the works of edgar allan poe-3-第35部分

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case　of　Too…wit。　Upon　collecting　a　basinful；　and　allowing　it　to
settle　thoroughly；　we　perceived　that　the　whole　mass　of　liquid　was
made　up　of　a　number　of　distinct　veins；　each　of　a　distinct　hue；　that
these　veins　did　not　commingle；　and　that　their　cohesion　was　perfect　in
regard　to　their　own　particles　among　themselves；　and　imperfect　in
regard　to　neighbouring　veins。　Upon　passing　the　blade　of　a　knife
athwart　the　veins；　the　water　closed　over　it　immediately；　as　with　us；
and　also；　in　withdrawing　it；　all　traces　of　the　passage　of　the　knife
were　instantly　obliterated。　If；　however；　the　blade　was　passed　down
accurately　between　the　two　veins；　a　perfect　separation　was　effected；
which　the　power　of　cohesion　did　not　immediately　rectify。　The
phenomena　of　this　water　formed　the　first　definite　link　in　that　vast
chain　of　apparent　miracles　with　which　I　was　destined　to　be　at　length
encircled。

~~~　End　of　Text　of　Chapter　18　~~~

CHAPTER　19



　　　　　We　were　nearly　three　hours　in　reaching　the　village；　it　being
more　than　nine　miles　in　the　interior；　and　the　path　lying　through　a
rugged　country。　As　we　passed　along；　the　party　of　Too…wit　（the　whole
hundred　and　ten　savages　of　the　canoes）　was　momentarily　strengthened
by　smaller　detachments；　of　from　two　to　six　or　seven；　which　joined　us；
as　if　by　accident；　at　different　turns　of　the　road。　There　appeared　so
much　of　system　in　this　that　I　could　not　help　feeling　distrust；　and　I
spoke　to　Captain　Guy　of　my　apprehensions。　It　was　now　too　late；
however；　to　recede；　and　we　concluded　that　our　best　security　lay　in
evincing　a　perfect　confidence　in　the　good　faith　of　Too…wit。　We
accordingly　went　on；　keeping　a　wary　eye　upon　the　manoeuvres　of　the
savages；　and　not　permitting　them　to　divide　our　numbers　by　pushing　in
between。　In　this　way；　passing　through　a　precipitous　ravine；　we　at
length　reached　what　we　were　told　was　the　only　collection　of
habitations　upon　the　island。　As　we　came　in　sight　of　them；　the　chief
set　up　a　shout；　and　frequently　repeated　the　word　Klock…klock；　which
we　sup。　posed　to　be　the　name　of　the　village；　or　perhaps　the　generic
name　for　villages。

　　　　　The　dwellings　were　of　the　most　miserable　description　imaginable；
and；　unlike　those　of　even　the　lowest　of　the　savage　races　with　which
mankind　are　acquainted；　were　of　no　uniform　plan。　Some　of　them　（and
these　we　found　belonged　to　the　Wampoos　or　Yampoos；　the　great　men　of
the　land）　consisted　of　a　tree　cut　down　at　about　four　feet　from　the
root；　with　a　large　black　skin　thrown　over　it；　and　hanging　in　loose
folds　upon　the　ground。　Under　this　the　savage　nestled。　Others　were
formed　by　means　of　rough　limbs　of　trees；　with　the　withered　foliage
upon　them；　made　to　recline；　at　an　angle　of　forty…five　degrees；
against　a　bank　of　clay；　heaped　up；　without　regular　form；　to　the
height　of　five　or　six　feet。　Others；　again；　were　mere　holes　dug　in　the
earth　perpendicularly；　and　covered　over　with　similar　branches；　these
being　removed　when　the　tenant　was　about　to　enter；　and　pulled　on　again
when　he　had　entered。　A　few　were　built　among　the　forked　limbs　of　trees
as　they　stood；　the　upper　limbs　being　partially　cut　through；　so　as　to
bend　over　upon　the　lower；　thus　forming　thicker　shelter　from　the
weather。　The　greater　number；　however；　consisted　of　small　shallow
caverns；　apparently　scratched　in　the　face　of　a　precipitous　ledge　of
dark　stone；　resembling　fuller's　earth；　with　which　three　sides　of　the
village　were　bounded。　At　the　door　of　each　of　these　primitive　caverns
was　a　small　rock；　which　the　tenant　carefully　placed　before　the
entrance　upon　leaving　his　residence；　for　what　purpose　I　could　not
ascertain；　as　the　stone　itself　was　never　of　sufficient　size　to　close
up　more　than　a　third　of　the　opening。

　　　　　This　village；　if　it　were　worthy　of　the　name；　lay　in　a　valley　of
some　depth；　and　could　only　be　approached　from　the　southward；　the
precipitous　ledge　of　which　I　have　already　spoken　cutting　off　all
access　in　other　directions。　Through　the　middle　of　the　valley　ran　a
brawling　stream　of　the　same　magical…looking　water　which　has　been
described。　We　saw　several　strange　animals　about　the　dwellings；　all
appearing　to　be　thoroughly　domesticated。　The　largest　of　these
creatures　resembled　our　common　hog　in　the　structure　of　the　body　and
snout；　the　tail；　however；　was　bushy；　and　the　legs　slender　as　those　of
the　antelope。　Its　motion　was　exceedingly　awkward　and　indecisive；　and
we　never　saw　it　attempt　to　run。　We　noticed　also　several　animals　very
similar　in　appearance；　but　of　a　greater　length　of　body；　and　covered
with　a　black　wool。　There　were　a　great　variety　of　tame　fowls　running
