sunshine sketches of a little town-第12部分

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〃OCan…a…daOCan…a…da。〃

You　may　talk　as　you　will　about　the　intoning　choirs　of　your　European
cathedrals；　but　the　sound　of　〃O　Can…a…da；〃　borne　across　the　waters　of
a　silent　lake　at　evening　is　good　enough　for　those　of　us　who　know
Mariposa。

I　think　that　it　was　just　as　they　were　singing　like　this：
〃OCan…a…da；〃　that　word　went　round　that　the　boat　was　sinking。

If　you　have　ever　been　in　any　sudden　emergency　on　the　water；　you　will
understand　the　strange　psychology　of　it；the　way　in　which　what　is
happening　seems　to　become　known　all　in　a　moment　without　a　word　being
said。　The　news　is　transmitted　from　one　to　the　other　by　some
mysterious　process。

At　any　rate；　on　the　Mariposa　Belle　first　one　and　then　the　other　heard
that　the　steamer　was　sinking。　As　far　as　I　could　ever　learn　the　first
of　it　was　that　George　Duff；　the　bank　manager；　came　very　quietly　to
Dr。　Gallagher　and　asked　him　if　he　thought　that　the　boat　was　sinking。
The　doctor　said　no；　that　he　had　thought　so　earlier　in　the　day　but
that　he　didn't　now　think　that　she　was。

After　that　Duff；　according　to　his　own　account；　had　said　to　Macartney；
the　lawyer；　that　the　boat　was　sinking；　and　Macartney　said　that　he
doubted　it　very　much。

Then　somebody　came　to　Judge　Pepperleigh　and　woke　him　up　and　said　that
there　was　six　inches　of　water　in　the　steamer　and　that　she　was
sinking。　And　Pepperleigh　said　it　was　perfect　scandal　and　passed　the
news　on　to　his　wife　and　she　said　that　they　had　no　business　to　allow
it　and　that　if　the　steamer　sank　that　was　the　last　excursion　she'd　go
on。

So　the　news　went　all　round　the　boat　and　everywhere　the　people
gathered　in　groups　and　talked　about　it　in　the　angry　and　excited　way
that　people　have　when　a　steamer　is　sinking　on　one　of　the　lakes　like
Lake　Wissanotti。

Dean　Drone；　of　course；　and　some　others　were　quieter　about　it；　and
said　that　one　must　make　allowances　and　that　naturally　there　were　two
sides　to　everything。　But　most　of　them　wouldn't　listen　to　reason　at
all。　I　think；　perhaps；　that　some　of　them　were　frightened。　You　see　the
last　time　but　one　that　the　steamer　had　sunk；　there　had　been　a　man
drowned　and　it　made　them　nervous。

What？　Hadn't　I　explained　about　the　depth　of　Lake　Wissanotti？　I　had
taken　it　for　granted　that　you　knew；　and　in　any　case　parts　of　it　are
deep　enough；　though　I　don't　suppose　in　this　stretch　of　it　from　the
big　reed　beds　up　to　within　a　mile　of　the　town　wharf；　you　could　find
six　feet　of　water　in　it　if　you　tried。　Oh；　pshaw！　I　was　not　talking
about　a　steamer　sinking　in　the　ocean　and　carrying　down　its　screaming
crowds　of　people　into　the　hideous　depths　of　green　water。　Oh；　dear　me
no！　That　kind　of　thing　never　happens　on　Lake　Wissanotti。

But　what　does　happen　is　that　the　Mariposa　Belle　sinks　every　now　and
then；　and　sticks　there　on　the　bottom　till　they　get　things
straightened　up。

On　the　lakes　round　Mariposa；　if　a　person　arrives　late　anywhere　and
explains　that　the　steamer　sank；　everybody　understands　the　situation。

You　see　when　Harland　and　Wolff　built　the　Mariposa　Belle；　they　left
some　cracks　in　between　the　timbers　that　you　fill　up　with　cotton　waste
every　Sunday。　If　this　is　not　attended　to；　the　boat　sinks。　In　fact；　it
is　part　of　the　law　of　the　province　that　all　the　steamers　like　the
Mariposa　Belle　must　be　properly　corked；I　think　that　is　the
word；every　season。　There　are　inspectors　who　visit　all　the　hotels　in
the　province　to　see　that　it　is　done。

