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IN THE TULES
He had never seen a steamboat in his life。 Born and reared in one
of the Western Territories； far from a navigable river； he had only
known the 〃dugout〃 or canoe as a means of conveyance across the
scant streams whose fordable waters made even those scarcely a
necessity。 The long； narrow； hooded wagon； drawn by swaying oxen；
known familiarly as a 〃prairie schooner；〃 in which he journeyed
across the plains to California in '53； did not help his conception
by that nautical figure。 And when at last he dropped upon the land
of promise through one of the Southern mountain passes he halted
all unconsciously upon the low banks of a great yellow river amidst
a tangled brake of strange； reed…like grasses that were unknown to
him。 The river； broadening as it debouched through many channels
into a lordly bay； seemed to him the ULTIMA THULE of his
journeyings。 Unyoking his oxen on the edge of the luxuriant
meadows which blended with scarcely any line of demarcation into
the great stream itself； he found the prospect 〃good〃 according to
his lights and prairial experiences； and； converting his halted
wagon into a temporary cabin； he resolved to rest here and
〃settle。〃
There was little difficulty in so doing。 The cultivated clearings
he had passed were few and far between； the land would be his by
discovery and occupation； his habits of loneliness and self…
reliance made him independent of neighbors。 He took his first meal
in his new solitude under a spreading willow； but so near his
natural boundary that the waters gurgled and oozed in the reeds but
a few feet from him。 The sun sank； deepening the gold of the river
until it might have been the stream of Pactolus itself。 But Martin
Morse had no imagination； he was not even a gold…seeker； he had
simply obeyed the roving instincts of the frontiersman in coming
hither。 The land was virgin and unoccupied； it was his； he was
alone。 These questions settled； he smoked his pipe with less
concern over his three thousand miles' transference of habitation
than the man of cities who had moved into a next street。 When the
sun sank； he rolled himself in his blankets in the wagon bed and
went quietly to sleep。
But he was presently awakened by something which at first he could
not determine to be a noise or an intangible sensation。 It was a
deep throbbing through the silence of the nighta pulsation that
seemed even to be communicated to the rude bed whereon he lay。 As
it came nearer it separated itself into a labored； monotonous
panting； continuous； but distinct from an equally monotonous but
fainter beating of the waters； as if the whole track of the river
were being coursed and trodden by a multitude of swiftly trampling
feet。 A strange feeling took possession of himhalf of fear； half
of curious expectation。 It was coming nearer。 He rose； leaped
hurriedly from the wagon； and ran to the bank。 The night was dark；
at first he saw nothing before him but the steel…black sky pierced
with far…spaced； irregularly scattered stars。 Then there seemed to
be approaching him； from the left； another and more symmetrical
constellationa few red and blue stars high above the river； with
three compact lines of larger planetary lights flashing towards him
and apparently on his own level。 It was almost upon him； he
involuntarily drew back as the strange phenomenon swept abreast of
where he stood； and resolved itself into a dark yet airy bulk；
whose vagueness； topped by enormous towers； was yet illuminated by
those open squares of light that he had taken for stars； but which
he saw now were brilliantly lit windows。
Their vivid rays shot through the reeds and sent broad bands across
the meadow； the stationary wagon； and the slumbering oxen。 But all
this was nothing to the inner life they disclosed through lifted
curtains and open blinds； which was the crowning revelation of this
strange and wonderful spectacle。 Elegantly dressed men and women
moved through brilliantly lit and elaborately gilt saloons； in one
a banquet seemed to be spread； served by white…jacketed servants；
in another were men playing cards around marble…topped tables； in
another the light flashed back again from the mirrors and
glistening glasses and decanters of a gorgeous refreshment saloon；
in smaller openings there was the shy disclosure of dainty white
curtains and velvet lounges of more intimate apartments。
Martin Morse stood enthralled and mystified。 It was as if some
invisible Asmodeus had revealed to this simple frontiersman a world
of which he had never dreamed。 It was THE worlda world of which
he knew nothing in his simple； rustic habits and profound Western
isolationsweeping by him with the rush of an unknown planet。 In
another moment it was gone； a shower of sparks shot up from one of
the towers and fell all around him； and then vanished； even as he
remembered the set piece of 〃Fourth of July〃 fireworks had vanished
in his own rural town when he was a boy。 The darkness fell with it
too。 But such was his utter absorption and breathless
preoccupation that only a cold chill recalled him to himself； and
he found he was standing mid…leg deep in the surge cast over the
low banks by this passage of the first steamboat he had ever seen！
He waited for it the next night； when it appeared a little later
from the opposite direction on its return trip。 He watched it the
next night and the next。 Hereafter he never missed it； coming or
goingwhatever the hard and weary preoccupations of his new and
lonely life。 He felt he could not have slept without seeing it go
by。 Oddly enough； his interest and desire did not go further。
Even had he the time and money to spend in a passage on the boat；
and thus actively realize the great world of which he had only
these rare glimpses； a certain proud； rustic shyness kept him from
it。 It was not HIS world； he could not affront the snubs that his
ignorance and inexperience would have provoked； and he was dimly
conscious； as so many of us are in our ignorance； that in mingling
with it he would simply lose the easy privileges of alien
criticism。 For there was much that he did not understand； and some
things that grated upon his lonely independence。
One night； a lighter one than those previous； he lingered a little
longer in the moonlight to watch the phosphorescent wake of the
retreating boat。 Suddenly it struck him that there was a certain
irregular splashing in the water； quite different from the regular；
diagonally crossing surges that the boat swept upon the bank。
Looking at it more intently； he saw a black object turning in the
water like a porpoise； and then the unmistakable uplifting of a
black arm in an unskillful swimmer's overhand stroke。 It was a
struggling man。 But it was quickly evident that the current was
too strong and the turbulence of the shallow water too great for
his efforts。 Without a moment's hesitation；