roughing it-第29章

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I　confess；　without　shame；　that　I　expected　to　find　masses　of　silver　lying
all　about　the　ground。　　I　expected　to　see　it　glittering　in　the　sun　on　the
mountain　summits。　　I　said　nothing　about　this；　for　some　instinct　told　me
that　I　might　possibly　have　an　exaggerated　idea　about　it；　and　so　if　I
betrayed　my　thought　I　might　bring　derision　upon　myself。　　Yet　I　was　as
perfectly　satisfied　in　my　own　mind　as　I　could　be　of　anything；　that　I　was
going　to　gather　up；　in　a　day　or　two；　or　at　furthest　a　week　or　two；　silver
enough　to　make　me　satisfactorily　wealthyand　so　my　fancy　was　already
busy　with　plans　for　spending　this　money。　　The　first　opportunity　that
offered；　I　sauntered　carelessly　away　from　the　cabin；　keeping　an　eye　on
the　other　boys；　and　stopping　and　contemplating　the　sky　when　they　seemed
to　be　observing　me；　but　as　soon　as　the　coast　was　manifestly　clear；　I　fled
away　as　guiltily　as　a　thief　might　have　done　and　never　halted　till　I　was
far　beyond　sight　and　call。　　Then　I　began　my　search　with　a　feverish
excitement　that　was　brimful　of　expectationalmost　of　certainty。
I　crawled　about　the　ground；　seizing　and　examining　bits　of　stone；　blowing
the　dust　from　them　or　rubbing　them　on　my　clothes；　and　then　peering　at
them　with　anxious　hope。　　Presently　I　found　a　bright　fragment　and　my　heart
bounded！　　I　hid　behind　a　boulder　and　polished　it　and　scrutinized　it　with
a　nervous　eagerness　and　a　delight　that　was　more　pronounced　than　absolute
certainty　itself　could　have　afforded。　　The　more　I　examined　the　fragment
the　more　I　was　convinced　that　I　had　found　the　door　to　fortune。　　I　marked
the　spot　and　carried　away　my　specimen。　　Up　and　down　the　rugged　mountain
side　I　searched；　with　always　increasing　interest　and　always　augmenting
gratitude　that　I　had　come　to　Humboldt　and　come　in　time。　　Of　all　the
experiences　of　my　life；　this　secret　search　among　the　hidden　treasures　of
silver…land　was　the　nearest　to　unmarred　ecstasy。　　It　was　a　delirious
revel。

By　and　by；　in　the　bed　of　a　shallow　rivulet；　I　found　a　deposit　of　shining
yellow　scales；　and　my　breath　almost　forsook　me！　　A　gold　mine；　and　in　my
simplicity　I　had　been　content　with　vulgar　silver！　　I　was　so　excited　that
I　half　believed　my　overwrought　imagination　was　deceiving　me。　　Then　a　fear
came　upon　me　that　people　might　be　observing　me　and　would　guess　my　secret。
Moved　by　this　thought；　I　made　a　circuit　of　the　place；　and　ascended　a
knoll　to　reconnoiter。　　Solitude。　　No　creature　was　near。　　Then　I　returned
to　my　mine；　fortifying　myself　against　possible　disappointment；　but　my
fears　were　groundlessthe　shining　scales　were　still　there。　　I　set　about
scooping　them　out；　and　for　an　hour　I　toiled　down　the　windings　of　the
stream　and　robbed　its　bed。　　But　at　last　the　descending　sun　warned　me　to
give　up　the　quest；　and　I　turned　homeward　laden　with　wealth。　　As　I　walked
along　I　could　not　help　smiling　at　the　thought　of　my　being　so　excited　over
my　fragment　of　silver　when　a　nobler　metal　was　almost　under　my　nose。　　In
this　little　time　the　former　had　so　fallen　in　my　estimation　that　once　or
twice　I　was　on　the　point　of　throwing　it　away。

The　boys　were　as　hungry　as　usual；　but　I　could　eat　nothing。　　Neither　could
I　talk。　　I　was　full　of　dreams　and　far　away。　　Their　conversation
interrupted　the　flow　of　my　fancy　somewhat；　and　annoyed　me　a　little；　too。
I　despised　the　sordid　and　commonplace　things　they　talked　about。　　But　as
they　proceeded；　it　began　to　amuse　me。　　It　grew　to　be　rare　fun　to　hear
them　planning　their　poor　little　economies　and　sighing　over　possible
privations　and　distresses　when　a　gold　mine；　all　our　own；　lay　within　sight
of　the　cabin　and　I　could　point　it　out　at　any　moment。　　Smothered　hilarity
began　to　oppress　me；　presently。　　It　was　hard　to　resist　the　impulse　to
burst　out　with　exultation　and　reveal　everything；　but　I　did　resist。　　I
said　within　myself　that　I　would　filter　the　great　news　through　my　lips
calmly　and　be　serene　as　a　summer　morning　while　I　watched　its　effect　in
their　faces。　　I　said：

