roughing it-第27节
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stand…still and settling down to a humdrum existence in a village was not
agreeable； but on the contrary depressing。
Visibly our new home was a desert； walled in by barren； snow…clad
mountains。 There was not a tree in sight。 There was no vegetation but
the endless sage…brush and greasewood。 All nature was gray with it。 We
were plowing through great deeps of powdery alkali dust that rose in
thick clouds and floated across the plain like smoke from a burning
house。
We were coated with it like millers； so were the coach； the mules； the
mail…bags； the driverwe and the sage…brush and the other scenery were
all one monotonous color。 Long trains of freight wagons in the distance
envelope in ascending masses of dust suggested pictures of prairies on
fire。 These teams and their masters were the only life we saw。
Otherwise we moved in the midst of solitude； silence and desolation。
Every twenty steps we passed the skeleton of some dead beast of burthen；
with its dust…coated skin stretched tightly over its empty ribs。
Frequently a solemn raven sat upon the skull or the hips and contemplated
the passing coach with meditative serenity。
By and by Carson City was pointed out to us。 It nestled in the edge of a
great plain and was a sufficient number of miles away to look like an
assemblage of mere white spots in the shadow of a grim range of mountains
overlooking it； whose summits seemed lifted clear out of companionship
and consciousness of earthly things。
We arrived； disembarked； and the stage went on。 It was a 〃wooden〃 town；
its population two thousand souls。 The main street consisted of four or
five blocks of little white frame stores which were too high to sit down
on； but not too high for various other purposes； in fact； hardly high
enough。 They were packed close together； side by side； as if room were
scarce in that mighty plain。
The sidewalk was of boards that were more or less loose and inclined to
rattle when walked upon。 In the middle of the town； opposite the stores；
was the 〃plaza〃 which is native to all towns beyond the Rocky Mountains
a large； unfenced； level vacancy； with a liberty pole in it； and very
useful as a place for public auctions； horse trades； and mass meetings；
and likewise for teamsters to camp in。 Two other sides of the plaza were
faced by stores； offices and stables。
The rest of Carson City was pretty scattering。
We were introduced to several citizens； at the stage…office and on the
way up to the Governor's from the hotelamong others； to a Mr。 Harris；
who was on horseback； he began to say something； but interrupted himself
with the remark：
〃I'll have to get you to excuse me a minute； yonder is the witness that
swore I helped to rob the California coacha piece of impertinent
intermeddling； sir； for I am not even acquainted with the man。〃
Then he rode over and began to rebuke the stranger with a six…shooter；
and the stranger began to explain with another。 When the pistols were
emptied； the stranger resumed his work （mending a whip…lash）； and Mr。
Harris rode by with a polite nod； homeward bound； with a bullet through
one of his lungs； and several in his hips； and from them issued little
rivulets of blood that coursed down the horse's sides and made the animal
look quite picturesque。 I never saw Harris shoot a man after that but it
recalled to mind that first day in Carson。
This was all we saw that day； for it was two o'clock； now； and according
to custom the daily 〃Washoe Zephyr〃 set in； a soaring dust…drift about
the size of the United States set up edgewise came with it； and the
capital of Nevada Territory disappeared from view。
Still； there were sights to be seen which were not wholly uninteresting
to new comers； for the vast dust cloud was thickly freckled with things
strange to the upper airthings living and dead； that flitted hither and
thither； going and coming； appearing and disappearing among the rolling
billows of dusthats； chickens and parasols sailing in the remote
heavens； blankets； tin signs； sage…brush and shingles a shade lower；
door…mats and buffalo robes lower still； shovels and coal scuttles on the
next grade； glass doors； cats and little children on the next； disrupted
lumber yards； light buggies and wheelbarrows on the next； and down only
thirty or forty feet above ground was a scurrying storm of emigrating
roofs and vacant lots。
It was something to see that much。 I could have seen more； if I could
have kept the dust out of my eyes。
But seriously a Washoe wind is by no means a trifling matter。 It blows
