The Instrument Carriers wait till Monday to go back to Mr. Bryant's and pick up the Sector1. "Not so bad so far, d'ye think?" Robert Farlow, who is driving the empty Waggon2, remarks to Thomas Hickman, beside him.
"Not bad for Fields we've all work'd in forever." Hickman, who is receiving a shilling more than Farlow this week, bears a worried look. The other six-shilling man, Matt Marine3, took himself off up the Bridge Road sometime in the Dark, and hasn't been seen since,— leaving it upon Hickman's shoulders to make sure no harm comes to the Sector. Behind them, back in the dust and wood-smoke, the ringing of ax-bits diminishes with distance. John Harland, and John Hannings, and Kit4 Myers recline in the Waggon-bed among the Cushions for the Sector, the ragged5 breeze of their Progress bringing them the pleasing Scents6 of the Spring-tide, as they roll along the New-Castle Road, two to three miles south of the Line, and roughly parallel to it. Overhead, Birds carry twigs7 to secret destinations. Beside the Road, Children come running to stare, caps askew8, Forks and Churns left to lie. Farmers in Waggons9 coming the other way wave or sometimes, knowing who they are, glare.
Each time, they set out slightly to the North of West, upon a Bearing that will describe Ten Minutes of Great Circle before intersecting again the true West Line. The Gentlemen know from calculation that the Angle to be turn'd off must be 0°08'18" to the Northward10 of perfect West. For a while they take Sky Observations to confirm this, Dixon as if in defer11?ence to Mason as Astronomer,— but presently they are turning the Angle directly from the Plate of the Instrument,— a Surveyor's habit, that Dixon may feel more comfortable with, which they drift wordlessly into, beginning to learn, each at his own rate, that the choice not to dis?pute oftentimes sets free minutes, indeed hours, otherwise wasted in issueless Quarreling. Neither appreciates this at the time.
When they reach the end of each twelve-mile-or-so segment, they stop, and set up the Sector, to find the distances, in Degrees, of several Stars, at their highest points in the Night, from the Zenith. Bradley's Star Catalogue gives the Declination, or Celestial12 Latitude13, for each Star. This value, plus the Zenith Distance, equals the Earthly Latitude of the Observing Point.
Owing to the error in taking Bearings, that ever accompanies the run?ning of a real Arc upon the not quite perfectly14 spherickal Earth, the Sec?tor will never be set up exactly in the Latitude of the true Line. So Off-sets are figur'd at each Mile, ranging from zero at the eastern end, to whatever the difference in Latitude might prove to be, at the other. These offsets15 must then be added to the purely16 geometrical differences, at each Mile, between the ten minutes of Great Circle actually run, and its Chord,— the Line itself,— each time increasing from zero to about twenty-one feet at the halfway17 point, then decreasing again to zero.
As Fortune had put their first Ten Minutes of Arc close beside Octarara Road, so does their next Stage west allow them to set up the Sector but twenty-six Chains short of the east bank of Susquehanna, a mile and a half of Taverns18 strung near and nearer along the way up to the Peach Bottom Ferry. On Sunday the twelfth of May, they begin their Zenith Obs again, continuing them till the twenty-ninth. It will be a brisk and pleasant Fortnight beside the broad River, which dashes and rolls 'round two small Islands directly in the line of the Visto. On days of cloud, they endeavor to project the Line across the River, whose breadth they take the occasion to compute,— tho' the task falls mostly to Dixon, being, as Mason informs ev'ryone, more Surveyor's Work, really.
Dixon and Mr. McClean, along with Darby and Cope, go trudging19 down to the River to have a look. Common practice would be to measure out a Base Line upon the further Bank, set up there, turn off ninety degrees, put a mark on the near side, come back across, set up at the mark there, and find the angle between the two ends of the Base Line,—
then, with the aid of a book full of logarithms, including those of "Trig" functions, 'twould take but a minute and a half of adding and checking, to find the distance across the River.
"That's how we learn'd in Durham," Dixon recalls, "to measure across places we'd rather not go. Not so much Rivers, of course, as unexpected patches,— sudden entire ranges of Spoil-heaps, or a Grove21 out in an empty Fell,— certainly nowhere near this d——'d many Trees."
"I've found little Joy in these Situations," offers Mr. McClean, whilst Darby and Cope nod at one another, silent as understudies in the Wings, moving their Lips no more than necessary. Sweating and muttering, all go tramping up and down the Bank, kicking up clouds of Gnats22, crush?ing wild Herbs in Blossom, seeking a line of sight that will allow them to use a Right Angle,— a Fool's Errand, as it proves. At length, "Eeh, we'll have to use what Angles we can, then, that bonny with ev'ryone?"
And more than soon enough for the Chain-men, tho' Mr. McClean is shaking his head. "I never get the Figures right."
"Then let huz pre-vail somehow upon Mr. Mason, to review our com?puting,— Angles being the same,— so I surmise,— down here as Out There." Mr. McClean takes over the eighteen-inch Hadley's, and Dixon repeats his Sights with the Circumferentor, obtaining at last an ungainly Oblique23 Triangle, from which they calculate Susquehanna to be about seven-eighths of a mile across.
