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distinguished by a celestial able both to curse and to bless and more important even than the m xiii those men are mere in ri who live by it gods these men in the beginning declared that was continually to be practised thou not therefore o fair queen with mind to censure and to doubt the deity and and nothing else is the boat which those who are on their way to heaven it only is a ship like those on which merchants seek to cross the ocean if when practised were without reward this world would be plunged in darkness men would not attain to final tranquillity would lead the life of brutes would not themselves to learning nor would any one attain the object of his desire if sacrifice sacred study liberality honesty if all these things brought no reward men now and others succeeding them would not practise if works were followed by no rewards this state of things would be an exceeding delusion and r why should these beings have and practised but knowing that the deity was a of rewards attached to goodness they practised for that is the source of eternal the of to works which are declared by revelation to be holy and to such as are wicked as well as the production and dissolution of the world these things are secrets of the gods these secrets of the gods are to be guarded for the wonder working power of the is mysterious who have formed the desire who are devoted to religious whose sins have been burnt up by and who have a clear mental perceive these secrets no doubts must be entertained regarding or the gods merely because the of works is not visible wherefore let all thy doubts vanish as a be certain that all this is so abandon the state of do not censure god the creator of living beings this and what immediately appears to be scarcely with the indifference to the of works which is in the earlier part of s discourse ms le m to know him reverence him let not thy opinion be such aa thou hast it do not that most exalted or most excellent deity through whose favour the mortal who is devoted to him to compare f ri aa it fi for it is the part of just and wise men when suffering not to be against the gods in the ion of the following sentiments are found r a ram ev f i lu ut i ti i lu s t oh bon of and hail and it the man whose house is vexed with misfortunes to the gods and take courage for in the end the good obtain their due but the wicked as their nature requires can never prosper in the of the same poet verses fi is introduced as the of good over evil in human life as apparent both in the gifts of reason and speech which distinguish man from the lower animals and in tbe support afforded to him by the fruits of the earth in the means which he has of protection from heat and cold in the exchange of procured by foreign commerce and finally in the supernatural obtained by and then as asking s af ou u oh aw ig i c lit t th i thai are we not then too fastidious when we are not satisfied with all this which a god made for our life o but our reason seeks to be stronger than the god and being possessed in our minds by conceit we fancy that we are wiser than the i introduce here a passage of the highest interest from which after stating that from the nature of things evil must always continue gives that great writer s idea of the deity and the duty of men to strive to become like him section a x o r d s u ri rf f that our iv t i ai iv on hi aw tt ig or evils can never perish for there must always remain something which is to good of necessity they around this mortal sphere and the earthly sphere having no place among the gods in heaven wherefore also we ought to fly away thither and to fly thither is to become like god as far as this is possible and to become like him is to become holy and just and wise in god is no at all he is altogether righteous and there is nothing more like him than he of us who is the most righteous dr s translation vol hi p the passages in l s edition of the a further passage from the same author may also be republic ii rf n xix tt pay o j e ri a r o ii a f f a r v ds v ra and is he god not truly good and must he not be represented as such certainly then god if he be good is not the author of all things as the many assert but ho is the cause of a few things only and not of moat things that occur to men for few are the goods of human life and many are the evils and the good only is to be attributed to him of the evil other causes have to be discovered ii f i do not scorn or think lightly of and how should i god the lord of creatures in my distress t talk thus idly understand me so and i shall yet further lament do thou who art kind comprehend me she then goes on to pronounce a long discourse in which she and the value of action and exertion dependence on fate or on chance though she does not appear to deny the influence | 28 |
of these causes verses ff and that a man s lot is the result of his works i e including those performed in a former birth the following are some of the for d the also his own acts according to this or that reason to men the of their previous works whatever act good or bad a human being know that that is the fixed by the of the of previous works this present body ia the cause of the deity s action just as he it so it acts for the great god the man to do such and such acts he all creatures to act and they are helpless here the man seems to be represented as a mere machine but the next verse says having first of all fixed in his mind the objects at which he shall aim a of himself afterwards them by action preceded by design of this man is the cause vi m v f the of events brings under his control the good the the child the old man the these words thus the existing bo ly is tbe cause of the deity s action as it him he and remarks that god and the body are dependent it as tbe result oe works him to determine the man s present lot o the weak the strong and the lord gives learning to the child and to the learned man darting radiance before him tlie last phrase occurs in m iii see above p v see also v verses v ff are as follows that radiance that great and shining light that great renown is worshipped by the gods by it the sun shines behold this eternal lord from radiance is produced through radiance is among the lights that radiance burns and glowing his form is not to be beheld no one him with the eye those who know him by the intellect the mind and the heart they become immortal see st and li vii m f men conceal the sin which they have committed men do not see the man but the in heaven the gods behold him iii when he has committed sin a man will think it is not i but the gods behold him and his own inner man viii viii the soul or self is its own witness the soul is its own refuge disregard not thy soul which is the best or highest witness of men think no one sees us but the gods behold them and their own inner man though good man thou of i am alone this sage in thy heart is a of virtuous and sinful acts m i i am alone thou not the ancient sage seated in thy heart who is of sinful acts in his presence thou sin the son of puts away the sin of that man the soul seated in whose heart as the witness of his actions is satisfied but that sinner whose soul is not satisfied m xiii f where it is said that the seasons and day and night see the secret sinner and iv edition ix and x m v f the rent which ie covered over with gotten gains becomes uncovered and another is opened up t a teacher the a king the wicked the son of secret xi m when sin says is committed by wicked men then this god is horn the wicked by their sins and he then both good and bad says whence comes or of what nature is a creature is seen to be slain by creatures declare to me all this from what this god is born answers the self in the heart of man is it each its own and others bodies they declare that the his form is like the celestial clouds in this passage we find a account of the origin of the who seems to be represented as nothing else than the natural and inevitable which follows men s sins see however the s remarks quoted below another apparent instance of which may not however be seriously meant occurs in ix f and xii ff and where it is stated that the four or great periods which are represented as in regard to the physical and moral condition of the men who lived in each of them the first being the most highly in these respects while the others undergo a gradual are really only names for the better or worse character of the king on which the welfare of his subjects depends i the essential verses of the xii either the king causes the time or the time causes the king doubt not as to this alternative the king causes the time the king completely the duties of criminal justice then the age a product of time exists this principle is next lie l to the other three or ages it is then said v j the king is the creator of the and ages and the cause of the fourth the the same idea is afterwards repeated in v ix the the the and the ages are modes of a king s action for it is the king who is by the word the on ix says however that that verse which declares that the king is one or other of the according to the character of his action is merely designed to intimate that a king ought to be intent upon the performance of his duties and not to deny the real existence of the four ages the thus remarks on the verses before us means destructive god means king further on in the means the age to the question whence arises the king s destructive character j he replies in the words the self c it is the self or soul the living principle in the heart of men which is or becomes the and just as the body of a person possessed by | 28 |
an evil spirit is not the property of the owner of that body but at the time of the possession is the property of the spirit possessing it just so at the time of his being possessed by the king s body belongs to or takes the character of then in reply to the whence is it that the tranquil self or soul takes the character of he answers in the words the c as the in the air drives hither and thither the cloud goddess in the air makes her thunder and causes and rain falls to be manifested from her just so the passions of desire anger c which spring from the soul the life or spirit springing from the soul to commit every sort of destructive act xii m v the gods do not like cattle herds guard men by carrying a club but they with understanding him whom they wish to preserve m ii v the man for whom the gods are preparing defeat is deprived by them of understanding he sees everything when his understanding has become and destruction approaches folly taking the of prudence does not depart from hia heart and things with the appearance of advantages and advantages under the guise of things rise up for his destruction and this delusion pleases him time destiny does not lift up a staff and strike off anyone s head the power of time is this that it shows things in a shape with compare the latin mill god of reason whom he wishes to destroy the same thought ia stated in the following greek lines quoted by in his on the to the xi t i i lit h ri x i w sit i for when the wrath of the a man it first bis mind of ite good understanding and turns him to a worse way of thinking that he may know nothing of the things in which he the two following passages are quoted by dr a in a note on the of v f six iv lu i i acted foolishly and deprived me of reason and from an writer d i i t it but when the god brings evil upon a man he first his understanding compare to the xi and and the lord said unto moses and i will s heart and my signs and wonders in the land of egypt but shall not you that i may lay mine hand npon egypt e see also samuel ii notwithstanding they s not the voice of their father because the lord would them see also ff la a it at s rt tp n im ei j ay di her again the wise addressed dear nurse the gods have made thee mad they who are able to render foolish even one who is very wise and have made reasonable one who was silly they have deprived thee of reason bnt formerly thou sound in mind xiii m v that gain which brings loss is not to be highly esteemed but the loss which brings gain is to be greatly valued even though it be a loss the loss which brings gain is no loss but that acquisition which occasions great destruction is to be esteemed a loss compare the fragment of s page ed x a d a od so let no one too much when evil is allotted to him by the gods for i this becomes an occasion of good republic x ov v log on on f au iv d rod r rf os rs rt h f r g o rt t or rd at f ft i i at the law would say tliat to be patient under suffering is l est and that we should not give way to impatience as there is no knowing whether such things are good or evil and nothing is gained by impatience also because no human thing is of serious importance and grief stands in the way of that which at the moment is most required vol ii p i quote here a passage from the of the same author section n hai n j ei t ii i ti m u ri ii it tu fat beloved pan and all ye other gods who this place give me beauty in the inward and may the outward and inward man be at one may i reckon the wise to be the wealthy and may i have such a quantity of gold as none but temperate man can carry vol i p in the of the following sentiment occurs ff which i for its excellence though there is nothing corresponding to it in the passage rd i rd s iy ri i v i if k t f p s r for possess no goods of their own but we hold as things which belong to the gods and when they require them they take them away again xiv m iii wealth brings loss to some men and the man devoted to the good derived from wealth does not find good things take the appearance of advantages and advantages of things for in the case of some men the loss of wealth is a benefit the first part of this appears also in m it compare the hymn of to w fi ei a i ri ti ta lit it f ha tt ii tut r x but thou also to make even the things that are and to order what is disordered and the things that are not dear are dear to thee for so hast thou combined all good things into one with the bad that there is but one reason or account to be given of all things ever exist xv m v considering loss as gain and gain as loss a foolish man whose senses | 28 |
are not subdued regards as happiness what is his great misery xvi m vii when men are ripe for slaughter even turn into xvii m xiii a man whose time of death has not yet come does not die though pierced by hundreds of arrows while he whose time has arrived if touched only with the point of a straw does not live ii f the life of a man whether he is keeping out of the way or fighting so long as providence has ordained before not so long as he desires in his mind some die in their houses others when others when eating food and drinking water others in the midst of health and enjoyment and wounded by no weapons are overcome by the king of the dead others devoted to are carried oft by his servants others bent upon contemplation have not attained from death compare fragment ed rt y u ot js ou tt a for neither does any one die although he has received many wounds in his breast unless the end of his life nor does any one sitting in his house by the hearth on that account any more escape his allotted fate xviii i or he by whom are made white and green and will provide thy compare vi ff xix x what fear is there for my life if the all is otherwise how here and elsewhere alternative figures are given are referred to s he provided for the life of the infant the milk of mother i so reflecting continually lord of the and husband of i ever spend my time in doing homage to thy feet a i or let no one labour for his for this is furnished by the creator when the child has left the its mother s breasts flow with milk the same idea occurs elsewhere dr shall he who while i was in the prepared milk for my support be asleep or dead in providing for my future support let a wise man think on hia duty not on his for the of men is bom with their birth xx m iii ff neither this world nor the nor happiness is the portion of the old men possessed of knowledge have that faith is the sign of final fruitless resort to the and the but it is allowed that the does not everything m xii compare viii fi iii hy lot na hi the declares what ia duty so say some not so say others and we do not find fault with that for is not prescribed in it m xii s i was a would be learned man a a of the indian considered inspired fond of logic the useless science of reasoning an of reasoned a of arguments in a and of in an an universal a fool who myself on being a learned man the which i have earned by this career is that i have been born as a but perhaps it may yet happen that hundreds of days and nights hence i shall be bom again as a man and i then contented and alert devoted to the practice of sacrifice of liberality and of self restraint i shall seek to know only what is to be known and avoid all that is to be avoided it will be seen from the preceding verses that the of indian are no less than those of some other the words are part of an address of the god who had taken the form of a to the sage k in which various topics not all very closely connected with each other are touched upon and which with the giving the account of himself which i quote at the end of the address the sage is struck with the wisdom of the speaker and by supernatural that it is who has been talking to him and if the story is part of a speech of it might seem that in with the recognised doctrine of the god had first been a man and then in consequence of his had been as a as a punishment this however may not be so and in any case the introduction of makes no difference as to the lesson sought to be conveyed which is meant as a warning to men xxii m xiii ff xii the opinion that the possess no authority the of the and an universal these things are the destruction of a man s self the who fancies himself a learned man and who the who is devoted to the science of reasoning useless logic who speeches among good men who is a victorious who continually and who is an universal and such a man however sharp in his speech is to be regarded as a child he is looked n as a dog just as a dog to bark and to kill so such a man aims at talking and at destroying all the whatever conclusion might have been drawn from such passages as the preceding it is a fact that the of old were by no means to but on the contrary seem to have made a practice of indulging in them on important when they met in large this is shown by two s from the r m i edition and the xiv where it is said in similar that during the horse sacrifices celebrated in the one case by and in the other by wise and eloquent eager for victory engaged in about the of things it was only when the authority of the was called in question or anything decidedly or adverse to their own high caste pretensions though in this last respect the itself is often was asserted that the took the alarm and sought to silence argument these words form part of the speech of a or who is represented as addressing and other gods on their return | 28 |
founded on truth nothing is higher than it gifts sacrifices self inflicted pains and the are on truth wherefore a man should be devoted to truth a man singly the world singly he his family singly he is plunged into hell and singly he is in heaven why then should i not be true to my promise and faithfully observe the truthful given by my father neither through nor delusion nor ignorance will i overpowered by darkness break through the barrier of truth but remain true to my promise to my father how shall i having promised to him that i would thus reside in the forest his and do what after had added more i do not utter words nor am i an nor does nothing exist regarding the fit time i have again become a and at a suitable time i shall again become an and this time has now gradually arrived just as sentiments were uttered by me on thine account to stop thine intention i have said this to thee xxv vl ed and t ff useless virtue cannot my noble brother deliver thee from though thou in a path aud thy senses virtue is not visible aa are created things whether stationary or moving hence my opinion is that it has no existence did really exist would to hell and thou who art righteous not suffer calamity but since he suffers no evil whilst thou art afflicted by calamity it results that and conflict t e according to the are in their fruits opposed to what is revealed regarding them corresponding verse in s edition is clearer since he suffers no evil whilst thou art involved in calamity by i understand and by inasmuch as those men who are settled in increase in prosperity whilst the virtuous are virtue and vice have no effect or as s edition has it virtue is useless s edition if men pure in their acts are smitten by then is smitten by and being smitten what can it arise thou man tiger long armed resolute in purpose why dost thou not recognise as high xxvi m reasoning has no proper basis are at with each other there is no one sage whose doctrine is the essence of virtue is enveloped in mystery the proper path is that which the many follow m before thou art carried away dead to the by the royal command of by dreadful messengers strive after before the lord i whom none can oppose away thy life with its roots and before the wind which him blows before thou art carried away practise preparation for death before this destroying wind blows upon thee before the four quarters of the sky whirl round when great fears come upon thee and before thy hearing is aa thou away confounded practise the most perfect contemplation before thou with anguish thy former good and bad deeds full of folly appropriate the only treasure before decay wears away thy body and carries oflf thy strength thy limbs and thy beauty appropriate the only treasure before death conveyed by his disease violently thy body and ends thy life practise great before the fearful wolves which dwell in men s bodies rush on thee from every side strive after before all alone thou the darkness make haste before thou the golden trees on the mountain summit before evil associates and foes that look like friends thy views seek what is highest that wealth which has nothing to fear from kings or thieves and which does not desert thee in death see also v there there is no division of goods according to each person s deeds his own individual property give that by which men live in the next world that wealth which is do not delay until the of the multitude is cooked while it is yet make haste before thou neither mother nor children nor nor dear familiar friends follow a man in his straits he alone the deeds alone good or bad which he has formerly done are his fellow travellers when he goes to the next the of gold and gems which he has made by good or evil means do not help him when his body is dissolved when thou thither there is no witness of the deeds which thou hast or hast not done equal to thine own self on the road where there are many enemies and where there are dreadful insects guard thine own works a man s works accompany the as the bands of celestial n obtain as a reward enjoyment along with the great so do men gain the fruits of their works moving about at will on celestial cars on the bridges of the duties of they attain the highest condition and reside in the same world as as as thy twenty fourth year has passed thou art certainly twenty five years old for thy life is passing away with verse above compare what says vi eat qui at what a rate ought virtue to be esteemed which can neither be taken away nor stolen nor can we lose it by or fire nor is it to be changed by the change of seasons or of time t those possess it alone are rich s beautiful thoughts from latin authors p partly quoted also in s p and s p viii and iv ff these verses have been already translated in my i and are thus rendered by sir w jones viii the only firm friend who follows men even after death is justice all others are extinct with the body iv ff for in his passage to the next world neither his father nor his mother nor his wife nor his nor his will remain in his company his virtue alone will to him single is each man bom single he dies single he receives the reward of his good and single the punishment of bis | 28 |
evil deeds when he leaves t his like a log or a lump of clay on the ground his kindred retire with averted faces bat his virtue his soul continually therefore by degrees let him collect virtue for the sake of securing an inseparable companion since with virtue for his guide he will a gloom how hard to be traversed the same idea is repeated in the th book of the w ff and is briefly alluded to in the m l see also i v ff my attention has been drawn by professor e b to two passages the one in and the other in je t be rendered hit as retire ac the first of which if the text be genuine appears to convey the same idea as in it is in the iu v v x v f x y a for piety dies with men and whether they live or die it does not perish the first only of these lines is retained as it stands in the text by has put both along with a preceding line within as considers these two lines as as he thinks that a negative is required in the first of them to make it in sense with the second and in support of this view he the passage about to be from if the words of the first line as they stand are genuine they seem to give the same sense as that piety men in death in professor s translation the two lines with the one preceding them are rendered as follows for our great father piety far above all this follows men in death and not when they resign their breath the passage of is in s edition fragment no of the di fi o t i hi ay but virtue does not perish even if a man dies but lives though the body no longer exists but to the bad all things disappear dying with them beneath the earth m xii says to his son follow my son holding thy senses always under control sharp cold and heat hunger and thirst and wind maintain according to rule truth patience an temper self restraint and from destroying life and from cruelty seeing that thy spirit like a bird in a body which mere foam why thou my son in this dear abode which is so when thy foes are awake s and alert and continually and seeking some point in thee art thou not watchful thou foolish youth since thy d are being numbered and thine e is wearing away and thy life is being written down dost thou not rise and fleet s men cling to this world s bonds of flesh and blood and are asleep as regards the concerns of the next world and very that man suffers distress who those who hate who are and pursue a wrong road attend upon and of those great and powerful men who delight to follow the and who have entered on the path of pondering the opinion of the wise who have an into control with thy best intelligence thy disposition to go astray foolish men who are fearless because they regard to day only and think to morrow is far off eating do not perceive the opportunity of performing good works standing upon the ladder of mount up by d thou dost not perceive that thou art like a silk worm confidently cast aside like a reed rooted out the who breaks down all and who is as the of his race cross over the evils of existence which are hard to over desire anger death the river whose waters are the five senses having constructed the boat of patience compare v the world being smitten by death and distressed by decay and the nights ever succeeding cross over on the bark of since death after the man who is standing and him who is lying being suddenly destroyed by it from what can he obtain death carries him off as a wolf a sheep when he is gathering and is with the objects of his desire hold firmly fast the lamp of the knowledge of whose see v where the image is more stated dost thou not perceive that art through in many threads coming ont of like a farewell to for i the is by what it throws itself see also g vi i flames have been gradually gathered for thou must enter into the darkness family children and wife body and wealth all these things are strange to us what is our own our good and bad deeds since thou must abandon all and depart without power of resistance why art thou attached to that which is and dost not seek thine own proper how shalt thou travel alone that road through the wilderness of gloom where thou shalt find no repose no support no provisions and no guide no one shall walk behind thee when thou hast set out thy good and thy evil deeds shall follow thee as thou xxx m xi by anger fear a man does not understand himself he himself upon his high birth those who are not well bom and overcome by the pride of wealth he the poor he calls others fools and does not look to himself he the faults of others but does not govern himself when the wise and the foolish the rich and the poor the noble and the the proud and the humble have departed to the and all sleep there their troubles at an end and their bodies are stripped of flesh little else than bones united by other men then perceive no difference between them anything whereby they could recognise a distinction of birth or of form seeing that all sleep deposited together in the earth why do men now foolishly seek to treat each other | 28 |
he who after hearing this acts in from his birth shall attain the highest m xii either king a man must needs leave his wealth or his wealth must leave a man what wise man would lament this m xii fi the son asks what should a wise man who knows the proper course the second of these two passages is nearly but not entirely a repetition of the of action do for the life of men quickly away tell me father correctly and in order how i practise duty the father after reading the v d my son aa a student then seek for sons to the fathers then the fires and offer the proper and at last entering the seek to become a son when the world is so smitten and on every side distressed and when the un ones ever thou speak like a wise man t father how is the world smitten and on every side distressed who are the ones why dost thou seem to alarm me i son the world is smitten by death and distressed by decay uie days and how dost thou not comprehend the nights constantly come and go when i know that death never stays how should i wait as if enveloped by ignorance when as every night passes life becomes shorter then the intelligent man will comprehend that the day is vain how then can any one find happiness when he is like a fish in shallow water death a man when he has not obtained the objects of his desire and when his mind is turned in another direction like one gathering flowers some of these were rendered u follow in moral and be tc death and make a man hit prey a whom powers ue like one on gathering intent are tamed another way begin to good fate thee amid of and to morrow s task to day for death will never to notice whether thou hast done or not the work begun bnt to bear thy life away as wolves and their prey and none can tell how things may chance and who may all day while yet a therefore strive on virtue s path advance death carries a man off as a wolf takes a sheep do to day what is good let not this time pass away from thee death tears away a man before he has done the things which he to do do to day the work of tomorrow and in the the work of the afternoon for death does not wait to see whether a man s work is done or not done who knows whose time of death will come to day t let a man be virtuous even while yet a youth for life is if duty be performed a good name will be obtained here and after death happiness for being filled with delusion a man himself both by proper and improper acts for the benefit of his children and his wife and for them maintenance the man who possesses children and cattle and whose mind is devoted to them is carried off by death as a sleeping deer by a tiger death bears off the man who by himself is wealth and is not with as a tiger carries off another animal death makes himself master of the man who is striving and has effected this and not yet effected that and has another third thing partly done and partly undone death carries off the man who has not obtained the fruit of his labours and who is bent on other objects and while he is engaged with the field the shop or the house death takes away the weak and the strong the hero and the the fool and the wise man who have not obtained the objects of their desires when death decay disease and from many causes are inseparable from the body why dost thou live as if thou well death and decay follow a man from his birth to his end things both motionless and moving are subject to these two things the of a man dwelling in the village are death s delight or death s home according to the reading of v whilst according to the scripture the forest is the abode of the gods the virtuous the rope of the of the man who dwells in the village and depart whilst the vicious do not it no one can by force arrest the approaching army of death truth only not falsehood and the hke can do this for immortality is founded on truth immortality and death both lodge in the body death results from delusion is attained by i being truth seeking and anger regarding pain and pleasure as equal and peaceful shall escape death as if i were immortal i a sage tranquil loving composure as my sacrifice study or contemplation of as my sacrifice and taking word thought and deed as my sacrifice shall follow the sun s northward course how can an intelligent man such as i am offer destructive animal sacrifices which are as it were temporary in their effects or a warrior s sacrifices like a i being in myself and by myself and resting on myself though without i shall exist in myself or be my own sacrifice according to the reading in verse offspring does not deliver me what thou o who shalt die to do with riches or relatives or wife search out thy self which has entered into the hearts whither have thy forefathers and father gone m xvi vi ff two of beings exist in this world the divine and the devilish the former has been described at i have left out the of the virtues ascribed to this class in w hear the account of the other from me these devilish men are equally ignorant of action | 28 |
and from action they are distinguished neither by nor by right conduct nor by truth yielding to desire full of and conceit in their and governed by delusion they snatch at gains entertaining boundless extending to the end of all things enjoyment the main thing and the only thing bound in a hundred chains of hope the slaves of and anger for gratifying their passions they strive to wealth by unjust means this has been gained by me to day that object of desire i shall obtain t i have this connected with v b to in the writer opinion to re to of self the the of that the speaker had all by hia own power b destiny and other can to welfare property and that further wealth i shall acquire that enemy has been slain by me and i shall the others also i am lord i enjoy pleasure i am complete powerful happy i am of noble birth who else is like me f i will sacrifice and bestow i will rejoice thus speaking by ignorance carried away by many enveloped in the net of illusion and abandoned to they fall into an hell this passage is one of those by dr see the introduction to this volume as exhibiting the influence of the new testament see verses ff the parallel of one part with these verses is striking but the passage of the has various traits which are not found in the gospel compare job xx and ff iv the following is sir w jones s rendering of this passage even here below an unjust man no felicity nor he whose wealth proceeds from giving false evidence or from falsehood or wrong generally j m nor he who constantly takes delight in mischief though oppressed by in consequence of his righteous dealings let him never give his mind to for he may observe the speedy overthrow of and sinful men m i f committed in this world produces not fruit immediately but like the earth in due season and advancing by little and little it the man who committed it yes once committed fails not of producing fruit to him who wrought it if not in his own person yet in his son s or if not in his son s yet in his s he grows rich for a while through j then he good things then it is that he his foes but he at length from his whole root upwards in the version i have altered the order of verses and compare m iii ff m xii see the preceding verses which introduce this about the sufferings of the good and compare v says the earth now the good a i and the bad and the sun both so too the blows on the good and the bad and the waters them replies so is it in this world but not so in the next after death there be a wide distinction between him who virtue and him who vice in the world of the righteous there ia a centre of immortality sweet with a bright glow and golden splendour there alter death the man of restrained passions dwells in there is neither death nor decay nor the abode of the wicked is a dismal hell with continual suffering and great there for many years the sinner his falling downwards into a abyss m eh xiv the gate of heaven which is very small is not seen by men owing to their delusion the bolt of the door of heaven is created by i i has its root in guarded by passion and difficult to draw aside but men who have conquered anger and subdued their senses and liberal according to their power behold it a man who could bestow a thousand and gives a hundred he who could give a hundred and gives ten and he who gives water according to his power all these receive an equal reward for poor king bestowed water with a pure mind and thence ascended to heaven is not so much pleased with presents large advantages as with small gifts given out of wealth justly obtained and by faith king gave thousands of lai of cows to but because he gave away one belonging to another person he went to hell by giving his own flesh the devoted king has obtained the earned by virtue and in the sky a reward equal to thine is not gained by offering many sacrifices with lai e gifts or many a by the measure of meal thou hast conquered the eternal world of with verses and compare x in the br it ia said these are the five doors of heaven guards the first faith the second truth tiie third mind the fourth and good conduct the fifth doors of heaven are mentioned in m l the following parallel passages are referred to in on the gospel of vii f cap op ig i ij u o d k ov i at a hi thai f g b fi r vii mt tv ij f ij fl dost thou see said the old man yonder a certain place where no one dwells but it appears to be deserted i see it said the stranger do you then see continued the old man a certain little door and a road in front of the door which is not much frequented but very few pass along it as it seems to be in fact no road at all but rough and rocky v i do certainly replied the other and does there not appear to be a certain high hill and a very narrow ascent with deep on either side i see it all this then is the way which leads to true education and said the stranger it looks very difficult p b i i ri y the way to what | 28 |
is bad slopes downward and it is very easy to p has explained a famous passage in the c about the two roads leading the one to the garden of the other to iv the streams of rivers the flowers of trees the phases of the moon disappear but return again not so the youth of embodied beings compare ff f di e ou i ar a i a n s x r but if the gods had intelligence and wisdom according to man i according to the standards of human wisdom they the would bring them a second youth as a visible stamp of to those who possess it and ao when dead they would be again restored to die light of the and would have run a double course while would have a single term of life and by that it would be possible to know both the bad and the good ac and in the of ff says r hi tj tu l me ii u it ri til me i t i i i ij ti i ji ou ru i at alas i why is it not granted to men to be twice young and again old but if there be anything in the laws which is not as it should be we it by our subsequent but we cannot do this in regard to our life while if we were both young and old twice and any one made a mistake we could it if we had a double life again the night arrives again the moon rises again the sun as time passes away life too goes yet who regards his own welfare t the word for welfare in the original is and the epithet final given in the version is absent m iii day after proceed hence to the abode of the of the dead and yet those who remain long for a state of here what is more wonderful than this xl who now are destitute of sight i those who do not perceive the future world say say who are the those who do not listen to good advice who is blind he who is bent on doing what he should not who is deaf he who does not listen to what is who is dumb he who does not know how to say kind things at the proper time when thou hast heard that in an adjoining house some trifling article of property has been stolen thou thine own house it is right to do so dost thou not fear death which every day carries off men from every house be men xi compare m iii xiii in proportion as a man who has committed a sin shall truly and voluntarily confess it so far he is disengaged from that offence like a snake from his and in proportion as his heart sincerely his evil deed so far shall his vital spirit be freed from the taint of it k he commit sin and actually repent that sin shall be removed from him but if he merely say i will sin thus no more he can only be released by an actual from guilt sir w jones s translation m v since life is uncertain let not a man do at first an act by which when on his bed he would be distressed see also xii men in distress bow down before the gods the sick practise the poor man is humble an old woman is devoted to her husband a man who is powerless will be virtuous a poor man continent a sick man devout an old woman devoted to her husband va men desire the fruits of virtue virtue itself they do not desire they do not desire the fruits of sin but practise sin laboriously compare sat x eat si so much more do men thirst after reputation than after virtue for who embraces virtue itself if you take away its rewards also i the good om love of virtue hate to sin m v sin committed again and again the understanding and a man who hast lost his understanding constantly sin only virtue or again and again the understanding and he whose understanding is does continually only what is good or holy ia xiv if those sentiments which men when duty is to them or in a or when they are sick were abiding who would not be delivered from bondage t u or the man seeking for final obtain it by a part of the sufferings which the foolish man in the pursuit of riches m v let a man so act by day that he may live happily at night let him for eight months so act that he may live happily during the rainy season in early life let him so act that he may enjoy happiness in his old age all bis life let him so act that he may enjoy happiness in the next world l s let a man every day examine his conduct thus what is common to me with the brutes and what with noble men i u a p constantly rising up a man should reflect and ask himself what good thing have i done to day the setting sun will carry with it a portion of my life ui ii as a stone is rolled up a hill by great exertions but is easily thrown down so it is with ourselves in respect of acts and faults opera et dies t y n d i d i a ip office y vi to d i r men may easily choose wickedness even in abundance for the road is smooth and is near at hand but the immortal gods have placed sweat in front of virtue and the road to it is long and steep and rough at first but when the summit is reached it then | 28 |
becomes easy though difficult takes a different view he says de non ut est in et est piano est ad dis the road to the virtues is not as has appeared to some difficult and rough they are reached by a level path the road to a happy life is easy provided only you enter upon it under good and with the gods themselves for your s p other writers agree with see the same work p and s p a jar is gradually filled by the falling of water drops the same rule holds good in regard to all to virtue and to wealth m v how can the man who loves ease obtain knowledge the of knowledge can have no ease either let the lover of ease give up knowledge or the lover of knowledge ease ch that jewel knowledge which ia not by nor carried off thieves which does not ij giving is great riches in two other similar kings are mentioned among those who carry off a man s wealth xv books are endless the are many time is very short and there are many obstacles a man should therefore seek for that which is the essence as s swan seeks to extract the milk which is mixed with water ma there are many books the c life is veiy short and there are millions of obstacles let a man therefore seek to discover the essence as the swan finds the in water a il ft all end in high end in falls in and life in death as fruits when ripe have only to fear falling so men when bom have only to fear death as a resting on firm pillars when they become worn out sinks ao men sink subdued by decay and death the night which passes never returns the flows to the ocean which is a full of waters the days and nights of all creatures move on and wear away lives as the sun s rays dry up water in the summer death walks with men death sits with them and having travelled a long journey death returns with them men delight when the sun rises they delight when it sets but they do not perceive the consumption of their own lives men rejoice when they behold the beginning of each new season as it arrives and with the revolution of the seasons the life of creatures is as two logs of wood meet on the great ocean and after a time part again so wives sons relatives and riches having come into contact with men hasten away again separation from them is certain as any one standing on the road says to a company of people moving onward i too will follow behind you so the road which has been traversed by fathers and ancestors preceding us is tain to be trodden by us also and having entered on it why should any one lament since it cannot be avoided u ff ff and become sick and strong men weak such are the strange of time high birth heroism health beauty good fortune and enjoyment through destiny the poor who do not desire them have many sons while the rich have none such is the wonderful action of fate creatures have to suffer from pain fire water weapons hunger poison fever death and falls from elevated positions a rich man is noticed to die while he is quite young while a poor man lives for a hundred years distressed and worn out poor men are seen who are long lived while those who are bom in a wealthy family perish like v for the most part the rich have no power of enjoyment f and those who have food to eat are unable to eat it owing to disease in the whilst poor men s sticks even are eaten hunting women drinking are blamed by the wise but even very learned men are to them cold heat and rain come in turn through the lapse of time so too neither nor sacred nor nor deliver some of these were rendered in and moral sentiments p some men poor survive to life s stage while some by fortune richly are seized by death in early age and few of those with splendour enjoy the bliss they hoped to taste for a wealthy man is observed to perish while he is young and a poor distressed man to attain to a hundred years and to and for the most part prosperous men lack the power to enjoy compare job xxi ff the following lines from ij pa i never envied the very wealthy man who nothing of all that he possesses the man who is assailed by death and decay xii and bam ii as two logs of wood meet upon the ocean and i in separate such also is the manner in which living creatures meet time is equally the agent in the lot of men who have wives and enjoy singing and and of who eat the bread of strangers thousands of fathers and mothers and hundreds of sons and wives are perceived to exist in the world to whom do they to whom do we belong no one belongs to this man nor does this man belong to any one this meeting with wives relations friends has occurred on the way where am i whither shall i got who am ii and why standing why should i mourn anything so let a man resolve in this world with its dear revolving like a wheel we have met upon our road brothers mothers fathers friends many medical men the readers of medical books alone are seen to be overcome with along with their drinking and various preparations of butter they cannot death as the ocean cannot its shores and men who are acquainted with and who have applied them | 28 |
are seen to be broken down by like trees crushed by powerful so too devoted to sacred study liberal sacrifice cannot escape decay and death neither the days nor the months nor the years nor the half months nor the nights of bom creatures return transient dependent man under the influence of time travels over the long and everlasting road traversed by all creatures either a living man s body passes away fi om him or his life passes from his body he has met his wife and other connections by the way here there is no perpetual association with any one not even with one s own body how much less with any one else where now king is thy father where are thy ancestors thou them not now nor do they behold thee repeated in xii m m whatever act good or bad a man of it he necessarily receives the when an unwise man falls into an condition he greatly the gods xii and does not recognise the faults of his own action a fool a bad and an man invariably of fortune neither wisdom nor prudence nor energy a man he would gain at will whatever object of desire he sought if the rewards of energy in action were not dependent on something else self restrained able and intelligent men are seen to receive no rewards for their works while some other being who is constantly employed in others and in deceiving the world lives always happily the goddess of prosperity ri upon some who sit whilst others who act do not attain the object of their desires to poor men who sacrifice to the gods who practise desiring to have offspring sons who are a disgrace to their family are bom after being carried for ten months in the others are bom with wealth with stores of grain with many sources of enjoyment collected by their fathers for there is no doubt that men s diseases spring from their works done in a previous existence and they are harassed by diseases as the smaller wild animals are by and these diseases t are not stopped by skilful with all their of as wild animals are by and those who have food which they might enjoy are distressed by a disorder of the and are from enjoying it many other men who are strong of arm live in distress and with difficulty obtain food men would not die nor decay but would enjoy all they desired and experience nothing unpleasant if they were their own masters every one seeks to rise higher and higher in the world and according to his power but things do not turn out so as he had desired according to the the life soul is eternal but the body of all creatures is when the body is destroyed the soul elsewhere being by the bonds of works this is rather opposed to the general tenor of the passage t see the passages quoted under no and xii ff u bat ii s id one place is heard the sound of the in another and weeping in one place is found an assemblage of learned men in another is heard the of in one place is seen an woman in another a dame whose body ia worn out by decay i know not whether the essence of this world is or poison m h xii di f friends do not suffice for happiness nor foes for suffering intelligence not suffice to bring wealth nor wealth to bring enjoyment if a v s ff intelligence does not always lead to the of wealth nor stupidity to poverty the wise man and no other knows the course of events in the world m v eat more excellent food than the rich for hunger gives it sweetness and this is very rarely to be found among the rich u iv compare xii ff and s ii ff the passage a small part of which i have may be found in professor h h s translation of this vol iv of dr hall s edition ff i my own version of the lines which i have in verse these and other kings who blinded by delusion and possessed of bodies claimed this earth as their own saying distressed by anxiety how shall this female become mine and my s and my descendants property these have all come to their end so too others who preceded and those who followed them and those who are to come and others who again are to succeed shall all depart beholding princes eager to march and strive for the of herself the earth smiling with professor the which have o as follows kings unable to effect the of dr would with the con flowers in autumn appears to laugh the earth once said how does this delusion exist in kings even in the intelligent through which although in their nature as transient as foam they are filled with confidence we shall thus at length they say conquer the earth with her but while their thoughts are thus fixed they do not perceive death which is close at hand on my account wars arise between fathers sons and brothers whose hearts through exceeding delusion are seized by selfish ambition how is it that ambition directed towards me finds a place in the heart of the who has seen his whose soul was possessed by the same desire following the road to death and leaving me behind who traversed all the regions whose chariot wheels tore to pieces his enemies he smitten by the blast of time has perished like the down of the tree when thrown into the fire who invaded and possessed all the of the earth the chariot wheels of his foes and who is celebrated in narrative tales is now merely a subject for and denial out upon the royal | 28 |
to be content with what one has is the greatest and riches x this soul is without desires but possesses all objects of desire for it has no desire for anything on this subject there is thb verse by knowledge mortals thither where all desires have passed away gifts penance cannot there convey the man who this holy lore that is the man who does not possess this knowledge does not attain to that world by or by those only who have that knowledge attain to it m xii men who possess knowledge do not die when they are separated from their bodies nor do they perish when they have carefully kept to the proper path for he who his is an instructed man whilst he who falls away from is m xii xii compare iii mounted on the palace of wisdom a man others for those who are not objects of as one who is standing on a hill those standing on the plain but the dull man does not perceive this the dialogue of which a portion is here rendered occurs with some variations in two places of the il ff and iv ff according to dr s the sentence is found only in the latter place had two wives and of these two was acquainted with while had only that understanding which is common among women y was bent upon another stage of life than that of a and said to i am about to leave this place and begin the life of a wandering come let me divide my property between thee and replied reverend lord if this entire earth filled with riches were mine should i thereby become immortal or not no said in that case thy life would be such as is that of the but there is no hope of thy gaining immortality by means of wealth rejoined what could i do that which would not make me immortal declare to me reverend sir on the existence of in india in early times see original v f whatever thou regarding the means of that end y said being already dear to me thou hast now by this speech increased my affection or done more than ever what is pleasing to me i shall therefore explain this which thou of me do thou seek to my explanation the of some length which follows may be found rendered in dr s translation of this in the ff in professor a history of ancient literature london and in the same author s lectures ff begins it is not from affection to the husband that the husband is dear to his wife but it is from her affection to the self or soul that he is dear to her it is not from affection for the wife that she is dear to her husband but from his affection for the soul that she is dear to him after saying the same of children of we th of the c the speaker proceeds it is not from affection for the of things that it is dear to any one but it is dear firom affection for the soul the soul is to be seen to be heard to be thought to be pondered when the soul is seen heard thought and known this entire universe is known this universe should reject the man who regards the universe as other than the soul the class the class these gods these all these creatures all this universe is nothing else than this soul t as a lump of salt is without an interior or an exterior but is all a mass of so this soul has no word is by the divine spirit or the divine sell t the half of paragraph as follows in the parallel sage in the earlier part of the aa a lamp of salt thrown into the will be into it mid no one will be able to take it out aa a lump but from whatever place you take water it will be salt bo great being ie infinite a of knowledge the illustration ia employed in the tl ft there to hi throw thia salt into water and come to me in the morning he did aa u said take out the salt which put into the water in the evening by touch he could not it u aid i since it ia the water at one end how interior or exterior but is one mass of arising out of these elements it enters into them again after death there is no consciousness of separate individuality replied thou hast brought me into a state of bewilderment by saying that after death there is no consciousness i do not know this soul he replied i do not speak what should cause bewilderment this soul is and by nature when a state of appears to exist then one sees another addresses another hears another but if the soul is the whole of this then whom what other can he see or address or hear and by whom by whom can he know him by whom he knows this universe he is not this or that the soul is for he is not seized for he is not dissolved free from attachment for he is not attached he is not subject to pain or injury how could he know the thus hast thou been instructed mai l such is immortality having thus spoken wandered forth the story leaves us in ignorance whether the sage was moved when he set out or whether he departed with the doctrine which was taught by her husband does not at first sight appear to be of the most comforting character see the estimate of the above no f and f but see the remarks of professor in the next page i give a note by professor in the p the expression na which i have | 28 |
embraces the good but he who chooses the pleasant the highest end the good and the pleasant present themselves to man the wise man considering them them and chooses the good in preference to the pleasant but the man prefers the pleasant as consisting in present enjoyment but thou pondering them hast abandoned which are pleasant and lovely not following the road of wealth on which many men fall far apart and are these two things ignorance and what is known as knowledge i regard thee as desiring knowledge many pleasures did not thee fools living enveloped in ignorance wise in their own conceit regarding themselves as instructed go about like blind men led by a blind man the means of future felicity are not apparent to the and careless man by dr vol xv p renders this if we should obtain wealth and behold thee we would only live as long as thou shalt say in s im der page the words are rendered shall we strive after riches when we have beheld thee we shall live so long as thou so du t there is another reading in place of the word so rendered but it is not necessary to refer farther to it that this world and no other exists he again and i ain subjected to my sway is he who declares is he who is he who instructed by a skilful teacher knows that the soul which many can never hear of which many who hear of it cannot comprehend this soul when declared by an inferior man is not easy to comprehend being regarded in various ways bnt when it is declared by one who no there is no doubt as to it it is more minute than an and reasoning tliis recognition is not to be gained by reasoning it can be well known when declared by another the wise man by spiritual contemplation the divine soul invisible and enveloped in mystery seated in the heart dwelling in the joy and grief the soul is not bom and does not die if it did not spring from aught nor was any one produced from it it is perpetual eternal and it is not slain when the body is slain if the thinks that he or the smitten thinks himself slain both of them are ignorant the one does not nor is the other slain the soul which is than the and greater than the greatest dwells in the heart of this living being the man who is free from desire and from grief this greatness of the soul by of the creator it travels afar sleep the aim ti are by different l dr bat when it is by a teacher who no difference there is no doubt it mr in the co ins about it when it ii explained by one that but it m pour k de la da p on ne j si n est par un ne point de pour qui i p later von so der can the real reading be and the when it ia not bj one who no there ia no to it i t dr following the the word by the of hia muse and mr the ing it moves everywhere who but i the wise man should know this god who and does not rejoice t the soul as in bodies as in changing things as vast and all the wise man does not mourn this soul is not by teaching nor by the understanding nor by much learning it is by him whom it chooses that man s body the soul chooses as its own the man who has not c from evil deeds who is not tranquil meditative and calm in spirit cannot attain that soul by knowledge m eh by the victorious power of the the lie prostrate on the ocean by the favour the gods dwell in heaven the could not be created the mountain cannot be shaken the cannot be by an the cannot be conquered on earth the earth cannot be governed in opposition to the for they are the gods of the gods honour them always with gifts and service if thou to possess this earth which is by the ocean xiii g the might of the could destroy even clearness of his die des the on see p above renders by the favour of the creator this verse occurs also in the dr who in his translation of that passage in his text renders the words according to the s interpretation states in a note p that it appears to him at with the strict sense of the words and he would prefer the following rendering it the supreme soul can be obtained by him the individual soul whom it chooses it the supreme soul chooses as its own the body of him of the individual soul the same words have been rendered as follows by professor lit p that divine self the poet says is not to be grasped by tradition nor by understanding nor by all revelation by him whom he himself chooses by him alone is he to be grasped that self chooses his body as his own mr this spiritual reality is not by learning by memory by much spiritual study but if he choose this reality it may be reached by him to him the soul its own essence and p renders thus von ist er fur er that one chooses for himself by him is he for this man he chooses a body of his own s the gods they are to be honoured and and men ought to act the part of sons towards them for these wise men support all these worlds the are the of in all worlds they delight in parting with riches and control their speech they are amiable the of creatures are ever their riches and their word is great power they | 28 |
