After the uproar1 of the breeze and the gale2, this profound, pervading3 calm seemed suited to the tranquil4 spirit of a day, which, in godly towns, makes quiet vistas5 of the most tumultuous thoroughfares.
The ship lay gently rolling in the soft, subdued6 ocean swell7; while all around were faint white spots; and nearer to, broad, milky8 patches, betokening9 the vicinity of scores of ships, all bound to one common port, and tranced in one common calm. Here the long, devious10 wakes from Europe, Africa, India, and Peru converged11 to a line, which braided them all in one.
Full before us quivered and danced, in the noon-day heat and mid-air, the green heights of New Jersey12; and by an optical delusion13, the blue sea seemed to flow under them.
The sailors whistled and whistled for a wind; the impatient cabin-passengers were arrayed in their best; and the emigrants15 clustered around the bows, with eyes intent upon the long-sought land.
But leaning over, in a reverie, against the side, my Carlo gazed down into the calm, violet sea, as if it were an eye that answered his own; and turning to Harry16, said, "This America's skies must be down in the sea; for, looking down in this water, I behold17 what, in Italy, we also behold overhead. Ah! after all, I find my Italy somewhere, wherever I go. I even found it in rainy Liverpool."
Presently, up came a dainty breeze, wafting18 to us a white wing from the shore—the pilot-boat! Soon a monkey-jacket mounted the side, and was beset19 by the captain and cabin people for news. And out of bottomless pockets came bundles of newspapers, which were eagerly caught by the throng20.
The captain now abdicated21 in the pilot's favor, who proved to be a tiger of a fellow, keeping us hard at work, pulling and hauling the braces22, and trimming the ship, to catch the least cat's-paw of wind.
When, among sea-worn people, a strange man from shore suddenly stands among them, with the smell of the land in his beard, it conveys a realization23 of the vicinity of the green grass, that not even the distant sight of the shore itself can transcend24.
The steerage was now as a bedlam25; trunks and chests were locked and tied round with ropes; and a general washing and rinsing26 of faces and hands was beheld27. While this was going on, forth28 came an order from the quarter-deck, for every bed, blanket, bolster29, and bundle of straw in the steerage to be committed to the deep.—A command that was received by the emigrants with dismay, and then with wrath30. But they were assured, that this was indispensable to the getting rid of an otherwise long detention31 of some weeks at the quarantine. They therefore reluctantly complied; and overboard went pallet and pillow. Following them, went old pots and pans, bottles and baskets. So, all around, the sea was strewn with stuffed bed-ticks, that limberly floated on the waves—couches for all mermaids32 who were not fastidious. Numberless things of this sort, tossed overboard from emigrant14 ships nearing the harbor of New York, drift in through the Narrows, and are deposited on the shores of Staten Island; along whose eastern beach I have often walked, and speculated upon the broken jugs33, torn pillows, and dilapidated baskets at my feet.
A second order was now passed for the emigrants to muster34 their forces, and give the steerage a final, thorough cleaning with sand and water. And to this they were incited35 by the same warning which had induced them to make an offering to Neptune36 of their bedding. The place was then fumigated38, and dried with pans of coals from the galley39; so that by evening, no stranger would have imagined, from her appearance, that the Highlander40 had made otherwise than a tidy and prosperous voyage. Thus, some sea-captains take good heed41 that benevolent42 citizens shall not get a glimpse of the true condition of the steerage while at sea.
That night it again fell calm; but next morning, though the wind was somewhat against us, we set sail for the Narrows; and making short tacks43, at last ran through, almost bringing our jib-boom over one of the forts.
An early shower had refreshed the woods and fields, that glowed with a glorious green; and to our salted lungs, the land breeze was spiced with aromas44. The steerage passengers almost neighed with delight, like horses brought back to spring pastures; and every eye and ear in the Highlander was full of the glad sights and sounds of the shore.
No more did we think of the gale and the plague; nor turn our eyes upward to the stains of blood, still visible on the topsail, whence Jackson had fallen; but we fixed45 our gaze on the orchards46 and meads, and like thirsty men, drank in all their dew.
On the Staten Island side, a white staff displayed a pale yellow flag, denoting the habitation of the quarantine officer; for as if to symbolize47 the yellow fever itself, and strike a panic and premonition of the black vomit48 into every beholder49, all quarantines all over the world, taint50 the air with the streamings of their fever-flag.
But though the long rows of white-washed hospitals on the hill side were now in plain sight, and though scores of ships were here lying at anchor, yet no boat came off to us; and to our surprise and delight, on we sailed, past a spot which every one had dreaded51. How it was that they thus let us pass without boarding us, we never could learn.
