Sounds

i>bor-r-r-r-n!comesfaintlyfromfarintheLincolnwoods. Iwasalsoserenadedbyahootingowl.NearathandyoucouldfancyitthemostmelancholysoundinNature,asifshemeantbythistostereotypeandmakepermanentinherchoirthedyingmoansofahumanbeing,—somepoorweakrelicofmortalitywhohaslefthopebehind,andhowlslikeananimal,yetwithhumansobs,onenteringthedarkvalley,mademoreawfulbyacertaingurglingmelodiousness,—IfindmyselfbeginningwiththelettersglwhenItrytoimitateit,—expressiveofamindwhichhasreachedthegelatinousmildewystageinthemortificationofallhealthyandcourageousthought.Itremindedmeofghoulsandidiotsandinsanehowlings.Butnowoneanswersfromfarwoodsinastrainmadereallymelodiousbydistance,—Hoohoohoo,hoorerhooandindeedforthemostpartitsuggestedonlypleasingassociations,whetherheardbydayornight,summerorwinter. Irejoicethatthereareowls.Letthemdotheidioticandmaniacalhootingformen.Itisasoundadmirablysuitedtoswampsandtwilightwoodswhichnodayillustrates,suggestingavastandundevelopednaturewhichmenhavenotrecognized.Theyrepresentthestarktwilightandunsatisfiedthoughtswhichallhave.Alldaythesunhasshoneonthesurfaceofsomesavageswamp,wherethesinglesprucestandshungwithusnealichens,andsmallhawkscirculateabove,andthechickadeelispsamidtheevergreens,andthepartridgeandrabbitskulkbeneathbutnowamoredismalandfittingdaydawns,andadifferentraceofcreaturesawakestoexpressthemeaningofNaturethere. LateintheeveningIheardthedistantrumblingofwagonsoverbridges,—asoundheardfartherthanalmostanyotheratnight,—thebayingofdogs,andsometimesagainthelowingofsomedisconsolatecowinadistantbarn-yard.Inthemeanwhilealltheshorerangwiththetrumpofbullfrogs,thesturdyspiritsofancientwine-bibbersandwassailers,stillunrepentant,tryingtosingacatchintheirStygianlake,—iftheWaldennymphswillpardonthecomparison,forthoughtherearealmostnoweeds,therearefrogsthere,—whowouldfainkeepupthehilariousrulesoftheiroldfestaltables,thoughtheirvoiceshavewaxedhoarseandsolemnlygrave,mockingatmirth,andthewinehaslostitsflavor,andbecomeonlyliquortodistendtheirpaunches,andsweetintoxicationnevercomestodrownthememoryofthepast,butmeresaturationandwaterloggednessanddistention.Themostaldermanic,withhischinuponaheart-leaf,whichservesforanapkintohisdroolingchaps,underthisnorthernshorequaffsadeepdraughtoftheoncescornedwater,andpassesroundthecupwiththeejaculationtr-r-r-oonk,tr-r-r-oonk,tr-r-r-oonk!andstraightwaycomesoverthewaterfromsomedistantcovethesamepasswordrepeated,wherethenextinseniorityandgirthhasgulpeddowntohismarkandwhenthisobservancehasmadethecircuitoftheshores,thenejaculatesthemasterofceremonies,withsatisfaction,tr-r-r-oonk!andeachinhisturnrepeatsthesamedowntotheleastdistended,leakiest,andflabbiestpaunched,thattherebenomistakeandthenthebowlgoesroundagainandagain,untilthesundispersesthemorningmist,andonlythepatriarchisnotunderthepond,butvainlybellowingtroonkfromtimetotime,andpausingforareply. IamnotsurethatIeverheardthesoundofcock-crowingfrommyclearing,andIthoughtthatitmightbeworththewhiletokeepacockerelforhismusicmerely,asasingingbird.ThenoteofthisoncewildIndianpheasantiscertainlythemostremarkableofanybird’s,andiftheycouldbenaturalizedwithoutbeingdomesticated,itwouldsoonbecomethemostfamoussoundinourwoods,surpassingtheclangorofthegooseandthehootingoftheowlandthenimaginethecacklingofthehenstofillthepauseswhentheirlords’clarionsrested!Nowonderthatmanaddedthisbirdtohistamestock,—tosaynothingoftheeggsanddrumsticks.Towalkinawintermorninginawoodwherethesebirdsabounded,theirnativewoods,andhearthewildcockerelscrowonthetrees,clearandshrillformilesovertheresoundingearth,drowningthefeeblernotesofotherbirds,—thinkofit!Itwouldputnationsonthealert.Whowouldnotbeearlytorise,andriseearlierandearliereverysuccessivedayofhislife,tillhebecameunspeakablyhealthy,wealthy,andwise?Thisforeignbird’snoteiscelebratedbythepoetsofallcountriesalongwiththenotesoftheirnativesongsters.AllclimatesagreewithbraveChanticleer.Heismoreindigenouseventhanthenatives.Hishealthisevergood,hislungsaresound,hisspiritsneverflag.EventhesailorontheAtlanticandPacificisawakenedbyhisvoicebutitsshrillsoundneverrousedmefrommyslumbers.Ikeptneitherdog,cat,cow,pig,norhens,sothatyouwouldhavesaidtherewasadeficiencyofdomesticsoundsneitherthechurn,northespinningwheel,noreventhesingingofthekettle,northehissingoftheurn,norchildrencrying,tocomfortone.Anold-fashionedmanwouldhavelosthissensesordiedofennuibeforethis.Notevenratsinthewall,fortheywerestarvedout,orratherwereneverbaitedin,—onlysquirrelsontheroofandunderthefloor,awhippoorwillontheridgepole,ablue-jayscreamingbeneaththewindow,ahareorwoodchuckunderthehouse,ascreech-owloracat-owlbehindit,aflockofwildgeeseoralaughingloononthepond,andafoxtobarkinthenight.Notevenalarkoranoriole,thosemildplantationbirds,evervisitedmyclearing.Nocockerelstocrownorhenstocackleintheyard.Noyard!butunfencedNaturereachinguptoyourverysills.Ayoungforestgrowingupunderyourmeadows,andwildsumachsandblackberryvinesbreakingthroughintoyourcellarsturdypitchpinesrubbingandcreakingagainsttheshinglesforwantofroom,theirrootsreachingquiteunderthehouse.Insteadofascuttleorablindblownoffinthegale,—apinetreesnappedoffortornupbytherootsbehindyourhouseforfuel.Insteadofnopathtothefront-yardgateintheGreatSnow,—nogate,—nofront-yard,—andnopathtothecivilizedworld!