the jacket (the star-rover)-第18章

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composed　of　sand　and　rock。　　Our　way　followed　the　sand…bottoms

between　the　hills。　　And　the　sand…bottoms　were　bare；　save　for　spots

of　scrub；　with　here　and　there　short　tufts　of　dry　and　withered　grass。

Water　there　was　none；　nor　sign　of　water；　except　for　washed　gullies

that　told　of　ancient　and　torrential　rains。



My　father　was　the　only　one　who　had　horses　to　his　wagon。　　The　wagons

went　in　single　file；　and　as　the　train　wound　and　curved　I　saw　that

the　other　wagons　were　drawn　by　oxen。　　Three　or　four　yoke　of　oxen

strained　and　pulled　weakly　at　each　wagon；　and　beside　them；　in　the

deep　sand；　walked　men　with　ox…goads；　who　prodded　the　unwilling

beasts　along。　　On　a　curve　I　counted　the　wagons　ahead　and　behind。　　I

knew　that　there　were　forty　of　them；　including　our　own；　for　often　I

had　counted　them　before。　　And　as　I　counted　them　now；　as　a　child　will

to　while　away　tedium；　they　were　all　there；　forty　of　them；　all

canvas…topped；　big　and　massive；　crudely　fashioned；　pitching　and

lurching；　grinding　and　jarring　over　sand　and　sage…brush　and　rock。



To　right　and　left　of　us；　scattered　along　the　train；　rode　a　dozen　or

fifteen　men　and　youths　on　horses。　　Across　their　pommels　were　long…

barrelled　rifles。　　Whenever　any　of　them　drew　near　to　our　wagon　I

could　see　that　their　faces；　under　the　dust；　were　drawn　and　anxious

like　my　father's。　　And　my　father；　like　them；　had　a　long…barrelled

rifle　close　to　hand　as　he　drove。



Also；　to　one　side；　limped　a　score　or　more　of　foot…sore；　yoke…galled；

skeleton　oxen；　that　ever　paused　to　nip　at　the　occasional　tufts　of

withered　grass；　and　that　ever　were　prodded　on　by　the　tired…faced

youths　who　herded　them。　　Sometimes　one　or　another　of　these　oxen

would　pause　and　low；　and　such　lowing　seemed　as　ominous　as　all　else

about　me。



Far；　far　away　I　have　a　memory　of　having　lived；　a　smaller　lad；　by　the

tree…lined　banks　of　a　stream。　　And　as　the　wagon　jolts　along；　and　I

sway　on　the　seat　with　my　father；　I　continually　return　and　dwell　upon

that　pleasant　water　flowing　between　the　trees。　　I　have　a　sense　that

for　an　interminable　period　I　have　lived　in　a　wagon　and　travelled　on；

ever　on；　with　this　present　company。



But　strongest　of　all　upon　me　is　what　is　strong　upon　all　the　company；

namely；　a　sense　of　drifting　to　doom。　　Our　way　was　like　a　funeral

march。　　Never　did　a　laugh　arise。　　Never　did　I　hear　a　happy　tone　of

voice。　　Neither　peace　nor　ease　marched　with　us。　　The　faces　of　the

men　and　youths　who　outrode　the　train　were　grim；　set；　hopeless。　　And

as　we　toiled　through　the　lurid　dust　of　sunset　often　I　scanned　my

father's　face　in　vain　quest　of　some　message　of　cheer。　　I　will　not

say　that　my　father's　face；　in　all　its　dusty　haggardness；　was

hopeless。　　It　was　dogged；　and　oh！　so　grim　and　anxious；　most　anxious。



A　thrill　seemed　to　run　along　the　train。　　My　father's　head　went　up。

So　did　mine。　　And　our　horses　raised　their　weary　heads；　scented　the

air　with　long…drawn　snorts；　and　for　the　nonce　pulled　willingly。　　The

horses　of　the　outriders　quickened　their　pace。　　And　as　for　the　herd

of　scarecrow　oxen；　it　broke　into　a　forthright　gallop。　　It　was　almost

ludicrous。　　The　poor　brutes　were　so　clumsy　in　their　weakness　and

haste。　　They　were　galloping　skeletons　draped　in　mangy　hide；　and　they

out…distanced　the　boys　who　herded　them。　　But　this　was　only　for　a

time。　　Then　they　fell　back　to　a　walk；　a　quick；　eager；　shambling；

sore…footed　walk；　and　they　no　longer　were　lured　aside　by　the　dry

bunch…grass。



〃What　is　it？〃　my　mother　asked　from　within　the　wagon。



〃Water；〃　was　my　father's　reply。　　〃It　must　be　Nephi。〃



