voyage of the paper canoe-第35节
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perience the length of her miles； but in the wilderness of the south there is no standard of five thousand two hundred and eighty feet to a statute mile； and the watermen along the sea…coast are ignorant of the fact that one…sixtieth of a degree of latitude （about six thousand and eighty feet） is the geographical and nautical mile of the cartographer； as well as the 〃knot〃 of the sailor。
At Piraway Ferry no two of the raftsmen and lumbermen； ignorant or educated； would give the same distance； either upon the lengths of surveyed roads or unmeasured rivers。 〃It is one hundred and sixty…five miles by river from Piraway Ferry to Conwayborough；〃 said one who had travelled the route for years。 The most moderate estimate made was that of ninety miles by river。 The reader； therefore； must not accuse me of overstating distances while absent from the seaboard； as my friends of the Coast Survey Bureau have not yet penetrated into these interior regions with their theodolites； plane…tables； and telametrerods。 To the canoeist； who is ambitious to score up miles instead of collecting geographical notes； these wild rivers afford an excellent opportunity to satisfy his aims。
From sixty to eighty miles can be rowed in ten hours as easily as forty miles can be gone over upon a river of slow current in the northern states。 There is； I am sorry to say； a class of American travellers who 〃do〃 all the capitals of Europe in the same business…like way； and if they have anything to say in regard to every…day life in the countries through which they pass； they forget to thank the compiler of the guide…book for the information they possess。
There was but one room in the cabin of my new acquaintance； who represented that class of piny…woods people called in the south because they subsist largely upon corn； Corn Crackers； or Crackers。 These Crackers are the 〃poor white folks〃 of the planter； and 〃de white trash〃 of the old slave； who now as a freedman is beginning to feel the responsibility of his position。
These Crackers are a very kind…hearted people； but few of them can read or write。 The children of the negro； filled with curiosity and a newborn pride； whenever opportunity permits； attend the schools in large numbers； but the very indolent white man seems to be destitute of all ambition； and his children； in many places in the south； following close in the father's footsteps； grow up in an almost unimaginable ignorance。
The news of the arrival of the little Maria Theresa at Piraway Ferry spread with astonishing rapidity through the woods； and on Sunday； after 〃de shoutings；〃 as the negroes call their meetings； were over； the blacks came in numbers to see 〃dat Yankee…man's paper canno。〃
These simple people eyed me from head to foot with a grave sort of curiosity； their great mouths open； displaying pearly teeth of which a white man might well be proud。 〃You is a good man； capt'n we knows dat；〃 they said； and when I asked why； the answer showed their childlike faith。 〃'Cause you couldn't hab come all dis way in a paper boat if de Lord hadn't helped you。 He dono help only good folks。〃
The Cracker also came with his children to view the wonder； while the raftsmen were so struck with the advantages of my double paddle； which originated with the inhabitants of the Arctic regions； that they laid it upon a board and drew its outlines with chalk。 They vowed they would introduce it upon the river。
These Crackers declared it would take more than 〃de shoutings；〃 or any other religious service； to improve the moral condition of the blacks。 They openly accused the colored preachers of disturbing the nocturnal rest of their hens and turkeys； and as to hog…stealing and cow…killing； 〃Why； we won't have any critters left ef this carpet…bag government lasts much longer！〃 they feelingly exclaimed。
〃We does nothing to nobody。 We lets the niggers alone； but niggers will steal they can't help it； the poor devils； it's in 'em。 Now； ef they eats us out of house and home； what can a poor man do？ They puts 'em up for justices of peace； and sends 'em to the legislature； when they can't read more'n us； and they do say it's 'cause we fit in the Confederate sarvice that they razes the nigger over our heads。 Now； does the folkes up north like to see white people tyrannized over by niggers？ Jes tell 'em when you go back； stranger； that we's got soulds like yours up north； and we's got feelings too； by thunder！ jes like other white men。 This was a white man's country once now it's all niggers and dogs。 Why； them niggers in the legislature has spitboxes lined with gold to spit in！ What's this country a…coming to？ We wish the niggers no harm if they lets our hogs and chickens alone。〃
