the uncommercial traveller-第48章

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WOULD　a　stranger　suppose　these　emigrants　to　be！'



The　vigilant；　bright　face　of　the　weather…browned　captain　of　the

Amazon　is　at　my　shoulder；　and　he　says；　'What；　indeed！　　The　most　of

these　came　aboard　yesterday　evening。　　They　came　from　various　parts

of　England　in　small　parties　that　had　never　seen　one　another　before。

Yet　they　had　not　been　a　couple　of　hours　on　board；　when　they

established　their　own　police；　made　their　own　regulations；　and　set

their　own　watches　at　all　the　hatchways。　　Before　nine　o'clock；　the

ship　was　as　orderly　and　as　quiet　as　a　man…of…war。'



I　looked　about　me　again；　and　saw　the　letter…writing　going　on　with

the　most　curious　composure。　　Perfectly　abstracted　in　the　midst　of

the　crowd；　while　great　casks　were　swinging　aloft；　and　being　lowered

into　the　hold；　while　hot　agents　were　hurrying　up　and　down；

adjusting　the　interminable　accounts；　while　two　hundred　strangers

were　searching　everywhere　for　two　hundred　other　strangers；　and　were

asking　questions　about　them　of　two　hundred　more；　while　the　children

played　up　and　down　all　the　steps；　and　in　and　out　among　all　the

people's　legs；　and　were　beheld；　to　the　general　dismay；　toppling

over　all　the　dangerous　places；　the　letter…writers　wrote　on　calmly。

On　the　starboard　side　of　the　ship；　a　grizzled　man　dictated　a　long

letter　to　another　grizzled　man　in　an　immense　fur　cap：　　which　letter

was　of　so　profound　a　quality；　that　it　became　necessary　for　the

amanuensis　at　intervals　to　take　off　his　fur　cap　in　both　his　hands；

for　the　ventilation　of　his　brain；　and　stare　at　him　who　dictated；　as

a　man　of　many　mysteries　who　was　worth　looking　at。　　On　the　lar…board

side；　a　woman　had　covered　a　belaying…pin　with　a　white　cloth　to　make

a　neat　desk　of　it；　and　was　sitting　on　a　little　box；　writing　with

the　deliberation　of　a　bookkeeper。　　Down；　upon　her　breast　on　the

planks　of　the　deck　at　this　woman's　feet；　with　her　head　diving　in

under　a　beam　of　the　bulwarks　on　that　side；　as　an　eligible　place　of

refuge　for　her　sheet　of　paper；　a　neat　and　pretty　girl　wrote　for　a

good　hour　（she　fainted　at　last）；　only　rising　to　the　surface

occasionally　for　a　dip　of　ink。　　Alongside　the　boat；　close　to　me　on

the　poop…deck；　another　girl；　a　fresh；　well…grown　country　girl；　was

writing　another　letter　on　the　bare　deck。　　Later　in　the　day；　when

this　self…same　boat　was　filled　with　a　choir　who　sang　glees　and

catches　for　a　long　time；　one　of　the　singers；　a　girl；　sang　her　part

mechanically　all　the　while；　and　wrote　a　letter　in　the　bottom　of　the

boat　while　doing　so。



'A　stranger　would　be　puzzled　to　guess　the　right　name　for　these

people；　Mr。　Uncommercial；'　says　the　captain。



'Indeed　he　would。'



'If　you　hadn't　known；　could　you　ever　have　supposed　…　？'



'How　could　I！　　I　should　have　said　they　were　in　their　degree；　the

pick　and　flower　of　England。'



'So　should　I；'　says　the　captain。



'How　many　are　they？'



'Eight　hundred　in　round　numbers。'



