north america-2-第37章

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which　is　so　fruitful；　is　hideous　in　its　fertility。　　Cairo　and　its　immediate　neighborhood　must；　I　suppose；　have　been　subject　to　yearly　inundation　before　it　was　〃settled　up。〃　　At　present　it　is　guarded　on　the　shores　of　each　river　by　high　mud　banks；　built　so　as　to　protect　the　point　of　land。　These　are　called　the　levees；　and　do　perform　their　duty　by　keeping　out　the　body　of　the　waters。　　The　shore　between　the　banks　is；　I　believe；　never　above　breast…deep　with　the　inundation；　and　from　the　circumstances　of　the　place；　and　the　soft；　half…liquid　nature　of　the　soil；　this　inundation　generally　takes　the　shape　of　mud　instead　of　water。　Here；　at　the　very　point；　has　been　built　a　town。　　Whether　the　town　existed　during　Mr。　Tapley's　time　I　have　not　been　able　to　learn。　　At　the　period　of　my　visit　it　was　falling　quickly　into　ruin；　indeed；　I　think　I　may　pronounce　it　to　have　been　on　its　last　legs。　　At　that　moment　a　galvanic　motion　had　been　pumped　into　it　by　the　war　movements　of　General　Halleck；　but　the　true　bearings　of　the　town；　as　a　town；　were　not　less　plainly　to　be　read　on　that　account。　　Every　street　was　absolutely　impassable　from　mud。　　I　mean　that　in　walking　down　the　middle　of　any　street　in　Cairo；　a　moderately…framed　man　would　soon　stick　fast；　and　not　be　able　to　move。　　The　houses　are　generally　built　at　considerable　intervals；　and　rarely　face　each　other；　and　along　one　side　of　each　street　a　plank　boarding　was　laid；　on　which　the　mud　had　accumulated　only　up　to　one's　ankles。　　I　walked　all　over　Cairo　with　big　boots；　and　with　my　trowsers　tucked　up　to　my　knees；　but　at　the　crossings　I　found　considerable　danger；　and　occasionally　had　my　doubts　as　to　the　possibility　of　progress。　　I　was　alone　in　my　work；　and　saw　no　one　else　making　any　such　attempt。　　But　few　only　were　moving　about；　and　they　moved　in　wretched　carts；　each　drawn　by　two　miserable；　floundering　horses。　　These　carts　were　always　empty；　but　were　presumed　to　be　engaged　in　some　way　on　military　service。　　No　faces　looked　out　at　the　windows　of　the　houses；　no　forms　stood　in　the　doorways。　　A　few　shops　were　open；　but　only　in　the　drinking…shops　did　I　see　customers。　　In　these；　silent；　muddy　men　were　sitting；　not　with　drink　before　them；　as　men　sit　with　us；　but　with　the　cud　within　their　jaws；　ruminating。　　Their　drinking　is　always　done　on　foot。　　They　stand　silent　at　a　bar；　with　two　small　glasses　before　them。　　Out　of　one　they　swallow　the　whisky；　and　from　the　other　they　take　a　gulp　of　water；　as　though　to　rinse　their　mouths。　　After　that；　they　again　sit　down　and　ruminate。　　It　was　thus　that　men　enjoyed　themselves　at　Cairo。　I　cannot　tell　what　was　the　existing　population　of　Cairo。　　I　asked　one　resident；　but　he　only　shook　his　head　and　said　that　the　place　was　about　〃played　out。〃　　And　a　miserable　play　it　must　have　been。　　I　tried　to　walk　round　the　point　on　the　levees；　but　I　found　that　the　mud　was　so　deep　and　slippery　on　that　which　protected　the　town　from　the　Mississippi　that　I　could　not　move　on　it。　　On　the　other；　which　forms　the　bank　of　the　Ohio；　the　railway　runs；　and　here　was　gathered　all　the　life　and　movement　of　the　place。　　But　the　life　was　galvanic　in　its　nature；　created　by　a　war　galvanism　of　which　the　shocks　were　almost　neutralized　by　mud。　As　Cairo　is　of　all　towns　in　America　the　most　desolate；　so　is　its　hotel　the　most　forlorn　and　wretched。　　Not　that　it　lacked　custom。　　It　was　so　full　that　no　room　was　to　be　had　on　our　first　entry　from　the　railway　cars　at　five　A。M。；　and　we　were　reduced　to　the　necessity　of　washing　our　hands　and　faces　in　the　public　wash…room。　　When　I　entered　it　the　barber　and　his　assistants　were　asleep　there；　and　four　or　five　citizens　from　the　railway　were　busy　at　the　basins。　　