roughing it-第7章

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cayote　turns　and　smiles　blandly　upon　him　once　more；　and　with　a　something
about　it　which　seems　to　say：　〃Well；　I　shall　have　to　tear　myself　away　from
you；　bubbusiness　is　business；　and　it　will　not　do　for　me　to　be　fooling
along　this　way　all　day〃and　forthwith　there　is　a　rushing　sound；　and　the
sudden　splitting　of　a　long　crack　through　the　atmosphere；　and　behold　that
dog　is　solitary　and　alone　in　the　midst　of　a　vast　solitude！

It　makes　his　head　swim。　　He　stops；　and　looks　all　around；　climbs　the
nearest　sand…mound；　and　gazes　into　the　distance；　shakes　his　head
reflectively；　and　then；　without　a　word；　he　turns　and　jogs　along　back　to
his　train；　and　takes　up　a　humble　position　under　the　hindmost　wagon；　and
feels　unspeakably　mean；　and　looks　ashamed；　and　hangs　his　tail　at　half…
mast　for　a　week。　　And　for　as　much　as　a　year　after　that；　whenever　there　is
a　great　hue　and　cry　after　a　cayote；　that　dog　will　merely　glance　in　that
direction　without　emotion；　and　apparently　observe　to　himself；　〃I　believe
I　do　not　wish　any　of　the　pie。〃

The　cayote　lives　chiefly　in　the　most　desolate　and　forbidding　desert；
along　with　the　lizard；　the　jackass…rabbit　and　the　raven；　and　gets　an
uncertain　and　precarious　living；　and　earns　it。　　He　seems　to　subsist
almost　wholly　on　the　carcases　of　oxen；　mules　and　horses　that　have　dropped
out　of　emigrant　trains　and　died；　and　upon　windfalls　of　carrion；　and
occasional　legacies　of　offal　bequeathed　to　him　by　white　men　who　have　been
opulent　enough　to　have　something　better　to　butcher　than　condemned　army
bacon。

He　will　eat　anything　in　the　world　that　his　first　cousins；　the　desert…
frequenting　tribes　of　Indians　will；　and　they　will　eat　anything　they　can
bite。　　It　is　a　curious　fact　that　these　latter　are　the　only　creatures
known　to　history　who　will　eat　nitro…glycerine　and　ask　for　more　if　they
survive。

The　cayote　of　the　deserts　beyond　the　Rocky　Mountains　has　a　peculiarly
hard　time　of　it；　owing　to　the　fact　that　his　relations；　the　Indians；　are
just　as　apt　to　be　the　first　to　detect　a　seductive　scent　on　the　desert
breeze；　and　follow　the　fragrance　to　the　late　ox　it　emanated　from；　as　he
is　himself；　and　when　this　occurs　he　has　to　content　himself　with　sitting
off　at　a　little　distance　watching　those　people　strip　off　and　dig　out
everything　edible；　and　walk　off　with　it。　　Then　he　and　the　waiting　ravens
explore　the　skeleton　and　polish　the　bones。　　It　is　considered　that　the
cayote；　and　the　obscene　bird；　and　the　Indian　of　the　desert；　testify　their
blood　kinship　with　each　other　in　that　they　live　together　in　the　waste
places　of　the　earth　on　terms　of　perfect　confidence　and　friendship；　while
hating　all　other　creature　and　yearning　to　assist　at　their　funerals。　　He
does　not　mind　going　a　hundred　miles　to　breakfast；　and　a　hundred　and　fifty
to　dinner；　because　he　is　sure　to　have　three　or　four　days　between　meals；
and　he　can　just　as　well　be　traveling　and　looking　at　the　scenery　as　lying
around　doing　nothing　and　adding　to　the　burdens　of　his　parents。

We　soon　learned　to　recognize　the　sharp；　vicious　bark　of　the　cayote　as　it
came　across　the　murky　plain　at　night　to　disturb　our　dreams　among　the
mail…sacks；　and　remembering　his　forlorn　aspect　and　his　hard　fortune；　made
shift　to　wish　him　the　blessed　novelty　of　a　long　day's　good　luck　and　a
limitless　larder　the　morrow。