I　went　between…decks；　where　the　families　with　children　swarmed　in

the　dark；　where　unavoidable　confusion　had　been　caused　by　the　last

arrivals；　and　where　the　confusion　was　increased　by　the　little

preparations　for　dinner　that　were　going　on　in　each　group。　　A　few

women　here　and　there；　had　got　lost；　and　were　laughing　at　it；　and

asking　their　way　to　their　own　people；　or　out　on　deck　again。　　A　few

of　the　poor　children　were　crying；　but　otherwise　the　universal

cheerfulness　was　amazing。　　'We　shall　shake　down　by　to…morrow。'　　'We

shall　come　all　right　in　a　day　or　so。'　　'We　shall　have　more　light　at

sea。'　　Such　phrases　I　heard　everywhere；　as　I　groped　my　way　among

chests　and　barrels　and　beams　and　unstowed　cargo　and　ring…bolts　and

Emigrants；　down　to　the　lower…deck；　and　thence　up　to　the　light　of

day　again；　and　to　my　former　station。



Surely；　an　extraordinary　people　in　their　power　of　self…abstraction！

All　the　former　letter…writers　were　still　writing　calmly；　and　many

more　letter…writers　had　broken　out　in　my　absence。　　A　boy　with　a　bag

of　books　in　his　hand　and　a　slate　under　his　arm；　emerged　from　below；

concentrated　himself　in　my　neighbourhood　（espying　a　convenient

skylight　for　his　purpose）；　and　went　to　work　at　a　sum　as　if　he　were

stone　deaf。　　A　father　and　mother　and　several　young　children；　on　the

main　deck　below　me；　had　formed　a　family　circle　close　to　the　foot　of

the　crowded　restless　gangway；　where　the　children　made　a　nest　for

themselves　in　a　coil　of　rope；　and　the　father　and　mother；　she

suckling　the　youngest；　discussed　family　affairs　as　peaceably　as　if

they　were　in　perfect　retirement。　　I　think　the　most　noticeable

characteristic　in　the　eight　hundred　as　a　mass；　was　their　exemption

from　hurry。



Eight　hundred　what？　　'Geese；　villain？'　　EIGHT　HUNDRED　MORMONS。　　I；

Uncommercial　Traveller　for　the　firm　of　Human　Interest　Brothers；　had

come　aboard　this　Emigrant　Ship　to　see　what　Eight　hundred　Latter…day

Saints　were　like；　and　I　found　them　（to　the　rout　and　overthrow　of

all　my　expectations）　like　what　I　now　describe　with　scrupulous

exactness。



The　Mormon　Agent　who　had　been　active　in　getting　them　together；　and

in　making　the　contract　with　my　friends　the　owners　of　the　ship　to

take　them　as　far　as　New　York　on　their　way　to　the　Great　Salt　Lake；

was　pointed　out　to　me。　　A　compactly…made　handsome　man　in　black；

rather　short；　with　rich　brown　hair　and　beard；　and　clear　bright

eyes。　　From　his　speech；　I　should　set　him　down　as　American。

Probably；　a　man　who　had　'knocked　about　the　world'　pretty　much。　　A

man　with　a　frank　open　manner；　and　unshrinking　look；　withal　a　man　of

great　quickness。　　I　believe　he　was　wholly　ignorant　of　my

Uncommercial　individuality；　and　consequently　of　my　immense

Uncommercial　importance。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　These　are　a　very　fine　set　of　people　you　have　brought

together　here。



MORMON　AGENT。　　Yes；　sir；　they　are　a　VERY　fine　set　of　people。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（looking　about）。　　Indeed；　I　think　it　would　be

difficult　to　find　Eight　hundred　people　together　anywhere　else；　and

find　so　much　beauty　and　so　much　strength　and　capacity　for　work

among　them。



MORMON　AGENT　（not　looking　about；　but　looking　steadily　at

Uncommercial）。　　I　think　so。　…　We　sent　out　about　a　thousand　more；

yes'day；　from　Liverpool。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　You　are　not　going　with　these　emigrants？



MORMON　AGENT。　　No；　sir。　　I　remain。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　But　you　have　been　in　the　Mormon　Territory？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Yes；　I　left　Utah　about　three　years　ago。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　It　is　surprising　to　me　that　these　people　are　all　so

cheery；　and　make　so　little　of　the　immense　distance　before　them。



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　you　see；　many　of　'em　have　friends　out　at　Utah；

and　many　of　'em　look　forward　to　meeting　friends　on　the　way。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　On　the　way？



MORMON　AGENT。　　This　way　'tis。　　This　ship　lands　'em　in　New　York

City。　　Then　they　go　on　by　rail　right　away　beyond　St。　Louis；　to　that

part　of　the　Banks　of　the　Missouri　where　they　strike　the　Plains。

There；　waggons　from　the　settlement　meet　'em　to　bear　'em　company　on

their　journey　'cross…twelve　hundred　miles　about。　　Industrious

people　who　come　out　to　the　settlement　soon　get　waggons　of　their

own；　and　so　the　friends　of　some　of　these　will　come　down　in　their

own　waggons　to　meet　'em。　　They　look　forward　to　that；　greatly。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　On　their　long　journey　across　the　Desert；　do　you　arm

them？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Mostly　you　would　find　they　have　arms　of　some　kind　or

another　already　with　them。　　Such　as　had　not　arms　we　should　arm

across　the　Plains；　for　the　general　protection　and　defence。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Will　these　waggons　bring　down　any　produce　to　the

