roughing it-第21章

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the　〃Last　of　the　Mohicans〃　who　are　fittingly　associated　with　backwoodsmen
who　divide　each　sentence　into　two　equal　parts：　one　part　critically
grammatical；　refined　and　choice　of　language；　and　the　other　part　just　such
an　attempt　to　talk　like　a　hunter　or　a　mountaineer；　as　a　Broadway　clerk
might　make　after　eating　an　edition　of　Emerson　Bennett's　works　and
studying　frontier　life　at　the　Bowery　Theatre　a　couple　of　weeksI　say
that　the　nausea　which　the　Goshoots　gave　me；　an　Indian　worshipper；　set　me
to　examining　authorities；　to　see　if　perchance　I　had　been　over…estimating
the　Red　Man　while　viewing　him　through　the　mellow　moonshine　of　romance。
The　revelations　that　came　were　disenchanting。　　It　was　curious　to　see　how
quickly　the　paint　and　tinsel　fell　away　from　him　and　left　him　treacherous；
filthy　and　repulsiveand　how　quickly　the　evidences　accumulated　that
wherever　one　finds　an　Indian　tribe　he　has　only　found　Goshoots　more　or
less　modified　by　circumstances　and　surroundingsbut　Goshoots；　after　all。
They　deserve　pity；　poor　creatures；　and　they　can　have　mineat　this
distance。　　Nearer　by；　they　never　get　anybody's。

There　is　an　impression　abroad　that　the　Baltimore　and　Washington　Railroad
Company　and　many　of　its　employees　are　Goshoots；　but　it　is　an　error。
There　is　only　a　plausible　resemblance；　which；　while　it　is　apt　enough　to
mislead　the　ignorant；　cannot　deceive　parties　who　have　contemplated　both
tribes。　　But　seriously；　it　was　not　only　poor　wit；　but　very　wrong　to　start
the　report　referred　to　above；　for　however　innocent　the　motive　may　have
been；　the　necessary　effect　was　to　injure　the　reputation　of　a　class　who
have　a　hard　enough　time　of　it　in　the　pitiless　deserts　of　the　Rocky
Mountains；　Heaven　knows！　　If　we　cannot　find　it　in　our　hearts　to　give
those　poor　naked　creatures　our　Christian　sympathy　and　compassion；　in
God's　name　let　us　at　least　not　throw　mud　at　them。




CHAPTER　XX。

On　the　seventeenth　day　we　passed　the　highest　mountain　peaks　we　had　yet
seen；　and　although　the　day　was　very　warm　the　night　that　followed　upon　its
heels　was　wintry　cold　and　blankets　were　next　to　useless。

On　the　eighteenth　day　we　encountered　the　eastward…bound　telegraph…
constructors　at　Reese　River　station　and　sent　a　message　to　his　Excellency
Gov。　Nye　at　Carson　City　（distant　one　hundred　and　fifty…six　miles）。

On　the　nineteenth　day　we　crossed　the　Great　American　Desertforty
memorable　miles　of　bottomless　sand；　into　which　the　coach　wheels　sunk　from
six　inches　to　a　foot。　　We　worked　our　passage　most　of　the　way　across。
That　is　to　say；　we　got　out　and　walked。　　It　was　a　dreary　pull　and　a　long
and　thirsty　one；　for　we　had　no　water。　　From　one　extremity　of　this　desert
to　the　other；　the　road　was　white　with　the　bones　of　oxen　and　horses。
It　would　hardly　be　an　exaggeration　to　say　that　we　could　have　walked　the
forty　miles　and　set　our　feet　on　a　bone　at　every　step！　　The　desert　was　one
prodigious　graveyard。　　And　the　log…chains；　wagon　tyres；　and　rotting
wrecks　of　vehicles　were　almost　as　thick　as　the　bones。　　I　think　we　saw
log…chains　enough　rusting　there　in　the　desert；　to　reach　across　any　State
in　the　Union。　　Do　not　these　relics　suggest　something　of　an　idea　of　the
fearful　suffering　and　privation　the　early　emigrants　to　California
endured？

At　the　border　of　the　Desert　lies　Carson　Lake；　or　The　〃Sink〃　of　the
Carson；　a　shallow；　melancholy　sheet　of　water　some　eighty　or　a　hundred
miles　in　circumference。　　Carson　River　empties　into　it　and　is　lostsinks
mysteriously　into　the　earth　and　never　appears　in　the　light　of　the　sun
againfor　the　lake　has　no　outlet　whatever。

There　are　several　rivers　in　Nevada；　and　they　all　have　this　mysterious
fate。　　They　end　in　various　lakes　or　〃sinks；〃　and　that　is　the　last　of
them。　　Carson　Lake；　Humboldt　Lake；　Walker　Lake；　Mono　Lake；　are　all　great
sheets　of　water　without　any　visible　outlet。　　Water　is　always　flowing　into
them；　none　is　ever　seen　to　flow　out　of　them；　and　yet　they　remain　always
level　full；　neither　receding　nor　overflowing。　　What　they　do　with　their
surplus　is　only　known　to　the　Creator。