And　my　mother：　　〃Thank　God！　　And　perhaps　they　will　sell　us　food。〃



And　into　Nephi；　through　blood…red　dust；　with　grind　and　grate　and

jolt　and　jar；　our　great　wagons　rolled。　　A　dozen　scattered　dwellings

or　shanties　composed　the　place。　　The　landscape　was　much　the　same　as

that　through　which　we　had　passed。　　There　were　no　trees；　only　scrub

growths　and　sandy　bareness。　　But　here　were　signs　of　tilled　fields；

with　here　and　there　a　fence。　　Also　there　was　water。　　Down　the　stream

ran　no　current。　　The　bed；　however；　was　damp；　with　now　and　again　a

water…hole　into　which　the　loose　oxen　and　the　saddle…horses　stamped

and　plunged　their　muzzles　to　the　eyes。　　Here；　too；　grew　an

occasional　small　willow。



〃That　must　be　Bill　Black's　mill　they　told　us　about；〃　my　father　said；

pointing　out　a　building　to　my　mother；　whose　anxiousness　had　drawn

her　to　peer　out　over　our　shoulders。



An　old　man；　with　buckskin　shirt　and　long；　matted；　sunburnt　hair；

rode　back　to　our　wagon　and　talked　with　father。　　The　signal　was

given；　and　the　head　wagons　of　the　train　began　to　deploy　in　a　circle。

The　ground　favoured　the　evolution；　and；　from　long　practice；　it　was

accomplished　without　a　hitch；　so　that　when　the　forty　wagons　were

finally　halted　they　formed　a　circle。　　All　was　bustle　and　orderly

confusion。　　Many　women；　all　tired…faced　and　dusty　like　my　mother；

emerged　from　the　wagons。　　Also　poured　forth　a　very　horde　of

children。　　There　must　have　been　at　least　fifty　children；　and　it

seemed　I　knew　them　all　of　long　time；　and　there　were　at　least　two

score　of　women。　　These　went　about　the　preparations　for　cooking

supper。



While　some　of　the　men　chopped　sage…brush　and　we　children　carried　it

to　the　fires　that　were　kindling；　other　men　unyoked　the　oxen　and　let

them　stampede　for　water。　　Next　the　men；　in　big　squads；　moved　the

wagons　snugly　into　place。　　The　tongue　of　each　wagon　was　on　the

inside　of　the　circle；　and；　front　and　rear；　each　wagon　was　in　solid

contact　with　the　next　wagon　before　and　behind。　　The　great　brakes

were　locked　fast；　but；　not　content　with　this；　the　wheels　of　all　the

wagons　were　connected　with　chains。　　This　was　nothing　new　to　us

children。　　It　was　the　trouble　sign　of　a　camp　in　hostile　country。

One　wagon　only　was　left　out　of　the　circle；　so　as　to　form　a　gate　to

the　corral。　　Later　on；　as　we　knew；　ere　the　camp　slept；　the　animals

would　be　driven　inside；　and　the　gate…wagon　would　be　chained　like　the

others　in　place。　　In　the　meanwhile；　and　for　hours；　the　animals　would

be　herded　by　men　and　boys　to　what　scant　grass　they　could　find。



While　the　camp…making　went　on　my　father；　with　several　others　of　the

men；　including　the　old　man　with　the　long；　sunburnt　hair；　went　away

on　foot　in　the　direction　of　the　mill。　　I　remember　that　all　of　us；

men；　women；　and　even　the　children；　paused　to　watch　them　depart；　and

it　seemed　their　errand　was　of　grave　import。



While　they　were　away　other　men；　strangers；　inhabitants　of　desert

Nephi；　came　into　camp　and　stalked　about。　　They　were　white　men；　like

us；　but　they　were　hard…faced；　stern…faced；　sombre；　and　they　seemed

angry　with　all　our　company。　　Bad　feeling　was　in　the　air；　and　they

said　things　calculated　to　rouse　the　tempers　of　our　men。　　But　the

warning　went　out　from　the　women；　and　was　passed　on　everywhere　to　our

men　and　youths；　that　there　must　be　no　words。



One　of　the　strangers　came　to　our　fire；　where　my　mother　was　alone；

cooking。　　I　had　just　come　up　with　an　armful　of　sage…brush；　and　I

stopped　to　listen　and　to　stare　at　the　intruder；　whom　I　hated；

because　it　was　in　the　air　to　hate；　because　I　knew　that　every　last

person　in　our　company　hated　these　strangers　who　were　white…skinned