To Mason meanwhile has fallen the Task of projecting the Line across the River and setting upon its Western bank a point they might take up again from. Upon their last Saturday at Susquehanna, he writes, ".. .about sun set I was returning from the other Side of the River, and at the dis?tance of about 1.5 Mile the Lightning fell in perpendicular24 streaks25, (about a foot in breadth to appearance) from the cloud to the ground. This was the first lightning I ever saw in streaks continued without the least break through the whole, all the way from the Cloud to the Horizon."
Less formally, he comes running screaming into Dixon's Tent, just as Dixon is lighting26 his Evening Pipe. "Did you see that?"
"Bright as Day...?" Dixon nods.
"Lord, into what Sub-urbs Satanick hast Thou introduc'd me this time?— Thy Procedures not to be question'd, of course.”
The Wind has begun to shake the Tents. The Surveyors hear the stumbling of Rain-drops against the taut27 Duck. Their Candle-flames are being torn to shining waxen wild-flowers. "I am assuming that I may be confident of my Safety here," Dixon puffing28, "the entire issue of Lightning in America having been resolv'd by your Friend Dr. Franklin, who draws it off at will, easy as drawing Ale from a Cask— Ah have got that correct, haven't Ah...? 'Tis certainly the right place for Lightning, eeh! Nothing like this in Staindrop! Lud Oafery did claim to've been hit once over by Low Dinsdale, but there were no other witnesses,—
"Dixon, our, um, Lives? are in Danger?"
"Hardly enough to interrupt a perfectly good— " Here he is silenc'd by an immense Thunder-Bolt from directly overhead, as their frail29 Prism is bleach'd in unholy Light. " - Saturday Night for, is it I ask you...?" his Head emerging at last from beneath a Blanket, "Mason? Say, Mason,— are thee...?"
Mason, now outside, pushes aside the Tent-flap with his head, but does not enter. "Dixon. I will now seek Shelter beneath that Waggon out there, d'ye see it? If you wish to join me, there's room."
"Bit too much Iron there for me, thanks all the same."
"Interesting. Up to you of course,— " Another great blinding Peal30. When Dixon can see again, Mason has withdrawn31. Each Lightning-stroke another step across the landscape, the miles-high Electrickal Insect, whose footfalls are Thunder-Claps, proceeds at some broken, incomprehensible Pace, passing on toward Philadelphia and the Sea, and the Sky is restor'd to its pitiless Clarity, in time to obtain a good Zenith Distance for Capella.
Their latest orders, gallop'd in by Express, are to return to the Tangent Point, and run the three and a half Miles of Meridian33, or North Line, needed to close the Boundaries of the Lower Counties. A Line must now be drawn32 Northward, from the Tangent Point, till striking the West Line at right angles, thus defining the northeast corner of Maryland. To obtain this last five miles of Boundary, the Parties have agreed, as if repenting34 close to the end of a long life of Error, to draw the Line at last due North and South.
Esteem'd Murray,—
Whatever else happens upon this Expedition. I am getting to meet an uncommon35 lot of Milk-maids. Every morning and evening they line up among the Tents, in the canvas alley-ways, clanking pails and kettles and whispering among themselves. And laughing. Ah! Laughter at the Outset of the Day. Some are lovely beyond the pen of this wretched apprentice36. Some,— but even a 'Prentice must refrain from comparison. Gladly would I welcome attention from any of them,— alas37, what am I to do?
Whilst, for their own part, the Lasses, often quite brazen38 about it, go on thinning the Milk with well-water, putting in Snails39 to make it froth, keeping it warm who knows how,— "Coy Milk-Maids" being a Game courtly as any back in the Metropolis40, and like Dancing, exercis'd with ease and enjoyment41, upon both sides.
'Tis Cream-Pot Love in the Morning Dew,
Again at the Close of Day,
One creeps about, like a Spider who
Might covet42 some Curds43 and Whey...
For...'tis...
[Refrain]
Dairy!— oh gimme that
Dairy! the lengths that I'd
Go to for its sake are extr'ordin-ary,—
"The step, you see, like this? And,—
I see a
Cow 'n' just drool,
Act like a fool,
Any time a Cheese, roll by,—
Butter and Milk,
Foods of that Ilk,
Make me shake my head, goin'
Me-oh my!
Polly's in the Penthouse,
Molly's in the Mood,
Ev'rybody lookin' for that
Lactick Food,
Oh Dairy,
Though Seasons may Vary, I'll ever be very Enchanted44, by you!
In the midst of teaching a long Queue of fair Purveyors the Steps of a Reel current at Williamsburg, Young Nathe is abruptly45 smit.
