roughing it-第62章

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soiled；　but　his　heart　was　finer　metal　than　any　gold　his　shovel　ever
brought　to　lightthan　any；　indeed；　that　ever　was　mined　or　minted。

Whenever　he　was　out　of　luck　and　a　little　down…hearted；　he　would　fall　to
mourning　over　the　loss　of　a　wonderful　cat　he　used　to　own　（for　where　women
and　children　are　not；　men　of　kindly　impulses　take　up　with　pets；　for　they
must　love　something）。　　And　he　always　spoke　of　the　strange　sagacity　of
that　cat　with　the　air　of　a　man　who　believed　in　his　secret　heart　that
there　was　something　human　about　itmay　be　even　supernatural。

I　heard　him　talking　about　this　animal　once。　　He　said：

〃Gentlemen；　I　used　to　have　a　cat　here；　by　the　name　of　Tom　Quartz；　which
you'd　a　took　an　interest　in　I　reckonmost　any　body　would。　　I　had　him
here　eight　yearand　he　was　the　remarkablest　cat　I　ever　see。　　He　was　a
large　gray　one　of　the　Tom　specie；　an'　he　had　more　hard；　natchral　sense
than　any　man　in　this　camp'n'　a　power　of　dignityhe　wouldn't　let　the
Gov'ner　of　Californy　be　familiar　with　him。　　He　never　ketched　a　rat　in　his
life'peared　to　be　above　it。　　He　never　cared　for　nothing　but　mining。
He　knowed　more　about　mining；　that　cat　did；　than　any　man　I　ever；　ever　see。
You　couldn't　tell　him　noth'n　'bout　placer　diggin's'n'　as　for　pocket
mining；　why　he　was　just　born　for　it。

He　would　dig　out　after　me　an'　Jim　when　we　went　over　the　hills
prospect'n'；　and　he　would　trot　along　behind　us　for　as　much　as　five　mile；
if　we　went　so　fur。　　An'　he　had　the　best　judgment　about　mining　groundwhy
you　never　see　anything　like　it。　　When　we　went　to　work；　he'd　scatter　a
glance　around；　'n'　if　he　didn't　think　much　of　the　indications；　he　would
give　a　look　as　much　as　to　say；　'Well；　I'll　have　to　get　you　to　excuse　me；'
'n'　without　another　word　he'd　hyste　his　nose　into　the　air　'n'　shove　for
home。　　But　if　the　ground　suited　him；　he　would　lay　low　'n'　keep　dark　till
the　first　pan　was　washed；　'n'　then　he　would　sidle　up　'n'　take　a　look；　an'
if　there　was　about　six　or　seven　grains　of　gold　he　was　satisfiedhe
didn't　want　no　better　prospect　'n'　that'n'　then　he　would　lay　down　on
our　coats　and　snore　like　a　steamboat　till　we'd　struck　the　pocket；　an'
then　get　up　'n'　superintend。　　He　was　nearly　lightnin'　on　superintending。

〃Well；　bye　an'　bye；　up　comes　this　yer　quartz　excitement。　　Every　body　was
into　itevery　body　was　pick'n'　'n'　blast'n'　instead　of　shovelin'　dirt　on
the　hill　sideevery　body　was　put'n'　down　a　shaft　instead　of　scrapin'　the
surface。　　Noth'n'　would　do　Jim；　but　we　must　tackle　the　ledges；　too；　'n'
so　we　did。　　We　commenced　put'n'　down　a　shaft；　'n'　Tom　Quartz　he　begin　to
wonder　what　in　the　Dickens　it　was　all　about。　　He　hadn't　ever　seen　any
mining　like　that　before；　'n'　he　was　all　upset；　as　you　may　sayhe
couldn't　come　to　a　right　understanding　of　it　no　wayit　was　too　many　for
him。　　He　was　down　on　it；　too；　you　bet　youhe　was　down　on　it　powerful
'n'　always　appeared　to　consider　it　the　cussedest　foolishness　out。　　But
that　cat；　you　know；　was　always　agin　new　fangled　arrangementssomehow　he
never　could　abide'em。　　You　know　how　it　is　with　old　habits。　　But　by　an'　by
Tom　Quartz　begin　to　git　sort　of　reconciled　a　little；　though　he　never
could　altogether　understand　that　eternal　sinkin'　of　a　shaft　an'　never
pannin'　out　any　thing。　　At　last　he　got　to　comin'　down　in　the　shaft；
hisself；　to　try　to　cipher　it　out。　　An'　when　he'd　git　the　blues；　'n'　feel
kind　o'scruffy；　'n'　aggravated　'n'　disgustedknowin'　as　he　did；　that　the
bills　was　runnin'　up　all　the　time　an'　we　warn't　makin'　a　centhe　would
curl　up　on　a　gunny　sack　in　the　corner　an'　go　to　sleep。　　Well；　one　day
when　the　shaft　was　down　about　eight　foot；　the　rock　got　so　hard　that　we
had　to　put　in　a　blastthe　first　blast'n'　we'd　ever　done　since　Tom　Quartz
was　born。　　An'　then　we　lit　the　fuse　'n'　clumb　out　'n'　got　off　'bout　fifty
yards'n'　forgot　'n'　left　Tom　Quartz　sound　asleep　on　the　gunny　sack。