Now rose the city from out the bay, and one by one, her spires52 pierced the blue; while thick and more thick, ships, brigs, schooners54, and sail boats, thronged55 around. We saw the Hartz Forest of masts and black rigging stretching along the East River; and northward56, up the stately old Hudson, covered with white sloop-sails like fleets of swans, we caught a far glimpse of the purple Palisades.
Oh! he who has never been afar, let him once go from home, to know what home is. For as you draw nigh again to your old native river, he seems to pour through you with all his tides, and in your enthusiasm, you swear to build altars like mile-stones, along both his sacred banks.
Like the Czar of all the Russias, and Siberia to boot, Captain Riga, telescope in hand, stood on the poop, pointing out to the passengers, Governor's Island, Castle Garden, and the Battery.
"And that" said he, pointing out a vast black hull57 which, like a shark, showed tiers of teeth, "that, ladies, is a line-of-battle-ship, the North Carolina."
"Oh, dear!"—and "Oh my!"—ejaculated the ladies, and— "Lord, save us," responded an old gentleman, who was a member of the Peace Society.
Hurra! hurra! and ten thousand times hurra! down goes our old anchor, fathoms58 down into the free and independent Yankee mud, one handful of which was now worth a broad manor59 in England.
The Whitehall boats were around us, and soon, our cabin passengers were all off, gay as crickets, and bound for a late dinner at the Astor House; where, no doubt, they fired off a salute60 of champagne61 corks62 in honor of their own arrival. Only a very few of the steerage passengers, however, could afford to pay the high price the watermen demanded for carrying them ashore63; so most of them remained with us till morning. But nothing could restrain our Italian boy, Carlo, who, promising64 the watermen to pay them with his music, was triumphantly65 rowed ashore, seated in the stern of the boat, his organ before him, and something like "Hail Columbia!" his tune37. We gave him three rapturous cheers, and we never saw Carlo again.
Harry and I passed the greater part of the night walking the deck, and gazing at the thousand lights of the city.
At sunrise, we warped66 into a berth67 at the foot of Wall-street, and knotted our old ship, stem and stern, to the pier53. But that knotting of her, was the unknotting of the bonds of the sailors, among whom, it is a maxim68, that the ship once fast to the wharf69, they are free. So with a rush and a shout, they bounded ashore, followed by the tumultuous crowd of emigrants, whose friends, day-laborers and housemaids, stood ready to embrace them.
But in silent gratitude70 at the end of a voyage, almost equally uncongenial to both of us, and so bitter to one, Harry and I sat on a chest in the forecastle. And now, the ship that we had loathed71, grew lovely in our eyes, which lingered over every familiar old timber; for the scene of suffering is a scene of joy when the suffering is past; and the silent reminiscence of hardships departed, is sweeter than the presence of delight.
点击收听单词发音
1 uproar | |
n.骚动,喧嚣,鼎沸 | |
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2 gale | |
n.大风,强风,一阵闹声(尤指笑声等) | |
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3 pervading | |
v.遍及,弥漫( pervade的现在分词 ) | |
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4 tranquil | |
adj. 安静的, 宁静的, 稳定的, 不变的 | |
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5 vistas | |
长条形景色( vista的名词复数 ); 回顾; 展望; (未来可能发生的)一系列情景 | |
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6 subdued | |
adj. 屈服的,柔和的,减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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7 swell | |
vi.膨胀,肿胀;增长,增强 | |
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8 milky | |
adj.牛奶的,多奶的;乳白色的 | |
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9 betokening | |
v.预示,表示( betoken的现在分词 ) | |
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10 devious | |
adj.不坦率的,狡猾的;迂回的,曲折的 | |
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11 converged | |
v.(线条、运动的物体等)会于一点( converge的过去式 );(趋于)相似或相同;人或车辆汇集;聚集 | |
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12 jersey | |
n.运动衫 | |
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13 delusion | |
n.谬见,欺骗,幻觉,迷惑 | |
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14 emigrant | |
adj.移居的,移民的;n.移居外国的人,移民 | |
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15 emigrants | |
n.(从本国移往他国的)移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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16 harry | |
vt.掠夺,蹂躏,使苦恼 | |
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17 behold | |
v.看,注视,看到 | |
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18 wafting | |
v.吹送,飘送,(使)浮动( waft的现在分词 ) | |
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19 beset | |
v.镶嵌;困扰,包围 | |
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20 throng | |
n.人群,群众;v.拥挤,群集 | |
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21 abdicated | |
