roughing it-第44节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


community　would　be　off　for　the　mountains；　following　in　the　wake　of
Whiteman。　　But　W。　would　drift　about　through　the　mountain　gorges　for　days
together；　in　a　purposeless　sort　of　way；　until　the　provisions　of　the
miners　ran　out；　and　they　would　have　to　go　back　home。　　I　have　known　it
reported　at　eleven　at　night；　in　a　large　mining　camp；　that　Whiteman　had
just　passed　through；　and　in　two　hours　the　streets；　so　quiet　before；　would
be　swarming　with　men　and　animals。　　Every　individual　would　be　trying　to　be
very　secret；　but　yet　venturing　to　whisper　to　just　one　neighbor　that　W。
had　passed　through。　　And　long　before　daylightthis　in　the　dead　of
Winterthe　stampede　would　be　complete；　the　camp　deserted；　and　the　whole
population　gone　chasing　after　W。

The　tradition　was　that　in　the　early　immigration；　more　than　twenty　years
ago；　three　young　Germans；　brothers；　who　had　survived　an　Indian　massacre
on　the　Plains；　wandered　on　foot　through　the　deserts；　avoiding　all　trails
and　roads；　and　simply　holding　a　westerly　direction　and　hoping　to　find
California　before　they　starved；　or　died　of　fatigue。　　And　in　a　gorge　in
the　mountains　they　sat　down　to　rest　one　day；　when　one　of　them　noticed　a
curious　vein　of　cement　running　along　the　ground；　shot　full　of　lumps　of
dull　yellow　metal。　　They　saw　that　it　was　gold；　and　that　here　was　a
fortune　to　be　acquired　in　a　single　day。　　The　vein　was　about　as　wide　as　a
curbstone；　and　fully　two　thirds　of　it　was　pure　gold。　　Every　pound　of　the
wonderful　cement　was　worth　well…nigh　200。

Each　of　the　brothers　loaded　himself　with　about　twenty…five　pounds　of　it；
and　then　they　covered　up　all　traces　of　the　vein；　made　a　rude　drawing　of
the　locality　and　the　principal　landmarks　in　the　vicinity；　and　started
westward　again。　　But　troubles　thickened　about　them。　　In　their　wanderings
one　brother　fell　and　broke　his　leg；　and　the　others　were　obliged　to　go　on
and　leave　him　to　die　in　the　wilderness。　　Another；　worn　out　and　starving；
gave　up　by　and　by；　and　laid　down　to　die；　but　after　two　or　three　weeks　of
incredible　hardships；　the　third　reached　the　settlements　of　California
exhausted；　sick；　and　his　mind　deranged　by　his　sufferings。　　He　had　thrown
away　all　his　cement　but　a　few　fragments；　but　these　were　sufficient　to　set
everybody　wild　with　excitement。　　However；　he　had　had　enough　of　the　cement
country；　and　nothing　could　induce　him　to　lead　a　party　thither。　　He　was
entirely　content　to　work　on　a　farm　for　wages。　　But　he　gave　Whiteman　his
map；　and　described　the　cement　region　as　well　as　he　could　and　thus
transferred　the　curse　to　that　gentlemanfor　when　I　had　my　one　accidental
glimpse　of　Mr。　W。　in　Esmeralda　he　had　been　hunting　for　the　lost　mine；　in
hunger　and　thirst；　poverty　and　sickness；　for　twelve　or　thirteen　years。
Some　people　believed　he　had　found　it；　but　most　people　believed　he　had
not。　　I　saw　a　piece　of　cement　as　large　as　my　fist　which　was　said　to　have
been　given　to　Whiteman　by　the　young　German；　and　it　was　of　a　seductive
nature。　　Lumps　of　virgin　gold　were　as　thick　in　it　as　raisins　in　a　slice
of　fruit　cake。　　The　privilege　of　working　such　a　mine　one　week　would　be
sufficient　for　a　man　of　reasonable　desires。

