roughing it-第24章

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Many　a　man　who　had　gone　through　what　I　had；　would　have　wanted　to　rest。

It　was　a　delicious　supperhot　bread；　fried　bacon；　and　black　coffee。　　It
was　a　delicious　solitude　we　were　in；　too。　　Three　miles　away　was　a　saw…
mill　and　some　workmen；　but　there　were　not　fifteen　other　human　beings
throughout　the　wide　circumference　of　the　lake。　　As　the　darkness　closed
down　and　the　stars　came　out　and　spangled　the　great　mirror　with　jewels；　we
smoked　meditatively　in　the　solemn　hush　and　forgot　our　troubles　and　our
pains。　　In　due　time　we　spread　our　blankets　in　the　warm　sand　between　two
large　boulders　and　soon　feel　asleep；　careless　of　the　procession　of　ants
that　passed　in　through　rents　in　our　clothing　and　explored　our　persons。
Nothing　could　disturb　the　sleep　that　fettered　us；　for　it　had　been　fairly
earned；　and　if　our　consciences　had　any　sins　on　them　they　had　to　adjourn
court　for　that　night；　any　way。　　The　wind　rose　just　as　we　were　losing
consciousness；　and　we　were　lulled　to　sleep　by　the　beating　of　the　surf
upon　the　shore。

It　is　always　very　cold　on　that　lake　shore　in　the　night；　but　we　had　plenty
of　blankets　and　were　warm　enough。　　We　never　moved　a　muscle　all　night；　but
waked　at　early　dawn　in　the　original　positions；　and　got　up　at　once；
thoroughly　refreshed；　free　from　soreness；　and　brim　full　of　friskiness。
There　is　no　end　of　wholesome　medicine　in　such　an　experience。　　That
morning　we　could　have　whipped　ten　such　people　as　we　were　the　day　before
sick　ones　at　any　rate。　　But　the　world　is　slow；　and　people　will　go　to
〃water　cures〃　and　〃movement　cures〃　and　to　foreign　lands　for　health。
Three　months　of　camp　life　on　Lake　Tahoe　would　restore　an　Egyptian　mummy
to　his　pristine　vigor；　and　give　him　an　appetite　like　an　alligator。　　I　do
not　mean　the　oldest　and　driest　mummies；　of　course；　but　the　fresher　ones。
The　air　up　there　in　the　clouds　is　very　pure　and　fine；　bracing　and
delicious。　　And　why　shouldn't　it　be？it　is　the　same　the　angels　breathe。
I　think　that　hardly　any　amount　of　fatigue　can　be　gathered　together　that　a
man　cannot　sleep　off　in　one　night　on　the　sand　by　its　side。　　Not　under　a
roof；　but　under　the　sky；　it　seldom　or　never　rains　there　in　the　summer
time。　　I　know　a　man　who　went　there　to　die。　　But　he　made　a　failure　of　it。
He　was　a　skeleton　when　he　came；　and　could　barely　stand。　　He　had　no
appetite；　and　did　nothing　but　read　tracts　and　reflect　on　the　future。
Three　months　later　he　was　sleeping　out　of　doors　regularly；　eating　all　he
could　hold；　three　times　a　day；　and　chasing　game　over　mountains　three
thousand　feet　high　for　recreation。　　And　he　was　a　skeleton　no　longer；　but
weighed　part　of　a　ton。　　This　is　no　fancy　sketch；　but　the　truth。　　His
disease　was　consumption。　　I　confidently　commend　his　experience　to　other
skeletons。

I　superintended　again；　and　as　soon　as　we　had　eaten　breakfast　we　got　in
the　boat　and　skirted　along　the　lake　shore　about　three　miles　and
disembarked。　　We　liked　the　appearance　of　the　place；　and　so　we　claimed
some　three　hundred　acres　of　it　and　stuck　our　〃notices〃　on　a　tree。　　It　was
yellow　pine　timber　landa　dense　forest　of　trees　a　hundred　feet　high　and
from　one　to　five　feet　through　at　the　butt。　　It　was　necessary　to　fence　our
property　or　we　could　not　hold　it。　　That　is　to　say；　it　was　necessary　to
cut　down　trees　here　and　there　and　make　them　fall　in　such　a　way　as　to　form
a　sort　of　enclosure　（with　pretty　wide　gaps　in　it）。　　We　cut　down　three
trees　apiece；　and　found　it　such　heart…breaking　work　that　we　decided　to
〃rest　our　case〃　on　those；　if　they　held　the　property；　well　and　good；　if
they　didn't；　let　the　property　spill　out　through　the　gaps　and　go；　it　was
no　use　to　work　ourselves　to　death　merely　to　save　a　few　acres　of　land。
Next　day　we　came　back　to　build　a　housefor　a　house　was　also　necessary；
in　order　to　hold　the　property。　　We　decided　to　build　a　substantial　log…
house　and　excite　the　envy　of　the　Brigade　boys；　but　by　the　time　we　had　cut
and　trimmed　the　first　log　it　seemed　unnecessary　to　be　so　elaborate；　and
so　we　concluded　to　build　it　of　saplings。　　However；　two　saplings；　duly　cut
and　trimmed；　compelled　recognition　of　the　fact　that　a　still　modester
architecture　would　satisfy　the　law；　and　so　we　concluded　to　build　a
〃brush〃　house。　　We　devoted　the　next　day　to　this　work；　but　we　did　so　much
〃sitting　around〃　and　discussing；　that　by　the　middle　of　the　afternoon　we
had　achieved　only　a　half…way　sort　of　affair　which　one　of　us　had　to　watch
while　the　other　cut　brush；　lest　if　both　turned　our　backs　we　might　not　be
able　to　find　it　again；　it　had　such　a　strong　family　resemblance　to　the
surrounding　vegetation。　　But　we　were　satisfied　with　it。

