the complete writings-4-第31节

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The　road　in　the　afternoon　was　not　unpicturesque；　owing　to　the　streams　and　the　ever　noble　forests；　but　the　prospect　was　always　very　limited。　Agriculturally；　the　country　was　mostly　undeveloped。　　The　travelers　endeavored　to　get　from　the　rider　an　estimate　of　the　price　of　land。　Not　much　sold；　he　said。　　〃There　was　one　sale　of　a　big　piece　last　year；　the　owner　enthorited　Big　Tom　Wilson　to　sell　it；　but　I　d'know　what　he　got　for　it；〃

All　the　way　along；　the　habitations　were　small　log　cabins；　with　one　room；　chinked　with　mud；　and　these　were　far　between；　and　only　occasionally　thereby　a　similar　log　structure；　unchinked；　laid　up　like　a　cob　house；　that　served　for　a　stable。　　Not　much　cultivation；　except　now　and　then　a　little　patch　of　poor　corn　on　a　steep　hillside；　occasionally　a　few　apple…trees；　and　a　peach…tree　without　fruit。　　Here　and　there　was　a　house　that　had　been　half　finished　and　then　abandoned；　or　a　shanty　in　which　a　couple　of　young　married　people　were　just　beginning　life。　　Generally　the　cabins　（confirming　the　accuracy　of　the　census　of　1880　swarmed　with　children；　and　nearly　all　the　women　were　thin　and　sickly。

In　the　day's　ride　we　did　not　see　a　wheeled　vehicle；　and　only　now　and　then　a　horse。　　We　met　on　the　road　small　sleds；　drawn　by　a　steer；　sometimes　by　a　cow；　on　which　a　bag　of　grist　was　being　hauled　to　the　mill；　and　boys　mounted　on　steers　gave　us　good…evening　with　as　much　pride　as　if　they　were　bestriding　fiery　horses。

In　a　house　of　the　better　class；　which　was　a　post…house；　and　where　the　rider　and　the　woman　of　the　house　had　a　long　consultation　over　a　letter　to　be　registered；　we　found　the　rooms　decorated　with　patent…　medicine　pictures；　which　were　often　framed　in　strips　of　mica；　an　evidence　of　culture　that　was　worth　noting。　　Mica　was　the　rage。　　Every　one　with　whom　we　talked；　except　the　rider；　had　more　or　less　the　mineral　fever。　　The　impression　was　general　that　the　mountain　region　of　North　Carolina　was　entering　upon　a　career　of　wonderful　mineral　development；　and　the　most　extravagant　expectations　were　entertained。　Mica　was　the　shining　object　of　most　〃prospecting；〃　but　gold　was　also　on　the　cards。

The　country　about　Burnsville　is　not　only　mildly　picturesque；　but　very　pleasing。　　Burnsville；　the　county…seat　of　Yancey；　at　an　elevation　of　2840　feet；　is　more　like　a　New　England　village　than　any　hitherto　seen。　Most　of　the　houses　stand　about　a　square；　which　contains　the　shabby　court…house；　around　it　are　two　small　churches；　a　jail；　an　inviting　tavern）　with　a　long　veranda；　and　a　couple　of　stores。　　On　an　overlooking　hill　is　the　seminary。　　Mica　mining　is　the　exciting　industry；　but　it　is　agriculturally　a　good　country。　　The　tavern　had　recently　been　enlarged　to　meet　the　new　demands　for　entertainment）　and　is　a　roomy　structure；　fresh　with　paint　and　only　partially　organized。　The　travelers　were　much　impressed　with　the　brilliant　chambers；　the　floors　of　which　were　painted　in　alternate　stripes　of　vivid　green　and　red。　　The　proprietor；　a　very　intelligent　and　enterprising　man；　who　had　traveled　often　in　the　North；　was　full　of　projects　for　the　development　of　his　region　and　foremost　in　its　enterprises；　and　had　formed　a　considerable　collection　of　minerals。　　Besides；　more　than　any　one　else　we　met；　he　appreciated　the　beauty　of　his　country；　and　took　us　to　a　neighboring　hill；　where　we　had　a　view　of　Table　Mountain　to　the　east　and　the　nearer　giant　Blacks。　　The　elevation　of　Burnsville　gives　it　a　delightful　summer　climate；　the　gentle　undulations　of　the　country　are　agreeable；　the　views　noble；　the　air　is　good；　and　it　is　altogether　a　〃livable〃　and　attractive　place。　　With　facilities　of　communication；　it　would　be　a　favorite　summer　resort。　　Its　nearness　to　the　great　mountains　（the　whole　Black　range　is　in　Yancey　County）；　its　fine　pure　air；　its　opportunity　for　fishing　and　hunting；　commend　it　to　those　in　search　of　an　interesting　and　restful　retreat　in　summer。