On　the　western　verge　of　the　Desert　we　halted　a　moment　at　Ragtown。　　It
consisted　of　one　log　house　and　is　not　set　down　on　the　map。

This　reminds　me　of　a　circumstance。　　Just　after　we　left　Julesburg；　on　the
Platte；　I　was　sitting　with　the　driver；　and　he　said：

〃I　can　tell　you　a　most　laughable　thing　indeed；　if　you　would　like　to
listen　to　it。　　Horace　Greeley　went　over　this　road　once。　　When　he　was
leaving　Carson　City　he　told　the　driver；　Hank　Monk；　that　he　had　an
engagement　to　lecture　at　Placerville　and　was　very　anxious　to　go　through
quick。　　Hank　Monk　cracked　his　whip　and　started　off　at　an　awful　pace。
The　coach　bounced　up　and　down　in　such　a　terrific　way　that　it　jolted　the
buttons　all　off　of　Horace's　coat；　and　finally　shot　his　head　clean　through
the　roof　of　the　stage；　and　then　he　yelled　at　Hank　Monk　and　begged　him　to
go　easiersaid　he　warn't　in　as　much　of　a　hurry　as　he　was　awhile　ago。
But　Hank　Monk　said；　'Keep　your　seat；　Horace；　and　I'll　get　you　there　on
time'and　you　bet　you　he　did；　too；　what　was　left　of　him！〃

A　day　or　two　after　that　we　picked　up　a　Denver　man　at　the　cross　roads；　and
he　told　us　a　good　deal　about　the　country　and　the　Gregory　Diggings。
He　seemed　a　very　entertaining　person　and　a　man　well　posted　in　the　affairs
of　Colorado。　　By　and　by　he　remarked：

〃I　can　tell　you　a　most　laughable　thing　indeed；　if　you　would　like　to
listen　to　it。　　Horace　Greeley　went　over　this　road　once。　　When　he　was
leaving　Carson　City　he　told　the　driver；　Hank　Monk；　that　he　had　an
engagement　to　lecture　at　Placerville　and　was　very　anxious　to　go　through
quick。　　Hank　Monk　cracked　his　whip　and　started　off　at　an　awful　pace。　　The
coach　bounced　up　and　down　in　such　a　terrific　way　that　it　jolted　the
buttons　all　off　of　Horace's　coat；　and　finally　shot　his　head　clean　through
the　roof　of　the　stage；　and　then　he　yelled　at　Hank　Monk　and　begged　him　to
go　easiersaid　he　warn't　in　as　much　of　a　hurry　as　he　was　awhile　ago。
But　Hank　Monk　said；　'Keep　your　seat；　Horace；　and　I'll　get　you　there　on
time！'and　you　bet　you　he　did；　too；　what　was　left　of　him！〃

At　Fort　Bridger；　some　days　after　this；　we　took　on　board　a　cavalry
sergeant；　a　very　proper　and　soldierly　person　indeed。　　From　no　other　man
during　the　whole　journey；　did　we　gather　such　a　store　of　concise　and　well…
arranged　military　information。　　It　was　surprising　to　find　in　the　desolate
wilds　of　our　country　a　man　so　thoroughly　acquainted　with　everything
useful　to　know　in　his　line　of　life；　and　yet　of　such　inferior　rank　and
unpretentious　bearing。　　For　as　much　as　three　hours　we　listened　to　him
with　unabated　interest。　　Finally　he　got　upon　the　subject　of　trans…
continental　travel；　and　presently　said：

〃I　can　tell　you　a　very　laughable　thing　indeed；　if　you　would　like　to
listen　to　it。　　Horace　Greeley　went　over　this　road　once。　　When　he　was
leaving　Carson　City　he　told　the　driver；　Hank　Monk；　that　he　had　an
engagement　to　lecture　at　Placerville　and　was　very　anxious　to　go　through
quick。　　Hank　Monk　cracked　his　whip　and　started　off　at　an　awful　pace。　　The
coach　bounced　up　and　down　in　such　a　terrific　way　that　it　jolted　the
buttons　all　off　of　Horace's　coat；　and　finally　shot　his　head　clean　through
the　roof　of　the　stage；　and　then　he　yelled　at　Hank　Monk　and　begged　him　to
go　easiersaid　he　warn't　in　as　much　of　a　hurry　as　he　was　awhile　ago。
But　Hank　Monk　said；　'Keep　your　seat；　Horace；　and　I'll　get　you　there　on
time！'and　you　bet　you　he　did；　too；　what　was　left　of　him！〃