are skilled in duty and have of perception they ever bear the heavy load handed down from fathers and ancestors and like stout oxen never sink the load though the road be they are a lamp to all the people the eye of those who have eyes rich in instruction and in knowledge skilful perceiving the way of understanding the course of all men of the path to the highest spiritual goal wood and mud food or no food are the same to them their clothing may be silk or of linen cloth or they can make what is not divine divine or what is divine not divine if they could create other worlds and other rulers of worlds the curse of these mighty ones rendered the ocean and the fire kindled by their anger in the forest is not even now extinguished they are the gods of the gods the cause of the cause the authority of authority what wise man can overcome them they all whether young or old deserve respect but by eminence in learning and they honour or confer honour on each other an ignorant is a god honourable and a great source of purity a learned is still more a god like a full ocean just in a is not soiled it shines duly in the sacrifice with butter and in the house i the proper mom u d to the words br and it i by the use of the word in xiii the rendering in lines s of p would to be wrong u the of the b the power of the to be the idea t the in and be intended the exact idea ia not in tbe rendering line ff of p too a though he in all sorts of occupations is in all cases to be respected m ff the following is a literal rendering of this passage though the sense is not always clear even violent men regard them with dread since they have great qualities some are like wells covered over with grass whilst others resemble the clear sky some are violent in action some others are mild as cotton some of them are exceedingly others are austere in their lives some practise or tend cattle others pursue begging others are thieves others are others are actors and dancers other dare all kinds of acts and in other regions are possessed of various forms let a man always the knowledge of possessed by these good men who are attached to and live by many and various occupations instead of understanding these verses as descriptive of the variety of occupations and characters among contemporary the explains as follows the various which they contain as referring to the early who figure in the legends even the violent those who do things which they ought not to do are afraid of them how much more then men of covered over or concealed i e some like others like va violent in action he to as and others mild and others who fearing lest they should inflict injury on creatures even by walking on foot placed eyes in their feet and so got the name of t i eye footed exceedingly and others who in order to showed themselves very greedy of flesh and others tending cattle and others on their teacher s account begging and others thieves vi and others fond of n and others whose story is told in the book v section and t a name of is actors and dancers ta and others upon or daring all even equal to the drying up of the ocean and such like acts various occupations even forbidden acts in order to conceal their own forms or for the protection of the hut in reality knowing their duty the praise of such men should always be celebrated this view of the sense of these verses however cannot be correct and must be dictated by a desire to save the honour and veil the faults of the a own class in fact such an interpretation is quite inconsistent with other passages in this same book of the see verses ff and ff of book and in iii ff see sir w jones s translation in these the in the xiii and as those who are ornaments to their class and those who disgrace it and or who in the one case are t and in the other to be invited to and in honour of deceased ancestors are described a variety of physical and occupations and against morality are which render many unfit to be so entertained among those persons are mentioned thieves dancers of of the of dogs c some of the are merely of caste rules such as sacrificing for teaching or being taught by teaching or being taught for hire and or and the opinions above from and the in regard to all who came forward as singers dancers and may however perhaps be extended to all is ths d of literature o members of the class who appeared in any capacity as professional for the public amusement i a translation of some other verses in the same book of the xiii ff i esteem their power greater like that of a king who and they are dangerous to approach fiery fierce impetuous or quick in action some of them have the nature of lions others of others of or deer or fishes the touch of some is like that of of others like that of sea monsters some kill by bitter words others by their glance some are like poisonous others are such are the various characters of on this the merely remarks thus greater c though possess the faults of being fiery c they deserve respect in the xii g it is upon a king that actors and dancers and should give lustre and pleasing amusement to his city in the | 28 |
preface to his select specimens from the theatre of the h h remarks in regard to these indian actors companies of actors in india must have been common at an early date and must have been for the often refer to the poets as their personal friends and a poet of tolerable merit in india under the ancient was the friend and associate of and kings the actors were never apparently with and and were never reduced to contemplate a of as a mark of distinction m xii is the speaker from knowledge springs final it is not without knowledge so they the wise declare wherefore a man should seek after true knowledge whereby he may deliver himself from birth and death constantly obtaining knowledge from a a or a lowly a man should always practise faith birth t and death do not affect him who has faith all are and sprung from and they all constantly utter the sacred word having an understanding of this sacred word i declare to thee the reality the scripture this entire universe is the sprang from s mouth the from his arms the from his the from his feet all the are to be understood as having no other origin from ignorance men adopt this or that source of action ni and as they proceed into non existence tea so the destitute of knowledge fall from dire ignorance into a net of natural wherefore knowledge is to be sought everywhere wherever existing as i have told thee the br or else stands on it has they declare eternal a xii there is no distinction of this entire world having been by originally created or in the image and of the essence of became separated into in consequence of the of men s works the characteristic qualities of the and are then described it will be observed that the verse which i have quoted goes further than the preceding passage xii ff by the common statement adopted there in verse that is an of the different having sprung from different parts of s body ii for pure acts a pure minded who his senses should be honoured as a such is the doctrine revealed by or in the scripture the in whom a virtuous nature and virtuous actions are found is to be esteemed more excellent than a br is my opinion is the speaker neither birth nor nor learning nor descent are the causes of good conduct alone it all this class of in the world is only constituted such by virtuous conduct and a who continues to conduct himself to a hood i consider that the nature or the nature derived from see quoted above in p is the same everywhere ie in it is found he in whom the pure devoid of qualities goodness passion darkness is a the passage in which these lines occur forms a long reply by to a question of his wife um who had how men of one caste are in another birth bom as members of another class higher or lower than the one they had previously belonged to begins by saying that was difficult to attain and that and were all such by nature and either retained or lost their former caste or were raised to a higher caste according to their works in the verses which i have last quoted however unless it be the second half of verse the idea is different it is that the real essence of is or depends upon conduct or on in the nature of and so may be common to men of all classes who possess that character m even a man of low caste and a woman of may attain to the highest state by following this path xiv the eternal is the highest state in whom a man after leaving his body to immortality and is ever blessed following this course even people of low birth women and arrive at the highest condition how much more then learned and devoted to their duties and seeking after the world of m xiii a man of high rank is not to be honoured if devoid of good qualities while even a is to be honoured if acquainted with duty and virtuous in conduct the reading of the word so rendered is alleged in and s vol v column s v f ni to be wrong the correct reading being regarded as m let no one destroy although he be destitute of manhood i e man s nature is altogether noble even in the state of a ch m the look vith an equal eye on a learned of good birth on a cow an elephant a dog an for in all creatures moving and stationary dwells that one great spirit by whom the universe is stretched ont is then attained when an embodied being himself in all beings and all beings in m v u he who whether of low or high birth does not law but regards virtue and is mild and modest is better than a hundred high bom men iii truth self restraint liberality from cruelty continual to duty these qualities constitute perfect men and not caste or birth m xii q i by whom all this universe is comprehended both nature and its and who knows the course of all beings if a he by whom though alone the is as it were always and by whom by whose absence it becomes empty though crowded with men is called by the gods a m iii a ghost or spirit asks in what does consist king in birth in conduct in study in learning declare this distinctly replies hear neither birth nor study nor learning are the causes of the cause is conduct alone without a doubt good conduct is to be carefully to by a especially he who is not destitute in respect | 28 |
has been placed in them compare verse a they who do not recognise any who look to good qualities not bad who do not enter upon quarrels are most excellent men the good recollect only benefits and not hostile acts though done to them and doing what is to others they expect no return m i b f he only is a complete man a good deed done to whom is not lost and who does more many times more in verse for another than another has done for him iii let a man do a what has been done to among the gods there is nothing fixed in regard to this m iii xii b let a man set himself to do the good which he may design let him not reward evil for evil but be always good m xii i give this verse with its from the xii ff a foolish man who is unfortunate from of old in consequence of what has gone before constantly the of events iii he cannot endure those who are successful and regards prosperous men as this cause this his suffering continually those who fancy themselves heroes are full of envy and be not thou thus envious o king endure thou the prosperity of others although discreet men always enjoy good fortune though it is found elsewhere for prosperity though abiding with an enemy flows away to a man and righteous men who are thoughtful and practised in contemplation voluntarily abandon prosperity and quit their sons and perceiving as they do that the love of gain and wealth occasion much pain other men too abandon the pursuit of wealth thinking it to be very difficult of acquisition m xii a man who very largely a benefit conferred on himself is not equal to the first benefactor he only acts in of what has been done for him the other acts without this motive hear the sum of duty which ia declared in a of books helping others is to be esteemed as oppression of others as sin iii ed hear the sum of and when thou hast heard learn or it do not to others what would be to ed a ed what merit is there in the goodness of the man who is good to hie he only who is good to those who do him wrong is called good by the virtuous i a good men are generally distressed by the of mankind such sympathy is the highest worship of the soul of all things that the wise man should in whatever manner he can promote the satisfaction of every embodied creature this is the worship of compare s ra fi b l na a x the birth of embodied creatures in this world completely fruitful is this that they should with their life with their means with their understanding and with their speech always seek to promote the welfare of other creatures in this ed he whose days come and go devoid of he like the of a blacksmith thou breathing does not live the man whose heart wi pity to all creatures has knowledge and gains final which are not attained by hair ashes and the garb of a m iii let a man conquer a by generosity a liar by truth a cruel man by patience and a bad man by goodness v let a man conquer anger with calmness a bad man by goodness a by generosity and falsehood by l this occurs also as verse in the written in the language a very different is found in m eh xii to act towards any man as he has acted to any other is conduct is to be by deceit and kindly conduct is to be with kindness m v the gods regard with delight the man who does not utter language or cause it to be uttered who when struck does not strike again or cause his to be struck and who does not desire to the wicked man xii he who when does not say anything either bitter or pleasing who through patience when smitten does not again nor wish any evil to his in him the gods constantly delight instead of delight in dr here renders envy in m xii ff it is said among other things of a man who in pursuit of final has the world and adopted a and life v let him endure with patience let him desire nothing when he is angrily addressed let him speak kindly when let him reply if xii suitable hospitality should be shown even to an enemy when he comes to one s house a tree does not withdraw its shade even from him who comes to cut it down these words are said in the poem to be addressed by a bird to a m ii dost thou cherish as a son an enemy who has resorted to thee from fear or who has fallen into decay or who has been conquered in battle this is one of a series of questions on duty proposed by n to ii ff m xiii he is a most excellent man who in his calamity even an enemy in distress who takes refuge with him xiii those friendly men go to heaven who when they meet with them treat with the same disposition foes and s j aud in the ot s code a good man regards the welfare of others does not show enmity even when be is being destroyed even when it is being cut down the tree fragrance to the edge of the h let no one a person who to hia or send him away empty a gift bestowed even on an outcast or a dog is not thrown away the sentiment in ia not so good he who has committed a very sinful act and gives food to a especially to a does not suffer for his | 28 |
down by an axe grows but harsh words are hateful a wound inflicted by them does not heal arrows of different sorts can be extracted from the body but a word dart cannot be drawn out for it is seated in the heart m xiii word arrows fly from the mouth whoever is smitten by them night and day they alight only on vital parts let not a wise man discharge them against others v harsh words bum the vital parts the bones the heart the breath of men the man who loves ought therefore to avoid burning and harsh words m i he should be regarded as the most of men and as carrying the goddess of destruction fastened to his mouth who is sharp in speech who wounds men and them with his word arrows m sh v he who does not abide by the in of friends who his welfare and who are and learned is uie delight of his enemies compare m x f he who does not listen to the disagreeable but wholesome words of friends when he falls into misfortune as i who have disregarded these two a v wise men regard him as cruel who does not come to the help of a friend distressed by calamity and console him according to his power he who seeking to restrain his friend from an improper act shall even seize him by the can blame from no one since he makes every effort in his power m f they say that this is the best mark of a friend that he should never be content with hia friend e prosperity i e should always wish it greater and should be sad at his decline confide as in a father in the man of whom one thinks that to him my loss or death will be his loss or death in xii among the marks of good men is stated that they are devoted to the objects of their even though they themselves in doing so m xii what is broken is with difficulty united and what is whole is with difficulty broken but the friendship which has been broken and again does not continue to be affectionate m v are easily found who say what is agreeable but one who speaks and one who to what is disagreeable but wholesome are difficult to find ii he who to duty and what is agreeable or disagreeable to his master disagreeable but wholesome things in him a king finds j iii a wicked man who agreeable things is easily found in this world the next half verse to the second half of v iv is not so a man should speak what is true and what is agreeable but not a disagreeable truth nor an agreeable falsehood this is the eternal law m xii the man who in your presence praises your virtue and you behind your back is a dog in the world i am not clear as to the sense of the last of the verse the explanation given of the between the man and the dog in the third and fourth lines of the translation is not found in the original m for a bad man uttering censure in public faults as a serpent its expanded hood he who seeks to on this man who is performing his own natural part literally his own acts is like a senseless ass which into a heap of ashes into dirt m i an intelligent man is awake before the time of calamity and when it arrives he suffers no vexation but the foolish man who does not perceive that calamity has arrived is distressed when it has overtaken him and does not attain to great prosperity the version it will be observed greatly the original m and he who for not yet arrived and he who has presence of mind these two prosper whilst the m i the man who does not encounter risks never sees good but he who faces risks if he lives sees good a man should never despise himself for brilliant success never on the man who is by himself v do not despise or set a low value on my son a man should not despise himself on account of his former ill things previously non spring up whilst others which have existed disappear iv let not a man despise himself on account of previous ill until his death let him seek after prosperity and not regard it as un the other extreme of self satisfaction in condemned by qui est qui m in eat us ia with it neither nor he who hm a for t ms the summit of is not very lofty nor the infernal world very profound nor the ocean very far to cross for men who have energy on their side m v f spirit are never terrified in in woods in hard in or when weapons are uplifted m vi thy intention is like the con of an in a place whence the water has flowed away or like the digging of a well when the house has been burnt compare bam ii ed thou in to a dam when the water is gone iii a wise man should strive after his own whilst his body ia in health whilst decay is far off whilst his strength is unbroken and there is no decay of life when the is in flames what is the use of making an effort to dig a well t m the opportunity which passes away from a man seeking for an opportunity can hardly be obtained by him again when he wishes to act m xi a should at first act with all his might that be may not afterwards lament the loss of an object which has passed away from him v what shall happen to me if i do this what shall happen to | 28 |
and ia free and without desire then neither fire nor ill fortune nor death nor can prevail over him the the man who where he will who sleeps without resting upon his ann and tranquil the rich man is filled with anger and deprived of understanding glances a withered face is wicked his eyebrows his under lip is and cruel words who would like to look upon him even if he wished to bestow as a gift the whole earth iii continual union with fortune the man and sweeps away his understanding as the wind the clouds then pride of beauty and pride of wealth take possession of him he thinks i am of noble birth i am pure i am no mere man from these three causes his understanding becomes disordered being devoted to pleasure he the means of enjoyment by his father and becoming he thinks it a good thing to lay hold of the property of others when he has all bounds and on every side then he is driven away by the rulers aa a deer is driven by the hunter with his arrows without everything a man can gun no happiness nor what is highest nor sleep without fear all then be happy s a men who are not by prosperity young men who are not unsteady and rulers who are not careless and thoughtless these ate truly great compare no ra t what suffering do not men undergo in their pursuit of wealth they run on the point of the sword they enter the ocean m iii their dear lives men boldly plunge into the sea or enter the forests for the sake of wealth m xii in this world the of the rich act like but the of the poor die away even while the poor themselves live the above is varied as follows in the i for in this world even a stranger turns himself into a relation of the rich the relations of the poor straightway act like bad men compare xiv the poor is hated even of his own neighbour but the rich many friends xix wealth many friends but the poor is separated from his neighbour all the brethren of the poor do hate him how much more do his friends go far from him he them words yet they are wanting to him the following are parallel passages from the classical authors quoted by e ds x s af i know and have well experienced that all men are friends to those who have wealth ou no one wishes to gain the poor for friends fragment wealth friends for men h im f m p v hi x r men are accustomed to esteem the words of the rich as ss but when any poor man of an insignificant family to laugh the of this passage is quoted under no ca va who ia not ready to enjoy and to give away the wealth which has been earned by father t but those are rarely to be found who enjoy or give away the wealth earned by their own arms m xii let no man seek to himself by others but let him endeavour by bis own to become more than they men devoid of merit but thinking highly of themselves through a lack of virtue reproach others who are virtuous with and even when they under the influence of conceit esteem themselves more excellent than the mass of men a man who is wise and virtuous great renown he never finds fault with any one nor gives expression to any self worship the pure and fragrant of the wise ia without speech so too the sun shines in the without uttering any voice to announce glory in the same way many other objects which are devoid of intelligence and utter no sound shine with renown in the world a fool no lustre among men merely through himself whilst a man who has knowledge shines even though concealed in a pit an evil sentiment though uttered aloud ceases to be heard but an excellent saying even if uttered in a low tone to distinction the abundant empty talk of proud fools shows what is in them as the rays of the sun reveal its fiery character compare m iii f iv fire without speaking the sun shines silently silently the earth all creatures moving and compare s i t a tl a n i i y f it in i tj ma it q i it r xii but let us if by turning men away from he also disposed to study virtue for be was always wont to gay that there waa no better way to n than for a good man to be that which he wished to a f character to a s i r i x r k but he had no device his shield for he desire to appear but to be most excellent c he sought to be rather than to appear good v evil men do not so mud the good qualities of others as their want of or men do not like to of a man s good qualities as of his virtues m l a bad man is as much plea good man is distressed to ill of others iv m a man of merit alone destitute of it can know or appreciate the merit j but how thou who no good c know what is good or bad m viii v all men are clever in the of others but they know their own and even if they do they are regard to v who ia a greater fool who reproaches another for a fault which he or than he who is angry while he has no power innumerable are t who know the faults of | 28 |
the wishes of my husbands fearing wrong words wrong wrong looks wrong sitting positions wrong movements signs and movements of the limbs i wait upon the sons of the who resemble the sun and fire and the moon who with their looks who are fiery in heroism and neither god nor man nor nor well decorated youth wealthy or handsome no other man is regarded by me i never sit nor t at when my husband has not eaten nor bathed nor sat down rising i welcome him when returned home from the field or forest with a seat and with water i clean all vessels i give sweet food i supply it at the proper time i am self restrained and i preserve the grain i sweep the house clean i am not in my talk never associate with bad women am always pleasant and active i avoid joking laughing and frequent standing at the door excessive laughter and anger always seeking truth and waiting on my husbands the absence of my husband is always by me and when he is abroad on any family business i fast using no flowers or wood or paint whatever my husband does not drink or like or eat i avoid and constantly follow his advice i deck myself with ornaments am in person and seek to please him i observe whatever duties were formerly on me in the family or by my mother in law c for i regard to her husband as the duty of a woman he is her god he only is her refuge what woman would do anything to him i never repose more than my husbands or eat or adorn myself more than they do nor do i ever find fault with my mother in law but am always to her by attention and constant activity and by obedience must we not read here instead of ta with gives the sense i avoid not to my elders i keep my in she goes on to say w ff that in the former days of she used to the large of her husband and knew all about his richly dressed female slaves skilled in music and dancing about the other branches of his establishment about the income and of the she was with the charge of the household and all ease she undertook all this weight of duty which occupied her day and night she was the first to rise and the last to lie down these are the means by which she acts upon her husbands by such she goes on to say m may separate her husband from the influence of other women v she adds v u that happiness is not gained by ease but that a virtuous woman it by effort when she hears her husband at the door she is and receive him with attention to send away her female slave and serve him herself f i have not given any of the passage under this number m i she ia a wife who is clever in the house who bears children husband is her breath of life and who is devoted to him a wife is the half of a man a wife ia his most excellent friend a wife ib the foundation of the three objects of life i t virtue pleasure and wealth a wife is the foundation for him who to be from this world those who have wives fulfil rites are live happily and enjoy prosperity these sweetly speaking women are friends in solitude they are fathers in matters of duty they are mothers to those who are in they are repose to the traveller in the he who has a wife is hence wives are the best refuge the wife who is devoted to her husband always follows him when he dies and hence when he is alone and in misfortune the wife who dies first after death expects the coming of her husband and when he dies first the good wife follows him as a men by mental pains and suffering from diseases are by their wives as men distressed by heat are by water the following is another text on the same subject m xiii ff that woman her duty who is sweet in disposition speech action appearance who con regards the face of her husband as the face of a son who is virtuous and well regulated in conduct who regards duty as the chief thing the same rites as her husband who ever looks upon him as a god obeying and serving him like a god is obedient kind in disposition devoted pleasant to behold regarding her husband alone she who when harshly addressed or regarded with an angry eye looks placidly on her husband is a devoted wife she who does not look upon the moon or sun or a tree which have masculine names that handsome woman deserving honour from her husband is dutiful she who waits upon her husband when poor sick sad tired by a journey as if he were a son is dutiful she who is active clever has sons is devoted to her husband regards him as her life who and serves him without displeasure is pleased and is dutiful she who ever supplies her family with food who does not delight in pleasures in power or in ease so much as in her husband she is dutiful she who bent on domestic service loves to rise with dawn who sweeps the house clean and the floor with cow who to the rites of fire and brings flowers and making provision along with her husband for the gods guests and servants herself according to right and eating the of food with all the people about her pleased and she is dutiful she who the feet of her father and mother in law full of good qualities devote l to her father and | 28 |
mother she is rich in self denying merit she who the weak the distressed and wretched is a devoted wife this is austere virtue and eternal heaven when a woman is good regards her husband as her chief object and is devoted to him for a husband is a god to women a a there is no refuge or deity equal to him m a female dove ia made to speak thus of her lost i recollect nothing ever done by thee beloved one every widow though she have many of her husband and oppressed she is to be by her relations i was ever by thee and greatly honoured with sweet and affectionate words and pleasant for a father a brother a son bestow but but what woman will not honour her husband who ia a boundless t there is no master like a husband no joy like a husband all riches a wife finds refuge in her husband i have nothing to do with life without thee my lord what virtuous women would endure to live without her husband in the first of the above passages reference is distinctly made to the custom long in india of women themselves on uie funeral piles of their deceased husbands this practice was foreign to greek usage but in the of we find herself to death with her husband whose body was one of those rescued for burial from the who were preventing their the following verses ff intimate s determination ri it alien ill j o it ri y f mi d ii ii n h x i fi if a ri rs i came running in wild excitement from my home seeking what is at once the light of the fire and a tomb seeking to release to my toil worn life and the pains of my existence for it is the sweetest of deaths to die with dying friends if the deity will fulfil this desire v i see the end where i stand and fortune guides my steps but for the sake of renown i will spring from this rock leaping into the fire and seeking to my dear body with my husband in the shining flames placing skin close to skin i shall reach the chambers of never with my life beneath the earth thee who art dead let the light depart and the before she can carry out her design her father arrives and states that he had come in search of his daughter who when she was no longer watched had escaped from his house as she longed to die with her husband he after her and she addresses him from the top of the rock where she was standing prepared to leap down into her husband s funeral beneath verse why dost thou of these women this is i who like a bird a sad hovering on the rock over the funeral of my father child what wind is this what journey dost thou take why the threshold of thy home hast thou come to this land thou be angry thou learn my designs but i do not wish thee to learn them my father why is it not right that thy father should know not be a wise judge of my design but why dost thou adorn in this array this garb means something new my father thou dost not look like one who her husband for we are arrayed far something novel l w and dost then show near the tomb and the funeral yes i shall gain a brilliant triumph what sort of victory wilt thou gain i i wish to learn from thee i shall all women whom the sun has beheld in the works of or in wisdom of counsel in for i shall lie dead with my husband what dost thou say what poor dost utter t i will leap into this funeral of the dead o daughter wilt thou not tell a tale to many i desire this that all the should hear but i will not permit thee to do this it is of no for thou shalt not be able to seize me by the hand and now my body is being thrown down an act not dear to thee but to me and to the husband who is burned with me woman hast done a dreadful deed i wretched man am undone maidens mr vol i p some lines on the subject of the indian practice of from iv m xii though crowded in every part with sons daughters in law and without a wife a s house will be empty it is not the house itself which is called a house the houses wife is declared to be the house a house destitute of a is regarded as a desert that man is happy on earth who possesses a wife who is glad when he is glad and sorrowful when he is sorrowful who is downcast when he goes away from home who speaks sweet words when he is angry who ia devoted to her husband who regards him as the centre of her life who seeks after his interests and his gratification destitute of her a palace is a wilderness the wife is the ally of her husband in matters of duty wealth and pleasure and whenever he goes abroad she affords him confidence a wife is said to be her husband s greatest riches the partner of his journey through the world when lie has no other comrade and whenever he is overcome by sickness or fallen into trouble there is no remedy equal to a wife there is no relative like a wife no refuge like a wife there is no like a wife in he in whose house there is no virtuous and sweetly speaking wife should depart to the forest for his house is like a wilderness with the dose of verse compare | 28 |
where among other things says of herself rs i fi and i offered to my husband a silent tongue and a quiet eye but i knew in what points i ought to gain the victory over him and in what points i should the victory to him compare the description of a wife in ff il until he finds a wife a man is only half of a whole the house which is not occupied by children is like a compare the iii a wife is half a man s self and ii therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother and shall unto his wife and they shall be one flesh and the to the v see also the br iii by offspring a man is completed hi see also the p the verse is a male and the a woman they are a pair hence also a man getting a wife considers himself as it were more of a whole yoa wa see also ix a man is then only complete when made up of his wife himself and his offspring the on that verse the v br as follows ha y na hi ul a wife is the half of a man s self hence till he finds a wife be has no offspring and so long he continues but when be finds a wife he o and then be becomes complete m m there is no remedy for all regarded by as equal to a wife this i tell thee truly replies it is even as thou with the elegant waist there is no remedy for a distressed man equal to a wife ii f ed the woman who is otherwise most excellent and rites and but does not wait upon her husband shall have an evil end while she who is without religion and has abandoned the worship of the gods to the highest heaven by serving her husband m iii f it is not by any acts or funeral rites or but by sen ing her husband that a woman heaven xiii the same act iv for these women are instructed by nature but the learning of men is taught by books m xiii for these women men and no man who has fallen into their hands is delivered like cows seeking fresh grass they are ever seeking some new person or thing they know all the of of of of they laugh with those that laugh weep with those that weep and as opportunity offers they lay hold of the with kindly words no device literally scripture known to or the wits of women how ue they to be guarded by men t they call lies truth and truth i consider that the books rules of conduct were composed principally to promote the of women when honoured by men they their minds and they do the same when rejected by them i impart to yon am cord with unity of mind and freedom from hatred in one another as a cow in a calf which is bom to her let the son be obedient to his father and of one mind witb his mother may the wife be affectionate and speak to her husband words let not brother hate brother nor sister sister and in harmony address one another with kindly speech m xii an king is to protect his subjects for power is a and a function difficult to fulfil to wipe away the tears of the poor of of the aged and so to impart joy to men such is declared to be the duty of a king let a king constantly promote the w and provide for the of the poor of of the aged and of and who abide in drinking shops loose men and the like are to be repressed by the king for such persons ruin the country where they dwell and vex good citizens let the king put an end to all in town and country let religious teachers priests and family priests be assisted let the king honour the virtuous and restrain the vicious let a constantly offer sacrifices and give gifts without suffering let a king devoted to and seeking the good of his subjects instruct them in proper places and at proper times according to his and his power when a king his when he robbers when he is victorious in battle he what is declared to be his duty wherefore that a warrior should fight or fairly the sinful living by treachery who to fight fairly f but who his foe himself m v the man who does not control hia passions cannot long enjoy royal power but the man who has conquered himself can promote the good of his em for desire and anger draw a man away from the pursuit of desirable objects j but when he these a king the earth this great position power the sway over men which wicked men desire cannot loi be retained by them he who seeks to effect great things in the way of prosperity or virtue must control his when he does this his understanding is as fire grows by fuel for these passions when are sufficient to destroy a man as unbroken and horses can destroy an on the road he who seeks to conquer his ministers without conquering himself or to his enemies without his ministers is helpless and is defeated he who first himself as if he were an enemy does not then seek in vain to overcome his ministers and hia foes fortune waits ou the wise man whose passions are controlled who rules his ministers who holds the rod over and who acts after examination like two fish enclosed in a net with small desire and anger abiding in his body destroy a man s understanding m eh those ofi who have through ignorance should be tor it is | 28 |
not easy for a man to be in every respect xii f a king has no treasure which is more excellent than a host of men and of all the six kinds of which are described in books men regard the composed of men as the most in san e how can the king who has not great poets him attain to renown how many princes have lived on the earth and no one knows even their names this verse a parallel to s lines iv ff i v the same pleasure is not to be enjoyed even in heaven which is so delightful from the contact of celestial objects as men find in the poor place where they were bom iii embodied creatures do not enjoy the same bliss even in heaven as they do even when they are poor in their own country or town or house compare with this i u f f ji is r g but longing to see even the smoke rising from his native country to die i s edition he who does not go forth and explore all the earth which is full of many wonderful things is a well v and dost thou like a lying in a well not perceive this royal army assembled xiii the earth up these two a king who is not a warrior and a who does not travel abroad just as a serpent creatures lying in a hole a is spoiled by living at home m xiii one of the characteristics of the saint s is thus described in this verse play with and with deer like friends through the great power of those saints of brilliant from the of those mighty ones are well known in india to be the enemies of and frequently kill them this verse is quoted as a parallel to xi vi and xii let him the not long for death let him not long for life but let him await his appointed time as a servant the command of his master vii even an alien who does a man good like a medicine is a son while even a bon bom of one s own body if injurious is like a disease let man cut off the limb which is a source of harm to himself and from the separation of which the remainder of the body lives in comfort by his own kindred a man is regarded as one like themselves by strangers he is looked upon as a person of merit t e regarded as in was regarded by as a but by gods as the lord of the universe any one constantly goes and wherever he perpetually eats he is there treated without respect even though he be one who is like the god mark vi and john iv th p occasionally at that time a great called who knew the five principles or points together with his sister s son lived on the side of or near the king of mountains the he as soon as the had been bom saw many wonderful and he beheld the sons of the gods in the sky moving about rejoicing and the word and waving their garments he thought i must look into this beholding by divine the whole of he saw in the house of king in the great city called a boy who had been bom radiant with a hundred holy glories honoured by all worlds and distinguished by the thirty two marks of a great man seeing this he then called to the youth know youth that in a great has been bom in the house of king in the city of a boy has been bom c as above if he dwell at home he shall become a king an universal sovereign with an army composed of the four branches victorious righteous a great hero possessed of the seven gems horses women c the father of a thousand sons he shall conquer and rule the circle of the earth by the ocean without o without weapons by the force of his own but if he wander away from home on an life he shall become a an perfectly wise a leader led by no other a ruler this now i shall go near to see accordingly with mounting and springing up into the sky like a swan proceeded on his way to and having arrived he ceased to manifest his supernatural power and entering the city on foot he proceeded to king s house and stood at the door he then approached the and said go tell king l that a waits at the door the porter accordingly went and with joined hands said to the king an old withered stands at the door and says he wishes to see the king king then ordered a seat for the great and said let him enter the porter then went forth and told him to enter he went accordingly and stood before the king and said hail hail king thou live long and rule thy kingdom after making an offering to the sage and touching his feet the king received him kindly and invited him to be seated he then said respectfully i do not remember to have seen thee before with what object in view hast thou now come v i have come replied the desiring to see the son who has been bom to thee he sleeps said the king wait a little until he arises such great men do not sleep long rejoined the such saints are the from compassion to the great gave a sign of waking the king then taking affectionately in both arms the child perfect as regarded every object of desire brought him to the the beholding the and seeing hi n to be distinguished by the thirty two marks of a great man and marked on | 28 |
his body by the eighty secondary signs with i form surpassing that of and the of the world with a hundred thousand times greater brightness beautiful in every limb expressed his joy this is the of the words given in and s vol l column in the in vol wonderfully fair is this child which appeared in the world and rising from hia seat with joined hands he fell down at the feet of the and making a circuit round him he took him in his arms and stood meditating he saw the thirty two marks of a great man which the had the beautiful possessor of which has only one of two before him if he remains at home he becomes a king if he forth as a he shall become a beholding him he wept and shedding tears he sighed deeply king saw the great weeping and deeply sighing and seeing this he who had had hia hair standing on end with delight quickly became sad and said to the why dost thou weep and sigh deeply t may there be no doubt or apprehension in regard to the child the sage rejoined i do not weep on his account nor is there any fear for him weep for myself for i am old and worn and decayed whilst he is perfect in every object of desire and shall of necessity attain to complete intelligence and shall set in motion a perfect wheel of such as has never before been set in motion in the world by or or god or demon or any one else with for the good and for the happiness of the world and of the gods he shall teach he shall proclaim in the beginning in the middle and at the end profitable clear unique complete pure perfect and in the end learning this our beings subject to birth shall be delivered from birth from being again bom and so freed from decay disease death grief pain sadness suffering fatigue he shall those who are burned by the fire of desire hatred and illusion by upon them the waters of pure he shall lead by a straight road to the goal of those beings who have become possessed by various false views and have fallen and who have travelled on a wrong road he shall release from their bonds those v column the is to be h without being asked o who have been shut up and in the cage of the world and bound with the bonds of suffering he shall an of knowledge in those whose eyes have been enveloped by the veil of the dark gloom of ignorance he shall extract the arrows of pain from those who have been pierced by them sometimes and somewhere in the world o king the tree flowers so too sometimes and somewhere the divine are bom in the world after many hundreds of thousands of of years and thus this child shall certainly attain to perfect intelligence and having attained this he shall convey across the ocean of the world hundreds of thousands of millions of of beings and place them in a state of immortality but i shall not see this jewel hence it is king that i weep and being sad at heart draw long sighs because i shall not him as it is recorded in our and he who is perfect in respect to every object must not dwell at home but go forth as an the reason given is that he has the thirty two marks t of a great man and the eighty minor signs which are and it is added that such marks do not belong to but to and that he who possesses the eighty signs should not remain at home but go forth as a having learnt from the great this description of the boy king was and transported and filled with pleasure and satisfaction and rising from his seat he fell at the s feet and pronounced this g tha the world s physician art thou before thee gods with bow by too art thou adored i too before thee bend lord king then with gifts or food the with his nephew who was like him see the explanation of the word given above in the note p t in a note on the text it is stated that only thirty marks are actually and devoted to him and having done and covered him with he walked round him then by his supernatural power departed by the route of the sky to his own sec now king the great armed e wandering over the earth came to and walked about in the forest there he saw a maiden clad in a black skin and wearing hair after the fashion of a and bright as a goddess seeing that beautiful and he was pierced by the passion of love and smiling asked her how good lady dost thou live so in a way inconsistent with thy youth t for such a costume does not thy beauty thy form lady which men with love is not suited for an life what does this mean whose daughter and whose wife art thou he who possesses thee is a man who has obtained the reward of his merits thus addressed the maid replied after treating as a guest my father was a sage of boundless lustre son of and equal to him in understanding to him a constant student of the i was bom a daughter and called e and came to my father and for my hand but he did not he me on them because he had designed for his son in law the lord of the gods and of the worlds and therefore he did not desire to give me to any other but to him hearing this the proud lord of the became and the wicked smote my father | 28 |
by night while he slept in consequence my afflicted mother embracing his body entered into the fire to fulfil my ther s desire in regard to n i wed liim in my heart having formed this tbe to have been under the that m bom without the of the mother who i here referred to her birth ia in declared to be of character io resolution i practise many and no other than he the supreme lord is my husband in the hope of gaining him i engage in fearful rites thou art known to me depart by the of an i know all that passes in the three worlds descending from his car pained by the arrows of again said to the maiden thou art proud o fair who so to gather merit by the old not the young possessed of all excellent qualities thou not so speak fairest creature in the three worlds thy youth is passing away i am da lord of become my wife and enjoy pleasures according to thy desire and who is he the of whom thou t he whom thou does not equal me in in in the means of or in power she replied say not so say not so what other than thou if wise would despise the sovereign of the three worlds and by all worlds t being thus addressed by seized the hair of her head with the tips of his fingers she being cut off her locks with her hand which became a sword and severed them blazing and burning as it were with anger she addressed after a fire in which she was about to destroy herself since i have been rudely treated by thee thou being i have no longer any desire for hfe will therefore enter into the fire whilst thou art looking on and since i have been insulted by thee thou sinful being in the wood i shall be bom again to thee a wicked male cannot be slain by a female and were i to curse thee i should lose the fruit of my but if i have done given or offered aught in sacrifice i shall become the daughter not bom of the of a righteous man so saying she entered the blazing fire when there fell from the sky a divine shower of flowers on every side it is she who was bom as the daughter of king thy wife o king this is addressed to for thou art the eternal she who formerly in the age was has been bom when the age in the family of tlie great king of for the destruction of that to the fifth volume of my original c for fuller information about the i here and under numbers and supply some particulars about and a reference to the attributes ascribed in the hymns of the to the gods generally the gods can do whatever they will no mortal however hostile can their designs viii addressed to the t or the of the the same thing is said of the r v viii and of viii and viii it is in e v addressed to the that no one however skilful or skilled in magic arts or however wise can disturb the first or firm or works of the gods they stand above all creatures x addressed to the same in a refrain at the close of each of the verses of e v iii addressed to the same it is said their divine character o is great and unique in one passage x f of which is addressed to the vi ve a grateful had i power over the or over mortals my patron should live but no one though he had a vitality could survive beyond the term prescribed by the gods so that he has been parted from his friend in i f the gods are thus may forces come to us from every quarter shooting forth that the gods may always act so as to advance us being our day by day in regard to and the reader may s recently work die being the third volume of and forming an introduction to his translation of the hymns in tbe two volumes dr has a on and t two words all ihe and at other a particular of see and s v and s v the kindly of the gods is shown to the righteous may the of the gods rest upon us w e have obtained the friendship of the gods may the gods our time that we may live and in w f blessings are thus implored from them may we hear with our ears what is good o gods may we see with our eyes that which is good beings may we with firm limbs and bodies praised them attain to the ages determined by the gods a hundred are before us within which ye have ordained the decay of our bodies to take place within which sons become fathers do not arrest our life in the middle of its course in x an advocate of expresses his assurance that the gods have not ordained hunger to be the mode of his own or of men s death as even the full fed are overtaken by various forms of death another poet cries x the is addressed to the vi ve that there is no other than the gods and that his wishes are directed towards them in viii their are thus referred to in the where the gods live in bliss took his three strides in iii the author of the asks who truly knows who here can declare what road leads to the gods their lowest seats only are beheld which yet are in remote and hidden regions the gods are represented as perhaps somewhat in the man who offers they do not love sleep viii | 28 |
sin to like a rope and remove sin i ii he is entreated not to steal away but to life i i and not to abandon to the the who daily his laws thia u in the said to be to other are in the and ia not named before verse in r v i it ia that not only do with hj and men in battle call upon him bnt birds flying in the air a r j b i in many places mention is made of the bonds or with which he i c in one passage and are spoken of as furnished with many from whom the sinner cannot release himself and in another place vii and are said to bind with bonds not formed of rope on the other hand is said to be gracious even to him who has committed sin vii he is the wise guardian of immortality or the world of the viii and a hope is held out that he and in shall be beheld in the next world by the righteous x i add in a different version a portion of the first and the whole of the second of two hymns translated by in his ancient literature f and again in his from a german i r v vii seeking to perceive that sin i i resort to the wise to ask the all tell me the same it is this who is angry with thee what great sin was it for which thou to thy and friend tell me o and self dependent god and freed from sin i shall speedily resort to thee with adoration release us from the of our fathers from this idea of a man suffering for the sins of others which u found in the old testament in xx and v but which was to the moral sense of see chapter ff and compare occurs in other passages of the r v also thus vi and it is said there may we not suffer the penalty of sin committed by others in the y we find the words i release and thee from sin committed by thy mother or thy father in consequence of thou sick u vl whatever sins we have done knowing or do ye all ye gods united deliver us from them if sleeping or waking i have committed sin let the past and the future release me from it as from a stake to which any one is bound released as from a stake or as a man covered with sweat is from by bathing let all the gods me from sin as an is by the ment of in the f the prayer occurs may free me from the sin which my mother which we have committed in oar own king release like a thief who is seeking after cattle release him like a calf om it was not our own will but some which led us astray wine anger or the elder falls into the fault of the younger even sleep occasions sin vii let me not king go to the house of earth be gracious mighty god be gracious when o i go along quivering an skin be gracious c i have from lack of understanding done what is contrary to thy will be gracious c thirst has overcome thy standing in the midst of the waters be gracious ac whatever offence this be that we as men commit against the gods in whatever way we have thy through do not seek to harm us for that in another place vii the same to his previous friendship with and to the which the god had formerly conferred upon him and asks why they had now ceased placed on hia boat the wise and skilful deity made him in an time a to offer that his days and might be prolonged whither have those friendly of ua twain now gone the harmony which we enjoyed before i have gone self to thy vast abode with a hundred gates when any one thy friend being thine own dear has committed against thee let us not o though reap the fruits of our sin do thou who art a wise god grant protection to him who praises thee or mj father committed when i wm in the the of this contains an of of u in b v x the if wa have committed af oa p offence with oar or the guilt of that ain to the enemy who to wrong na s in which have followed both by application of mind c i in the hymns of the ig is described as the creator or of heaven and earth vi viii as having beautifully fashioned their masses by his power and wisdom x as from his own body the father and mother by which heaven and earth seem to be intended x compare i as and them a as grasping them like a handful as stretching them out like a hide viii he is elsewhere vi said to heaven and earth which are equalled by a half of the god and they are described as following him as a chariot wheel a horse as bowing down before him i as trembling from fear of him iv c as being driven away or asunder by him vii as subject to his dominion x and as doing homage to his irresistible force viii the following are specimens of numerous other passages in which his greatness is celebrated see vol iv and v of original i has exalted the sun in the sky to be seen from afar compare i his is extended even beyond the sky even the earth is not to in greatness i his greatness the sky and the earth and the atmosphere i he has filled the region he has fastened the in the sky no one | 28 |
like thee india has been born or shall be bom thou hast the universe ii he who fixed the quivering earth who gave to the agitated mountains who out the vast atmosphere who propped up the sky he men is india ii he propped up the vast sky in empty space iv there is none higher than thou or superior to thee thou of neither is there any one like thee xv vi through fear of thee all the regions though heaven and earth forests that is fixed are afraid at thy coming viii by thy nature thou art of old without a rival without a fellow viii thou a sole monarch over this world viii if thou a hundred skies and a hundred a thousand could not equal thee nor anything created nor the two worlds viii is not to be overcome the powerful god is not to be overpowered he hears and sees every thing viii whose command and empire no one whether god or impetuous mortal can resist viii thou art the conqueror thou hast caused the sun to shine thou art great the the god of all gods x who by his power holds asunder heaven and earth as the two wheels of a chariot are kept apart by the rules over the sky rules over the earth rules over the waters and over the mountains s relations to his are described in the as follows he is the friend and even the brother of his present as he was the mend of their forefathers iii vi vi and many other passages his friendship guidance are sweet one poet that his ancient friendly relations with tlie god may not be dissolved x he chooses for his intimate the man who presents but desires no friendship with him who offers no x he is not only a friend but a father and the most of fathers iv compare l in reference to and as a father be is by men x he is both father and mother in one place the poet thou art ours and we are thine t compare p t tim i here text from an thou art all we are thine compare i and see his are said to be in him or closely connected with him ii and the same expression is used in addressing the in viii and in x u he is the only to whom his has recourse viii he is told that he alone among the gods has compassion on mortals vii and is the only of his viii and i all men have a share in him viii he is the and advocate or of his servants viii and their strength vii he is prayed to be firm he is a wall of defence or fortress viii compare xviii and other similar his friend is never slain or conquered x he is strong and is resorted to for the protection afforded by his high arms vi compare this mighty and heroic is easy to be entreated vi his though him from afar know that he is not deaf but hears viii his right hand is grasped by for riches x their hymns imploring blessings uttered by their minds their longing messengers proceed to the god and touch his heart x the poet with his most hymn the skirts of the god as he would a father s iii he is clasped by the ardent hymns of his as a husband is embraced by his loving wives i i j the hymns hasten to him and him as cows their x i he is entreated not to be lazy like a priest viii and not to allow other to arrest his horses when conveying him to the abode of the who will satisfy him with but to the bonds by which other for his favour seek to catch him as to a bird and to pass bv them as he would over a desert ii iii iii x he is the king of things moving of men and of all things and out of his abundance he on the man who brings to him vii both his hands are full of riches vii he is a magazine with wealth whom the should urge to liberality x manifold shoot out from him as branches from a tree vi he ia asked to shower wealth on his as a man with a hook down ripe fruit from a tree iii i either gods nor men can arrest him in his course when he ia beat on liberality as a terrific bull cannot be stopped viii his friendship is everlasting he is a cow to the man who desires one and is prayed to be a horse to him who seeks a horse vi he gives wives to those who had none v iv he and richly rewards those who praise him and bring him ii ii il the days will dawn on the man who says let us pour out to v the king in whose house drinks mixed with milk no evil at the head of hia warriors his enemy and lives happily at home in the enjoyment of renown v his friend is handsome horses and cows rides in a chariot food and walks radiant into the assembly viii is prayed to deliver hia on every to day and on every to morrow and on the next day and to protect them on all days both by day and by night viii he is and offered to him both by day and by night viii sometimes the god is to be more prompt in his liberality gracious are thy hands the poet cries in iv beneficent thy palms of wealth upon thy r why then dost thou sit still why thou not enjoy why dost thou not delight in giving again in x he is asked why do they call thee | 28 |
