roughing it-第23章

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many　honorable　exceptions　in　Carsonplastered　ceilings　and　houses　that
had　considerable　furniture　in　them。M。　T。＇

We　had　a　carpet　and　a　genuine　queen's…ware　washbowl。　　Consequently　we
were　hated　without　reserve　by　the　other　tenants　of　the　O'Flannigan
〃ranch。〃　　When　we　added　a　painted　oilcloth　window　curtain；　we　simply　took
our　lives　into　our　own　hands。　　To　prevent　bloodshed　I　removed　up　stairs
and　took　up　quarters　with　the　untitled　plebeians　in　one　of　the　fourteen
white　pine　cot…bedsteads　that　stood　in　two　long　ranks　in　the　one　sole
room　of　which　the　second　story　consisted。

It　was　a　jolly　company；　the　fourteen。　　They　were　principally　voluntary
camp…followers　of　the　Governor；　who　had　joined　his　retinue　by　their　own
election　at　New　York　and　San　Francisco　and　came　along；　feeling　that　in
the　scuffle　for　little　territorial　crumbs　and　offices　they　could　not　make
their　condition　more　precarious　than　it　was；　and　might　reasonably　expect
to　make　it　better。　　They　were　popularly　known　as　the　〃Irish　Brigade；〃
though　there　were　only　four　or　five　Irishmen　among　all　the　Governor's
retainers。

His　good…natured　Excellency　was　much　annoyed　at　the　gossip　his　henchmen
createdespecially　when　there　arose　a　rumor　that　they　were　paid
assassins　of　his；　brought　along　to　quietly　reduce　the　democratic　vote
when　desirable！

Mrs。　O'Flannigan　was　boarding　and　lodging　them　at　ten　dollars　a　week
apiece；　and　they　were　cheerfully　giving　their　notes　for　it。　　They　were
perfectly　satisfied；　but　Bridget　presently　found　that　notes　that　could
not　be　discounted　were　but　a　feeble　constitution　for　a　Carson　boarding…
house。　　So　she　began　to　harry　the　Governor　to　find　employment　for　the
〃Brigade。〃　　Her　importunities　and　theirs　together　drove　him　to　a　gentle
desperation　at　last；　and　he　finally　summoned　the　Brigade　to　the　presence。
Then；　said　he：

〃Gentlemen；　I　have　planned　a　lucrative　and　useful　service　for　youa
service　which　will　provide　you　with　recreation　amid　noble　landscapes；　and
afford　you　never　ceasing　opportunities　for　enriching　your　minds　by
observation　and　study。　　I　want　you　to　survey　a　railroad　from　Carson　City
westward　to　a　certain　point！　　When　the　legislature　meets　I　will　have　the
necessary　bill　passed　and　the　remuneration　arranged。〃

〃What；　a　railroad　over　the　Sierra　Nevada　Mountains？〃

〃Well；　then；　survey　it　eastward　to　a　certain　point！〃

He　converted　them　into　surveyors；　chain…bearers　and　so　on；　and　turned
them　loose　in　the　desert。　　It　was　〃recreation〃　with　a　vengeance！
Recreation　on　foot；　lugging　chains　through　sand　and　sage…brush；　under　a
sultry　sun　and　among　cattle　bones；　cayotes　and　tarantulas。

〃Romantic　adventure〃　could　go　no　further。　　They　surveyed　very　slowly；
very　deliberately；　very　carefully。　　They　returned　every　night　during　the
first　week；　dusty；　footsore；　tired；　and　hungry；　but　very　jolly。　　They
brought　in　great　store　of　prodigious　hairy　spiderstarantulasand
imprisoned　them　in　covered　tumblers　up　stairs　in　the　〃ranch。〃　　After　the
first　week；　they　had　to　camp　on　the　field；　for　they　were　getting　well
eastward。　　They　made　a　good　many　inquiries　as　to　the　location　of　that
indefinite　〃certain　point；〃　but　got　no　information。　　At　last；　to　a
peculiarly　urgent　inquiry　of　〃How　far　eastward？〃　　Governor　Nye
telegraphed　back：

〃To　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　blast　you！and　then　bridge　it　and　go　on！〃

This　brought　back　the　dusty　toilers；　who　sent　in　a　report　and　ceased　from
their　labors。　　The　Governor　was　always　comfortable　about　it；　he　said　Mrs。
O'Flannigan　would　hold　him　for　the　Brigade's　board　anyhow；　and　he
intended　to　get　what　entertainment　he　could　out　of　the　boys；　he　said；
with　his　old…time　pleasant　twinkle；　that　he　meant　to　survey　them　into
Utah　and　then　telegraph　Brigham　to　hang　them　for　trespass！

