16-the pond in winter-第2章

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ponds　like　this；　but　the　effect　of　water　under　these　circumstances

is　to　level　all　inequalities。　　The　regularity　of　the　bottom　and　its

conformity　to　the　shores　and　the　range　of　the　neighboring　hills　were

so　perfect　that　a　distant　promontory　betrayed　itself　in　the

soundings　quite　across　the　pond；　and　its　direction　could　be

determined　by　observing　the　opposite　shore。　　Cape　becomes　bar；　and

plain　shoal；　and　valley　and　gorge　deep　water　and　channel。

　　　　When　I　had　mapped　the　pond　by　the　scale　of　ten　rods　to　an　inch；

and　put　down　the　soundings；　more　than　a　hundred　in　all；　I　observed

this　remarkable　coincidence。　　Having　noticed　that　the　number

indicating　the　greatest　depth　was　apparently　in　the　centre　of　the

map；　I　laid　a　rule　on　the　map　lengthwise；　and　then　breadthwise；　and

found；　to　my　surprise；　that　the　line　of　greatest　length　intersected

the　line　of　greatest　breadth　exactly　at　the　point　of　greatest　depth；

notwithstanding　that　the　middle　is　so　nearly　level；　the　outline　of

the　pond　far　from　regular；　and　the　extreme　length　and　breadth　were

got　by　measuring　into　the　coves；　and　I　said　to　myself；　Who　knows　but

this　hint　would　conduct　to　the　deepest　part　of　the　ocean　as　well　as

of　a　pond　or　puddle？　　Is　not　this　the　rule　also　for　the　height　of

mountains；　regarded　as　the　opposite　of　valleys？　　We　know　that　a　hill

is　not　highest　at　its　narrowest　part。

　　　　Of　five　coves；　three；　or　all　which　had　been　sounded；　were

observed　to　have　a　bar　quite　across　their　mouths　and　deeper　water

within；　so　that　the　bay　tended　to　be　an　expansion　of　water　within

the　land　not　only　horizontally　but　vertically；　and　to　form　a　basin

or　independent　pond；　the　direction　of　the　two　capes　showing　the

course　of　the　bar。　　Every　harbor　on　the　sea…coast；　also；　has　its　bar

at　its　entrance。　　In　proportion　as　the　mouth　of　the　cove　was　wider

compared　with　its　length；　the　water　over　the　bar　was　deeper　compared

with　that　in　the　basin。　　Given；　then；　the　length　and　breadth　of　the

cove；　and　the　character　of　the　surrounding　shore；　and　you　have

almost　elements　enough　to　make　out　a　formula　for　all　cases。

　　　　In　order　to　see　how　nearly　I　could　guess；　with　this　experience；

at　the　deepest　point　in　a　pond；　by　observing　the　outlines　of　a

surface　and　the　character　of　its　shores　alone；　I　made　a　plan　of

White　Pond；　which　contains　about　forty…one　acres；　and；　like　this；

has　no　island　in　it；　nor　any　visible　inlet　or　outlet；　and　as　the

line　of　greatest　breadth　fell　very　near　the　line　of　least　breadth；

where　two　opposite　capes　approached　each　other　and　two　opposite　bays

receded；　I　ventured　to　mark　a　point　a　short　distance　from　the　latter

line；　but　still　on　the　line　of　greatest　length；　as　the　deepest。　　The

deepest　part　was　found　to　be　within　one　hundred　feet　of　this；　still

farther　in　the　direction　to　which　I　had　inclined；　and　was　only　one

foot　deeper；　namely；　sixty　feet。　　Of　course；　a　stream　running

through；　or　an　island　in　the　pond；　would　make　the　problem　much　more

complicated。

　　　　If　we　knew　all　the　laws　of　Nature；　we　should　need　only　one　fact；

or　the　description　of　one　actual　phenomenon；　to　infer　all　the

particular　results　at　that　point。　　Now　we　know　only　a　few　laws；　and

our　result　is　vitiated；　not；　of　course；　by　any　confusion　or

irregularity　in　Nature；　but　by　our　ignorance　of　essential　elements

in　the　calculation。　　Our　notions　of　law　and　harmony　are　commonly

confined　to　those　instances　which　we　detect；　but　the　harmony　which

results　from　a　far　greater　number　of　seemingly　conflicting；　but

really　concurring；　laws；　which　we　have　not　detected；　is　still　more

