章节正文
boys looked after them, and saw them disappear in the thick woods.
They remained in their covert until night, when they started again
on their long journey, taking a new route to avoid the Indians. At
daybreak they again concealed themselves, but travelled the next
night and day without resting. By this time they had consumed all
the bread which they had taken, and were fainting from hunger and
weariness. Just at the close of the third day they were
providentially enabled to kill a pigeon and a small tortoise, a part of
which they ate raw, not daring to make a fire, which might attract
the watchful eyes of savages. On the sixth day they struck upon an
old Indian path, and, following it until night, came suddenly upon a
camp of the enemy. Deep in the heart of the forest, under the
shelter of a ridge of land heavily timbered, a great fire of logs and
brushwood was burning; and around it the Indians sat, eating their
moose-meat and smoking their pipes.
The poor fugitives, starving, weary, and chilled by the cold spring
blasts, gazed down upon the ample fire, and the savory meats which
the squaws were cooking by it, but felt no temptation to purchase
warmth and food by surrendering themselves to captivity. Death in
the forest seemed preferable. They turned and fled back upon their
track, expecting every moment to hear the yells of pursuers. The
morning found them seated on the bank of a small stream, their feet
torn and bleeding, and their bodies emaciated. The elder, as a last
effort, made search for roots, and fortunately discovered a few
ground-nuts (*glycine apios*), which served to refresh in some
degree himself and his still weaker companion. As they stood
together by the stream, hesitating and almost despairing, it occurred
to Isaac that the rivulet might lead to a larger stream of water, and
that to the sea and the white settlements near it; and he resolved to
follow it. They again began their painful march; the day passed,
and the night once more overtook them. When the eighth morning
dawned, the younger of the boys found himself unable to rise from
his bed of leaves. Isaac endeavored to encourage him, dug roots,
and procured water for him; but the poor lad was utterly exhausted.
He had no longer heart or hope. The elder boy laid him on leaves
and dry grass at the foot of a tree, and with a heavy heart bade him
farewell. Alone he slowly and painfully proceeded down the
stream, now greatly increased in size by tributaryrivulets. On the
top of a hill he climbed with difficulty into a tree, and saw in the
distance what seemed to be a clearing and a newly-raised frame
building. Hopeful and rejoicing, he turned back to his young
companion, told him what he had seen, and, after chafing his limbs
awhile, got him upon his feet. Sometimes supporting him, and at
others carrying him on his back, the heroic boy staggered towards
the clearing. On reaching it he found it deserted, and was obliged
to continue his journey. Towards night signs of civilization began
to appear,--the heavy, continuous roar of water was heard; and,
presently emerging from the forest, he saw a great river dashing in
white foam down precipitous rocks, and on its bank the gray walls
of a huge stone building, with flankers, palisades, and moat, over
which the British flag was flying. This was the famous Saco Fort,
built by Governor Phips,(1) two years before, just below the falls of
the Saco River. The soldiers of the garrison gave the poor fellows
a kindly welcome. Joseph, who was scarcely alive, lay for a long
time sick in the fort; but Isaac soon regained his strength, and set
out for his home in Haverhill, which he had the good fortune to
arrive at in safety.
(1) An interesting account of Sir William Phips will be found in
Parkman's *Frontenac and New France under Louis XIV.*
Hawthorne also tells his romantic story in *Fanshawe and Other
Pieces.*
Amidst the stirring excitements of the present day, when every
thrill of the electric wire conveys a new subject for thought or
action to a generation as eager as the ancient Athenians for some
new thing, simple legends of the past like that which we have
transcribed have undoubtedly lost in a great degree their interest.
The lore of the fireside is becoming obsolete, and with the
octogenarian few who still linger among us will perish the unwritten
history of border life in New England.
End
They remained in their covert until night, when they started again
on their long journey, taking a new route to avoid the Indians. At
daybreak they again concealed themselves, but travelled the next
night and day without resting. By this time they had consumed all
the bread which they had taken, and were fainting from hunger and
weariness. Just at the close of the third day they were
providentially enabled to kill a pigeon and a small tortoise, a part of
which they ate raw, not daring to make a fire, which might attract
the watchful eyes of savages. On the sixth day they struck upon an
old Indian path, and, following it until night, came suddenly upon a
camp of the enemy. Deep in the heart of the forest, under the
shelter of a ridge of land heavily timbered, a great fire of logs and
brushwood was burning; and around it the Indians sat, eating their
moose-meat and smoking their pipes.
The poor fugitives, starving, weary, and chilled by the cold spring
blasts, gazed down upon the ample fire, and the savory meats which
the squaws were cooking by it, but felt no temptation to purchase
warmth and food by surrendering themselves to captivity. Death in
the forest seemed preferable. They turned and fled back upon their
track, expecting every moment to hear the yells of pursuers. The
morning found them seated on the bank of a small stream, their feet
torn and bleeding, and their bodies emaciated. The elder, as a last
effort, made search for roots, and fortunately discovered a few
ground-nuts (*glycine apios*), which served to refresh in some
degree himself and his still weaker companion. As they stood
together by the stream, hesitating and almost despairing, it occurred
to Isaac that the rivulet might lead to a larger stream of water, and
that to the sea and the white settlements near it; and he resolved to
follow it. They again began their painful march; the day passed,
and the night once more overtook them. When the eighth morning
dawned, the younger of the boys found himself unable to rise from
his bed of leaves. Isaac endeavored to encourage him, dug roots,
and procured water for him; but the poor lad was utterly exhausted.
