rambling idle excursion-第5章

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aspect。

There　was　an　ample　pier　of　heavy　masonry；　upon　this；　under　shelter；　were
some　thousands　of　barrels　containing　that　product　which　has　carried　the
fame　of　Bermuda　to　many　lands；　the　potato。　　With　here　and　there　an　onion。
That　last　sentence　is　facetious；　for　they　grow　at　least　two　onions　in
Bermuda　to　one　potato。　　The　onion　is　the　pride　and　joy　of　Bermuda。　　It　is
her　jewel；　her　gem　of　gems。　　In　her　conversation；　her　pulpit；　her
literature；　it　is　her　most　frequent　and　eloquent　figure。　　In　Bermuda
metaphor　it　stands　for　perfection…perfection　absolute。

The　Bermudian　weeping　over　the　departed　exhausts　praise　when　he　says；　〃He
was　an　onion！〃　　The　Bermudian　extolling　the　living　hero　bankrupts
applause　when　he　says；　〃He　is　an　onion！〃　　The　Bermudian　setting　his　son
upon　the　stage　of　life　to　dare　and　do　for　himself　climaxes　all　counsel；
supplication；　admonition；　comprehends　all　ambition；　when　he　says；　〃Be　an
onion！〃

When　parallel　with　the　pier；　and　ten　or　fifteen　steps　outside　it；　we
anchored。　　It　was　Sunday；　bright　and　sunny。　　The　groups　upon　the　pier…
men；　youths；　and　boys…were　whites　and　blacks　in　about　equal　proportion。
All　were　well　and　neatly　dressed；　many　of　them　nattily；　a　few　of　them
very　stylishly。　　One　would　have　to　travel　far　before　he　would　find
another　town　of　twelve　thousand　inhabitants　that　could　represent　itself
so　respectably；　in　the　matter　of　clothes；　on　a　freight…pier；　without
premeditation　or　effort。　　The　women　and　young　girls；　black　and　white；　who
occasionally　passed　by；　were　nicely　clad；　and　many　were　elegantly　and
fashionably　so。　　The　men　did　not　affect　summer　clothing　much；　but　the
girls　and　women　did；　and　their　white　garments　were　good　to　look　at；　after
so　many　months　of　familiarity　with　somber　colors。

Around　one　isolated　potato…barrel　stood　four　young　gentlemen；　two　black；
two　white；　becomingly　dressed；　each　with　the　head　of　a　slender　cane
pressed　against　his　teeth；　and　each　with　a　foot　propped　up　on　the　barrel。
Another　young　gentleman　came　up；　looked　longingly　at　the　barrel；　but　saw
no　rest　for　his　foot　there；　and　turned　pensively　away　to　seek　another
barrel。　　He　wandered　here　and　there；　but　without　result。　　Nobody　sat　upon
a　barrel；　as　is　the　custom　of　the　idle　in　other　lands；　yet　all　the
isolated　barrels　were　humanly　occupied。　　Whosoever　had　a　foot　to　spare
put　it　on　a　barrel；　if　all　the　places　on　it　were　not　already　taken。　　The
habits　of　all　peoples　are　determined　by　their　circumstances。　　The
Bermudians　lean　upon　barrels　because　of　the　scarcity　of　lamp…posts。

Many　citizens　came　on　board　and　spoke　eagerly　to　the　officersinquiring
about　the　Turco…Russian　war　news；　I　supposed。　　However；　by　listening
judiciously　I　found　that　this　was　not　so。　　They　said；　〃What　is　the　price
of　onions？〃　or；　〃How's　onions？〃　　Naturally　enough　this　was　their　first
interest；　but　they　dropped　into　the　war　the　moment　it　was　satisfied。

We　went　ashore　and　found　a　novelty　of　a　pleasant　nature：　there　were　no
hackmen；　hacks；　or　omnibuses　on　the　pier　or　about　it　anywhere；　and　nobody
offered　his　services　to　us；　or　molested　us　in　any　way。　　I　said　it　was
like　being　in　heaven。　　The　Reverend　rebukingly　and　rather　pointedly
advised　me　to　make　the　most　of　it；　then。　　We　knew　of　a　boarding…house；
and　what　we　needed　now　was　somebody　to　pilot　us　to　it。　　Presently　a
little　barefooted　colored　boy　came　along；　whose　raggedness　was
conspicuously　not　Bermudian。　　His　rear　was　so　marvelously　bepatched　with
colored　squares　and　triangles　that　one　was　half　persuaded　he　had　got　it
out　of　an　atlas。　　When　the　sun　struck　him　right；　he　was　as　good　to　follow
as　a　lightning…bug。　　We　hired　him　and　dropped　into　his　wake。　　He　piloted
us　through　one　picturesque　street　after　another；　and　in　due　course
deposited　us　where　we　belonged。　　He　charged　nothing　for　his　map；　and　but
a　trifle　for　his　services：　so　the　Reverend　doubled　it。　　The　little　chap
received　the　money　with　a　beaming　applause　in　his　eye　which　plainly　said；
〃This　man's　an　onion！〃

