north america-1-第21章

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　that　we　could　hardly　see　each　other。　　We　had　succeeded　in　getting　down　the　steepest　and　worst　part　of　the　mountain；　but　we　were　still　among　dense　forest　trees；　and　up　to　our　knees　in　mud。　　But　the　people　at　the　Mountain　house　were　Christians；　and　men　with　lanterns　were　sent　hallooing　after　us　through　the　dark　night。　　When　we　were　thus　found　we　were　not　many　yards　from　the　path；　but　unfortunately　on　the　wrong　side　of　a　stream。　　Through　that　we　waded；　and　then　made　our　way　in　safety　to　the　inn。　　In　spite　of　which　misadventure　I　advise　all　travelers　in　Lower　Canada　to　go　up　the　Owl's　Head。　On　the　following　day　we　crossed　the　lake　to　Georgeville；　and　drove　around　another　lake　called　the　Massawhippi　back　to　Sherbrooke。　This　was　all　very　well；　for　it　showed　us　a　part　of　the　country　which　is　comparatively　well　tilled；　and　has　been　long　settled；　but　the　Massawhippi　itself　is　not　worth　a　visit。　　The　route　by　which　we　returned　occupies　a　longer　time　than　the　other；　and　is　more　costly；　as　it　must　be　made　in　a　hired　vehicle。　　The　people　here　are　quiet；　orderly；　and　I　should　say　a　little　slow。　　It　is　manifest　that　a　strong　feeling　against　the　Northern　States　has　lately　sprung　up。　This　is　much　to　be　deprecated；　but　I　cannot　but　say　that　it　is　natural。　　It　is　not　that　the　Canadians　have　any　special　secession　feelings；　or　that　they　have　entered　with　peculiar　warmth　into　the　questions　of　American　politics；　but　they　have　been　vexed　and　acerbated　by　the　braggadocio　of　the　Northern　States。　　They　constantly　hear　that　they　are　to　be　invaded；　and　translated　into　citizens　of　the　Union；　that　British　rule　is　to　be　swept　off　the　continent；　and　that　the　star…spangled　banner　is　to　be　waved　over　them　in　pity。　　The　star…spangled　banner　is　in　fact　a　fine　flag；　and　has　waved　to　some　purpose；　but　those　who　live　near　it；　and　not　under　it；　fancy　that　they　hear　too　much　of　it。　　At　the　present　moment　the　loyalty　of　both　the　Canadas　to　Great　Britain　is　beyond　all　question。　　From　all　that　I　can　hear；　I　doubt　whether　this　feeling　in　the　provinces　was　ever　so　strong；　and　under　such　circumstances　American　abuse　of　England　and　American　braggadocio　is　more　than　usually　distasteful。　　All　this　abuse　and　all　this　braggadocio　come　to　Canada　from　the　Northern　States；　and　therefore　the　Southern　cause　is　at　the　present　moment　the　more　popular　with　them。　I　have　said　that　the　Canadians　hereabouts　are　somewhat　slow。　　As　we　were　driving　back　to　Sherbrooke　it　became　necessary　that　we　should　rest　for　an　hour　or　so　in　the　middle　of　the　day；　and　for　this　purpose　we　stopped　at　a　village　inn。　　It　was　a　large　house；　in　which　there　appeared　to　be　three　public　sitting…rooms　of　ample　size；　one　of　which　was　occupied　as　the　bar。　　In　this　there　were　congregated　some　six　or　seven　men；　seated　in　arm…chairs　round　a　stove；　and　among　these　I　placed　myself。　　No　one　spoke　a　word　either　to　me　or　to　any　one　else。　　No　one　smoked；　and　no　one　read；　nor　did　they　even　whittle　sticks。　　I　asked　a　question；　first　of　one　and　then　of　another；　and　was　answered　with　monosyllables。　　So　I　gave　up　any　hope　in　that　direction；　and　sat　staring　at　the　big　stove　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　as　the　others　did。　　Presently　another　stranger　entered；　having　arrived　in　a　wagon；　as　I　had　done。　　He　entered　the　room　and　sat　down；　addressing　no　one；　and　addressed　by　no　one。　After　awhile；　however；　he　spoke。　　〃Will　there　be　any　chance　of　dinner　here？〃　he　said。　　〃I　guess　there'll　be　dinner　by…and…by；〃　answered　the　landlord；　and　then　there　was　silence　for　another　ten　minutes；　during　which　the　stranger　stared　at　the　stove。　　