Part 27

Mr. ----'s place is a lovely little nook, situated on the summit of a rise on the brink of the placid curve of water formed here by the river, and which extends itself from the main current about a mile into the mountains, ending in a wide marsh. The house, though upon a hill, is so looked down upon, and locked in by the highlands around it, that it seems to be at the bottom of a valley. From the verandah of his house, through various frames which he has had cut, with exceeding good judgment, among the plantations around the lawn, exquisite glimpses appeared of the mountains, the little bay, the glorious Hudson itself, with the graceful boats for ever walking its broad waters, their white sails coming through the rocky passes where the river could not be detected, as though they were sailing through the valleys of the earth. The day was warm, but a fresh breeze stirred the boughs, and cooled the air. My father and D---- seemed overcome with drowsiness, and lay in the verandah with half-closed eyes, peeping at the dream-like scene around them. I was not inclined to rest; and Mr. ---- having promised to show me some falls at a short distance from the house, he, his brother, and I set forth thither. We passed through the iron-works: 'twas Sunday, and every thing, except a bright water-course, laughing and singing as it ran, was still. They took me over the works; showed me the iron frames of large mill-wheels, the machinery and process of boring the cannon, the model of an iron forcing-pump, the casting-houses, and all the wonders of their manufactory. All mechanical science is very interesting to me, when I have an opportunity of seeing the detail of it, and comprehending, by illustrations presented to my eyes, the technical terms used by those conversing with me. We left these dark abodes, and their smouldering fires, and strange powerful-looking instruments, and, taking a path at the foot of the mountains, skirted the marsh for some time, and then struck into the woods, ascending a tremendous stony path, at the top of which we threw ourselves down to pant, and looked below, through a narrow rent in the curtain of leaves around us, on the river, and rocks, and mountains, bright with the noonday splendour of the unclouded sky. After resting here a few moments, we arose, and climbed again, through the woods, across a sweet clover-field, to the brow of the hill where stands the highland school, a cheerful-looking cottage, with the mountain tops all round, the blessed sky above, and the downward sloping woods, and lake-like river below. Passing through the ground surrounding it, we joined a road skirting a deep ravine, from the bottom of which the waters called to me. I was wild to go down, but my companions would not let me: it was in vain that I strained over the brink, the trees were so thickly woven together, and the hollow so deep, that I could see nothing but dark boughs, except every now and then, as the wind stirred them, the white glimmer of the leaping foam, as it sprang away with a shout that made my heart dance. We followed the path, which began to decline; and presently a silver thread of gushing water ran like a frightened child across our way, and flung itself down into the glen. At length we reached the brown golden-looking stream. Mr. ---- was exhorting us to take an upper path, which, he said, would bring us to the foot of the fall; but I was not to be seduced away from the side of the rivulet, and insisted upon crossing it then and there, through the water, over moss-capped stones, across fallen trees, which, struck by the lightning, or undermined by the cold-kissing waters, had choked up the brook with their leafy bridges. So striving on, as best we might, after wading through the stream two or three times, we reached the end and aim of our journey, the waterfall. We stood on the brink of a pool, about forty feet across, and varying in depth from three to seven or eight feet: it was perfectly circular, and except on the south, where the waters take their path down the glen, closed round with a wall of rock about thirty feet high, in whose crevices trees with their rifted roots hung fearlessly, clothing the grey stone with a soft curtain of vivid green. Immediately opposite the brook, and at the north of the pool, the water came tumbling over this rocky wall in three distinct streams, which, striking the projecting ledges of iron-looking stone, at different angles, met within eight or ten feet of the pool, and fell in a mingled sheet of foam. The water broke over the rocks like a shower of splintered light; the spray sprang up in the sunlight, and fell again all glittering into the dark basin below, that gleamed like a magic jewel set in the mossy earth. On the edge of the rocks, beside the waterfall, a tree stood out among its greenly-mantled fellows, bare, broken, and scathed to the very roots with lightning. Its upper half had fallen aslant one branch of the waterfall, and lay black and dripping over the pure white torrent; half falling down its course, half stayed by some rocky ledges on which it rested. As I