the silverado squatters-第15章

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whole　family　was　gathered　together　as　for　a　marriage　or　a　

christening。　　Strong　was　sitting　at　work；　in　the　shade　of　the　

dwarf　madronas　near　the　forge；　and　they　planted　themselves　

about　him　in　a　circle；　one　on　a　stone；　another　on　the　waggon　

rails；　a　third　on　a　piece　of　plank。　　Gradually　the　children　

stole　away　up　the　canyon　to　where　there　was　another　chute；　

somewhat　smaller　than　the　one　across　the　dump；　and　down　this　

chute；　for　the　rest　of　the　afternoon；　they　poured　one　

avalanche　of　stones　after　another；　waking　the　echoes　of　the　

glen。　　Meantime　we　elders　sat　together　on　the　platform；　

Hanson　and　his　friend　smoking　in　silence　like　Indian　sachems；　

Mrs。　Hanson　rattling　on　as　usual　with　an　adroit　volubility；　

saying　nothing；　but　keeping　the　party　at　their　ease　like　a　

courtly　hostess。



Not　a　word　occurred　about　the　business　of　the　day。　　Once；　

twice；　and　thrice　I　tried　to　slide　the　subject　in；　but　was　

discouraged　by　the　stoic　apathy　of　Rufe；　and　beaten　down　

before　the　pouring　verbiage　of　his　wife。　　There　is　nothing　of　

the　Indian　brave　about　me；　and　I　began　to　grill　with　

impatience。　　At　last；　like　a　highway　robber；　I　cornered　

Hanson；　and　bade　him　stand　and　deliver　his　business。　　

Thereupon　he　gravely　rose；　as　though　to　hint　that　this　was　

not　a　proper　place；　nor　the　subject　one　suitable　for　squaws；　

and　I；　following　his　example；　led　him　up　the　plank　into　our　

barrack。　　There　he　bestowed　himself　on　a　box；　and　unrolled　

his　papers　with　fastidious　deliberation。　　There　were　two　

sheets　of　note…paper；　and　an　old　mining　notice；　dated　May　

30th；　1879；　part　print；　part　manuscript；　and　the　latter　much　

obliterated　by　the　rains。　　It　was　by　this　identical　piece　of　

paper　that　the　mine　had　been　held　last　year。　　For　thirteen　

months　it　had　endured　the　weather　and　the　change　of　seasons　

on　a　cairn　behind　the　shoulder　of　the　canyon；　and　it　was　now　

my　business；　spreading　it　before　me　on　the　table；　and　sitting　

on　a　valise；　to　copy　its　terms；　with　some　necessary　changes；　

twice　over　on　the　two　sheets　of　note…paper。　　One　was　then　to　

be　placed　on　the　same　cairn　…　a　〃mound　of　rocks〃　the　notice　

put　it；　and　the　other　to　be　lodged　for　registration。



Rufe　watched　me；　silently　smoking；　till　I　came　to　the　place　

for　the　locator's　name　at　the　end　of　the　first　copy；　and　when　

I　proposed　that　he　should　sign；　I　thought　I　saw　a　scare　in　

his　eye。　　〃I　don't　think　that'll　be　necessary；〃　he　said　

slowly；　〃just　you　write　it　down。〃　　Perhaps　this　mighty　

hunter；　who　was　the　most　active　member　of　the　local　school　

board；　could　not　write。　　There　would　be　nothing　strange　in　

that。　　The　constable　of　Calistoga　is；　and　has　been　for　years；　

a　bed…ridden　man；　and；　if　I　remember　rightly；　blind。　　He　had　

more　need　of　the　emoluments　than　another；　it　was　explained；　

and　it　was　easy　for　him　to　〃depytize；〃　with　a　strong　accent　

on　the　last。　　So　friendly　and　so　free　are　popular　

institutions。



When　I　had　done　my　scrivening；　Hanson　strolled　out；　and　

addressed　Breedlove；　〃Will　you　step　up　here　a　bit？〃　and　after　

they　had　disappeared　a　little　while　into　the　chaparral　and　

madrona　thicket；　they　came　back　again；　minus　a　notice；　and　

the　deed　was　done。　　The　claim　was　jumped；　a　tract　of　

mountain…side；　fifteen　hundred　feet　long　by　six　hundred　wide；　

with　all　the　earth's　precious　bowels；　had　passed　from　Ronalds　

to　Hanson；　and；　in　the　passage；　changed　its　name　from　the　

〃Mammoth〃　to　the　〃Calistoga。〃　　I　had　tried　to　get　Rufe　to　

call　it　after　his　wife；　after　himself；　and　after　Garfield；　

