north america-1-第8章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


States　do　not　hold　their　legislatures　and　carry　on　their　government　at　their　chief　towns。　　Augusta　and　not　Portland　is　the　capital　of　Maine。　　Of　the　State　of　New　York；　Albany　is　the　capital；　and　not　the　city　which　bears　the　State's　name。　　And　of　Pennsylvania；　Harrisburg　and　not　Philadelphia　is　the　capital。　　I　think　the　idea　has　been　that　old…fashioned　notions　were　bad　in　that　they　were　old　fashioned；　and　that　a　new　people；　bound　by　no　prejudices；　might　certainly　make　improvement　by　choosing　for　themselves　new　ways。　　If　so；　the　American　politicians　have　not　been　the　first　in　the　world　who　have　thought　that　any　change　must　be　a　change　for　the　better。　　The　assigned　reason　is　the　centrical　position　of　the　selected　political　capitals；　but　I　have　generally　found　the　real　commercial　capital　to　be　easier　of　access　than　the　smaller　town　in　which　the　two　legislative　houses　are　obliged　to　collect　themselves。　What　must　be　the　natural　excellence　of　the　harbor　of　Portland；　will　be　understood　when　it　is　borne　in　mind　that　the　Great　Eastern　can　enter　it　at　all　times；　and　that　it　can　lay　along　the　wharves　at　any　hour　of　the　tide。　　The　wharves　which　have　been　prepared　for　her　and　of　which　I　will　say　a　word　further　by…and…byare　joined　to；　and　in　fact；　are　a　portion　of；　the　station　of　the　Grand　Trunk　Railway；　which　runs　from　Portland　up　to　Canada。　　So　that　passengers　landing　at　Portland　out　of　a　vessel　so　large　even　as　the　Great　Eastern　can　walk　at　once　on　shore；　and　goods　can　be　passed　on　to　the　railway　without　any　of　the　cost　of　removal。　　I　will　not　say　that　there　is　no　other　harbor　in　the　world　that　would　allow　of　this；　but　I　do　not　know　any　other　that　would　do　so。　From　Portland　a　line　of　railway；　called　as　a　whole　by　the　name　of　the　Canada　Grand　Trunk　Line；　runs　across　the　State　of　Maine；　through　the　northern　parts　of　New　Hampshire　and　Vermont；　to　Montreal；　a　branch　striking　from　Richmond；　a　little　within　the　limits　of　Canada；　to　Quebec；　and　down　the　St。　Lawrence　to　Riviere　du　Loup。　　The　main　line　is　continued　from　Montreal；　through　Upper　Canada　to　Toronto；　and　from　thence　to　Detroit　in　the　State　of　Michigan。　　The　total　distance　thus　traversed　is；　in　a　direct　line；　about　900　miles。　　From　Detroit　there　is　railway　communications　through　the　immense　Northwestern　States　of　Michigan；　Wisconsin；　and　Illinois；　than　which　perhaps　the　surface　of　the　globe　affords　no　finer　districts　for　purposes　of　agriculture。　　The　produce　of　the　two　Canadas　must　be　poured　forth　to　the　Eastern　world；　and　the　men　of　the　Eastern　world　must　throng　into　these　lands　by　means　of　this　railroad；　and；　as　at　present　arranged；　through　the　harbor　of　Portland。　　At　present　the　line　has　been　opened；　and　they　who　have　opened　are　sorely　suffering　in　pocket　for　what　they　have　done。　　The　question　of　the　railway　is　rather　one　applying　to　Canada　than　to　the　State　of　Maine；　and　I　will　therefore　leave　it　for　the　present。　But　the　Great　Eastern　has　never　been　to　Portland；　and　as　far　as　I　know　has　no　intention　of　going　there。　　She　was；　I　believe；　built　with　that　object。　　At　any　rate；　it　was　proclaimed　during　her　building　that　such　was　her　destiny；　and　the　Portlanders　believed　it　with　a　perfect　faith。　　They　went　to　work　and　built　wharves　expressly　for　her；　two　wharves　prepared　to　fit　her　two　gangways；　or　ways　of　exit　and　entrance。　　They　built　a　huge　hotel　to　receive　her　passengers。　　They　prepared　for　her　advent　with　a　full　conviction　that　a　millennium　of　trade　was　about　to　be　wafted　to　their　happy　port。　　〃Sir；　the　town　has　expended　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　in　expectation　of　that　ship；　and　that　ship　has　deceived　us。〃　　So　was　the　matter　spoken　of　to　me　by　an　intelligent　Portlander。　　