09-the ponds-第2部分

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to　and　fro　with　the　pulse　of　the　pond；　and　there　it　might　have　stood

erect　and　swaying　till　in　the　course　of　time　the　handle　rotted　off；

if　I　had　not　disturbed　it。　　Making　another　hole　directly　over　it

with　an　ice　chisel　which　I　had；　and　cutting　down　the　longest　birch

which　I　could　find　in　the　neighborhood　with　my　knife；　I　made　a

slip…noose；　which　I　attached　to　its　end；　and；　letting　it　down

carefully；　passed　it　over　the　knob　of　the　handle；　and　drew　it　by　a

line　along　the　birch；　and　so　pulled　the　axe　out　again。

　　　　The　shore　is　composed　of　a　belt　of　smooth　rounded　white　stones

like　paving…stones；　excepting　one　or　two　short　sand　beaches；　and　is

so　steep　that　in　many　places　a　single　leap　will　carry　you　into　water

over　your　head；　and　were　it　not　for　its　remarkable　transparency；

that　would　be　the　last　to　be　seen　of　its　bottom　till　it　rose　on　the

opposite　side。　　Some　think　it　is　bottomless。　　It　is　nowhere　muddy；

and　a　casual　observer　would　say　that　there　were　no　weeds　at　all　in

it；　and　of　noticeable　plants；　except　in　the　little　meadows　recently

overflowed；　which　do　not　properly　belong　to　it；　a　closer　scrutiny

does　not　detect　a　flag　nor　a　bulrush；　nor　even　a　lily；　yellow　or

white；　but　only　a　few　small　heart…leaves　and　potamogetons；　and

perhaps　a　water…target　or　two；　all　which　however　a　bather　might　not

perceive；　and　these　plants　are　clean　and　bright　like　the　element

they　grow　in。　　The　stones　extend　a　rod　or　two　into　the　water；　and

then　the　bottom　is　pure　sand；　except　in　the　deepest　parts；　where

there　is　usually　a　little　sediment；　probably　from　the　decay　of　the

leaves　which　have　been　wafted　on　to　it　so　many　successive　falls；　and

a　bright　green　weed　is　brought　up　on　anchors　even　in　midwinter。

　　　　We　have　one　other　pond　just　like　this；　White　Pond；　in　Nine　Acre

Corner；　about　two　and　a　half　miles　westerly；　but；　though　I　am

acquainted　with　most　of　the　ponds　within　a　dozen　miles　of　this

centre　I　do　not　know　a　third　of　this　pure　and　well…like　character。

Successive　nations　perchance　have　drank　at；　admired；　and　fathomed

it；　and　passed　away；　and　still　its　water　is　green　and　pellucid　as

ever。　　Not　an　intermitting　spring！　　Perhaps　on　that　spring　morning

when　Adam　and　Eve　were　driven　out　of　Eden　Walden　Pond　was　already　in

existence；　and　even　then　breaking　up　in　a　gentle　spring　rain

accompanied　with　mist　and　a　southerly　wind；　and　covered　with　myriads

of　ducks　and　geese；　which　had　not　heard　of　the　fall；　when　still　such

pure　lakes　sufficed　them。　　Even　then　it　had　commenced　to　rise　and

fall；　and　had　clarified　its　waters　and　colored　them　of　the　hue　they

now　wear；　and　obtained　a　patent　of　Heaven　to　be　the　only　Walden　Pond

in　the　world　and　distiller　of　celestial　dews。　　Who　knows　in　how　many

unremembered　nations'　literatures　this　has　been　the　Castalian

Fountain？　or　what　nymphs　presided　over　it　in　the　Golden　Age？　　It　is

a　gem　of　the　first　water　which　Concord　wears　in　her　coronet。

　　　　Yet　perchance　the　first　who　came　to　this　well　have　left　some

trace　of　their　footsteps。　　I　have　been　surprised　to　detect

encircling　the　pond；　even　where　a　thick　wood　has　just　been　cut　down

on　the　shore；　a　narrow　shelf…like　path　in　the　steep　hillside；

alternately　rising　and　falling；　approaching　and　receding　from　the