the　Republican　Presidential　candidate　of　the　hour　…　since　

then　elected；　and；　alas！　dead　…　but　all　was　in　vain。　　The　

claim　had　once　been　called　the　Calistoga　before；　and　he　

seemed　to　feel　safety　in　returning　to　that。



And　so　the　history　of　that　mine　became　once　more　plunged　in　

darkness；　lit　only　by　some　monster　pyrotechnical　displays　of　

gossip。　　And　perhaps　the　most　curious　feature　of　the　whole　

matter　is　this：　　that　we　should　have　dwelt　in　this　quiet　

corner　of　the　mountains；　with　not　a　dozen　neighbours；　and　yet　

struggled　all　the　while；　like　desperate　swimmers；　in　this　sea　

of　falsities　and　contradictions。　　Wherever　a　man　is；　there　

will　be　a　lie。







TOILS　AND　PLEASURES







I　MUST　try　to　convey　some　notion　of　our　life；　of　how　the　days　

passed　and　what　pleasure　we　took　in　them；　of　what　there　was　

to　do　and　how　we　set　about　doing　it；　in　our　mountain　

hermitage。　　The　house；　after　we　had　repaired　the　worst　of　the　

damages；　and　filled　in　some　of　the　doors　and　windows　with　

white　cotton　cloth；　became　a　healthy　and　a　pleasant　dwelling…

place；　always　airy　and　dry；　and　haunted　by　the　outdoor　

perfumes　of　the　glen。　　Within；　it　had　the　look　of　habitation；　

the　human　look。　　You　had　only　to　go　into　the　third　room；　

which　we　did　not　use；　and　see　its　stones；　its　sifting　earth；　

its　tumbled　litter；　and　then　return　to　our　lodging；　with　the　

beds　made；　the　plates　on　the　rack；　the　pail　of　bright　water　

behind　the　door；　the　stove　crackling　in　a　corner；　and　perhaps　

the　table　roughly　laid　against　a　meal；　…　and　man's　order；　the　

little　clean　spots　that　he　creates　to　dwell　in；　were　at　once　

contrasted　with　the　rich　passivity　of　nature。　　And　yet　our　

house　was　everywhere　so　wrecked　and　shattered；　the　air　came　

and　went　so　freely；　the　sun　found　so　many　portholes；　the　

golden　outdoor　glow　shone　in　so　many　open　chinks；　that　we　

enjoyed；　at　the　same　time；　some　of　the　comforts　of　a　roof　and　

much　of　the　gaiety　and　brightness　of　al　fresco　life。　　A　

single　shower　of　rain；　to　be　sure；　and　we　should　have　been　

drowned　out　like　mice。　　But　ours　was　a　Californian　summer；　

and　an　earthquake　was　a　far　likelier　accident　than　a　shower　

of　rain。



Trustful　in　this　fine　weather；　we　kept　the　house　for　kitchen　

and　bedroom；　and　used　the　platform　as　our　summer　parlour。　　

The　sense　of　privacy；　as　I　have　said　already；　was　complete。　　

We　could　look　over　the　clump　on　miles　of　forest　and　rough　

hilltop；　our　eyes　commanded　some　of　Napa　Valley；　where　the　

train　ran；　and　the　little　country　townships　sat　so　close　

together　along　the　line　of　the　rail。　　But　here　there　was　no　

man　to　intrude。　　None　but　the　Hansons　were　our　visitors。　　

Even　they　came　but　at　long　intervals；　or　twice　daily；　at　a　

stated　hour；　with　milk。　　So　our　days；　as　they　were　never　

interrupted；　drew　out　to　the　greater　length；　hour　melted　

insensibly　into　hour；　the　household　duties；　though　they　were　

many；　and　some　of　them　laborious；　dwindled　into　mere　islets　

of　business　in　a　sea　of　sunny　day…time；　and　it　appears　to　me；　

looking　back；　as　though　the　far　greater　part　of　our　life　at　

Silverado　had　been　passed；　propped　upon　an　elbow；　or　seated　

on　a　plank；　listening　to　the　silence　that　there　is　among　the　

hills。



My　work；　it　is　true；　was　over　early　in　the　morning。　　I　rose　

before　any　one　else；　lit　the　stove；　put　on　the　water　to　boil；　

and　strolled　forth　upon　the　platform　to　wait　till　it　was　

ready。　　Silverado　would　then　be　still　in　shadow；　the　sun　

shining　on　the　mountain　higher　up。　　A　clean　smell　of　trees；　a　

smell　of　the　earth　at　morning；　hung　in　the　air。　　Regularly；　

every　day；　there　was　a　single　bird；　not　singing；　but　

awkwardly　chirruping　among　the　green　madronas；　and　the　sound　