gazed up in perfect ecstasy, an uncontrollable desire seized me to clamber up the rocks by the side of the fall, and so reach the top of it. My companions laughed incredulously as I expressed my determination to do so; but followed where I led, until they became well assured that I was in earnest. Remonstrance, and representation of impossibility, having been tried in vain, Mr. ---- prepared to guide me, and Mr. ---- with my bag, parasol, and bonnet in charge, returned to the edge of the pool to watch our progress. Away we went over the ledges of the rocks, with nothing but damp leaves, and slippery roots of trees, for footing. At one moment, the slight covering of mould on which I had placed my foot crumbled from beneath it, and I swung over the water by a young sapling which upheld me well, and by which I recovered footing and balance. We had now reached the immediate side of the waterfall, and my guide began ascending the slippery slanting rocks down which it fell. I followed: in an instant I was soaked through with the spray, my feet slipped, I had no hold, he was up above me, the pool far below. With my head bowed against the foam and water, I was feeling where next to tread, when a bit of rock, that my companion had thought firm, broke beneath his foot, and came falling down beside me into the stream. I paused, for I was frightened: I looked up for a moment, but was blinded by the water, and could not see where my guide was; I looked down the slanting ledge we had climbed, over which the white water was churning angrily: "Shall I come down again?" I cried to Mr. ----, who was anxiously looking up at our perilous path. "Give me your hand," shouted his brother, above me. I lifted my head, and turned towards him, and a dazzling curtain of spray and foam fell over my face. "I cannot see you," I replied; "I cannot go on; I do not know what to do." "Give me your hand!" he exclaimed again; and I, planting one foot upon a ledge of rock so high as to lift me off the other, held up my arm to him: but my limbs were so strained from his height above me, that I had no power to spring or move, either up or down. However, I felt my presence of mind going: I knew that to go down was impossible, except headlong; the ascent must therefore be persevered in. "Are you steady, quite, quite steady?" I enquired; he replied, "Yes;" and holding out his hand, I locked mine in it, and bade him draw me up. But he had not calculated upon my weight; my slight appearance had deceived him; and as I bore upon his arm, we both of us slipped. I turned as sick as death; but only cried out, "Recover yourself, recover yourself, I am safe;" which I was, upon a rocky rim about three inches wide, with my arm resting on the falling stump of the blasted tree. He did recover his balance; and, again holding out his hand, drew me up beside where he was sitting, on the edge of the rocks, in the water. We pledged each other in the clear stream; and, standing on the top of our hardly-gained eminence, in the midst of the rushing brook I wrang my handkerchief triumphantly at Mr. ----; which was rather a comical consideration, as I was literally dripping from head to foot. No Naïad ever looked so thoroughly watery, or could have taken more delight in a ducking. As soon as he saw us safe, he scrambled up through the woods to the road; and we doing the same, we presently all met on the dusty highway, where we congratulated each other on our perseverance and success, and laughed very exceedingly at my soaked situation. We determined not to pass through the highland school-ground, but kept the main road for the advantage of sun and wind, the combined influences of which presently dried my frock and handkerchief. When I reached home, ran up stairs, and dressed myself for dinner, which we sat down to at about four. After dinner, came up to my room and slept very profoundly, until summoned to coffee, which we drank in the verandah. At about eight o'clock, the sun had left the sky; but his warm mantle lay over the western clouds, and hung upon the rocks and woody mountain sides. A gentle breeze was stirring the trees round where we sat; and through the thick branches of a chestnut tree, as they waved to and fro, the silver disk of the full moon looked placidly down upon us. We set out strolling through the woods: leisurely as foot could fall, we took our way through the twilight paths; and when we reached the Roman Catholic chapel our host is building by the river side, the silent thoughtful mountains were wrapped in deep shadows, and the broad waters shone like a sheet of silver in the moonlight. We sat down on the cannon lying on the pebbly shore, and Mr. ---- ran off to order the boat, which presently came stealing round over the shining waters. We got in, ---- rowing, and they put me at the helm: but, owing to Mr. ----'s misdirections, who seemed extremely amused at my awkwardness, and took delight in bothering poor ----, by making me steer all awry, we made but little progress, and that rather crab-wise; backing, and sideling, and turning, as though the poor boat had been a politician.