〃Where　have　you　all　been？〃

〃Prospecting。〃

〃What　did　you　find？〃

〃Nothing。〃

〃Nothing？　　What　do　you　think　of　the　country？〃

〃Can't　tell；　yet；〃　said　Mr。　Ballou；　who　was　an　old　gold　miner；　and　had
likewise　had　considerable　experience　among　the　silver　mines。

〃Well；　haven't　you　formed　any　sort　of　opinion？〃

〃Yes；　a　sort　of　a　one。　　It's　fair　enough　here；　may　be；　but　overrated。
Seven　thousand　dollar　ledges　are　scarce；　though。

That　Sheba　may　be　rich　enough；　but　we　don't　own　it；　and　besides；　the　rock
is　so　full　of　base　metals　that　all　the　science　in　the　world　can't　work
it。　　We'll　not　starve；　here；　but　we'll　not　get　rich；　I'm　afraid。〃

〃So　you　think　the　prospect　is　pretty　poor？〃

〃No　name　for　it！〃

〃Well；　we'd　better　go　back；　hadn't　we？〃

〃Oh；　not　yetof　course　not。　　We'll　try　it　a　riffle；　first。〃

〃Suppose；　nowthis　is　merely　a　supposition；　you　knowsuppose　you　could
find　a　ledge　that　would　yield；　say；　a　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　ton
would　that　satisfy　you？〃

〃Try　us　once！〃　from　the　whole　party。

〃Or　supposemerely　a　supposition；　of　coursesuppose　you　were　to　find　a
ledge　that　would　yield　two　thousand　dollars　a　tonwould　that　satisfy
you？〃

〃Herewhat　do　you　mean？　　What　are　you　coming　at？　　Is　there　some　mystery
behind　all　this？〃

〃Never　mind。　　I　am　not　saying　anything。　　You　know　perfectly　well　there
are　no　rich　mines　hereof　course　you　do。　　Because　you　have　been　around
and　examined　for　yourselves。　　Anybody　would　know　that；　that　had　been
around。　　But　just　for　the　sake　of　argument；　supposein　a　kind　of　general
waysuppose　some　person　were　to　tell　you　that　two…thousand…dollar　ledges
were　simply　contemptiblecontemptible；　understandand　that　right　yonder
in　sight　of　this　very　cabin　there　were　piles　of　pure　gold　and　pure
silveroceans　of　itenough　to　make　you　all　rich　in　twenty…four　hours！
Come！〃

〃I　should　say　he　was　as　crazy　as　a　loon！〃　said　old　Ballou；　but　wild　with
excitement；　nevertheless。

〃Gentlemen；〃　said　I；　〃I　don't　say　anythingI　haven't　been　around；　you
know；　and　of　course　don't　know　anythingbut　all　I　ask　of　you　is　to　cast
your　eye　on　that；　for　instance；　and　tell　me　what　you　think　of　it！〃　and　I
tossed　my　treasure　before　them。

There　was　an　eager　scramble　for　it；　and　a　closing　of　heads　together　over
it　under　the　candle…light。　　Then　old　Ballou　said：

〃Think　of　it？　　I　think　it　is　nothing　but　a　lot　of　granite　rubbish　and
nasty　glittering　mica　that　isn't　worth　ten　cents　an　acre！〃

So　vanished　my　dream。　　So　melted　my　wealth　away。　　So　toppled　my　airy
castle　to　the　earth　and　left　me　stricken　and　forlorn。

Moralizing；　I　observed；　then；　that　〃all　that　glitters　is　not　gold。〃

Mr。　Ballou　said　I　could　go　further　than　that；　and　lay　it　up　among　my
treasures　of　knowledge；　that　nothing　that　glitters　is　gold。　　So　I　learned
then；　once　for　all；　that　gold　in　its　native　state　is　but　dull；
unornamental　stuff；　and　that　only　low…born　metals　excite　the　admiration
of　the　ignorant　with　an　ostentatious　glitter。　　However；　like　the　rest　of
the　world；　I　still　go　on　underrating　men　of　gold　and　glorifying　men　of
mica。　　Commonplace　human　nature　cannot　rise　above　that。