But　it　should　be　said　that　before　the　country　can　attract　and　retain　travelers；　its　inhabitants　must　learn　something　about　the　preparation　of　food。　　If；　for　instance；　the　landlord's　wife　at　Burnsville　had　traveled　with　her　husband；　her　table　would　probably　have　been　more　on　a　level　with　his　knowledge　of　the　world；　and　it　would　have　contained　something　that　the　wayfaring　man；　though　a　Northerner；　could　eat。　　We　have　been　on　the　point　several　times　in　this　journey　of　making　the　observation；　but　have　been　restrained　by　a　reluctance　to　touch　upon　politics；　that　it　was　no　wonder　that　a　people　with　such　a　cuisine　should　have　rebelled。　　The　travelers　were　in　a　rebellious　mood　most　of　the　time。

The　evidences　of　enterprise　in　this　region　were　pleasant　to　see；　but　the　observers　could　not　but　regret；　after　all；　the　intrusion　of　the　money…making　spirit；　which　is　certain　to　destroy　much　of　the　present　simplicity。　　It　is　as　yet；　to　a　degree；　tempered　by　a　philosophic　spirit。　　The　other　guest　of　the　house　was　a　sedate；　long…bearded　traveler　for　some　Philadelphia　house；　and　in　the　evening　he　and　the　landlord　fell　into　a　conversation　upon　what　Socrates　calls　the　disadvantage　of　the　pursuit　of　wealth　to　the　exclusion　of　all　noble　objects；　and　they　let　their　fancy　play　about　Vanderbilt；　who　was　agreed　to　be　the　richest　man　in　the　world；　or　that　ever　lived。

〃All　I　want；〃　said　the　long…bearded　man；　〃is　enough　to　be　comfortable。　　I　would　n't　have　Vanderbilt's　wealth　if　he'd　give　it　to　me。〃

〃Nor　I；〃　said　the　landlord。　　〃Give　me　just　enough　to　be　comfortable。〃　＇The　tourist　couldn't　but　note　that　his　ideas　of　enough　to　be　comfortable　had　changed　a　good　deal　since　he　had　left　his　little　farm　and　gone　into　the　mica　business；　and　visited　New　York；　and　enlarged　and　painted　his　tavern。＇　　I　should　like　to　know　what　more　Vanderbilt　gets　out　of　his　money　than　I　get　out　of　mine。　　I　heard　tell　of　a　young　man　who　went　to　Vanderbilt　to　get　employment。　　Vanderbilt　finally　offered　to　give　the　young　man；　if　he　would　work　for　him；　just　what　he　got　himself。　　The　young　man　jumped　at　thathe'd　be　perfectly　satisfied　with　that　pay。　　And　Vanderbilt　said　that　all　he　got　was　what　he　could　eat　and　wear；　and　offered　to　give　the　young　man　his　board　and　clothes。〃