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Full of my own contemplations, I kept steering round and round, and so we wandered, as purposeless as the night air over the smooth waters, and beneath the shadows of the solemn hills, till near eleven o'clock, when we made for shore, and slowly turned home. We sat for a length of time under the verandah: the gentlemen were discussing the planetary system, as accepted in the civilised world; and Mr. ---- maintained, with sufficient plausibility, that we knew nothing at all about it, in spite of Newton: for that, though his theories were borne out by all observation, it did not follow, therefore, that another theory equally probable might not exist; that because he had found out one way of accounting for the construction and motion of the heavenly bodies, there was no other possible way in which they were constructed and impelled; because one means is sufficient, he argued, it does not thence follow, that 'tis the only sufficient means. Mr. ---- maintained that there was, at least, strong presumption in favour of Newton's systems; because they are borne out by our observation of results, and also because hitherto no other better method of accounting for what we perceive has been discovered. And so they went on, the end of all being, to my mind, as usual, utter unsatisfactoriness; and, as the mosquitoes were stinging me, I left them to their discussions, and came to bed.

_Monday, July 1st._

Major ---- and Mr. ---- came over from West Point: they were going to prove some cannon that had not yet been fired; and some time passed in the various preparations for so doing. At length, we were summoned down to the water-side, to see the success of the experiment. The cannon lay obliquely one behind the other, at intervals of about six yards, along the curve line of the little bay; their muzzles pointed to the high gravelly bank into which they fired. The guns were double-loaded, with very heavy charges; and as soon as we were safely placed, so as to see and hear, they were fired. The sound was glorious: the first heavy peal, and then echo after echo, as they _rimbombavano_ among the answering hills, who growled aloud at the stern voice waking their still and noonday's deep repose. I pushed out in the boat, from shore, to see the thick curtain of smoke as it rolled its silver, and brassy, and black volumes over the woody mountain-sides; parting in jagged rents as it rose; through which the vivid green, and blessed sky, smiled in their peaceful loneliness. They ended in discharging all the cannon at once; which made a most glorious row, and kept the mountains grumbling with its echoes for some minutes after the discharge. All the pieces were sound; which was highly satisfactory, as upon each one that flaws in the firing Mr. ---- loses the cost of the piece. Just as the smoke cleared off from the river, we saw the boat making to shore; and, presently, Mr. ----, his wife and children, and a young Mr. ----, landed. After introductions, and one or two questions, Mrs. ---- went up to her cottage to put things in order there; Mr. ---- betook himself to Froissart and the shade; Mr. ---- to his business; and D----, my father, Mr. ---- and myself, set forth to the fountain in the glen. The weather was intensely hot; the thermometer above ninety in the shade; it was about half-past twelve; and we toiled and gasped on like so many Indians up the steep path. The walk had been so laborious, that neither D---- nor my father were willing, at first, to admit that the object was a sufficient one. We sat for some time by the dark shady pool; and they, by degrees, recovered their breath and complacency, and began to perceive how beautiful the place really was. My father said the waterfall looked like a fine lace veil torn by the rocks; which pleased me, because it did look like that. Mr. ---- proposed an admirable plan, that of walking down the water's side, and taking a boat upon the Hudson; and so avoiding the long hot walk home. We called at the highland school; where the worthy man who keeps it received us with infinite civility, put us into a delicious cool room, and gave us some white hermitage and water to drink, which did us all manner of good.[101] We then descended to the river: after some delay and difficulty, got a boat and rowed home.

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LINES.

Here be the free gifts of the morning for thee; Dog-roses, with their thorns all strung with pearls, And a large round diamond in each rosy cup: Their leaves are the colour of Aurora's cheeks. Here is a pale white flower, without a name, At least to me, who am a stranger here: It has a delicate almond smell, and grew Among thick boughs, and leaves that guarded it. Poor thing! I took it from its shelter for thee. Here be some lilac heads of clover, sweet As the breath of love: they lay amongst the hay In a new-mown meadow, glittering in the sun. Here are the leaves of the wild vine, that shine Like glass without, and underneath are white And soft as a swan's breast. There is an oak branch; I gather'd it, because it grows at home, And in this strange land look'd as sad and loving As a friend's face: when it is wither'd, keep it. They are all heavy with the tears of the night, Who weeps, because she may not meet the sun; And when he comes down from the mountain tops, Parting the forests with his hands of fire, He drinks her weeping, kissing all the flowers With passionate love, which makes them look so blushing.