I　explained　to　that　intelligent　gentleman　that　two　hundred　thousand　dollars　would　go　a　very　little　way　toward　making　up　the　loss　which　the　ill…fortuned　vessel　had　occasioned　on　the　other　side　of　the　water。　　He　did　not　in　words　express　gratification　at　this　information；　but　he　looked　it。　　The　matter　was　as　it　were　a　partnership　without　deed　of　contract　between　the　Portlanders　and　the　shareholders　of　the　vessel；　and　the　Portlanders；　though　they　also　have　suffered　their　losses；　have　not　had　the　worst　of　it。　But　there　are　still　good　days　in　store　for　the　town。　　Though　the　Great　Eastern　has　not　gone　there；　other　ships　from　Europe；　more　profitable　if　less　in　size；　must　eventually　find　their　way　thither。　At　present　the　Canada　line　of　packets　runs　to　Portland　only　during　those　months　in　which　it　is　shut　out　from　the　St。　Lawrence　and　Quebec　by　ice。　　But　the　St。　Lawrence　and　Quebec　cannot　offer　the　advantages　which　Portland　enjoys；　and　that　big　hotel　and　those　new　wharves　will　not　have　been　built　in　vain。　I　have　said　that　a　good　time　is　coming；　but　I　would　by　no　means　wish　to　signify　that　the　present　times　in　Portland　are　bad。　　So　far　from　it　that　I　doubt　whether　I　ever　saw　a　town　with　more　evident　signs　of　prosperity。　　It　has　about　it　every　mark　of　ample　means；　and　no　mark　of　poverty。　　It　contains　about　27；000　people；　and　for　that　population　covers　a　very　large　space　of　ground。　　The　streets　are　broad　and　well　built；　the　main　streets　not　running　in　those　absolutely　straight　parallels　which　are　so　common　in　American　towns；　and　are　so　distressing　to　English　eyes　and　English　feelings。　All　these；　except　the　streets　devoted　exclusively　to　business；　are　shaded　on　both　sides　by　trees；　generally；　if　I　remember　rightly；　by　the　beautiful　American　elm；　whose　drooping　boughs　have　all　the　grace　of　the　willow　without　its　fantastic　melancholy。　　What　the　poorer　streets　of　Portland　may　be　like；　I　cannot　say。　　I　saw　no　poor　street。　　But　in　no　town　of　30；000　inhabitants　did　I　ever　see　so　many　houses　which　must　require　an　expenditure　of　from　six　to　eight　hundred　a　year　to　maintain　them。　The　place；　too；　is　beautifully　situated。　　It　is　on　a　long　promontory；　which　takes　the　shape　of　a　peninsula；　for　the　neck　which　joins　it　to　the　main…land　is　not　above　half　a　mile　across。　But　though　the　town　thus　stands　out　into　the　sea；　it　is　not　exposed　and　bleak。　　The　harbor；　again；　is　surrounded　by　land；　or　so　guarded　and　locked　by　islands　as　to　form　a　series　of　salt…water　lakes　running　round　the　town。　　Of　those　islands　there　are；　of　course；　three　hundred　and　sixty…five。　　Travelers　who　write　their　travels　are　constantly　called　upon　to　record　that　number；　so　that　it　may　now　be　considered　as　a　superlative　in　local　phraseology；　signifying　a　very　great　many　indeed。　　The　town　stands　between　two　hills；　the　suburbs　or　outskirts　running　up　on　to　each　of　them。　　The　one　looking　out　toward　the　sea　is　called　Mountjoy；　though　the　obstinate　Americans　will　write　it　Munjoy　on　their　maps。　　From　thence　the　view　out　to　the　harbor　and　beyond　the　harbor　to　the　islands　is；　I　may　not　say　unequaled；　or　I　shall　be　guilty　of　running　into　superlatives　myself；　but　it　is　in　its　way　equal　to　anything　I　have　seen。　　Perhaps　it　is　more　like　Cork　harbor；　as　seen　from　certain　heights　over　Passage；　than　anything　else　I　can　remember；　but　Portland　harbor；　though　equally　landlocked；　is　larger；　and　then　from　Portland　harbor　there　is；　as　it　were；　a　river　outlet　running　through　delicious　islands；　most　unalluring　to　the　navigator；　but　delicious　to　the　eyes　of　an　uncommercial　traveler。　　There　are　in　all　four　outlets　to　the　sea；　one　of　which　appears　to　have　been　made　expressly　for　the　Great　Eastern。　　Then　there　is　the　hill　looking　inward。　　If　it　has　a　name；　I　forget　it。　　The　view　from　this　hill　is　also　over　the　water　on　each　side；　and；　though　not　so　extensive；　is　perhaps　as　pleasing　as　the　other。　