generous god t me for i hear that thou art a let my hymn be productive powerful god bring to us prosperity producing the god ia even told that the poet if in his place and possessed of the ample resources which alone commands would show himself more and would not abandon his to poverty but would daily lavish on him cows and other property viii is remonstrated with in viii compare why it thou thy hand thy right hand t pluck il out of thy and viii is the enemy of the whom he and thus l thou hast punished the mortal who does not worship thee and viii thou a who art above all hast destroyed and scattered the assembly which offers no and iv ff dear is the righteous man dear to is the man who him dear is the zealous dear is the of this impetuous and heroic to himself the cooked of the zealous he is not the relation or friend or of the man who offers no he is the of the man the not friendship with the wealthy who offers no he his wealth and him when he is stripped bare whilst he is the exclusive of the man who offers and food various other passages to the same effect might he quoted see original vol i ff the of men at his pleasure and acts vi who can praise him who can liim who can him that the god may always protect the bold man like one moving the positions of his feet in walking by his power puts now one now another man first or last this hero is renowned as every fierce man and as advancing now one and now another the enemy of the flourishing man the king of both worlds the men who are his subjects he his with his former and with others in turn is more than any other god as the patron of the and as their protector against their enemies the regarded as earthly or enemies i i i il iv vi c i may take this opportunity of referring to the in the religious which we meet in different does this expression intimate the same idea of the gods f jealous of human prosperity as we find in l near the beginning of the section iii vii and at the end k of the big in the of y which fur some towards the proper and interpretation of the it is stated in one passage vii that owing to the greatness of the deity the one soul is celebrated in many forms and that the gods are members of the one soul see iv and v this however is the view of a man who lived at a period when reflection had long been exercised od the contents of the and when speculation had already made great advances but the co existence of a of as recognised in the older portions of the hymns is inconsistent with the supposition that the writers in general had attained to any clear comprehension of the unity of the the of universal dominion to several of the gods no doubt enlarged and sublime of the divine nature and an advance towards the idea of one sovereign deity the g does however elsewhere appear to recognise the unity of the divine nature though manifested in a of forms in the verse of an and hy mn it is said they call him and he is the celestial well winged that which is but one tbey call it and in a v xiii it is said tliat becomes in the evening the god of night and rising in the morning he becomes becoming the sun ho moves through the atmosphere and becoming he along the middle of the sky in a v ff is identified with various other the verse e v l is in its character is the sky is the air is mother and father and son is all the gods and the five classes of men la whatever has been is whatever shall be as we have seen receives in one verse e v the epithet of w the all fashion on this verse compare the hang s p ing or all the same characteristic is assigned to the god the sun in x and in iv is called the of the sky and the lord of creatures and in v he is the all god or the all divine in the two hymns r v x and x however this word becomes the proper name of a god who is conceived as the creator of all things the following are some of the verses of the first of these hymns see original iv ff x what was the foundation which of what kind was the source from which the vi produced the earth and by his might disclosed the heaven the one god who has on eveiy side eye on every side a face on every side arms on eveiy side feet when producing the heaven and the earth them together with his arms and his wings what was the wood what was the tree out of which they fashioned heaven and earth mentally ye what that was on which he took his stand when the worlds in i the god called is thus celebrated arose in the beginning as soon as bom he was the sole lord of things existing he established the earth and this heaven to what god shall we offer our f he who gives breath who gives strength whose command all and the gods too reverence whose shadow is immortality whose shadow is death to what god shall we offer our who by his might became the sole king of the breathing and world who rules over this two footed and four footed creation to what god c whose greatness these snowy mountains and | 28 |
sacrifice and gifts they had attained to the friendship of and immortality in verse of the same hymn they are as sons of the gods in verses ci and the sons of are said to have sprung from and from the sky or in x the are said to be the sons of the divine the sky and in iii the see the of and the and u stated in their and p below are said to be sons of in vii and the sage is said to be the son of and in vii the last named god is said to have made a communication to the same sage in vii to have placed him in a boat and made him a in ill vi another is spoken of as a son of a god or the gods in the piety faith in the gods and devotion to their service are represented as the necessary conditions of enjoying their favour and obtaining the blessings which they are able to confer i the following i men have faith had in the fiery india when he again and again his destroying i sun and moon move alternately o for us to behold that we may have faith in thee i behold therefore this his great force have faith in s i do not destroy our valued enjoyment we have put faith in thy great power i verily believe that faith has been in thee do thou who art vigorous advance us to great wealth i since i said at first when desiring you twain and this our is to be sought after by the come now regarding with favour this our true faith and drink the poured out vi thou by acts of faith and by draughts for the sake of cast into a sleep vii who can overcome the man whose wealth thou art by faith in thee in the critical day of conflict the hero gains spoil in the following the reality of s existence and power is asserted in opposition to doubts ii that dreadful deity of whom they ask where is he of whom they say he is not he carries the riches the explains this as meaning that was by rites performed with faith for as he says the which is accompanied by faith has real worth and he the where it is said whatever is done with knowledge with faith and with science is more of the foe as a the put faith in him he men is tl hast thou or tell as truly thy strength thou of beings who art great by nature is really viii seeking after good present a true hymn to if he truly exists does not exist says some one who has seen him whom shall we praise here am i o behold me here i all creatures in greatness see also v viii x x the following also express the pious emotions of the i they polished their praises for their ancient lord with heart mind and understanding vi these cows men are i with my heart and mind l do ye and regard the acts of the man who you with an with a mind directed to the gods and with butter the same phrase occurs in i iv what man a longing lover of the gods hath enjoyed s to day x the self dependent god with that man who loves the gods and does not withhold his wealth the same phrase lover of the gods occurs also in ii and iii and also in the following verse x does abandon the cattle of the man who loves the gods and with a longing mind and with his whole heart out to him of iv he on the man who with tha of the original are two i id ii in of which s to it different it h ve the both in hia i that it to be id of i gives it the of and u p and note mind directed to him and out to the longing he makes him a companion in his fights vii that mortal never who seeking for good offers gifts to the wide who him with devoted mind and seeks to gain so great a hero viii worship with devoted mind who is really with ix this knowing our affairs and hy many with devoted minds will overcome our v give renown to me who a mortal constantly thee an immortal with a heart i may i with or through my offspring attain viii the man whether learned or who devoted to thee to thee a word will delight thee prosperous men are said to disregard until alarmed by the display of his might viii thou never a rich man to be thy men with wine are hostile to thee when thou a sound thou them together then thou art called upon as a father in v the following verses occur the ik verses love him who is awake the verses proceed to him who is awake this says to him who is awake i am pleased with thy friendship is awake him do the verses love is awake to him do the s man verses proceed is awake to him does this say i am pleased with thy friendship the st hymn of the book of the is addressed to faith it is as follows through faith the fire is kindled through faith the is offered with our words we proclaim faith to be upon the head of good fortune t faith make this which i utter acceptable to that is according to ix is well kindled is well offered t according to the on the il ff where the hymn is quoted faith is the cause of good fortune to men s in his explanation of thia hymn to be a particular | 28 |
desire which a man has i him who gives and to him who desires to give to liberal ab the gods caused faith in the minds of the fierce so make what we utter be an object of faith to liberal the gods sacrificing protected by v fu reverence faith a man faith through an impulse of the heart through faith he gains wealth we faith in the morning at noon and at the setting of the sun faith inspire us with faith the br il adds another verse faith dwells in or among the gods faith is the entire universe with an we faith the mother of what we desire the same has the following verses in il through faith a god faith is divine the support of the world us she has come to our sacrifice having enjoyment for her offspring and yielding or immortality faith the divine is the of the the of the universe the of the world her we worship with an may she to us an world she the ruler the divine sovereign mistress of all that exists in several passages of the also reference is made to faith thus iv i cook this all conquering ofi may the gods hear me who have faith vi and xii those who have faith attain to this world ii and the goat drives far away the darkness being given offered up in this world by a man who has faith xi be merciful king to the for art the lord of cattle be gracious to the and beings of him who believes that the gods exist xix may he j give me faith and understanding the has these verses about faith xix by giving gifts faith is obtained and by faith is gained truth xix beholding the forms of truth and falsehood the here a to this effect offered gi tt or without faith are called bad or and have no either here or hereafter distinguished them to falsehood he attached and to truth he attached belief or faith the following is from the l he has no faith in what he offers who sacrifices without the exercise of faith he brings water water is faith he sacrifices faith and both gods and men have faith in his see also br v near the end of the section the iii br xiv thus to faith on what is sacrifice based on on what is based on faith for when a man has faith he gives gifts so it is on faith that is based on what is faith based on the heart for it has assurance through the heart it is on the heart that faith is based there are many verses about in m see also m iii and for the sources of this and the following pieces i refer to my original vol v in ff hymn v is translated and other passages relating to are referred to see translation of ig x in original v f see original v ff see the same volume ff see the same volume ff in the hymns contained in the earlier books of the occasional occur to a future life as awaiting the of the gods allusion is made in various to the who were mortals but on account of their artistic skill had attained immortality i ff i f iii the subject of the following pages is treated in the chapter headed of dr h t recently published prize essay entitled die der den s iv iv iv however see his s v is of opinion that the beings so called cannot have been men but rather belong to the same class of beings as the of who wonderful instruments for the gods another class of beings the are in like manner said in x and i to have obtained immortality or gone to heaven but s r thinks that this is an attempt to explain their character which he regards as see also s under the words however this may be there are other which can only be understood as referring to the of immortality by men in i it is said the liberal man d on the summit of the sky he goes to the gods these brilliant things are the portions of those who bestow there are for them in heaven they enjoy immortality they their life i may i attain to that beloved abode of his of where men devoted to the gods rejoice in i it is said that those who have some information about particular have attained immortality in v the la mortal who contemplating thee with a heart which thee continually thee who art immortal confer on us may i with my offspring attain immortality in v the storm gods are to place their in a state of immortality and in v and are prayed to bestow rain wealth and immortality in viii the poet when and i go to the world and house of the sun then may we having drunk this may be explained as the indian does may i attain con i ting of an line of through b by thee and be quote a text to the effect a man is bom in bis this o mortal ii thy bnt of thia particular verse the meaning of the other i have is not thereby affected wig renders may i attain immortality with children may i become immortal through children abide in the thrice seventh realm of our friend in the tenth book of the r v we have the following in x is said to have made beautiful paths by which man goes straight to the gods in x the gods promise to that if his offspring would worship them he should obtain happiness in heaven in x it is said that those who have given gifts abide high in the sky the of horses abide with the sun those who | 28 |
see prose version in original v ig x see original t f big x see original v see original t f see original v see original v f h m hi to in this parallel passages additional to those given in the are page line and in the sovereign soul is the expression does not exactly represent the doctrine which as may he seen from what is not that there ever was any individual soul distinct from the supreme soul but that all the conditions which the seeming individual to remain ignorant of his own identity with the supreme self being now removed he no longer himself to be a distinct and separate personality page note and p lines ff possibly this verse which i have said seems very in its tendency may be understood as that the sinner who sacrifices to the gods at the same time enters on a new and righteous course of life compare the ix f where it is said even if a man of very evil life worship me seeking nothing else he must be regarded as good for he ie thoroughly resolved he quickly becomes righteous and perpetual page no for still men s grief read share men s grief page note the following lines from the of ff form a parallel to the closing verses of the quotation from the aw ou t le y ro i ft ii ii h but never never for i shall not say it once only should wise men who have a wife permit other women to visit their partner in their houses for these women are teachers of evil in opposition to the idea of shutting up women too much indoors makes one of his female characters speak thus p o v r tv st iv d fi f t v iv d x k did o u ti ri di fo g i ti ring gi ah oi pit d oi d what is most important a wise man should never keep his wife guarded within the recesses of his house for the eye desires out of door pleasure and living in the midst of such in abundance and beholding every thing and being present everywhere and her sight she is preserved from evils but the man who seeks to preserve his wife by and confinement while he seems to be doing something wise is foolish and thinking as he does is the reverse of sensible for any one of us who has her heart out of doors flies off quicker than an arrow or a bird and would the many eyes of p note compare also ou i a cl one in power ought not to exercise that power nor ought the prosperous to think that they shall always enjoy prosperity iv its lu si a of old i remark that the fortunes of men change for he who has fallen rises again he who formerly flourished in vol iv j p ou q iv ri t that i si i tl v i v ui i ra x r x a man who is living in prosperity should not think that he will always have the same good fortune for the god if god he should be called is generally tired of abiding always with the same p our i such is the life of wretched men it is neither altogether fortunate nor unfortunate and it is now prosperous and afterwards p no compare fragment of ii q i e ai n ko d st at l t ri r trim iii but if any mortal thinks that when doing something evil daily he escapes the notice of the gods he thinks what is evil and thinking he is caught whenever justice has leisure he for the evils he has wrought fragment in fragments of no but i li t ft ou fa ail do not fear that justice will ever approach thee and thee to the heart nor will she so visit any other unjust man but silently and slowly advancing she always the wicked among mortals the following passage is taken from the containing sentiments from and others printed in s edition of iv ff p no df or p s iv g oi i ds if thou always that god stands by a of all that thou with thy soul or thy body thou wilt not in all thy acts and shalt have god dwelling with thee p no xii compare fragment i a v v when god wishes entirely to ruin a house he some ground of complaint against mortals p no xiii iv also in and considered by some to be of doubtful f on ff ri y do not therefore vex knowing that that which afterwards often brings joy and evil becomes the occasion of good iv xx v a st in many houses there are many evils which when well borne shall become good things s p x ix r d ri i in life u there ia no good thing which up like a tree firom one root but alongside of the good something evil also grows up and nature brings good out of the evil p no xiv ii non jam est i do not regard every as useful to a man i know that gain has rendered many men brilliant there are also cases where in truth it will be better to loss than acquire gain p f and xiv republic x ji ou o i ii i n iti ri a ix f jt k oi ii r ir mr if v rt h t ri l um fl u s y stall t ri t i | 28 |
i ii and the friend of the gods may be supposed to receive from them every good excepting only such evil as is the necessary consequence of former certainly then this must be our notion of the just man that even when he is in poverty or sickness or any other seeming misfortune all things will in the end work together for good to him in life and death for the gods have a care of any one whose desire is to become just and to be like god as far as man can attain his likeness by the pursuit of virtue yes he said if he is like he will surely not be neglected by him dr s translation of ii p no xiv i give here both in a verse and prose translation the remainder of the hymn to by the philosopher of which a portion has been quoted in p the original may be found in i ff is stated in dr william smith s dictionary of greek and biography and to have been bom at in about b c though the exact date is unknown the substance of the hymn is given and commented upon in sir a grant s d ed vol l p ff of all many named almighty lord of nature ruling all by law great all hail on thee we call thee mortal men may all for from thine own high self we claim to spring of creatures all that people earth or air we men alone thy reason s impress bear thy greatness therefore will i ever sing revolving round the earth the whole array of stars that ever present force whereby across the sky thou lead st its coarse and willing bows to thy sway for such an instrument to revolt thou lord in thine hands as response to thy commands the two edged fiery living all nature where er its strokes alight so dost thou thy law which all the heavenly lights both great and small so great a king art thou of sovereign might apart from thee no work great is done on earth m yonder heavenly sphere or deep in ocean s far or near bnt what the had in folly thou how to make the crooked straight from chaos dire can st order fair create to thee are dear the things which mortals hate for so hast things good and ill combined that all together one grand system make to rule reduced by thy mind evil men this wondrous order break and neither see nor hear thy law which well and kept had made them but seeking fancied good they never rest of envied fame or sordid gain in quest or else to ease and joy their lives resign yet disappointed all at last obtain the dark reverse of what they hoped to gain but all father in clouds from whose dark depths the dazzling glance sweep far away that mournful ignorance whose gloom the souls of mortals now and grant them knowledge yea that they may share that wisdom wherein thou st whilst thou aright the course of nature st that honoured so by thee we men may pay thee back with honour singing aye with awe thy deeds as men from age to age no nobler task can men or gods engage than this with joy to hymn the universal law the following is a prose translation of the preceding hymn o most glorious of the many named ever author of nature ruling all things with law hail for it is permitted to all mortal men to address thee for we are a race springing thee having alone of all mortal things that live and creep on the ground obtained a resemblance of the sound wherefore i shall hymn thee and ever thy might this entire universe revolving round the earth thee thou lead and is willingly governed by thee such a minister thou in thine hands the two edged or fiery ever living for from its blow the whole of nature whereby thou the common order which au things with the greater and the lesser lights thou who art such a supreme king universally without thee o god no work is done on earth nor at the divine ethereal pole or in the sea save only those things which the wicked through their own but too how to make things even and to order the things that are disordered and things which are not dear are dear to thee for so hast thou fitted all good things into one with the bad that there is but one reason or account to be given of all things ever existing which reason all wicked mortals and neglect men who always longing after the possession of good things neither see nor hear this universal law of rod by wisely obeying which they would lead an excellent life but what is noble they rush in pursuit of different objects some carrying on a bitter struggle for fame some turning to the unfair pursuit of gain and others seeking after ease and bodily they are carried away in different directions bat prepare for themselves things altogether the opposite of these for which they are striving but o all wn in dark clouds of vivid rescue men from mournful ignorance it from their souls o father and impart to them wisdom in which trusting thou all things aright do this that so being honoured of thee we may repay thee with honour continually thine acts as a mortal for there is no higher privilege either for men or for gods than ever rightly to sing the universal law this is a literal rendering of the reading in the it has been attempted to improve by has proposed an alteration u y p fi x no p line om the top compare hon iv in ei fit ad ut if thou | 28 |
any thing or that it should be observed by the public be the first to submit to what thou the people then becomes to obey what is right and cannot refuse to yield when it sees the author of the obey himself the world to the example of the king nor do avail so much as the life of the ruler to influence their feelings the vulgar always changes with the prince p no xxi compare p li c ij x ns kill it m i y tf ji rt fu u a tl when thou to know what thou art look at the as thou along the road in them lie the bones and the light dust of kings and and and of men who were proud of their high birth and their wealth and their renown and their bodily beauty but none of these things could ward off the of time all mortals r t x which may be for we from thee c the of thy this i have followed in the find a common grave regarding these things know what thou art p no hand ad ab rate thou shalt carry none of thy wealth to the waves of fool thou shalt be across naked on the infernal boat p no p o oi ti iv y fu u alas when the have died in a garden or the green or the blooming crisp they live again afterwards and grow up in another year but we the great the brave the wise when once we die no longer hearing aught sleep in the hollow earth a very long sleep that knows no waking p no ex ii ex qui si non et you will not easily find one out of many thousands who regards virtue as its own reward its own lustre if the prices of right action are wanting does not affect any one and he having been good for nothing late ex virtue is its own reward it alone shines far and wide indifferent about fortune is not elevated by any proud emotions does not seek to become illustrious by tbe applause of the vulgar desiring no outward wealth in no need of bold by its own resources unmoved by all chances it looks down on the life of mortals from its p no li compare the following from the so called golden verses for a copy of which i am indebted to friend i j t s a w to hot a f a i i j ri j j a af si rt i should one allow sleep to visit his tender eyes before he has examined each of the day s deeds in what have i t what have i done what duty have i failed to fulfil i beginning at the first go over au thine acts and if thou hast done anything dreadful reproach if thou hast done well be glad each night before in soft repose thy tired and languid eyelids close of thine own self the questions ask have i fulfilled my daily task what virtuous action have i done or ah have i accomplished none what have i done amiss this day t from virtue s path how gone astray t when thou hast thus from first to last thine actions all in survey passed if thou hast evil done be sad if thou hast nobly done be glad pages ff n os and although only some of the following greek passages manifest any resemblance and that not a very close one to the of the i think them worthy of being here i it d v p ii di xi hi a y p let as begin with whom we men will never leave and all streets are full of all the market places of men and the sea too is full and the ports and we everywhere stand in need of for we are ins offspring the following lines form the commencement of a long so called passage in p u ax d v n oc fix fi j ty ap h hi ft ai p rt h a x r x the of the flashing lightning is the first the last the head the centre all things are formed fix ni or by is or became a male the immortal a maid is the foundation of the earth and of the heaven is the breath of all the fury of the ceaseless fire is the root of the ocean is the sun and the moon is the king is himself the of all things there is one power one deity the great ruler of all things and one royal body in which all these things are fire and water and earth and and night and day and wisdom the first and much love for all these things lie in the great body of de and the following are quoted but not all fully by p f they are not on account of anything corresponding in the but for their and elevated the from which the last three are taken is not however generally regarded as b de vii pit ai i if god who is and blessed not through any good external to himself but himself through de t v rt na i n i e i t tf i iii ix ut one power that which reaches through all things arranged the entire earth and and and sun and moon and the whole heaven compelling the most opposite natures in it to and om these things safety for the whole de i i m a f u si di di ri j these things too we ought to in regard to god who in might is moat strong in beauty is most fair in life immortal in virtue most excellent because | 28 |
being by mortal natures he is perceived by his works themselves de k v si i lit ia and he is called the son of and of time continuing from one age without limit to another on a conception of the deity sir s its s in mr ancient for h iv p god is not if he would not be god p line above the note without an interior or an exterior this cannot be said of a lump of salt it is however said of in ii of this where the explains as having no succession of while he gives as having no exterior but it would seem that as the opposite of is intended to bear the sense of having no interior page line professor thus expresses himself on the subject it seems to me that the ultimate meaning of as of on which it of course depends is almost beyond our conception it is the thin into which s dove hopes to fly up to find perfect freedom of flight the ordinary ideas of us do not rise higher than and or t but seems to me utterly and therefore is as far off from it as we are and yet our usual idea of god is t i cannot help believing that the distinction of and must extend through all worlds and all eternity the highest existence conceivable by us is infinitely removed from reality god s personality as conceived in western thought him at once from the for surely all consciousness three the subject and the object and the relation and is his has no object it is simple thought means real or apparent and p lines ff from the foot this view of the must however be regarded as modem its as applied to ancient times is by the cases of g and mentioned in f page note draws my attention to the fact that as an alternative reading instead s with the sense there is of it if it is spoken by a non teacher this he is the same meaning as is brought out by my proposed reading only expressed p no though indian caste is a different thing from slavery the following relating to the latter are akin in spirit to the from the ion ev ti m for one thing brings shame to slaves the name but in all other respects a slave who is a good man is in nothing worse than those who are free ii p n ni at if any one be a slave my master he is no less a man if he be a man il s i for the name will not destroy a good slave for many slaves are better than the free f h di bu l to many slaves the name is a disgrace their soul is than that of others who are not slaves i p r t r i ic fl even he is a slave he has the same flesh for no one was ever a slave by nature but destiny has his body p no e i ta i r g p d ov x v t i have little good to say of noble birth for in my estimation the good is the nobly bom man while he who is unjust even if sprung from a father superior to is to me other similar sentiments are in the same place by p line no ex the translation of the first line of this passage has been omitted here it runs as follows the man who has no faith in aod who constantly sacrifices with means gained not obtain the rewards of p no p but regarded by p f as ds u ti fi j v a a ti ti hi i t ti ag ty ti h t of x r x s ov if any one o offering in sacrifice a of or or the like or gilt or or images of ivory or thinks thereby to render the deity to him he and is for the man who hopes for this must be a good and man for god is near at hand and thee ss in the printed in iv the following saying is ascribed to of ra i o i ri the same person said that those who expended the gains derived from on excellent rites of worship acted to those who performed pious acts with means gained by temples p line a gift bestowed with contempt c and p no t i a it i ia if thou should st clothe a poor man who is naked thou hast rather stripped him if thou should st reproach him p no from the iv f a man is like god when he does good and does not make a gain of well doing ij x p s wilt best honour god when thou in mind liim through virtue for virtue draws the soul to that which has an to it oi ar p rf s i i r it h iti i men then become better when they draw near to god and likeness to god page no the following saying of is given in the in s edition of the of vol iv p p it the same sage being asked how a man could defend himself against his enemy replied if thou act fairly and kindly towards him page f and in us i and si he is the best man o who knows how to suffer most injustice in i o ri there is nothing pleasanter or than for one who is to bear it for if the does not take it to himself the re is himself i give the enclosed from the in | 28 |
iv though there is nothing corresponding to it in thi o r si fl ds s j he who evil against another evil against himself and the evil design is worst for the p no although there is nothing parallel to this in the it is worth quoting in p ex th ta s y foi ta from suffering learn sympathy for so shall another has suffered with thee p no from by john of in iv it to s no man is to me an alien if he be a good man all men have one nature but character anyone as a ii from mai a e whence said well i am an or a for i do not profess to be of one country any greek tower is my country p no ii no ii ass ai c ut si i t do what thou to be right even though by doing this thou bad for the crowd is a bad judge of ail noble acts despise therefore the blame of those whose praises thou page no a f for the man who delights to be constantly speaking does not observe that he is disagreeable to his associates vol ii p st o i i y a man shall not be admired if he speaks much but rather if he speaks a uttle which is profitable s p no i f a i dost thou desire that i should speak to thee smooth lies or hard truths tell me for with thee rests the decision p no i ti di ov oi ra spit let me have a poor man or if he wishes worse than a poor man who being well disposed to me will set aside fear and say what he thinks p no in beautiful thoughts from greek authors p trot a rot hi v as the man who is unfortunate should never but always hope for better things p no p xv rf a f y ri tu v ty tt d s y rt y a poor man is not believed even if he be wise even if he say something profitable he appears to those who hear him to speak badly for the word of the poor receives no but a rich man even if he lie exceedingly appears to hearers to say something certain see also the from the of under no at the foot of p p no to df ti r k wealth friends for men and further honours o for wealth makes even a man with an ugly body and rude in speech wise and i v ih d ia ri jt is a difficult task to find a of the poor man for no one that one who needs any help belongs to him for be at the time expects to be asked for some help iv ef ti i it i in prosperity it is most easy to find a friend and in the most of all things i i lit di y p ran ti ou rat i many turn away from their friends when they fall from ease into want for most men are friends of wealth not of those who possess it e i for in friends most distinctly show themselves such but prosperity in every case is attended by friends o the man who is faithful in times of calamity is better to regard than a calm is to f h ij ro df e f ss ri ht i f i friends should aid friends in the time of calamity when providence gives prosperity what need have men of friends i for the god being willing to benefit them is himself sufficient the following is a very noble sentiment iv and s and tour i ov this is life not to live to one s self only p no in i g v fi y d rd i df r i v thai the just man is not he who does not act but who when he is able to do so does not desire it nor again he who has from taking a little but he who taking great things when he can have and hold them with nor again is the just man he who only all these things but he who possessing an honest and noble nature desires to be and not to seem just p no r q r il i i in au ri a a j i ri iti and of u tliat has been said nothing remains but the saying that to injustice ia more to be avoided than to suffer injustice and that the reality and not the appearance of virtue is to be followed above all things as well in public as in private life dr s translation st edition p no from in iv a of others himself full of in l it ri tip aunt i an we are all skilled in perceiving evil in the case of others but we are not aware when we do it ourselves i if rd im ir d i w i no one clearly his own bad points but will observe when another does anything p fret ti r v whenever thou to blame thy neighbour first consider thine own faults iv post re non has placed upon us two he has put one filled with our own faults our backs and has hung one heavy one filled with the faults of others before our breast hence we cannot see our own bad acts but as soon as others offend we censure them iii est it is a part of folly to see the faults of others and forget | 28 |
hon j w speaker of the house of representatives medical and notes on bt cl r se m d d medical and of april i have the honor to a copy of medical and notes of the of the to and the ocean very your obedient servant r se m d marine the hon op the i v n notes r humanity more especially for tbe medical ce which he studies in all its varieties physical expression of in the treatment of l r that no wide differences exist in the race t and the of men notwithstanding of the table are much the same the as belonging to the or way some observations as they have experience which afforded exceptional that are about in the human economy ji by the surroundings in fact of that it the of the bear and beyond the mi and where the sun says he is near them only a short time the winds which blow from warm tie force of the divine old man it may be remarked in the usual mixture of true and false it of subjects living beyond the north wind and giving rise t relations at all or was originally the race it is difficult to say the question only raising s or not we know that the subject was one of on the in the time of alexander speak of the b and use of expressions which have served as con st from the epoch of u of down to have sought adventure in this most weird remote ly times of the and down to ot disease and suffering that the wonder regions of the north so much that is fascinating l e treated from a sentimental or an point of considerations of a more practical and commonplace voyage to san and after an of railway travel which had been interrupted by the the relief steamer on may an o l condition with the exception of imperfect mil the means for furnishing air to these very with the twenty feet of fresh air that a healthy man requires the of tbe medical and notes notes for the man of broad ideas and enthusiasm for humanity more especially for the medical man there exists but one people namely the human race which he studies in all its varieties physical and moral in order not to hesitate according to the expression of in the treatment of disease experience and observation show however that no wide differences exist in the race when regarded from a or a medical aspect and the of men notwithstanding their physical and the extended range of the table are much the same the world over no matter they be as belonging to the or races the object of this paper is to record in a way some observations as they have occurred to the writer during a late experience which afforded exceptional advantages for noting a few of the changes and variations that are about in the human economy by influences and the of high by the surroundings in fact of that part of the earth which places under the of the bear and beyond the an mountains whence blows the north wind and where the sun says he is near them only in the summer but these places only a short time the winds which blow from warm countries reaching there but seldom and with little force these simple true and philosophical observations of the divine old man it may be remarked are in striking contrast to those of who in the usual mixture of true and false which fills the pages of the when treating of subjects whether the early greek conception of the people living beyond the north wind and giving rise to the legends was based on any relations at all or was originally the notion of the poets relative to an imaginary race it is difficult to say the question only raising a doubt that places us in a or not we know that the subject was one of popular interest in high antiquity giving rise to a work on the in the time of alexander the great and that when and speak of the and to indicate most they only made use of expressions which have served as connecting links in literature to extend the interest from the epoch of us of down to the days of james among the numerous historic men who have sought adventure in this most weird remote and wonderful part of the globe from the early times of the and down to and de long we hear such tales of disease and suffering that the wonder is that men should still see about the mysterious regions of the north so much that is fascinating and romantic but as the subject is not to be treated from a sentimental or an point of view these remarks must yield to considerations of a more practical and commonplace character the voyage in obedience to instructions i proceeded to san and after an delay of several days from of railway travel which had been interrupted by the floods of the river i joined the relief steamer on may an inspection showed the to be in good condition with the exception of imperfect of the berth deck and ward room the means for furnishing air to these apartments being inadequate to supply every with the twenty feet of fresh air every minute which the best authorities agree that a healthy man requires the of the h ex of steamer c in the ocean berth deck was further increased by the brought about by the habit of the decks above and below every morning with water at my suggestion this very practice was happily on the berth deck and dry being and the deck was not oftener than once or twice a month and only at times when the of | 28 |
fine weather w justify doing so after such a medical as the of the might require and after taking the necessary precautions as to the condition of the vessel and crew we started on our humane mission putting to sea on may and meeting with seven or eight days of pleasant weather so for the season the ocean somewhat deserving of the that it displayed its prettiest of and tints and sunset effects as we through miles of and had it not been for the occasional sight of and little black divers with the daily fall in the we should not have known of our approach to the north this happy state of affairs did not continue long on reaching a higher latitude where we were beset by hail and furious storms of snow and all the of sea life causing a p in every sense of the term the increased cold as we the north had no perceptible effect for the worse on the health of the ship s company and it is gratifying to state that but few serious cases either or medical l during the entire voyage a happy event undoubtedly owing to the careful measures taken to secure full and to the excellent routine and discipline the is a good sea vessel being tolerably dry in bad weather and her are easy for a small craft at the outset of the however we were placed in the best possible conditions for studying both and the strange phenomena of that tribute of suffering that so many people are obliged to pay to the sea unfortunately so little is known of the nature and origin of this most distressing affection and medical science has done so little to its attacks the wonder is that more extended experiments are not made by medical men in regard to in spite of many theories and that have been advanced to explain the phenomena of this so called disease we know that its causes are purely physical the swinging of the the disturbance of the in the contents of the body just as the up and down in a and the consequent of the and system of nerves i a kind of which in different individuals according to peculiarity of structure and experience that no known to the will prevent or cure notwithstanding the of eminent medical authority to the contrary resolute effort of the will and the resort to such as drinks containing an excess of champagne and beer for example and were found to be the most modes of treatment adopted in the numerous cases of this almost evil coming under my observation a portion of the crew suffered from violent of the hand arising doubtless from the combined influences of long confinement on sea diet and unusual conditions this affection was not confined to our vessel alone for it prevailed among the as well the worst cases occurred among men whose history revealed the previous existence of to remedy the condition it was recommended that the entire ship s company e allowed a run ashore as often as practicable and that there be added to the usual a of a supply of which had been laid in among other happily these directions were complied with as far as possible and i had the satisfaction to witness the good results another affection prevailing among the crew was a attended by excessive which i at first suspected to be due to the presence of but subsequent experience showed that temporary could be brought about by the administration of and the application of and water i may mention that my friend dr charles smart u s a who has in the as far as latitude on a says that he has often noticed the foregoing symptoms in connection with among sailors and also among soldiers in who had been living for some time of steamer in the ocean on the army he regards the symptoms to arise from and as the ones that an outbreak of a few cases of return of fever brought about by wet and fatigue and of which seemed to be the prevailing the usual of and with several cases of minor and a few cases of contracted at make up the sick list so far as the crew proper is concerned it may not be foreign to the subject to remark that the condition of the and indeed of other vessels in tlie service might be greatly improved by covering the berth deck with a of and better might be secured by an arrangement similar to that found on the latest english naval vessels where a passes up through the side of the ship until it opens just beneath the rail on the inside of the and is covered with a blind further advantage especially in the way of lighting would result from larger air ports having a glass and on its inner surface in order to the of light when the port is closed the situated on the berth deck of the was the source of excessive and which wa always increased in the morning by shutting a small when washing down decks a proceeding seemingly inconsistent with enlightened common sense especially when the decks have been wet the whole previous twenty four from rain or the seas washing over them the was in a measure by wiping the beams overhead and lighting a in a drying stove the for warming were good throughout the ship and the water supply was perhaps better than usual owing to the fact that the water in the contains but a small of or at water was obtained from a small in an adjacent hill but it had an unpleasant taste better water was had at saint michael s here a spring wells up amid some rocks on the sea beach at low tide water may be obtained with great facility good water was procured nearly | 28 |
everywhere in the at island and and it was of unusual excellence at cape also at herald and islands water supplied by the was occasionally used during the but as it was from the main without it had that peculiar flavor which rendered it unfit for purposes the articles of food consisting of the regular to which had been added i and the usual such as i l and were of good quality and kept remarkably well some butter in barrels being as good on our return as on the day we left frequent opportunities also occurred to get fish and game the being varied from time to time with salmon and ducks eggs of which great quantities were found on the islands seal bear and these articles proved not only an change from the regular but use was followed by a sense of well being and by improved the ordinary clothing was with a coat of skin seal skin trousers and a foot covering similar to that worn by the over an ordinary pair of stockings were drawn a pair of with the hair turned in the foot being next thrust into an boot of seal skin into the bottom of which a small quantity of straw was as a non conductor and the whole secured by after the manner of a this answered the purposes of warmth and comfort but the effect was anything but picturesque as the foot resembled a extremity that some hospital nurse had endeavored to in a beyond the summary obtained from the signal station at saint michael s e are no extended weather observations to report in regard to any fixed i for the reason that the ship seldom remained longer than a few days at a time in any one place and it was o to get any definite information from the natives whose knowledge in this respect does not extend beyond noticing whether the is great or little during the winter as regards the weather during the past season there is a marked contrast when compared to that experienced on the s former voyage the sea was from ice a fact doubtless owing to the preceding mild winter and other causes but the number of fine days was few and a series of and snow storms continued throughout the summer even as late as july the were covered with snow and hail and a bitter cold wind penetrated of steamer in the ocean our winter in opposition to this was the temperature of july when the while the above is true of the weather in the more northern part of the we found it in sound later in the season much than it was at a corresponding date of the previous year in the latter part of june at saint michael s we found the sun almost overpowering although the but p why this should exist between the sensation of heat as experienced by the human body and the actual temperature as revealed by the we are not prepared to say all that we know from writers on the subject is that the sensations of heat and cold are relative and not absolute in different among the in for instance the opposite condition is often noticed a disagreeable sensation of cold not indicated by the being one of the experiences of in that part of the world the cold is keen and penetrating with the standing at but p an excellent distinction is that which these phenomena as physical cold and cold the former indicating that revealed by the the latter that not indicated by instruments many travellers have noticed this relative sensation of cold as well as the and even a certain degree of comfort with which they can expose themselves to a low temperature which would be attended by serious in a more southern dr relates that in he went swimming in a pool of water on the of an and the captain of a new has frequently gone swimming off the coast of taking advantage of one of these warm days i took a plunge into the icy water with no such motive however as that of nor did i like have the after it on the contrary a swim of no great discomfort was followed by a reaction the actual rise of temperature that follows upon in a cold atmosphere or upon first entering into a cold bath is not one of the least curious phenomena of the function of the nor is the busy activity of the and the of the food within the canal which accounts for the source of the heat of such animals as and the birds a subject to be passed by by what physical and laws can we explain this this action of the in the of energy sufficient to supply bodily heat to such animals as the seal and the whale and enable them by remarkable to withstand the extreme cold of the does the of the whale and of the duck enable them to combine a greater quantity of with and thereby act as a source of heat or is the function of the liver the chief source by what means does the energy yielding material become change l into actual energy f does the nervous system acting as a force like the in a steam engine remove or to the of into energy or do all the internal work of the animal all the mechanical labor of the internal muscular with their accompanying and the labor of the nervous and other a certain amount of heat and thus account for the special function of the foregoing with many others suggested themselves on hearing the statements of and hunters with reference to the sensation produced by the blood while handling the bodies of recently killed animals and it occurred to me that a series of observations something after the manner of the experiments of dr in connection with the | 28 |
experienced in this region are not unworthy of mention a remarkable was noticed between two mountains at bay another noticed by our party in a cliff at cape gives back more than a dozen echoes and baron relates that a pistol fired near some cliffs on the river is echoed a hundred times the great distance to which small sounds are sometimes is also worthy of record the first time this clearness of the atmosphere came under observation was at saint where a conversation carried on at an incredible distance could be distinctly heard amid the grim silence and desolation of heretofore island at a time too when the air was for that latitude i distinctly heard our a small man with a voice of no great volume giving orders two miles away while laughter and sounds of the voice when any one spoke above the ordinary tone were heard with such amazing distinctness as to suggest communication where the conditions were so favorable to the reflection of waves it was natural to expect the occurrence of a phenomenon an echo at sea such as i once noticed in a fog off the banks while crossing the atlantic in a french steamer whose fog whistle was echoed in a surprising manner but at no time was it observed that the state of the atmosphere overhead or the of fog banks gave rise to anything like an echo although as a rule no very marked differences in the deep sea and surface were observed yet a few of the noticed are deserving of mention for instance near herald island on july the temperature at the bottom was o and a few days later off the coast miles to the southward it measured while later in sea over miles to the southward it fell to the of the sea water as observed by mr f e assistant engineer of the is shown in the accompanying table the instruments used in obtaining the results were a and a water was drawn at about feet below the surface and heated to a temperature of f and the or specific gravity is shown by the depth to which the sinks in the water as sea water commonly contains one part of matter to parts of water the instrument is marked in thirty seconds as c and the are parts of one thirty second of i l at saint sea off bay asia ocean near straits ocean near ice on coast sea off saint island bay sea july sea between ring s island and ca e prince of wales july entrance to sound july cape ocean july icy cape july herald island in the ice july cape august island surface in ice august island below surface feet august the use of the resulted in finding the usual forms that have been already described in works relating to ages in latitude a spot known among the as the post office the brought up some mud of a temperature of while the water near the measured examination of the mud revealed some shells of in passing straits the tint of the water was noticed it resembled that often seen in the water of mill which has been by leaves the of steamer in the ocean of the sea was also observed in september in latitude and several patches of red snow were seen at bay and at herald island but whether the tint was owing to the presence of some red or not am unable to say the records kept on board the being of use in connection with the of the vessel only are therefore so far as making any from them in regard to is concerned in connection with this subject it may be inferred from the absence of above straits and the existence of huge ones in the more southern part of compared with which the great of the is a mere that the amount of is much less in the higher of the pacific but the finding of and rock and other evidences of former as well as of coal which says is the sun s rays in form and also the remains of the along with luxuriant tropical or semi tropical vegetation would imply the existence at a remote period of a different condition a change in which has been brought about according to the explanation of the in long la of time through the change in the of the earth s in combination with the of the and the movement of the whether a climate existed in former days the to on vegetable food as suggested by professor or whether the in his personal while to overcome the influence of climate was detained in his present position by the sudden it is impossible to say sir charles seems to account satisfactorily not only for the of these animals in the northern parts of and america but for the permanent masses of ice known as his explanation is as follows this snow is commonly blown over the edges of steep cliffs so as to form an inclined hundreds of feet high and when a torrents rush from the land and throw down from the top of the cliff soil and gravel this new soil soon becomes covered with vegetation and the foundation of snow from the rays of the sun water occasionally into the and of the snow but as soon as it it serves the more to the mass into compact ice it may sometimes happen that cattle in a valley at the base of such cliffs on the borders of a river may be overwhelmed by drift snow and at length in solid ice and then transported toward the region or a herd of returning from their summer pastures in the north may have been surprised while crossing a stream by the sudden of the waters in the course of the summer we fell in | 28 |
with most of the vessels of the fleet to several of which medical services were rendered the cases being such as are common to men the most notable ones were of consumption and constitutional among men who should never have been in the first place there also came under notice a case of in it would have been desirable to try large ot a medicine not among the stores consequently the patient was by treatment and there occurred two deaths one each from consumption and one man of the escaped crew of the bark daniel which was crushed in the ice on being rescued two weeks of exposure terror and starvation was completely insane but subsequently regained his reason it seems that the act of ship in the not only taxes all the resources of but the situation to bringing about mental one of the oldest and most experienced tells me that he has seen men from an abandoned ship so lose their wit as to cry like children sit helpless on the ice and refuse to move until the most measures were taken to force them another told me that some years ago having to retreat from his crushed ship across the ice two of his crew becoming finally drowned themselves and the insane of the party is fresh in the minds of every one the rescued crew of the were on the verge of starvation when picked up and among the nine taken on board the there prevailed for some weeks a peculiar disturbance of the organs by a tongue and a sense of and pain in the region but the demands for medical services were more urgent among the inhabitants of several remote places where the touched at and at saint michael s the most northern station of the commercial company and one of the few with a physician e op in the and securely in a land locked harbor by like a dreary picture of snowy desolation we the air chilly and apparently to give a heal the inhabitants called it mild weather an from which a large portion of the native population of the island had died prevailed in the little village off which we and the only physician of the place being also ill the sick were without medical advice or attendance during the few days of our stay every assistance in our power was rendered the and we hope that our advent among them was the means of several that otherwise would have taken place diseases peculiar to the population observation of the disease in question showed marked of the blood cough with pain and great depression both physical and in fact the latter symptom was the most characteristic and it seemed impossible to impart the least ray of hope to a patient who had made up his mind to die from the of his attack the disease was very rapid in its course and considering the gravity of these assembled phenomena there was but little of the fever that usually the main symptom calling for relief seemed to be the marked to combat which the administration of and milk were to with effects it may be mentioned that the administration of to these natives is attended with the happiest results the attending physician at me that most of the he has to treat among them being of an character lie invariably gives the effect of which he says is almost it is very much to be regretted that time and opportunity forbade a in one of these cases for among the different and varied forms under which presents itself and this type from any i have heretofore seen it is not at all incredible that there may have been something about its morbid what connection there may have been between the outbreak of the and the prevailing and influences it is impossible to say but the well known relations of conditions to certain diseases would lead one to infer that the previous occurrence of several earthquake or what is more probable a mild winter with an unusual amount of may have been the cause not to mention the interminable diet of and whale of the his fondness for and his inability to resist slight causes of depression so far as it is possible to ascertain the disease seems to have been confined almost exclusively to the native population at the only sufferer not a native was from the island of the also prevailed at saint paul s cook s and prince william sound a singular coincidence connected with the outbreak l its appearance at these places immediately or soon alter the arrival of the first vessel in port this circumstance so impressed itself on the native mind as to give rise to a general and strong belief in the of the disease it is not at all unlikely that sickness of the foregoing character has occurred from time to time among the we have a mention of at least one outbreak where it is stated that during a few days of unusually warm weather an of made its appearance at one of the adjacent islands attacking about fifty of the natives the same authority reports the of fever at cook s among a white population who lived on a bluff several hundred feet high in houses exposed to a strong breeze directly from the the states that the disease might have been contracted elsewhere but happening after a sea voyage of forty days and in persons previously in good health he attributes it to locality in a with mr whose knowledge of this part of him to give an intelligent opinion he informed me that for many miles around the bluff in question the land is low and but he thinks it is not and the opinion of dr a russian surgeon who says that in summer the weather of cook s is warm and clear in winter the falls | 28 |