In　'bout　a　minute　we　seen　a　puff　of　smoke　bust　up　out　of　the　hole；　'n'
then　everything　let　go　with　an　awful　crash；　'n'　about　four　million　ton　of
rocks　'n'　dirt　'n'　smoke　'n；　splinters　shot　up　'bout　a　mile　an'　a　half
into　the　air；　an'　by　George；　right　in　the　dead　centre　of　it　was　old　Tom
Quartz　a　goin'　end　over　end；　an'　a　snortin'　an'　a　sneez'n'；　an'　a　clawin'
an'　a　reachin'　for　things　like　all　possessed。　　But　it　warn't　no　use；　you
know；　it　warn't　no　use。　　An'　that　was　the　last　we　see　of　him　for　about
two　minutes　'n'　a　half；　an'　then　all　of　a　sudden　it　begin　to　rain　rocks
and　rubbage；　an'　directly　he　come　down　ker…whop　about　ten　foot　off　f'm
where　we　stood　Well；　I　reckon　he　was　p'raps　the　orneriest　lookin'　beast
you　ever　see。　　One　ear　was　sot　back　on　his　neck；　'n'　his　tail　was　stove
up；　'n'　his　eye…winkers　was　swinged　off；　'n'　he　was　all　blacked　up　with
powder　an'　smoke；　an'　all　sloppy　with　mud　'n'　slush　f'm　one　end　to　the
other。

Well　sir；　it　warn't　no　use　to　try　to　apologizewe　couldn't　say　a　word。
He　took　a　sort　of　a　disgusted　look　at　hisself；　'n'　then　he　looked　at　us
an'　it　was　just　exactly　the　same　as　if　he　had　said'Gents；　may　be　you
think　it's　smart　to　take　advantage　of　a　cat　that　'ain't　had　no　experience
of　quartz　minin'；　but　I　think　different'an'　then　he　turned　on　his　heel
'n'　marched　off　home　without　ever　saying　another　word。

〃That　was　jest　his　style。　　An'　may　be　you　won't　believe　it；　but　after
that　you　never　see　a　cat　so　prejudiced　agin　quartz　mining　as　what　he　was。
An'　by　an'　bye　when　he　did　get　to　goin'　down　in　the　shaft　agin；　you'd　'a
been　astonished　at　his　sagacity。　　The　minute　we'd　tetch　off　a　blast　'n'
the　fuse'd　begin　to　sizzle；　he'd　give　a　look　as　much　as　to　say：　'Well；
I'll　have　to　git　you　to　excuse　me；'　an'　it　was　surpris'n'　the　way　he'd
shin　out　of　that　hole　'n'　go　f'r　a　tree。　　Sagacity？　　It　ain't　no　name　for
it。　　'Twas　inspiration！〃

I　said；　〃Well；　Mr。　Baker；　his　prejudice　against　quartz…mining　was
remarkable；　considering　how　he　came　by　it。　　Couldn't　you　ever　cure　him　of
it？〃

〃Cure　him！　　No！　　When　Tom　Quartz　was　sot　once；　he　was　always　sotand　you
might　a　blowed　him　up　as　much　as　three　million　times　'n'　you'd　never　a
broken　him　of　his　cussed　prejudice　agin　quartz　mining。〃

The　affection　and　the　pride　that　lit　up　Baker's　face　when　he　delivered
this　tribute　to　the　firmness　of　his　humble　friend　of　other　days；　will
always　be　a　vivid　memory　with　me。

At　the　end　of　two　months　we　had　never　〃struck〃　a　pocket。　　We　had　panned
up　and　down　the　hillsides　till　they　looked　plowed　like　a　field；　we　could
have　put　in　a　crop　of　grain；　then；　but　there　would　have　been　no　way　to
get　it　to　market。　　We　got　many　good　〃prospects；〃　but　when　the　gold　gave
out　in　the　pan　and　we　dug　down；　hoping　and　longing；　we　found　only
emptinessthe　pocket　that　should　have　been　there　was　as　barren　as　our
own。At　last　we　shouldered　our　pans　and　shovels　and　struck　out　over　the
hills　to　try　new　localities。　　We　prospected　around　Angel's　Camp；　in
Calaveras　county；　during　three　weeks；　but　had　no　success。　　Then　we
wandered　on　foot　among　the　mountains；　sleeping　under　the　trees　at　night；
for　the　weather　was　mild；　but　still　we　remained　as　centless　as　the　last
rose　of　summer。　　That　is　a　poor　joke；　but　it　is　in　pathetic　harmony　with
the　circumstances；　since　we　were　so　poor　ourselves。　　In　accordance　with
the　custom　of　the　country；　our　door　had　always　stood　open　and　our　board
welcome　to　tramping　minersthey　drifted　along　nearly　every　day；　dumped
their　paust　shovels　by　the　threshold　and　took　〃pot　luck〃　with　usand　now
on　our　own　tramp　we　never　found　cold　hospitality。