〃Is　that　dinner　any　way　ready？〃　he　asked　again。　　〃I　guess　it　is；〃　said　the　landlord。　　And　then　the　stranger　went　out　to　see　after　his　dinner　himself。　　When　we　started；　at　the　end　of　an　hour；　nobody　said　anything　to　us。　　The　driver　〃hitched〃　on　the　horses；　as　they　call　it；　and　we　started　on　our　way；　having　been　charged　nothing　for　our　accommodation。　　That　some　profit　arose　from　the　horse　provender　is　to　be　hoped。　On　the　following　day　we　reached　Montreal；　which；　as　I　have　said　before；　is　the　commercial　capital　of　the　two　Provinces。　　This　question　of　the　capitals　is　at　the　present　moment　a　subject　of　great　interest　in　Canada；　but；　as　I　shall　be　driven　to　say　something　on　the　matter　when　I　report　myself　as　being　at　Ottawa；　I　will　refrain　now。　　There　are　two　special　public　affairs　at　the　present　moment　to　interest　a　traveler　in　Canada。　　The　first　I　have　named；　and　the　second　is　the　Grand　Trunk　Railway。　　I　have　already　stated　what　is　the　course　of　this　line。　　It　runs　from　the　Western　State　of　Michigan　to　Portland；　on　the　Atlantic；　in　the　State　of　Maine；　sweeping　the　whole　length　of　Canada　in　its　route。　　It　was　originally　made　by　three　companies。　　The　Atlantic　and　St。　Lawrence　constructed　it　from　Portland　to　Island　Pond；　on　the　borders　of　the　States。　　The　St。　Lawrence　and　Atlantic　took　it　from　the　southeastern　side　of　the　river　at　Montreal　to　the　same　point；　viz。；　Island　Pond。　　And　the　Grand　Trunk　Company　have　made　it　from　Detroit　to　Montreal；　crossing　the　river　there　with　a　stupendous　tubular　bridge；　and　have　also　made　the　branch　connecting　the　main　line　with　Quebec　and　Riviere　du　Loup。　　This　latter　company　is　now　incorporated　with　the　St。　Lawrence　and　Atlantic；　but　has　only　leased　the　portion　of　the　line　running　through　the　States。　　This　they　have　done；　guaranteeing　the　shareholders　an　interest　of　six　per　cent。　　There　never　was　a　grander　enterprise　set　on　foot。　　I　will　not　say　there　never　was　one　more　unfortunate；　for　is　there　not　the　Great　Eastern；　which；　by　the　weight　and　constancy　of　its　failures；　demands　for　itself　a　proud　pre…eminence　of　misfortune？　But　surely　the　Grand　Trunk　comes　next　to　it。　　I　presume　it　to　be　quite　out　of　the　question　that　the　shareholders　should　get　any　interest　whatever　on　their　shares　for　years。　　The　company；　when　I　was　at　Montreal；　had　not　paid　the　interest　due　to　the　Atlantic　and　St。　Lawrence　Company　for　the　last　year；　and　there　was　a　doubt　whether　the　lease　would　not　be　broken。　　No　party　that　had　advanced　money　to　the　undertaking　was　able　to　recover　what　had　been　advanced。　　I　believe　that　one　firm　in　London　had　lent　nearly　a　million　to　the　company；　and　is　now　willing　to　accept　half　the　sum　so　lent　in　quittance　of　the　whole　debt。　　In　1860　the　line　could　not　carry　the　freight　that　offered；　not　having　or　being　able　to　obtain　the　necessary　rolling　stock；　and　on　all　sides　I　heard　men　discussing　whether　the　line　would　be　kept　open　for　traffic。　　The　government　of　Canada　advanced　to　the　company　three　millions　of　money；　with　an　understanding　that　neither　interest　nor　principal　should　be　demanded　till　all　other　debts　were　paid　and　all　shareholders　in　receipt　of　six　per　cent。　　interest。　　But　the　three　millions　were　clogged　with　conditions　which；　though　they　have　been　of　service　to　the　country；　have　been　so　expensive　to　the　company　that　it　is　hardly　more　solvent　with　it　than　it　would　have　been　without　it。　　As　it　is；　the　whole　property　seems　to　be　involved　in　ruin；　and　yet　the　line　is　one　of　the　grandest　commercial　conceptions　that　was　ever　carried　out　on　the　face　of　the　globe；　and　in　the　process　of　a　few　years　will　do　more　to　make　bread　cheap　in　England　than　any　other　single　enterprise　that　exists。　I　do　not