where the climate is as and disagreeable as possible the of the that are yearly are left to decay in the open air in the immediate vicinity of the village and the is anything but pleasant one night the under the lee of the island about a mile off shore and the was so great as to sleep during the night a stroll ashore on saint paul afforded a fine opportunity to study comparative especially of the marine for in addition to the millions of live to be seen hauled up on the we walked through the green the remains of thousands of slain years ago occasionally sinking over our ankles in a substance resembling picked our way through the scattered of last year s seal and witnessed the remains of the killed but yesterday and of the killed the day before from information furnished by special agent it is learned that the diseases are of a and character but the returns of a late year show three deaths each from and since out of a population of about the increase has been but slight the and deaths having about balanced each other the per thousand being nearly three times greater than that among more civilized under more favorable conditions and the women as a rule being it is hardly reasonable to look for any decided increase in the population except under changed and more favorable conditions mr george the genial author of tent life in has kindly furnished a translation of the chapter from s history of the islands relative to diseases and their treatment from which the following notes are taken it appears that in the early days of the russian occupation the had some crude notions of human which they acquired from the of the dead bodies of their slaves and they also had considerable knowledge of medicine and the practice of which being and suppressed by the is now entirely lost among the diseases most common to them were a skin disease known as and fever the latter called common because no one escaped it and consumption of two kinds generally considered the first variety was simply a decay of the lungs attended by such symptoms as cough of blood and of breath the second proceeding from decay of the liver was accompanied by of the and rapid they were also acquainted with another disease which they called the inward disease and disease were formerly unknown to them of steamer in the ocean their principal consisted in patience and strict diet the patient being allowed only a le and two of water in the twenty dangerous wounds were treated by prolonged as they considered food and drink dangerous for the patient and creating a liquid in the wound which caused and even death the writer states that this method of treatment is still pursued and thinks that even now it many from death accidental wounds from fox traps were quite the iron teeth usually taking effect in or near the knee joint at out of forty or fifty cases but two are known to have died in wounds aside from diet they used for and keeping alive the fat of fishes and various land animals especially fat from the head of the fox over deep wounds they burnt teeth reduced to powder and applied a fresh mouse skin every day and they treated with various and or by made of roots other external diseases they hardly treated at all except by the universal diet and patience in they employed of bitter and guarded the patient carefully from the external air were also used in consumption of the first kind but if the proved troublesome the patient was submitted further to the operation of in both kinds of consumption the doctors supposed the bad symptoms to proceed from bad blood or a or spirit the operation just mentioned was performed by thrusting stone on both sides immediately under the ribs and was done by the most only because it required accurate knowledge of the internal parts and of just how much of the spirit to let out as there was danger of letting it all out and thus sending the patient to the other world the operation also used as a remedy for internal disease was considered the most approved treatment for and expressed themselves as having received decided benefit in critical conditions was resorted to as the last and sole remedy it was also used in many other diseases for example in diseases of the eyes where the skin was pricked between the eyes or on the of the neck in fact this operation was done on all parts of the body and n instance was known of an having submitted to it forty times various parts of his body having been the were men famous for their skill and imparted their knowledge to the best beloved of their children or for this reason the art is of late become almost lost common bleeding fi om the arm and leg was employed to reduce large and correct morbid conditions of the blood also to combat or weakness headache and loss of appetite for roots and diet were employed or the root of the another treatment in internal diseases generally resorted to by old women consisted in a sort of of the belly while the patient was lying on his back it was used principally against pains and high praise from the men who have experienced the treatment effects of the principal vices among these people who are generally mild and seem to bo a fondness for games of chance and an craving for drinks an appetite which by the way two seasons of personal observation and experience in the convince me is something of a necessity the taste however seems to be an acquired one by the for i saw a man at island to whom the taste was foreign and on | 28 |
unless we gave him liquor in exchange this too while the i remaining dog looking wistfully up into his face seemed to be a living warning not to try as a remedy the hair of the dog that had bitten the village to attribute the late cause of death among these entirely to admits of some doubt it seems impossible for them owing to lack of means to have procured enough drink to last more than a few days or at least during the short stay of any trading vessel that may have arrived then again it is probable that some influence was the main if we may rely upon the statement of a captain who visited the island during the time so many were dying he tells me that the disease was what he calls or black tongue admitting the of sickness of this kind among an and people starvation must follow as an inevitable and result similar conditions having prevailed among the of bay and east cape many of whom have died in the last few years it would perhaps be nearer the truth to say that the in question was due to the combined influences of sickness and starvation effects of climate at saint michael s almost under the circle i found that troubles and the constitutional effects of prevailed among the small population to an alarming extent here also as in most every northern place we touched at the wicked thirst for rum exercised a influence the are long and cold with high winds and and a great deal of snow the falls to and the winter previously to our coming was so severe that owing to the great and long continued cold dogs and wild are reported to have frozen to death the accompanying from the records of the signal office give a more detailed account of the weather summary july to end of jane july september october november december january february march april may june s t to a e c i s range i s i i i i i i s s a a i at i north north north south south north north south south n e north r op and snow i n c c c s o a at s o s e s general remarks july cold and damp rain or fog nearly every day cold and rainy winter commenced the last of the month remarkably early october almost a continuous series of all the month november series of the last of the month december and the last half of month ending abruptly in severely cold weather station saint january remarkably high the first of month long continued cold weather with high winds the last february a continuous series of accompanied by snow march large snow fall during the month but the as in february prevented april very cold unusually fine weather toward the last of month but low still winter continued unbroken until the th when it became suddenly warm and the water fowl began arriving op steamer in the ocean jo o o ih m m jo u i s jo if ai lo jo q ic a xv s a ci a s a is s s s v w i j a a s s i i i i o on ra n i np k i o ox d d o b i b s h n j h v a fi a q g s g g i o m h o to t i s s t s s m d w s it i l si o j q ci o o m s s w t ei l s s r t s s o o ci si o co c m s s s s t j s g s g r r s s s i s g s s i r i i i i r k es c k w h a os i c i ra i v s ran a b a m a j s h s ii s s p o t j x s t r i r i v v ci t n v t hair saint of m the ocean in addition to the frequent of the organs and affections of the canal are quite common the latter are principally due to the stomach after a long fast and from this cause is so frequent that it is no uncommon thing to find an suffering for several days from all the remorse of a guilty stomach the women too are at times violently hysterical and in this respect do not differ much from their more civilized sisters affections of the eye diseases of the eye and its are quite numerous and among them i noticed several cases of of the and of the and of and in its form and of the are common along with and and it is not at all unlikely that a might the in describing the diseases he might observe among these ous eye however i but two cases of total blindness one in a man at saint island and another at saint michael s in a native from the interior mr whose duties as agent have afforded him great for observing | 28 |
the interior population me that blindness is almost universal among the older people most of whom get blind on reaching the age of fifty this blindness common also to the lower animals was once observed by liim in a bear at prince william sound the l ear with others was seen approaching his party on the beach and the singular actions of this particular bear attention from the uncertain way in which he walked and was pushed about by the noses of the other bears it was out and shot when an examination showed the previous existence of total blindness which of course accounted for the odd movements of the animal these eye affections are not caused by smoke as has been supposed they ai e mostly the result of snow blindness in which the sensibility of the end organs the rods and is diminished or exhausted by the prolonged illumination from the constant sunlight and the glare from broad of brightly glistening snow the of the atmosphere the and condition of the blood brought about by bad feeding and the may likewise be mentioned as causes it may not be from the subject to an of mr surgeon to sir edward s second expedition who has noticed in the what he believed to be a resembling that which the eyes of some animals the peculiarity he i out as common to many individuals of and consists in the inner comer of the eye being covered by a of the adjacent loose skin this fold is lightly stretched over the edges of the eyelids covering the which in is exposed and forms as it were a third lid of shape this was l to be very remarkable in childhood less so toward the age and then frequently disappearing altogether the proportion in which it existed in grown up persons being small compared with that observed among the young an interesting question in this connection is the form of the of the and rods in the of the it is known that in animals the habits of which are such as and the are wholly wanting and rods alone are present so a may have occurred in the eye of the in this particular as one of the results of his conflict with his circumstances but this is mere speculation and the observation of mr when viewed in the light of more recent knowledge would seem to be nothing more nor less than a defect to the of the skin at the root of the nose and of the folds on a level with the inner of the eye known as which often with the development of the bones of the nose and is by an operation or the application of to the muscles of the face although from the for eye medicine were quite frequent yet i was unable to find out much regarding the means taken by them to treat or prevent eye diseases in the quaint old book of a missionary who spent twenty five years among the is an account of an operation that he has seen perform for removing a from philosophical vol of in the ocean the eye with a needle and a knife which from the description appears to be the same as the modern operation for no of kind came observation but it was noticed that the use of a shade for protection was quite common also eye made of wood in which was cut a after the manner of the of used to correct from imperfect observation and the difficulty experienced in communicating with the i was unable to determine whether existed among them to any great extent that this trouble does exist we know from who ascertained the em t after actual experiment many of them however i se s eye sight that is perfectly wonderful being endowed with the of vision peculiar to and hunters who spend a great deal of time in the open air which them to distant objects only to ordinary eyes by means of a spy glass at several i saw using spy glasses and opera glasses with the use of which they were perfectly familiar as far north as point the extremity of america i saw an old fellow with a pair of era of french manufacture which he carried carefully protected in a skin bag hung around his neck another pair was in possession of a man at cape who showed how they were useful to him in were found to be quite troublesome at saint how strange that the busy of these little insects recalling the for a pour in a french should one s ears at a spot so far north beyond the domain of the ordinary globe and unknown to the little are more widely distributed than the race or the to both of whom they cause great annoyance during the short summer frail as they are in body they have reached as far north as man has penetrated having been found by the expedition and unlike other insects they seem to have no relations to the external conditions by which they are surrounded being in fact and having no province not only are they to any limited or definite area their distribution in time is with if not to man as their remains have been found in the beds of the lower white and an instance is even recorded of their material for wit at lieutenant s expense who was by these people the big mr a who visited northern to study the birds writes but there is one great to this charming and that is the reason why it is so frequented by birds the of mo life without a veil i believe would be perfectly i was obliged to wear thick leather gloves and on many occasions when shooting if i was too long in taking aim i had to shake the barrel to get the | 28 |
off and then take another aim quickly before they lighted again otherwise i could not see the bird at all as encountered by us surpassed anything i have ever seen in new for instance where it is said they collect at times in such clouds around village church as to be mistaken for smoke and cause an alarm of fire although they were worse than anything that i ever experienced at such places as island the new station or on the they differ from the southern insect in several respects in the first place they ai e more and more and have not so much and activity in consequence of which they are unable to get out of the way quickly and can easily be killed almost by the handful but they seem to be just as and persistent as their southern owing to their excessive annoyance at times it was found to be almost impossible to use the instruments in taking observations when the position of a spot on shore was to be determined on one occasion at a desolate spot on the top of island about feet above the sea level we found an station which had been established by parties from english ships in search of sir john and near it was a notice telling something about a bottle buried so many feet to the north curiosity of course prompted to get it by all means but the coming in such actually caused the search to be abandoned many of the men of the s crew were seriously by their and on exposed parts ae body one man s neck and being so swollen from this cause that he was deprived of op in the ocean medical and remarks no serious have occurred at saint michael s since when small was by the this is probably the northern limit of that disease on the pacific american coast of cases at saint michael s and dim and a famine ensued because of the death of so many of the hunters and this post having been for a long time in possession of the before the purchase numerous half are found in the vicinity for whom the so called seems to have the preference that diseases of the latter character have prevailed for some time may be assumed from examination of an skull from the neighboring at saint michael s there is shown extensive of the bones the of the skull also of the and bones and the left half of the inferior it appears that prevailed among the previously to the russian occupation for several early spanish mention having noticed the marks of small among the natives of bay and port on prince william sound the first mention is made by don who the coast in journal of a in to explore the coast of america northward of published in english the other reference is los y en el de report on russian colonies says that the first matter was brought to in by the ship and the surgeon who introduced instructed the agents of the company in performing the operation from we learn that natives and russian died of small at in and the disease being carried to the following year in march it caused the death of people on the seems to have afforded protection from the disease for but deaths occurred out of cases at there were cases of which died at cook s the natives refusing to be the is reported to have been greater but no figures are given the last cases occurred there in the of small ik x was noticed at in and it northward but is alleged to have lessened the of previous on reaching saint bay a native was taken aboard at his own request with a view to his services as he spoke a little english this fellow had a expression of countenance and a affection which kept up an of his head after several days he suffered from and for which the usual were administered with the effect best described in the patient s own when questioned at morning sick call night big sick to day small sick all same by good however the bustle and stir on board a steam vessel with the unusual surroundings caused a return of the and the fellow s state of mind was not improved by seeing our collection of nor by the and of the men in the who made him believe that he was to be taken to san in a box as an curiosity all of which causes tended to produce an illusion of the imagination that exercised a over his weak and intellect high authority that all either from insanity or moral cowardice here undoubtedly is an instance in which the disorder of the relations between mental and physical functions was of such a nature as to destroy the current founded on these relations as existing in health the man himself and jumped into the sea happily he was aboard with great a boat being alongside at the time an inspection showed a penetrating wound of the chest just under the left the knife having entered several inches blood and air escaped m the wound every time the patient and the hand placed over the surface of the chest showed extensive of blood into the with the peculiar or of with such a formidable array of symptoms the patient ought to have perished pi from notwithstanding the application of an dressing to the wound a tight around the chest and the administration of the usual and after considerable delirium followed by it was historical review of the colonies vol i p h ex i of steamer is the ocean surprising to notice the presence of favorable symptoms and ultimate improvement in a few days the patient was landed at bay where he recovered sufficiently to start on foot for his home over a rugged mountain way | 28 |
miles distant some the happening to stop in at bay i inquired of a native remarkable for his s english and way of putting things whether my patient had got well to which he replied yes small well i learned subsequently from a vessel on board which this man had made a visit at saint bay that he had entirely recovered from his wound but still labored under the delusion that his life had been attempted by the captain of the one case of of a wound of the foregoing description does not prove much to be sure and it is hardly necessary to advocate a subject that has been the occasion of much discussion but it does seem that the treatment which has been and by such masters as de john de par of and others has its virtues notwithstanding a different and assumption put before the public in a late official publication wounds seem to heal uncommonly well in the a fact doubtless owing to the highly condition of the atmosphere and the absence of disease and dust it is noticeable both in man and animals at king s island i saw a whale s in which had taken place after a probably caused by a lance and i have also seen a bear with several ribs which had been by a ball that had previously passed through the skull a of a taken from the cliff in sound likewise showed after a several extraordinary from wounds more extensive in character than anything of the kind i have ever seen in hospital or described in works came under my observation one occurred off the coast in an old who a large portion of the from a on the ice of the edges of the wound and the application of a were followed by rapid healing by but the two most notable ones were in who in with bears had been and terribly about the head and face a favorite amusement of this animal when he gets a man in his the first fellow s neck and face in the region of the were the second was torn with the additional loss of his left eye and of his inferior both men though much had recovered without assistance and the wounds were well occasional wounds usually the result of accident are also met with among the at saint bay i saw an old man who had been struck by a ball which entered the left side of his face just under the process and passing downwards had emerged from the neck in the vicinity of the right among other things observed were three cases of of the knee joint two in and one in a boy a case of due to causes a case of of the bones of the another of of the superior several of on the neck and one case o the latter affection and are quite common according to mr in who has spent some time at saint michael s mr tells me that he has seen among the ik of the interior extensive which yielded readily to treatment and has also noticed a great many instances of from the effects of frost bite among the more northern however it appears that frost are extremely rare i have never seen an instance and this observation seems to accord with the experience of others more rare still is the occurrence of or whether the rule relative to the destruction of weak or i am unable to say however that may be i can recall but a single instance in which there was observed anything approaching to and that was a girl with a skin diseases principally of the and varieties were to prevail a fact not to be wondered at since they are just the diseases the medical man would expect to see developed in subjects among whom are recognized the conditions most favorable to op steamer the ocean their origin the existence of the and even diseases along with personal must necessarily result in such of the skin as and all of which i saw among the although affections of the were quite common especially in children i noticed but one case of which leads me to doubt the statement of several medical men to the effect that wearing fur caps is one of the causes of loss of the hair if this were true every ought to be as bald as the palm of the hand it is also doubtless true that the numerous and and troubles are only internal of the previously mentioned when the was along the coast in june and july not a man on board had a cold yet nearly all the natives we met with were suffering from and the same was observed by our party who went up the coast and lieutenant me that and complaints were the principal ones noticed by him notwithstanding mr s mention of a in an atmosphere of it is indeed questionable whether can endure cold as well as well fed white men though clad in i have often seen them shivering from cold when our crew with only the ordinary winter clothes of sailors experienced no discomfort among their more common are and the latter having been noticed by former and mr me that it is quite common among the fur of the upper who attribute it to a condition brought about by an almost exclusive diet of animal food our would be without some mention of nervous diseases which late authorities assume to be one of the of civilization they would perhaps come nearer the truth to them as dr has done to the introduction and extension of that senseless and filthy habit the use of tobacco mr me that and are common diseases among the interior tribes who also believe in and practice instances of excessive have come under my notice one of a man so that | 28 |
his infirmity was a source of merriment to his companions i treated one patient for and another for i saw also two cases of one each of and of with symptoms both at point one of and i know of at least three deaths from to what cause a late authority would the existence of these diseases i am unable to say but enough has been seen to convince that nervous diseases are not confined to civilized as many persons believe and indeed a distinguished medical author who sees in a form of nervous might after observing and its results be in possession of enough material for a new chapter in his work on that subject on the northern inhabitants but it is from an point of view that the coming under observation proved most interesting the term may be held to include all the population living on the islands the islands of sea and the shores both of asia and america north of about latitude in this latitude on the american coast the points that difference the north american indian from the are distinctly marked it cannot however be said that the marks of distinction are so plain between the american and the so called of the coast i have been unable to see anything more in the way of distinction than exists between englishmen and for instance or between and indeed it may be said that much of the confusion and absurdity of found in literature may be traced to a tendency to see where few or none exist to the observant man of travel who has given the matter any attention it seems that the most sensible is that of the ancient writers who divide humanity into three races namely white yellow and black adopted this division and the best contemporary british authority dr also makes three groups although he somewhat in details firom in accordance with the of the may be spoken of as of essentially and habits who have not yet emerged from the hunting and fishing stage op steamer is the ocean physical appearances their physical appearance and having been already described by others it is to mention them here except incidentally and by way of noting a few that seem to have been heretofore overlooked or slightly touched upon by other writers although as a rule they are of short build about five feet seven inches yet occasional exceptions were met with among the natives of sound many of whom were tall and of commanding appearance at a man was seen who measured six feet six inches in height this from the conventional type as usually described in the books may have been caused by with an inland tribe of larger men from the interior of who come to the coast every summer for purposes of trade the complexion rarely a true white but rather that of a with a healthy blush each cheek is often of a yellow and sometimes quite black as i have seen in several instances at was the broad and flat face and the small nose without exception in the vicinity of east cape the extremity of asia a few were seen having hebrew noses and a of such a type as to excite the attention and comment of the sailors our crew others were noticed having a cast of features and looked like while others resembled several old men i know in washington however the e in these people was so pronounced that our boys on meeting for the first time took them for on the other hand the were objects of great and constant curiosity to the who doubtless took them for a fact not to be wondered at since there is such a in the shape of the eyes the complexion and hair in regard to the latter it may be remarked that scarcely anything on board the excited greater wonder and merriment among the than the presence of several persons whom professor would in his group because of their fiery red hair the structure and arrangement of the hair having lately been proposed as a race characteristic upon which to base an i took pains to collect various specimens of hair which in with dr it s s i examined and compared with the hair of fair and blue eyed persons the hair of and as a matter of curiosity with the hair and the hair like found on the extremity of the plates in the mouth of a whale some of these objects are shown in the accompanying illustrations to the man willing and anxious to make more extended into the matter of race characteristics i venture to say that a northern experience will afford him ample opportunity for mr s paper on the of and he may further observe that the whatever may be his religious belief or apparently the of the in regard both to and getting rid of specimens that his body and habitation whatever the bodily structure of the may have undergone under the influence of physical and moral causes when viewed in the light of we find that the mode plan or model upon which his animal frame or organs are founded is that of other varieties of men some writers go so far in speaking of the s correspondence mental and physical to his surroundings as to mention the seal as his which in my opinion is about as as speaking of the relations of a man and a unlike the seal which is pre eminently an and a the has no physical of the latter kind being unable to swim and having the greatest aversion to water except for purposes of he wins our admiration from the expert management at sea of his little shaped which is a kind of marine but i doubt very much the he is to be able to turn in them in fact after offering rewards of that all powerful tobacco | 28 |
on numerous occasions i have been unsuccessful in getting any one of them to attempt the feat and when told that we had heard of their doing it they smiled rather the is clearly not a success in a or line as i have had ample opportunities to observe they seem to be unable to do the simplest and were filled with the greatest delight v thk a c i v y f v u i i w p n t lar se in is ii h ii fr ill s im a i blush im i ra l a i s in ke i ami t j n st t m a ia a m h t i v t iv to t e on v e nor u d l iv i a v m jf i l ir o men l li v in iv v f s t jl i lor r i ii ii s i i l i v ir n n h i i u l hi n v i i si il i ii j i it t i in r l t t at i i u j o tu ol t hair of steamer in the and astonishment at some we gave them on several occasions receiving a challenge to mn a foot race with an i came off easy although i was by being oat of condition at the time a challenge to throw stones also in the same kind of victory i and carried some logs of drift wood that none of them lift and on another occasion the captain and i the physical of the saxon by throwing a lance several farther than any of the who had provoked the competition as a they are deficient in and have not the well developed of white men the best development i saw was among the natives of saint island who by the way showed me a spot in a village where they sports one of these being lifting and putting heavy stones and i have gracefully to acknowledge that a young got the better of me in a competition of this kind it is fair to assume that one reason for this physical was the inexorable law of the of the the natives in question being the of a recent prevailing and famine as far as my experience goes the have not the enormous with which they are usually the who accompanied lieutenant may of the expedition on his journey is reported to have been a small and the only case of by the way the employed on board the as dog drivers and were as a rule smaller than our own men and i have observed on numerous occasions among the i have visited that instead of being great they are on t ie contrary moderate it is perhaps the character of their food oil a tray of hot seal a bowl of blood for example that causes of the quantity eaten persons in whom and disgust are awakened at game and and cheese affected by so called not to mention the bad which george i preferred to fresh ones would doubtless be prejudiced and as to the quantity of food an might from some acquaintance with the subject i therefore venture to say that the popular notion regarding the great appetite of the is one of the current the reported cases were probably exceptional ones happening in subjects who had been and living on little else than frozen air for perhaps a week any vigorous man in the prime of life who has been shooting all day in the sharp crisp air of the will be surprised at his and personal knowledge of some almost incredible instances among civilized men might be related were it not for f ar of being accused of the bounds of origin and development there is so much about certain parts of to remind one of scotland that we wonder why some of the more southern have not the and vigor of since they live under almost the same conditions amid and misty hills perhaps if they were fed on and could be made to a few of the scotch manners and customs religious and otherwise they might after infinite ages of develop some of the qualities of that excellent race it is probably not so very many generations ago that our british were like these original and primitive men as we find them in the vicinity of straits here the mind is taken back over centuries and one is enabled to study the link of transition between the primitive men of the two at the spot where their relations lead ns to suspect it indeed the primitive man may be seen just as he was thousands of years ago by visiting the village perched like the of some wild bird about feet up the side of the cliff at east on the side of the straits this bold rocky cliff rising sheer from the sea to the height of feet consists of granite with here and there and the indications point to the of a vast ice sheet from the north evidences of which are seen in the of the on the top and the form of the narrow joining the cliff to the from the summit of the cape the and the american coast are so easily seen that the view once taken would any doubts as to the possibility of the of america having crossed over from asia and it would require no such statement to the opinion of steamer is the as that of an officer of the | 28 |
bay company then resident in bay who relates that in an family crossed to from the northern of s straits on a of drift wood natives cross and straits to day on the ice and in primitive skin not unlike cape which have not been improved in construction since the days of man indeed the primitive man may be seen at east cape almost as he was thousands of years ago and development with the exception of fire arms seem to have halted at east cape the place with its cave like dwellings and skin clad inhabitants among whom the presence of white men the same excitement as the advent of a among the colored population of washington makes one fancy that he is in some grand museum and that he has gone backward in time several thousand years in order to get there while we may do something towards tracing the effects of physical agents on the back into the darkness that history yet his origin and his antiquity are things concerning which we know but little being subjects of first class interest deserving of grave study and so vast in themselves they cannot be touched upon here except incidentally attempting to study them is like following the ice of the in quest of the north pole and only ends in a wild goose chase we may however venture the assertion that the is of origin in asia but is not in america his arrival there and subsequent are beyond the reach of history or tradition others though contend from the of some of the western tribes of who are identical in feature to the chinese that the may have come fix m south america and the fashion of wearing which is common to the population both of and has been as a further proof touching the subject of early mr charles whose sources of information have been good reports in a paper to the academy of a record of sixty which were blown off the coast and by the influence of the were drifted or on the coast of north america or on the or adjacent islands as merchant ships and ships of war are known to have been built in prior to the christian era a great number of containing small parties of must have been on the islands and on the coast in past centuries thereby furnishing evidence of a constant of blood among the coast tribes leaving aside any attempt to show the relations of these ts the question naturally occurs whether any of these ever found their way back fix m the american coast on observing the course of the great circle of the and the course of the trade winds one to the belief that such a thing is not beyond the range of possibility indeed several well instances are mentioned by mr and in connection with the subject he advances a further namely the american origin of the chinese race and shows in a plausible way that the of china may have embarked in large vessels as perhaps from the vicinity of the islands or proceeded with a fleet like the early chinese expedition against or that of against britain or the prince and his party who sailed from ireland and landed in america a d and in like manner in the of history crossed from the neighborhood of to the country now known to us as china if america be the oldest continent speaking as tells us there appears to be some reason for looking to it as the spot where early traces of the human race are to be found and the fact would seem to warrant further study and in connection with the people of our continent thereby awakening new sources of inquiry among peculiarities the from san valley goes back to the distant age of the drift and the skull admitting its goes back to the epoch and is older than the relics or stone implements from the drift gravel and the european it is doubtful though whether these sources enable us to make equal in value to those afforded by the study of it is alleged that exist between some of the tribes of the american coast and our oriental neighbors across the pacific mr f v h m v i i v oi v t i t h i i t pi i t i vo tn m i m i tf m fi i j t i i r t i in i j c u it f i i ml i l y xl i i i a r i ii a r s i mu t i i in j r j i im i i j f i i i i ip i a ui i j i n i t a m v us v ji l i s oi w i m a i t s h i mr i of df the whom i have already quoted reports that in march he took an indian boy on board the steam where a comparison of coast indian and pore was made at his request by then admiral s secretary the result of which he prepared for the press and published with a view to suggest further investigation he says that quite an of words is found among dome of the coast tribes of and either pure or along with some very x and that are invariably enabled to communicate with the coast indians although | 28 |
speaking quite a different language and that many have informed him that they were enabled to communicate with and understand the natives of and islands of the group with a view to finding out whether any existed between and the in the vicinity of straits i caused several boys employed as servants on board the to talk on numerous occasions to the natives both of the american and but in every instance they were unable to understand the and assured me that they could not detect a single word that bore any resemblance to words in their own language the study of the peculiarities which distinguish the population around straits offers an path in a new field but it is doubtful whether the results except to like cardinal or of the type would be at all with the efforts expended in this direction since it is asserted that the human voice is incapable of more than twenty distinct sounds therefore whatever there may be in the particular words of different languages are of no value although these may be the views of many persons not only in regard to the tongue but in regard to in general the matter a wonderful fascination for more minds much has been said about the of language among the some asserting that it is such as to allow mutual intercourse everywhere but instances warrant us in concluding that considerable exist in their if not in the construction for instance take two words that one hears oftener than any others on the coast they say na a word meaning good all right c on the coast ma ah while a collected during lieutenant s expedition gives the word for good the first two of these words are so characteristic of the tribes on the respective shores above the straits that a better than any yet given to them by writers on the subject would be for the people on the american side and for those on the coast these names by which they know each other are in general use among the and were adopted by one on board the again on the american coast am a plenty while on the coast it is ee tee tee means needles in in it is in the latter place when asking for tobacco they say te ba while the say that a number of exists around straits is apparent to the most superficial observer the difference in the language becomes apparent after leaving sound the we took from saint michael s could only with difficulty understand the natives at point while at saint island and on the side he could understand nothing at all at east cape we saw natives who though apparently alike did not understand one another s language i saw the same thing at cape prince of wales the western extremity of the new world whither a number of from the had come to trade doubtless there is a community of origin in the tongue and these verbal may be owing to the want of written records to give to the language since languages resemble living by being in a state of continual change be that as it may we know that this people has imported a number of words from coming in contact with another language just as the french have into their speech le i le high life le chase le club c words that have no in french so the has appropriated from the words which as verbal expressions of his are undoubtedly better than anything in his own tongue one of these is by and by which he uses with the same that a does his le in this instance the words express the of steamer is the ocean state of development and habits of thought one the lazy of the es i and the other the to morrow ot the who has indulged that so far that his nation has become one of yesterday the change of the language brought about by its coming in contact with another forms an important element in its history and has been mentioned by the older writers also by who reports a change in the language of the to have taken place since the advent among them of the white men among other peculiarities of their occurs the word and it is said to have originated with an old employed by as a guide and dog driver when he in bay every day about noon that personage was in the habit of taking his and usually said to the come joe let s take our like most of his countrymen joe was not slow to learn the meaning of the word and to this day the firm hold has on the language is only by the thirst for the which the name among the the word um is common for rum while em means water even words brought by from the south sea islands have obtained a footing such as for food a word in use and for no or not any they also call their babies pick a which to many persons will suggest the spanish word or the southern negro for baby the phrase is the usual in begging food for their children an having sold us a said it would be good eating and one windy day we were the and an seeing its empty condition when pulled on to the beach said wind plenty fish the with which some of these fellows speak a mixture of pigeon english and s is quite astonishing and suggests the whether their results from the of the english or whether it is an evidence of their it seems how a people we are accustomed to look upon as ignorant and can learn to talk english with a certain degree of and from the short intercourse held once a year with a few passing ships how many in san | 28 |
which could not be had in the same perfection at s or any similar establishment in new york for love or money there is scarcely any better eating in the way of fish than a new species discovered at point by the and certainly no more dainty game exists than the young wild and to be found in countless numbers in at the latter place doubtless the warmest inside the straits are found quantities of about the size of a which not only make a delicious to goose h of steamer win in the ocean but act as a valuable these and a kind of which i have seen eating at seem to be the only vegetable food they have the large quantities of eggs easily but in most cases doubtful also constitute a standard article of diet among these people who have no scruples about eating them partly they seemed never to comprehend our in the matter and why our tastes so much from theirs in this respect they will break an egg containing an duck or goose extract the bird by one leg and it with all the relish of an s eggs however are in among them for the women who by the way have the same and weakness as their more civilized sisters believe that eating eggs causes loss of beauty and brings on early the men on the other hand are fond of seal eyes a which the women believe their and feed to their lords after the manner of open your mouth and shut your eyes game is as a rule very tame and during the season when the are unable to fly it is quite possible to kill them with a stick at one place cape were seen catching birds from a high cliff with a kind of net and i saw birds at herald island refuse to move when with stones so were they to the presence of in addition to being very tame game is plentiful and not an uncommon sight off the coast were flocks of ducks darkening the air and occupying several hours in passing overhead it was novel sport to see the natives throw a known as an into one of these flocks with astonishing range and accuracy bringing down the game with the of a game keeps so well in the that an instance is known of its being perfectly sweet and sound on an english ship after two years keeping and kill a number of pigs which they hang in the and keep for use during the it is also noticeable that leather articles do not as they generally do at sea some shoes kept in a on board the having retained their polish during the entire the food of the their instinctive craving for a but they do not allow themselves to be much disturbed or distracted in its preparation as most of it is eaten raw they occasionally boil their food however and some of them have learned the use of flour and of which they are very fond their aversion to salt is a very marked peculiarity and they will not eat either beef or pork on this account it may be that reasons exist for this dislike social and domestic relations other facts relative to the which might be treated in a way except for their we pass from the means of the renewal of the animal economy to its courtship and marriage which it is said are conducted in the most manner possible are for that reason not to be discussed and for obvious reasons many of the conditions cannot here be dwelt upon having never witnessed the act of in an my knowledge of the subject is merely second hand and consequently not worth it appears though that is a function easily performed among them and that it is by the post accidents common to civilization as a rule the women are un it being uncommon to find a family over three children and the among the new born is ive o wing to the ignorance and neglect of the ordinary rules of they seem however to be kind to their children who in respect to crying do not show the same as seen in our indeed the social and good nature of the race seems to crop out even in as i have often witnessed under such circumstances as a baby enveloped in in a skin which lay along side the ship during a snow storm its tiny hands held a piece of which it sucked with apparent relish the unique picture of happy contentment it was quick to feel itself an object of attraction and its face returned any number of smiles of recognition the manner of carrying the infant is contrary to that of civilized custom it is borne on the back under the clothes of the mother which form a and from which its tiny head is generally visible over one or the other shoulder but on being observed by strangers it like a f j v l r i v it nt m sa f t tut p i u d i y i r m j k i s i i a i it n i ti i n r i u t i i f i th i t i it h i li m i it t v i ij s tu i ti i hi i r j h tin f i t i i ij p p i i ii n i t t l j i r v in | 28 |
t i j l i j r i i n v t i f i j f i i i i n s n i t j x a t r if r i ij i t u i js ss it i v t v r ard i by of in ro r t it h sc mi i iv vi v u t t a i v i und t i o f i ii i i l i of steamer is the ocean or a into its snug retreat when the mother wants to remove it she forward at the same time passing her left hand up the back under her garments and seizing the child by the feet it downward to the left then passing the right hand under the front of the dress she again the and it by a kind of delivery another common way of carrying children is the neck the subject is one that the artist often in ivory the play impulse itself among these people in various ways they have such objects as miniature boats c i have seen a group of boys sailing toy boats in a pond behave under the circumstances just as a similar group has been observed to do at cape and the same act as performed in the pond of the boston common may be called only a form of the same tendency their of ivory and clothed with fur seem to answer the same purpose that they do in civilized namely the amusement of little girls for at one place where we landed a number of girls stopping play on our approach sat their up in a row evidently with a view to give the a better look at the strange visitors spinning tops essentially and unique in their character are held in the hand while spinning on the coast foot ball is played and among other questionable things acquired from contact with the a knowledge of card playing exists we were very often asked for cards and at one place where we stopped and a number of small articles with the natives they gave evidence of their at the game being started with the articles as one fellow soon in everything leaving the others to go off dead broke amid the ridicule of some of our crew and doubtless feeling worse than dead for among no people that i have seen not even the french does ridicule so effectually kill personal among the means taken by these people to produce personal that of the face and wearing a is the mo t noticeable the custom of having existed from the earliest historical is important not only from an but from a medical and point of view and even in its relation to medical in cases of personal identity without going into the history of the subject it may not be to mention that was condemned by the fathers of the church among others who gives the following rather singular reason for its use among women tale si in addition to much that has been written by french and german writers the matter of has of e claimed the attention of the law courts of england the chief justice in the case having described this species of evidence a of vital importance and in itself final and the absence of the marks in this case justified the jury in their finding that the was not and could not be whereupon the alleged was proved to be an found guilty of and to t the accompanying representations showing extensive on different parts of the body are from photographs obtained in why the ancient habit of should prevail so among some of the primitive tribes as it does for instance in the islands and some parts of and we may say as a of a superstitious practice of among sailors and others is a problem difficult to solve whether it be owing to of the instinct which is not unlikely or to other cause it is not proposed to discuss be that as it may the of the habit among the is confined to the female sex who are on arriving at the age of the women of saint island in addition to lines on the nose forehead and chin have uniformly a figure of strange design on the cheeks which is suggestive of import it could not be ascertained however whether such was the case the lines drawn on the chin were exactly like the ones i have seen on women in another de p s hospital report xix also hi m du in de m tom et paris of in the attempt at was at cape blossom in a woman who wore a bunch of colored beads suspended from the of her these habits however hardly seem so as the use of the by the the coast of style adopted by the women of saint island whom it is related that a sailor seeing one of them for the time and observing the iu the lower lip through which the native thrust his tongue be had discovered ii man witb two mouths thb use of the like many of the attempts at primitive is very old it having been traced by along the american coast ft m the lower part of to persons fond of tracing of savage amid advancement and sensibility far in advance of the primitive man may observe in the of and ear rings the same tendency existing in a form i doubt whether shakespeare s in regard to music holds good when applied to the for they have but little music in their souls and among no people is there such a noticeable absence of and spoil a rude drum and | 28 |
a monotonous chant consisting only of the note and third are the only in tbe way of music among the more remote of which have any knowledge mrs s singing has been described as the table beer of singing is something more the beer has become flat by the addition of ice one of onr who is quite a on his instrument with a view to see what effect music would have on the savage breast but his best efforts at rendering madame aud the were wasted before an audience who showed as little appreciation of his performance as some people do when listening to s music of the future where tbey have come in contact with civilization their musical taste is more developed at saint michael s i was told that some of their songs are so characteristic that it is much to be regretted that some of them cannot be op in a and sent to a musical of steamer in the on the coast of i heard an boy sing correctly a song he had learned while on rd a vessel and on several of the islands the natives play the quite well b ve nd even whistle strains from from to dancing the transition is obvious no matter whether the latter be i in a sense as a device to attract the opposite sex or as the expression of joyous excitement this of feeling in its bodily discharge which moses and and david indulged in which is with poetry by and which old says is the sweetest and most perfect of human is a much in among the and it required but little provocation to start a dance at any time on the s decks when a party happened to be on board their dancing however had not the of a wave of the sea nor was there the harmony of double in a series of graceful curves to strains like those of or on the contrary there was something and about all the dancing i saw both among the men and women it is the custom at some of their after the hunting is over for the men to indulge in a kind of performance at the same time relating in style the heroic deeds they have done at other times the women more than our beauties at the german for they strip to the waist do all the dancing and the men take the part of spectators only in this performance instinct the shown by in and drawing has been noticed by all travellers among them some i have met with show a degree of intelligence and appreciation in regard to and pictures scarcely to be expected from such a source from ivory they figures of birds marine animals and even the human form which display considerable individuality notwithstanding their crude and imperfect detail i liave also seen a fair carving of a whale in evidences of are sometimes seen on their on which are found rude pictures of c and they have a kind of picture writing by means of which they certain events in their lives just as sitting bull has done in an that may be seen at the army medical museum when we were searching for the missing off the coast some natives were come across with whom we were unable to communicate except by signs and wishing to let them know the object of our visit a ship was drawn in a note book and shown to them with accompanying which they quickly comprehended and one fellow taking the pencil and drew correctly a pair of horns on the ship s boom a fact which identified beyond doubt the vessel they had seen at point hope an who had allowed us to take sketches of him desired to sketch one of the party and taking one of our note books and a pencil neither of which he ever had in his hand before produced the accompanying likeness of professor at saint michael s there is an boy who draws remarkably well having taught himself by from the illustrated london news he made a correct pen and ink drawing of the and another of the group of buildings at saint michael s which though creditable in many respects had the defect of many chinese pictures being in perspective as these drawings equal those in dr s book done by artists i regret my inability to them here f as evidences of culture they show more advancement than the of english that a clergyman has caused to be placed on exhibition at the museum sir john speaks highly of his as an artist says that the knowledge of the coast obtained by him from maps was of the greatest value while hall and others show their knowledge to be as perfect as that possible of by civilized men by instruments had frequent opportunities to observe these ideas of they not only understood reading a of the coast when showed to them but would make of the part as i knew a native to do in the case of an river the mouth only of which was laid down on our of the art which is found among tribes less intelligent is rare among the of ik the ocean in fact the only thing of the kind seen was some rude at saint island the design of which showed but crude development of ornamental ideas the same state of advancement was shown in some drinking cups carved from ivory and a made from the horn of a mountain sheep in one of the acts of shakespeare s seven ages the plays a very unimportant r e perhaps in no other race is the instinct less in none is of disposition and jealousy more absent and in none does the desire for the renown of war exist in a more and state perhaps the constant fight with cold and hunger is a | 28 |