When　we　were　eight　hours　out　from　Salt　Lake　City　a　Mormon　preacher　got　in
with　us　at　a　way　stationa　gentle；　soft…spoken；　kindly　man；　and　one　whom
any　stranger　would　warm　to　at　first　sight。　　I　can　never　forget　the　pathos
that　was　in　his　voice　as　he　told；　in　simple　language；　the　story　of　his
people's　wanderings　and　unpitied　sufferings。　　No　pulpit　eloquence　was
ever　so　moving　and　so　beautiful　as　this　outcast's　picture　of　the　first
Mormon　pilgrimage　across　the　plains；　struggling　sorrowfully　onward　to　the
land　of　its　banishment　and　marking　its　desolate　way　with　graves　and
watering　it　with　tears。　　His　words　so　wrought　upon　us　that　it　was　a
relief　to　us　all　when　the　conversation　drifted　into　a　more　cheerful
channel　and　the　natural　features　of　the　curious　country　we　were　in　came
under　treatment。　　One　matter　after　another　was　pleasantly　discussed；　and
at　length　the　stranger　said：

〃I　can　tell　you　a　most　laughable　thing　indeed；　if　you　would　like　to
listen　to　it。　　Horace　Greeley　went　over　this　road　once。　　When　he　was
leaving　Carson　City　he　told　the　driver；　Hank　Monk；　that　he　had　an
engagement　to　lecture　in　Placerville；　and　was　very　anxious　to　go　through
quick。　　Hank　Monk　cracked　his　whip　and　started　off　at　an　awful　pace。　　The
coach　bounced　up　and　down　in　such　a　terrific　way　that　it　jolted　the
buttons　all　off　of　Horace's　coat；　and　finally　shot　his　head　clean　through
the　roof　of　the　stage；　and　then　he　yelled　at　Hank　Monk　and　begged　him　to
go　easiersaid　he　warn't　in　as　much　of　a　hurry　as　he　was　awhile　ago。
But　Hank　Monk　said；　'Keep　your　seat；　Horace；　and　I'll　get　you　there　on
time！'and　you　bet　you　bet　you　he　did；　too；　what　was　left　of　him！〃

Ten　miles　out　of　Ragtown　we　found　a　poor　wanderer　who　had　lain　down　to
die。　　He　had　walked　as　long　as　he　could；　but　his　limbs　had　failed　him　at
last。　　Hunger　and　fatigue　had　conquered　him。　　It　would　have　been　inhuman
to　leave　him　there。　　We　paid　his　fare　to　Carson　and　lifted　him　into　the
coach。　　It　was　some　little　time　before　he　showed　any　very　decided　signs
of　life；　but　by　dint　of　chafing　him　and　pouring　brandy　between　his　lips
we　finally　brought　him　to　a　languid　consciousness。　　Then　we　fed　him　a
little；　and　by　and　by　he　seemed　to　comprehend　the　situation　and　a
grateful　light　softened　his　eye。　　We　made　his　mail…sack　bed　as
comfortable　as　possible；　and　constructed　a　pillow　for　him　with　our　coats。
He　seemed　very　thankful。　　Then　he　looked　up　in　our　faces；　and　said　in　a
feeble　voice　that　had　a　tremble　of　honest　emotion　in　it：

〃Gentlemen；　I　know　not　who　you　are；　but　you　have　saved　my　life；　and
although　I　can　never　be　able　to　repay　you　for　it；　I　feel　that　I　can　at
least　make　one　hour　of　your　long　journey　lighter。　　I　take　it　you　are
strangers　to　this　great　thorough　fare；　but　I　am　entirely　familiar　with
it。　　In　this　connection　I　can　tell　you　a　most　laughable　thing　indeed；　if
you　would　like　to　listen　to　it。　　Horace　Greeley〃

I　said；　impressively：

〃Suffering　stranger；　proceed　at　your　peril。　　You　see　in　me　the　melancholy
wreck　of　a　once　stalwart　and　magnificent　manhood。　　What　has　brought　me　to
this？　　That　thing　which　you　are　about　to　tell。　　Gradually　but　surely；
that　tiresome　old　anecdote　has　sapped　my　strength；　undermined　my
constitution；　withered　my　life。　　Pity　my　helplessness。　　Spare　me　only
just　this　once；　and　tell　me　about　young　George　Washington　and　his　little
hatchet　for　a　change。〃

We　were　saved。　　But　not　so　the　invalid。　　In　trying　to　retain　the　anecdote
in　his　system　he　strained　himself　and　died　in　our　arms。

I　am　aware；　now；　that　I　ought　not　to　have　asked　of　the　sturdiest　citizen
of　all　that　region；　what　I　asked　of　that　mere　shadow　of　a　man；　for；　after
seven　years'　residence　on　the　Pacific　coast；　I　know　that　no　passenger　or
driver　on　the　Overland　ever　corked　that　anecdote　in；　when