We　had　brought　no　letters　of　introduction；　our　names　had　been　misspelled
in　the　passenger…list；　nobody　knew　whether　we　were　honest　folk　or
otherwise。　　So　we　were　expecting　to　have　a　good　private　time　in　case
there　was　nothing　in　our　general　aspect　to　close　boarding…house　doors
against　us。　　We　had　no　trouble。　　Bermuda　has　had　but　little　experience　of
rascals；　and　is　not　suspicious。　　We　got　large；　cool；　well…lighted　rooms
on　a　second　floor；　overlooking　a　bloomy　display　of　flowers　and　flowering
shrubscalia　and　annunciation　lilies；　lantanas；　heliotrope；　jasmine；
roses；　pinks；　double　geraniums；　oleanders；　pomegranates；　blue　morning…
glories　of　a　great　size；　and　many　plants　that　were　unknown　to　me。

We　took　a　long　afternoon　walk；　and　soon　found　out　that　that　exceedingly
white　town　was　built　of　blocks　of　white　coral。　　Bermuda　is　a　coral
island；　With　a　six…inch　crust　of　soil　on　top　of　it；　and　every　man　has　a
quarry　on　his　own　premises。　　Everywhere　you　go　you　see　square　recesses
gut　into　the　hillsides；　with　perpendicular　walls　unmarred　by　crack　or
crevice；　and　perhaps　you　fancy　that　a　house　grew　out　of　the　ground　there；
and　has　been　removed　in　a　single　piece　from　the　mold。　　If　you　do；　you
err。　　But　the　material　for　a　house　has　been　quarried　there。　　They　cut
right　down　through　the　coral；　to　any　depth　that　is　convenientten　to
twenty　feetand　take　it　out　in　great　square　blocks。　　This　cutting　is
done　with　a　chisel　that　has　a　handle　twelve　or　fifteen　feet　long；　and　is
used　as　one　uses　a　crowbar　when　he　is　drilling　a　hole；　or　a　dasher　when
he　is　churning。　　Thus　soft　is　this　stone。　　Then　with　a　common　handsaw
they　saw　the　great　blocks　into　handsome；　huge　bricks　that　are　two　feet
long；　a　foot　wide；　and　about　six　inches　thick。　　These　stand　loosely　piled
during　a　month　to　harden；　then　the　work　of　building　begins。

The　house　is　built　of　these　blocks；　it　is　roofed　with　broad　coral　slabs
an　inch　thick；　whose　edges　lap　upon　each　other；　so　that　the　roof　looks
like　a　succession　of　shallow　steps　or　terraces；　the　chimneys　are　built　of
the　coral　blocks；　and　sawed　into　graceful　and　picturesque　patterns；　the
ground…floor　veranda　is　paved　with　coral　blocks；　also　the　walk　to　the
gate；　the　fence　is　built　of　coral　blocksbuilt　in　massive　panels；　with
broad　capstones　and　heavy　gate…posts；　and　the　whole　trimmed　into　easy
lines　and　comely　shape　with　the　saw。　　Then　they　put　a　hard　coat　of
whitewash；　as　thick　as　your　thumb…nail；　on　the　fence　and　all　over　the
house；　roof；　chimneys；　and　all；　the　sun　comes　out　and　shines　on　this
spectacle；　and　it　is　time　for　you　to　shut　your　unaccustomed　eyes；　lest
they　be　put　out。　　It　is　the　whitest　white　you　can　conceive　of；　and　the
blindingest。　　A　Bermuda　house　does　not　look　like　marble；　it　is　a　much
intenser　white　than　that；　and；　besides；　there　is　a　dainty；　indefinable
something　else　about　its　look　that　is　not　marble…like。　　We　put　in　a　great
deal　of　solid　talk　and　reflection　over　this　matter　of　trying　to　find　a
figure　that　would　describe　the　unique　white　of　a　Bermuda　house；　and　we
contrived　to　hit　upon　it　at　last。　　It　is　exactly　the　white　of　the　icing
of　a　cake；　and　has　the　same　unemphasized　and　scarcely　perceptible　polish。
The　white　of　marble　is　modest　and　retiring　compared　with　it。