compensation which must account for the absence of such evils as war taxes complex social organization and among the curious people of the icy north the pursuits of peace and of simple lives notwithstanding the fact that much in connection is wretched and forbidding to a civilized man seem to in these people a degree of domestic tranquillity and contentment which united to their light hearted and cheery disposition is an additional reason for believing the sum of human happiness to be constant throughout the world mental character and capacity the intellectual character of the judging from the information which various travellers have furnished as well as my personal knowledge produces more than a feeble belief in the possibility of their being equal to anything they choose to take an interest in learning the is not muffled as some one has called him nor is he dull and slow of understanding as describes the northern nation to be from breathing a thick air which by the way is thin elastic and highly nor is he according to dr almost to the lowest state with the of rational on the contrary the old missionary writes i have found some of them witty enough and of good capacity sir martin says they are in nature very subtle and sharp sir edward while their honesty and good nature adds indeed it required no long acquaintance to convince us that art and education might easily have made them equal or superior to ourselves tells of a woman who learned to speak russian in rather less than twelve mouths and and others have acknowledged the intelligent help they have received from in making their before going it may not be amiss to speak in a general way of the covering which the organ whose function it is to the known as thought of one hundred collected principally at saint island a number were examined by meat the army medical museum through the courtesy of dr with the result of changing and greatly some of the previous notions of the conventional skull as acquired from books on perhaps after the inspection and examination of a large collection of it may be safe to pronounce upon their character but whether the differences in are constant or only occasional admits of as much doubt as the exceptions in professor s greek grammar which are often with the rule the typical skull according to popular notion is one exhibiting a low order of intelligence and by small brain capacity with great of the and arches the latter projecting beyond the general of the skull like the handles of a jar or a basket and lines drawn from the most projecting part of the arches and touching the sides of the bone are supposed to meet over the forehead forming a for which reason the skull is known as the first specimen examined from a view shows something of the typical character as figured in a and when viewed there is noticed a of the walls with an as shown in d while a second specimen represented by b shows none of the foregoing characteristics the form being and the walls so far overhanging as to conceal the arches in the view so that if lines be drawn as previously men see c r o i it i ti l st i iu ut forming f ti t i i j r i v t t t mill i al n i oi o hi win i j i r t t ui ij to lu r l ua k n t the t t v li r u h bv tin u h i v i j n ot a r i v e s im ri i id o i ri m la as t re ht h r ir b o s t t i iv v j u tor a r it i pi t or v l r i til to t v i v r bv a jn n l b a i i v m i i ii ail i ll a a ol j i i k ii t n i n l i oil e p ai i s ip t f i if t f il la i it far il m t o n ic u la v ii here a at m at la a v at i t and l x n at o si v r t t a j m of steamer is the ocean instead of forming a they may like the of a be extended to and never meet for purposes of comparison a number of outlines showing the of civilized from a point of observation are no is that of an eminent who committed suicide no a prominent during the civil war no a banker and no a notorious and are negro further comparison may be made with the skull as represented in no in which the bones project so far beyond the general as to form a bird like a collection of heads as seen from a point of observation when i looked down from the gallery of the little greek church at presented at first sight certain characters by which they approach one another but know that a careful comparison of any collection will show extremely in fact individual differences so numerous and so irregular as to prevent constitute the of take for instance a number of the under consideration in proportions they will be found to present very considerable variations among themselves the figured by a and b | 28 |
are and the farmer has an internal capacity of the latter bnt the angle of each is and in one it runs up to if the angle be as a measure of the degree of intelligence we have shown here a development far in excess of the negro which is placed at or of the at and exceeding that observed by me in many german op ik the ocean which do not as a rule come up to the of or of in spite of the boasted intelligence of that j in none of the of the collection is there the heavy alleged to be common in lower races but which exist in many of the best formed european shall we say as or as individual variations nor is the of the such as the low of the or of the mound on the contrary the are made and the is well curved besides a low degree of intelligence is not shown by observing the index of the which is about the same as that found in european and the same may be said of the internal capacity of the to illustrate the latter remark is a statement made up from and ancient french to english an average of the some of which measure as much as and c c show the brain capacity to be the same as that of the french or of the none of them however approaches the of two indian on exhibition at the army medical museum one of which shows c c and the other the of c c mi r d c i lo ot r i i ii f t ij ot i f v t y u y c i i i i o f r i ill ml t k n it h h i of r ji u i j i ot t of m t i ll i in t i t i t f r ti i l tt l t i i j f a j ir lit n ft i o oi u im n j k i s l v i ii a t j ru y of in the ocean j i s h ex op in the if the foregoing means for the mental grasp and capacity for improvement be correct then we must accord to the most northern nation of the globe a fair degree of brain energy though it be aside from the mere physical methods of the degree of it is urged by some writers among them the historian that tact in commerce and correct ideas of property are evidence of a considerable progress d civilization the natural from this is that they are of intellectual power since mind is a combination of all the actual and possible states of consciousness of the and an examination of the system of trade draws its own conclusion their fondness for trade has been known for a long time as well as the extended range of their commercial intercourse they trade with the indians with the fur companies the and among themselves across straits many of them are veritable having a thorough comprehension of the in political economy regarding the of the price of a thing by the demand the moral sense and the instinct with the and instincts of our common humanity morals as manifested in truth right and virtue also admit of remark except where these people have had the bad example of the white man whose vices they have not on account of moral nature but because they saw few or no virtues they are models of and honesty in fact their virtues in this respect are something the same cannot be said however for their morals which as a rule are the contrary of good even a short stay among the causes one to smile at lord s of the north americans and at the of who says the blood of man near the pole but slowly the heart beats but languidly consequently the married live the women almost require to take upon them the troubles of a married life c nearly the same idea expressed by and repeated by in happy the nations of the moral north are statements so at with our experience that this fact must alone excuse a reference to the subject so far are they from applying to the people in question that it is only necessary to mention without going into detail that the women are freely offered to strangers by way of hospitality showing a decided preference for white men whom they believe to better offspring than their own men in this connection one is soon convinced that and tastes are not the exclusive privilege of people living outside of the circle and observation the belief in the existence of among if one may be allowed to judge from circumstances which it is not necessary to and from a word in their language the act since morality is the last virtue acquired by man and the first one he is likely to lose it is not so surprising to find on morals among the inhabitants of the north as it is to find them in int christian among people whose moral sense ought to be far above that of the average primitive man in view of their associations and the variations that have been so frequently repeated and accumulated by and where there is no nor established it is still more surprising to find any moral sense at all among a people whose vague religious belief does not extend beyond or which to them explains the more strange and striking natural phenomena by the of direct spiritual agency it must not be understood | 28 |
by this however that these people have no religion as many travellers have believed that would be almost equivalent to stating that races of men exist without speech memory or knowledge of fire a purely view of religion which regards it as the feeling which falls upon man in the presence of the unknown the idea that the children of the icy north have many of the same feelings in this respect as those experienced by ourselves under similar conditions although there is doubtless a change in us produced by more advanced thought and feeling on the other hand how many habits and ideas that are senseless and perfectly by the light of our present modes of life and thought can be explained by similar customs and prejudices existing among these distant tribes is there no fragment of primitive superstition or of ages in the supposed influence of the evil eye in ireland or in the habit of telling the bees in germany is there not something of intellectual in the popular notion about friday and thirteen at table and of steamer m the in the ancient of oppressed persons houses and other places supposed to be haunted by unwelcome spirits the form for which is still retained in the f and is not our enlightened america the land of and f when the native of saint michael s the moon or the native of point his crude images previously to hunting the seal in order to bring good luck is not the mental and impulse the same as that which more civilized men to look upon outward signs of an inward and spiritual grace or not to start upon any important undertaking without first the blessing of deity t and are not the rites observed by the natives on the coast when the first is caught the of our day t perhaps the has the same fear of the dangerous and terrible the unknown the infinite as ourselves and parts with life just as reluctantly but it cannot be said that our observation the fact of his although long life seems to prevail among some of the tribes the for instance who according to in spite of hard lives enjoy good health are long lived and still alert at eighty and ninety years owing to his hard life the with his circumstances and his want of foresight the soon becomes a and his stock of vitality being exhausted his bodily remains are covered with stones around which are placed wooden and articles that have been useful to him during life as i have seen at island or they are covered with drift wood as observed in sound or as at the corpse is lashed to a long pole and is taken some distance the village when the clothes are ed off placed on the ground and covered with stones the is then exposed in the open air to the tender of and wolves the weapons and other personal effects of the are placed near by probably with something of the same sentiment that causes us to use of flowers and as funeral a custom that has in die the future destiny of these people is a question in which the and are not less interested than the man of science some seem to think that their numbers are under the evil influence of so called civilization but as every race in the same moral nature and the entire history of humanity according to is a series of events pointing to a higher destiny than has yet been revealed there is no reason why the sum of human happiness under proper should not be increased among the race a of england clergyman who has lately visited them in a missionary capacity as far as speaks in the highest terms of their intelligence and capacity for improvement here then is a brilliant opportunity for some one full of and charity to imitate the acts of the modem and extend the influence of civilization to the gay lively curious and whose home is under the midnight sun and on the borders of the icy sea notes on bt john notes by john the plants named in the following notes were collected at many on the of and and on saint and herald islands between about latitude and and in the course of short excursions some of them less than an hour in length inasmuch as the of the and regions is nearly the same everywhere the discovery of many species new to science was not to be expected the collection however will no doubt be valuable for comparison with the plants of other regions in general the of the vegetation of the regions that of the valleys of the temperate so much so that the on the coast of or america might readily fancy himself on the at a height of to feet above the sea there is no line of perpetual snow on any portion of the regions known to the snow every summer not only from the low sandy shores and but also the tops of the mountains and all the upper slopes and valleys with the exception of small patches of and heaps hardly noticeable in general views but though nowhere deep or permanent the snow mantle is universal during winter and the plants are frozen and buried for nearly three of the year in this condition they enjoy a sleep and rest about as profound as death from which they awake in the months of june and july in vigorous health and speedily reach a far higher development of leaf and flower and fruit than is generally supposed on the banks and hills about sound and many species show but little and during the long summer days grow tall enough to wave in the wind and flowers in as rich profusion and as highly colored as may be found in regions lying a thousand miles | 28 |
farther south to the approaching any portion of the chain of islands from the southward during the winter or spring months the view is severely desolate and forbidding the snow comes down to the water s edge in solid white only by dark with faces too steep for snow to lie on and by the backs of rounded rocks and long rugged beaten and by heavy rolling in from the pacific while throughout nearly every month of the year the higher mountains are wrapped in gloomy dripping storm clouds nevertheless vegetation here is remarkably close and luxuriant and crowded with bloom covering almost every foot of the ground up to a height of about a thousand feet above the sea the harsh rocks and even the of the as well as the and rough soil beds on the low portions of the short narrow valleys on the th of may we found the m already in flower also an and on a slope facing the south near the harbor of the too were then beginning to put forth their while a multitude of green points were springing up in sheltered spots wherever the snow had vanished at a height of and feet however winter was still unbroken with scarce a memory of the rich bloom of summer op in the ocean daring a few short along the shores of harbor and on two of the adjacent mountains towards the end of may and beginning of october we saw about fifty species of plants and being tjie most telling and characteristic of the represented a and three species of make a grand display in flower and show their colors at a considerable distance almost the entire surface of the valleys and hills and lower slopes of the mountains is covered with a dense of and similar to that which cover the of the regions making a rich green mantle on which the plants are strikingly relieved though these grow far more on the banks of the streams where the s less interrupted here also the of which saw three species are taller and more abundant some of them their broad delicate over one s shoulders while in similar situations the of the five that were seen reaches a height of nearly six feet and forms a growth close enough for the farmer s not a single tree has yet been seen on any of the islands of the chain west of excepting a few brought from and planted at by the about fifty years ago they are still alive in a condition having made scarce any growth since they were planted these facts are the more remarkable since in lying both to the north and south of here and on the many islands of the as well as on the forests of beautiful flourish and attain noble dimensions while the conditions generally do not appear to differ greatly from those that obtain on these islands wherever cattle have been introduced they have and grown fat on the abundance of rich to be found almost everywhere in the deep withdrawing valleys and on the green slopes of the hills and mountains but the of the summer months will always prevent the making of hay in any considerable quantities the agricultural possibilities of these islands seem also to be very limited the of the and make a good vigorous growth and head out but seldom or never mature on account of insufficient sunshine and of moisture in the form of and rains green crops however as potatoes and most other common garden vegetables wherever the ground is thoroughly drained and has a exposure saint island saint island as far as our observations extended is mostly a dreary mass of granite and of various forms and colors with covered with snow and rigidly bound in ocean ice for half the year inasmuch as it lies to the direction pursued by the great ice sheet that recently filled sea and its rocks offered unequal resistance to the action of the ice the island is traversed by numerous and low gap like valleys all in the same general direction some of the lowest of these valleys having been degraded nearly to the level of the sea showing that had the to which the island has been subjected been slightly greater we should have found several islands here instead of one at the time of our first visit may winter still had full possession but eleven days later we found the dwarf pushing up their and leaves on spots bare of snow with wonderful rapidity this was the beginning of spring at the end of the island on july the seemed to have reached its highest development the of the valleys were in many places covered with tall and planted and forming meadows of considerable size while the portions and the sloping grounds about them were with gay highly colored flowers from an inch to nearly two feet in height na j l l and in large closely and several species of and of steamer n in the ocean saint michael s the region about saint michael s is a magnificent crowded with and which here develop under most favorable conditions in the formed by the lower plants in which one sinks almost knee deep at every step there is a growth of and rushes tall enough to wave in the wind while the dwarf and the various flourish here in all their beauty of bright leaves and flowers the moss mantle for the most part rests on a of ice that never to any great extent and the ice on a bed rock of black of the rise here and there above the general level in rough masses ground for plants that like a soil numerous hollows and also occur on the general whose well drained banks are with gay flowers in lavish abundance and meadow patches of shoulder high suggestive | 28 |
of regions much farther south the following plants and a few doubtful species not yet determined were collected here l l spring l hook a less hook ia bees l l l l l l l hook gray l l i ray l gray l l l w and k a l l l au l l vulgarity m y bv bay the on the west side of bay is remarkably close and luxuriant covering almost every foot of the ground the hills as well as the valleys while the sandy beach and a bank of material a few yards back from the beach were blooming like a garden with c c with and patches oi and this is one of the few points on the east side of sea where closely approach the shore the white occurs here in small groves or of well developed erect trees or feet high near the level of the sea at a distance of about or miles from the mouth of the bay and gradually become irregular and as they approach the shore here a number of dead and dying specimens were observed indicating that conditions of soil e and relations plants were becoming more and causing the tree line to from the coast h ex of in the ocean the following collection was made here july l l l a l l l l l l pi a l hook l l af sound the of the region bout the head of sound is hardly less luxuriant and rich in species than that of other points visited by the lying several degrees farther south fine suitable for the of cattle and from to feet high are not of rare occurrence on meadows of considerable extent and along wherever the waters of the have been drained off while in similar the most of the plants bloom in all their freshness and beauty no sign of frost or conditions of any kind whatever a striking result of the and of the soil is shown on the ice around bay where it has been by the melting of the ice on which it in falling down the face of the ice wall it is well and rolled before it again comes to rest on or gently sloping portions of the wall the original vegetation of the is thus destroyed and tall spring up on the fresh mellow ground as it from time to time growing and rank though in many places that we noted these new soil beds are not more than a foot in depth and lie on the solid ice at the time of our last visit to this interesting region about the middle of september the weather was still fine suggesting the indian summer of the western states the glowed in the mellow sunshine with the colors of the ripe foliage of and dwarf red purple and yellow in pure bright tones while the hardly less beautiful were scattered everywhere as if they had been sown with a lavish band the whole with the tints of the bed of and oa which the bright leaves and were painted on several points about the sound the white occurs in small compact groves within a few miles of the sl ore and which belongs to wooded regions is abundant where no trees are now in sight tending to show that of considerable extent now were once the plants collected are l hook spring l deer j a l l l l l l l l hook l r br cape the cape is richer in species and individuals than that of any point on the shores we have seen owing no doubt mainly to the better of the ground through the frost cracked which is the principal rock where the hill the frequently occurs in loose masses and is op steamer in the ocean entirely bare of soil but between these barren slopes there are valleys where the of the plants bloom in rich profusion and variety brilliant masses of color purple yellow and blue where certain species form beds of considerable size almost to the of others the following list was obtained here july l l gray l r br l l l l l l hook gray n less l l l r el gray l l l hook f l l dear l l and two other species gray c good cape prince of wales at cape prince of wales we obtained l a l twenty miles east of cape l l l l l l l cape near august and we collected l f l less l l l smith l k br l hook f o l r br l hook op steamer in the ocean bay the the called bay beautiful in their of curves and peaks as they are seen touching each other delicately and rising in bold picturesque groups are nevertheless severely desolate looking from the absence of trees and large shrubs and indeed of vegetation of any kind dense enough to give color in telling quantities or to soften the harsh of the portions of the walls even the valleys opening back from the water here and there on either side are mostly bare as seen at a distance of a mile or two and show only a faint tinge of green derived from dwarf and chiefly the most interesting of the plants found here are pall and the handsome blue l both of which are abundant the following were collected july and august pall l l l f l ca af l l pall l l gray herald island on herald island the common vegetation is well represented and developed so also are the plants almost the entire surface of the island with the exception of the sheer crumbling along the shores being quite dotted and with characteristic species the following list was obtained l l l l hook l l | 28 |
t g smith r br angel island our stay on the one point of that we touched was far too short to admit of making anything like as full a collection of the plants of so interesting a region as desirable we found the rock formation where we landed and for some distance along the coast to the eastward and westward to be a close clay slate freely into thin with here and there a few compact masses that rise above the general surface where it is exposed along the shore and kept bare of vegetation and soil by the action of the ocean ice and heavy snow the rock presents a surface about as black as coal without even a moss or to its sombre gloom but when this dreary barrier is passed the surface features of the country in general are found to be finely and smooth valleys wide as compared with their depth back from the shore to a range of mountains that appear blue in the distance and round hills with their side curves finely drawn touching and in beautiful groups while scarce a single rock pile is seen or sheer walled bluff to break the general the soil has evidently been derived mostly from the though a few wasting were observed containing of and granite which doubtless were brought from the mountains of the interior by that have recently vanished so recently that the outlines and hollows and of the mountains have not as yet suffered post to mar their characters the banks of the river at the mouth of which we landed presented a striking contrast as to vegetation to that of any other stream we had seen in the regions the vegetation of steamer in the ocean was not wholly absent but the and of which it is elsewhere composed are about as feebly developed as possible and instead of forming a continuous covering they occur in small separate leaving the ground between them raw and bare as that of a newly field the plants both on the v west grounds and the slopes and as far as seen were in the same severely repressed condition and as planted in an inch or two in with about from one to three feet of naked soil between them some portions of the coast however farther south presented a hue as seen from the ship at a distance of eight or ten miles owing no doubt to vegetation growing under less conditions from an area of about half a square mile the following plants were collected l af l hook l l l l hook f l t t l g l t r fir r fir l smith birds of sea and the ocean bt e the last of june the states steamer reached saint on her to sea and the ocean the object of this was to search the various accessible portions of the for traces of the and two missing vessels which were lost the same season that the entered the ice through the courtesy of the secretary of the treasury i was taken on board and accompanied throughout the remainder of the season od june we left saint and crossed sea to saint island and bay on the coast thence along this coast through the straits and in the to the vicinity of s winter quarters where we took on board a party which had been left there earlier in the season to search the coast in that district thence we returned again to saint island and to saint after remaining here a short time we returned to the touching at all the islands in straits and during the remainder of the summer visited in succession the entire coast line from straits to point including sound and on the shore from the straits to north cape we also along the edge of the ice pack landing upon herald and islands on september we passed through straits bound south and after remaining some time at in the islands the vessel for a voyage to san we left october homeward bound the observations on which the present paper is based were made both during the just detailed and in addition ai the results of observations made by myself during over four years residence at saint and carried on in various directions from that point in addition have used information obtained from various reports which have been issued regarding the region in question so far as the limited time at my disposal would allow the species given for the coast and the islands of sea are almost or quite a complete list of the birds found there but the species mentioned upon the coast form only a small of those in that region this is mainly due to the little that is known concerning that region and the of its literature the waters lying between and europe on the and america on the have been visited by so many accompanying the various exploring and other that the at least has become pretty well known this is certainly true as regards the distinction of most of the species though the life histories of many undoubtedly yet require the patient of some enthusiastic student ready to face the discomfort and often misery by such work in regions leaving this well trodden field however where is the who is prepared to state just what is found at other portions or on other of this great frozen ocean f the reply is for as yet no one has been able to do more than to touch at some remote comers of the coast or a vessel s may have pressed into the shifting ice pack a short distance only to be or else caught and held in an grasp favorable opportunities of the writer in the unknown region of sea and the adjoining portion of the ocean to the north have been detailed in the present | 28 |
paper with such other information as could be obtained from other sources as we visited all parts of the basin lying to the south of the solid and between on the east and south straits and part of the southern limit and the same portion of and island forming with the ice pack the western border within this area visiting all the shores named among which as specially may be mentioned herald and islands respecting which the only knowledge existing was that two bodies of land were known to lie there one of which in fact was previously considered almost till the work of the of steamer in the ocean and the has defined it farther work will undoubtedly add other species to the list and the range of others but it is thought the present paper will give a very good idea of the bird life of the regions visited having the continent of america on the one side and asia on the other it might be anticipated that we should secure specially rich results from the of two yet although this is true to a certain extent there are reasons to prevent the very marked exhibition of this the first is the of the region within the limits inhabited by a and in consequence frequented by many species of wide distribution the next is the of the two barren coast lines and islands offering but small to land birds while the sea birds as usual are species common to extended the usually low but rolling coast country a monotonous grass grown plain varied by or moss covered slopes or wind swept hills back far into the interior are the only variations to the general level here and there a few pieces of break the cold gray of the beach while clusters of native huts or tents lend a passing interest to the cheerless coast thus offering but slight for birds as might well be expected the former region north of straits is entirely and south of straits in sea the water birds may be divided into two groups those the deep water surrounding the fur seal and strait islands and the adjoining coast for the first group and the shallow water species along the shore from the mouth of the river to the vicinity of straits the former group the and allied species also the and s and the second group such species as the goose the and many of the fresh and water ducks this distinction of the two shores holds also to a certain extent north of straits these two shores having there somewhat the same relationship i have just mentioned there is also a difference still more striking to be noted between the species the sea of straits and those to the south north of the straits the are very rare while south throughout the islands over all the other islands of sea except along its eastern border including even the islands in straits they swarm in the greatest abundance while the presence in sea of several other si including and not found north of the straits makes the difference still more striking beyond these differences however it is difficult to divide the region into any well marked districts though along some parts of the coast the breeding water fowl fill the with life yet the rocky islands of sea are the places about which birds exist in the greatest s and as baron d well remarks in his account of the s voyage it is not the larger inhabitants of the regions such as the whale bear and seal which first attract the s attention but the innumerable flocks of birds that swarm around the traveller during the long summer day of the north and this is striking about any of the islands which birds the and seek as breeding places the islands of straits resemble enormous about which the birds swarm in countless numbers filling the air with their swiftly moving forms in every direction and the waters are covered with them all about the islands while every point and place where can be obtained is taken possession of by them for breeding places although herald island is almost perpetually surrounded by the ice yet we found it with and as were also some of the on island still to the westward on some of the islands visited by the crew on their retreat towards the coast this was also found to be the case as mr me and they found there in extreme abundance although the islands were surrounded by an almost unbroken ice pack for the benefit of visiting this region in future i will mention a few where certain species of considerable interest may be obtained the emperor goose is quite abundant on the portion of saint island the low flat portion of the island by the islands of strait are all of them resorted to by the and least and the islands in particular are frequented by of us the ocean of them the summer season along the coast of from just north of straits to wherever the shore is low and bordered by or shallow river mouths occur the s and the king in great numbers according to the emperor goose also visits this coast at we found s in excessive abundance during our stay there as detailed in the following pages the coast from icy to point is also frequented by the king in great abundance the nest in large numbers upon a small rocky just oft island at the head of the sound and also upon the cliff s the northern shore of sound in sea especially those at and s is found rather commonly upon the rivers flowing into the head of sound especially along the some small rocky in the middle of pass near in the islands are the breeding places of the beautiful little and th line of from to the middle | 28 |
of the is the great breeding ground of the emperor from the northern border of the north to bay the among the water and where the shore is flat and north of saint however this species is rare in its greatest abundance between saint and the month the principal sources from which information has been derived in addition to my own observations have been and s list of birds in the transactions of the academy of for and dr of the islands in s condition of affairs in treasury department the seasons of upon the two shores of sea are usually somewhat the ice remaining longer in spring ui on the coast than it does on the shore and the reverse in autumn when the ice fr om the forces its way through strait and fills the western i of this sea for some distance before ice to form on the east coast on shore we have the reverse and in the spring of when we left saint the last of june the hills were covered with green and and were to show their summer foliage while numerous northern flowers were already in blossom only a rare patch of snow was to be seen here and there on the distant and summer was apparently at hand when we reached the coast however winter still appeared in force and the snow reached from the tops of the highest hills to the water s edge in immense banks and although many places where the snow or wind had opportunity to exert its influence showed the bare covered rocks but the vegetation was extremely backward only just to start in fact this however is accounted for from the fact that the waters of sea are deeper and far colder than those of the eastern shore in summer where the shallow water and great amount of warm fresh water brought down by the numerous rivers flowing into the sea change the temperature very rapidly and at the same time rapidly affect the surrounding atmosphere on the coast on the contrary the ice is swept away by the strong currents which flow north and in spring ing with it ice leaving the coast free from the latter but at the same time surrounding the shores with water at an icy temperature which falls but little throughout the summer the basin like character of sound as also of sound in the aid in giving them a much climate than their northern would indicate the coast of sea from the mouth north to strait is broken occasionally by rugged cliffs but as a rule is low and and covered with grass and with i where the various species of fr water fowl breed along the beach is strewn great quantities of which comes from the but trees occur only along a small portion of the coast extending from the vicinity of north around the coast to near where the are found in some places within a few yards of tide water from this point north not a tree approaches within miles of the coast line at the head of sound a few may be seen on the sides of distant mountains and beyond this the country has the peculiarly barren appearance at the head of the sound a si of tall grass grows in considerable abundance but leaving this sound to the north the coast becomes rf of in the ocean more and more barren from icy north it is a flat or slightly rolling monotonous of at bay on the shore are low hills or mountains rising to feet or e almost sheer from the bay in many places and made up of enormous masses of rock down the sides of which the crumbling of and off make the slopes difficult to about here the attractions for the birds are very small and but few species except water fowl are found on the north towards strait uie coast is somewhat but only at east cape the point of do we find it rising again to a rugged peak thence again along the northern coast the shore gradually becomes lower until it finally the low barren character of the nor does this last appear much more inviting to land birds than does the harsh of the broken and districts the islands of sea as are most islands frequented by sea birds in the north are enormous masses of rock apparently forced up out of the water with almost sides affording innumerable and wherein the birds find shelter and places for their young but with only a slight amount of vegetation and much more witli cold and icy storms at all seasons than they are with clear skies or warm days in conclusion i have only to express my thanks for the rendered first to general w b chief signal officer and to the secretary of the treasury through whose kind permission and co operation i was enabled to accompany the and also to professor s f and mr b of the institution for aid in the preparation of this r m rt e w signal u s a washington may owing to the of the author and the haste with which this paper has been put through the press the writer had no opportunity to correct the proofs and in consequence a of al errors are present the most of which are detailed in the following list page in place of read page in place of l in place of page c in place of page go in place of page in e of read page in of p a l no page in place of read page g one a in page in place of l in of read page in place of l page strike out one e in for l page for read through an error the notes under numbers and were not placed under a single heading page for read page | 28 |
for read for page for read page for read page for read page for read page appears under two by an error page for read and space between this word and the next page for read page for for read page for for read c a c i t i i i i a i t s to i v it its j ii t t ar ri r j li i i i ii n i ti in a hm i i r fir u ut w f i s t tv j m a r r j tm h v m t a i l i l i m h oi r i i ui l i mu sc s a n i h a l r s of in t e i a t its i ii i a v it ns t l n s wa i s ri i a i i i air m far ts tt v rt in m l l a i l j l is who t m l s j r li and it s i s r ji m ns own in k of t lit i js m lit st sa i t l ra i i ji i s a i i art i i u t in v t ir ai i s ain a i r im i i i hut in l ta th i l ii is of li ra an i f d a l d mi m f the m s h on ra ii i with th ni d t ao s s a i l i in i w as t of ia s ff as fold st mi r a i i m i i i are t i d iv d i it u r p i i in t u aj ai r f tl s ii u r j ou iii v at i i i d h i a ad an j a v i the birds of sea and the ocean i the in middle where our is made with this bird we associate it with damp and sheltered and it would seem almost to one familiar with it in such surroundings to look for it as an of the barren stretches of lands where for many miles not a tree raises its shaft such is its northern home however and throughout the entire region north of s bay to strait and across into the bird is found in a greater portion of this range as an extremely abundant species wherever of dwarf or have ir at along the slopes and in the north a pair or more of these may be looked for along the entire sea coast of and north around the shores of sound it is numerous among the many bushes found on these shores and the record of the bird from renders certain its presence on the adjoining shores of it is the most northern species of found in america and its breeding range is limited only by the absence of a bush in which to place its nest it passes by the groves and farms of the states just as the are swelling and the warm misty rains of spring are into life the sleeping seeds and filled with exultation it pauses now and then to pour forth those strange but pleasing which once heard in their full sweetness will never be forgotten but it has no time to and ere long it is already far on its way to the north the strange wild song which arose but a short time since in pleasant spots and quiet in southern groves is now heard by wandering indians who seek their summer fishing grounds by the banks of northern streams yet a little later and it troops in abundance near to the shores of the where the and other rivers pour their spring floods into the icy sea down the these birds pass using the bush grown bank of the river a their highway raising now and then their song which finds here surroundings reaching the mouth of the many wander along the coast of sea to the north and some are said to cross the straits they have now reached their summer homes and in sheltered among many of their kind they choose their mates and prepare for their young ere long their joyous song is heard no more but instead the bird is busily engaged in caring for its gaping brood in the course of time the young are and now the birds fall an easy prey to the bows of the native boys who follow them into their and many a helpless victim with their blunt pointed arrows the skins of the birds killed by the boys are kept till winter and hung in rows as of the young hunters skill to be brought out at the great hunting festival as the cold storms of autumn arise the birds which have escaped the various dangers and which are easily affected by cold prepare to return and their way along the course pursued in spring they pass again to the south now shy and silent awakening the echoes no longer with joyous melody but apparently with the spirit of autumn they pass quickly by and are | 28 |
gone h ex v of steamer in the ocean aud the the presence of this si in my list is owing entirely to the of s as this bird by mr if s bird was one of these as the imperfect description may be interpreted to affirm it occurs there merely as a for since the original record not a specimen has been obtained at or elsewhere on the islands by any of the numerous who have visited them the description is so vague and imperfect as given by that absolute is impossible and from the position of the original locality the chances are equally as favorable for h to occur as for the dwarf w a rich the american robin the breeding limit of this bird is to the wooded part of the interior but it occurs as a straggling on the coast of sound and straits and a wind bound to the seal islands it is present as a summer resident on as shown by skins brought me by the no doubt it is a thence to asia or land it also visits the shores of sound in the course of its but i do not know of its anywhere near tide water on this coast it is a pleasant experience for one in a far off region like this to come across the familiar forms known in other days the sight of this bird its the houses on a frosty spring morning in may carries one s mind back from scenery to the the hum of bees and such other pleasant sounds and sights of nature as go to make up a beautiful spring day in lower one however the strain of the blue bird and the cheerless surroundings soon bring the stern reality too closely home the birds too seem impressed with the gloomy surroundings and i have never heard them utter their notes during the time of their visits to the sea coast in the wooded interior however they regain their spirits and rear their young even north of the circle and here their cheering notes the wooded river courses during the long summer days in striking contrast to the silence of a few months earlier when a hush made the shadows of the forests a fitting haunt for the wolf and there is no record of the occurrence of the robin in asia that i have found although as before mentioned it undoubtedly is a casual to that region found a single bird wind bound upon the seal islands beyond which there is no record of its occurrence on any of the islands in sea the varied this handsome bird equals the robin in its northern range in and quite a number of skins have been brought me from the northern shore of sound and from the sound region the have assured me of its range considerably beyond this district and found it on the river within the circle where he tells us it arrives very soon after the robin and the yellow it like the robin prefers to nest in the wooded country but unlike the latter it nests at times in the close to the shore of and sounds it is unknown from the islands and shore of sea i have not had the pleasure of studying the life habits of this bird so have nothing to add in this particular but may say that its habits during the breeding season are but little known very few having had opportunity to study its op steamer is the ocean water the american water the year the sparkling streams which descend in a series of from the of the mountains on the islands the cheerful presence and strange habits of this odd little bird the silent and otherwise lifeless and their steep slopes it the wild of this part of the north pacific and sea and is found farther north even on streams flowing into the ocean this half is found about open spots on streams flowing into the head of and sounds where it the of the harsh regardless of the intense cold prevailing for weeks at a time it busily for its food in the icy waters of the swiftly running streams by whose banks with pines and it its young in summer it is unknown whether this or its closely allied relatives is found in land but neither form is found on the islands of sea except in the chain nor were any seen at bay or cape where however the conditions are scarcely favorable for their presence stone the blue the presence of this oddly marked here is owing solely to the occurrence of several specimens at saint michael s sound where several were taken by dr in june the various authorities who have written on the habits of the either as seen in northern europe or agree in giving it rare powers of song especially in the notes of other birds so varied and peculiar are its in this respect that we can but regret that its presence on american shores is due to mere accident the bird though quite distinct in several characteristics especially of color and pattern of body is closely allied to as it possesses the peculiar distribution of color on tail feathers almost precisely as in this later and other marks of resemblance i do not know of its occurrence in although its summer distribution is and it has been found on the lower and in various parts of middle the stone chat the wheat ear although long known as a rather common summer resident in the corner of america and in has but recently been found in where mr was the first to find it he obtained a number of specimens in the middle region since which time dr t h has found it not uncommon on the coast from sound to cape and the writer has taken it in the fall and spring | 28 |
on the shores of sound at saint michael s and a native brought a skin of one of these birds on board the at king island the summer during one of our visits there this list of shows that the bird is to be considered a somewhat regular to some parts if not all of northern it is very in its occurrence however and where quite common one season may not be found at all the next in the summer of dr found the bird not uncommon in the range just given whereas in the summer of visited the same shore in the and failed to find a single individual although keeping a sharp watch for birds wherever we strangely enough this bird has not been taken anywhere in eastern so that its presence in most be op steamer in the ocean supposed to result from it passage westward along the northern shore of america from and its adjoining evidently entering northern and perhaps asia from europe by way of the passage old world ever s flocks of this small bird came during the middle of june and settled on the at her winter quarters of the straits this was before the ground was free from snow and the birds appeared to be much exhausted bias s the first american specimen of this was taken by the of the western union telegraph expedition at saint michael s sound in since then no others have been secured until the three specimens i had the good fortune to obtain at the same locality during my residence at that place its appears to be very irregular as it was found only in two seasons out of four during which i kept a sharp and had native searching for them but obtained and saw only the examples mentioned it has never been taken on the shore of the region covered by this paper but further towards middle it is known to be common extending its summer range to the vicinity of the circle passing south through eastern and central asia in its in the region of lake it is a common as well as further east in how gen its range in is can only be determined when the numerous problems of that country are solved by the work of some the long an irregular visitor to the shore of sea mainly about and sounds where it is not a rare bird in the fall and at times also in the spring but it is never resident here owing to the lack of suitable shelter e sharp the though to be accounted a species by right of general distribution and of discovery yet this little makes its home among the and paper forests of northern and like the preceding makes occasional excursions to the adjoining and comes familiarly about the houses where it the gloomy opening of the long cheerless winter or breaks into the monotony of the silent frosty days later in the season although mr identified the original american specimens of this bird as typical a more careful examination of a much larger series made by myself shows that it is really to the much and somewhat larger eastern form described in s birds of europe and to which all american specimens should be referred the this bird is the third and last of a band of active cheerful wood whose busy notes and amusing motions while playing at as they in merry troops through the wood op in the ocean lands of the interior holding their own against the winter with its cold and render them the most interesting of the winter inhabitants of northern forests their odd and seeming importance render them noticeable and attractive wherever one goes like it s relatives a few of the more adventurous of this species also pay flying visits to the sea shore where for a short time they about searching the of the log houses climbing about the fences and making themselves thoroughly at home for a short season and then themselves to more suitable quarters again is the this sturdy representative of the common winter of the eastern united states makes its permanent home on the storm beaten and fur seal islands here in spite of weather and the harsh cheerless form assumed by nature on all sides this plain but interesting passes its life all about snow hills or rugged rock strewn cliffs and steep mountain slopes rise against a cloud hidden sky masses of and rain dash down the slopes and sending sheets of spray across the water and driving all else to seek shelter yet this bird holds its own on some partly sheltered slope or grassy flat and if spring be at hand its clear notes may be heard breaking forth during a lull in the storm as the hardy holds by a firm grasp upon some small bush beaten back and forth in the wind or perhaps from some rock the are still with snow in many places when he has already chosen a partner and is deep in the mysteries of family life in autumn he is found as before but less musical as he about the grassy and slopes generally in pairs so that it may be possible he is for life what its habits are during winter i cannot say but so brave a heart in so small a body that bids its owner endure this long cheerless season with its weeks of raging over the mountains aiid through the narrow valleys commands one s admiration though the smallest of the birds found on these islands it seems capable of enduring as much as the of them it is one of the peculiar forms limited to these forbidding islands whose influence upon their inhabitants is not alone by the peculiar character of their bird life but also in their people as well the language and customs of the latter having their peculiarities as | 28 |
striking as those this from its kin though in some customs our little has varied less than his human fellow and he still makes his snug nest in some nook in the rocky cliffs bounding the grim faces of the many surrounding mountains or a in a rocky ledge becomes the chosen spot while the lay at the last of september and first of october these birds were common in pairs as if permanently they kept among the tall and small formed on the at the heads of the inner but were remarkably silent and though their movements were active and they were frequently seen on the tops of the tall plants not a note was heard and their movements can only be described as similar to those of any in such a position mr tells me that during severe on saint island large numbers of these birds perish a few seasons however suffice to bring the number up to its original another curious point in the history of this bird is the fact as ascertained by the same observer that although one of the commonest birds on saint george island it is totally unknown on the adjoining island of saint paul this is a remarkable instance of the strange and often unaccountable to the distribution of birds saint paul island is only about thirty miles from saint george where the is abundant but not one is known to pass from one island to the other one hundred and eighty miles separate saint george island from the nearest of the which latter islands must be considered as the birds original op the ocean gray the yellow as a resident on the shores of sea in this handsome bird makes its appearance the last of may or the first of june according to the season and very soon after is and performing its summer duty of and its young in all the suitable portions of the low open country from the mouth on the south to the southern shore of sound on the north saint michael s may be taken as the of abundance of this bird in at the mouth i found it rare in the spring of and during the summer of i only found two or three specimens at the various made in sound it was also found at bay where nearly every who has landed there has also found it it was not seen on the shore of visited by the nor does mention it as being found at his place as autumn approaches towards the last of august these gentle birds prepare to return to their winter quarters in asia and adjoining islands one by one they leave our shore and unless some is caught like the one mr secured at sea off saint s island nothing more is heard of them in america until they the sea again in spring meanwhile they have twice passed the strange scenes of china and other adjoining lands of the and penetrated the countries of asia and the adjoining islands joining meanwhile in pleasant fellowship with many a strange companion whose experience not of the wide lands over by his tip friend whose air of complacent speaks of much sight seeing in foreign parts and who knows but he even a slight as the result of his voyage across the seas t however he is a very welcome summer visitor to the cheerless of and makes a pleasant addition to the slightly varied character of the bird life in this portion of the far north om the american during the early spring the is found along the entire coast of sea but does not breed to my knowledge south of the straits except perhaps on the mountains back from the coast and i have not found it numerous at any season though it is said to be common in the interior it also occurs on the and islands the first of august it comes straggling slowly back from its breeding ground in the north bringing its young in train and after lingering for a short time about favorite spots in the vicinity of saint michael s passes on to seek winter quarters far to the south i the european this widely spread old world bird has been taken but once within the region treated of in this paper a single specimen was secured at saint michael s by mr during the russian american telegraph expedition and remains the only evidence of its presence on either shore of sea the all the later who have visited bay have secured specimens of this handsome bird and myself in succession finding it there the two former took it late in the season in imperfect while during the second visit of the to this bay the last of june secured a fine male in perfect breeding the handsome plate is to k t a t m ii iii mr t n w b s i i inn ir l v of w it r of i an l mill il i l in i vi i t t r k i tv i f is the run ld el if and ic s tt ov l h the a l i k r j f v m m n s the base nt e the i ir th ha sin i act white tinged f thin is quite a bnt iu t i y a ti n t i r in t er out m t h s s a to on a j i | 28 |
e of n w i m a common t ns t t in j and more on he s d n to the of its ta i r on h r render it one of the im a i vi iv i m e wiu i t i i reaching thi s high l at lit i i op steamer in the accompanying this volume showing the bird mentioned they are found on the grassy which cover the spit making out at the mouth of the bay and are very if my single example is to be taken as typical it was close to the huts and lighted upon a stone as i drew near allowing me to approach very closely i thus obtained the prize without the slightest difficulty mr states that he observed one of these birds on the island of the of the in the spring of s and one of the most remarkable facts in connection with the history of this species is the fact that a specimen has lately been received at the national museum obtained by mr l in southern where it was obtained in the early winter of thus introducing it as a member of the of north america it is a common and pretty well known bird in from eastern its life history however still remains to be worked out the accompanying plate represents it in the act of darting at an insect in the characteristic manner of this and allied birds the specimen of this bird which i obtained june at bay is an male in spring of which the following is a description back nearly uniform changing on upper tail to with an wash on edges of feathers all but two outer tail feathers black the two outer feathers white each having a band of black from base along the edge of inner web which runs out towards the end of the feathers an inch from tip of first and close to tip of second a black line extends along near the shaft of outer web of the next to outer feather breaking and disappearing near the middle of the feather wing light brown much darker and edged with white the greater and lesser are so edged with white as to and conceal the dark brown the two thus forming a large uniform white patch on the upper surface of wing a broad patch of white extending from bill back on crown to a line drawn across the edge of and continuing back nearly to the as a a nearly black line extends from back through eye the neck with the nearly square black patch which the crown and region and extends partly down on sides of neck from the base of lower on each side a of white extends back under the eye and down the side of neck separating the black crown patch from the large black patch which extends m the base of lower down over the throat and breast the rest of under surface white tinged with a wash of on sides and bill and feet black dark dimensions wing tail middle toe and inches american say the this is quite a common breeding bird of the interior of northern during each summer but does not usually appear along the sea coast until its young are and are on their way south this takes place during the first half of august at which time these birds are quite numerous for one or two weeks especially along the shore of sound they are not known to occur on the adjoining shore of nor on any of the islands in s sea i the yellow a common summer resident in every and willow patch along the american and more numerous on the shores of and sounds than elsewhere owing mainly to the abundance of its favorite shelter on these shores its familiar notes and bright render it one of the most attractive summer it is one of the few species of this group extending its range within the circle and has perhaps the prettiest of its kind reaching this high latitude in america op in the gray the yellow occurs as an occasional bat not rare along the american shore perhaps most numerous along the shores of sound it is however a species and makes but very short stops along the coast bat to more congenial in the interior where it its young in the it hastily seeks its more southern haunts and rarely along the bare coast of the north as do some of its relatives the black like the yellow this is a rather scarce bird and is found along the shore of sound merely as a spring and fall it also occurs upon the shores of sound at the same season like other small birds it the vicinity of houses during its passage where it apparently finds the best grounds the small garden spot close to the kitchen at saint michael s seems to be the great and point of attraction for such of these small species as pass that way in spring and fall like some of the other small birds mentioned this is a common interior species it is unknown on the islands and shore of the sea n the small common about the shores of sound during the fall which continues during the month of august although not numerous every season yet from three to a may be taken about the muddy spots in the immediate vicinity of the houses at saint michael s it has not been taken on any of the islands in sea these birds breed in the islands of the lower in great abundance as well as in some of the more favorable along the coast of sound as high up at least as sound their clear rich notes rise from the dense of or in their | 28 |