like　us　and　because　of　whom　we　had　been　compelled　to　make　our　camp

in　a　circle。



This　stranger　at　our　fire　had　blue　eyes；　hard　and　cold　and　piercing。

His　hair　was　sandy。　　His　face　was　shaven　to　the　chin；　and　from　under

the　chin；　covering　the　neck　and　extending　to　the　ears；　sprouted　a

sandy　fringe　of　whiskers　well…streaked　with　gray。　　Mother　did　not

greet　him；　nor　did　he　greet　her。　　He　stood　and　glowered　at　her　for

some　time；　he　cleared　his　throat　and　said　with　a　sneer：



〃Wisht　you　was　back　in　Missouri　right　now　I　bet。〃



I　saw　mother　tighten　her　lips　in　self…control　ere　she　answered：



〃We　are　from　Arkansas。〃



〃I　guess　you　got　good　reasons　to　deny　where　you　come　from；〃　he　next

said；　〃you　that　drove　the　Lord's　people　from　Missouri。〃



Mother　made　no　reply。



〃。　。　。　Seein'；〃　he　went　on；　after　the　pause　accorded　her；　〃as　you're

now　comin'　a…whinin'　an'　a…beggin'　bread　at　our　hands　that　you

persecuted。〃



Whereupon；　and　instantly；　child　that　I　was；　I　knew　anger；　the　old；

red；　intolerant　wrath；　ever　unrestrainable　and　unsubduable。



〃You　lie！〃　I　piped　up。　　〃We　ain't　Missourians。　　We　ain't　whinin'。

An'　we　ain't　beggars。　　We　got　the　money　to　buy。〃



〃Shut　up；　Jesse！〃　my　mother　cried；　landing　the　back　of　her　hand

stingingly　on　my　mouth。　　And　then；　to　the　stranger；　〃Go　away　and　let

the　boy　alone。〃



〃I'll　shoot　you　full　of　lead；　you　damned　Mormon！〃　I　screamed　and

sobbed　at　him；　too　quick　for　my　mother　this　time；　and　dancing　away

around　the　fire　from　the　back…sweep　of　her　hand。



As　for　the　man　himself；　my　conduct　had　not　disturbed　him　in　the

slightest。　　I　was　prepared　for　I　knew　not　what　violent　visitation

from　this　terrible　stranger；　and　I　watched　him　warily　while　he

considered　me　with　the　utmost　gravity。



At　last　he　spoke；　and　he　spoke　solemnly；　with　solemn　shaking　of　the

head；　as　if　delivering　a　judgment。



〃Like　fathers　like　sons；〃　he　said。　　〃The　young　generation　is　as　bad

as　the　elder。　　The　whole　breed　is　unregenerate　and　damned。　　There　is

no　saving　it；　the　young　or　the　old。　　There　is　no　atonement。　　Not

even　the　blood　of　Christ　can　wipe　out　its　iniquities。〃



〃Damned　Mormon！〃　was　all　I　could　sob　at　him。　　〃Damned　Mormon！

Damned　Mormon！　　Damned　Mormon！〃



And　I　continued　to　damn　him　and　to　dance　around　the　fire　before　my

mother's　avenging　hand；　until　he　strode　away。



When　my　father；　and　the　men　who　had　accompanied　him；　returned；　camp…

work　ceased；　while　all　crowded　anxiously　about　him。　　He　shook　his

head。



〃They　will　not　sell？〃　some　woman　demanded。



Again　he　shook　his　head。



A　man　spoke　up；　a　blue…eyed；　blond…whiskered　giant　of　thirty；　who

abruptly　pressed　his　way　into　the　centre　of　the　crowd。



〃They　say　they　have　flour　and　provisions　for　three　years；　Captain；〃

he　said。　　〃They　have　always　sold　to　the　immigration　before。　　And　now

they　won't　sell。　　And　it　ain't　our　quarrel。　　Their　quarrel's　with

the　government；　an'　they're　takin'　it　out　on　us。　　It　ain't　right；

Captain。　　It　ain't　right；　I　say；　us　with　our　women　an'　children；　an'

California　months　away；　winter　comin'　on；　an'　nothin'　but　desert　in

between。　　We　ain't　got　the　grub　to　face　the　desert。〃



He　broke　off　for　a　moment　to　address　the　whole　crowd。



〃Why；　you…all　don't　know　what　desert　is。　　This　around　here　ain't

desert。　　I　tell　you　it's　paradise；　and　heavenly　pasture；　an'　flowin'

with　milk　an'　honey　alongside　what　we're　goin'　to　face。〃



〃I　tell　you；　Captain；　we　got　to　get　flour　first。　　If　they　won't　sell

it；　then　we　must　just　up　an'　take　it。〃



Many　of　the　men　and　women　began　crying　out　in　approval；　but　my

father　hushed　them　by　holding　up　his　hand。



〃I　agree　with　everything　you　say；　Hamilton；〃　he　began。