There　is　a　fixed　resolution　in　these　places　that　you　shall　be　drenched　with　dirt　and　drowned　in　abominations；　which　is　overpowering　to　a　mind　less　strong　than　Mark　Tapley's。　　The　filth　is　paraded　and　made　to　go　as　far　as　possible。　　The　stranger　is　spared　none　of　the　elements　of　nastiness。　I　remember　how　an　old　woman　once　stood　over　me　in　my　youth；　forcing　me　to　swallow　the　gritty　dregs　of　her　terrible　medicine　cup。　　The　treatment　I　received　in　the　hotel　at　Cairo　reminded　me　of　that　old　woman。　　In　that　room　I　did　not　dare　to　brush　my　teeth　lest　I　should　give　offense；　and　I　saw　at　once　that　I　was　regarded　with　suspicion　when　I　used　my　own　comb　instead　of　that　provided　for　the　public。　At　length　we　got　a　room；　one　room　for　the　two。　　I　had　become　so　depressed　in　spirits　that　I　did　not　dare　to　object　to　this　arrangement。　　My　friend　could　not　complain　much；　even　to　me；　feeling　that　these　miseries　had　been　produced　by　his　own　obstinacy。　　〃It　is　a　new　phase　of　life；〃　he　said。　　That　at　any　rate　was　true。　　If　nothing　more　be　necessary　for　pleasurable　excitement　than　a　new　phase　of　life；　I　would　recommend　all　who　require　pleasurable　excitement　to　go　to　Cairo。　　They　will　certainly　find　a　new　phase　of　life。　　But　do　not　let　them　remain　too　long；　or　they　may　find　something　beyond　a　new　phase　of　life。　　Within　a　week　of　that　time　my　friend　was　taking　quinine；　looking　hollow　about　the　eyes；　and　whispering　to　me　of　fever　and　ague。　　To　say　that　there　was　nothing　eatable　or　drinkable　in　that　hotel；　would　be　to　tell　that　which　will　be　understood　without　telling。　　My　friend；　however；　was　a　cautious　man；　carrying　with　him　comfortable　tin　pots；　hermetically　sealed；　from　Fortnum　&　Mason's；　and　on　the　second　day　of　our　sojourn　we　were　invited　by　two　officers　to　join　their　dinner　at　a　Cairo　eating…　house。　　We　plowed　our　way　gallantly　through　the　mud　to　a　little　shanty；　at　the　door　of　which　we　were　peremptorily　commanded　by　the　landlord　to　scrub　ourselves；　before　we　entered；　with　the　stump　of　an　old　broom。　　This　we　did；　producing　on　our　nether　persons　the　appearance　of　bread　which　has　been　carefully　spread　with　treacle　by　an　economic　housekeeper。　　And　the　proprietor　was　right；　for　had　we　not　done　so；　the　treacle　would　have　run　off　through　the　whole　house。　But　after　this　we　fared　royally。　　Squirrel　soup　and　prairie　chickens　regaled　us。　　One　of　our　new　friends　had　laden　his　pockets　with　champagne　and　brandy；　the　other　with　glasses　and　a　corkscrew；　and　as　the　bottle　went　round；　I　began　to　feel　something　of　the　spirit　of　Mark　Tapley　in　my　soul。　But　our　visit　to　Cairo　had　been　made　rather　with　reference　to　its　present　warlike　character　than　with　any　eye　to　the　natural　beauties　of　the　place。　　A　large　force　of　men　had　been　collected　there；　and　also　a　fleet　of　gun…boats。　　We　had　come　there　fortified　with　letters　to　generals　and　commodores；　and　were　prepared　to　go　through　a　large　amount　of　military　inspection。　　But　the　bird　had　flown　before　our　arrival；　or　rather　the　body　and　wings　of　the　bird；　leaving　behind　only　a　draggled　tail　and　a　few　of　its　feathers。　　There　were　only　a　thousand　soldiers　at　Cairo　when　we　were　therethat　is；　a　thousand　stationed　in　the　Cairo　sheds。　　Two　regiments　passed　through　the　place　during　the　time；　getting　out　of　one　steamer　on　to　another；　or　passing　from　the　railway　into　boats。　　One　of　these　regiments　passed　before　me　down　the　slope　of　the　river　bank；　and　the　men　as　a　body　seemed　to　be　healthy。　　Very　many　were　drunk；　and　all　were　mud…　clogged　up　to　their　shoulders　and　very　caps。　　In　other　respects　they　appeared　to　be　in　good　order。　　It　must　be　understood　that