about；　and　these　seemed　to　constitute　the　chief　food　of　the　natives。
To　our　astonishment　we　saw　black　albatross　among　these　birds　in　a
state　of　entire　domestication；　going　to　sea　periodically　for　food；
but　always　returning　to　the　village　as　a　home；　and　using　the　southern
shore　in　the　vicinity　as　a　place　of　incubation。　There　they　were
joined　by　their　friends　the　pelicans　as　usual；　but　these　latter　never
followed　them　to　the　dwellings　of　the　savages。　Among　the　other　kinds
of　tame　fowls　were　ducks；　differing　very　little　from　the　canvass…back
of　our　own　country；　black　gannets；　and　a　large　bird　not　unlike　the
buzzard　in　appearance；　but　not　carnivorous。　Of　fish　there　seemed　to
be　a　great　abundance。　We　saw；　during　our　visit；　a　quantity　of　dried
salmon；　rock　cod；　blue　dolphins；　mackerel；　blackfish；　skate；　conger
eels；　elephantfish；　mullets；　soles；　parrotfish；　leather…jackets；
gurnards；　hake；　flounders；　paracutas；　and　innumerable　other
varieties。　We　noticed；　too；　that　most　of　them　were　similar　to　the
fish　about　the　group　of　Lord　Auckland　Islands；　in　a　latitude　as　low
as　fifty…one　degrees　south。　The　Gallipago　tortoise　was　also　very
plentiful。　We　saw　but　few　wild　animals；　and　none　of　a　large　size；　or
of　a　species　with　which　we　were　familiar。　One　or　two　serpents　of　a
formidable　aspect　crossed　our　path；　but　the　natives　paid　them　little
attention；　and　we　concluded　that　they　were　not　venomous。

　　　　　As　we　approached　the　village　with　Too…wit　and　his　party；　a　vast
crowd　of　the　people　rushed　out　to　meet　us；　with　loud　shouts；　among
which　we　could　only　distinguish　the　everlasting　Anamoo…moo！　and
Lama…Lama！　We　were　much　surprised　at　perceiving　that；　with　one　or　two
exceptions；　these　new　comers　were　entirely　naked；　and　skins　being
used　only　by　the　men　of　the　canoes。　All　the　weapons　of　the　country
seemed　also　to　be　in　the　possession　of　the　latter；　for　there　was　no
appearance　of　any　among　the　villagers。　There　were　a　great　many　women
and　children；　the　former　not　altogether　wanting　in　what　might　be
termed　personal　beauty。　They　were　straight；　tall；　and　well　formed；
with　a　grace　and　freedom　of　carriage　not　to　be　found　in　civilized
society。　Their　lips；　however；　like　those　of　the　men；　were　thick　and
clumsy；　so　that；　even　when　laughing；　the　teeth　were　never　disclosed。
Their　hair　was　of　a　finer　texture　than　that　of　the　males。　Among　these
naked　villagers　there　might　have　been　ten　or　twelve　who　were　clothed；
like　the　party　of　Too…wit；　in　dresses　of　black　skin；　and　armed　with
lances　and　heavy　clubs。　These　appeared　to　have　great　influence　among
the　rest；　and　were　always　addressed　by　the　title　Wampoo。　These；　too；
were　the　tenants　of　the　black　skin　palaces。　That　of　Too…wit　was
situated　in　the　centre　of　the　village；　and　was　much　larger　and
somewhat　better　constructed　than　others　of　its　kind。　The　tree　which
formed　its　support　was　cut　off　at　a　distance　of　twelve　feet　or
thereabouts　from　the　root；　and　there　were　several　branches　left　just
below　the　cut；　these　serving　to　extend　the　covering；　and　in　this　way
prevent　its　flapping　about　the　trunk。　The　covering；　too；　which
consisted　of　four　very　large　skins　fastened　together　with　wooden
skewers；　was　secured　at　the　bottom　with　pegs　driven　through　it　and
into　the　ground。　The　floor　was　strewed　with　a　quantity　of　dry　leaves
by　way　of　carpet。

　　　　　To　this　hut　we　were　conducted　with　great　solemnity；　and　as　many
of　the　natives　crowded　in　after　us　as　possible。　Too…wit　seated
himself　on　the　leaves；　and　made　signs　that　we　should　follow　his
example。　This　we　did；　and　presently　found　ourselves　in　a　situation
peculiarly　uncomfortable；　if　not　indeed　critical。　We　were　on　the
ground；　twelve　in　number；　with　the　savages；　as　many　as　forty；　sitting
on　their　hams　so　closely　around　us　that；　if　any　disturbance　had
arisen；　we　should　have　found　it　impossible　to　make　use　of　our　arms；
or　indeed　to　have　risen　to　our　feet。　The　pressure　was　not　only　inside
the　tent；　but　outside；　where　probably　was　every　individual　on　the
whole　island；　the　crowd　being　prevented　from　trampling　us　to　death
only　by　the　incessant　exertions　and　vociferations　of　Too…wit。　Our
chief　security　lay；　however；　in　the　presence　of　Too…wit　himself　among
us；　and　we　resolved　to　stick　by　him　closely；　as　the　best　chance　of
extricating　ourselves　from　the　dilemma；　sacrificing　him　immediately
upon　the　first　appearance　of　hostile　design。

　　　　　After　some　trouble　a　certain　degree　of　quiet　was　restored；　when
the　chief　addressed　us　in　a　speech　of　great　length；　and　very　nearly
resembling　the　one　delivered　in　the　canoes；　with　the　exception　that
the　Anamoo…moos！　were　now　somewhat　more　strenuously　insisted　upon