The　surveyors　brought　back　more　tarantulas　with　them；　and　so　we　had　quite
a　menagerie　arranged　along　the　shelves　of　the　room。　　Some　of　these
spiders　could　straddle　over　a　common　saucer　with　their　hairy；　muscular
legs；　and　when　their　feelings　were　hurt；　or　their　dignity　offended；　they
were　the　wickedest…looking　desperadoes　the　animal　world　can　furnish。
If　their　glass　prison…houses　were　touched　ever　so　lightly　they　were　up
and　spoiling　for　a　fight　in　a　minute。　　Starchy？proud？　　Indeed；　they
would　take　up　a　straw　and　pick　their　teeth　like　a　member　of　Congress。
There　was　as　usual　a　furious　〃zephyr〃　blowing　the　first　night　of　the
brigade's　return；　and　about　midnight　the　roof　of　an　adjoining　stable　blew
off；　and　a　corner　of　it　came　crashing　through　the　side　of　our　ranch。
There　was　a　simultaneous　awakening；　and　a　tumultuous　muster　of　the
brigade　in　the　dark；　and　a　general　tumbling　and　sprawling　over　each　other
in　the　narrow　aisle　between　the　bedrows。　　In　the　midst　of　the　turmoil；
Bob　H　sprung　up　out　of　a　sound　sleep；　and　knocked　down　a　shelf　with
his　head。　　Instantly　he　shouted：

〃Turn　out；　boysthe　tarantulas　is　loose！〃

No　warning　ever　sounded　so　dreadful。　　Nobody　tried；　any　longer；　to　leave
the　room；　lest　he　might　step　on　a　tarantula。　　Every　man　groped　for　a
trunk　or　a　bed；　and　jumped　on　it。　　Then　followed　the　strangest　silencea
silence　of　grisly　suspense　it　was；　toowaiting；　expectancy；　fear。　　It
was　as　dark　as　pitch；　and　one　had　to　imagine　the　spectacle　of　those
fourteen　scant…clad　men　roosting　gingerly　on　trunks　and　beds；　for　not　a
thing　could　be　seen。　　Then　came　occasional　little　interruptions　of　the
silence；　and　one　could　recognize　a　man　and　tell　his　locality　by　his
voice；　or　locate　any　other　sound　a　sufferer　made　by　his　gropings　or
changes　of　position。　　The　occasional　voices　were　not　given　to　much
speakingyou　simply　heard　a　gentle　ejaculation　of　〃Ow！〃　followed　by　a
solid　thump；　and　you　knew　the　gentleman　had　felt　a　hairy　blanket　or
something　touch　his　bare　skin　and　had　skipped　from　a　bed　to　the　floor。
Another　silence。　　Presently　you　would　hear　a　gasping　voice　say：

〃Sususomething's　crawling　up　the　back　of　my　neck！〃

Every　now　and　then　you　could　hear　a　little　subdued　scramble　and　a
sorrowful　〃O　Lord！〃　and　then　you　knew　that　somebody　was　getting　away　from
something　he　took　for　a　tarantula；　and　not　losing　any　time　about　it；
either。　　Directly　a　voice　in　the　corner　rang　out　wild　and　clear：

〃I've　got　him！　　I've　got　him！〃　＇Pause；　and　probable　change　of
circumstances。＇　　〃No；　he's　got　me！　　Oh；　ain't　they　never　going　to　fetch　a
lantern！〃

The　lantern　came　at　that　moment；　in　the　hands　of　Mrs。　O'Flannigan；　whose
anxiety　to　know　the　amount　of　damage　done　by　the　assaulting　roof　had　not
prevented　her　waiting　a　judicious　interval；　after　getting　out　of　bed　and
lighting　up；　to　see　if　the　wind　was　done；　now；　up　stairs；　or　had　a　larger
contract。

The　landscape　presented　when　the　lantern　flashed　into　the　room　was
picturesque；　and　might　have　been　funny　to　some　people；　but　was　not　to　us。
Although　we　were　perched　so　strangely　upon　boxes；　trunks　and　beds；　and　so
strangely　attired；　too；　we　were　too　earnestly　distressed　and　too
genuinely　miserable　to　see　any　fun　about　it；　and　there　was　not　the
semblance　of　a　smile　anywhere　visible。　　I　know　I　am　not　capable　of
suffering　more　than　I　did　during　those　few　minutes　of　suspense　in　the
dark；　surrounded　by　those　creeping；　bloody…minded　tarantulas。　　I　had
skipped　from　bed　to　bed　and　from　box　to　box　in　a　cold　agony；　and　every
time　I　touched　anything　that　was　furzy　I　fancied　I　felt　the　fangs。　　I　had
rather　go　to　war　than　live　that　episode　over　again。　　Nobody　was　hurt。
The　man　who　thought　a　tarantula　had　〃got　him〃　was　mistakenonly　a　crack
in　a　box　had　caught　his　finger。　　Not　one　of　those　escaped　tarantulas　was
ever　seen　again。　　There　were　ten　or　twelve　of　them。　　We　took　candles　and
hunted　the　place　high　and　low　for　them；　but　with　no　success。　　Did　we　go
back　to　bed　then？　　We　did　nothing　of　the　kind。　　Money　could　not　have
persuaded　us　to　do　it。　　We　sat　up　the　rest　of　the　night　playing　cribbage
and　keeping　a　sharp　lookout　for　the　enemy。




