It was a sickening sight, and terrible were the groans6 and the wailings of the sufferers which resounded7 through the boat. I learned that the captain of the ill-fated steamer was among the dead. If it had not been so, an hour in the midst of this horrible din1 of sighs, and wails8, and groans would [235]have been an all-sufficient punishment, if he had a human heart in his bosom9, for the base crime of sacrificing those precious lives to the stupid rivalry10 of the hour.
The officers and passengers had been engaged in making up lists of the wounded and the dead. Among the latter I found the name of Mrs. Goodridge and Mr. Spear. I shuddered11 as I realized that the worst fears of Emily were confirmed. I informed the clerk of the boat that I had saved one of the passengers, and her name was stricken from the list of the dead, and added to that of the living.
I learned that the body of Mrs. Goodridge had been recovered, and that friends on board of the steamer would take charge of it. There was nothing more for me to do, and I fled, sick at heart, from the awful spectacle. I went to a small hotel near the landing, and though I slept heavily, awake or in my slumber12, the scenes of death and woe I had beheld13 still haunted my mind. I took an early breakfast, and then endeavored to find a boat bound down the river. There was none in Cairo that [236]would start that day, and it might be several days before I could obtain a passage. I could not think of prolonging the agonizing14 suspense15 of our passenger on the raft, or of leaving the two females to the care of so heavy a thinker as Sim Gwynn. If a squall or a sudden rise of the river occurred, my assistant would be helpless; and if the raft broke loose, he would not have wit enough to bring it up to the shore again.
I walked up and down the levee, thinking what I should do. I could not charter a steamer, and there was no conveyance16 on the other side of the Mississippi. While I was thus fretting17 at the delay, I came to a yard where boats were kept for sale. Most of them were for the use of steamers, and were far beyond my means; but I found a second-hand18 skiff, which I purchased for ten dollars, including in the price a pair of good oars19. It would be a handy thing to have on the raft, and if I had had it when I first saw poor Emily Goodridge in the water, I could have saved her without any difficulty.
In this light boat I embarked20 at nine o'clock.[237] The raft was ten or twelve miles below Cairo; but the swift current would speed me on my way with little labor21 at the oars. I pulled steadily22, and with just power enough to give me steerage-way; and when I reached the raft, I found I had made the passage in little more than two hours.
"Hookie!" ejaculated Sim, with a stupid stare, as I ran the skiff up to the raft.
"Catch the painter!" I called, throwing him the rope.
"I hain't seen no painter," he replied, staring around him, and letting the rope run off the raft, and the skiff go adrift.
I pulled up to the raft again, and succeeded in making my deck hand understand that he was to hold on to the rope attached to the boat.
"Where did you get that boat?"
"Catch hold, and haul it up," I replied; for I seldom found it practicable to answer Sim's questions.
"Did you find this boat?" he asked when he had pulled it up on the platform.
"No; how is the girl we saved?"[238]
"Did you make this boat?"
"No; I bought it; gave ten dollars for it. How is the girl?"
"O, she's sick! Leastwise, she ain't very well, and didn't sleep much."
I did not suppose she had slept very well; for one with such a fearful anxiety on her mind must have suffered intensely during the long night. I hastened into the house, and found dear Flora23 making some tea for her patient. I surmised24 that the poor child had also spent a sleepless25 night, for she looked pale and ill herself, and I trembled for her welfare, devoted26 and self-sacrificing as she was in the presence of the heavy woe of her charge.
"How is Emily?" I asked.
"She is very sick, I fear," replied poor Flora, sadly, for she seemed to make her patient's sufferings her own. "She has hardly closed her eyes during the night."
"And you have not slept yourself, Flora."
"No, I have not. The poor girl has talked about her mother all night long. What news do you bring, Buckland?"[239]
"I hardly dare to speak it," I replied, in a whisper.
"It can be no worse that her fears. She is already reconciled to the worst," added my sister, with a sympathetic tear.
"Flora," moaned Emily.
The devoted little nurse hastened to her patient. I had not the courage to follow her, and face the torrent27 of woe which my news must carry to her aching heart. Perhaps it was cowardly in me, but I could not help it. I stood at the door and listened.