the shoulders but with the brown edged with dull and and becoming in some instances the are edged with pale yellow the tail is brown nearly uniform except the outer feather which is lighter than the inner belly nearly a uniform white marked on breast and sides with fine and irregular bars of or giving a loosely appearance to the lower surface the throat is white the are white shaded with which color extends back as an imperfect line and the cheeks and are white or pale finely with dark edges to the feathers the of the bird are inches wing t depth of at base the of the tail is nearly seventy of an inch br the swallow one of the most pleasant sights that meet the s eye on landing at saint michael s is the large number of common barn which make their homes about the buildings these birds extend their range to the shores of sea and the ocean their cheerful and graceful motions as they circle and glide in flight about the small collection of log houses recall scenes of a far different character than those which fill the eye at this place here they nest in deserted native houses or under the of the few or log houses and in some instances seek the shelter of rocky and hidden spots on the faces of the cliffs as was seen on the north shore of sound where two nests were found placed far inside of a deep extending into a rocky cliff reaching out into the sea the nests were in close upon a rocky shelf while below them the waves dashed back and forth spray within a few inches of the nests in the islands the swallow is scarce and is said not to occur h ex op steamer in the ocean west of at this latter place its is governed largely by the character of the season a pleasant spring brings them to nest the village while an season prevents a single one from making its appearance the without question to this species as there is nothing else to which it can be referred at as before remarked in some seasons not a swallow is seen at again they are common but thus ar the in that region have revealed no si of swallow except this which visits this chain of islands the white swallow the present bird occurs quite commonly along the shores of sound during pleasant days the last of may and with the main flight of the it back and forth through the and over the bare but is rarely found in the after a very short stay it leaves for the wooded country in the interior or on the lower parts of the larger streams where it in august it is again seen like various other species straggling along the coast it haunts the vicinity of at this season and may be seen generally n companionship with its cousin the barn swallow for a day or two but rarely remains until the latter starts in its southern i find no record of either this or the preceding extending its range to the coast nor are they known to my knowledge on any of the islands in the straits region the pine an extremely rare to the shore of sea about the head of sound however where forests reach the shore they are not uncommon here as elsewhere in the wooded country it is resident for a discussion of the of this bird i must refer those interested to the more general work i am preparing on the birds of the territory of as lack of space taking up the subject here wiu the an excessively rare species on the shores of sea i know of its occurrence there in but a single instance this was a specimen taken at saint michael s in winter by mr it is of excessive in the region the saint michael s specimen is identical with others obtained at and in the surrounding region which appear to average considerably smaller than the birds of the interior and eastern portion of the continent its occurrence to the north of the can be looked upon as very exceptional the white winged although this species is seen much more frequently on the coast than the former yet it is also a rare bird there except where as about the head of sound the forest of the interior approaches the coast in the interior however this is one of the commonest and most familiar birds and is one of the few hardy species which the in this region during this latter season they may be found moving in small parties through the tree tops or in scattered pairs during the summer attending to the duties of and their young neither this nor the preceding species is known to occur upon any of the islands of sea or upon any part of the shore this might be anticipated from a knowledge of the character of these portions of the region in question op in the ocean the rosy along the entire chain of islands from on the east to and on the west and including saint s and the seal islands on the north this bird is to be one of the most frequent species the delicately blended and with the lovely wash over nearly all the body renders it the richest in color and most attractive species in this region in addition to being the of limited of it is also the giant among its relatives as well it may be to the harsh climate where it has made its home much to the writer s regret he made special effort to find this bird daring both his visits to a hasty glimpse of a single individual flitting along the rugged face of a cliff near the shore in may was the only one seen nearly every | 28 |
other who has visited this locality has secured specimens and records it as one of the commonest birds even the long harsh winter is not able to make these elegant seek a climate but amid the whirling and desolate scenes of these forbidding islands they make their permanent home in summer among the long and other plants this bird is to be found rendering pleasant the scenes where in winter it alone breaks the dull cheerless monotony it is totally unknown on the of either continent but has near relatives on the american shores and it appears to be a form strictly limited to this peculiar chain of islands although it on the islands it is only known as a summer resident to the north on the seal and saint s islands the white bed all along the coast of sea on the shore from the of north to point as well as upon the islands in s strait and across to the adjoining shore of asia this is perhaps the most abundant of all the land birds their nests re placed indifferently in bushes and of grass or a hole in a piece of drift wood on the barren shore serves as a building site this and the following species in many instances so that it is to separate them accurately my reasons for keeping the two forms separate are given in full in a complete list of the birds of the territory now in preparation over all the of america europe and asia as well as in we find both forms of this handsome little bird giving animation to many of the otherwise lonely and barren spots in summer he is usually engaged in his one or two of dull young and preparing them for the trying experiences they will necessarily face a few months later when the sun draws his short bow across the southern sky and long frosty nights make the very earth crack under the lowering temperature at this season the stars seem each to hang from the by an invisible cord and twinkle clear and bright overhead the sharp of the white fox alone breaks the intense stillness a white frosty fog hangs in the air the chilled breath of nature which falls silently to the ground in the lovely crystal of northern in the north a pale arch moves its mysterious and the bosom of the earth silent and chill under its white mantle looks dreary and sad after such a night the sun seems to creep reluctantly above the horizon as though to face the bitter cold the smoke rises slowly and heavily in the fixed atmosphere and warm rooms are doubly appreciated soon small troops of these little red come silently about the houses their feathers puffed out and looking gloomy enough as they search silently among the dead weeds for food an hour or two later they catch the fuller rays of the sun and become more cheerful and busily about though they are far from showing the character which becomes them so well and which later in the season they reveal under the brightening rays of the sun in early spring time towards the last of march and first of april then indeed we learn the true worth of our happy companions they come flitting about the houses on all sides examining the bare spots on the ground searching the old weeds and fences clinging to the and even coming to the window whence they peer in making op in the themselves at home and a hearty welcome for their cheering presence the breast is now a blossom pink and the crown shining scarlet how this bird came to bear these colors is told in one of the indian which is deemed of sufficient interest to relate and after the manner of the tales of our childhood it begins very long ago the whole of mankind were living in cheerless obscurity endless night hid the face of the world and men were without the power of making a fire as all the fire of the world was in the possession of a ferocious bear living in a far off country to the north this bear guarded his charge with vigilance and so was his appearance that no man dared attempt to obtain any of the precious substance while the poor indians were over their misfortunes the bed which at that time was a plain little wood dressed in ordinary dull brown heard their for in those days men and beasts understood one another and his heart was touched he prepared himself for a long journey and set out toward the lodge of the cruel bear after many adventures on the long road which he traversed between his starting point and the object of his journey he at length reached the place and by a stole a living from the perpetual fire which glowed close under the breast of the savage guardian and flew away with it in his the glow of the coal was reflected from his breast and crown while his forehead became slightly burned far away he flew and finally arrived safely at the home of mankind and was received with great rejoicing he gave the fire to the thankful people and told them to guard it well and as he did so they noticed the rich glow on his breast and brow and said kind bird wear forever that beautiful mark as a of what you have done for us and to this day the bed wears this in proof of the legend as all may see and mankind has ever since had fire the common this like the preceding bird is found along the entire shore line of sea with the exception of the seal islands and a portion of the chain it in abundance wherever found but is especially numerous along the shore fix m to sound and wherever we | 28 |
landed from the win like the preceding this bird was also found the former however appears to be the form but the two the same breeding range in this portion of their thus undoubtedly arguing for the distinctness of the two species we found it with the preceding at east cape point and at nearly every place where we landed in winter they band together in flocks and seek the sheltered toward the interior where in and on sheltered hill sides they are found on every hand during mild her they make excursions to the coast and more exposed portions of the country ready to disappear at the approach of an un change some of them like the preceding remain to winter along the sea coast but only a small proportion of the number which is found in summer many doubtless to more southern as they are nowhere found so abundant at this season as during summer although not mentioned by as at his winter quarters yet this bird is known to exist throughout the range of the entire of both and many of the adjacent rendering it certain that it is found in that portion of as well as elsewhere on herald and islands none of them were seen owing doubtless to the scanty vegetation on these barren islands not affording requisite shelter and hospitality to tempt them to cross the icy sea and remain on these forbidding shores the in the north the range and abundance of this species in summer is to a great extent to that of the succeeding species along the more rugged parts of the coast on rocky and barren islands and the bare and desolate shores of the ocean wherever have gone they have found these birds before them the desolate hill tops of saint island op is the ocean tiie bare weather worn sides of the bay and east cape the rocky wind swept islands in strait as well as the lonely shores of herald and islands and the strewn along the north coast of asia and all appear to be chosen as the favorite summer homes of this bird when we landed at any of these places we were certain to be greeted by the clear sharp note of the snow which be running busily a out searching for food or about from place to place its sharply contrasted black and white quickly the eye and usually the first sign of life on the mountain sides at bay its mellow note was heard on june uttering the long clear and rather hard song full of a wild and melody fitted to the surroundings this song consists of four or five dear whistling notes shorter than the song of the long spur and uttered firom a rocky point or the top of some ledge at saint island on june we found them common and and some native children showed us a nest about yards back oi their huts this nest contained one which was obtained with the female after the latter was shot the male kept flying about our heads or from rock to rock close by and continually uttering a loud p p p p in such a plaintive tone that i was glad when we were out of e r shot as long as we remained in the vicinity this bird followed us from place to place hovering about not taking the notice of his nest after the female was shot he showed by his actions that he was fully aware of our having his mate in our possession i do not remember ever having seen a bird show such solicitude for his mate as was exhibited on this occasion as we landed upon the shore of island on august were found a pair of these birds with their grown young upon the beach and a number of others we found upon herald island this bird arrived at on april according to and it is known to breed commonly on and as well as throughout the islands and wherever the to the north of continental america have been visited the long one of the most numerous among the summer of the but occurs more on the a islands and along the shores of asia this bird generally portions of the coast least sought by the preceding its northern range appears to be limited and we do not find it either on or herald island although on the of it extends to point where full grown young were seen in august it is much more numerous on the shore than on the adjoining coast it commonly upon saint island but is uncommon at bay on the shore only about ninety miles distant there are and other places there which appear suitable as local yet the birds were not found the long spur occurs in the greatest numbers on the grassy and moss covered stretches of level or rolling along the american coast it was found along the north shore of asia where grassy afford suitable but everywhere along the american coast the bird appears to be a very common summer resident and most plentiful where the full of the summer was not felt along the shores of n and sounds where the seasons are comparatively mild it is found in greatest abundance thousands of the birds appear on every hand as one about during the breeding season and in early spring at the commencement of the air is filled with music during the winter the long spur is not found in the country north of the islands in which latter region however the bird is a permanent resident although the long spur apparently a or portion of the continent it far to the north as is shown by being found upon southern i of and other far northern lands its southern bi range in appears to be along the chain where it has been found raising its young by mr | 28 |
and others op in the ocean is the sound on the islands this is a common summer resident and thence east and south along the shore it is also common it has not been recorded from the seal islands hence its northern range appears to be limited to this chain of islands and the adjoining coast a given during the it is found along the coast as far south as and washington but its breeding limit in this region is still unknown throughout the northern part of its range it is known to breed and we found it as late as october at and it arrived at this place the first of may some probably remain the entire winter but the majority pass farther south its habits are like those of its keeping to the grassy and the shore close along the water s edge where a portion of its food is this also is one of the several cases in which the islands and adjoining region furnish a longer bird than is found in the closely allied forms of the among these may be named and the and in addition to the case in hand as showing some of the most striking instances of this peculiarity is the western all along the coast of sea at least to point hope and probably to point this is a common bird especially along the coast between the and sound wherever the open moist stretches of comparatively level country afford suitable haunts it is found in large numbers although ant has been recorded saint and the region it is owing to an as is shown by an examination of ae specimens upon which this claim was based all of which are to is strictly limited to the coast of and is unknown to the north of this region on the contrary far to the north extending its breeding range inside the circle and its southern range in summer does not appear to on that of in winter however it is found passing south and mingling with its relatives in the coast region of the along the coast north of the to sound the is a rather common summer visitor and nests in many places it is one of the most musical birds that reaches these high along the coast with the opening spring and appearance of the first flowers comes this handsome whose charming notes and familiar presence about the houses render it an agreeable accompaniment of spring the last of may it appears in the vicinity of saint and taking the wood pile or some other convenient spot for its stage at intervals during the entire day pleasant frosty mornings particularly are by the notes of this bird and i recall pleasure the feeling of always produced by its song which seemed to form a part of the clear fresh frosty atmosphere and the brightening face of nature for a week or so after the bird s arrival its familiar presence is joyfully proclaimed by notes from the places mentioned after which it the vicinity of man for the on the where it the duties of the season a few weeks later during the last of july or the first of august it is ready to come about the houses again a memory of the good things found there early in the season serving to draw the bird from all sides the weed patches and grassy in the vicinity of the fort or the native village are filled with these birds and with their young they wax fat and upon the fare before them the young frequently come into the court yard and make themselves thoroughly at home and if the truth be told now and then one falls a victim to confidence and in the shape of a dried travels to distant parts of the world where among a host of his he as a specimen in autumn old and young alike have but the ordinary of in the ocean to a host of their kind at this season and they carry with them bat little of the interest attending their spring advent in the lower region and to the east these are abundant birds and are said to render the twilight hours of night during the short summer melodious with their songs often complained of their disturbing his rest by their persistent singing while he was down this river on the and other islands of sea and the coast this is an unknown bird it is the only form of white crowned found in the territory of and throughout the north the common bird of the eastern united states does not reach these high the golden spared w a rather rare summer on the shores of sound where it its favorite haunts are the same as those of the preceding species in the fall young and old with again on the feeding ground about the houses upon the and other islands in sea this bird is unknown nor have i any record of it along the coast north of sound the this is perhaps the commonest species of the bushes along the northern coast it arrives early in may or even the last days of april upon the shores of sound and like the white crowned its presence by first appearing about human at this time it especially such weed patches as have the storms of winter the convenient shelter thus formed making a favorite gathering place where the of the tree can be heard at all times and from which they make excursions to the garden spot by the kitchen or come into the yard they are always however and ready to into the of their place at the first alarm before the snow has left the where they make their nests they have taken possession as if in anxiety to commence their housekeeping in the course of time the snow the sturdy begin to open their and | 28 |
take on a shade of green while about their roots busy family groups are at work upon the soft grassy nest which soon contains their pretty o eggs all goes well unless some wandering breaks rudely in upon the happy pair and leaves a scene of ruin behind early in july the parents have a brood of full grown young which they straightway introduce to the vicinity of the houses where we soon find them in fall possession of the of the fort and ready to join in friendly companionship with the white crowns and young long spurs the crew associate in the most congenial way during this season of plenty and a crew they make all clad in dingy and dull each apparently without an object in life but to himself on the abundance of food which the plants begin to shower down ere long however the cold storms of autumn announce the approach of winter and send many of the more sensitive off to a climate september passes the and cold are more severe and as this month ends and october begins the last of the pass on to a this species on the shores of sound as far north as bushes are found i have no record of its occurrence on the adjacent shore although it is undoubtedly found on the it can scarcely be expected to occur upon any of the islands in sea from their bleak and character ji the black snow this is perhaps the most uncommon found upon the american shore of sea and can be noted merely as a from the interior of pretty regular occurrence in spring of in the ocean it is rarely seen more than two or three times daring the season at saint at the month it is rather more common it at this latter in small numbers and is also found in the vicinity of sound and bay as specimens brought me from those by natives indicate it is unknown from the shore to the islands of sea the among the peculiar birds found on the this is one of the most remarkable it forms the giant among its kin and would scarcely be connected with its eastern relative by one not familiar with the links in the chain which unite them it extends its range from the of the east to island it has been described under various names by the older who secured it during the occupation of the territory but as in many other instances the most of our knowledge of its life history and distribution is mainly the result of work done since the country changed owners during a brief residence at in the islands in may became somewhat familiar with the habits of this bird at that season and during the stay of the at the same place in the fall of i was pleased to renew the at another season they were common in both seasons and frequented in autumn as in spring tlie vicinity of the shore with a preference for points where great masses of rock lie at the water s edge or the rugged slope of the cliff reaches out into the bay it is the habit of this bird to hop from rock to rock and scramble about along their inclined faces searching for their food close to the water s edge where it on the small marine animals by the falling water oi living there between the tide lines the male frequently to the top of some convenient point and his short rather hard but pleasant song this song consists of several loud hard notes the first two the and most musical the others rather harsh as might be expected the size of the bird the song is stronger and louder than that of its relative the familiar song during the entire time of our stay at in september and october the showed their appreciation every pleasant day by passing a considerable portion of their time upon the roof of the at the wharf or other conspicuous position elsewhere uttering their song at short intervals this stood beside the wharf to which we were and the passing to and fro of the men handling cargo or attending to other duty made a scene of bustling activity in spite of this the bird was sure to be found whenever the weather favored at other times he could be found with one or two companions searching the sandy beach close by for food the common in summer along the coast of sound and extends its range north to the shores of sound its loud clear song rises from every patch of of any size along this stretch of coast and the birds upon their first arrival about the last of may come boldly about the dwellings uttering their loud clear song from the roofs of the and other convenient stand points at the mouth it is very common and i found its song one of the most musical and striking among the very scanty choir which the advent of summer at that remote place it is unknown from any of the islands in s sea as well as from the shore its range extends within the interior of the circle although the lack of bushes along the coast limits its occurrence except on the shores of the two sounds named s this species is admitted here solely by reason of the of s a as this bird one thing is certain and that is that since s type no specimen of this bird has been secured at although numerous have visited that op steamer in the ocean and paid special attention to its neither has the bird been found on any of the eastern islands of the chain which renders its occurrence here still more improbable occurs here however in three distinct one of which answers fairly to the very insufficient description given by the nearest where has | 28 |
been taken is on the islands south of the of of necessity the question of the exact application of s name must remain a matter of individual opinion but in view of the bird in question not having been taken on the island of or any of the neighboring ones it seems but fair to consider the chance of his description applying to one of the of m i allow the name to remain as mr from the fact that there is little possibility of proving the question for one side or the other but the of old names as in this where there is such opportunity for error the rusty along the eastern shore of sea both in the spring and autumn this bird is frequently seen it nests commonly at the mouths of the and as low down as the growth of bushes affords proper shelter it is a common summer resident in suitable places about the sound region extending its area far within the circle it arrives at saint michael s about the middle of may and leaves the coast region about the last of august or first of september it is unknown on the islands of sea and on the coast the american this bird is found abundant in many places and is more or less common everywhere on the islands and about the shores of this region on the islands it is perhaps in its greatest abundance and is remarkably familiar the of houses and the open ground immediately in front of them with as little regard for the presence of man as might be expected from the ordinary barn yard fowl even in this place however it keeps its weather eye out for the deadly gun and the moment one appears with this in his hand the become remarkably scarce in that immediate vicinity their curious high in the air preceding and during a storm are curious to witness and they are one of the most striking features to a new comer in the islands upon the seal islands the crow is absent though it is familiar on all the other islands of sea the and american coast alike are frequented by it both summer and winter found in the vicinity of the on the coast and during my winter journeys along the coast i found them everywhere though less numerous at this season than during the summer hi the black at the lead of bay this bird has been taken on a few occasions and this so far as my knowledge extends limits the range of the bird on the coast of sea although it is f und in the interior much farther north the smoky in the interior this bird is one of the most common and stray individuals wander to the shore of the and sea from north to the shore of sound h ex e op steamer the ocean they are generally about the months of streams whose borders afford them the sheltered highway which their instinct leads them to favor the only specimen i ever saw close to salt water was on the shore of sea at we had at this cape the night before and were just leaving it as a heavy sea began to pushing off we had gained a few yards from shore when an odd note caused us to look back and there perched on a small bush close by the remains of onr camp fire stood one of these birds uttering his ludicrous cries as if making sport of ns for not finding him earlier the waves rendered the landing so dangerous that we were obliged to leave the bird in possession and whenever i recall the scene at this camp the in the mental picture is occupied by the comic attitude of this bird as he his tail and us from his safe ground e the white shore this bird occurs very rarely on the coast of sea i secured a single specimen at saint michael s the first of may and one or two others have been taken in that vicinity besides which i have no record of its occurrence anywhere within the region under discussion the numerous visits made by to these shores during the last few years and the of this bird in their prove it to be a great in this region both on the american and shores farther to the eastward in the interior the bird is more common but is still rare until the interior of the continent is reached all the specimens examined are to the name heading this article and it is that shore fix m would be to the same it is not known to occur on the or any of the other islands in sea it has been found as far north of the old world as and but it was not seen by us on the shores of or herald islands nor on the adjacent coast e the little two specimens of this bird obtained by me at saint michael s in the spring are the only ones found on the shore of sea they add very considerably to the bird s known range e s the the a common species in the interior of makes frequent visits to the sea shore in the north especially during the spring and fall it is then found the patches and rarely visits the houses i obtained a number of specimens from the and sides of the at saint michael s during my residence there it is more numerous at the mouths of the larger rivers as the and here the close approach of the wooded interior to the coast renders its presence common and it even nests close to the sea coast in the bushes on the lower it is not known from any island of sea nor from the coast but is found in the about sound at times ax | 28 |
approach within rifle shot as we upon island and ascended the slope of the hill rising from the beach one of these birds arose over yards in advance and made off as though his experience of mankind had been anything but agreeable yet it is certain that his habitation at that time had never before been disturbed by man during some seasons when the at any particular point this bird becomes numerous and upon this small at times however it attacks and the northern hare and is one of the most dreaded enemies of the in winter it on noiseless wing close along the of the snow its white so completely with the white landscape that it is followed with the greatest difficulty by the eye ever and anon it and like a shadow as it takes its course along the shore or over the open country of in the ocean rich a ths hawk owl like most of the wood birds this is also a rare to the sea coast of sea aod sound where it occurs at intervals in the fall and spring i secured a fine specimen from the top of the at saint where it sat looking down upon the people moving about and did not show the slightest sign of fear until it was brought down with a broken wing when approached it threw itself in an attitude of aud its eye commanded one s admiration for bold and courage it occurs in about equal with the owl and is well known to the who confound it to a certain extent with s owl x la the hawk owl one specimen of this bird has been taken on the coast by l m near saint michael s in winter it is known from the shore and throughout northern the wooded portions of the country with occasional stray visits to the sea coast both this and the preceding are totally unknown on the islands of sea and of exceeding if they occur at all along the neighboring coast the approach of the wooded country along the sea shore the preceding form more convenient opportunities to the neighborhood of the sea yet their visits in these places are few and very short e am thb white the winter of i obtained a single skin of this fine from a native on the coast near strait this is the only instance i have ascertained of its occurrence on our coast although mr learned from the people at saint michael s during his residence there that the bird occurred at rare intervals and he adds that a little north of island one of these alighted in the of their vessel and remained with them for some time s although the previous variety is of such on the coast of sea the present form is one of the most abundant birds of prey found in this region a single specimen obtained by on the seal islands forms the only record from that group but found it on the chain and from the of north to point on the american shore and across the straits occupying the islands of that region and the coast of this is common and is a resident throughout the year it nests along the cliffs the sea shore or in the interior occupying the along the river banks it is most numerous in autumn when the young are found about almost every rocky cliff on the coast and it carries destruction among the at this season it has been claimed that this has a heavy and slow flight but after one watches the great ease with which it a in full flight its power of wing is readily proved am thb duck hawk a very rare species in the interior of northern this hawk is of still greater on the coast of sea where it is found only as an excessively rare in the spring and it is unknown from the islands and coast of sea and from the a of the on either side op in the s along the islands this bird rather common and at t points in his list of birds west of he heads the list with this species having it identified as mr me that this bird of which he has examined the specimen obtained by and which the was based is in reality a typical on september as the approached from the north six or seven of these birds were seen one after the other approaching from the east and after a about the vessel fi coming within thirty or forty yards they would make off to the west at this time the island was nearly twenty miles distant this was the only time that the bird was observed during the ten days spent at it is unknown north of the islands although it undoubtedly extends farther north along the shore the pigeon hawk this well known hawk occurs along the entire coast north beyond the shores of sound across sea it has been taken at bay and several other points on that coast of the birds of prey this is one of the most common species to visit the barren coast region and may be looked for as a rather and regular along the shores of sound strait and sound in spring summer and autumn a skin was brought on board the from one of the islands in strait in the summer ot although numerous in the portions of this region named it is yet unknown fix m the and seal islands the bleak rugged character of their shores probably proving to this small but bold am the american fish hawk in the interior the fish hawk is a not very uncommon bird as far north as the wooded country extends thence it occasionally visits the shores of sea two were seen the last of may at the mouth in and two specimens were brought me from the | 28 |
head of sound during the summer of these records include all the information i possess regarding this bird on the treated whether it is found on the shore or not in these high i have no information although its presence to the south in the islands and southward render it probable that it does the hawk a common along the shore of sea occasionally found on the islands and extending its range north beyond sound it undoubtedly occurs upon the adjoining coast of although i do not possess any record of its having been observed there the hawk like the pigeon hawk the sharp hawk occurs during the entire summer season from spring to but unlike the former it is of considerable and found as far as my information goes only i the coast including the shores of sea and sound but not extending to the islands of this sea nor to the coast of of in the the american wherever the is found iu the vicinity of the wooded country and far distant from a tree or this bold hardy bird is found as its unwelcome companion in spring the is occasionally seen passing over saint michael s as the first warm days begin then on until the breeding season is over it is seen no more but in autumn it returns to the sea coast in considerable numbers about the in abundance for a time aud like that species upon the among the many records of this bird s boldness i possess an additional one obtained during the visit of the to sound in september i had winged a on the top of the famous ice cliff of bay and the bird fell just beyond a small from me the instant the struck the ground i was surprised to see a dart out from a small patch near at hand and with a graceful inclination pick up the bird and make off with it which so surprised me that i stood watching the performance until the hawk had made good its escape as it flew away a second bird evidently its mate joined it aud the two passed over the hill and disappeared from view by a comparison of specimens in the institution with the considerable series obtained by me in the north i have reached the conclusion that mr s variety is nothing but the assumed by the older birds as is readily shown by several specimens in which the change made from the to that of the is taking place mr has examined the same series and with me iu this conclusion the american rough legged hawk along the entire coast of sea and the including at least the eastern portion of the islands the rough legged hawk is a common resident in summer at i found a pair breeding upon a cliff near the village and secured one of the birds with their eggs in may at saint michael s it was found npon cliffs on the border of a small lake in the interior of the island and the bird was among the most common of the birds of prey the specimen is in every particular from a european specimen in the collection and the basis for the separation of the american bird from that of europe and the northern portions of the old world generally is merely in the black phase assumed by the american bird in the bay and adjoining region in this phase is unknown as far as my observation goes aud is totally in the considerable series of specimens ob by myself and various others in that region this being the case aud various birds which i have examined being so closely related to the old world form it ap ears necessary to recognize them under the name of the old world bird thus the j to that portion of the continent where it actually occurs the rough leg occurs in aud in china is a species with dark feathers to the but very similar in other respects to s the golden eagle this is one of the among the birds of prey on the shores of sea and the a portion of the ocean i know of no record of its occurrence on the shore nor on the islands of sea but in the winter of i saw portions of one of these birds in a native village near strait and fragments of their skins were brought to me in one or two instances from the shore of sound daring my residence at saint michael s the and tail of this bird like those of the bald eagle are highly by the for use iu their religious op steamer in the ocean the bald eagle among the islands this eagle is very abundant and as many as ten or fifteen may be seen in a single day over a limited area it is a here finding an abundance of high and upon which to rear its young and about which it in fine weather north along tbe coast this eagle is rather uncommon owing mainly to the very low flat character of the country wherever the coast becomes or on the one is pretty certain to find one or more pairs of these birds in the vicinity it considerably within the wherever the character of the country is such as to attract the abundance of and other game has its influence as well during my residence at saint michael s a number of birds were seen passing over and quite a number of skins were brought me by the from various points along the coast to straits and sound the great sea eagle of the coast and islands has been reported from the chain but the bald eagle was mistaken for it e can ace the this one of the of oar occurs from the northern states through british america to the shores of sea at the head of | 28 |
another form of as is shown by specimens secured on the island of by mr l m during his residence at that place this form in several important from the birds as it does also from the bird of the mr has his interesting variety as given at the head of this paragraph and describes it in his to the of which at the present writing is being prepared concerning the habits of this form i possess no information its distribution however must be limited since it is found only on the western extremity of the chain and very probably forms merely a local race peculiar to the island where obtained perhaps extending its range to the few adjoining islands on the north coast of occurs this form according to the narrative of the s voyage in which records finding this species resident at their winter quarters on the coast to the of straits in the middle of december he found a flock of fifty of them at still farther to the west along the shore occurs this or an allied species as records a species of upon the new islands which is the same as is found on the adjacent coast of it seems remarkable that these birds should be able to sustain life during the intense cold and fierce storms which sweep over these desolate islands in his voyage of the states that they found a fell in the winter of just south of the parallel on where about of these birds he thinks some of these at times in among the rocks or pass the winter in a kind of state whether this theory is justified by the facts or not it certainly appears very curious that these are able to winter in o north latitude passing safely through the several weeks of continuous total darkness which occurs there in and be found fat and vigorous as soon as the sun appears above the horizon yet such are the recorded facts just how the bird to exist during this time remains to be satisfactorily accounted for the x found in to which this relates is the la just what the relationship is which the rock of bears to those found on the adjacent coast of north america and to the islands races remains a question to be solved only when a series of the birds from the various regions in question may be brought together at present the material in this group is entirely insufficient to make any definite statement on the matter and it will remain for some future to solve the problem it is to be hoped that some of the present parties now in that region will bring material which will aid in settling this interesting subject h pall the black the black although one of the most robust of the found in the north does not extend its range beyond the shores of the islands and thence across to the islands and adjoining coast where it is recorded by the common along the entire coast from the islands north to point this bird is a summer resident although it does not occur in abundance at any point its habits are very similar to those of the other small with which it associates during this season in autumn of in the ocean it passes to the south and is found on the various islands of sea except perhaps the chain where it is yet to be recorded although as it has been found abundant during the on the seal islands by there is no doubt whatever that it also visits the chain in addition to along the west coast of america it also passes along the coast by way of the islands to and southward where it has been recorded in winter and the has recently received spring birds in breeding firom to the north along this coast it occurs as far as strait if not beyond a number of pairs were seen and with nests on saint island the last of june and while the was in the vicinity of cape during the first of august found these birds quite numerous on the hills back from the coast where they had been breeding earlier in the season the young were on the wing at the time of our visit and were found with their parents seeking their food about the dry portions o the country in preference to their usual haunts along the sea shore or low grassy they were seen afterwards near point and at sound the black this species is far more numerous on the coast of during the summer than is the preceding it abundantly about the coast of sound and its familiar form is met everywhere on the flat grassy and about the borders of pools in this region as the approached island during the first of august on her several attempts to i each that land small parties of these birds came off and about the ship with wistful curiosity as if to inquire the cause and purpose of this invasion into these heretofore shores they c also observed once or twice in the vicinity of herald island on shore at island we did not see a single example of these birds although our hasty visit might readily account for this they occur on both of sea their winter home so far as recorded appears to be confined to the west coast of america a a no instance is known to me of its capture during this season on the coast of asia it may be remarked here that among the very large collection of these two species of obtained by me in the north and compared with the extensive series from that region which exists in the collection there does not appear to be the slightest of the characters showing an approach of the two forms so there is every reason for agreeing with mr and the | 28 |
black a distinct species the common of the sea coast and eastern asia perhaps including those which are found on the islands of the south pacific appear to show an average much darker than birds from middle and america and it is possible that it may be necessary to separate it from its eastern relative as a race in which case the is proposed for the new form gray the surf during several successive at saint michael s i had the good fortune to secure specimens of this widely spread and interesting bird it had previously been taken along the coast of the north pacific reaching the shore of and thence southward but the i resent record is the first of its occurrence in sea and places its range beyond north latitude and it undoubtedly reaches the vicinity of strait which lies but a short distance farther to the north in the vicinity of saint michael s it the rocky shores of the small islands and the whose rugged beach lines afford them congenial haunts their habits and feeding grounds are exactly those of the wandering and both species occur in autumn or during the entire month of august which answers in this latitude to the beginning of autumn in more southern they are never common but appear as stray individuals and are not shy of steamer in the ocean s the black this er reaches the shores of sea in may and remains to bi at various points the vicinity of the larger river mouths by preference although it occurs at various other along the t its range also extends to the shore where it is not numerous and north to point in it has not been recorded from any of the islands of sea although from its known range on the it undoubtedly occurs on many of them the american golden the large form of the golden which is so familiar to all in the eastern united states extends its summer range north and to the shores of the ocean and thence to the entire coast of sea occasionally to the adjacent shore and the islands in this sea whence specimens have been obtained along this portion of its range including the sea islands and the north coast its with that of the small form which also comes to these northern in summer to rear its young the golden is one of the as well as most interesting of the in the north and its gentle habits and sweetly mo notes make it a very welcome visitor during the season the have a rich liquid song of the most musical character and their beautifully blended black white and golden renders them very conspicuous the pacific golden the first record of this form on american territory was in s condition of affairs in here is described a single specimen of typical w which he obtained upon saint paul island during my residence in the north i gathered a large series of golden mainly from the coast of sound and among these i found every step of between the large eastern american and small eastern form a strange fact to be noted here is that the taken on the sea coast of average large and show characteristics which render them more closely allied or identical with the eastern american form whereas the young birds taken in the same are so covered with rich golden spots an l that they would be referred to the variety along the entire shore of sea this form occurs as a summer resident wherever the country is sufficiently level to it i feeding l and breeding places it was also one of the few birds we found on island a single specimen in breeding being seen when we made our landing on the th of august as in the case of the the golden is yet to be recorded from the islands although it must necessarily visit them during its while between and the st of october a small of these birds were seen passing overhead their course directly for the islands which were about one thousand miles distant at the time they make this long flight twice passing to and fro across the entire north and winter upon the islands north of the chain the semi on both shores of sea extending on the coast from the of north to point and along the entire coast to the of strait wherever we landed from the during the summer of these birds were found although it was not seen abundantly in any locality but a pair of were of in the ocean found in almost every instance where we made the land except on and herald islands it was found on saint island in sea and i noted it as a regular but not numerous summer resident on the shore of sound the there is a single record of this bird s occurrence in two specimens were obtained on in sound during the summer of by the english search ship and were for a long time in sir john s collection presented a few years since to the university museum at oxford where the examples are to be found at present the record of this is in the proceedings of the society of page where mr j e makes various interesting remarks concerning the different birds in this collection s this bird is abundant in the interior of the fur where it it is among the most uncommon of the found along the shores of sea where however it in small numbers it also occurs on the coast especially about sound but is unknown at any of the sea ii lands or the shore of although its range undoubtedly this latter region as we found the following species there say the bed the present species largely the latter on the shores of the american coast of sea and is extremely abundant its peculiar habits and | 28 |
by the last species there is no record of its occurrence on the shore nor is it known from any of the sea islands the red backed sand about the entire sea shore of north of sound and across along the adjoining coast of wherever we landed during the summer of this bird was found abundant a number of specimens were secured at cape on august and are identical with specimens secured on the american coast it wherever found in this region and is one of the commonest arriving at saint michael s early in may and it appears throughout this region as rapidly as the snow leaves the ground sufficiently bare for birds to secure their food it was also noted as common on saint island in sea but it is unknown elsewhere on the islands of this sea except as an occasional to the seal islands during the the semi sand along the entire coast from the of to point as well as on the coast of asia and saint island sea this small sand is a common summer resident breeding wherever the land the coast is level and dotted with pools or it is perhaps the most abundant of the throughout this region and its rapid note is heard on every hand during the day in the season the in mr s list of the birds of he gives the present species as common at and thence down the to the sea coast during the time of my residence in the territory and including the various points visited during the of the on both the and american shores not a single individual of this l was seen it occurs however in this region but is irregular and i am inclined to think somewhat rare we learn from a letter in the new york herald from mr that while the party were passing to the op steamer in the ocean of the there was a considerable number of these birds seen upon island one of the group on august and they secured twelve of th birds this is not a bird in these regions but specimens have been seen and procured by nearly every expedition and its distribution renders still more strange the great of the bird on the sound shore where during the four years i passed there not an individual was seen it is known however from the eastern coast of asia on the shores of and china as well as on the islands and along the pacific coast of america in the middle gray the pacific during both on the islands and thence north along the other islands of sea and abundant on the sea shore of during the breeding season it is not known to nest however except on the merely during its passage to and fro upon the islands mentioned it is also known from although no examples were seen during the summer of at the points we visited in the nor was it seen to the north of straits either on the shore of sound or beyond and i do not know of its occurrence there the loud notes of this bird and its large size render it one of the most conspicuous among the of the sea coast of its presence there in considerable numbers makes it a characteristic and important member of the they arrive in the vicinity of saint michael s the last of may or first of june and after leave for the south during august a few only remaining until september the mr secured two specimens of this bird at the mouth during his in that region beyond which there is no record of its presence on the coast of sea i did not see a single individual in that region and it must be of considerable nor is it known from any of the sea islands and the coast the yellow legs this bird is an extremely rare accidental to the coast of sea in it is perhaps more numerous at the mouth than elsewhere in the vicinity of saint michael s two or three specimens were secured during four mainly in august after the breeding season was over when like other birds these appear to wander from their breeding grounds visiting parts of the country unknown to them in the breeding season the wandering every summer as the end of july approaches or august begins this bird makes its appear ance about the rocky and along sound in the vicinity of saint michael s its habits are very retired and unless its haunts were visited not a single individual would be seen in spring it occurs very and ha been taken at this season even up the to and and undoubtedly a few breed in this region but the majority are birds which have wandered from more southern points it occurs quite frequently on all the islands of sea their rocky shores and isolated position apparently rendering them favorite grounds when disturbed on their feeding grounds these usually show but little but fly on easy wings a short distance and when they alight are readily they are seen except singly although several may be found at times in the same vicinity the young birds obtained in fall are less brightly marked than the spring their note is a loud ringing whistle which seems specially fitted to the bird and the haunts it and as the shrill cry re echoes h ex t of steamer in the ocean from tbe towering cliffs and at the base of which it its peculiar character and might lead one to fancy some of the rocks was its cry when the birds are approached by boat as they are feeding along the water s edge they ascend gradually with an expression of mild curiosity and pass from ledge to ledge until they a point on the face of the cliff or its brow where they stand in relief like | 28 |
beautiful clear cut and do not utter a sound or move until they are still further alarmed when they take flight uttering at the same moment their loud note before mentioned this bird is as common upon the sea shore of as it is upon the coast but it is not known to the north of strait on either coast the sand like the preceding species this handsomely bird is a great wanderer it is found over nearly the entire globe especially the continental portions and its way regularly in spring to nest in the far northern regions on the of sea it is rare a single pair obtained at saint michael s in spring being the only two that i saw during a four years residence there on the north side of however it was found quite common in the vicinity of cape early in august although it is so in the sea region it is very abundant at various points on the coast and the lower course of the river in british america may be especially mentioned as it has been found breeding there in the greatest abundance the this is mainly known on the shore of sound as a in the spring and autumn a few however remain to breed there as the snow in spring towards the end of may the loud clear whistle of this species is a welcome sound as it the mild weather of early summer remaining but a short time at this season the majority pass still further to the north in autumn they return early in august or the last of july and feed upon the various until into september when they depart for the south it is unknown on the islands of sea and adjoining shores of it is however found on the shore north to the vicinity of point an l undoubtedly visits saint island and the coast during the summer the though much smaller than the latter this bird considerably it and is much more common during all the summer season on the coast of sound its habits and haunts are almost identical with those of its larger relative except that it more frequently in the southern of its range both forms appear at the mouth in spring and during the breeding season both reach high northern at least to the limit of continental lands at on the north coast august four specimens of this bird were seen passing over and were the only seen upon the coast during our various visits to that shore has recorded its presence on the seal islands during the and it probably visits most of the sea islands at this time it occurs all along the coast of wherever suitable occur the although is the largest found on the sea coast of it is as well the most uncommon the only of its presence there rests upon the capture of a single male in the spring of when i saw a pair feeding upon the last year s which covered the op steamer the i l slightly land an extensive series of it lad a load clear note very similar to that of the and was not shy i readily approached them and secured the male and afterwards severely wounded the female the only other instance of its capture in the north is the single specimen secured at by in it is a well known bird on the islands of the south pacific where it exists in great numbers but its presence in the north is rather unexpected and like that of several other birds the pacific golden and pacific which wander to regions in summer its winter home is among those islands the south pacific ill the red the present handsome species is extremely abundant on the and coast of the north to and herald islands and thence south along both shores of sea it from the mouth of the river north along the coast of and on the coast mainly along the northern shore throughout the breeding season it is l rather closely to the shore but when the young are and able to follow their parents all leave the shore behind or frequent the and lakes in the immediate vicinity of the sea the few vessels which break the monotony of these northern waters in summer find the waves on every hand these and graceful birds their quick and elegant movements attention while their numbers render them conspicuous as they wheel and circle in flocks about the vessel their wings flashing in the to the in this region they are known with the next species birds from their habit of feeding upon minute which afford the right whale or its food hence a community of interests these and the largest of the north to prey upon the same fare a logical follows based upon experience by which the the presence of wherever this elegant bird is to be found in great numbers we saw it repeatedly while in the ice oft and herald islands and thence across the to point or the sea coast the calm spaces between the large fields and blocks of ice afford favorite tor the members of the numerous bands of along the edge of the pack they are quite plentiful around the entire and are familiar to and who visit this dreary region they are among the few species which the forbidding climate of the highest does not appear capable of from making their summer home there found this bird s eggs laid on the bare ground of and reports it as the species along the north coast of asia the northern like its relative just mentioned the northern is an extremely abundant bird in the north although its disposition is perhaps less and less northern than the one just described on the sea coast of the northern is in great excess of its relative thence north the red is the more numerous | 28 |