So　you　can　imagine　now　that　I've　explained　it　a　little　straighter；
the　indignation　of　the　people　when　they　knew　that　the　boat　had　come
uncorked　and　that　they　might　be　stuck　out　there　on　a　shoal　or　a
mud…bank　half　the　night。

I　don't　say　either　that　there　wasn't　any　danger；　anyway；　it　doesn't
feel　very　safe　when　you　realize　that　the　boat　is　settling　down　with
every　hundred　yards　that　she　goes；　and　you　look　over　the　side　and　see
only　the　black　water　in　the　gathering　night。

Safe！　I'm　not　sure　now　that　I　come　to　think　of　it　that　it　isn't　worse
than　sinking　in　the　Atlantic。　After　all；　in　the　Atlantic　there　is
wireless　telegraphy；　and　a　lot　of　trained　sailors　and　stewards。　But
out　on　Lake　Wissanotti；far　out；　so　that　you　can　only　just　see　the
lights　of　the　town　away　off　to　the　south；when　the　propeller　comes
to　a　stop；and　you　can　hear　the　hiss　of　steam　as　they　start　to　rake
out　the　engine　fires　to　prevent　an　explosion；and　when　you　turn　from
the　red　glare　that　comes　from　the　furnace　doors　as　they　open　them；　to
the　black　dark　that　is　gathering　over　the　lake；and　there's　a　night
wind　beginning　to　run　among　the　rushes；and　you　see　the　men　going
forward　to　the　roof　of　the　pilot　house　to　send　up　the　rockets　to
rouse　the　town；　safe？　Safe　yourself；　if　you　like；　as　for　me；　let　me
once　get　back　into　Mariposa　again；　under　the　night　shadow　of　the
maple　trees；　and　this　shall　be　the　last；　last　time　I'll　go　on　Lake
Wissanotti。

Safe！　Oh　yes！　Isn't　it　strange　how　safe　other　people's　adventures
seem　after　they　happen？　But　you'd　have　been　scared；　too；　if　you'd
been　there　just　before　the　steamer　sank；　and　seen　them　bringing　up
all　the　women　on　to　the　top　deck。

I　don't　see　how　some　of　the　people　took　it　so　calmly；　how　Mr。　Smith；
for　instance；　could　have　gone　on　smoking　and　telling　how　he'd　had　a
steamer　〃sink　on　him〃　on　Lake　Nipissing　and　a　still　bigger　one；　a
side…wheeler；　sink　on　him　in　Lake　Abbitibbi。

Then；　quite　suddenly；　with　a　quiver；　down　she　went。　You　could　feel
the　boat　sink；　sink；down；　down；would　it　never　get　to　the　bottom？
The　water　came　flush　up　to　the　lower　deck；　and　then；thank
heaven；the　sinking　stopped　and　there　was　the　Mariposa　Belle　safe
and　tight　on　a　reed　bank。

Really；　it　made　one　positively　laugh！　It　seemed　so　queer　and；　anyway；
if　a　man　has　a　sort　of　natural　courage；　danger　makes　him　laugh。
Danger！　pshaw！　fiddlesticks！　everybody　scouted　the　idea。　Why；　it　is
just　the　little　things　like　this　that　give　zest　to　a　day　on　the
water。

Within　half　a　minute　they　were　all　running　round　looking　for
sandwiches　and　cracking　jokes　and　talking　of　making　coffee　over　the
remains　of　the　engine　fires。

I　don't　need　to　tell　at　length　how　it　all　happened　after　that。

I　suppose　the　people　on　the　Mariposa　Belle　would　have　had　to　settle
down　there　all　night　or　till　help　came　from　the　town；　but　some　of　the
men　who　had　gone　forward　and　were　peering　out　into　the　dark　said　that
it　couldn't　be　more　than　a　mile　across　the　water　to　Miller's　Point。
You　could　almost　see　it　over　there　to　the　left；some　of　them；　I
think；　said　〃off　on　the　port　bow；〃　because　you　know　when　you　get
mixed　up　in　these　marine　disasters；　you　soon　catch　the　atmosphere　of
the　thing。

So　pretty　soon　they　had　the　davits　swung　out　over　the　side　and　were
lowering　the　old　lifeboat　from　the　top　deck　into　the　water。