放弃(职责、权力等)( abdicate的过去式和过去分词 ); 退位,逊位 | |
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22 braces | |
n.吊带,背带;托架( brace的名词复数 );箍子;括弧;(儿童)牙箍v.支住( brace的第三人称单数 );撑牢;使自己站稳;振作起来 | |
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23 realization | |
n.实现;认识到,深刻了解 | |
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24 transcend | |
vt.超出,超越(理性等)的范围 | |
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25 bedlam | |
n.混乱,骚乱;疯人院 | |
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26 rinsing | |
n.清水,残渣v.漂洗( rinse的现在分词 );冲洗;用清水漂洗掉(肥皂泡等);(用清水)冲掉 | |
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27 beheld | |
v.看,注视( behold的过去式和过去分词 );瞧;看呀;(叙述中用于引出某人意外的出现)哎哟 | |
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28 forth | |
adv.向前;向外,往外 | |
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29 bolster | |
n.枕垫;v.支持,鼓励 | |
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30 wrath | |
n.愤怒,愤慨,暴怒 | |
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31 detention | |
n.滞留,停留;拘留,扣留;(教育)留下 | |
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32 mermaids | |
n.(传说中的)美人鱼( mermaid的名词复数 ) | |
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33 jugs | |
(有柄及小口的)水壶( jug的名词复数 ) | |
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34 muster | |
v.集合,收集,鼓起,激起;n.集合,检阅,集合人员,点名册 | |
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35 incited | |
刺激,激励,煽动( incite的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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36 Neptune | |
n.海王星 | |
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37 tune | |
n.调子;和谐,协调;v.调音,调节,调整 | |
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38 fumigated | |
v.用化学品熏(某物)消毒( fumigate的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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39 galley | |
n.(飞机或船上的)厨房单层甲板大帆船;军舰舰长用的大划艇; | |
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40 highlander | |
n.高地的人,苏格兰高地地区的人 | |
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41 heed | |
v.注意,留意;n.注意,留心 | |
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42 benevolent | |
adj.仁慈的,乐善好施的 | |
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43 tacks | |
大头钉( tack的名词复数 ); 平头钉; 航向; 方法 | |
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44 aromas | |
n.芳香( aroma的名词复数 );气味;风味;韵味 | |
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45 fixed | |
adj.固定的,不变的,准备好的;(计算机)固定的 | |
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46 orchards | |
(通常指围起来的)果园( orchard的名词复数 ) | |
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47 symbolize | |
vt.作为...的象征,用符号代表 | |
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48 vomit | |
v.呕吐,作呕;n.呕吐物,吐出物 | |
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49 beholder | |
n.观看者,旁观者 | |
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50 taint | |
n.污点;感染;腐坏;v.使感染;污染 | |
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51 dreaded | |
adj.令人畏惧的;害怕的v.害怕,恐惧,担心( dread的过去式和过去分词) | |
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52 spires | |
n.(教堂的) 塔尖,尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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53 pier | |
n.码头;桥墩,桥柱;[建]窗间壁,支柱 | |
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54 schooners | |
n.(有两个以上桅杆的)纵帆船( schooner的名词复数 ) | |
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55 thronged | |
v.成群,挤满( throng的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56 northward | |
adv.向北;n.北方的地区 | |
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57 hull | |
n.船身;(果、实等的)外壳;vt.去(谷物等)壳 | |
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58 fathoms | |
英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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59 manor | |
n.庄园,领地 | |
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60 salute | |
vi.行礼,致意,问候,放礼炮;vt.向…致意,迎接,赞扬;n.招呼,敬礼,礼炮 | |
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61 champagne | |
n.香槟酒;微黄色 | |
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62 corks | |
n.脐梅衣;软木( cork的名词复数 );软木塞 | |
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63 ashore | |
adv.在(向)岸上,上岸 | |
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64 promising | |
adj.有希望的,有前途的 | |
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65 triumphantly | |
ad.得意洋洋地;得胜地;成功地 | |
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66 warped | |
adj.反常的;乖戾的;(变)弯曲的;变形的v.弄弯,变歪( warp的过去式和过去分词 );使(行为等)不合情理,使乖戾, | |
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67 berth | |
n.卧铺,停泊地,锚位;v.使停泊 | |
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68 maxim | |
n.格言,箴言 | |
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69 wharf | |
n.码头,停泊处 | |
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70 gratitude | |
adj.感激,感谢 | |
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71 loathed | |
v.憎恨,厌恶( loathe的过去式和过去分词 );极不喜欢 | |
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