CHAPTER　XXII。

It　was　the　end　of　August；　and　the　skies　were　cloudless　and　the　weather
superb。　　In　two　or　three　weeks　I　had　grown　wonderfully　fascinated　with
the　curious　new　country　and　concluded　to　put　off　my　return　to　〃the
States〃　awhile。　　I　had　grown　well　accustomed　to　wearing　a　damaged　slouch
hat；　blue　woolen　shirt；　and　pants　crammed　into　boot…tops；　and　gloried　in
the　absence　of　coat；　vest　and　braces。　　I　felt　rowdyish　and　〃bully；〃　（as
the　historian　Josephus　phrases　it；　in　his　fine　chapter　upon　the
destruction　of　the　Temple）。　　It　seemed　to　me　that　nothing　could　be　so
fine　and　so　romantic。　　I　had　become　an　officer　of　the　government；　but
that　was　for　mere　sublimity。　　The　office　was　an　unique　sinecure。　　I　had
nothing　to　do　and　no　salary。　　I　was　private　Secretary　to　his　majesty　the
Secretary　and　there　was　not　yet　writing　enough　for　two　of　us。　　So　Johnny
K　and　I　devoted　our　time　to　amusement。　　He　was　the　young　son　of　an
Ohio　nabob　and　was　out　there　for　recreation。　　He　got　it。　　We　had　heard　a
world　of　talk　about　the　marvellous　beauty　of　Lake　Tahoe；　and　finally
curiosity　drove　us　thither　to　see　it。　　Three　or　four　members　of　the
Brigade　had　been　there　and　located　some　timber　lands　on　its　shores　and
stored　up　a　quantity　of　provisions　in　their　camp。　　We　strapped　a　couple
of　blankets　on　our　shoulders　and　took　an　axe　apiece　and　startedfor　we
intended　to　take　up　a　wood　ranch　or　so　ourselves　and　become　wealthy。
We　were　on　foot。　　The　reader　will　find　it　advantageous　to　go　horseback。
We　were　told　that　the　distance　was　eleven　miles。　　We　tramped　a　long　time
on　level　ground；　and　then　toiled　laboriously　up　a　mountain　about　a
thousand　miles　high　and　looked　over。　　No　lake　there。　　We　descended　on　the
other　side；　crossed　the　valley　and　toiled　up　another　mountain　three　or
four　thousand　miles　high；　apparently；　and　looked　over　again。　　No　lake
yet。　　We　sat　down　tired　and　perspiring；　and　hired　a　couple　of　Chinamen　to
curse　those　people　who　had　beguiled　us。　　Thus　refreshed；　we　presently
resumed　the　march　with　renewed　vigor　and　determination。　　We　plodded　on；
two　or　three　hours　longer；　and　at　last　the　Lake　burst　upon　usa　noble
sheet　of　blue　water　lifted　six　thousand　three　hundred　feet　above　the
level　of　the　sea；　and　walled　in　by　a　rim　of　snow…clad　mountain　peaks　that
towered　aloft　full　three　thousand　feet　higher　still！　　It　was　a　vast　oval；
and　one　would　have　to　use　up　eighty　or　a　hundred　good　miles　in　traveling
around　it。　　As　it　lay　there　with　the　shadows　of　the　mountains　brilliantly
photographed　upon　its　still　surface　I　thought　it　must　surely　be　the
fairest　picture　the　whole　earth　affords。

We　found　the　small　skiff　belonging　to　the　Brigade　boys；　and　without　loss
of　time　set　out　across　a　deep　bend　of　the　lake　toward　the　landmarks　that
signified　the　locality　of　the　camp。　　I　got　Johnny　to　rownot　because　I
mind　exertion　myself；　but　because　it　makes　me　sick　to　ride　backwards　when
I　am　at　work。　　But　I　steered。　　A　three…mile　pull　brought　us　to　the　camp
just　as　the　night　fell；　and　we　stepped　ashore　very　tired　and　wolfishly
hungry。　　In　a　〃cache〃　among　the　rocks　we　found　the　provisions　and　the
cooking　utensils；　and　then；　all　fatigued　as　I　was；　I　sat　down　on　a
boulder　and　superintended　while　Johnny　gathered　wood　and　cooked　supper。
Many　a　man　who　had　gone　through　what　I　had；　would　have　wanted