CHAPTER　XXIX。

True　knowledge　of　the　nature　of　silver　mining　came　fast　enough。　　We　went
out　〃prospecting〃　with　Mr。　Ballou。　　We　climbed　the　mountain　sides；　and
clambered　among　sage…brush；　rocks　and　snow　till　we　were　ready　to　drop
with　exhaustion；　but　found　no　silvernor　yet　any　gold。　　Day　after　day　we
did　this。　　Now　and　then　we　came　upon　holes　burrowed　a　few　feet　into　the
declivities　and　apparently　abandoned；　and　now　and　then　we　found　one　or
two　listless　men　still　burrowing。　　But　there　was　no　appearance　of　silver。
These　holes　were　the　beginnings　of　tunnels；　and　the　purpose　was　to　drive
them　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　mountain；　and　some　day　tap　the　hidden
ledge　where　the　silver　was。　　Some　day！　　It　seemed　far　enough　away；　and
very　hopeless　and　dreary。　　Day　after　day　we　toiled；　and　climbed　and
searched；　and　we　younger　partners　grew　sicker　and　still　sicker　of　the
promiseless　toil。　　At　last　we　halted　under　a　beetling　rampart　of　rock
which　projected　from　the　earth　high　upon　the　mountain。　　Mr。　Ballou　broke
off　some　fragments　with　a　hammer；　and　examined　them　long　and　attentively
with　a　small　eye…glass；　threw　them　away　and　broke　off　more；　said　this
rock　was　quartz；　and　quartz　was　the　sort　of　rock　that　contained　silver。
Contained　it！　　I　had　thought　that　at　least　it　would　be　caked　on　the
outside　of　it　like　a　kind　of　veneering。　　He　still　broke　off　pieces　and
critically　examined　them；　now　and　then　wetting　the　piece　with　his　tongue
and　applying　the　glass。　　At　last　he　exclaimed：

〃We've　got　it！〃

We　were　full　of　anxiety　in　a　moment。　　The　rock　was　clean　and　white；　where
it　was　broken；　and　across　it　ran　a　ragged　thread　of　blue。　　He　said　that
that　little　thread　had　silver　in　it；　mixed　with　base　metal；　such　as　lead
and　antimony；　and　other　rubbish；　and　that　there　was　a　speck　or　two　of
gold　visible。　　After　a　great　deal　of　effort　we　managed　to　discern　some
little　fine　yellow　specks；　and　judged　that　a　couple　of　tons　of　them
massed　together　might　make　a　gold　dollar；　possibly。　　We　were　not
jubilant；　but　Mr。　Ballou　said　there　were　worse　ledges　in　the　world　than
that。　　He　saved　what　he　called　the　〃richest〃　piece　of　the　rock；　in　order
to　determine　its　value　by　the　process　called　the　〃fire…assay。〃　　Then　we
named　the　mine　〃Monarch　of　the　Mountains〃　（modesty　of　nomenclature　is　not
a　prominent　feature　in　the　mines）；　and　Mr。　Ballou　wrote　out　and　stuck　up
the　following　〃notice；〃　preserving　a　copy　to　be　entered　upon　the　books　in
the　mining　recorder's　office　in　the　town。

　　　　　　〃NOTICE。〃

　　　　　　〃We　the　undersigned　claim　three　claims；　of　three　hundred　feet　each
　　　　　　（and　one　for　discovery）；　on　this　silver…bearing　quartz　lead　or　lode；
　　　　　　extending　north　and　south　from　this　notice；　with　all　its　dips；
　　　　　　spurs；　and　angles；　variations　and　sinuosities；　together　with　fifty
　　　　　　feet　of　ground　on　either　side　for　working　the　same。〃

We　put　our　names　to　it　and　tried　to　feel　that　our　fortunes　were　made。
But　when　we　talked　the　matter　all　over　with　Mr。　Ballou；　we　felt　depressed
and　dubious。　　He　said　that　this　surface　quartz　was　not　all　there　was　of
our　mine；　but　that　the　wall　or　ledge　of　rock　called　the　〃Monarch　of　the
Mountains；〃　extended　down　hundreds　and　hundreds　of　feet　into　the　earth
he　illustrated　by　saying　it　was　like　a　curb…stone；　and　maintained　a
nearly　uniform　thickness…say　twenty　feetaway　down　into　the　bowels　of
the　earth；　and　was　perfectly　distinct　from　the　casing　rock　on　each　side
of　it；　and　that　it　kept　to　itself；　and　maintained　its　distinctive
character　always；　no　matter　how　deep　it　extended　into　the　earth　or　how
far　it　stretched　itself　through　and　across　the　hills　and　valleys。　　He
said　it　might　be　a　mile　deep　and　ten　miles　long；　for　all　we　knew；　and
that　wherever　we　bored　into　it　above　ground　or　below；　we　would　find　gold
and　silver　in　it；　but　no　gold　or　silver　in　the　meaner　rock　it　was　cased
between。　　And　he　said　that　down　in　the　great　depths　of　the　ledge　was　its
richness；　and　the　deeper　it　went　the　richer　it　grew。　　Therefore；　instead
of　working　here　on　the　surface；　we　must　either　bore　down　into　the　rock
with　a　shaft　till　we　came　to　where　it　was　richsay　a　hundred　feet　or　so
or　else　we　must　g