flimsy houses down； lifts shingle roofs occasionally； rolls up tin ones
like sheet music； now and then blows a stage coach over and spills the
passengers； and tradition says the reason there are so many bald people
there； is； that the wind blows the hair off their heads while they are
looking skyward after their hats。 Carson streets seldom look inactive on
Summer afternoons； because there are so many citizens skipping around
their escaping hats； like chambermaids trying to head off a spider。
The 〃Washoe Zephyr〃 （Washoe is a pet nickname for Nevada） is a peculiar
Scriptural wind； in that no man knoweth 〃whence it cometh。〃 That is to
say； where it originates。 It comes right over the mountains from the
West； but when one crosses the ridge he does not find any of it on the
other side！ It probably is manufactured on the mountain…top for the
occasion； and starts from there。 It is a pretty regular wind； in the
summer time。 Its office hours are from two in the afternoon till two the
next morning； and anybody venturing abroad during those twelve hours
needs to allow for the wind or he will bring up a mile or two to leeward
of the point he is aiming at。 And yet the first complaint a Washoe
visitor to San Francisco makes； is that the sea winds blow so； there！
There is a good deal of human nature in that。
We found the state palace of the Governor of Nevada Territory to consist
of a white frame one…story house with two small rooms in it and a
stanchion supported shed in frontfor grandeurit compelled the respect
of the citizen and inspired the Indians with awe。 The newly arrived
Chief and Associate Justices of the Territory； and other machinery of the
government； were domiciled with less splendor。 They were boarding around
privately； and had their offices in their bedrooms。
The Secretary and I took quarters in the 〃ranch〃 of a worthy French lady
by the name of Bridget O'Flannigan； a camp follower of his Excellency the
Governor。 She had known him in his prosperity as commander…in…chief of
the Metropolitan Police of New York； and she would not desert him in his
adversity as Governor of Nevada。
Our room was on the lower floor； facing the plaza； and when we had got
our bed； a small table； two chairs； the government fire…proof safe； and
the Unabridged Dictionary into it； there was still room enough left for a
visitormay be two； but not without straining the walls。 But the walls
could stand itat least the partitions could； for they consisted simply
of one thickness of white 〃cotton domestic〃 stretched from corner to
corner of the room。 This was the rule in Carsonany other kind of
partition was the rare exception。 And if you stood in a dark room and
your neighbors in the next had lights； the shadows on your canvas told
queer secrets sometimes！ Very often these partitions were made of old
flour sacks basted together； and then the difference between the common
herd and the aristocracy was； that the common herd had unornamented
sacks； while the walls of the aristocrat were overpowering with
rudimental frescoi。e。； red and blue mill brands on the flour sacks。
Occasionally； also； the better classes embellished their canvas by
pasting pictures from Harper's Weekly on them。 In many cases； too； the
wealthy and the cultured rose to spittoons and other evidences of a
sumptuous and luxurious taste。 ＇Washoe people take a joke so hard that I
must explain that the above description was only the rule； there were
many honorable exceptions in Carsonplastered ceilings and houses that
had considerable furniture in them。M。 T。＇
We had a carpet and a genuine queen's…ware washbowl。 Consequently we
were hated without reserve by the other tenants of the O'Flannigan
〃ranch。〃 When we added a painted oilcloth window curtain； we simply took
our lives into our own hands。 To prevent bloodshed I removed up stairs
and took up quarters with the untitled plebeians in one of the fourteen
white pine cot…bedsteads that stood in two long ranks in the one sole
room of which the second story consisted。
It was a jolly company； the fourteen。 They were principally voluntary
camp…followers of the Governor； who had joined his retinue by their own
election at New York and San Francisco and came along； feeling that in
the scuffle for little territorial crumbs and offices they could not make
their condition more precarious than it was； and might reasonably expect
to make it better。 They were popularly known as the 〃Irish Brigade；〃
though there were only four or five Irishmen among all the Governor's
retainers。
His good…natured Excellency was much annoyed at the gossi