water's　edge；　as　old　probably　as　the　race　of　man　here；　worn　by　the

feet　of　aboriginal　hunters；　and　still　from　time　to　time　unwittingly

trodden　by　the　present　occupants　of　the　land。　　This　is　particularly

distinct　to　one　standing　on　the　middle　of　the　pond　in　winter；　just

after　a　light　snow　has　fallen；　appearing　as　a　clear　undulating　white

line；　unobscured　by　weeds　and　twigs；　and　very　obvious　a　quarter　of　a

mile　off　in　many　places　where　in　summer　it　is　hardly　distinguishable

close　at　hand。　　The　snow　reprints　it；　as　it　were；　in　clear　white

type　alto…relievo。　　The　ornamented　grounds　of　villas　which　will　one

day　be　built　here　may　still　preserve　some　trace　of　this。

　　　　The　pond　rises　and　falls；　but　whether　regularly　or　not；　and

within　what　period；　nobody　knows；　though；　as　usual；　many　pretend　to

know。　　It　is　commonly　higher　in　the　winter　and　lower　in　the　summer；

though　not　corresponding　to　the　general　wet　and　dryness。　　I　can

remember　when　it　was　a　foot　or　two　lower；　and　also　when　it　was　at

least　five　feet　higher；　than　when　I　lived　by　it。　　There　is　a　narrow

sand…bar　running　into　it；　with　very　deep　water　on　one　side；　on　which

I　helped　boil　a　kettle　of　chowder；　some　six　rods　from　the　main

shore；　about　the　year　1824；　which　it　has　not　been　possible　to　do　for

twenty…five　years；　and；　on　the　other　hand；　my　friends　used　to　listen

with　incredulity　when　I　told　them；　that　a　few　years　later　I　was

accustomed　to　fish　from　a　boat　in　a　secluded　cove　in　the　woods；

fifteen　rods　from　the　only　shore　they　knew；　which　place　was　long

since　converted　into　a　meadow。　　But　the　pond　has　risen　steadily　for

two　years；　and　now；　in　the　summer　of　'52；　is　just　five　feet　higher

than　when　I　lived　there；　or　as　high　as　it　was　thirty　years　ago；　and

fishing　goes　on　again　in　the　meadow。　　This　makes　a　difference　of

level；　at　the　outside；　of　six　or　seven　feet；　and　yet　the　water　shed

by　the　surrounding　hills　is　insignificant　in　amount；　and　this

overflow　must　be　referred　to　causes　which　affect　the　deep　springs。

This　same　summer　the　pond　has　begun　to　fall　again。　　It　is　remarkable

that　this　fluctuation；　whether　periodical　or　not；　appears　thus　to

require　many　years　for　its　accomplishment。　　I　have　observed　one　rise

and　a　part　of　two　falls；　and　I　expect　that　a　dozen　or　fifteen　years

hence　the　water　will　again　be　as　low　as　I　have　ever　known　it。

Flint's　Pond；　a　mile　eastward；　allowing　for　the　disturbance

occasioned　by　its　inlets　and　outlets；　and　the　smaller　intermediate

ponds　also；　sympathize　with　Walden；　and　recently　attained　their

greatest　height　at　the　same　time　with　the　latter。　　The　same　is　true；

as　far　as　my　observation　goes；　of　White　Pond。

　　　　This　rise　and　fall　of　Walden　at　long　intervals　serves　this　use

at　least；　the　water　standing　at　this　great　height　for　a　year　or

more；　though　it　makes　it　difficult　to　walk　round　it；　kills　the

shrubs　and　trees　which　have　sprung　up　about　its　edge　since　the　last

rise　　pitch　pines；　birches；　alders；　aspens；　and　others　　and；

falling　again；　leaves　an　unobstructed　shore；　for；　unlike　many　ponds

and　all　waters　which　are　subject　to　a　daily　tide；　its　shore　is

cleanest　when　the　water　is　lowest。　　On　the　side　of　the　pond　next　my

house　a　row　of　pitch　pines；　fifteen　feet　high；　has　been　killed　and

tipped　over　as　if　by　a　lever；　and　thus　a　stop　put　to　their

encroachments；　and　their　size　indicates　how　many　years　have　elapsed

