按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
〃DEAR SIR： I fear I do not entirely comprehend your kind note。 It
cannot be possible； Sir； that 'turnips restrain passion'at least
the study or contemplation of turnips cannotfor it is this very
employment that has scorched our poor friend's mind and sapped his
bodily strength。But if they do restrain it； will you bear with us
a little further and explain how they should be prepared？ I observe
that you say 'causes necessary to state；' but you have omitted to
state them。
〃Under a misapprehension； you seem to attribute to me interested
motives in this matterto call it by no harsher term。 But I assure
you； dear sir； that if I seem to be 'infesting the widow；' it is all
seeming； and void of reality。 It is from no seeking of mine that I
am in this position。 She asked me； herself； to write you。 I never
have infested herindeed I scarcely know her。 I do not infest
anybody。 I try to go along； in my humble way； doing as near right
as I can； never harming anybody； and never throwing out
insinuations。 As for 'her lord and his effects；' they are of no
interest to me。 I trust I have effects enough of my ownshall
endeavor to get along with them； at any rate； and not go mousing
around to get hold of somebody's that are 'void。' But do you not
see？this woman is a widowshe has no 'lord。' He is deador
pretended to be； when they buried him。 Therefore； no amount of
'dirt； bathing；' etc。； etc。； howsoever 'unfairly followed' will be
likely to 'worm him from his folly'if being dead and a ghost is
'folly。' Your closing remark is as unkind as it was uncalled for；
and if report says true you might have applied it to yourself； sir；
with more point and less impropriety。
Very Truly Yours； SIMON ERICKSON。
〃In the course of a few days； Mr。 Greely did what would have saved a
world of trouble； and much mental and bodily suffering and
misunderstanding； if he had done it sooner。 To wit； he sent an
intelligible rescript or translation of his original note； made in a
plain hand by his clerk。 Then the mystery cleared； and I saw that his
heart had been right； all the time。 I will recite the note in its
clarified form：
＇Translation。＇
'Potatoes do sometimes make vines； turnips remain passive： cause
unnecessary to state。 Inform the poor widow her lad's efforts will
be vain。 But diet； bathing； etc。 etc。； followed uniformly； will
wean him from his follyso fear not。
Yours； HORACE GREELEY。'
〃But alas； it was too late； gentlementoo late。 The criminal delay had
done its workyoung Beazely was no more。 His spirit had taken its
flight to a land where all anxieties shall be charmed away； all desires
gratified； all ambitions realized。 Poor lad； they laid him to his rest
with a turnip in each hand。〃
So ended Erickson； and lapsed again into nodding； mumbling； and
abstraction。 The company broke up； and left him so。。。。 But they did not
say what drove him crazy。 In the momentary confusion； I forgot to ask。
CHAPTER LXXI。
At four o'clock in the afternoon we were winding down a mountain of
dreary and desolate lava to the sea； and closing our pleasant land
journey。 This lava is the accumulation of ages； one torrent of fire
after another has rolled down here in old times； and built up the island
structure higher and higher。 Underneath； it is honey…combed with caves；
it would be of no use to dig wells in such a place； they would not hold
wateryou would not find any for them to hold； for that matter。
Consequently； the planters depend upon cisterns。
The last lava flow occurred here so long ago that there are none now
living who witnessed it。 In one place it enclosed and burned down a
grove of cocoa…nut trees； and the holes in the lava where the trunks
stood are still visible； their sides retain the impression of the bark；
the trees fell upon the burning river； and becoming partly submerged；
left in it the perfect counterpart of every knot and branch and leaf；
and even nut； for curiosity seekers of a long distant day to gaze upon
and wonder at。
There were doubtless plenty of Kanaka sentinels on guard hereabouts at
that time； but they did not leave casts of their figures in the lava as
the Roman sentinels at Herculaneum and Pompeii did。 It is a pity it is
so； because such things are so interesting； but so it is。 They probably
went away。 They went away early； perhaps。 However； they had their
merits； the Romans exhibited the higher pluck； but the Kanakas showed the
sounder judgment。
Shortly we came in sight of that spot whose history is so familiar to
every school…boy in the wide worldKealakekua Baythe place where
Captain Cook； the great circumnavigator； was killed by the natives；
nearly a hundred years ago。 The setting sun was flaming upon it； a
Summer shower was falling； and it was spanned by two magnificent
rainbows。 Two men who were in advance of us rode through one of these
and for a moment their garments shone with a more than regal splendor。
Why did not Captain Cook have taste enough to call his great discovery
the Rainbow Islands？ These charming spectacles are present to you at
every turn； they are common in all the islands； they are visible every
day； and frequently at night alsonot the silvery bow we see once in an
age in the States； by moonlight； but barred with all bright and beautiful
colors； like the children of the sun and rain。 I saw one of them a few
nights ago。 What the sailors call 〃raindogs〃little patches of rainbow
are often seen drifting about the heavens in these latitudes； like
stained cathedral windows。
Kealakekua Bay is a little curve like the last kink of a snail…shell；
winding deep into the land； seemingly not more than a mile wide from
shore to shore。 It is bounded on one sidewhere the murder was doneby
a little flat plain； on which stands a cocoanut grove and some ruined
houses； a steep wall of lava； a thousand feet high at the upper end and
three or four hundred at the lower； comes down from the mountain and
bounds the inner extremity of it。 From this wall the place takes its
name； Kealakekua； which in the native tongue signifies 〃The Pathway of
the Gods。〃 They say； （and still believe； in spite of their liberal
education in Christianity）； that the great god Lono； who used to live
upon the hillside； always traveled that causeway when urgent business
connected with heavenly affairs called him down to the seashore in a
hurry。
As the red sun looked across the placid ocean through the tall； clean
stems of the cocoanut trees； like a blooming whiskey bloat through the
bars of a city prison； I went and stood in the edge of the water on the
flat rock pressed by Captain Cook's feet when the blow was dealt which
took away his life； and tried to picture in my mind the doomed man
struggling in the midst of the multitude of exasperated savagesthe men
in the ship crowding to the vessel's side and gazing in anxious dismay
toward the shorethebut I dis