wonderful。　　The　particular　laws　are　as　our　points　of　view；　as；　to

the　traveller；　a　mountain　outline　varies　with　every　step；　and　it　has

an　infinite　number　of　profiles；　though　absolutely　but　one　form。

Even　when　cleft　or　bored　through　it　is　not　comprehended　in　its

entireness。

　　　　What　I　have　observed　of　the　pond　is　no　less　true　in　ethics。　　It

is　the　law　of　average。　　Such　a　rule　of　the　two　diameters　not　only

guides　us　toward　the　sun　in　the　system　and　the　heart　in　man；　but

draws　lines　through　the　length　and　breadth　of　the　aggregate　of　a

man's　particular　daily　behaviors　and　waves　of　life　into　his　coves

and　inlets；　and　where　they　intersect　will　be　the　height　or　depth　of

his　character。　　Perhaps　we　need　only　to　know　how　his　shores　trend

and　his　adjacent　country　or　circumstances；　to　infer　his　depth　and

concealed　bottom。　　If　he　is　surrounded　by　mountainous　circumstances；

an　Achillean　shore；　whose　peaks　overshadow　and　are　reflected　in　his

bosom；　they　suggest　a　corresponding　depth　in　him。　　But　a　low　and

smooth　shore　proves　him　shallow　on　that　side。　　In　our　bodies；　a　bold

projecting　brow　falls　off　to　and　indicates　a　corresponding　depth　of

thought。　　Also　there　is　a　bar　across　the　entrance　of　our　every　cove；

or　particular　inclination；　each　is　our　harbor　for　a　season；　in　which

we　are　detained　and　partially　land…locked。　　These　inclinations　are

not　whimsical　usually；　but　their　form；　size；　and　direction　are

determined　by　the　promontories　of　the　shore；　the　ancient　axes　of

elevation。　　When　this　bar　is　gradually　increased　by　storms；　tides；

or　currents；　or　there　is　a　subsidence　of　the　waters；　so　that　it

reaches　to　the　surface；　that　which　was　at　first　but　an　inclination

in　the　shore　in　which　a　thought　was　harbored　becomes　an　individual

lake；　cut　off　from　the　ocean；　wherein　the　thought　secures　its　own

conditions　　changes；　perhaps；　from　salt　to　fresh；　becomes　a　sweet

sea；　dead　sea；　or　a　marsh。　　At　the　advent　of　each　individual　into

this　life；　may　we　not　suppose　that　such　a　bar　has　risen　to　the

surface　somewhere？　　It　is　true；　we　are　such　poor　navigators　that　our

thoughts；　for　the　most　part；　stand　off　and　on　upon　a　harborless

coast；　are　conversant　only　with　the　bights　of　the　bays　of　poesy；　or

steer　for　the　public　ports　of　entry；　and　go　into　the　dry　docks　of

science；　where　they　merely　refit　for　this　world；　and　no　natural

currents　concur　to　individualize　them。

　　　　As　for　the　inlet　or　outlet　of　Walden；　I　have　not　discovered　any

but　rain　and　snow　and　evaporation；　though　perhaps；　with　a

thermometer　and　a　line；　such　places　may　be　found；　for　where　the

water　flows　into　the　pond　it　will　probably　be　coldest　in　summer　and

warmest　in　winter。　　When　the　ice…men　were　at　work　here　in　'46…7；　the

cakes　sent　to　the　shore　were　one　day　rejected　by　those　who　were

stacking　them　up　there；　not　being　thick　enough　to　lie　side　by　side

with　the　rest；　and　the　cutters　thus　discovered　that　the　ice　over　a

small　space　was　two　or　three　inches　thinner　than　elsewhere；　which

made　them　think　that　there　was　an　inlet　there。　　They　also　showed　me

in　another　place　what　they　thought　was　a　〃leach…hole；〃　through　which

the　pond　leaked　out　under　a　hill　into　a　neighboring　meadow；　pushing

me　out　on　a　cake　of　ice　to　see　it。　　It　was　a　small　cavity　under　ten

feet　of　water；　but　I　think　that　I　can　warrant　the　pond　not　to　need

soldering　till　they　find　a　worse　leak　than　that。　　One　has　suggested；

that　if　such　a　〃leach…hole〃　should　be　found；　its　connection　with　the

meadow；　if　any　existed；　might　be　proved　by　conveying　some；　colored

powder　or　sawdust　to　the　mouth　of　the　hole；　and　then　putting　a

strainer　over　the　spring　in　the　meadow；　which　would　catch　some　of

the　particles　carried　through　by　the　current。