The　ways　of　the　people　seemed　to　be　quiet；　smooth；　orderly；　and　republican。　　There　is　nothing　to　drink　in　Portland；　of　course；　for；　thanks　to　Mr。　Neal　Dow；　the　Father　Matthew　of　the　State　of　Maine；　the　Maine　liquor　law　is　still　in　force　in　that　State。　　There　is　nothing　to　drink；　I　should　say；　in　such　orderly　houses　as　that　I　selected。　　〃People　do　drink　some　in　the　town；　they　say；〃　said　my　hostess　to　me；　〃and　liquor　is　to　be　got。　　But　I　never　venture　to　sell　any。　　An　ill…natured　person　might　turn　on　me；　and　where　should　I　be　then？〃　　I　did　not　press　her；　and　she　was　good　enough　to　put　a　bottle　of　porter　at　my　right　hand　at　dinner；　for　which　I　observed　she　made　no　charge。　　〃But　they　advertise　beer　in　the　shop　windows；〃　I　said　to　a　man　who　was　driving　me〃Scotch　ale　and　bitter　beer。　　A　man　can　get　drunk　on　them。〃　　〃Waal；　yes。　　If　he　goes　to　work　hard；　and　drinks　a　bucketful；〃　said　the　driver；　〃perhaps　he　may。〃　　From　which　and　other　things　I　gathered　that　the　men　of　Maine　drank　pottle　deep　before　Mr。　Neal　Dow　brought　his　exertions　to　a　successful　termination。　The　Maine　liquor　law　still　stands　in　Maine；　and　is　the　law　of　the　land　throughout　New　England；　but　it　is　not　actually　put　in　force　in　the　other　States。　　By　this　law　no　man　may　retail　wine；　spirits；　or；　in　truth；　beer；　except　with　a　special　license；　which　is　given　only　to　those　who　are　presumed　to　sell　them　as　medicines。　　A　man　may　have　what　he　likes　in　his　own　cellar　for　his　own　usesuch；　at　least；　is　the　actual　working　of　the　lawbut　may　not　obtain　it　at　hotels　and　public　houses。　　This　law；　like　all　sumptuary　laws；　must　fail。　　And　it　is　fast　failing　even　in　Maine。　　But　it　did　appear　to　me；　from　such　information　as　I　could　collect；　that　the　passing　of　it　had　done　much　to　hinder　and　repress　a　habit　of　hard　drinking　which　was　becoming　terribly　common；　not　only　in　the　towns　of　Maine；　but　among　the　farmers　and　hired　laborers　in　the　country。　But；　if　the　men　and　women　of　Portland　may　not　drink；　they　may　eat；　and　it　is　a　place；　I　should　say；　in　which　good　living　on　that　side　of　the　question　is　very　rife。　　It　has　an　air　of　supreme　plenty；　as　though　the　agonies　of　an　empty　stomach　were　never　known　there。　　The　faces　of　the　people　tell　of　three　regular　meals　of　meat　a　day；　and　of　digestive　powers　in　proportion。　　O　happy　Portlanders；　if　they　only　knew　their　own　good　fortune！　　They　get　up　early；　and　go　to　bed　early。　　The　women　are　comely　and　sturdy；　able　to　take　care　of　themselves；　without　any　fal…lal　of　chivalry；　and　the　men　are　sedate；　obliging；　and　industrious。　　I　saw　the　young　girls　in　the　streets　coming　home　from　their　tea　parties　at　nine　o'clock；　many　of　them　alone；　and　all　with　some　basket　in　their　hands；　which　betokened　an　evening　not　passed　absolutely　in　idleness。　　No　fear　there　of　unruly　questions　on　the　way；　or　of　insolence　from　the　ill…　conducted　of　the　other　sex。　　All　was；　or　seemed　to　be；　orderly；　sleek；　and　unobtrusive。　　Probably；　of　all　modes　of　life　that　are　allotted　to　man　by　his　Creator；　life　such　as　this　is　the　most　happy。　　One　hint；　however；　for　improvement；　I　must　give　even　to　Portland：　It　would　be　well　if　they　could　make　their　streets　of　some　material　harder　than　sand。　I　must　not　leave　the　town　without　desiring　those　who　may　visit　it　to　mount　the　observatory。　　They　will　from　thence　get　the　best　view　of　the　harbor　and　of　the　surrounding　land；　and；　if　they　chance　to　do　so　under　the　reign　of　the　present　keeper　of　the　signals；　they　will　find　a　man　there　able　and　willing　to　tell　them　everything　needful　about　the　State　of　Maine　in　general　and　the　harbor　in　particular。　　He　will　come　out　in　his　shirt　sleeves；　and；　like　a　true　American；　will　not　at　first　be　very　smooth　in　his　courtesy；　but　he　will　wax　brighter　in　conversation；　and；　if　not　stroked　the　wrong　way；　will　turn　out　to　be　a