A　new　partner　of　ours；　a　Mr。　Higbie；　knew　Whiteman　well　by　sight；　and　a
friend　of　ours；　a　Mr。　Van　Dorn；　was　well　acquainted　with　him；　and　not
only　that；　but　had　Whiteman's　promise　that　he　should　have　a　private　hint
in　time　to　enable　him　to　join　the　next　cement　expedition。　　Van　Dorn　had
promised　to　extend　the　hint　to　us。　　One　evening　Higbie　came　in　greatly
excited；　and　said　he　felt　certain　he　had　recognized　Whiteman；　up　town；
disguised　and　in　a　pretended　state　of　intoxication。　　In　a　little　while
Van　Dorn　arrived　and　confirmed　the　news；　and　so　we　gathered　in　our　cabin
and　with　heads　close　together　arranged　our　plans　in　impressive　whispers。

We　were　to　leave　town　quietly；　after　midnight；　in　two　or　three　small
parties；　so　as　not　to　attract　attention；　and　meet　at　dawn　on　the　〃divide〃
overlooking　Mono　Lake；　eight　or　nine　miles　distant。　　We　were　to　make　no
noise　after　starting；　and　not　speak　above　a　whisper　under　any
circumstances。　　It　was　believed　that　for　once　Whiteman's　presence　was
unknown　in　the　town　and　his　expedition　unsuspected。　　Our　conclave　broke
up　at　nine　o'clock；　and　we　set　about　our　preparation　diligently　and　with
profound　secrecy。　　At　eleven　o'clock　we　saddled　our　horses；　hitched　them
with　their　long　riatas　（or　lassos）；　and　then　brought　out　a　side　of　bacon；
a　sack　of　beans；　a　small　sack　of　coffee；　some　sugar；　a　hundred　pounds　of
flour　in　sacks；　some　tin　cups　and　a　coffee　pot；　frying　pan　and　some　few
other　necessary　articles。　　All　these　things　were　〃packed〃　on　the　back　of
a　led　horseand　whoever　has　not　been　taught；　by　a　Spanish　adept；　to　pack
an　animal；　let　him　never　hope　to　do　the　thing　by　natural　smartness。　　That
is　impossible。　　Higbie　had　had　some　experience；　but　was　not　perfect。　　He
put　on　the　pack　saddle　（a　thing　like　a　saw…buck）；　piled　the　property　on
it　and　then　wound　a　rope　all　over　and　about　it　and　under　it；　〃every　which
way；〃　taking　a　hitch　in　it　every　now　and　then；　and　occasionally　surging
back　on　it　till　the　horse's　sides　sunk　in　and　he　gasped　for　breathbut
every　time　the　lashings　grew　tight　in　one　place　they　loosened　in　another。
We　never　did　get　the　load　tight　all　over；　but　we　got　it　so　that　it　would
do；　after　a　fashion；　and　then　we　started；　in　single　file；　close　order；
and　without　a　word。　　It　was　a　dark　night。　　We　kept　the　middle　of　the
road；　and　proceeded　in　a　slow　walk　past　the　rows　of　cabins；　and　whenever
a　miner　came　to　his　door　I　trembled　for　fear　the　light　would　shine　on　us
an　excite　curiosity。　　But　nothing　happened。　　We　began　the　long　winding
ascent　of　the　canyon；　toward　the　〃divide；〃　and　presently　the　cabins　began
to　grow　infrequent；　and　the　intervals　between　them　wider　and　wider；　and
then　I　began　to　breathe　tolerably　freely　and　feel　less　like　a　thief　and　a
murderer。　　I　was　in　the　rear；　leading　the　pack　horse。　　As　the　ascent　grew
steeper　he　grew　proportionately　less　satisfied　with　his　cargo；　and　began
to　pull　back　on　his　riata　occasionally　and　delay　progress。　　My　comrades
were　passing　out　of　sight　in　the　gloom。　　I　was　getting　anxious。　　I　coaxed
and　bullied　the　pack　horse　till　I　presently　got　him　into　a　trot；　and　then
the　tin　cups　and　pans　strung　about　his　person　frightened　him　and　he　ran。
His　riata　was　wound　around　the　pummel　of　my　saddle；　and　so；　as　he　went　by
he　dragged　me　from　my　horse　and　the　two　animals　traveled　briskly　on
without　me。　　But　I　was　not　alonethe　loosened　cargo　tumbled　overboard
from　the　pack　horse　and　fell　close　to　me。　　It　was　abreast　of　almost　the
last　cabin。