Missouri？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　since　the　war　broke　out；　we've　taken　to

growing　cotton；　and　they'll　likely　bring　down　cotton　to　be

exchanged　for　machinery。　　We　want　machinery。　　Also　we　have　taken　to

growing　indigo；　which　is　a　fine　commodity　for　profit。　　It　has　been

found　that　the　climate　on　the　further　side　of　the　Great　Salt　Lake

suits　well　for　raising　indigo。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　I　am　told　that　these　people　now　on　board　are

principally　from　the　South　of　England？



MORMON　AGENT。　　And　from　Wales。　　That's　true。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Do　you　get　many　Scotch？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Not　many。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Highlanders；　for　instance？



MORMON　AGENT。　　No；　not　Highlanders。　　They　ain't　interested　enough

in　universal　brotherhood　and　peace　and　good　will。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　The　old　fighting　blood　is　strong　in　them？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　yes。　　And　besides；　they've　no　faith。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（who　has　been　burning　to　get　at　the　Prophet　Joe　Smith；

and　seems　to　discover　an　opening）。　　Faith　in　…　！



MORMON　AGENT　（far　too　many　for　Uncommercial）。　　Well。　…　In　anything！



Similarly　on　this　same　head；　the　Uncommercial　underwent

discomfiture　from　a　Wiltshire　labourer：　　a　simple；　fresh…coloured

farm…labourer；　of　eight…and…thirty；　who　at　one　time　stood　beside

him　looking　on　at　new　arrivals；　and　with　whom　he　held　this

dialogue：



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Would　you　mind　my　asking　you　what　part　of　the

country　you　come　from？



WILTSHIRE。　　Not　a　bit。　　Theer！　（exultingly）　I've　worked　all　my　life

o'　Salisbury　Plain；　right　under　the　shadder　o'　Stonehenge。　　You

mightn't　think　it；　but　I　haive。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　And　a　pleasant　country　too。



WILTSHIRE。　　Ah！　　'Tis　a　pleasant　country。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Have　you　any　family　on　board？



WILTSHIRE。　　Two　children；　boy　and　gal。　　I　am　a　widderer；　I　am；　and

I'm　going　out　alonger　my　boy　and　gal。　　That's　my　gal；　and　she's　a

fine　gal　o'　sixteen　（pointing　out　the　girl　who　is　writing　by　the

boat）。　　I'll　go　and　fetch　my　boy。　　I'd　like　to　show　you　my　boy。

（Here　Wiltshire　disappears；　and　presently　comes　back　with　a　big；

shy　boy　of　twelve；　in　a　superabundance　of　boots；　who　is　not　at　all

glad　to　be　presented。）　　He　is　a　fine　boy　too；　and　a　boy　fur　to

work！　　（Boy　having　undutifully　bolted；　Wiltshire　drops　him。）



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　It　must　cost　you　a　great　deal　of　money　to　go　so　far；

three　strong。



WILTSHIRE。　　A　power　of　money。　　Theer！　　Eight　shillen　a　week；　eight

shillen　a　week；　eight　shillen　a　week；　put　by　out　of　the　week's

wages　for　ever　so　long。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　I　wonder　how　you　did　it。



WILTSHIRE　（recognising　in　this　a　kindred　spirit）。　　See　theer　now！

I　wonder　how　I　done　it！　　But　what　with　a　bit　o'　subscription　heer；

and　what　with　a　bit　o'　help　theer；　it　were　done　at　last；　though　I

don't　hardly　know　how。　　Then　it　were　unfort'net　for　us；　you　see；　as

we　got　kep'　in　Bristol　so　long　…　nigh　a　fortnight；　it　were　…　on

accounts　of　a　mistake　wi'　Brother　Halliday。　　Swaller'd　up　money；　it

did；　when　we　might　have　come　straight　on。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（delicately　approaching　Joe　Smith）。　　You　are　of　the

Mormon　religion；　of　course？



WILTSHIRE　（confidently）。　　O　yes；　I'm　a　Mormon。　　（Then

reflectively。）　　I'm　a　Mormon。　　（Then；　looking　round　the　ship；

feigns　to　descry　a　particular　friend　in　an　empty　spot；　and　evades

the　Uncommercial　for　evermore。）



After　a　noontide　pause　fo