roughing it-第22章

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seven　years'　residence　on　the　Pacific　coast；　I　know　that　no　passenger　or
driver　on　the　Overland　ever　corked　that　anecdote　in；　when　a　stranger　was
by；　and　survived。　　Within　a　period　of　six　years　I　crossed　and　recrossed
the　Sierras　between　Nevada　and　California　thirteen　times　by　stage　and
listened　to　that　deathless　incident　four　hundred　and　eighty…one　or
eighty…two　times。　　I　have　the　list　somewhere。　　Drivers　always　told　it；
conductors　told　it；　landlords　told　it；　chance　passengers　told　it；　the
very　Chinamen　and　vagrant　Indians　recounted　it。　　I　have　had　the　same
driver　tell　it　to　me　two　or　three　times　in　the　same　afternoon。　　It　has
come　to　me　in　all　the　multitude　of　tongues　that　Babel　bequeathed　to
earth；　and　flavored　with　whiskey；　brandy；　beer；　cologne；　sozodont；
tobacco；　garlic；　onions；　grasshopperseverything　that　has　a　fragrance　to
it　through　all　the　long　list　of　things　that　are　gorged　or　guzzled　by　the
sons　of　men。　　I　never　have　smelt　any　anecdote　as　often　as　I　have　smelt
that　one；　never　have　smelt　any　anecdote　that　smelt　so　variegated　as　that
one。　　And　you　never　could　learn　to　know　it　by　its　smell；　because　every
time　you　thought　you　had　learned　the　smell　of　it；　it　would　turn　up　with　a
different　smell。　　Bayard　Taylor　has　written　about　this　hoary　anecdote；
Richardson　has　published　it；　so　have　Jones；　Smith；　Johnson；　Ross　Browne；
and　every　other　correspondence…inditing　being　that　ever　set　his　foot　upon
the　great　overland　road　anywhere　between　Julesburg　and　San　Francisco；　and
I　have　heard　that　it　is　in　the　Talmud。　　I　have　seen　it　in　print　in　nine
different　foreign　languages；　I　have　been　told　that　it　is　employed　in　the
inquisition　in　Rome；　and　I　now　learn　with　regret　that　it　is　going　to　be
set　to　music。　　I　do　not　think　that　such　things　are　right。

Stage…coaching　on　the　Overland　is　no　more；　and　stage　drivers　are　a　race
defunct。　　I　wonder　if　they　bequeathed　that　bald…headed　anecdote　to　their
successors；　the　railroad　brakemen　and　conductors；　and　if　these　latter
still　persecute　the　helpless　passenger　with　it　until　he　concludes；　as　did
many　a　tourist　of　other　days；　that　the　real　grandeurs　of　the　Pacific
coast　are　not　Yo　Semite　and　the　Big　Trees；　but　Hank　Monk　and　his
adventure　with　Horace　Greeley。　　＇And　what　makes　that　worn　anecdote　the
more　aggravating；　is；　that　the　adventure　it　celebrates　never　occurred。
If　it　were　a　good　anecdote；　that　seeming　demerit　would　be　its　chiefest
virtue；　for　creative　power　belongs　to　greatness；　but　what　ought　to　be
done　to　a　man　who　would　wantonly　contrive　so　flat　a　one　as　this？　　If　I
were　to　suggest　what　ought　to　be　done　to　him；　I　should　be　called
extravagantbut　what　does　the　sixteenth　chapter　of　Daniel　say？　　Aha！＇




CHAPTER　XXI。

We　were　approaching　the　end　of　our　long　journey。　　It　was　the　morning　of
the　twentieth　day。　　At　noon　we　would　reach　Carson　City；　the　capital　of
Nevada　Territory。　　We　were　not　glad；　but　sorry。　　It　had　been　a　fine
pleasure　trip；　we　had　fed　fat　on　wonders　every　day；　we　were　now　well
accustomed　to　stage　life；　and　very　fond　of　it；　so　the　idea　of　coming　to　a
stand…still　and　settling　down　to　a　humdrum　existence　in　a　village　was　not
agreeable；　but　on　the　contrary　depressing。

Visibly　our　new　home　was　a　desert；　walled　in　by　barren；　snow…clad
mountains。　　There　was　not　a　tree　in　sight。　　There　was　no　vegetation　but
the　endless　sage…brush　and　greasewood。　　All　nature　was　gray　with　it。　　We
were　plowing　through　great　deeps　of　powdery　alkali　dust　that　rose　in
thick　clouds　and　floated　across　the　plain　like　smoke　from　a　burning
house。