CHAPTER　VI。

Our　new　conductor　（just　shipped）　had　been　without　sleep　for　twenty　hours。
Such　a　thing　was　very　frequent。　　From　St。　Joseph；　Missouri；　to
Sacramento；　California；　by　stage…coach；　was　nearly　nineteen　hundred
miles；　and　the　trip　was　often　made　in　fifteen　days　（the　cars　do　it　in
four　and　a　half；　now）；　but　the　time　specified　in　the　mail　contracts；　and
required　by　the　schedule；　was　eighteen　or　nineteen　days；　if　I　remember
rightly。　　This　was　to　make　fair　allowance　for　winter　storms　and　snows；
and　other　unavoidable　causes　of　detention。　　The　stage　company　had
everything　under　strict　discipline　and　good　system。　　Over　each　two
hundred　and　fifty　miles　of　road　they　placed　an　agent　or　superintendent；
and　invested　him　with　great　authority。　　His　beat　or　jurisdiction　of　two
hundred　and　fifty　miles　was　called　a　〃division。〃　He　purchased　horses；
mules　harness；　and　food　for　men　and　beasts；　and　distributed　these　things
among　his　stage　stations；　from　time　to　time；　according　to　his　judgment　of
what　each　station　needed。　　He　erected　station　buildings　and　dug　wells。
He　attended　to　the　paying　of　the　station…keepers；　hostlers；　drivers　and
blacksmiths；　and　discharged　them　whenever　he　chose。　　He　was　a　very；　very
great　man　in　his　〃division〃a　kind　of　Grand　Mogul；　a　Sultan　of　the
Indies；　in　whose　presence　common　men　were　modest　of　speech　and　manner；
and　in　the　glare　of　whose　greatness　even　the　dazzling　stage…driver
dwindled　to　a　penny　dip。　　There　were　about　eight　of　these　kings；　all
told；　on　the　overland　route。

Next　in　rank　and　importance　to　the　division…agent　came　the　〃conductor。〃
His　beat　was　the　same　length　as　the　agent'stwo　hundred　and　fifty　miles。
He　sat　with　the　driver；　and　（when　necessary）　rode　that　fearful　distance；
night　and　day；　without　other　rest　or　sleep　than　what　he　could　get　perched
thus　on　top　of　the　flying　vehicle。　　Think　of　it！　　He　had　absolute　charge
of　the　mails；　express　matter；　passengers　and　stage；　coach；　until　he
delivered　them　to　the　next　conductor；　and　got　his　receipt　for　them。

Consequently　he　had　to　be　a　man　of　intelligence；　decision　and
considerable　executive　ability。　　He　was　usually　a　quiet；　pleasant　man；
who　attended　closely　to　his　duties；　and　was　a　good　deal　of　a　gentleman。
It　was　not　absolutely　necessary　that　the　division…agent　should　be　a
gentleman；　and　occasionally　he　wasn't。　　But　he　was　always　a　general　in
administrative　ability；　and　a　bull…dog　in　courage　and　determination
otherwise　the　chieftainship　over　the　lawless　underlings　of　the　overland
service　would　never　in　any　instance　have　been　to　him　anything　but　an
equivalent　for　a　month　of　insolence　and　distress　and　a　bullet　and　a
coffin　at　the　end　of　it。　　There　were　about　sixteen　or　eighteen　conductors
on　the　overland；　for　there　was　a　daily　stage　each　way；　and　a　conductor　on
every　stage。

Next　in　real　and　official　rank　and　importance；　after　the　conductor；　came
my　delight；　the　drivernext　in　real　but　not　in　apparent　importancefor
we　have　seen　that　in　the　eyes　of　the　common　herd　the　driver　was　to　the
conductor　as　an　admiral　is　to　the　captain　of　the　flag…ship。　　The　driver's
beat　was　pretty　long；　and　his　sleeping…time　at　the　stations　pretty　short；
sometimes；　and　so；　but　for　the　grandeur　of　his　position　his　would　have
been　a　sorry　life；　as　well　as　a　hard　and　a　wearing　one。　　We　took　a　new
driver　every　day　or　every　night　（for　they　drove　backward　and　forward　over
the　same　piece　of　road　all　the　time）；　and　therefore　we　never　got　as　well
acquainted　with　them　as　we　did　with　the　conductors；　and　besides；　they
would　have　been　above　being　familiar　with　such　rubbish　as　passengers；
anyhow；　as　a　general　thing。　　Still；　we　were　always　eager　to　get　a　sight
of　each　and　every　new　driver　as　soon　as　the　watch　changed；　for　each　and
every　day　we　were　either　anxious　to　get　rid　of　an　unpleasant　one；　or
loath　to　part　with　a　driver　we　had　learned　to　like　and　had　come　to　be
sociable　and　friendly　with。　　And　so　the　first　question　we　asked　the
conductor　whenever　we　got　to　where　we　were　to　exchange　drivers；　was
always；　〃Which　is　him？〃　　The　grammar　was　faulty；　maybe；　but　we　could　not
know；　then；　that　it　would　go　into　a　book　some　day。　　As　long　as　everything
went　smoothly；　the　overland　driver　was　well　enough　situated；　but　if　a
fellow　driver　got　sick　suddenly　it　made　trouble；　for　the　coach　must　go
on；　and　so　the　potentate　who　was　about　to　climb　down　and　take　a　luxurious
rest　after　his　long　night's　siege　in　the　midst　of　wind　and　rain　and
darkness；　had　to　stay　where　he　was　and　do　the　sick　man's　work。　　Once；　in
the　Rocky　Mountains；　when　I　found　a　driver　sound　asleep　on　the　box；　and
the　mules　going　at　the　usual　break…neck　pace；　the　conductor　said　never
mind　him；　there　was　no　danger；　and　he　was　doing　double　dutyhad　driven
seventy…five　miles　on　one　coach；　and　was　now　going　back　over　it　on　this
without　rest　or　sleep。　　A　hundred　and　fifty　miles　of　holding　back　of　six
vindictive　mules　and　keeping　them　from　climbing　the　trees！　　It　sounds
incredible；　but　I　remember　the　statement　well　enough。