was　cheerful；　natural；　and　stirring。　　It　did　not　hold　the　

attention；　nor　interrupt　the　thread　of　meditation；　like　a　

blackbird　or　a　nightingale；　it　was　mere　woodland　prattle；　of　

which　the　mind　was　conscious　like　a　perfume。　　The　freshness　

of　these　morning　seasons　remained　with　me　far　on　into　the　

day。



As　soon　as　the　kettle　boiled；　I　made　porridge　and　coffee；　and　

that；　beyond　the　literal　drawing　of　water；　and　the　

preparation　of　kindling；　which　it　would　be　hyperbolical　to　

call　the　hewing　of　wood；　ended　my　domestic　duties　for　the　

day。　　Thenceforth　my　wife　laboured　single…handed　in　the　

palace；　and　I　lay　or　wandered　on　the　platform　at　my　own　sweet　

will。　　The　little　corner　near　the　forge；　where　we　found　a　

refuge　under　the　madronas　from　the　unsparing　early　sun；　is　

indeed　connected　in　my　mind　with　some　nightmare　encounters　

over　Euclid；　and　the　Latin　Grammar。　　These　were　known　as　

Sam's　lessons。　　He　was　supposed　to　be　the　victim　and　the　

sufferer；　but　here　there　must　have　been　some　misconception；　

for　whereas　I　generally　retired　to　bed　after　one　of　these　

engagements；　he　was　no　sooner　set　free　than　he　dashed　up　to　

the　Chinaman's　house；　where　he　had　installed　a　printing　

press；　that　great　element　of　civilization；　and　the　sound　of　

his　labours　would　be　faintly　audible　about　the　canyon　half　

the　day。



To　walk　at　all　was　a　laborious　business；　the　foot　sank　and　

slid；　the　boots　were　cut　to　pieces；　among　sharp；　uneven；　

rolling　stones。　　When　we　crossed　the　platform　in　any　

direction；　it　was　usual　to　lay　a　course；　following　as　much　as　

possible　the　line　of　waggon　rails。　　Thus；　if　water　were　to　be　

drawn；　the　water…carrier　left　the　house　along　some　tilting　

planks　that　we　had　laid　down；　and　not　laid　down　very　well。　　

These　carried　him　to　that　great　highroad；　the　railway；　and　

the　railway　served　him　as　far　as　to　the　head　of　the　shaft。　　

But　from　thence　to　the　spring　and　back　again　he　made　the　best　

of　his　unaided　way；　staggering　among　the　stones；　and　wading　

in　low　growth　of　the　calcanthus；　where　the　rattlesnakes　lay　

hissing　at　his　passage。　　Yet　I　liked　to　draw　water。　　It　was　

pleasant　to　dip　the　gray　metal　pail　into　the　clean；　

colourless；　cool　water；　pleasant　to　carry　it　back；　with　the　

water　ripping　at　the　edge；　and　a　broken　sunbeam　quivering　in　

the　midst。



But　the　extreme　roughness　of　the　walking　confined　us　in　

common　practice　to　the　platform；　and　indeed　to　those　parts　of　

it　that　were　most　easily　accessible　along　the　line　of　rails。　　

The　rails　came　straight　forward　from　the　shaft；　here　and　

there　overgrown　with　little　green　bushes；　but　still　entire；　

and　still　carrying　a　truck；　which　it　was　Sam's　delight　to　

trundle　to　and　fro　by　the　hour　with　various　ladings。　　About　

midway　down　the　platform；　the　railroad　trended　to　the　right；　

leaving　our　house　and　coasting　along　the　far　side　within　a　

few　yards　of　the　madronas　and　the　forge；　and　not　far　of　the　

latter；　ended　in　a　sort　of　platform　on　the　edge　of　the　dump。　　

There；　in　old　days；　the　trucks　were　tipped；　and　their　load　

sent　thundering　down　the　chute。　　There；　besides；　was　the　only　

spot　where　we　could　approach　the　margin　of　the　dump。　　

Anywhere　else；　you　took　your　life　in　your　right　hand　when　you　

came　within　a　yard　and　a　half　to　peer　over。　　For　at　any　

moment　the　dump　might　begin　to　slide　and　carry　you　down　and　

bury　you　below　its　ruins。　　Indeed；　the　neighbourhood　of　an　

old　mine　is　a　place　beset　with　dangers。　　For　as　still　as　

Silverado　was；　at　any　moment　the　report　of　rotten　wood　might　

tell　us　that　the　platform　had　fallen　into　the　shaft；　the　dump　

might　begin　to　pour　in