After　the　house　is　cased　in　its　hard　scale　of　whitewash；　not　a　crack；　or
sign　of　a　seam；　or　joining　of　the　blocks　is　detectable；　from　base…stone
to　chimney…top；　the　building　looks　as　if　it　had　been　carved　from　a　single
block　of　stone；　and　the　doors　and　windows　sawed　out　afterward。　　A　white
marble　house　has　a　cold；　tomb…like；　unsociable　look；　and　takes　the
conversation　out　of　a　body　and　depresses　him。　　Not　so　with　a　Bermuda
house。　　There　is　something　exhilarating；　even　hilarious；　about　its　vivid
whiteness　when　the　sun　plays　upon　it。　　If　it　be　of　picturesque　shape　and
graceful　contourand　many　of　the　Bermudian　dwellings　areit　will　so
fascinate　you　that　you　will　keep　your　eyes　on　it　until　they　ache。　　One　of
those　clean…cut；　fanciful　chimneystoo　pure　and　white　for　this　world
with　one　side　glowing　in　the　sun　and　the　other　touched　with　a　soft
shadow；　is　an　object　that　will　charm　one's　gaze　by　the　hour。　　I　know　of
no　other　country　that　has　chimneys　worthy　to　be　gazed　at　and　gloated
over。　　One　of　those　snowy　houses；　half　concealed　and　half　glimpsed
through　green　foliage；　is　a　pretty　thing　to　see；　and　if　it　takes　one　by
surprise　and　suddenly；　as　he　turns　a　sharp　corner　of　a　country　road；　it
will　wring　an　exclamation　from　him；　sure。

Wherever　you　go；　in　town　or　country；　you　find　those　snowy　houses；　and
always　with　masses　of　bright…colored　flowers　about　them；　but　with　no
vines　climbing　their　walls；　vines　cannot　take　hold　of　the　smooth；　hard
whitewash。　　Wherever　you　go；　in　the　town　or　along　the　country　roads；
among　little　potato　farms　and　patches　or　expensive　country…seats；　these
stainless　white　dwellings；　gleaming　out　from　flowers　and　foliage；　meet
you　at　every　turn。　　The　least　little　bit　of　a　cottage　is　as　white　and
blemishless　as　the　stateliest　mansion。　　Nowhere　is　there　dirt　or　stench；
puddle　or　hog…wallow；　neglect；　disorder；　or　lack　of　trimness　and
neatness。　　The　roads；　the　streets；　the　dwellings；　the　people；　the
clothesthis　neatness　extends　to　everything　that　falls　under　the　eye。
It　is　the　tidiest　country　in　the　world。　　And　very　much　the　tidiest；　too。

Considering　these　things；　the　question　came　up；　Where　do　the　poor　live？
No　answer　was　arrived　at。　　Therefore；　we　agreed　to　leave　this　conundrum
for　future　statesmen　to　wrangle　over。

What　a　bright　and　startling　spectacle　one　of　those　blazing　white　country
palaces；　with　its　brown…tinted　window…caps　and　ledges；　and　green
shutters；　and　its　wealth　of　caressing　flowers　and　foliage；　would　be　in
black　London！　　And　what　a　gleaming　surprise　it　would　be　in　nearly　any
American　city　one　could　mention；　too！

Bermuda　roads　are　made　by　cutting　down　a　few　inches　into　the　solid　white
coralor　a　good　many　feet；　where　a　hill　intrudes　itselfand　smoothing
off　the　surface　of　the　road…bed。　　It　is　a　simple　and　easy　process。　　The
grain　of　the　coral　is　coarse　and　porous；　the　road…bed　has　the　look　of
being　made　of　coarse　white　sugar。　　Its　excessive　cleanness　and　whiteness
are　a　trouble　in　one　way：　the　sun　is　reflected　into　your　eyes　with　such
energy　as　you　walk　along　that　you　want　to　sneeze　all　the　time。　　Old
Captain　Tom　Bowling　found　another　difficulty。　　He　joined　us　in　our　walk；
but　kept　wandering　unrestfully　to　the　roadside。　　Finally　he　explained。
Said　he；　〃Well；　I　chew；　you　know；　and　the　road's　so　plagued　clean。〃

We　walked　several　miles　that　afternoon　in　the　bewildering　glare　of　the
sun；　the　white　roads；　and　the　white　buildings。　　Our　eyes　got　to　paining
us　a　good　deal。　　By　and　by　a　soothing；　blessed　twilight　spread　its　cool
balm　around。　　We　looked　up　in　pleased　surprise　and　saw　that　it　proceeded
from　an　intensely　black　negro　who　was　going　by。　　We　answered　his　military
salute　in　the　grateful　gloom　of　his　near　presence；　and　then　passed　on
into　the　pitiless　white　glare　again。

The　colored　women　whom　we　met　usually　bowed　and　spoke；　so　did　the
children。　　The　colored　men　commonly　gave　the　military　salute。　　They
borrow　this　fashion　from　the　soldiers；　no　doubt；　England　has　kept　a
garris