　latter　felt　would　be　a
failure　from　which　he　was　not　likely　soon　to　recover；　and
the　measure　would　at　once　be　the　means　of　placing　a　supe…
rior　in　his　shoes。



CHAPTER　XVI。

Thou　glorious　mirror；　where　the　Almighty's　form
Glasses　itself　in　tempests；　in　all　time；
Calm　or　convulsed　　in　breeze；　or　gale；　or　storm；
Icing　the　pole；　or　in　the　torrid　clime
Dark…heaving；　　boundless；　endless；　and　sublime　
The　image　of　eternity；　the　throne
Of　the　Invisible；　even　from　out　thy　slime
The　monsters　of　the　deep　are　made；　each　zone
Obeys　thee；　thou　goest　forth；　dread；　fathomless；　alone。
BYRON。


As　the　day　advanced；　that　portion　of　the　inmates　of　the
vessel　which　had　the　liberty　of　doing　so　appeared　on　deck。
As　yet　the　sea　was　not　very　high；　from　which　it　was　inferred
that　the　cutter　was　still　under　the　lee　of　the　islands；　but
it　was　apparent　to　all　who　understood　the　lake　that　they
were　about　to　experience　one　of　the　heavy　autumnal　gales
of　that　region。　　Land　was　nowhere　visible；　and　the　hori…
zon　on　every　side　exhibited　that　gloomy　void；　which　lends
to　all　views　on　vast　bodies　of　water　the　sublimity　of　mys…
tery。　　The　swells；　or；　as　landsmen　term　them；　the　waves；
were　short　and　curling；　breaking　of　necessity　sooner　than
the　longer　seas　of　the　ocean；　while　the　element　itself；　in…
stead　of　presenting　that　beautiful　hue　which　rivals　the　deep
tint　of　the　southern　sky；　looked　green　and　angry；　though
wanting　in　the　lustre　that　is　derived　from　the　rays　of　the
sun。

The　soldiers　were　soon　satisfied　with　the　prospect；　and
one　by　one　they　disappeared；　until　none　were　left　on　deck
but　the　crew；　the　Sergeant；　Cap；　Pathfinder；　the　Quarter…
master；　and　Mabel。　　There　was　a　shade　on　the　brow　of　the
last；　who　had　been　made　acquainted　with　the　real　state　of
things；　and　who　had　fruitlessly　ventured　an　appeal　in　favor
of　Jasper's　restoration　to　the　command。　　A　night's　rest
and　a　night's　reflection　appeared　also　to　have　confirmed
the　Pathfinder　in　his　opinion　of　the　young　man's　inno…
cence；　and　he；　too；　had　made　a　warm　appeal　on　behalf　of
his　friend；　though　with　the　same　want　of　success。

Several　hours　passed　away；　the　wind　gradually　getting
heavier　and　the　sea　rising；　until　the　motion　of　the　cutter
compelled　Mabel　and　the　Quartermaster　to　retreat　also。
Cap　wore　several　times；　and　it　was　now　evideut　that　the
_Scud_　was　drifting　into　the　broader　and　deeper　parts　of　the
lake；　the　seas　raging　down　upon　her　in　a　way　that　none
but　a　vessel　of　superior　mould　and　build　could　have　long
ridden　and　withstood。　　All　this；　however；　gave　Cap　no
uneasiness；　but；　like　the　hunter　that　pricks　his　ears　at　the
sound　of　the　horn；　or　the　war…horse　that　paws　and　snorts
with　pleasure　at　the　roll　of　the　drum；　the　whole　scene
awakened　all　that　was　man　within　him；　and　instead　of　the
captious；　supercilious；　and　dogmatic　critic；　quarrelling　with
trifles　and　exaggerating　immaterial　things；　he　began　to
exhibit　the　qualities　of　the　hardy　and　experienced　seaman
which　he　truly　was。　　The　hands　soon　imbibed　a　respect
for　his　skill；　and；　though　they　wondered　at　the　disappear…
ance　of　their　old　commander　and　the　pilot；　for　which　no
reason　had　been　publicly　given；　they　soon　yielded　an　im…
plicit　and　cheerful　obedience　to　the　new　one。

〃This　bit　of　fresh　water；　after　all；　brother　Dunham；　has
some　spirit；　I　find；〃　cried　Cap　about　noon；　rubbing　his
hands　in　pure　satisfaction　at　finding　himself　once　more
wrestling　with　the　elements。　　〃The　wind　seems　to　be　an
honest　old…fashioned　gale；　and　the　seas　have　a　fanciful　re…
semblance　to　those　of　the　Gulf　Stream。　　I　like　this；　Ser…
geant；　I　like　this；　and　shall　get　to　respect　your　lake；　if　it
hold　out　twenty…four　hours　longer　in　the　fashion　in　which
it　has　begun。〃

〃Land；　ho！〃　shouted　the　man　who　was　stationed　on　the
forecastle。

Cap　hurried　forward；　and　there；　sure　enough；　the　land
was　visible　through　the　drizzle；　at　the　distance　of　about
half　a　mile；　the　cutter　heading　directly　towards　it。　　The
first　impulse　of　the　old　seaman　was　to　give　an　order　to
〃stand　by；　to　ware　off　shore；〃　but　the　cool…headed　soldier
restrained　him。

〃By　going　a　little　nearer；〃　said　the　Sergeant；　〃some　of
us　may　recognize　the　place。　　Most　of　us　know　the　Ameri…
can　shore　in　this　part　of　the　lake；　and　it　will　be　something
gained　to　learn　our　position。〃

〃Very　true；　very　true；　if；　indeed；　there　is　any　chance　of
that　we　will　hold　on。　　What　is　this　off　here；　a　little　on
our　weather…bow？　　It　looks　like　a　low　headland。〃

〃The　garrison；　by　Jove！〃　exclaimed　the　other；　whose
trained　eye　sooner　recognized　the　military　outlines　than
the　less　instructed　senses　of　his　connection。

The　Sergeant　was　not　mistaken。　　There　was　the　fort；
sure　enough；　though　it　looked　dim　and　indistinct　through
the　fine　rain；　as　if　it　were　seen　in　the　dusk　of　evening　or
the　haze　of　morning。　　The　low；　sodded；　and　verdant　ram…
parts；　the　sombre　palisdes；　now　darker　than　ever　with
water；　the　roof　of　a　house　or　two；　the　tall；　solitary　flagstaff；
with　its　halyards　blown　steadily　out　into　a　curve　that　ap…
peared　traced　in　immovable　lines　in　the　air；　were　all　soon
to　be　seen　though　no　sign　of　animated　life　could　be　dis…
covered。　　Even　the　sentinel　was　housed；　and　at　first　it
was　believed　that　no　eye　would　detect　the　presence　of　their
own　vessel。　　But　the　unceasing　vigilance　of　a　border　gar…
rison　did　not　slumber：　one　of　the　look…outs　probably　made
the　interesting　discovery；　a　man　or　two　were　seen　on　some
elevated　stands；　and　then　the　entire　ramparts　next　the　lake
were　dotted　with　human　beings。

The　whole　scene　was　one　in　which　sublimity　was　singu…
larly　relieved　by　the　picturesque。　　The　raging　of　the　tem…
pest　had　a　character　of　duration　that　rendered　it　easy　to
imagine　it　might　be　a　permanent　feature　of　the　spot。　　The
roar　of　the　wind　was　without　intermission；　and　the　raging
water　answered　to　its　dull　but　grand　strains　with　hissing
spray；　a　menacing　wash；　and　sullen　surges。　　The　drizzle
made　a　medium　for　the　eye