Our　wanderings　were　wide　and　in　many　directions；　and　now　I　could　give　the
reader　a　vivid　description　of　the　Big　Trees　and　the　marvels　of　the　Yo
Semitebut　what　has　this　reader　done　to　me　that　I　should　persecute　him？
I　will　deliver　him　into　the　hands　of　less　conscientious　tourists　and　take
his　blessing。　　Let　me　be　charitable；　though　I　fail　in　all　virtues　else。

Note：　Some　of　the　phrases　in　the　above　are　mining　technicalities；　purely；
and　may　be　a　little　obscure　to　the　general　reader。　　In　〃placer　diggings〃
the　gold　is　scattered　all　through　the　surface　dirt；　in　〃pocket〃　diggings
it　is　concentrated　in　one　little　spot；　in　〃quartz〃　the　gold　is　in　a
solid；　continuous　vein　of　rock；　enclosed　between　distinct　walls　of　some
other　kind　of　stoneand　this　is　the　most　laborious　and　expensive　of　all
the　different　kinds　of　mining。　　〃Prospecting〃　is　hunting　for　a　〃placer〃；
〃indications〃　are　signs　of　its　presence；　〃panning　out〃　refers　to　the
washing　process　by　which　the　grains　of　gold　are　separated　from　the　dirt；
a　〃prospect〃　is　what　one　finds　in　the　first　panful　of　dirtand　its　value
determines　whether　it　is　a　good　or　a　bad　prospect；　and　whether　it　is
worth　while　to　tarry　there　or　seek　further。




CHAPTER　LXII。

After　a　three　months'　absence；　I　found　myself　in　San　Francisco　again；
without　a　cent。　　When　my　credit　was　about　exhausted；　（for　I　had　become
too　mean　and　lazy；　now；　to　work　on　a　morning　paper；　and　there　were　no
vacancies　on　the　evening　journals；）　I　was　created　San　Francisco
correspondent　of　the　Enterprise；　and　at　the　end　of　five　months　I　was　out
of　debt；　but　my　interest　in　my　work　was　gone；　for　my　correspondence　being
a　daily　one；　without　rest　or　respite；　I　got　unspeakably　tired　of　it。
I　wanted　another　change。　　The　vagabond　instinct　was　strong　upon　me。
Fortune　favored　and　I　got　a　new　berth　and　a　delightful　one。　　It　was　to　go
down　to　the　Sandwich　Islands　and　write　some　letters　for　the　Sacramento
Union；　an　excellent　journal　and　liberal　with　employees。

We　sailed　in　the　propeller　Ajax；　in　the　middle　of　winter。　　The　almanac
called　it　winter；　distinctly　enough；　but　the　weather　was　a　compromise
between　spring　and　summer。　　Six　days　out　of　port；　it　became　summer
altogether。　　We　had　some　thirty　passengers；　among　them　a　cheerful　soul
by　the　name　of　Williams；　and　three　sea…worn　old　whaleship　captains　going
down　to　join　their　vessels。　　These　latter　played　euchre　in　the　smoking
room　day　and　night；　drank　astonishing　quantities　of　raw　whisky　without
being　in　the　least　affected　by　it；　and　were　the　happiest　people　I　think
I　ever　saw。　　And　then　there　was　〃the　old　Admiral〃　　a　retired　whaleman。
He　was　a　roaring；　terrific　combination　of　wind　and　lightning　and　thunder；
and　earnest；　whole…souled　profanity。　　But　nevertheless　he　was　tender…
hearted　as　a　girl。　　He　was　a　raving；　deafening；　devastating　typhoon；
laying　waste　the　cowering　seas　but　with　an　unvexed　refuge　in　the　centre
where　all　comers　were　safe　and　at　rest。　　Nobody　could　know　the　〃Admiral〃
without　liking　him；　and　in　a　sudden　and　dire　emergency　I　think　no　friend
of　his　would　know　which　to　chooseto　be　cursed　by　him　or　prayed　for　by　a
less　efficient　person。

His　Title　of　〃Admiral〃　was　more　strictly　〃official〃　than　any　ever　worn　by
a　naval　officer　before　or　since；　perhapsfor　it　was　the　voluntary
offering　of　a　whole　nation；　and　came　direct　from　the　people　themselves
without　any　intermediate　red　tapethe　people　of　the　Sandwich　Islands。
It　was　a　title　that　came　to　him　freighted　with　affection；　and　honor；　and
appreciation　of　his　unpretending　merit。　　And　in　testimony　of　the
genuineness　of　the　title　it　was　publicly　ordained　that　an　exclusive　flag
should　be　devised　for　him　and　used　solely　to　welcome　his　coming　and　wave
him　God…speed　in　his　going。　　From　that　time　forth；　whenever