and especially so i n various parts of the on the northern coast of the northern was found whereas the other species was in the greatest abundance both forms unite in the same flocks and were found throughout the sea as far as the penetrated during the summer of but in this part of the range the northern in spite of its name was less and less numerous the farther north we advanced while the other species was in equal number throughout both birds occur during the about the and other islands of sea but the northern appears to be the only species breeding in the chain and thence north to saint island where the red nests we learn from that the northern on and at the new islands besides being found all along the north coast v of steamer in the ocean the little from the of north along the of to sound this small northern representative of the well known sand hill is found breeding in abundance especially towards the northern portion of this range it also occurs on saint and saint islands though it occurs in small numbers at these points during his visit to saint s island on august saw a few of these birds and it has been found on the east coast in the vicinity of saint bay where saw a considerable number of them as he was passing south in july after in the until very recently this bird has been confounded with the larger sand hill and various authors who have referred to from the northern region of america according to our present knowledge referred to the present bird which this territory exclusively on the coast of sound it is extremely common and throughout the summer from early in may until toward the end of september its loud rolling note and tall figure over the are among the most sights and sounds of this region they are not very shy and i have frequently approached them within by merely appearing not to notice them but continuing in a circuit to walk round their position until within sixty or seventy five yards the bird continuing to stare at me and uttering its long note and appearing as if doubtful whether it was worth while to take wing or not until its thoughts were by a shot they are extremely curious at this season and i have frequently them within by lying upon the ground and waving a hand or some conspicuous article in the air as the birds approach from a distance they will almost invariably turn and try to investigate the matter before passing on their way in many cases they only make a slight from their course and pass on but i have frequently had six or eight of the birds about until some would approach within thirty five or forty yards offering an easy prize their food is composed of the various which grow so abundantly on the of the north with an addition of whatever other are found such as a stray or mouse or even insects and other small that chance may afford they are not very good eating although takes its turn in varying the of the fare in the north ducks whistling swan during the of the this fine bird was observed but once this occasion was on july while we were at the head of sound where it was found with feathers as were the at that place although the swan was seen so rarely during this expedition yet the bird is to be found in large numbers along the coast of sea here it especially from the mouth south to the mouth of the river where the flat land dotted with innumerable lakes affords a favorite resort it was not seen on the coast and i have no record of its occurrence there but this or an allied species occurs there on the american shore but a single species of swan occurs the large swan not being known west of fort we learn from mr s paper on the birds of the islands that several specimens of this swan were shot upon island in september some years ago but they are unknown from the chain proper and from the other islands in sea of steamer in the ocean h pall snow on the american coast of the and sea this bird is not very abundant it occurs however in considerable flocks for a few days daring the spring and fall and each season a f w are killed in the vicinity of saint michael s on sound its occurrence upon the north coast of asia is by specimens captured by s party at in the spring of these birds are at present like the swan unknown from the islands of sea their apparently taking an inland course rather than along the shore lines although the snow are known to nest in the greatest abundance in the river and surrounding region along the northern coast of british america yet their place in is unknown they certainly do not remain to nest anywhere along the sea coast and we did not see any of these birds along the shore to point so that if they nest at all in this region it must be on those the shore east of point in autumn they leave for the south among the last of the finding their way to the vicinity of saint michael s towards the end of september although in some seasons they appear before the middle of this month they linger here in autumn from ten days to three weeks depending upon the weather to a great extent the great abundance of tliis bird in during the winter season would testify to its breeding in great numbers somewhere to the north of this region but according to my observations on the sea coast of the bird must take some other route towards its northern | 28 |
its occurrence during the breeding season south of the straits although it undoubtedly occurs on the shore of steamer in the ocean jet it was not by us daring our along that coast in the summer of nor was it seen on island although on this island we saw evidences of the presence of some species of but our short stay prevented our their identity mr tells us that upon his return to the coast of in the latter part of october enormous flocks of these birds were seen about one hundred miles off shore as they were flying south frequently in the water near the ship goose this strange and handsome bird has the most limited range of any species of it and raises its young on the sea coast of from the mouth of the river north ta strait but north from the mouth it is l very rarely from the mouth south to cape may l e taken as the i of its greatest abundance here it occurs in thousands every summer from this point it extends its range to the westward an l occurs in considerable numbers upon saint island where we saw considerable numbers of them while we were lying at anchor off the end of the island during this time flocks of birds were passing and along this end of the island ai on their way to and from some favorite feeding ground at cape several birds were seen the first of july and they were found by arriving at his winter quarters at on the northern coast of in the spring as soon as the snow left and he speaks of them in his account of the s voyage as the painted goose of there is a record of two or three instances of their occurrence in port on the american shore of strait and i know of two pairs being taken in bay on the north coast of sound and others at on bay with the chain of continued south by saint michael s to the mouth but at all these points except the last this bird is very rare just how numerous it is on the coast is still unknown but from its large numbers along the american shore and its mainly to the islands where it is found in the greatest abundance at this season on the various parts of the it may be confidently as an american species which extends its range during the summer to portions of the coast my first acquaintance was made with this bird on island just east of in may when a native brought one on board the vessel and we learned from him that it is more or less common wherever open are found along these islands and in consequence are called beach by the natives those groups of rocky to the south of the chain known as the and islands and others lying nearer the south shore of the form the principal ground of this thence to the west along the entire chain it occurs but in less numbers than on that portion just mentioned the duck on the entire sea coast of the common is a comparatively rare duck it is most numerous from the northern shore of sound in the vicinity of saint michael s south to the mouth of river but is nowhere abundant it was not seen by us during the of the nor is it recorded from tlie coast or the within the region treated in this paper a pair of these birds which reared their young on the saint paul island of the fur seal group during the season of and several others were seen later in the season he also noted the bird on saint s island but not as a regular it is recorded by mr as one of the most abundant winter visitors among the ducks at in considerable numbers by october and from then until the succeeding month of april it was very numerous it is not known to breed on the but only along the coast and islands to the northward op ik the ocean the duck this is perhaps the most abundant fresh water duck found on the coast of sea and the shores to the north it nests yearly in the greatest abundance all along the coast from the of to the farthest northern extreme of in the vicinity of point being perhaps in greatest lance on the shores of and sounds we found them numerous about sound during our there and several were seen on saint island in sea during our visits there they also occur on the north coast and in fact were noted at almost every place we landed where the surrounding country affords them the proper tracts while at sea between the islands and san on october a bird which at a distance appeared very much like the female of this species was seen about overhead for ten or fifteen minutes after which it started off toward the south whether this was the present species or not it was of course impossible to say but from its form and motions it was evidently some species of fresh water duck in autumn these birds become extremely fat and well and they are the finest table duck afforded in the north while their abundance renders them easily and large numbers are secured by the fur in autumn and stored for winter use they move south among the latest of the water fowl the last ones in october and they return again in spring when the open spaces begin to appear in the ice along the shore sometimes by the first of may or even before in unusually early i have seen several of them about one of these holes in the ice caused by several springs on the shore when the whole country was covered with a deep of snow and winter still appeared in full | 28 |
force the european the only record of this si in is that given by who secured specimens upon the seal islands he tells us that he saw but a few specimens and these were apparently solitary examples never in pairs and the few he observed his two years residence on the fur deal islands were apparently or straggling specimens this species is also recorded by as obtained at on the th of october who adds that it is not uncommon among the ducks brought in by the native hunters at that season and tells us that it about the st of may it has not been recorded from any other points or islands on the american side of the sea but the records quoted render it highly probable that its capture on the is a matter of time and further work in that region in the vicinity of saint michael s it must be extremely rare as i carefully examined all the ducks brought in during my residence at that place with the hope of securing some of these birds but failed american on the sound coast of sea this is a com non bird it is found breeding along the entire coast of sea and north to sound and the c a t beyond it was not noted by us upon any of the islands visited in the vicinity pf strait during the summer of nor on the shore but on september of that year when we visited the shore at in sound a number were obtained from the natives who told us that they were numerous in that vicinity at the time they leave for the south a little earlier than the pin duck and arrive later in spring cl spoon duck along the coast of sea mainly limited to that portion between the head of sound and mouth of the river this duck is not uncommon although it is of in the ocean nowhere abundant in the of saint michael s it arrives in spring about the middle of may with the majority of other water fowl and nests on the surrounding leaving for the south towards the end of september it has not been recorded from any of the sea islands nor do i know of its having been taken on the shore of it is found however on the shore of north to sound if not beyond and a few were observed bj us towards the middle of september at the head of bay blue winged during the time of my residence on sound not a single individual of this bird was taken among the many hundreds of ducks secured by the various about the station it occurs however very rarely at this place and is recorded by as being found at the mouth mr notes it as not at saint michael s in early spring but there must be some error in this record from the great of the bird at the same locality during the period of my residence there captain smith saw the bird and obtained its eggs from near cape and this com our record of this within the region treated in the present paper it is mentioned by mr as perhaps at in winter but this was merely as no specimens were and the habits of this species are such that there is little probability of its there winged this handsome bird is the smallest duck found in the north and occurs rather frequently along the shore of sea and north nearly if not quite to point along the shore of the it has been found as a summer resident of the islands as far west as and is occasionally at near the western extreme of the chain mr tells us that it was upon this species they relied mainly for supplying their table during their surveying in the western portion of the chain and he found the young ones abundant at in july further to the north however it is less numerous and although generally distributed and rather common yet during a day s shooting one would scarcely see more than a half dozen or so of this species at most they arrive early in the spring about the middle of may or before the ice and snow have more than partly disappeared it is not known from the shore nor from the islands of sea except the chain although it undoubtedly upon saint island a number of these birds were bought from the natives of in sound september where they were apparently numerous at the time duck this is one of the most abundant ducks in the north being found breeding almost everywhere on the and lake dotted of the and extending its range to such islands as it suitable feeding grounds both this and the smaller species are recorded by as at the mouth but according to the observations i was enabled to make at tliat locality and in the region among hundreds of ducks seen not a single individual could be referred to anything but the common large species and i do not think reaches the sea shore of northern the large however as before noted is extremely numerous and its young on the borders of almost every and pool along the entire coast it occurs on saint island and north about the shores of sound and probably beyond to the extreme north coast of the territory it was not noted by us upon the shore of but undoubtedly occurs there during the summer h ex of steamer in the ocean american golden eye this is a very rare species on the shores of sea the only instance where i met with it alive was late in autumn near saint michael s where a party of four was seen in a small i three of which were secured it occurs more commonly along the streams of the interior but it is rare along the | 28 |
sea shore and i have no of its presence about sound although it undoubtedly reaches that point it is unknown from the islands of sea and the shore of butter ball duck this beautiful little duck is reported by mr as not uncommon at the mouth where it but no specimens of it were noted during my residence at saint nor did i see it on my visit to the mouth in the spring of mr s record is the only one this species to the shore of sea and no further records are at hand of its occurrence in that region it is also unknown from the shores of the coast of and sound in addition to the islands and coast visited by the duck this richly marked bird is found on the shores and islands of sea extending into the but north of the straits it is much loss numerous on the islands it is an abundant species especially in winter and spring during may at they were extremely numerous in large flocks the inner but were too shy to allow close approach mr us that they remain later than most other ducks and also notes their occurrence in summer on the islands it along the coast to the northward from these islands and records it as being extremely numerous about the fur seal islands where it occurred close along the beach in flocks of hundreds keeping closely together and comparatively heedless of approach this author records his total inability to secure any of the eggs of this bird although they were permanently resident there in summer and he offered large to the natives the females appeared to the two to one and he was at a loss to account for not securing its nest the probability is that these b were barren females or young of the preceding ear which for some cause did not pass to their northern breeding ground but remained here feeding upon the abundant animal life found in these waters it haunts the clear cold streams of the interior which flow down the mountains and empty into the and its the bird seeks secluded pools in these waters and the natives when wishing to hunt them proceed up a considerable distance on the course of the stream in their and then float silently down with the current gun in hand and secure the birds before they become aware of being approached otherwise if the birds attention is attracted they are said to with such rapidity that it is almost an impossibility to secure them but by remaining perfectly quiet in the they are easily approached and killed around the shore of i s sound this duck is not common in spring very rarely as a and only along the streams flowing into this body of water when the young are ready to take wing during august or from the last of july until september they become more and more common on the rocky portions of the shore the same and often joining in flocks of the i have generally found them thus associated or themselves upon the projecting rocks and at low tide during this season they are used by the natives of the interior as toys the bird being stuffed with moss and decorated with and bright colored threads to serve as for the children their handsomely the eyes of the savages of steamer in the ocean the is also found along the shore of and visits all the sea islands during the summer it was not seen by us however in the during the of the and if it occurs there it must be as a or very rare summer old duck everywhere around the islands of sea and the coast extending through the straits and along both the and shores to the farthest limit of land this peculiar duck is found in abundance it is a noisy bird in spring with a loud and note and occurs everywhere on the sea among the drifting ice or on shore in secluded pools and small streams it occurs as a resident on the fur seal islands and upon the chain it was also seen about saint island during our visits there in june and july and was common at east cape as well as along the north coast of this land it is reported as being a common species at by and a recent letter in the new york herald from the of the reports them common august on island one of the group as the party were making their way to the mouth of the after losing their vessel its habits are a combination of the salt and fresh water ducks in as it appears to frequent indifferently the rocky islands surrounded by the sea with an entire lack of fresh water or is found far up the where fresh water alone exists it has a peculiar and rather musical note making it one of the most conspicuous birds on the and streams of the sea coast and about the mouth of the where in spring it loud cries and lively manners make it a very amusing and interesting bird it arrives in the sea with the first in the ice during april each spring or in earlier seasons the last of march these ducks are very much at this date but gradually regain their flesh until in may the open on shore and them to seek their grounds in the autumn they remain until the sea over and thus their only means of gaining after which they are forced to depart for the south s the present i i widely distributed over the of sea on both the as well as about all the islands of this water it was found merely as a upon the fur seal islands by but is extremely numerous on the chain in winter where it occurs as a very abundant resident at | 28 |
this season joining sometimes in flocks with the king us that it pairs early in may and upon the chain the larger number however pass farther north at this season during my visit to in may these birds were found in small numbers scattered over the inner but were extremely shy and notwithstanding repeated efforts to secure them they invariably took flight long before my approach within they have been reported as in great abundance upon island and as in large numbers on the north coast of during the summer north along the coast of sound they are only known as each fall just before the inner over in october a number of these birds are found sometimes in considerable flocks feeding about the tide and at this season i secured a number of specimens but no were ever noted at this locality and i do not know of the bird s occurrence in spring although it may be taken as a rare it was not noted by us anywhere along the coast of from saint michael s north through strait but we found a number of them the first of july in the on saint island where they were evidently breeding and again on the north coast of they were excessively numerous flocks of thousands were found about during our stay there the first of august and in company with an equal number of king and a few of the pacific were seen passing out and in each evening to and from the large back of the native village this village was built upon the spit cutting this from the sea at this of steamer in the ocean place and lay directly in the track of flight followed by these as they passed to or from the sea as these flocks passed back and forth the birds were being continually brought down by the thrown into the midst of the passing birds by the natives yet ta g this the birds continued from day to day the entire season to pass and this place their in this respect may be accounted for from the fact that these people were without guns of any kind and were thus unable to frighten them by the noise of the discharge the birds were easily called from their course of flight as we repeatedly observed if a flock should be passing a hundred yards or more to one side the natives would utter a long peculiar and the flock would turn instantly to one side and sweep by in a circuit thus affording the opportunity for bringing down some of their number these flocks generally contained a mixture of about one twentieth of the number pacific and the remainder about equally divided of and the king at times the entire community of these birds which made this vicinity their haunt would pass out in a solid body and the flock thus formed in size anything of the kind i ever witnessed the first night of our arrival was calm and misty the water having that peculiar seen at such times and the landscape indistinct at a short distance by a slight soon after we came to anchor before the native village this body of birds arose from the a mile or two beyond the natives huts and came streaming out in a flock which endless it was fully three to four miles in length and considering the species which made up this gathering of birds it was enough to make an enthusiastic wild with a desire to possess some of the beautiful specimens which were seen by within of the vessel a little later in the evening the natives brought off a considerable number of the birds which they had killed with their and during our stay at this place the following day we saw large numbers of them killed with these implements and a few were obtained with our guns this portion of the coast appears to be the grand summer resort of this as the islands form its ground one of the remarkable facts in the history of its distribution however is shown in its total absence on the opposite american coast of the where the surroundings appear to be almost identical with those found on the shore yet for all the thousands of these birds seen on this latter coast not one was noted on the american shore although the king occurs equally numerous upon both sides of the along the shore of the sea from the mouth of the north to the head of sound the present bird is a rather common and in some places abundant summer resident and its young along the borders of the numerous pools which are found so abundantly in the low land of this region it was not seen elsewhere during the of the and it is doubtful if it ever reaches the shores of the ocean although it may occur occasionally about sound records it as rarely at and we learn from him that it is a rather rare and very shy winter early in may to its breeding grounds to the north the southern limit of its winter is unknown and from the known range of this species at present it appears to be one of the most narrowly limited of our sea fowl even having a territory than is covered by the goose which with it in a great portion of its range september when we were approaching saint michael s and about twenty five miles off the outer end of s island in sound a large flock of these were seen consisting almost entirely of they were in fall with the dark much more extended than in spring and appearing considerably different from the bird as seen then but readily by the large white patch surrounding the eye unlike the common of the north v the do not pass the most of their time at sea during the | 28 |
ling season but keep near their mates the and tide along the shore until the young are op steamer in the ocean v gray this species of is found everywhere about the shores and islands of sea and nests throughout nearly all this range while at island near the eastern end of the chain the middle of may considerable numbers of these birds were found upon the and exposed rocks they were then in numbers as we were told by the that they visit this portion of the territory in greatest abundance during the winter season as is well known the range of this extends from its highest northern point south to the islands off san and perhaps still farther to the south mr reports them as abundantly at and breeding in large numbers along the western portion of the chain during the summer at bay on the shore june a few pairs were seen and again the first of july at east cape it was found along the entire shore from bay around through the straits and nests nearly to cape north as previously mentioned it was joined with the king and duck in the immense flocks of these birds which were the of the river near cape but the present species was very decidedly in the a few of these birds were also found at point on august and thence south along the coast they were found much less numerous than the king until sound is reached and thence south along the coast of the king is replaced almost entirely during the summer by the present species the last of august as we left point hope and were between that place and strait several of these passed us on their way south showing that the very early in tlie season with them this species is said to be extremely abundant on the north coast of british america especially between the mouths of the and rivers where it is said to occur in greatest numbers from the western limit of that portion of the the strait region west to and the north atlantic the common duck is found the pacific on it nests in colonies and the hunters of that sea credit the females with stealing eggs from one another the male bird is said to remain in the vicinity and watches while the female sits upon the eggs giving the alarm at the approach of any danger the king the king is found in great abundance along the islands during winter some remaining to breed and thence north in summer along the coast of sea and the shore of although so numerous on the coast in summer yet on the sea coast of it is a very rare bird only as a among the large number of secured by me during my residence at saint michael s not a single individual this bird was obtained although it was well known to the natives and reported by them as being seen occasionally while they were seal hunting far ofl shore after strait is passed however following along the north shore in the to point the king is found to be very abundant becoming more and more numerous the farther north we reached until along the stretch of coast between icy cape and point we found them in large flocks in the summer of off cape of the strait large numbers of these birds were seen on july and they were again found various points along that coast where we touched n reports it as at but as being more numerous on the shores of august as the was making her way towards island a number of these birds were seen sitting upon the ice and remained gazing at the vessel until she op win in the ocean approached within fifty or sixty yards when they off into the water and took wing again the next morning as we landed at the mouth of the river on island a female with her young swam away from the beach and passed out of sight around the adjacent point thus proving that the bird nests upon this land at cape august the same summer the natives brought off to us large numbers of these birds which they killed with as described under the s this latter species with the king formed the main body of the great flocks of which were continually passing and during the time of our stay at that place at point on august they were also in great abundance and appeared to have the same habit as observed at of flying to and from the sea across the low sandy spit separating the bay at the point from the sea a rich american along the coast of sea this species nests in considerable numbers wherever the low character of the coast affords it proper ground it occurs upon saint island and thence north through strait to the shores of sound in the s nd upon the coast of mainly south of strait in the islands it is a common winter resident but is not known to breed there velvet like the preceding this bird is rather numerous along the coast of sound but occurs mainly in autumn after the breeding season is finished it is not found so commonly as the american in this region but probably passes farther to the north it was seen in the vicinity of sound during the of the and across the to the shore where at cape on august a considerable number of these birds were seen upon the rocks at the points of the cape later in the summer as we south along the shore of from strait quite a number of these birds with the last named species were seen in the sea off shore a month earlier in the season none had been seen at this point but these birds were probably those which had on shore at these | 28 |
points and were now returning to their usual habits of the sea this species is also found at where obtained specimens in october and at the last of may they were quite ous there and i secured several individuals during my stay at that place the surf duck this is perhaps the least common of the on the shores of sea but occurs rather commonly in the vicinity of saint michael s sound every autumn and again in spring a number of individuals were seen off the coast of the last of august as we passed out of the in the it was also seen with the preceding species on the rocks at cape the st of august and several times along the american shore of the in autumn it was not observed by me during the breeding season at the mouth in nor in the vicinity of saint michael s but as its eggs were obtained by in the vicinity of it undoubtedly the entire coast thence north in its breeding range american records several specimens killed on december at in the outer bay after a storm and states that it cannot be considered as more than an accidental visitor although it is of steamer in the reported to be common in winter at the seal islands this is probably an error as makes no of this l have not observed this species anywhere along the or and it must be exceedingly rare upon the former coast as the natives were unable to give me any information concerning it notwithstanding repeated inquiries made both at the month and in the vicinity of saint michael s nor was it observed anywhere at the various points we landed both on the and the american of sea and the during the of the fish duck this is the commonest species of upon both shores of sea it nests upon saint island and along both the american and on the former coast it is common and in many places is an abundant bird it has also been taken upon the islands by who secured specimens at along the coast of the to point it is also found in varying abundance although we did not observe it on the coast of the during the summer of yet its known distribution on the adjoining shores and islands would indicate that it is found there as well tes a single large flock of this handsome bird was seen by mr in the vicinity of saint michael s in october just before the harbor became frozen over this is the only record i possess of the occurrence of this bird in the waters of sea it was not seen by us during the of the on either shore and as not a single example was observed during my residence at saint michael s the species is undoubtedly extremely rare on the western coast of violet green this handsomely colored is the commonest of its kind along the chain and about the shores of the various islands in sea visiting both shores in addition wherever the coast a bold rocky character affording the birds suitable places it is found on the islands in strait and thence extends through into the being found upon both shores there as in sea it is not numerous in the vicinity of saint michael s and the mouth mainly owing to the low character of the coast but towards the head of sound it nests in large numbers upon the bold cliffs the sea in that vicinity at bay during our visits in june and july these birds were very numerous and were noted at various other points along the coast on june scattered individuals of a species of to which i refer this bird were seen in the sea off cape but none were secured a species of either this or the following was seen at herald island and again one or two individuals near island and on the american shore in the vicinity of cape on july but as they were shy at all these no specimens were secured and it was impossible to ascertain definitely to which species they should be referred pall red faced records the capture of several of these birds at north cape where they were upon the cliffs in large numbers at the time of the s visit there on september op steamer ts the s this is au extremely bird over all the deep water portions of sea extending into the ocean to the vicinity of the ice pack it rarely visits the eastern shore of the sea however from the mouth of the north to the head of sound the shallow and muddy character of the water here apparently not being suitable for the presence of food upon which this bird exists on the western shore of the sea in the vicinity of bay and saint island thence north through strait the bird was found in the g abundance during the visit of the to that region it was also abundant north beyond the straits along the shore the shallow character of the water on the american coast north of the straits had the same effect in not presenting suitable ground for these wide birds tells us that the common which is the north atlantic representative of the bird under consideration at present is much more common on bear island and than it is upon it abundantly on bear island on some of the sloping cliffs not difficult of access one case is mentioned where on may the eggs were seen deposited directly upon the bare ice which covered the rocks at the time in one place a bird was found frozen fast by one leg as it sat upon the eggs in august as recorded by one of the old dutch which that coast on the northern part of found some upon a piece of ice covered with a little earth in both | 28 |
along the shore of this sea where however it very being mainly an inland species it is found quite frequently in the interior where it nests and visits the sea coast during the it is also found on the shore of sound but is not known from the islands of this sea nor the coast col the this bird is found along the sea coast on both sides and also upon the shore of the breeding wherever found it is not abundant in this region neither is it rare there is no record of its occurrence upon any of the islands of this sea although as noted it occurs on both shores gray great white this bird the largest of the has a distribution although it is not known to occur in abundance at any locality it is found breeding about sound whence the natives brought me several specimens and reported the bird to be rather common there in summer i secured a young bird at saint michael s in autumn and it is known to occur on the shore there is no record of its presence about the sea islands but like the other species of it undoubtedly visits these islands during the at least the difficulty of studying the birds which frequent the sea about these storm beaten islands is apparent and accounts for the little progress which can be made in the full number of species which are found in their vicinity black this bird is found everywhere along the shore of sea on the american coast and is very abundant along the shore from the of north to sound it was also seen in strait the first of july and noted on several occasions along the shore where it also it has not been recorded from the islands of this sea although undoubtedly there in the this bird is very rare on the coast of sea among the large number of black secured by me only one proves to belong to this bird and the same proportion is found to hold good with other which have been brought m that country specimen was op steamer in the ocean taken at saint s the of probably holds good for all the sea red this bird is present in about equal numbers with the black species and is extremely familiar its loud note and peculiar habits like that of the other rendering it well known to any one who becomes familiar with the of the north it nests abundantly all along the coast from the of to sound extending across the sea to the shore but is not known from the islands of this sea although it undoubtedly occurs there gray this is one of the most common birds found in sea it nests abundantly all along the chain and upon all the rocky of this sea as well as almost every rocky cape which projects along the coast line it was seen by us in small numbers off cape on june and a few were noted at east cape the first of july at herald island a single specimen was seen and in the vicinity of cape and cape on the american shore a few were seen but tbey were not abundant island a small rocky in bay sound is literally alive with these birds which cover the rocks as they perch along the slope of the rocky shore while visiting this a bird was seen coming in from the sea carrying four in its mouth the fish were placed in the bill and the bird looked very odd as it came swiftly along with the fish so held it flew directly to a in the rocks and disappeared while walking over the island the growling and noises made by the birds is distinctly heard and the entire ground appears to be alive with them the representative of this bird in the north atlantic the large n in small numbers about the end of and on which with the record firom herald island forms the we concerning their distribution pall these birds are very common all along the chain and thence north to strait they are however much less abundant in nearly every place than their relative the which has the same distribution a few of the present species were seen at cape on the coast of the july but they were far more scarce than the other species they were also seen oft cape the last of june and again at east cape the first of july the same proportion was found to hold in sound so it is evident that this bird is a more southern species than its relative pall these odd birds are very common in sea from the islands north breeding in great abundance upon the fur seal group and all the other islands of this sea they also swarm by thousands about the and other islands of strait besides along the shore where at bay we found them in the greatest abundance they were also seen off cape on june it rarely extends its range beyond the straits however on august while on an excursion to the head of bay we secured quite a number of these birds and in every case found them with the small which in of steamer in the ocean the water there they were extremely here as well as all along this portion of the coast their oddly shaped bill is well adapted for the with which the waters in this region though it would not answer the purpose for opening as suggested by some of the older authors early in july it was found upon the islands and its eggs were secured it lays but a single one which is white and about the size of that of a pigeon pall like the preceding species this bird is extremely numerous in sea but like the latter prefers those portions of the sea in which the | 28 |
water is very deep and cold hence along the shore the birds are rare but upon the islands and the fur seal group the in strait and the shore north through the straits they are very numerous like bees around a hive over the steep rocky islands which are found in these waters several of these birds were seen in the vicinity of herald island during our visit there but they appeared to be very rare as compared with the and at island also on august and others were seen but only two or three individuals in all these birds are found along the chain but are not known from the islands to the north of that and were not observed by us during the of the the habits and distribution of this species are little known and it did not fall under my observation during the time of my residence at saint michael s nor upon either of my visits to the islands least these birds are extremely abundant breeding by millions along the chain and upon all the other islands of sea thence north to strait rarely however upon the american coast but found very commonly along the shore a pair were seen august off icy on the coast of which is the farthest northern record known of this small species a few were seen off on june and these two records are all we have of their presence in the this is another species on the islands which however was not noted by us during the of the and whose range does not extend far if any into sea beyond the immediate vicinity of these islands gin this is also a species in the islands which did not fall under our notice however more or less commonly there this is an extremely abundant species throughout the islands where it and extends its range northward along the west coast of sea to strait it was found ery numerous during our visits to bay and thence along the shore to the straits but was not observed to north of this latter point b op steamer in the s this extremely rare bird was observed by me at in the spring of where i secured a single specimen in the breeding it was also taken towards the western end of this chain by mr a few years later and with these two specimens ends the known history of this species on these islands up to the present date black these birds occur throughout sea and are numerous they extend their range also well into the reaching herald and islands and specimens were noted by the of the who records them in the vicinity of those islands discovered during the made by the people of that vessel in that portion of the north of the atlantic the black is found breeding north to in some cases although it is more numerous south of this it was found with s in east by during his voyage during the drift of the it was seen passing to the westward on may and at various other places was observed upon island it was found iu great numbers the th of july on april it was found in about latitude during its residence in these high it is reported to feed upon the small tom which the of the reports to have seen the bird kill by beating them upon the water and shaking them in their bills these birds were quite numerous at herald island as we approached through the ice on the th of july flock after flock of them joined with the came oft towards the when we were making a landing large numbers of them were seen bringing fish from three to four inches in length to their young and as the waters surrounding this island were seen to swarm with there appeared to be an abundance of food pigeon this is the most abundant of the small throughout the north from the islands to those of and herald where we found it breeding abundantly during our visit there on the we found it near cape where it was and also in great abundance upon island where it was perhaps the most abundant bird present tea the it was also upon east the islands and along the entire portion of the coast wherever and slopes occurred the sea none was observed on the western portion of the new islands by but the reported it to him as at wherever open water was found during that season these birds are found along the pacific coast reaching to the islands beyond which it is uncertain how far their range extends they were not observed by us during the of the in the although among the millions of which breed upon the g on the shores of this sea both north and south of strait it is very probable they may occur thick this bird occurs in greatest abundance throughout sea and the portions ox the reaching herald and islands where we found it breeding by thousands of in the ocean the bird also occurs along both shores of sea in the greatest numbers wherever cliffs afford proper at of strait we found it in large numbers just off shore and again at east on the rocky faces of the cliffs as well as upon the islands in the middle of the straits it was rather scarce however among the islands in sound on july as we drew near herald island on the this bird became more and more abundant about us or in small parties and singly among loose blocks of ice sometimes standing upon the ice or sitting upright near its edge flocks came swinging about us in circles apparently filled with curiosity at the strange apparition breaking in upon their quiet as we drew still nearer of and these birds with large numbers of the came down | 28 |
sugar pine trying the bow a wind storm in the forests water and feeding one of the late grounds op the entering a white current the at home birds snow bound at the foot op indian snow on mount list of illustrations page head op the ram head op rocky mountain wild sheep crossing a stream sheep jumping over a precipice indians hunting wild sheep a bee in lower wild bee garden in the san valley white sage a bee on a spur op the san range cardinal flower wild a bee in the wilderness a bee pasture on the desert spanish a bee keeper s cabin the mountains of the mountains of chapter i the go where you may within the bounds of mountains are ever in sight charming and every landscape yet so simple and massive is the of the state in general views that the main central portion only one valley and two chains of mountains which seem almost perfectly regular in and height the coast range on the west side the on the east these two coming together in curves on the north and south a magnificent basin with a level floor more than miles long and from to wide this is the grand central valley of the waters of which have only one outlet to the sea through the golden gate but with this general simplicity of features there is great of hidden detail the coast range rising as a grand green barrier against the ocean from to feet high is composed of innumerable forest crowned spurs and rolling hill waves which a multitude of smaller valleys some looking out through long the of forest lined to the sea others with but few trees to the central valley while a thousand others yet smaller are and concealed in mild round hills each with its own climate soil and productions making your way through the of the coast to the summit of any of the inner peaks or passes opposite san in the clear the and most telling of all is before you at your feet lies the great central valley glowing golden in the sunshine extending north and south farther than the eye can reach one smooth lake like bed of fertile soil along its eastern margin rises the mighty miles in height like a smooth cloud in the sunny sky and so colored and so luminous it seems to be not clothed with light but wholly composed of it like the wall of some celestial city along the top and extending a good way down you see a pale pearl gray belt of snow and below it a belt of and dark purple marking the extension of the forests and along the base of the range a broad belt of rose purple and yellow e lie the s and the foot hill gardens all these colored smoothly make a wall of light fine and as beautiful as a rainbow yet firm as when i first enjoyed this superb view one glowing april day from the summit of the pass the central valley but little trampled or as yet was one rich sheet of golden and the luminous wall of the mountains the s shone in all ite glory then it seemed to me the should be called not the or snowy range but the range of light and after ten years spent in the heart of it rejoicing and wondering bathing in its glorious floods of light seeing the of morning among the icy peaks the radiance on the trees and rocks and snow the flush of the and a thousand dashing with their abundance of spray it still seems to me above all others the of light the most beautiful of au the mountain chains i have ever seen the is about miles long miles wide and from to nearly feet high in general views no mai k of man is visible on it nor anything to suggest the richness of the life it or the depth and grandeur of its none of its magnificent forest crowned rises much above the general level to publish its wealth no great valley or lake is seen or river or group of well marked features of any kind standing out in distinct pictures even the summit peaks so clear and high in the sky seem comparatively smooth and nevertheless are still at work in the shadows of the peaks and thousands of lakes and meadows shine and bloom beneath them and the whole range is with to a depth of from to feet in which once flowed majestic and in which now flow and sing a band of beautiful rivers though of such depth these famous are not raw gloomy jagged walled savage and inaccessible with rough passages here the of and there they still make delightful for the conducting from the fertile to the highest icy fountains as a kind of mountain streets full of charming life and light and by the ancient and presenting throughout all their courses a rich variety of novel and attractive scenery the most attractive that has yet been discovered in the mountain of the world in many places especially in the middle region of the western flank of the range the main into spacious valleys or like artificial landscape gardens with charming groves and meadows and of blooming bushes while the lofty retiring walls infinitely varied in form and are fringed with plants of many species oaks and which find on a thousand narrow steps and benches while the whole is and made glorious with rejoicing streams that come dancing and foaming over the brows of the cliffs to join the shining river that flows in tranquil beauty down the middle of each one of them the walls of these park valleys of the kind are made up of rocks mountains in partly separated from each other by and side and they are so | 28 |
sheer in front and so built together on a level floor that seen the they look like immense halls or temples lighted from above every rock seems to glow with life some lean back in majestic repose others absolutely sheer the mountains of or nearly so for thousands of feet advance in thoughtful attitudes beyond their companions giving welcome to s and alike seemingly conscious yet heedless of everything going on about them awful in stem majesty types of yet associated with beauty of the and most fleeting forms their feet set in pine groves and gay meadows their brows in the sky bathed in light bathed in floods of singing water while snow clouds and the winds shine and and wi about them as the go by as if into these mountain nature had taken pains to gather her treasures to draw her lovers into close and confiding with her here too in the middle region of deepest are the gi forest trees the king of the noble sugar and yellow pines and the silver each a giant of its kind assembled together in one and the same forest surpassing all other forests in the world both in the number of its species and in the size and beauty of its trees the winds flow in melody through their colossal and they are everywhere with the songs of birds and running water miles of fragrant and bushes bloom beneath them and lily gardens and meadows and damp in endless variety of fragrance and color compelling the admiration of every observer sweeping on over ridge and valley these noble trees extend a continuous belt from end to end of the range only slightly by sheer walled at in the of about fifteen and twenty miles here the great brown bears delight to with the brown of the trees beneath which they feed deer also dwell here and find food and shelter in the with a multitude of smaller people above this region of giants the trees grow smaller until the utmost limit of the timber line is reached on the my mountain slopes at a height of from ten to twelve thousand feet above the sea where the dwarf pine is so lowly and hard beset by storms and heavy snow it is pressed into flat over the tops of which we may easily walk below the main forest belt the trees likewise in size frost and burning and alike the rose purple along the base of the range nearly all the famous gold region of and here it was that from every country under the sim assembled in a wild rush to seek their fortunes on the banks of every river and they have left their marks every gravel and bed has been desperately over and over again but in this region the pick and once with savage enthusiasm have been laid away and only is now being carried on to any considerable extent the in general is made up of low waving foot hills here and there with brush and trees and masses of slate colored gray and red with the smaller masses of slate rising abruptly from the sod in leaning look like ancient in a deserted burying ground in ly the mountains of spring say from february to april the whole of this foot hill belt is a paradise of bees and flowers refreshing rains then fall freely birds are busy building their nests and the sunshine is and delightful but by the end of may the soil plants and sky seem to have been baked in an oven most of the plants to dust beneath the foot and the ground is full of while the thirsty with eager longing through the burning glare to the snowy like clouds in the distance the trees mostly and thirty to forty feet high with thin foliage stand far apart and cast but uttle shade glide about on the rocks enjoying a constitution that no can and in amazing numbers whose tiny sparks of life seem to bum the brighter with the increasing heat in long trains in search of food friends in distress gather on the ground beneath the best panting with drooping wings and bills wide open scarce a note from any of them during the midday hours too seek the shade during the heat of the day about pools in the channels of the larger mid river streams from thicket to thicket among the bushes and occasionally a long hare is seen gracefully across the wider the nights are calm and during the summer and a thousand voices proclaim the abundance of life notwithstanding the of dry sunshine od the plants and larger animals the make the a delightfully pure and tranquil music after sunset and the uttle despised dogs of the wilderness brave hai fellows looking like withered of hay bark in chorus for hours most of them dead and a few living ones with bright bits of cultivation about them occur at long intervals along the belt and cottages covered with climbing roses in the midst of orange and and sweet scented hay fields in fertile where water for may be had but they are mostly far apart and make scarce any mark in general views every winter the high and the middle forest region get snow in glorious abundance and even the foot hills are at times then all the range looks like a vast wall of purest marble the rough places are then made smooth the death and decay of the year is covered gently and kindly and the gi seems as clean as the sky and though silent in its flight from the clouds and when it is taking its place on rock or tree or grassy meadow how soon the gentle snow finds a voice slipping from the heights gathering in it and like thunder and makes a glorious show as it sweeps down the mountain side | 28 |
arrayed in long silken and of crystal dust the north half of the i is mostly covered with floods of and dotted with and some of them recent and perfect in form others in various stages of decay the south half is composed of granite nearly from base to summit while a considerable number of peaks in the middle the mountains of of the range are with among which are and to the east of valley mount the point of the range near its southern extremity lifts its shaped crest to a height of nearly feet mount a colossal rises to a height of feet at the northern extremity and a noble for all the surrounding region within a of a hundred miles masses of rocks occur throughout most of the southern portion also and a considerable number of old on the especially along the eastern base of the range near lake and southward but it is only to the northward that the entire range from base to summit is covered with from the summit of mount only granite is seen innumerable peaks and but little lower than its own storm beaten rise in groups like forest trees in full view by of tremendous depth and on nearly every feature in the vast view speaks of the old fires far to the northward in the icy of mount and the three sisters rise above the dark woods southward innumerable smaller and are distributed along the of the range and on each flank of these s is the highest being nearly feet above sea level miles of its are and with hot springs many of them so boisterous and they seem ever ready to become like those of the the the near marks the most recent iu the it ia a about feet high covered with gray and ashes and has a regular unchanged on its summit in which a few small pines are growing these show that the age of the is not less than eighty years it stands between two lakes which a short time ago were one before the was built a flood of rough was poured into the lake cutting it in two and overflowing its banks the fiery flood advanced into the pine woods overwhelming the trees in its way the ends of some of which may stiu be seen projecting from beneath the of the stream where it came to rest later stiu there was an of ashes and loose probably from the same vent which besides forming the scattered a heavy shower over the woods for miles to a depth of from six inches to several feet the history of this last is also preserved in the traditions of the river indians they tell of a fearful time of darkness when the sky was black with ashes and smoke that threatened every living thing with death and that when at length the sun appeared once more it was red like blood less recent in great the adjacent region some of them with lakes in their throats others overgrown with trees and flowers nature in these old and having literally given beauty for ashes on the side of mount there is a the mountains of about feet below the summit which has been active subsequent to the breaking up of the main ice cap that once covered the mountain as is shown by its comparatively and the streams of from it the main summit is about a mile and a half in bounded by small crumbling peaks and among which we seek in vain for the outlines of the ancient these masses and the deep that the sides of the mountain show that it has been considerably lowered and wasted by ice how much we have no sure means of knowing just below the extreme summit hot and issue from in mixed with spray derived from melting snow the last feeble expression of the mighty force that built the mountain not in one great was given birth the of the summit and the sections exposed by the down the sides display enough of its internal to prove that comparatively long periods of between many distinct during which the ceased to flow and became permanent additions to the bulk of the growing mountain with alternate haste and deliberation succeeded till the old surpassed even its present sublime height standing on the icy top of this the of all the fire mountains of the we can hardly fail to look forward to its next gardens homes have been planted on the of which after remaining stead the mountains of fast for ages have suddenly blazed into violent action and poured forth overwhelming floods of fire it is known that more than a thousand years of cool calm have between violent like gigantic rock instead of water work and rest and we have no e means of knowing whether they are dead when still or only sleeping along the western base of the range a telling series of i containing the early history of the are now being studied but leaving for the present these first chapters we see that only a very short time ago just before coming on of that winter of called the period a vast of rocks poured from many a chasm and on the and of the range filling lake and river channels and nearly eveiy existing feature on the northern portion at length these all destroying floods ceased to flow but while the great built up along the still burned and smoked the whole passed under the domain of ice and snow then over the bald blackened mountains began to crawl covering them from the to the sea with a mantle of ice and then with deliberation the work went on of the range anew these mighty agents of halting never through centuries crushed and gi the and gi beneath their folds wasting and building in the of time the a was | 28 |