　　　　While　I　was　surveying；　the　ice；　which　was　sixteen　inches　thick；

undulated　under　a　slight　wind　like　water。　　It　is　well　known　that　a

level　cannot　be　used　on　ice。　　At　one　rod　from　the　shore　its　greatest

fluctuation；　when　observed　by　means　of　a　level　on　land　directed

toward　a　graduated　staff　on　the　ice；　was　three　quarters　of　an　inch；

though　the　ice　appeared　firmly　attached　to　the　shore。　　It　was

probably　greater　in　the　middle。　　Who　knows　but　if　our　instruments

were　delicate　enough　we　might　detect　an　undulation　in　the　crust　of

the　earth？　　When　two　legs　of　my　level　were　on　the　shore　and　the

third　on　the　ice；　and　the　sights　were　directed　over　the　latter；　a

rise　or　fall　of　the　ice　of　an　almost　infinitesimal　amount　made　a

difference　of　several　feet　on　a　tree　across　the　pond。　　When　I　began

to　cut　holes　for　sounding　there　were　three　or　four　inches　of　water

on　the　ice　under　a　deep　snow　which　had　sunk　it　thus　far；　but　the

water　began　immediately　to　run　into　these　holes；　and　continued　to

run　for　two　days　in　deep　streams；　which　wore　away　the　ice　on　every

side；　and　contributed　essentially；　if　not　mainly；　to　dry　the　surface

of　the　pond；　for；　as　the　water　ran　in；　it　raised　and　floated　the

ice。　　This　was　somewhat　like　cutting　a　hole　in　the　bottom　of　a　ship

to　let　the　water　out。　　When　such　holes　freeze；　and　a　rain　succeeds；

and　finally　a　new　freezing　forms　a　fresh　smooth　ice　over　all；　it　is

beautifully　mottled　internally　by　dark　figures；　shaped　somewhat　like

a　spider's　web；　what　you　may　call　ice　rosettes；　produced　by　the

channels　worn　by　the　water　flowing　from　all　sides　to　a　centre。

Sometimes；　also；　when　the　ice　was　covered　with　shallow　puddles；　I

saw　a　double　shadow　of　myself；　one　standing　on　the　head　of　the

other；　one　on　the　ice；　the　other　on　the　trees　or　hillside。

　　　　While　yet　it　is　cold　January；　and　snow　and　ice　are　thick　and

solid；　the　prudent　landlord　comes　from　the　village　to　get　ice　to

cool　his　summer　drink；　impressively；　even　pathetically；　wise；　to

foresee　the　heat　and　thirst　of　July　now　in　January　　wearing　a

thick　coat　and　mittens！　when　so　many　things　are　not　provided　for。

It　may　be　that　he　lays　up　no　treasures　in　this　world　which　will　cool

his　summer　drink　in　the　next。　　He　cuts　and　saws　the　solid　pond；

unroofs　the　house　of　fishes；　and　carts　off　their　very　element　and

air；　held　fast　by　chains　and　stakes　like　corded　wood；　through　the

favoring　winter　air；　to　wintry　cellars；　to　underlie　the　summer

there。　　It　looks　like　solidified　azure；　as；　far　off；　it　is　drawn

through　the　streets。　　These　ice…cutters　are　a　merry　race；　full　of

jest　and　sport；　and　when　I　went　among　them　they　were　wont　to　invite

me　to　saw　pit…fashion　with　them；　I　standing　underneath。

　　　　In　the　winter　of　'46…7　there　came　a　hundred　men　of　Hyperborean

extraction　swoop　down　on　to　our　pond　one　morning；　with　many　carloads

of　ungainly…looking　farming　tools　　sleds；　plows；　drill…barrows；

turf…knives；　spades；　saws；　rakes；　and　each　man　was　armed　with　a

double…pointed　pike…staff；　such　as　is　not　described　in　the

New…England　Farmer　or　the　Cultivator。　　I　did　not　know　whether　they

had　come　to　sow　a　crop　of　winter　rye；　or　some　other　kind　of　grain

recently　introduced　from　Iceland。　　As　I　saw　no　manure；　I　judged　that

they　meant　to　skim　the　land；　as　I　had　done；　thinking　the　soil　was

deep　and　had　lain　fallow　long　enough。　　They　said　that　a　gentleman

farmer；　who　was　behind　the　scenes；　wanted　to　double　his　money；

which；　as　I　understood；　amounted　to　half　a　million　already；　but　in

order　to　cover　each　one　of　his　dollars　with　another；　he　took　off　the

only　coat；　ay；　the　skin　itself；　of　Walden　Pond　in　the　midst　of　a

hard　winter。　　They　wen