The　station…keepers；　hostlers；　etc。；　were　low；　rough　characters；　as
already　described；　and　from　western　Nebraska　to　Nevada　a　considerable
sprinkling　of　them　might　be　fairly　set　down　as　outlawsfugitives　from
justice；　criminals　whose　best　security　was　a　section　of　country　which　was
without　law　and　without　even　the　pretence　of　it。　　When　the　〃division…
agent〃　issued　an　order　to　one　of　these　parties　he　did　it　with　the　full
understanding　that　he　might　have　to　enforce　it　with　a　navy　six…shooter；
and　so　he　always　went　〃fixed〃　to　make　things　go　along　smoothly。

Now　and　then　a　division…agent　was　really　obliged　to　shoot　a　hostler
through　the　head　to　teach　him　some　simple　matter　that　he　could　have
taught　him　with　a　club　if　his　circumstances　and　surroundings　had　been
different。　　But　they　were　snappy；　able　men；　those　division…agents；　and
when　they　tried　to　teach　a　subordinate　anything；　that　subordinate
generally　〃got　it　through　his　head。〃

A　great　portion　of　this　vast　machinerythese　hundreds　of　men　and
coaches；　and　thousands　of　mules　and　horseswas　in　the　hands　of　Mr。　Ben
Holliday。　　All　the　western　half　of　the　business　was　in　his　hands。　　This
reminds　me　of　an　incident　of　Palestine　travel　which　is　pertinent　here；　so
I　will　transfer　it　just　in　the　language　in　which　I　find　it　set　down　in　my
Holy　Land　note…book：

　　　　　　No　doubt　everybody　has　heard　of　Ben　Hollidaya　man　of　prodigious
　　　　　　energy；　who　used　to　send　mails　and　passengers　flying　across　the
　　　　　　continent　in　his　overland　stage…coaches　like　a　very　whirlwindtwo
　　　　　　thousand　long　miles　in　fifteen　days　and　a　half；　by　the　watch！　　But
　　　　　　this　fragment　of　history　is　not　about　Ben　Holliday；　but　about　a
　　　　　　young　New　York　boy　by　the　name　of　Jack；　who　traveled　with　our　small
　　　　　　party　of　pilgrims　in　the　Holy　Land　（and　who　had　traveled　to
　　　　　　California　in　Mr。　Holliday's　overland　coaches　three　years　before；
　　　　　　and　had　by　no　means　forgotten　it　or　lost　his　gushing　admiration　of
　　　　　　Mr。　H。）　Aged　nineteen。　　Jack　was　a　good　boya　good…hearted　and
　　　　　　always　well…meaning　boy；　who　had　been　reared　in　the　city　of　New
　　　　　　York；　and　although　he　was　bright　and　knew　a　great　many　useful
　　　　　　things；　his　Scriptural　education　had　been　a　good　deal　neglectedto
　　　　　　such　a　degree；　indeed；　that　all　Holy　Land　history　was　fresh　and　new
　　　　　　to　him；　and　all　Bible　names　mysteries　that　had　never　disturbed　his
　　　　　　virgin　ear。

　　　　　　Also　in　our　party　was　an　elderly　pilgrim　who　was　the　reverse　of
　　　　　　Jack；　in　that　he　was　learned　in　the　Scriptures　and　an　enthusiast
　　　　　　concerning　them。　　He　was　our　encyclopedia；　and　we　were　never　tired
　　　　　　of　listening　to　his　speeches；　nor　he　of　making　them。　　He　never
　　　　　　passed　a　celebrated　locality；　from　Bashan　to　Bethlehem；　without
　　　　　　illuminating　it　with　an　oration。　　One　day；　when　camped　near　the
　　　　　　ruins　of　Jericho；　he　burst　forth　with　something　like　this：

　　　　　　〃Jack；　do　you　see　t