He had no longer heart or hope. The elder boy laid him on leaves
and dry grass at the foot of a tree, and with a heavy heart bade him
farewell. Alone he slowly and painfully proceeded down the
stream, now greatly increased in size by tributaryrivulets. On the
top of a hill he climbed with difficulty into a tree, and saw in the
distance what seemed to be a clearing and a newly-raised frame
building. Hopeful and rejoicing, he turned back to his young
companion, told him what he had seen, and, after chafing his limbs
awhile, got him upon his feet. Sometimes supporting him, and at
others carrying him on his back, the heroic boy staggered towards
the clearing. On reaching it he found it deserted, and was obliged
to continue his journey. Towards night signs of civilization began
to appear,--the heavy, continuous roar of water was heard; and,
presently emerging from the forest, he saw a great river dashing in
white foam down precipitous rocks, and on its bank the gray walls
of a huge stone building, with flankers, palisades, and moat, over
which the British flag was flying. This was the famous Saco Fort,
built by Governor Phips,(1) two years before, just below the falls of
the Saco River. The soldiers of the garrison gave the poor fellows
a kindly welcome. Joseph, who was scarcely alive, lay for a long
time sick in the fort; but Isaac soon regained his strength, and set
out for his home in Haverhill, which he had the good fortune to
arrive at in safety.
(1) An interesting account of Sir William Phips will be found in
Parkman's *Frontenac and New France under Louis XIV.*
Hawthorne also tells his romantic story in *Fanshawe and Other
Pieces.*
Amidst the stirring excitements of the present day, when every
thrill of the electric wire conveys a new subject for thought or
action to a generation as eager as the ancient Athenians for some
new thing, simple legends of the past like that which we have
transcribed have undoubtedly lost in a great degree their interest.
The lore of the fireside is becoming obsolete, and with the
octogenarian few who still linger among us will perish the unwritten
history of border life in New England.
End
- hunger [´hʌŋgə]
n.饥饿；渴望 (初中英语单词) - pigeon [pidʒin] n.鸽子 (初中英语单词)
- indian [´indiən] a.印度的 n.印度人 (初中英语单词)
- stream [stri:m] n.河 vi.流出；飘扬 (初中英语单词)
- companion [kəm´pæniən] n.同伴；同事；伴侣 (初中英语单词)
- unable [ʌn´eibəl] a.不能的；无能为力的 (初中英语单词)
- encourage [in´kʌridʒ] vt.鼓励；怂勇；促进 (初中英语单词)
- civilization [,sivilai´zeiʃən] n.文明，文化 (初中英语单词)
- continuous [kən´tinjuəs] a.连续不断的；延长的 (初中英语单词)
- governor [´gʌvənə] n.总督；州长 (初中英语单词)
- welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)
- account [ə´kaunt] vi.说明 vt.认为 n.帐目 (初中英语单词)
- romantic [rəu´mæntik] a.传奇(式)的；浪漫的 (初中英语单词)
- generation [,dʒenə´reiʃən] n.发生；世代；同龄人 (初中英语单词)
- undoubtedly [ʌn´dautidli] ad.无疑地，确实地 (初中英语单词)
- linger [´liŋgə] v.逗留；留恋；拖延 (初中英语单词)
- perish [´periʃ] v.灭亡；消灭；(使)死去 (初中英语单词)
- temptation [temp´teiʃən] n.引诱，诱惑(物) (高中英语单词)
- captivity [kæp´tiviti] n.囚禁；被俘；束缚 (高中英语单词)
- fortunately [´fɔ:tʃənətli] ad.幸运地 (高中英语单词)
- refresh [ri´freʃ] v.使清新；使更新 (高中英语单词)
- painful [´peinfəl] a.痛(苦)的；费力的 (高中英语单词)
- tributary [´tribjutəri] a.进贡的 n.进贡者 (高中英语单词)
- rejoicing [ri´dʒɔisiŋ] n.高兴；欢呼 (高中英语单词)
- heroic [hi´rəuik] a.英雄的，英勇的 (高中英语单词)
- garrison [´gærisən] n.警备队 vt.驻防 (高中英语单词)
- tortoise [´tɔ:təs] n.(乌)龟 (英语四级单词)
- daring [´deəriŋ] a.&n.勇敢(的) (英语四级单词)
- watchful [´wɔtʃfəl] a.注意的；戒备的 (英语四级单词)
- resolved [ri´zɔlvd] a.决心的；坚定的 (英语四级单词)
- overtook [,əuvə´tuk] overtake的过去式 (英语四级单词)
- painfully [´peinfuli] ad.痛苦地；费力地 (英语四级单词)
- clearing [´kliəriŋ] n.(森林中的)空旷地 (英语四级单词)
- hopeful [´həupfəl] a.有希望的，激励人的 (英语四级单词)
- stirring [´stə:riŋ] a.活跃的；热闹的 (英语四级单词)
- covert [kʌvət] a.隐藏的 n.隐藏处 (英语六级单词)
- taking [´teikiŋ] a.迷人的 n.捕获物 (英语六级单词)
- despairing [di´speəriŋ] a.感到绝望的 (英语六级单词)
- rivulet [´rivjulit] n.小河，溪流 (英语六级单词)
- dashing [´dæʃiŋ] a.勇猛的；生气勃勃的 (英语六级单词)
- fireside [´faiəsaid] n.炉边；家；家庭生活 (英语六级单词)
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章节正文
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