"Your brother has come. I heard his voice," said Emily, in a tone convulsed with emotion.
"You have no good news to tell me. I know you haven't," wailed29 the sufferer. "I did not expect any. I knew she was—"
And then I heard her sob30. She was calmer than I had anticipated, and I ventured to go into the room. My heart was in my throat as I gazed upon her pale face and hollow eyes. She wept bitterly, as I confirmed her worst fears; and Flora, with her arm twined around the poor girl's neck, wept with [240]her, and frequently kissed her. As gently and tenderly as I could I told her the sad truth, and assured her that kind friends had taken charge of her mother's remains31.
I left her with Flora then, for she was the best comforter. As I put on my working clothes in the adjoining room, I heard my sweet sister speaking to her the tenderest of pious32 consolations33. She breathed the name of Jesus in her ear, and pointed34 her to the Rock of Ages for hope, for the joy which this world cannot give and cannot take away. Great rough fellow as I was, I wept with them; for never had my heart been so deeply touched before.
On the platform I found Sim, still employed in examining the skiff I had purchased, apparently35 filled with astonishment36 that a little thing like that had borne me safely down the river for ten miles. He wanted to ask more questions about it; but I told him to cast off the fasts, and in a few moments we were again borne on by the current of the Father of Waters. The day was bright and pleasant, and a fresh wind from the north-west was blowing. I hoisted37 the sail and trimmed it, and [241]taking my place at the steering38 oar4, I brooded over the bitter lot of my passenger. I pitied her, and loved her for her misfortunes.
As the raft continued on its way, I began to consider what should be done with her. She was quite sick, and the rough house on the raft was not a suitable place for her. But she had no friends nearer than New Orleans. I asked myself whether I ought not to abandon the raft, and take passage in a steamboat; but I had not money enough to pay the passages of the party, and I was obliged to answer the question in the negative. But I could pay Emily's fare, and place her in charge of the officers of some boat. I concluded to adopt this course at the first large town we reached, where a steamer would be likely to make a landing.
The poor girl was unable to sit up during the day; indeed, she was so ill that I began to be alarmed about her. After dinner, I insisted that Flora should lie down on my bed, and obtain the rest she so much needed, while I sat with the patient. My poor sister was all worn out, and she slept till dark. Thanks to the gentle ministrations [242]of Flora, Emily was quite calm, but she could not sleep. She talked to me of her mother all the time, and I became almost a woman myself in my efforts to console her.
I told her that I proposed to send her to New Orleans by the first steamer I could find which was bound there. To my surprise, she strongly objected, declaring that Flora was an angel, and she would not leave her. She said she was very comfortable on the raft, and that she was much happier there than she should be in a steamboat; and she trembled when she uttered the word. I told her that her father would be very anxious about her, and she finally decided39 to write a letter to him, informing him that she was in the hands of good friends, on her way home.
Flora was much refreshed by the sleep she had obtained, and sat up till midnight with Emily. I made a bed for her on the floor by the side of her patient, and in the morning I found that both of them had rested well during the latter part of the night. Sim and I kept the raft going all night, as usual. The next day I mailed Emily's letter to her [243]father. The physical condition of the poor sufferer did not yet begin to improve, and Flora was unremitting in her efforts to help her. I was very much surprised to find that the devoted nurse did not sink under her exertions40. But the patient slept tolerably well at night, and I relieved my sister during part of the day.
On the third day after the disaster, we passed Memphis; and I again urged Emily to take a steamer for her destination. She consented; but I found that she did so in order to save us the trouble she gave. When I assured her that we had no desire to get rid of her, she insisted upon completing the voyage on the raft. She could not bear to part with Flora, who had been both nurse and comforter to her in her affliction.
I made a landing at Memphis, and procured41 everything I could think of that would add to the comfort of Emily. She was very grateful to me, as well as to Flora, and I am free to say that I found my greatest happiness in caring for her and my sister; and all the more because they were so devoted to each other.[244]
Day after day went by; and our course continued past Vicksburg, Natchez, Grand Gulf42, Baton43 Rouge44, till, on the thirteenth day from Cairo, and on the twenty-third from Torrentville, we came in sight of the spires45 of New Orleans.