bom again brought to light nearly as we behold it to the day with and snow crushed pines at the top of the range wheat fields and orange groves at the foot of it this change from icy darkness and death to life and beauty was slow as we count time and is still going on north and south over all the world wherever exist whether in the form of distinct rivers as in the mountains of asia and the pacific coast or in continuous folds as in portions of joseph land and the lands about the south pole but in no country as far as i know may these majestic changes be studied to better advantage than in the plains and mountains of toward the close of the period when the snow clouds became less fertile and the melting waste of became gi the lower folds of the ice sheet in of into the sea began to shallow and from the and then move slowly up the of the in compliance with the changes of climate the great white mantle on the mountains broke up into a series of more or less distinct and river like with many and these again were melted and divided into still smaller until now only a few of the smallest branches of the grand system exist on the cool slopes of the summit peaks plants and animals their time closely followed the retiring ice quick and joyous animation on the new pine trees marched up the sun warmed in the mountains of long hopeful taking the ground and establishing themselves as soon as it was ready for them brown fringed the shores of the lakes young rivers roared in the abandoned channels of the flowers around the feet of the great while with quick mellow beds of soil settling and warming offered food to multitudes of nature s waiting children great and small animals as well as plants deer bears etc the ground burst into bloom with rapidity and the young forests into life in every form and and gi owing richer as the years passed away over the mighty a so lately suggestive of death and desolation only it is hard without long and loving study to realize the magnitude of the work done on these mountains during the last period by which are only streams of closely snow careful study of the phenomena presented goes to show that the pre condition of the range was comparatively simple one vast wave of stone in which a thousand mountains etc lay concealed and in the development of these nature chose for a tool not the earthquake or lightning to and split asunder not the stormy torrent or rain but the tender noiselessly falling through centuries the offspring of the sun and sea laboring in united strength they and ground and wore away the rocks in their march making vast beds of soil and at the same time de the and fashioned the into the delightful variety of hill and and mountain that mortals call beauty perhaps more than a mile in average depth has the range been thus the last period a quantity of mechanical work almost great and our must be excited again and again as we toil and study and learn that this vast job of so far reaching in its influences was done by agents so fragile and small as are these flowers of the mountain clouds strong only by force of numbers they carried away entire mountains by block by block and cast them into the sea ed fashioned all the range and developed its beauty all these new were evidently for the physical structure of the rocks on which the features of the scenery depend was acquired while they lay at least a mile deep below the pre surface and it was while these features were taking form in the depths of the range the of the rocks marching to their appointed places in the dark with reference to the coming beauty that the of icy in the sky marching to the same music assembled to bring them to the light then after their gi and task was done these bands of snow flowers these mighty were melted and removed as if of no more importance than dew destined to last but an hour few however of e s agents have left monuments so noble and enduring as they the gi eat granite a mile high the as deep the noble peaks the valleys these and indeed the mountains of nearly all other features of the scenery are monuments contemplating the works of these flowers of the sky one may easily fancy them endowed with life messengers sent down to work in the mountain mines on errands of divine love silently flying through the darkened to their appointed places they seem to have taken counsel together saying come we ai e feeble let us help one another we are many and together we will be strong marching in close deep ranks let us roll away the stones from these mountain and set the free let us these here let us a lake basin there a valley here a channel for a river with steps and brows for the plunge of yonder let us spread broad sheets of soil that man and beast may be fed and here pile trains of for pines and giant here make ground for a meadow there for a garden and grove making it smooth and fine for small and and beds of it well with and thus and so on it has seemed to me sang and planned and labored the hearty snow flower and nothing that i can write can possibly the grandeur and beauty of their work like morning mist they have vanished in sunshine all save the few small companies that still linger on the and as are still busily at work the last of the lake the | 28 |
last beds of soil and the of some of the highest peaks chapter ii the of the small mentioned in the preceding chapter i have found sixty five in that portion of the range lying between latitude and they occur singly or in small gi on the north sides of the peaks of the high sheltered beneath broad frosty shadows in of their own making where the snow shooting down from the surrounding heights in is most abundant over two thirds of the entire number lie between latitude and and the highest fountains of the san and s rivers the of like those of the are mere wasting of mighty that once filled the great valleys and poured into the sea so also are those of asia and south america even the grand continuous of ice that still cover joseph land parts of and the south region are and shrinking every in the world is smaller than it once was all the world is growing warmer or the crop of snow flowers is but in contemplating the condition of the of the ao the world we must bear in mind while trying to account for the changes going on that the same sunshine that them them every records the expenditure of an enormous amount of sun heat in lifting the for the snow of which it is made from the ocean to the mountains as strikingly shows the number of in the according to the brothers is of which may be regarded as and the total area of ice snow and is estimated at square miles or an average for each of uttle more than one square mile on the same authority the average height above sea level at which they melt is about feet the below feet and one of the reaches nearly as low a point one of the largest of the on the head waters of the does not according to captain descend below feet the largest of the on mount to within feet of the level of the sea which as far as i have observed is the lowest point reached by any within the bounds of the average height of all being not far from feet the changes that have taken place in the conditions of the from the time of greatest extension is well illustrated by the series of of every size and form extending along the mountains of the coast to a general of this instructive region shows that to the north of through and washington groups of active still exist on all the the mountains of high of the mount the three sisters hood st baker and others some of them of considerable size though none of them approach the sea of these mountains in washington is the highest and its dome like summit between and feet high is with ice and eight seven to twelve miles long from it as a and the sources of the principal streams of the state the lowest descending of this fine group flows through beautiful forests to within feet of the sea level and sends forth a river laden with mud and sand on through british and the broad sustained extending along the coast is generally the upper branches of nearly all the main and are occupied by which gradually increase in size and descend lower until the high region between mount and mount st is reached where a considerable number discharge into the waters of the ocean this is the ice land of and of the entire pacific coast northward from here the gradually in size and thickness and melt at higher in prince william sound and cook s many fine are displayed pouring from the surrounding mountains but to the north of latitude few if any remain the ground being mostly low and the light between latitude and there are probably more than not counting the smallest hundreds of the the largest size descend through the forests to the level of the sea or near it though as far as my own observations have reached after a pretty thorough examination of the region not more than twenty five discharge into the sea all the long high walled into which these great of the first class flow are of course crowded with of every conceivable form which are detached with thundering noise at intervals of a few minutes from an imposing ice wall that is thrust forward into deep water but these pacific coast are small as compared with those of and the region and only a few of them escape from the intricate system of channels with which this portion of the coast is fringed into the open sea nearly all of them ai e and drifted by wind and tide back and forth in the until finally melted by the ocean water the sunshine the warm winds and the copious rains of summer only one on the coast by its directly into the open sea at icy cape opposite mount st the of the that reach the sea a narrow picturesque about twenty miles to the of the mouth of the river in latitude the is called by the natives or thunder bay from the noise made by the discharge of the about one degree farther north there are four of these complete at the heads of the long arms of bay at the head of the still farther north there is one and at the head and ai the sides of bay the mountains of in a general direction from cross sound in latitude to there are seven of these complete pouring into the bay and its branches and keeping up an eternal thundering the largest of this gi the has upward of and a width below the of the main of about twenty miles between the west side of this icy bay and the ocean all the ground high and low excepting | 28 |
the peaks of the range is covered with a mantle of ice from to probably feet thick which by many distinct mouths this ice sheet and the immense about mount st together with the multitude of separate river like that load the slopes of the coast mountains evidently once formed part of a continuous ice that flowed over all the region and only a comparatively short time ago extended as far southward as the mouth of the strait of de probably farther all the islands of the alexander as well as the and of the display telling traces of tliis gi eat mantle that are still fresh and unmistakable they all have the forms of the gi strength with reference to the action of a vast rigid press of ice from the north and and their have a smooth rounded appearance generally free from angles the intricate of channels straits passages sounds etc between the islands and extending into the of course the mountains of in their and and general characteristics the same to the gi action of universal as to their origin and differ from the islands and banks of the only in being portions of the pre margin of the continent more deeply and therefore covered by the ocean waters which flowed into them as the ice was melted out of them the formation and extension of in this manner is still going on and may be witnessed in many places in bay bay and adjacent regions that the domain of the sea is being extended over the land by the wearing away of its shores is well known but in these icy regions of and even as far south as island the coast rocks have been so short a time exposed to wave action they are but little wasted as yet in these regions the extension of the sea by its own action in post time is scarcely as compared with that by ice action traces of the vanished made during the period of greater extension abound on the as far south as latitude even the polished rock the most of records are still found in a wonderfully perfect state of preservation on the upper half of the middle portion of the range and form the most striking of all the phenomena they occur in large irregular patches in the summit and middle regions and though they have been subjected to the action of the weather with its for thousands of years their mechanical excellence is such that they still reflect the like glass and the attract the attention of every observer the attention of the is seldom arrested by however regular and high they may be or by however deep or by rocks however noble in form and but he and his hands on the shining and tries hard to account for their mysterious he has seen the snow descending in but this cannot be the work of snow for he finds it where no occur nor can water have done it for he sees this glowing on the sides and tops of the highest only the winds of all the agents he knows seem capable of flowing in the directions indicated by the indians usually so little about phenomena have come to me occasionally and asked me what the gi so smooth at lake even horses and dogs gaze at the strange brightness of the ground and smell the polished spaces and place their feet cautiously on them when they come to them for the first time as if afraid of sinking the most perfect of the polished and walls lie at an elevation of from to feet above the sea where the rock is compact granite small dim patches may be found as low as feet on the and most enduring portions of sheer walls with a southern exposure and on compact swelling partially protected from rain by a covering of large on the north half of the range the and polished are less common not only because this part of the chain is lower but because the surface rocks are the mountains of chiefly subject to comparatively rapid waste the ancient also though well preserved on most of the south half of the range are nearly to the northward but their material is found scattered and a similar condition of the superficial records of action throughout most of washington british and due in great part to the action of excessive moisture even in where the most extensive on the continent are the more of the traces of their former greater extension though comparatively recent are more obscure than those of the ancient where the climate is and the rocks more resisting these general views of the of the pacific coast will enable my readers to see something of the changes that have taken place in and will throw light on the of the high prior to the autumn of the of the were unknown in october of that year i discovered the black mountain in a shadowy between black and red mountains two of the peaks of the group this group is the highest portion of a spur that out from the main of the range in the direction of valley at the time of this interesting discovery i was exploring the of the group and tracing the courses of the ancient that once poured from its ample fountains through the basin and the the valley not expecting to find any active s so far south in the land of sunshine beginning on the extremity of the group i the chief in succession their es and splendid taking them in regular succession without any reference to the time consumed in their study the monuments of the that ed its ice from between red and black mountains i found to be the most interesting of them all and when i saw its magnificent extending in majestic cm from the between the mountains i | 28 |
was with the work that lay before me it was one of the golden days of the indian summer when the rich sunshine every landscape however rocky and cold and suggests anything rather than s the path of the vanished was warm now and shone in many places as if washed with silver the tall pines gi owing on the stood in the glowing light the gi on the of the basin were masses of orange yellow and the added gold to gold pushing on over my rosy highway i passed lake after lake set in solid of granite and many a thicket and meadow watered by a stream that issues from the and links the lakes together now through knee deep in yellow and now passing over bare rock the main that bounded the view on either hand are from to nearly feet high and about as regular as artificial em the mountains of and covered with a superb growth of silver fir and pine but this garden and forest was speedily left behind the trees were as i ascended patches of the and began to appear and pressed into flat carpets by the winter snow the which a few miles down the valley were so richly embroidered with meadows had here at an elevation of feet only small brown of leaving bare rocks around more than half their shores yet amid this the mountain pine bravely tossed his storm beaten branches on the and of red mountain some specimens being over feet high and feet in seemingly as fresh and vigorous as the giants of the lower evening came on just as i got fairly within the of the main it is about a mile wide and a little less than two miles long the crumbling spurs and of red mountain bound it on the north the rudely of black on the south and a around from mountain to mountain it in on the east i chose a gi on the brink of one of the lakes where a thicket of sheltered me from the night wind then after making a tin of tea i sat by my camp fire reflecting on the grandeur and significance of the records i had seen as the night advanced the mighty rock walls of my mountain mansion seemed to come nearer while the sky in glorious brightness stretched across like a ceiling from wall the to wall and fitted closely down into all the ii of the then after a long fireside rest and a glance at my note book i cut a few leafy branches for a bed and fell into the clear death like sleep of the tired early next morning i set out to trace the grand old that had done so much for the beauty of the region back to its farthest fountains enjoying the charm that every feels in nature s the voices of the mountains were still asleep the wind scarce stirred the pine needles the sun was up but it was yet too cold for the birds and the few owing animals that dwell here only the stream from pool to pool seemed to be wholly awake yet the spirit of the opening day called to action the came streaming through the jagged of the glancing on the and lighting the silvery lakes while eveiy sun touched rock burned white on its edges like melting iron in a furnace passing round the north shore of my camp lake i followed the central stream past many from to the scenery became more rigidly the dwarf pines and disappeared and the stream was bordered with as the sun rose higher rocks were loosened on shattered portions of the cliffs and came down in rattling echoing wildly from to the main that extend from the jaws of the into the basin are continued in straggling masses along the walls of the while separate hun the mountains of of tons in weight are left here and there out in the middle of the channel here also i observed a series of small ranged along the south wall of the corresponding in size and form with the shadows cast by the highest portions the meaning of this between and shadows was afterward made plain tracing the stream back to the last of its chain of i noticed a deposit of fine gray mud on the bottom except where the force of the entering current had prevented its settling it looked like the mud worn from a and i at once suspected its origin for the stream that was carrying it came out of the base of a raw that seemed in process of formation not a plant or weather stain was visible on its rough unsettled surface it is from to over feet high and forward at an angle of cautiously picking my way i gained the top of the and was delighted to see a small but well down from the gloomy of black mountain in a finely curve to the on which i stood the compact ice appeared on all the lower portions of the though gray with dirt and stones in it farther up the ice disappeared beneath coarse snow the surface of the was further by dirt bands and the edges of the blue veins showing the structure of the ice the uppermost or where the was attached to the mountain was from to feet wide and was in a few places the by the remains of snow creeping along the edge of the holding on with fingers i discovered clear sections where the structure was beautifully revealed the surface snow though sprinkled with stones shot down from the cliffs was in some places almost pure gradually becoming and changing to ice of different shades of color and this again changing at a depth of or feet to blue ice some of the ribbon like bands of which were nearly pure and blended with | 28 |
the paler bands in the most gradual and delicate manner imaginable a series of rugged enabled me to make my way into the weird under world of the its hollows were hung with a multitude of clustered amid which pale subdued light and with indescribable loveliness water and overhead and from far below came strange solemn from currents that were feeling their way through veins and in the dark the chambers of a are perfectly notwithstanding one feels out of place in their frosty beauty i was soon cold in my shirt sleeves and the leaning wall threatened to me yet it was hard to leave the delicious music of the water and the lovely light coming again to the surface i noticed of every size on their journeys to the journeys of more than a hundred years without a single stop night or day winter or summer the sun gave birth to a of sweet that ran gracefully down the curling and in their shining channels and cut the mountains of ting clear sections through the surface ice into the solid blue where the structure of the was beautifully illustrated the series of small which i had observed in the morning along the south wall of the correspond in every way with the of this and their distribution with reference to shadows was now understood when the changes came on that caused the melting and retreat of the main that filled the a series of were left in the cliff shadows under the protection of which they lingered until they formed the w are studying then as the snow became still less abundant all of them vanished in succession except the one just described and the cause of its longer life is sufficiently apparent in the greater area of snow basin it and its more perfect protection from wasting sunshine how much longer this little will last depends of course on the amount of snow it receives from year to year as compared with melting waste after this discovery i made excursions over all the high pushing my summer after summer and discovered that what at first sight in the distance looked like extensive were in great part busily at work the of the summit peaks so blocked out by their giant on august i set a series of in the near mount and found its rate of motion to be little more than an inch a day in the middle showing a great contrast to the the in which near the front flows at a rate of from five to ten feet in twenty four hours mount has three but mount although it is the highest mountain in the range does not now cherish a single small patches of lasting snow and ice occur on its northern slopes but they are shallow and present no well marked evidence of motion its sides however are and polished in many places by the action of its ancient that flowed east and west as of the great that once filled the valleys of the and s rivers chapter iii the snow the first snow that the usually falls about the end of october or early in november to a depth of a few inches after months of the most indian summer weather imaginable but in a few days this light covering mostly from the slopes exposed to the sun and causes but little apprehension on the part of who may be lingering among the high peaks at this time the first general winter storm that snow that is to form a lasting portion of the season s supply seldom breaks on the mountains before the end of november then warned by the sky cautious together with the wild sheep deer and most of the birds and bears make haste to the or foot hills and owing mountain and such people go into winter quarters some of them not again to see the light of day until the general awakening and of the spring in june or july the first heavy fall is usually from about two to four feet in depth then with intervals of splendid sunshine storm storm snow on snow until thirty to fifty feet has fallen but on account of its settling and compact the snow ing and the almost constant waste from melting and the average depth actually found at any time seldom ten feet in the forest region or fifteen feet along the slopes of the summit peaks even during the weather never wholly ceases and the sunshine that between the storms is sufficiently powerful to melt the surface more or less through all the winter months waste from melting also goes on to some extent on the bottom from heat stored up in the and given slowly to the snow in contact with them as is shown by the rising of the streams on all the higher regions after the first and their steady sustained flow all winter the gi portion of the snow deposited around the lofty of the range falls in small crisp and broken or when accompanied by strong winds and low temperature the instead of being locked together in their fall to form are beaten and broken into meal and fine dust but down in the forest region the greater portion comes gently to the ground light and some of the in mild weather being nearly an inch in and it is distributed and kept from drifting to any great extent by the shelter afforded by the large trees every tree during the progress of gentle storms is loaded with fairy bloom at the and darkest time of year bending the branches and every singing needle but as soon as the storm is over and the sun shines the snow at once begins to shift and settle and fall from the in the mountains of miniature and the white forest soon becomes green again the snow on the ground also | 28 |
sky see how dense and they are at the point of attachment and how and toward the end so that the peaks back of them are seen dimly as though you were looking through ground glass yet again observe how some of the the mountains of longest belonging to the stream perfectly free all the way across intervening and passes from peak to peak while others and partly hide each other and consider how keenly every of this wondrous cloth of snow is flashing out of these are the main features of the beautiful and terrible picture as seen from the forest window and it would still be glorious were the fore and altogether leaving only the black peaks the white and the blue sky glancing now in a general way at the formation of snow we find that the main causes of the wondrous beauty and perfection of those we have been contemplating were the favorable direction and great force of the wind the abundance of snow dust and the peculiar of the slopes of the peaks it is essential not only that the wind should move with great and to supply a sufficiently copious and continuous stream of snow dust but that it should come from the north no perfect banner is ever hung on the peaks by a south wind had the gale that day blown from the south leaving other conditions unchanged only a dull confused fog like drift would have been produced for the snow instead of being up over the tops of the peaks in concentrated currents to be drawn out as would have been shed off around the sides and piled down into the the cause of the concentrated action of the north wind is found in the peculiar form of the north sides of the peaks where the of the the snow are in general the south sides are and irregular while the north sides are both in their and sections the wind in ascending these curves toward the carrying the snow in currents with it shooting it almost straight up into the air above the peaks from which it is then away in a direction this difference in form between the north and south sides of the peaks was almost wholly produced by the difference in the kind and quantity of the to which they have been subjected the north sides having been by shadow of a form that never existed on the sun beaten sides it appears therefore that shadows in great part determine not only the forms of lofty icy mountains but also those of the snow that the wild winds hang on them chapter iv a view of the high early one bright morning in the middle of indian summer while the meadows were still crisp with frost i set out from the foot of mount on my way down to valley to my exhausted store of bread and tea i had spent the past summer as many preceding ones exploring the that lie on the head waters of the san and s rivers measuring and studying their movements etc and the part they had played during the period of their greater extension in the creation and development of the of this the time for this kind of work was nearly over for the year and i began to look forward with delight to the approaching winter with its wondrous storms when i would be warmly snow bound in my cabin with plenty of bread and books but a tinge of regret came on when i considered that possibly i might not see this favorite region again until the next summer excepting distant views from the heights about the walls to artists few portions of the high are strictly speaking picturesque the whole massive a view of the high of the range is one great picture not into smaller ones much in this respect from the older and what may be called mountains of the coast range all the of the as we have seen were born again from base to summit by the developing of the last winter but all these new were not brought forth simultaneously some of the highest where the ice lingered longest are of younger than those of the warmer regions below them in general the younger the mountain younger i mean with reference to the time of their from the ice of the period the less are they into artistic bits capable of being made into warm sympathetic es with humanity in them here however on the head waters of the is a gi of wild peaks on which the may say that the sun has but just begun to shine which is yet in a high degree picturesque and in its main es so regular and balanced as almost to appear conventional one cluster of snow laden peaks with gray granite around its base the whole free into the sky from the head of a magnificent valley whose lofty walls are away on both sides so as to embrace it all admitting anything not strictly belonging to it the was now with autumn colors brown and purple and gold ripe in the mellow sunshine brightly with the deep blue of the sky and the black and gi ay and pure the mountains of spiritual white of the rocks and down through the midst the young was seen pouring from its crystal fountains now resting in pools as if changing back again into ice now leaping in white as if turning to snow gliding right and left between gi then sweeping on through the smooth of the valley swaying from side to side with calm stately gestures past dipping and and around groves of pine and throughout its whole course whether flowing fast or slow singing loud or low ever filling the landscape with spiritual animation and the of its sources in every movement and tone pursuing my lonely | 28 |
way down the valley i turned again and again to gaze on the glorious picture throwing up my arms to it as in a frame after long ages of growth in the darkness beneath the through sunshine and storms it seemed now to be ready and waiting for the elected artist like yellow wheat for the and i could not help wishing that i might carry colors and with me on my travels and learn to paint in the mean time i had to be content with photographs on my mind and sketches in my note books at length after i had rounded a that puts out from the west wall of the valley eveiy peak vanished from sight and i pushed rapidly along the frozen meadows over the divide between the waters of the and and down through the forests that clothe the slopes of cloud s best arriving in in due time which a near view of the high with me is any time and strange to say among the first people i met here were two artists who with letters of introduction were awaiting my return they inquired whether in the course of my in the adjacent mountains i had ever come upon a landscape suitable for a large painting whereupon i began a description of the one that had so lately excited my admiration then as i went on further and further into details their faces began to glow and i offered to guide them to it while they declared that they would gladly follow far or near i could spare the time to lead them since storms might come breaking down through the fine weather at any time the colors in snow and cutting off the artists retreat i advised getting ready at once i led them out of the valley by the and falls thence over the main dividing ridge to the big meadows by the old trail and thence along the upper river to its head this was my companions st excursion into the high and as i was almost always alone in my the way that the fresh beauty was reflected in their faces made for me a novel and interesting study they naturally were affected most of all by the colors the intense of the sky the of the granite the red and of dry meadows and the purple and crimson of the flaming yellow of gi the silvery flashing of the streams and the bright green and blue of the lakes but the general the mountains of sion of the scenery rocky and savage seemed sadly and as they the forest from ridge to ridge eagerly the as they were unfolded they said all this is huge and sublime but we see nothing as yet at all available for effective pictures art is long and art is limited you know and here are middle gi all alike bare rock waves woods groves of meadow and of water never mind i replied only bide a and i will show you something you like at length toward the end of the second day the crown began to come into view and when we had fairly rounded the projecting before mentioned the whole picture stood revealed in the flush of the their enthusiasm was excited beyond bounds and the more impulsive of the two a young dashed ahead shouting and and tossing his arms in the air like a madman here at last was a typical landscape after awhile on the view i proceeded to make camp in a sheltered grove a little way back from the meadow where pine boughs could be obtained for beds and where there was plenty of wood for fires while the artists ran here and there along the river and up the sides of the choosing for sketches after dark when our tea was made and a rousing fire had been built we began to make our plans they decided to remain several days at the least while i con a view of the high to make an excursion in the mean time to the untouched summit of bitter it was now about the middle of october the of snow flowers the first winter clouds had already and the peaks were strewn with fresh without however affecting the climbing to any dangerous extent and as the weather was still profoundly calm and the distance to the foot of the mountain only a little more than a day i felt that i was running no great risk of being storm bound mount is king of the mountains of the middle portion of the high as of the north and of the south sections moreover as far as i know it had never been i had the adjacent wilderness summer after summer but my studies thus far had never drawn me to the top of it its height above sea level is about feet and it is round by inclined and of tremendous depth and which render it almost inaccessible but difficulties of this kind only the next morning the artists went heartily to their work and i to mine former experiences had given good reason to know that passionate storms invisible as yet might be brooding in the calm therefore before bidding farewell i warned the artists not to be alarmed should i fail to appear before a week or ten days and advised them in case a snow storm should set in to keep up big fires and shelter themselves as best they could and the mountains of on no account to become frightened and attempt to seek their way back to alone through the my general plan was simply this to scale the wall cross over to the eastern flank of the range and then make my way southward to the northern spurs of mount in compliance with the intervening for to push on directly southward from camp through the innumerable peaks | 28 |
and that adorn this portion of the of the range however interesting would take too much time besides being extremely difficult and dangerous at this time of year all my first day was pure pleasure simply indulgence crossing the dry of the ancient tracing happy streams and learning the habits of the birds and in the groves and rocks before i had gone a mile from camp i came to the foot of a white that beats its way down a rugged in the wall from a height of about nine hundred feet and its throbbing waters into the i was acquainted with its fountains which fortunately lay in my course what a fine companion it proved to be what songs it sang and how passionately it told the mountain s own joy gladly i climbed along its dashing border absorbing its divine music and bathing from time to time in of spray higher higher new beauty came streaming on the sight painted meadows late blooming gardens peaks of rare architecture lakes here and there shining like silver and glimpses of the a near view of the high middle region and the yellow far in the west beyond the range i saw the so called desert lying silent in thick light a desert of heavy sun glare beheld from a desert of ice granite here the waters divide shouting in glorious enthusiasm and falling eastward to vanish in the sands and dry sky of the great basin or westward to the great valley of and thence through the bay of san and the golden gate to the sea passing a little way down over the summit until i had reached an elevation of about feet i pushed on southward toward a group of savage peaks that stand guard about on the north and west groping my way and dealing instinctively every obstacle as it presented itself here a huge would be found cutting across my path along the dizzy edge of which i scrambled until some less point was discovered where i might safely venture to the bottom and then selecting some portion of the opposite wall with the same slow caution massive flat spurs alternate with the plunging abruptly from the shoulders of the snowy peaks and planting their feet in the desert these were everywhere marked and adorned with characteristic of the ancient that swept over this entire region like one vast ice wind and the polished produced by the ponderous flood are still so perfectly preserved that in many places the sunlight reflected from them is about as trying to the eyes as sheets of snow god s mills grind slowly but they have the mountains of been kept in motion long enough in to grind soil for a glorious abundance of life though most of the has been earned to the leaving these high regions comparatively lean and bare while the post agents of have not yet furnished sufficient available food over the general surface for more than a few of the plants chiefly and and it is interesting to learn in this connection that the and repressed character of the vegetation at this height is caused more by want of soil than by of climate for here and there in sheltered hollows beneath the general sm f ace into which a few rods of have been we find groves of and pine thirty to forty feet high trimmed around the edges with willow and bushes and still further by an outer ring of tall bright with and suggesting a climate by no means severe all the streams too and the pools at this elevation are furnished with uttle gardens wherever soil can be made to lie which though making scarce any show at a distance constitute charming surprises to the observer in these bits of a few birds find grateful homes having no acquaintance with man they fear no ill and flock curiously about the stranger almost allowing themselves to be taken in the hand in so wild and so beautiful a region was spent my first day every sight and sound inspiring leading one far out of himself yet feeding and building up his individuality a near view of the high now came the solemn silent evening long blue shadows crept out across the snow while a rosy glow at first scarce gi deepened and eveiy mountain top flushing the and the harsh above them this was the to me one of the most impressive of all the of god at the touch of this divine light the mountains seemed to to a religious consciousness and stood hushed and waiting like devout just before the began to fade two crimson clouds came streaming across the summit like wings of flame rendering the sublime scene yet more impressive then came darkness and the stars icy was still miles away but i could proceed no farther that night i found a good on the rim of a basin about feet above the sea a small lake in the bottom of it from which i got water for my tea and a thicket near by furnished abundance of fire wood peaks and shattered half way around the horizon wearing a savage aspect in the and a solemnly across the lake on its way down from the foot of a the fall and the lake and the were almost equally bare while the pines in the were so and by storm winds that you might walk over their tops in tone and aspect the scene was one of the most desolate i ever beheld but the darkest of the mountains are with bright passages of love the mountains of that never fail to make themselves felt when one is alone i made my bed in a nook of the pine thicket where the branches were pressed and overhead like a roof and bent down around the sides these are the best the high mountains d snug | 28 |
as nests well fuu of and with plenty of wind played needles to sing one asleep i little expected company but creeping in through a low side door i found five or six birds among the the night wind began to blow soon after dark at first only a gentle breathing but increasing toward midnight to a rough gale that fell upon my leafy roof in ragged like a bearing wild sounds from the ci overhead the sang in chorus filling the old ice fountain with its roar and seeming to increase in power as the night advanced fit voice for such a landscape i had to creep out many times to the fire during the night for it was biting cold and i had no blankets gladly i welcomed the morning star the dawn in the dry wavering air of the desert was glorious everything encouraged my undertaking and success there was no cloud in the sky no tone in the wind breakfast of bread and tea was soon made i fastened a hard crust to my belt by way of provision in case i should be compelled to pass a night on the mountain top then securing the remainder of my little stock against wolves and wood rats i set forth free and hopeful how glorious a greeting the sun gives the a view of the high to behold this alone is worth the pains of any excursion a thousand times over the highest peaks burned like islands in a sea of liquid shade then the lower peaks and caught the glow and long of light streaming through many a and pass fell thick on the frozen meadows the majestic form of was full in sight and i pushed rapidly on over rounded rock and my iron shod shoes making a sound suddenly hushed now and then in of and lake soft as moss here too in this so called land of desolation i met growing in among the battered rocks her blossoms had faded long ago but they were still clinging with happy memories to the and still so beautiful as to thrill every of one s being winter and summer you may hear her voice the low sweet melody of her purple bells no among all the mountain plants speaks nature s love more plainly than where she dwells the of the solitude is complete the very rocks and seem to feel her presence and become with her own fountain sweetness all things were warming and awakening frozen began to flow the came out of their nests in piles and climbed sunny rocks to and the headed were flitting about seeking their the lakes seen from every ridge top were brilliantly and like the of the low dwarf pines the rocks too seemed to the vital heat rock and snow thrill the mountains of ing alike i strode on as if never more to feel fatigue limbs moving of themselves every sense like the flowers to take part in the new day harmony all along my course thus far excepting when down in the the were mostly open to me and at least on one side on the left were the purple plains of and warm on the right the near peaks springing keenly into the thin sky with more and more impressive but these larger views were at length lost rugged spurs and and huge projecting began to shut me in every feature became more rigidly however producing any effect for going to the mountains is like going home we always find that the strangest objects in these fountain are in some degree familiar and we look upon them with a vague sense of having seen them before on the southern shore of a frozen lake i encountered an extensive field of hard snow up which i in fine tone intending to follow it to its head and cross the rocky spur against which it hoping thus to come direct upon the base of the main peak the surface was with oval hollows made by stones and drifted pine needles that had melted themselves into the mass by the of absorbed sun heat these afforded good but the surface curved more and more at the head and the became and less abundant until i found myself in danger of being a view of the high shed off like snow i persisted however creeping on all and shuffling up the places on my back as i had often done on granite until after slipping several times i was compelled to my course to the bottom and make my way around the west end of the lake and thence up to the summit of the divide between the head waters of creek and the of the san arriving on the summit of this dividing crest one of the most exciting pieces of e wilderness was disclosed that i ever discovered in all my there immediately in front loomed the majestic mass of mount with a down its face nearly to my feet then westward and pouring its frozen flood into a dark blue lake whose shores were bound with of snow while a deep chasm drawn between the divide and the separated the massive e from everything else i could see only the one sublime mountain the one the one lake the whole veiled with one blue shadow rock ice and water close together without a single leaf or sign of life after gazing i began instinctively to every and and of the mountain with reference to making the ascent the entire front above the appeared as one tremendous precipice slightly receding at the top and with and set above one another in formidable an ay massive stood forward here and there the mountains op at the top with and separated by frosty and recesses that have been veiled in shadow ever since their creation while to right and left as far as i | 28 |
their their fantastic and the with which they spring out of the ice rendering them peculiarly wild and striking these the mountains of are the beyond them you behold a sublime wilderness of mountains their snowy towering together in crowded abundance peak beyond peak swelling higher higher as they sweep on southward until the point of the range is reached on mount near the head of the at an elevation of nearly feet above the level of the sea westward the general flank of the range is seen flowing away from the p in smooth a sea of huge gray granite waves dotted with lakes and meadows and with that grow steadily deeper as they in the distance below this gray region lies the dark forest broken here and there by and and yet beyond lies a yellow belt marking the broad plain of the san bounded on its farther side by the blue mountains of the coast turning now to the northward there in the immediate is the glorious crown with cathedral peak a temple of architecture a few degrees to the left of it the gi ay massive form of mountain to the right while tower peak castle peak silver mountain and a host of noble companions as yet nameless make a sublime show along the of the range eastward the whole region seems a land of desolation covered with beautiful light the basin of with its one bare lake fourteen miles long s valley and the broad table land at its head dotted with and the mountains op the massive range even the in height these are spread map like beneath you with countless beyond passing and one another and fading on the glowing horizon at a distance of less than feet below the summit of mount you may find of the san and s rivers sting forth from the ice and snow of the that load its while a little to the north of here are found the highest of the and thus the fountains of four of the principal rivers of are within a of four or five miles lakes are seen gleaming in all sorts of places round or oval or square like very others narrow and drawn close around the peaks like silver the highest reflecting only rocks snow and the sky but neither these nor the nor the bits of brown meadow and that occur here and there are large enough to make any marked impression upon the mighty wilderness of mountains the eye rejoicing in its freedom about the vast expanse yet returns again and again to the fountain peaks perhaps some one of the multitude special attention some gigantic castle with and or some cathedral more abundantly than s but generally when looking for the first time from an all embracing like this the inexperienced observer is oppressed by the incomprehensible grandeur variety and abundance of the mountains rising shoulder to shoulder a view of the high beyond the reach of vision and it is only after they have been studied one by one long and lovingly that their far reaching become manifest then penetrate the wilderness where you may the main telling es to which all the is subordinate are quickly perceived and the most complicated clusters of peaks stand revealed and fashioned like works of art eloquent monuments of the ancient ice rivers that brought them into relief from the general mass of the range the too some of them a mile deep wildly through the mighty host of mountains however lawless and at first sight they appear are at length recognized as the necessary effects of causes which followed each other in harmonious nature s poems carved on tables of stone the simplest and most emphatic of her could we have been here to observe during the period we should have overlooked a wrinkled ocean of ice as continuous as that now covering the of filling every valley and with only the tops of the fountain peaks rising darkly above the rock ice waves like in a stormy sea those the only hints of the glorious now smiling in the sun standing here in the deep brooding silence all the wilderness seems motionless as if the work of creation were done but in the midst of this outer we know there is incessant motion and change ever and anon are falling from yonder peaks these cliff bound the mountains of seemingly and immovable are flowing like water and grinding the rocks beneath them the lakes are their granite shores and wearing them away and every one of these and young rivers is the air into music and the mountains to the plains here are the roots of all the life of the valleys and here more simply than elsewhere is the eternal of nature manifested ice changing to water lakes to meadows and mountains to plains and while we thus contemplate nature s methods of landscape creation and reading the records she has carved on the rocks however imperfectly the of the past we also learn that as these we now behold have succeeded those of the age so they in tm n are withering and vanishing to be succeeded by others yet but in the midst of these fine lessons and i had to remember that the sun was far to the west while a new way down the mountain had to be discovered to some point on the timber line where i could have a fire for i had not even myself with a coat i first the western spurs hoping some way might appear through which i might reach the northern and cross its or pass around the lake into which it flows and thus strike my morning track this route was soon sufficiently unfolded to show that if practicable at all it would require so much time that reaching camp that night would be out of the question | 28 |
i therefore scrambled back eastward descending the southern slopes at the same time here the seemed less f a near view op the high able and the head of a that flows came in sight which i determined to follow as far as possible hoping thus to make my way to the foot of the peak on the east side and thence across the intervening and to camp the inclination of the is quite moderate at the head and as the sun had softened the i made safe and rapid progress running and sliding and keeping up a sharp outlook for about half a mile from the head there is an where the over a sharp and is shattered into massive blocks separated by deep blue to thread my way through the slippery of this portion seemed impossible and i endeavored to avoid it by climbing off to the shoulder of the mountain but the slopes rapidly and at length fell away in sheer compelling a n to the ice fortunately the day had been warm enough to the ice so as to admit of hollows being dug in the rotten portions of the blocks thus me to pick my way with far less difficulty than i had anticipated continuing down over the and along the left was only a confident showing that the ascent of the mountain by way of this is easy provided one is armed with an ax to cut steps here and there the lower end of the was beautifully waved and barred by the edges of the ice which represent the annual and to some extent the of structure caused by the of the walls of and by separate which have been the mountains op followed by rain hail and etc small were gliding and over the melting surface with a smooth appearance in channels of pure ice their quick movements most with the rigid invisible flow of the itself on whose back they all were riding night drew near before i reached the eastern base of the mountain and my camp lay many a rugged mile to the north but ultimate success was assured it was now only a matter of endurance and ordinary mountain craft the sunset was if possible yet more beautiful than that of the day before the landscape seemed to be fairly with purple light the peaks along the summit were in shadow but through every and pass streamed vivid soothing and their rough black angles while companies of small luminous clouds hovered above them like very angels of light darkness came on but i found my way by the of the and the peaks projected against the sky all excitement died with the light and then i was but the joyful sound of the across the lake was heard at last and soon the stars were seen reflected in the lake itself taking my bearings from these i discovered the little pine thicket in which my nest was and then i had a rest such as only a tired may enjoy after lying loose and lost for awhile i made a sunrise fire went down to the lake dashed water on my head and dipped a for tea the revival brought about by bread and tea was as complete as the exhaustion a near view of the high from excessive enjoyment and toil then i crept beneath the pine to bed the wind was frosty and the fire burned low but my sleep was none the less sound and the evening had swept far to the west before i awoke after and resting in the morning sunshine i sauntered home that is back to the camp bearing away toward a cluster of peaks that hold the fountain of one of the north of rush creek here i discovered a gi of beautiful lakes together in a grand toward evening i crossed the divide separating the waters from those of the and entered the basin that now holds the fountain of the stream that forms the upper this stream i traced down through its many and meadows and reaching the brink of the main at dusk a loud for the artists was answered again and again their camp fire came in sight and half an hour afterward i was with them they seemed glad to see me i had been absent only three days nevertheless though the weather was fine they had already been weighing chances as to whether i would ever return and trying to decide whether they should wait longer or begin to seek their way back to the now their curious troubles were over they packed their precious sketches and next morning we set out homeward bound and in two days entered the valley from the north by way of indian chapter v the passes sustained grandeur of the high a is i strikingly illustrated by the great height of the passes between latitude and the lowest pass gap or of any kind cutting across the of the range as far as i have discovered feet in height above the level of the sea while the average height of all that are in use either by indians or is perhaps not less than feet and not one of these is a carriage pass farther north a carriage road has been constructed through what is known as the pass on the head waters of the and s rivers the summit of which is about feet above the sea substantial wagon roads have also been built through the and johnson passes near the head of lake over which immense quantities of freight were hauled from to the regions of before the construction of the central pacific railroad still farther north a considerable number of comparatively low passes occur some of which are accessible to wheeled and through these rugged during the exciting years of the gold the passes period long trains with foot sore cattle | 28 |
wearily toiled after the toil worn had escaped a thousand dangers and had crawled thousands of miles across the plains the snowy at last loomed in sight the eastern wall of the land of gold and as with shaded eyes they gazed through the tremulous haze of the desert with what joy must they have the pass through which they were to enter the better land of their hopes and dreams between the pass and the southern extremity of the high a distance of nearly miles there are only five passes through which conduct from one side of the range to the other these are barely practicable for animals a pass in these regions meaning simply any or through which one may by the exercise of unlimited patience make out to lead a mule or a sure footed animals that can slide or jump as well as walk only three of the five passes may be said to be in use the and virginia creek the tracks leading through the others being only obscure indian not in the least and scarcely by white men for much of the way is over solid rock and earthquake where the of the indians leave no sign only skilled are able to detect the marks that serve to guide the indians such as slight of the rocks the of stones here and there and bent bushes and weeds a general knowledge of the is then the main guide one to determine where the mountains of the trail ought to go go one of these indian crosses the range by a nameless pass between the head waters of the south and middle forks of the san the other between the north and middle forks of the same river just to the south of the this last being about feet high is the lowest of the five the is the highest crossing the summit near the head of the south fork of king s river about eight miles to the north of mount through the midst of the most rock the summit of this pass is over feet above nevertheless it is one of the safest of the five and is used every summer from july to october or november by s and and to some extent by also for besides the surpassing grandeur of the scenery about the summit the trail in ascending the western flank of the range through a grove of the giant and through the magnificent valley of the south fork of king s river this is perhaps the highest pass on the north american continent the pass lies to the east of valley at the head of one of the of the south fork of the this is the best known and most of all that exist in the high a trail was made through it about the time of the gold excitement in the year by adventurous and men who would build a trail down the throat of darkest on the way to gold though more than a thousand feet lower than the s i f t j p ot y c l i i ax c im j l j s b m fc w f map of g i r t d n a the mountains of it is scarcely less sublime in rock scenery while in snowy falling water it far it being so situated for the stream of travel the more adventurous cross over through this glorious to the region around lake it has therefore gained a name and fame above every other pass in the range according to the few observations made upon it its highest point is feet above the sea the other pass of the five we have been considering is somewhat lower and crosses the of the range a few miles to the north of the pass at the head of the of s river it is used chiefly by bands of the indians and but leaving wheels and animals out of the question the free with a sack of bread on his shoulders and an ax to cut steps in ice and frozen snow can make his way across the range almost everywhere and at any time of year when the weather is calm to him nearly every between the peaks is a pass though much patient step cutting is at times required up and down inclined with cautious climbing over that at first sight would seem hopelessly inaccessible in pursuing my studies i have crossed from side to side of the range at intervals of a few miles all along the highest portion of the chain with far less real danger than one would naturally on and what fine was thus revealed storms and lakes and the passes and meadows and interesting animals only those will ever know who give the and most portion of their lives to climbing and seeing for themselves to the timid fresh from the of the these however picturesque and grand seem forbidding cold dead gloomy in the bones of the mountains and of all nature s ways the ones to be most cautiously avoided yet they are full of the finest and most telling examples of nature s love and though hard to travel none are safer for they lead through regions that lie far above the ordinary haunts of the devil and of the that walks in darkness true there are innumerable places where the careless step will be the last step and a rock falling from the cliffs may crush without warning like lightning from the sky but what then accidents in the mountains are less common than in the and these mountain are decent delightful even divine f to die in compared with the chambers of civilization few places in this world are more dangerous than home fear not therefore to try the mountain passes they will kill care save | 28 |
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