After this tirade it was amusing to see how friendly the whites and blacks were。 The Crackers conversed with these children of Ham； who had been stealing their hams for so long a time； in the most kindly way； realizing； perhaps； that they had various peculiar traits of their own； and must； after all； endure their neighbors。
A traveller should place facts before his readers； and leave to them the drawing of the moral。 Northern men and women who go to the southern states and reside for even the short space of a year or two； invariably change their life…long views and principles regarding the negro as a moral and social creature。 When these people return to their homes in Maine or Massachusetts （as did the representatives of the Granges of the northern states after they had visited South Carolina in 1875） a new light； derived from contact with facts； dawns upon them； while their surprised and untravelled neighbors say： 〃So you have become Southern in your views。 I never would have thought that of you。〃
The railroad has become one of the great mediums of enlightenment to mankind； and joins in a social fraternity the disunited elements of a country。 God grant that the resources of the great South may soon be developed by the capital and free labor of the North。 Our sister states of the South； exhausted by the struggles of the late war which resulted in consolidating more firmly than ever the great Union； are now ready to receive every honest effort to develop their wealth or cultivate their territory。 Let every national patriot give up narrowness of views and sectional selfishness and become acquainted with （not the politicians） the people of the New South； and a harmony of feeling will soon possess the hearts of all true lovers of a government of the people。
The swamp tributaries were swelling the river into a very rapid torrent as I paddled away from the ferry on Monday； January 18。 A warmer latitude having been reached； I could dispense with one blanket； and this I had presented to my kind host； who had refused to accept payment for his hospitality。 He was very proud of his present； and said； feelingly； 〃No one shall touch this but me。〃 His good wife had baked some of a rich and very nice variety of sweet…potatoes； unlike those we get in New Jersey or the other Middle States…which potatoes she kindly added to my stores。 They are not dry or mealy when cooked； but seem saturated with honey。 The poor woman's gift now occupied the space formerly taken up by the blanket I had given her husband。
From this day； as latitude after latitude was crossed on my way southward； I distributed every article I could spare； among these poor； kind…hearted people。 Mr。 McGreggor went in his Rob Roy canoe over the rivers of Europe； 〃diffusing cheerfulness and distributing Evangelical tracts。〃 I had no room for tracts； and if I had followed the example of my well… intentioned predecessor in canoeing； it would have served the cause of truth or creed but little。 The Crackers could not read； and but few of the grown negroes had been taught letters。 They did not want books； but tobacco。 Men and women hailed me from the banks as I glided along in my canoe； with； 〃Say； captain； hab you eny 'bacca or snuff for dis chile？〃 Poor humanity！ The Cracker and the freedman fill alike their places according to the light they possess。 Do we； who have been taught from our youth sacred things； do more than this？ Do we love our neighbor as ourself？
For twenty miles （local authority） I journeyed down the stream； without seeing a human being or a dwelling…place； to Stanley's house and the bridge； from which I urged the canoe thirty…five miles further； passing an old field on a bluff； when darkness settled on the swamps； and a heavy mist rose from the waters and enveloped the forests in its folds。 With not a trace of land above water I groped about； running into what appeared to be openings in the submerged land； only to find my canoe tangled in thickets。 It was useless to go further； and I prepared to ascend to the forks of a giant tree； with a light rope； to be used for lashing my body into a safe position； when a long； low cry engaged my attention。
〃Waugh！ ho！ ho！ ho！ peig peig … pe…ig … pe…ig；〃 came through the still； thick air。 It was not an owl； nor a catamount that cried thus； nor was it the bark of a fox。 It was the voice of a Cracker calling in his hogs from the forest。 This sound was indeed pleasant to my ears； for I knew the upland was near； and that