There　were　men　leaning　out　over　the　rail　of　the　Mariposa　Belle　with
lanterns　that　threw　the　light　as　they　let　her　down；　and　the　glare
fell　on　the　water　and　the　reeds。　But　when　they　got　the　boat　lowered；
it　looked　such　a　frail；　clumsy　thing　as　one　saw　it　from　the　rail
above；　that　the　cry　was　raised：　〃Women　and　children　first！〃　For　what
was　the　sense；　if　it　should　turn　out　that　the　boat　wouldn't　even　hold
women　and　children；　of　trying　to　jam　a　lot　of　heavy　men　into　it？

So　they　put　in　mostly　women　and　children　and　the　boat　pushed　out　into
the　darkness　so　freighted　down　it　would　hardly　float。

In　the　bow　of　it　was　the　Presbyterian　student　who　was　relieving　the
minister；　and　he　called　out　that　they　were　in　the　hands　of
Providence。　But　he　was　crouched　and　ready　to　spring　out　of　them　at
the　first　moment。

So　the　boat　went　and　was　lost　in　the　darkness　except　for　the　lantern
in　the　bow　that　you　could　see　bobbing　on　the　water。　Then　presently　it
came　back　and　they　sent　another　load；　till　pretty　soon　the　decks
began　to　thin　out　and　everybody　got　impatient　to　be　gone。

It　was　about　the　time　that　the　third　boat…load　put　off　that　Mr。　Smith
took　a　bet　with　Mullins　for　twenty…five　dollars；　that　he'd　be　home　in
Mariposa　before　the　people　in　the　boats　had　walked　round　the　shore。

No　one　knew　just　what　he　meant；　but　pretty　soon　they　saw　Mr。　Smith
disappear　down　below　into　the　lowest　part　of　the　steamer　with　a
mallet　in　one　hand　and　a　big　bundle　of　marline　in　the　other。

They　might　have　wondered　more　about　it；　but　it　was　just　at　this　time
that　they　heard　the　shouts　from　the　rescue　boatthe　big　Mackinaw
lifeboatthat　had　put　out　from　the　town　with　fourteen　men　at　the
sweeps　when　they　saw　the　first　rockets　go　up。

I　suppose　there　is　always　something　inspiring　about　a　rescue　at　sea；
or　on　the　water。

After　all；　the　bravery　of　the　lifeboat　man　is　the　true
bravery；expended　to　save　life；　not　to　destroy　it。

Certainly　they　told　for　months　after　of　how　the　rescue　boat　came　out
to　the　Mariposa　Belle。

I　suppose　that　when　they　put　her　in　the　water　the　lifeboat　touched　it
for　the　first　time　since　the　old　Macdonald　Government　placed　her　on
Lake　Wissanotti。

Anyway；　the　water　poured　in　at　every　seam。　But　not　for　a
moment；even　with　two　miles　of　water　between　them　and　the
steamer；did　the　rowers　pause　for　that。

By　the　time　they　were　half…way　there　the　water　was　almost　up　to　the
thwarts；　but　they　drove　her　on。　Panting　and　exhausted　（for　mind　you；
if　you　haven't　been　in　a　fool　boat　like　that　for　years；　rowing　takes
it　out　of　you）；　the　rowers　stuck　to　their　task。　They　threw　the
ballast　over　and　chucked　into　the　water　the　heavy　cork　jackets　and
lifebelts　that　encumbered　their　movements。　There　was　no　thought　of
turning　back。　They　were　nearer　to　the　steamer　than　the　shore。

〃Hang　to　it；　boys；〃　called　the　crowd　from　the　steamer's　deck；　and
hang　they　did。

They　were　almost　exhausted　when　they　got　them；　men　leaning　from　the
steamer　threw　them　ropes　and　one　by　one　every　man　was　hauled　aboard
just　as　the　lifeboat　sank　under　their　feet。

Saved！　by　Heaven；　saved；　by　one　of　the　smartest　pieces　of　rescue　work
ever　seen　on　the　lake。

There's　no　use　describing　it；　you　need　to　see　rescue　work　of　this
kind　by　lifeboats　to　understand　it。

Nor　were　the　lifeboat　crew　the　only　ones　that　distinguished
themselves。

Boat　after　boat　and　canoe　after　canoe　had　put　out　from　Mariposa　to
the　help　of　the　steamer。　They　got　them　all。　Pupkin；　the　other　bank
teller；　wit