A　miner　came　out　and　said：

〃Hello！〃

I　was　thirty　steps　from　him；　and　knew　he　could　not　see　me；　it　was　so　very
dark　in　the　shadow　of　the　mountain。　　So　I　lay　still。　　Another　head
appeared　in　the　light　of　the　cabin　door；　and　presently　the　two　men　walked
toward　me。　　They　stopped　within　ten　steps　of　me；　and　one　said：

〃Sh！　　Listen。〃

I　could　not　have　been　in　a　more　distressed　state　if　I　had　been　escaping
justice　with　a　price　on　my　head。　　Then　the　miners　appeared　to　sit　down　on
a　boulder；　though　I　could　not　see　them　distinctly　enough　to　be　very　sure
what　they　did。　　One　said：

〃I　heard　a　noise；　as　plain　as　I　ever　heard　anything。　　It　seemed　to　be
about　there〃

A　stone　whizzed　by　my　head。　　I　flattened　myself　out　in　the　dust　like　a
postage　stamp；　and　thought　to　myself　if　he　mended　his　aim　ever　so　little
he　would　probably　hear　another　noise。　　In　my　heart；　now；　I　execrated
secret　expeditions。　　I　promised　myself　that　this　should　be　my　last；
though　the　Sierras　were　ribbed　with　cement　veins。　　Then　one　of　the　men
said：

〃I'll　tell　you　what！　　Welch　knew　what　he　was　talking　about　when　he　said
he　saw　Whiteman　to…day。　　I　heard　horsesthat　was　the　noise。　　I　am　going
down　to　Welch's；　right　away。〃

They　left　and　I　was　glad。　　I　did　not　care　whither　they　went；　so　they
went。　　I　was　willing　they　should　visit　Welch；　and　the　sooner　the　better。

As　soon　as　they　closed　their　cabin　door　my　comrades　emerged　from　the
gloom；　they　had　caught　the　horses　and　were　waiting　for　a　clear　coast
again。　　We　remounted　the　cargo　on　the　pack　horse　and　got　under　way；　and
as　day　broke　we　reached　the　〃divide〃　and　joined　Van　Dorn。　　Then　we
journeyed　down　into　the　valley　of　the　Lake；　and　feeling　secure；　we　halted
to　cook　breakfast；　for　we　were　tired　and　sleepy　and　hungry。　　Three　hours
later　the　rest　of　the　population　filed　over　the　〃divide〃　in　a　long
procession；　and　drifted　off　out　of　sight　around　the　borders　of　the　Lake！

Whether　or　not　my　accident　had　produced　this　result　we　never　knew；　but　at
least　one　thing　was　certainthe　secret　was　out　and　Whiteman　would　not
enter　upon　a　search　for　the　cement　mine　this　time。　　We　were　filled　with
chagrin。

We　held　a　council　and　decided　to　make　the　best　of　our　misfortune　and
enjoy　a　week's　holiday　on　the　borders　of　the　curious　Lake。　　Mono；　it　is
sometimes　called；　and　sometimes　the　〃Dead　Sea　of　California。〃　　It　is　one
of　the　strangest　freaks　of　Nature　to　be　found　in　any　land；　but　it　is
hardly　ever　mentioned　in　print　and　very　seldom　visited；　because　it　lies
away　off　the　usual　routes　of　travel　and　besides　is　so　difficult　to　get　at
that　only　men　c