Miracle! after miserable46 nights in roadside hovels styl'd "Inns,"— the companionless sunsets turn after Planet's turn,— the days of regarding Daughters and even Wives of settlers with what I once imagin'd a Soulful Gaze (not always distinguishable, by she that receiv'd it, from an Offensive Stare),— unexpectedly to find, in the Day's first Dew, with the Light increasing so swiftly, apt, any instant, to reveal in her that decisive Flaw the Crepuscule had hid?den20 (tho' steadfast47 beneath the Light, she but grew more Fair),— Her, whom I call, "Galactica,"— for she is one of the Purveyors, to this Expedition, of Dairy Products.—
"Poh!" I can hear you,— "another Tale of Cream-Pot Love,— well aye, of course, as who has not practis'd it, in this Edenick
Dairy-land,— yet Galactica, tho' in that larcenous48 Sisterhood, not truly of it.— What I'm in, is a Sailor's predicament,— far too soon must we extend the Line past any journey she can make in safety, or indeed find the time for. There is no question of her joining our Caravan49. Her Duty here is as compelling as would be my own, were she to come, to deflect50 from her Person the attentions of up to an hundred men, including the implacable Stig— So must I beseech51 Her wait till Winter, when we leave off and return Eastward,— then until we head West again in the Spring, and so on,— Moments too few, and the Waiting too heavy a burden, I fear, upon fair Galactica. For tho' I know next to nothing about the Sex, yet it seems, in my experience, that their reputation for Patience is gravely over-blown, and the faithful sailor's Sweetheart of song and Romance as mythi?cal as a Mermaid
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1
sector
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| n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形 | |
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waggon
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| n.运货马车，运货车；敞篷车箱 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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kit
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| n.用具包，成套工具；随身携带物 | |
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ragged
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| adj.衣衫褴褛的，粗糙的，刺耳的 | |
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scents
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| n.香水( scent的名词复数 )；气味；（动物的）臭迹；（尤指狗的）嗅觉 | |
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twigs
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| 细枝，嫩枝( twig的名词复数 ) | |
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askew
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| adv.斜地；adj.歪斜的 | |
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waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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northward
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| adv.向北；n.北方的地区 | |
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defer
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| vt.推迟，拖延；vi.(to)遵从，听从，服从 | |
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celestial
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| adj.天体的；天上的 | |
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latitude
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| n.纬度，行动或言论的自由(范围)，(pl.)地区 | |
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perfectly
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| adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地 | |
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offsets
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| n.开端( offset的名词复数 )；出发v.抵消( offset的第三人称单数 )；补偿；（为了比较的目的而）把…并列（或并置）；为（管道等）装支管 | |
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purely
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| adv.纯粹地，完全地 | |
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halfway
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| adj.中途的，不彻底的，部分的；adv.半路地，在中途，在半途 | |
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taverns
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| n.小旅馆，客栈，酒馆( tavern的名词复数 ) | |
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trudging
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| vt.& vi.跋涉，吃力地走（trudge的现在分词形式） | |
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den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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grove
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| n.林子，小树林，园林 | |
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gnats
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| n.叮人小虫( gnat的名词复数 ) | |
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oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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perpendicular
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| adj.垂直的，直立的；n.垂直线，垂直的位置 | |
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25
streaks
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| n.（与周围有所不同的）条纹( streak的名词复数 )；（通常指不好的）特征（倾向）；（不断经历成功或失败的）一段时期v.快速移动( streak的第三人称单数 )；使布满条纹 | |
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26
lighting
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| n.照明，光线的明暗，舞台灯光 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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28
puffing
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| v.使喷出( puff的现在分词 )；喷着汽（或烟）移动；吹嘘；吹捧 | |
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29
frail
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| adj.身体虚弱的；易损坏的 | |
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30
peal
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| n.钟声；v.鸣响 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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meridian
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| adj.子午线的；全盛期的 | |
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repenting
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| 对（自己的所为）感到懊悔或忏悔( repent的现在分词 ) | |
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uncommon
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| adj.罕见的，非凡的，不平常的 | |
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apprentice
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| n.学徒，徒弟 | |
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alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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brazen
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| adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的 | |
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39
snails
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| n.蜗牛；迟钝的人；蜗牛( snail的名词复数 ) | |
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40
metropolis
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| n.首府；大城市 | |
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enjoyment
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| n.乐趣；享有；享用 | |
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42
covet
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| vt.垂涎；贪图(尤指属于他人的东西) | |
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curds
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| n.凝乳( curd的名词复数 ) | |
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44
enchanted
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| adj. 被施魔法的，陶醉的，入迷的 动词enchant的过去式和过去分词 | |
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45
abruptly
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| adv.突然地，出其不意地 | |
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46
miserable
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| adj.悲惨的，痛苦的；可怜的，糟糕的 | |
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47
steadfast
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| adj.固定的，不变的，不动摇的；忠实的；坚贞不移的 | |
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48
larcenous
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| adj.盗窃的 | |
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49
caravan
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| n.大蓬车；活动房屋 | |
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50
deflect
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| v.(使)偏斜，(使)偏离，(使)转向 | |
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51
beseech
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| v.祈求，恳求 | |
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