roughing it-第4章

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It　was　now　just　dawn；　and　as　we　stretched　our　cramped　legs　full　length　on
the　mail　sacks；　and　gazed　out　through　the　windows　across　the　wide　wastes
of　greensward　clad　in　cool；　powdery　mist；　to　where　there　was　an　expectant
look　in　the　eastern　horizon；　our　perfect　enjoyment　took　the　form　of　a
tranquil　and　contented　ecstasy。　　The　stage　whirled　along　at　a　spanking
gait；　the　breeze　flapping　curtains　and　suspended　coats　in　a　most
exhilarating　way；　the　cradle　swayed　and　swung　luxuriously；　the　pattering
of　the　horses'　hoofs；　the　cracking　of　the　driver's　whip；　and　his　〃Hi…yi！
g'lang！〃　were　music；　the　spinning　ground　and　the　waltzing　trees　appeared
to　give　us　a　mute　hurrah　as　we　went　by；　and　then　slack　up　and　look　after
us　with　interest；　or　envy；　or　something；　and　as　we　lay　and　smoked　the
pipe　of　peace　and　compared　all　this　luxury　with　the　years　of　tiresome
city　life　that　had　gone　before　it；　we　felt　that　there　was　only　one
complete　and　satisfying　happiness　in　the　world；　and　we　had　found　it。

After　breakfast；　at　some　station　whose　name　I　have　forgotten；　we　three
climbed　up　on　the　seat　behind　the　driver；　and　let　the　conductor　have　our
bed　for　a　nap。　　And　by　and　by；　when　the　sun　made　me　drowsy；　I　lay　down　on
my　face　on　top　of　the　coach；　grasping　the　slender　iron　railing；　and　slept
for　an　hour　or　more。　　That　will　give　one　an　appreciable　idea　of　those
matchless　roads。　　Instinct　will　make　a　sleeping　man　grip　a　fast　hold　of
the　railing　when　the　stage　jolts；　but　when　it　only　swings　and　sways；　no
grip　is　necessary。　　Overland　drivers　and　conductors　used　to　sit　in　their
places　and　sleep　thirty　or　forty　minutes　at　a　time；　on　good　roads；　while
spinning　along　at　the　rate　of　eight　or　ten　miles　an　hour。　　I　saw　them　do
it；　often。　　There　was　no　danger　about　it；　a　sleeping　man　will　seize　the
irons　in　time　when　the　coach　jolts。　　These　men　were　hard　worked；　and　it
was　not　possible　for　them　to　stay　awake　all　the　time。

By　and　by　we　passed　through　Marysville；　and　over　the　Big　Blue　and　Little
Sandy；　thence　about　a　mile；　and　entered　Nebraska。　　About　a　mile　further
on；　we　came　to　the　Big　Sandyone　hundred　and　eighty　miles　from　St。
Joseph。

As　the　sun　was　going　down；　we　saw　the　first　specimen　of　an　animal　known
familiarly　over　two　thousand　miles　of　mountain　and　desertfrom　Kansas
clear　to　the　Pacific　Oceanas　the　〃jackass　rabbit。〃　He　is　well　named。
He　is　just　like　any　other　rabbit；　except　that　he　is　from　one　third　to
twice　as　large；　has　longer　legs　in　proportion　to　his　size；　and　has　the
most　preposterous　ears　that　ever　were　mounted　on　any　creature　but　a
jackass。

When　he　is　sitting　quiet；　thinking　about　his　sins；　or　is　absent…minded　or
unapprehensive　of　danger；　his　majestic　ears　project　above　him
conspicuously；　but　the　breaking　of　a　twig　will　scare　him　nearly　to　death；
and　then　he　tilts　his　ears　back　gently　and　starts　for　home。　　All　you　can
see；　then；　for　the　next　minute；　is　his　long　gray　form　stretched　out
straight　and　〃streaking　it〃　through　the　low　sage…brush；　head　erect；　eyes
right；　and　ears　just　canted　a　little　to　the　rear；　but　showing　you　where
the　animal　is；　all　the　time；　the　same　as　if　he　carried　a　jib。　　Now　and
then　he　makes　a　marvelous　spring　with　his　long　legs；　high　over　the
stunted　sage…brush；　and　scores　a　leap　that　would　make　a　horse　envious。
Presently　he　comes　down　to　a　long；　graceful　〃lope；〃　and　shortly　he
mysteriously　disappears。　　He　has　crouched　behind　a　sage…bush；　and　will
sit　there　and　listen　and　tremble　until　you　get　within　six　feet　of　him；
when　he　will　get　under　way　again。　　But　one　must　shoot　at　this　creature
once；　if　he　wishes　to　see　him　throw　his　heart　into　his　heels；　and　do　the
best　he　knows　how。　　He　is　frightened　clear　through；　now；　and　he　lays　his
long　ears　down　on　his　back；　straightens　himself　out　like　a　yard…stick
every　spring　he　makes；　and　scatters　miles　behind　him　with　an　easy
indifference　that　is　enchanting。

