The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1917-05-30
THE Gold Bug
BY Edgar Allen Poe

land, proceeded in a northwesterly
direction, through tract OF coun-
try excessively wild and desolate
where no trace of human foot
step was to be seen. Legrand led
the way with decision: pausing
only for an instant, here and there
to be certain of landmarks of his
own contrivance upon a former oc-
casion.
In this manner we journeyed
for about two hours, and the sun
was just setting when we entered
a region infinitely more dreary
than any yet seen. 1t was species
of tableland, near the summit of
an almost inaccessible HILL dense
| ly wooded from base to pinnacle,
and interspersed with huge crags
that appeared to lie loosely upon
! the soil, and in many cases were
prevented from precipitating them
selves into the valleys below,
merely by the support of the trees
against which they reclined. Deep
ravines, in various directions, gave
an air of still sterner solemnity to
the scene.
The natural platform to which
we had clambered was thickly
overgrown with brambles, through
which we soon discovered that it
would have been impossible to
force our way but for the
lscythe; and Jupiter, by direction
of his master, proceeded to clear
for us apath to the foot of an
enormously tall tulip-tree, which
stood, with some eight or ten oaks,
upon the level, and far surpassed
them all, and all other trees which
| had ever seen, in the beauty of
its foliage and form, in the wide
spread of its branches, and in the
general majesty of its appearance.
When we reached this tree, Le-
grand turned to Jupiter, and
asked him if he thought he could
climb 1t. The old man seemed
little staggered by the question,
and for some moments made no
reply. At length he approached
the huge trunk, walked slowly
around it, and examined it with
minute attention. When he had
completed his scrutiny, he merely
said:
yes, massa, Jup climb any tree
he ebber see in he life
"Then up with you as soon as
possible, for it will soon be too
dark to see what we are about"
How far mus | go up, nassau
inquired Jupiter.
Get up the main trunk first,
and then / will tell you which way
to go-and here-stop! take this
beetle with you"
de bug, Massa Will!--de goole-
bug!" cried the negro, drawing
back in dismay-"what fer mus l
tote de bug way up de tree?-d-n
II | dol"
IF you are afraid, Jup, a great
big negro like you, to take hold
Of a harmless little dead beetle,
why you carry 1t up by this string
but, If you do not take it up
with you in some way l shall be
under the necessity of breaking
your head with this shovel"
what de matter now, NASSAU"
said Jup, evidently shamed into
compliance, always want for to
raise fuss wild old niger. Was
only funnin anyhow. Me feered de
bug! What l ker for de Dug"
Here he took cautiously hold of
the extreme end of the string, and
maintaining the insect as far from
his person as circumstances would
permit, prepared to ascend the
tree.
In youth, the tulip-tree or Lirio-
dendron Tulipiferum, the most
magnificent of American foresters,
has a trunk peculiarly smooth, and
often rises to a great height with
out lateral branches; but, in its
ripper age, the bark becomes
gnarled and uneven, while many
short limbs make their appear
ance on the stem. Thus the diff
ficulty of ascension, In the present
case, lay more in semblance than
in reality.
Embracing the huge cylinder, as
closely as possible, with his arms
and knees, Selling with his hands
some projections, and resting hie
naked toes upon others, Jupiter,
after one or two narrow escapes
from falling, at length wriggled
himself into the first great fork,
and seemed to consider the whole
business as virtually accomplished.
THE risk of the achievement was,
in fact, now over, although the
climber was some so or 70 feet
from the ground.
| (Which way mus 20 now. Massa
WIFI" he asked.