We　were　land　owners　now；　duly　seized　and　possessed；　and　within　the
protection　of　the　law。　　Therefore　we　decided　to　take　up　our　residence　on
our　own　domain　and　enjoy　that　large　sense　of　independence　which　only　such
an　experience　can　bring。　　Late　the　next　afternoon；　after　a　good　long
rest；　we　sailed　away　from　the　Brigade　camp　with　all　the　provisions　and
cooking　utensils　we　could　carry　offborrow　is　the　more　accurate　word
and　just　as　the　night　was　falling　we　beached　the　boat　at　our　own　landing。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

If　there　is　any　life　that　is　happier　than　the　life　we　led　on　our　timber
ranch　for　the　next　two　or　three　weeks；　it　must　be　a　sort　of　life　which　I
have　not　read　of　in　books　or　experienced　in　person。　　We　did　not　see　a
human　being　but　ourselves　during　the　time；　or　hear　any　sounds　but　those
that　were　made　by　the　wind　and　the　waves；　the　sighing　of　the　pines；　and
now　and　then　the　far…off　thunder　of　an　avalanche。　　The　forest　about　us
was　dense　and　cool；　the　sky　above　us　was　cloudless　and　brilliant　with
sunshine；　the　broad　lake　before　us　was　glassy　and　clear；　or　rippled　and
breezy；　or　black　and　storm…tossed；　according　to　Nature's　mood；　and　its
circling　border　of　mountain　domes；　clothed　with　forests；　scarred　with
land…slides；　cloven　by　canons　and　valleys；　and　helmeted　with　glittering
snow；　fitly　framed　and　finished　the　noble　picture。　　The　view　was　always
fascinating；　bewitching；　entrancing。　　The　eye　was　never　tired　of　gazing；
night　or　day；　in　calm　or　storm；　it　suffered　but　one　grief；　and　that　was
that　it　could　not　look　always；　but　must　close　sometimes　in　sleep。

We　slept　in　the　sand　close　to　the　water's　edge；　between　two　protecting
boulders；　which　took　care　of　the　stormy　night…winds　for　us。　　We　never
took　any　paregoric　to　make　us　sleep。　　At　the　first　break　of　dawn　we　were
always　up　and　running　foot…races　to　tone　down　excess　of　physical　vigor
and　exuberance　of　spirits。　　That　is；　Johnny　wasbut　I　held　his　hat。
While　smoking　the　pipe　of　peace　after　breakfast　we　watched　the　sentinel
peaks　put　on　the　glory　of　the　sun；　and　followed　the　conquering　light　as
it　swept　down　among　the　shadows；　and　set　the　captive　crags　and　forests
free。　　We　watched　the　tinted　pictures　grow　and　brighten　upon　the　water
till　every　little　detail　of　forest；　precipice　and　pinnacle　was　wrought　in
and　finished；　and　the　miracle　of　the　enchanter　complete。　　Then　to
〃business。〃

That　is；　drifting　around　in　the　boat。　　We　were　on　the　north　shore。
There；　the　rocks　on　the　bottom　are　sometimes　gray；　sometimes　white。
This　gives　the　marvelous　transparency　of　the　water　a　fuller　advantage
than　it　has　elsewhere　on　the　lake。　　We　usually　pushed　out　a　hundred　yards
or　so　from　shore；　and　then　lay　down　on　the　thwarts；　in　the　sun；　and　let
the　boat　drift　by　the　hour　whither　it　would。　　We　seldom　talked。
It　interrupted　the　Sabbath　stillness；　and　marred　the　dreams　the　luxurious
rest　and　indolence　brought。　　The　shore　all　along　was　indented　with　deep；
curved　bays　and　coves；　bordered　by　narrow　sand…beaches；　and　where　the
sand　ended；　the　steep　mountain…sides　rose　right　up　aloft　into　spacerose
up　like　a　vast　wall　a　little　out　of　the　perpendicular；　and　thickly　wooded
with　tall　pines。