Our　party　made　this　specimen　〃hump　himself；〃　as　the　conductor　said。　　The
secretary　started　him　with　a　shot　from　the　Colt；　I　commenced　spitting　at
him　with　my　weapon；　and　all　in　the　same　instant　the　old　〃Allen's〃　whole
broadside　let　go　with　a　rattling　crash；　and　it　is　not　putting　it　too
strong　to　say　that　the　rabbit　was　frantic！　　He　dropped　his　ears；　set　up
his　tail；　and　left　for　San　Francisco　at　a　speed　which　can　only　be
described　as　a　flash　and　a　vanish！　　Long　after　he　was　out　of　sight　we
could　hear　him　whiz。

I　do　not　remember　where　we　first　came　across　〃sage…brush；〃　but　as　I　have
been　speaking　of　it　I　may　as　well　describe　it。

This　is　easily　done；　for　if　the　reader　can　imagine　a　gnarled　and
venerable　live　oak…tree　reduced　to　a　little　shrub　two　feet…high；　with　its
rough　bark；　its　foliage；　its　twisted　boughs；　all　complete；　he　can　picture
the　〃sage…brush〃　exactly。　　Often；　on　lazy　afternoons　in　the　mountains；　I
have　lain　on　the　ground　with　my　face　under　a　sage…bush；　and　entertained
myself　with　fancying　that　the　gnats　among　its　foliage　were　liliputian
birds；　and　that　the　ants　marching　and　countermarching　about　its　base　were
liliputian　flocks　and　herds；　and　myself　some　vast　loafer　from　Brobdignag
waiting　to　catch　a　little　citizen　and　eat　him。

It　is　an　imposing　monarch　of　the　forest　in　exquisite　miniature；　is　the
〃sage…brush。〃　　Its　foliage　is　a　grayish　green；　and　gives　that　tint　to
desert　and　mountain。　　It　smells　like　our　domestic　sage；　and　〃sage…tea〃
made　from　it　taste　like　the　sage…tea　which　all　boys　are　so　well
acquainted　with。　　The　sage…brush　is　a　singularly　hardy　plant；　and　grows
right　in　the　midst　of　deep　sand；　and　among　barren　rocks；　where　nothing
else　in　the　vegetable　world　would　try　to　grow；　except　〃bunch…grass。〃
＇〃Bunch…grass〃　grows　on　the　bleak　mountain…sides　of　Nevada　and
neighboring　territories；　and　offers　excellent　feed　for　stock；　even　in　the
dead　of　winter；　wherever　the　snow　is　blown　aside　and　exposes　it；
notwithstanding　its　unpromising　home；　bunch…grass　is　a　better　and　more
nutritious　diet　for　cattle　and　horses　than　almost　any　other　hay　or　grass
that　is　knownso　stock…men　say。＇　The　sage…bushes　grow　from　three　to
six　or　seven　feet　apart；　all　over　the　mountains　and　deserts　of　the　Far
West；　clear　to　the　borders　of　California。　　There　is　not　a　tree　of　any
kind　in　the　deserts；　for　hundreds　of　milesthere　is　no　vegetation　at　all
in　a　regular　desert；　except　the　sage…brush　and　its　cousin　the
〃greasewood；〃　which　is　so　much　like　the　sage…brush　that　the　difference
amounts　to　little。　　Camp…fires　and　hot　suppers　in　the　deserts　would　be
impossible　but　for　the　friendly　sage…brush。　　Its　trunk　is　as　large　as　a
boy's　wrist　（and　from　that　up　to　a　man's　arm）；　and　its　crooked　branches
are　half　as　large　as　its　trunkall　good；　sound；　hard　wood；　very　like
oak。

When　a　party　camps；　the　first　thing　to　be　done　is　to　cut　sage…brush；　and
in　a　few　minutes　there　is　an　opulent　pile　of　it　ready　for　use。　　A　hole　a
foot　wide；　two　feet　deep；　and　two　feet　long；　is　dug；　and　sage…brush
chopped　up　and　burned　in　it　till　it　is　full　to　the　brim　with　glowing
coals。　　Then　the　cooking　begins；　and　there　is　no　smoke；　and　consequently
no　swearing。　　Such　a　fire　will　keep　all　night；　with　very　little
replenishing；　and　it　makes　a　very　sociable　camp…fire；　and　one　around
which　the　most　impossible　reminiscences　sound　plausible；　instructive；　and
profoundly　entertaining。