We　were　coated　with　it　like　millers；　so　were　the　coach；　the　mules；　the
mail…bags；　the　driverwe　and　the　sage…brush　and　the　other　scenery　were
all　one　monotonous　color。　　Long　trains　of　freight　wagons　in　the　distance
envelope　in　ascending　masses　of　dust　suggested　pictures　of　prairies　on
fire。　　These　teams　and　their　masters　were　the　only　life　we　saw。
Otherwise　we　moved　in　the　midst　of　solitude；　silence　and　desolation。
Every　twenty　steps　we　passed　the　skeleton　of　some　dead　beast　of　burthen；
with　its　dust…coated　skin　stretched　tightly　over　its　empty　ribs。
Frequently　a　solemn　raven　sat　upon　the　skull　or　the　hips　and　contemplated
the　passing　coach　with　meditative　serenity。

By　and　by　Carson　City　was　pointed　out　to　us。　　It　nestled　in　the　edge　of　a
great　plain　and　was　a　sufficient　number　of　miles　away　to　look　like　an
assemblage　of　mere　white　spots　in　the　shadow　of　a　grim　range　of　mountains
overlooking　it；　whose　summits　seemed　lifted　clear　out　of　companionship
and　consciousness　of　earthly　things。

We　arrived；　disembarked；　and　the　stage　went　on。　　It　was　a　〃wooden〃　town；
its　population　two　thousand　souls。　　The　main　street　consisted　of　four　or
five　blocks　of　little　white　frame　stores　which　were　too　high　to　sit　down
on；　but　not　too　high　for　various　other　purposes；　in　fact；　hardly　high
enough。　　They　were　packed　close　together；　side　by　side；　as　if　room　were
scarce　in　that　mighty　plain。

The　sidewalk　was　of　boards　that　were　more　or　less　loose　and　inclined　to
rattle　when　walked　upon。　　In　the　middle　of　the　town；　opposite　the　stores；
was　the　〃plaza〃　which　is　native　to　all　towns　beyond　the　Rocky　Mountains
a　large；　unfenced；　level　vacancy；　with　a　liberty　pole　in　it；　and　very
useful　as　a　place　for　public　auctions；　horse　trades；　and　mass　meetings；
and　likewise　for　teamsters　to　camp　in。　　Two　other　sides　of　the　plaza　were
faced　by　stores；　offices　and　stables。

The　rest　of　Carson　City　was　pretty　scattering。

We　were　introduced　to　several　citizens；　at　the　stage…office　and　on　the
way　up　to　the　Governor's　from　the　hotelamong　others；　to　a　Mr。　Harris；
who　was　on　horseback；　he　began　to　say　something；　but　interrupted　himself
with　the　remark：

〃I'll　have　to　get　you　to　excuse　me　a　minute；　yonder　is　the　witness　that
swore　I　helped　to　rob　the　California　coacha　piece　of　impertinent
intermeddling；　sir；　for　I　am　not　even　acquainted　with　the　man。〃

Then　he　rode　over　and　began　to　rebuke　the　stranger　with　a　six…shooter；
and　the　stranger　began　to　explain　with　another。　　When　the　pistols　were
emptied；　the　stranger　resumed　his　work　（mending　a　whip…lash）；　and　Mr。
Harris　rode　by　with　a　polite　nod；　homeward　bound；　with　a　bullet　through
one　of　his　lungs；　and　several　in　his　hips；　and　from　them　issued　little
rivulets　of　blood　that　coursed　down　the　horse's　sides　and　made　the　animal
look　quite　picturesque。　　I　never　saw　Harris　shoot　a　man　after　that　but　it
recalled　to　mind　that　first　day　in　Carson。

This　was　all　we　saw　that　day；　for　it　was　two　o'clock；　now；　and　according
to　custom　the　daily　〃Washoe　Zephyr〃　set　in；　a　soaring　dust…drift　about
the　size　of　the　United　States　set　up　edgewise　came　with　it；　and　the
capital　of　Nevada　Territory　disappeared　from　view。

Still；　there　were　sights　to　be　seen　which　were　not　wholly　uninteresting
to　new　comers；　for　the　vast　dust　cloud　was　thickly　freckled　with　things
strange　to　the　upper　airthings　living　and　dead；　that　flitted　hither　and
thither；　going　and　coming；　appearing　and　disappearing　among　the　rolling
billows　of　dusthats；　chickens　and　parasols　sailing　in　the　remote
heavens；　blankets；　tin　signs；　sage…brush　and　shingles　a　shade　lower；
door…mats　and　buffalo　robes　lower　still；　shovels　and　coal　scuttles　on　the
next　grade；　glass　doors；　cats　and　little　children　on　the　next；　disrupted
lumber　yards；　light　buggies　and　wheelbarrows　on　the　next；　and　down　only
thirty　or　forty　feet　above　ground　was　a　scurrying　storm　of　emigrating
roofs　and　vacant　lots。