So　singularly　clear　was　the　water；　that　where　it　was　only　twenty　or
thirty　feet　deep　the　bottom　was　so　perfectly　distinct　that　the　boat
seemed　floating　in　the　air！　　Yes；　where　it　was　even　eighty　feet　deep。
Every　little　pebble　was　distinct；　every　speckled　trout；　every　hand's…
breadth　of　sand。　　Often；　as　we　lay　on　our　faces；　a　granite　boulder；　as
large　as　a　village　church；　would　start　out　of　the　bottom　apparently；　and
seem　climbing　up　rapidly　to　the　surface；　till　presently　it　threatened　to
touch　our　faces；　and　we　could　not　resist　the　impulse　to　seize　an　oar　and
avert　the　danger。　　But　the　boat　would　float　on；　and　the　boulder　descend
again；　and　then　we　could　see　that　when　we　had　been　exactly　above　it；　it
must　still　have　been　twenty　or　thirty　feet　below　the　surface。　　Down
through　the　transparency　of　these　great　depths；　the　water　was　not　merely
transparent；　but　dazzlingly；　brilliantly　so。　　All　objects　seen　through　it
had　a　bright；　strong　vividness；　not　only　of　outline；　but　of　every　minute
detail；　which　they　would　not　have　had　when　seen　simply　through　the　same
depth　of　atmosphere。　　So　empty　and　airy　did　all　spaces　seem　below　us；　and
so　strong　was　the　sense　of　floating　high　aloft　in　mid…nothingness；　that
we　called　these　boat…excursions　〃balloon…voyages。〃

We　fished　a　good　deal；　but　we　did　not　average　one　fish　a　week。　　We　could
see　trout　by　the　thousand　winging　about　in　the　emptiness　under　us；　or
sleeping　in　shoals　on　the　bottom；　but　they　would　not　bitethey　could　see
the　line　too　plainly；　perhaps。　　We　frequently　selected　the　trout　we
wanted；　and　rested　the　bait　patiently　and　persistently　on　the　end　of　his
nose　at　a　depth　of　eighty　feet；　but　he　would　only　shake　it　off　with　an
annoyed　manner；　and　shift　his　position。

We　bathed　occasionally；　but　the　water　was　rather　chilly；　for　all　it
looked　so　sunny。　　Sometimes　we　rowed　out　to　the　〃blue　water；〃　a　mile　or
two　from　shore。　　It　was　as　dead　blue　as　indigo　there；　because　of　the
immense　depth。　　By　official　measurement　the　lake　in　its　centre　is　one
thousand　five　hundred　and　twenty…five　feet　deep！

Sometimes；　on　lazy　afternoons；　we　lolled　on　the　sand　in　camp；　and　smoked
pipes　and　read　some　old　well…worn　novels。　　At　night；　by　the　camp…fire；　we
played　euchre　and　seven…up　to　strengthen　the　mindand　played　them　with
cards　so　greasy　and　defaced　that　only　a　whole　summer's　acquaintance　with
them　could　enable　the　student　to　tell　the　ace　of　clubs　from　the　jack　of
diamonds。

We　never　slept　in　our　〃house。〃　　It　never　recurred　to　us；　for　one　thing；
and　besides；　it　was　built　to　hold　the　ground；　and　that　was　enough。　　We
did　not　wish　to　strain　it。

By　and　by　our　provisions　began　to　run　short；　and　we　went　back　to　the　old
camp　and　laid　in　a　new　supply。　　We　were　gone　all　day；　and　reached　home
again　about　night…fall；　pretty　tired　and　hungry。　　While　Johnny　was
carrying　the　main　bulk　of　the　provisions　up　to　our　〃house〃　for　future
use；　I　took　the　loaf　of　bread；　some　slices　of　bacon；　and　the　coffee…pot；
ashore；　set　them　down　by　a　tree；　lit　a　fire；　and　went　back　to　the　boat　to
get　the　frying…pan。　　While　I　was　at　this；　I　heard　a　shout　from　Johnny；
and　looking　up　I　saw　that　my　fire　was　galloping　all　over　the　premises！
Johnny　was　on　the　other　side　of　it。　　He　had　to　run　through　the　flames　to
get　to　the　lake　shore；　and　then　we　stood　helpless　and　watched　the
devastation。

The　ground　was　deeply　carpeted　with　dry　pine…needles；　and　the　fire
touched　them　off　as　if　they　were　gunpowder。　　It