〃I　declare〃　said　the　long…bearded　man。　　〃That's　just　it。　　Did　you　ever　see　Vanderbilt's　house？　　Neither　did　I；　but　I　heard　he　had　a　vault　built　in　it　five　feet　thick；　solid。　　He　put　in　it　two　hundred　millions　of　dollars；　in　gold。　　After　a　year；　he　opened　it　and　put　in　twelve　millions　more；　and　called　that　a　poor　year。　　They　say　his　house　has　gold　shutters　to　the　windows；　so　I've　heard。〃

〃I　shouldn't　wonder；〃　said　the　landlord。　　〃I　heard　he　had　one　door　in　his　house　cost　forty　thousand　dollars。　　I　don't　know　what　it　is　made　of；　unless　it's　made　of　gold。〃

Sunday　was　a　hot　and　quiet　day。　　The　stores　were　closed　and　the　two　churches　also；　this　not　being　the　Sunday　for　the　itinerant　preacher。　The　jail　also　showed　no　sign　of　life；　and　when　we　asked　about　it；　we　learned　that　it　was　empty；　and　had　been　for　some　time。　　No　liquor　is　sold　in　the　place；　nor　within　at　least　three　miles　of　it。　　It　is　not　much　use　to　try　to　run　a　jail　without　liquor。

In　the　course　of　the　morning　a　couple　of　stout　fellows　arrived；　leading　between　them　a　young　man　whom　they　had　arrested；it　didn't　appear　on　any　warrant；　but　they　wanted　to　get　him　committed　and　locked　up。　　The　offense　charged　was　carrying　a　pistol；　the　boy　had　not　used　it　against　anybody；　but　he　had　flourished　it　about　and　threatened；　and　the　neighbors　wouldn't　stand　that；　they　were　bound　to　enforce　the　law　against　carrying　concealed　weapons。

The　captors　were　perfectly　good…natured　and　on　friendly　enough　terms　with　the　young　man；　who　offered　no　resistance；　and　seemed　not　unwilling　to　go　to　jail。　　But　a　practical　difficulty　arose。　　The　jail　was　locked　up；　the　sheriff　had　gone　away　into　the　country　with　the　key；　and　no　one　could　get　in。　　It　did　not　appear　that　there　was　any　provision　for　boarding　the　man　in　jail；　no　one　in　fact　kept　it。　　The　sheriff　was　sent　for；　but　was　not　to　be　found；　and　the　prisoner　and　his　captors　loafed　about　the　square　all　day；　sitting　on　the　fence；　rolling　on　the　grass；　all　of　them　sustained　by　a　simple　trust　that　the　jail　would　be　open　some　time。

Late　in　the　afternoon　we　left　them　there；　trying　to　get　into　the　jail。　　But　we　took　a　personal　leaf　out　of　this　experience。　　Our　Virginia　friends；　solicitous　for　our　safety　in　this　wild　country；　had　urged　us　not　to　venture　into　it　without　armstake　at　least；　they　insisted；　a　revolver　each。　　And　now　we　had　to　congratulate　ourselves　that　we　had　not　done　so。　　If　we　had；　we　should　doubtless　on　that　Sunday　have　been　waiting；　with　the　other　law…breaker；　for　admission　into　the　Yancey　County　jail。




III

》From　Burnsville　the　next　point　in　our　route　was　Asheville；　the　most　considerable　city　in　western　North　Carolina；　a　resort　of　fashion；　and　the　capital　of　Buncombe　County。　　It　is　distant　some　forty　to　forty…　five　miles；　too　long　a　journey　for　one　day　over　such　roads。　　The　easier　and　common　route　is　by　the　Ford　of　Big　Ivy；　eighteen　miles；　the　first　stopping…place；　and　that　was　a　long　ride　for　the　late　afternoon　when　we　were　in　condition　to　move。

The　landlord　suggested　that　we　take　another　route；　stay　that　night　on　Caney　River　with　Big　Tom　Wilson；　only　eight　miles　from　Burnsville；　cross　Mount　Mitche