It　was　something　to　see　that　much。　　I　could　have　seen　more；　if　I　could
have　kept　the　dust　out　of　my　eyes。

But　seriously　a　Washoe　wind　is　by　no　means　a　trifling　matter。　　It　blows
flimsy　houses　down；　lifts　shingle　roofs　occasionally；　rolls　up　tin　ones
like　sheet　music；　now　and　then　blows　a　stage　coach　over　and　spills　the
passengers；　and　tradition　says　the　reason　there　are　so　many　bald　people
there；　is；　that　the　wind　blows　the　hair　off　their　heads　while　they　are
looking　skyward　after　their　hats。　　Carson　streets　seldom　look　inactive　on
Summer　afternoons；　because　there　are　so　many　citizens　skipping　around
their　escaping　hats；　like　chambermaids　trying　to　head　off　a　spider。

The　〃Washoe　Zephyr〃　（Washoe　is　a　pet　nickname　for　Nevada）　is　a　peculiar
Scriptural　wind；　in　that　no　man　knoweth　〃whence　it　cometh。〃　　That　is　to
say；　where　it　originates。　　It　comes　right　over　the　mountains　from　the
West；　but　when　one　crosses　the　ridge　he　does　not　find　any　of　it　on　the
other　side！　　It　probably　is　manufactured　on　the　mountain…top　for　the
occasion；　and　starts　from　there。　　It　is　a　pretty　regular　wind；　in　the
summer　time。　　Its　office　hours　are　from　two　in　the　afternoon　till　two　the
next　morning；　and　anybody　venturing　abroad　during　those　twelve　hours
needs　to　allow　for　the　wind　or　he　will　bring　up　a　mile　or　two　to　leeward
of　the　point　he　is　aiming　at。　　And　yet　the　first　complaint　a　Washoe
visitor　to　San　Francisco　makes；　is　that　the　sea　winds　blow　so；　there！
There　is　a　good　deal　of　human　nature　in　that。

We　found　the　state　palace　of　the　Governor　of　Nevada　Territory　to　consist
of　a　white　frame　one…story　house　with　two　small　rooms　in　it　and　a
stanchion　supported　shed　in　frontfor　grandeurit　compelled　the　respect
of　the　citizen　and　inspired　the　Indians　with　awe。　　The　newly　arrived
Chief　and　Associate　Justices　of　the　Territory；　and　other　machinery　of　the
government；　were　domiciled　with　less　splendor。　　They　were　boarding　around
privately；　and　had　their　offices　in　their　bedrooms。

The　Secretary　and　I　took　quarters　in　the　〃ranch〃　of　a　worthy　French　lady
by　the　name　of　Bridget　O'Flannigan；　a　camp　follower　of　his　Excellency　the
Governor。　　She　had　known　him　in　his　prosperity　as　commander…in…chief　of
the　Metropolitan　Police　of　New　York；　and　she　would　not　desert　him　in　his
adversity　as　Governor　of　Nevada。

Our　room　was　on　the　lower　floor；　facing　the　plaza；　and　when　we　had　got
our　bed；　a　small　table；　two　chairs；　the　government　fire…proof　safe；　and
the　Unabridged　Dictionary　into　it；　there　was　still　room　enough　left　for　a
visitormay　be　two；　but　not　without　straining　the　walls。　　But　the　walls
could　stand　itat　least　the　partitions　could；　for　they　consisted　simply
of　one　thickness　of　white　〃cotton　domestic〃　stretched　from　corner　to
corner　of　the　room。　　This　was　the　rule　in　Carsonany　other　kind　of
partition　was　the　rare　exception。　　And　if　you　stood　in　a　dark　room　and
your　neighbors　in　the　next　had　lights；　the　shadows　on　your　canvas　told
queer　secrets　sometimes！　　Very　often　these　partitions　were　made　of　old
flour　sacks　basted　together；　and　then　the　difference　between　the　common
herd　and　the　aristocracy　was；　that　the　common　herd　had　unornamented
sacks；　while　the　walls　of　the　aristocrat　were　overpowering　with
rudimental　frescoi。e。；　red　and　blue　mill　brands　on　the　flour　sacks。

Occasionally；　also；　the　better　classes　embellished　their　canvas　by
pasting　pictures　from　Harper's　Weekly　on　them。　　In　many　cases；　too；　the
wealthy　and　the　cultured　rose　to　spittoons　and　other　evidences　of　a
sumptuous　and　luxurious　taste。　　＇Washoe　people　take　a　joke　so　hard　that　I
must　explain　that　the　above　description　was　only　the　rule；　there　were
many　honorable　exceptions　in　Carsonplastered　ceilings　and　houses　that
had　considerable　furniture　in　them。M。　T。＇