The sun was just setting as we came abreast46 of the dense47 piles of houses. When we reached a place favorable for landing, I ran the raft up to the levee, and made it fast to a post.
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1
din
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| n.喧闹声，嘈杂声 | |
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melancholy
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| n.忧郁，愁思；adj.令人感伤（沮丧）的，忧郁的 | |
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woe
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| n.悲哀，苦痛，不幸，困难；int.用来表达悲伤或惊慌 | |
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oar
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| n.桨，橹，划手；v.划行 | |
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corpses
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| n.死尸，尸体( corpse的名词复数 ) | |
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groans
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| n.呻吟，叹息( groan的名词复数 )；呻吟般的声音v.呻吟( groan的第三人称单数 )；发牢骚；抱怨；受苦 | |
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7
resounded
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| v.（指声音等）回荡于某处( resound的过去式和过去分词 )；产生回响；（指某处）回荡着声音 | |
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wails
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| 痛哭，哭声( wail的名词复数 ) | |
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bosom
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| n.胸，胸部；胸怀；内心；adj.亲密的 | |
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rivalry
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| n.竞争，竞赛，对抗 | |
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shuddered
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| v.战栗( shudder的过去式和过去分词 )；发抖；（机器、车辆等）突然震动；颤动 | |
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12
slumber
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| n.睡眠，沉睡状态 | |
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13
beheld
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| 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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14
agonizing
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| adj.痛苦难忍的；使人苦恼的v.使极度痛苦；折磨(agonize的ing形式) | |
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suspense
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| n.（对可能发生的事）紧张感，担心，挂虑 | |
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conveyance
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| n.(不动产等的)转让，让与；转让证书；传送；运送；表达；（正）运输工具 | |
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fretting
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| n. 微振磨损 adj. 烦躁的, 焦虑的 | |
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second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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oars
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| n.桨，橹( oar的名词复数 )；划手v.划（行）( oar的第三人称单数 ) | |
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embarked
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| 乘船( embark的过去式和过去分词 )； 装载； 从事 | |
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labor
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| n.劳动，努力，工作，劳工；分娩；vi.劳动，努力，苦干；vt.详细分析；麻烦 | |
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steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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flora
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| n.(某一地区的)植物群 | |
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24
surmised
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| v.臆测，推断( surmise的过去式和过去分词 )；揣测；猜想 | |
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sleepless
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| adj.不睡眠的，睡不著的，不休息的 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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torrent
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| n.激流，洪流；爆发，(话语等的)连发 | |
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maiden
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| n.少女，处女；adj.未婚的，纯洁的，无经验的 | |
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29
wailed
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| v.哭叫，哀号( wail的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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30
sob
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| n.空间轨道的轰炸机；呜咽，哭泣 | |
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remains
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| n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹 | |
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pious
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| adj.虔诚的；道貌岸然的 | |
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consolations
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| n.安慰，慰问( consolation的名词复数 )；起安慰作用的人（或事物） | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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astonishment
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| n.惊奇，惊异 | |
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37
hoisted
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| 把…吊起，升起( hoist的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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38
steering
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| n.操舵装置 | |
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decided
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| adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的 | |
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40
exertions
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| n.努力( exertion的名词复数 )；费力；（能力、权力等的）运用；行使 | |
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41
procured
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| v.（努力）取得， （设法）获得( procure的过去式和过去分词 )；拉皮条 | |
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42
gulf
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| n.海湾；深渊，鸿沟；分歧，隔阂 | |
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43
baton
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| n.乐队用指挥杖 | |
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44
rouge
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| n.胭脂，口红唇膏；v.(在…上)擦口红 | |
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45
spires
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| n.（教堂的） 塔尖，尖顶( spire的名词复数 ) | |
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46
abreast
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| adv.并排地；跟上(时代)的步伐，与…并进地 | |
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47
dense
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| a.密集的，稠密的，浓密的；密度大的 | |
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