since　the　last　rise　to　this　height。　　By　this　fluctuation　the　pond

asserts　its　title　to　a　shore；　and　thus　the　shore　is　shorn；　and　the

trees　cannot　hold　it　by　right　of　possession。　　These　are　the　lips　of

the　lake；　on　which　no　beard　grows。　　It　licks　its　chaps　from　time　to

time。　　When　the　water　is　at　its　height；　the　alders；　willows；　and

maples　send　forth　a　mass　of　fibrous　red　roots　several　feet　long　from

all　sides　of　their　stems　in　the　water；　and　to　the　height　of　three　or

four　feet　from　the　ground；　in　the　effort　to　maintain　themselves；　and

I　have　known　the　high　blueberry　bushes　about　the　shore；　which

commonly　produce　no　fruit；　bear　an　abundant　crop　under　these

circumstances。

　　　　Some　have　been　puzzled　to　tell　how　the　shore　became　so　regularly

paved。　　My　townsmen　have　all　heard　the　tradition　　the　oldest

people　tell　me　that　they　heard　it　in　their　youth　　that　anciently

the　Indians　were　holding　a　pow…wow　upon　a　hill　here；　which　rose　as

high　into　the　heavens　as　the　pond　now　sinks　deep　into　the　earth；　and

they　used　much　profanity；　as　the　story　goes；　though　this　vice　is　one

of　which　the　Indians　were　never　guilty；　and　while　they　were　thus

engaged　the　hill　shook　and　suddenly　sank；　and　only　one　old　squaw；

named　Walden；　escaped；　and　from　her　the　pond　was　named。　　It　has　been

conjectured　that　when　the　hill　shook　these　stones　rolled　down　its

side　and　became　the　present　shore。　　It　is　very　certain；　at　any　rate；

that　once　there　was　no　pond　here；　and　now　there　is　one；　and　this

Indian　fable　does　not　in　any　respect　conflict　with　the　account　of

that　ancient　settler　whom　I　have　mentioned；　who　remembers　so　well

when　he　first　came　here　with　his　divining…rod；　saw　a　thin　vapor

rising　from　the　sward；　and　the　hazel　pointed　steadily　downward；　and

he　concluded　to　dig　a　well　here。　　As　for　the　stones；　many　still

think　that　they　are　hardly　to　be　accounted　for　by　the　action　of　the

waves　on　these　hills；　but　I　observe　that　the　surrounding　hills　are

remarkably　full　of　the　same　kind　of　stones；　so　that　they　have　been

obliged　to　pile　them　up　in　walls　on　both　sides　of　the　railroad　cut

nearest　the　pond；　and；　moreover；　there　are　most　stones　where　the

shore　is　most　abrupt；　so　that；　unfortunately；　it　is　no　longer　a

mystery　to　me。　　I　detect　the　paver。　　If　the　name　was　not　derived

from　that　of　some　English　locality　　Saffron　Walden；　for　instance

　one　might　suppose　that　it　was　called　originally　Walled…in　Pond。

　　　　The　pond　was　my　well　ready　dug。　　For　four　months　in　the　year　its

water　is　as　cold　as　it　is　pure　at　all　times；　and　I　think　that　it　is

then　as　good　as　any；　if　not　the　best；　in　the　town。　　In　the　winter；

all　water　which　is　exposed　to　the　air　is　colder　than　springs　and

wells　which　are　protected　from　it。　　The　temperature　of　the　pond

water　which　had　stood　in　the　room　where　I　sat　from　five　o'clock　in

the　afternoon　till　noon　the　next　day；　the　sixth　of　March；　1846；　the

thermometer　having　been　up　to　65x　or　70x　some　of　the　time；　owing

partly　to　the　sun　on　the　roof；　was　42x；　or　one　degree　colder　than

the　water　of　one　of　the　coldest　wells　in　the　village　just　drawn。

The　temperature　of　the　Boiling　Spring　the　same　day　was　45x；　or　the

warmest　of　any　water　tried；　though　it　is　the　coldest　that　I　know　of

in　summer；　when；　beside；　shallow　and　stagnant　surface　water　is　not

mingled　with　it。　　Moreover；　in　summer；　Walden　neve