Sage…brush　is　very　fair　fuel；　but　as　a　vegetable　it　is　a　distinguished
failure。　　Nothing　can　abide　the　taste　of　it　but　the　jackass　and　his
illegitimate　child　the　mule。　　But　their　testimony　to　its　nutritiousness
is　worth　nothing；　for　they　will　eat　pine　knots；　or　anthracite　coal；　or
brass　filings；　or　lead　pipe；　or　old　bottles；　or　anything　that　comes
handy；　and　then　go　off　looking　as　grateful　as　if　they　had　had　oysters　for
dinner。　　Mules　and　donkeys　and　camels　have　appetites　that　anything　will
relieve　temporarily；　but　nothing　satisfy。

In　Syria；　once；　at　the　head…waters　of　the　Jordan；　a　camel　took　charge　of
my　overcoat　while　the　tents　were　being　pitched；　and　examined　it　with　a
critical　eye；　all　over；　with　as　much　interest　as　if　he　had　an　idea　of
getting　one　made　like　it；　and　then；　after　he　was　done　figuring　on　it　as
an　article　of　apparel；　he　began　to　contemplate　it　as　an　article　of　diet。
He　put　his　foot　on　it；　and　lifted　one　of　the　sleeves　out　with　his　teeth；
and　chewed　and　chewed　at　it；　gradually　taking　it　in；　and　all　the　while
opening　and　closing　his　eyes　in　a　kind　of　religious　ecstasy；　as　if　he　had
never　tasted　anything　as　good　as　an　overcoat　before；　in　his　life。　　Then
he　smacked　his　lips　once　or　twice；　and　reached　after　the　other　sleeve。
Next　he　tried　the　velvet　collar；　and　smiled　a　smile　of　such　contentment
that　it　was　plain　to　see　that　he　regarded　that　as　the　daintiest　thing
about　an　overcoat。　　The　tails　went　next；　along　with　some　percussion　caps
and　cough　candy；　and　some　fig…paste　from　Constantinople。　　And　then　my
newspaper　correspondence　dropped　out；　and　he　took　a　chance　in　that
manuscript　letters　written　for　the　home　papers。　　But　he　was　treading　on
dangerous　ground；　now。　　He　began　to　come　across　solid　wisdom　in　those
documents　that　was　rather　weighty　on　his　stomach；　and　occasionally　he
would　take　a　joke　that　would　shake　him　up　till　it　loosened　his　teeth；　it
was　getting　to　be　perilous　times　with　him；　but　he　held　his　grip　with　good
courage　and　hopefully；　till　at　last　he　began　to　stumble　on　statements
that　not　even　a　camel　could　swallow　with　impunity。　　He　began　to　gag　and
gasp；　and　his　eyes　to　stand　out；　and　his　forelegs　to　spread；　and　in　about
a　quarter　of　a　minute　he　fell　over　as　stiff　as　a　carpenter's　work…bench；
and　died　a　death　of　indescribable　agony。　　I　went　and　pulled　the
manuscript　out　of　his　mouth；　and　found　that　the　sensitive　creature　had
choked　to　death　on　one　of　the　mildest　and　gentlest　statements　of　fact
that　I　ever　laid　before　a　trusting　public。

I　was　about　to　say；　when　diverted　from　my　subject；　that　occasionally　one
finds　sage…bushes　five　or　six　feet　high；　and　with　a　spread　of　branch　and
foliage　in　proportion；　but　two　or　two　and　a　half　feet　is　the　usual
height。




CHAPTER　IV。

As　the　sun　went　down　and　the　evening　chill　came　on；　we　made　preparation
for　bed。　　We　stirred　up　the　hard　leather　letter…sacks；　and　the　knotty
canvas　bags　of　printed　matter　（knotty　and　uneven　because　of　projecting
ends　and　corners　of　magazines；　boxes　and　books）。　　We　stirred　them　up　and
redisposed　them　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　our　bed　as　level　as　possible。
And　we　did　improve　it；　too；　though　after　all　our　work　it　had　an　upheaved
and　billowy　look　about　it；　like　a　little　piece　of　a　stormy　sea。　　Next　we
hunted　up　our　boots　from　odd　nooks　among　the　mail…bags　where　they　had
settled；　and　put　them　on。　　Then　we　got　down　our　coats；　vests；　pantaloons
and　heavy　woolen　shirts；　from　the　arm…loops　where　they　had　been　swinging
all　day；　and　clothed　ourselves　in　themfor；　there　being　no　ladies　either
at　the　stations　or　in　the　coach；　and　the　weather　being　hot；　we　had　looked
to　our　comfort　by　stripping　to　our　underclothing；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the
morning。　　All　things　being　now　ready；　we　stowed　the　uneasy　Dictionary
where　it　would　lie　as　quiet　as　possible；　and　placed　the　water…canteens
and　pistols　where　we　could　find　them　in　the　dark。　　Then　we　smoked　a　final
pipe；　and　swapped　a　final