_Tuesday, 2d._

Packed up my bag, took a cup of tea, went and gathered some flowers, and gave the poor lamb some heads of clover; bade a very unwilling farewell to the pretty place, and rowed over to West Point, where Mr. ---- was waiting for us. We breakfasted at ten, and went down to meet the boat. Young Mr. ---- came over to see us off, and brought me some lovely fresh flowers. Mr. ---- and Mr. ---- were both at the embarking-post. When the boat came up, the rush to and from it was, without exception, the most frightful thing I ever saw. The ----s were landing; and I just spoke to her, as she was borne past by the throng. Safely on board, I again found myself surrounded by familiar faces: I took out my work, and Mr. ---- sat down by us. As a nuisance, which all unsought-for companionship is, he is quite the most endurable possible; for he has seen such things, and known such people, that it is greatly worth while to listen to him. Every thing he says of Byron and Shelley confirms my own impression of them. The scenery of the Hudson, immediately beyond West Point, loses much of its sublimity, though no beauty. The river widens, and the rugged summits of the highlands melt gradually into a softer and more undulating outline. The richness, and swelling, and falling of the land reminded me occasionally of England. The yellow grain was giving diversity and warmth to the green landscape; and the shadowy woods fencing the corn-fields threw over the whole picture a sheltering peaceful charm. On the left, we presently began to see the blue outline of the Catskill mountains, towering into the hot sky, and looking most blessedly cool and dark amid the fervid glowing of the noonday world. Mrs. ---- came on board at one of the stopping places. I was quite glad to see her sweet face, and hear her gentle voice again. Mr. ---- was greatly smitten with her calm look of repose, and lulling speech, and took to her vehemently. She told me long stories, like fairy tales, of caverns lately discovered in the bosom of these mountains; of pits black and fathomless; of subterranean lakes in gloomy chambers of the earth; and tumbling waters, which fall down in the dark, where men heard, but none had dared to go. How I should like to go there! Oh, who will lead me into the secret parts of the earth; who will guide me to the deep hiding-places where spirits are--where the air of this upper world is not breathed, and its sounds are unknown--where the light of the sun is unseen, and the voice of human creatures unheard? how I should like to go there! At about half-past three in the afternoon, the sky became suddenly and thickly overcast: the awning which sheltered the upper deck was withdrawn, and every preparation made for a storm. The pale angry-looking clouds lay heaped like chalk upon a leaden sky; and presently one red lightning dipped down into the woods like a fiery snake falling from the heavens. At the same time, a furious gust of wind and torrent of rain rushed down the mountain side. We scuttled down to the lower deck as fast as ever we could; but the storm met us at the bottom of the stairs, and in an instant I was drenched. Chairs, tables, every thing was overturned by the gust; and the boat was running with water in every direction. It thundered and lightened a little; but the noise of the engine was such, that we scarce heard the storm. I stood by the door of the furnace, and dried leisurely, talking the while to Mr. ----, who is sun-burnt enough to warm one through with a look. During our progress, one of the wheels (or paddles, as they are properly called) took it into its head to knock its case to pieces, and banged the boards about in a strange way. Accident the second:--one of the men, a black, who was employed in tending the fire, got so dreadfully heated with the intense furnace, that he rushed out of the engine-room, and swallowed two or three draughts of cold water. The effect was instantaneous: he fell down in violent internal spasms, and died, poor wretch! before we arrived at Albany. We reached that town at about half-past five in the afternoon, and went to a house the ----s recommended to us. At about seven, they gave us dinner; and immediately after I came up to my own room. I was so exhausted with fatigue, and a violent cold and cough, that I literally fell down on the floor, and slept till dark. As we came up the river, we passed Dr. ----'s place, Hyde Park, which has the reputation of being the best-kept private estate in America: the situation of the house, on the edge of a ridge, appeared to me, from the river, rather too much exposed.

_Saturday, 6th._

My father had settled to go to the Cohoes Falls.

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When we were in the steam-boat, going up to Troy,[102] ---- put a letter into my hands, which he told me was written by the mother of Allegra, Byron's child. The letter was remarkable only for more straightforwardness and conciseness than is usual in women's letters. I do not know whether ---- gave it me to read on that account alone, or because it contained allusions to wild and interesting adventures of his own: perhaps there was a mingling of motives. There never was, by the by, a _homogeneous_ motive, as Brewster would say, in the human breast. We reached Troy in about twenty minutes, and walked up into the town to procure some species of vehicle for our progress to the falls. There was none ready; and while one was being procured, a man, who was standing near us, very civilly invited us to come into his shop and sit down, which we did very readily. The situation of the warehouses, on the side near the river, of the main street of Troy, is exceedingly pretty. They are, for the most part, large long rooms, opening to the street at the one end, and on the other looking down, from a considerable height, upon the Hudson. The shop we were in was a china-store; and the nice cold crockery-ware made one cool to look at it: the weather was roasting. Mr. ---- left us to gather information, and kindly brought me back word that the population of Troy was five hundred, _or_ five thousand, I really forget which; and, for my journal, it don't much matter; and that the storekeeper assured him the Trojans were an exceedingly refined and literary set of folks; and that the society, in point of these two advantages, was no whit behind Boston: there's for Boston!--We obtained a coach, and crossed a ferry, such as I had never seen before, worked by horses. Poor wretches! they reminded me of ----'s steeds, Martyre et Souffrance. Mr. ---- observed that they led the life of the majority; and so they do,--labour and suffering that custom renders endurable, and that ends by grinding down every faculty of mind or soul: we're a blessed pack of drudges, and deserve to be just what we are. After crossing the ferry, we drove about five miles through some gentle smiling lands, that made one feel very charitable. The Cohoes is, I believe, a Dutch name for a hill just above a turn in the Mohawk, where, after some shallow, rapid, hasty running over a rocky bed, the river flings itself down over a broad barrier, between thirty and forty feet high, with the most delightful gushing sound in the world. The foam looked very nice, and soft, and thick, and cold: I longed to be in the middle of it.

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After wandering about for some time, we sat ourselves down on a high grassy knoll just above the falls.

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