roughing it-第60节

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　　　　　　within　about　ten　or　fifteen　feet　of　Reeder；　and　called　out　to　those
　　　　　　with　him　to　〃look　out！　get　out　of　the　way！〃　and　they　had　only　time
　　　　　　to　heed　the　warning；　when　he　fired。　　Reeder　was　at　the　time
　　　　　　attempting　to　screen　himself　behind　a　large　cask；　which　stood
　　　　　　against　the　awning　post　of　Klopstock　&　Harris's　store；　but　some　of
　　　　　　the　balls　took　effect　in　the　lower　part　of　his　breast；　and　he　reeled
　　　　　　around　forward　and　fell　in　front　of　the　cask。　　Gumbert　then　raised
　　　　　　his　gun　and　fired　the　second　barrel；　which　missed　Reeder　and　entered
　　　　　　the　ground。　　At　the　time　that　this　occurred；　there　were　a　great　many
　　　　　　persons　on　the　street　in　the　vicinity；　and　a　number　of　them　called
　　　　　　out　to　Gumbert；　when　they　saw　him　raise　his　gun；　to　〃hold　on；〃　and
　　　　　　〃don't　shoot！〃　　The　cutting　took　place　about　ten　o'clock　and　the
　　　　　　shooting　about　twelve。　　After　the　shooting　the　street　was　instantly
　　　　　　crowded　with　the　inhabitants　of　that　part　of　the　town；　some
　　　　　　appearing　much　excited　and　laughingdeclaring　that　it　looked　like
　　　　　　the　〃good　old　times　of　'60。〃　　Marshal　Perry　and　officer　Birdsall
　　　　　　were　near　when　the　shooting　occurred；　and　Gumbert　was　immediately
　　　　　　arrested　and　his　gun　taken　from　him；　when　he　was　marched　off　to
　　　　　　jail。　　Many　persons　who　were　attracted　to　the　spot　where　this　bloody
　　　　　　work　had　just　taken　place；　looked　bewildered　and　seemed　to　be　asking
　　　　　　themselves　what　was　to　happen　next；　appearing　in　doubt　as　to　whether
　　　　　　the　killing　mania　had　reached　its　climax；　or　whether　we　were　to　turn
　　　　　　in　and　have　a　grand　killing　spell；　shooting　whoever　might　have　given
　　　　　　us　offence。　　It　was　whispered　around　that　it　was　not　all　over　yet
　　　　　　five　or　six　more　were　to　be　killed　before　night。　　Reeder　was　taken
　　　　　　to　the　Virginia　City　Hotel；　and　doctors　called　in　to　examine　his
　　　　　　wounds。　　They　found　that　two　or　three　balls　had　entered　his　right
　　　　　　side；　one　of　them　appeared　to　have　passed　through　the　substance　of
　　　　　　the　lungs；　while　another　passed　into　the　liver。　　Two　balls　were　also
　　　　　　found　to　have　struck　one　of　his　legs。　　As　some　of　the　balls　struck
　　　　　　the　cask；　the　wounds　in　Reeder's　leg　were　probably　from　these；
　　　　　　glancing　downwards；　though　they　might　have　been　caused　by　the　second
　　　　　　shot　fired。　　After　being　shot；　Reeder　said　when　he　got　on　his　feet
　　　　　　smiling　as　he　spoke〃It　will　take　better　shooting　than　that　to　kill
　　　　　　me。〃　　The　doctors　consider　it　almost　impossible　for　him　to　recover；
　　　　　　but　as　he　has　an　excellent　constitution　he　may　survive；
　　　　　　notwithstanding　the　number　and　dangerous　character　of　the　wounds　he
　　　　　　has　received。　　The　town　appears　to　be　perfectly　quiet　at　present；　as
　　　　　　though　the　late　stormy　times　had　cleared　our　moral　atmosphere；　but
　　　　　　who　can　tell　in　what　quarter　clouds　are　lowering　or　plots　ripening？

Reederor　at　least　what　was　left　of　himsurvived　his　wounds　two　days！
Nothing　was　ever　done　with　Gumbert。

Trial　by　jury　is　the　palladium　of　our　liberties。　　I　do　not　know　what　a
palladium　is；　having　never　seen　a　palladium；　but　it　is　a　good　thing　no
doubt　at　any　rate。　　Not　less　than　a　hundred　men　have　been　murdered　in
Nevadaperhaps　I　would　be　within　bounds　if　I　said　three　hundredand　as
far　as　I　can　learn；　only　two　persons　have　suffered　the　death　penalty
there。　　However；　four　or　five　who　had　no　money　and　no　political　influence
have　been　punished　by　imprisonmentone　languished　in　prison　as　much　as
eight　months；　I　think。　　However；　I　do　not　desire　to　be　extravagantit
may　have　been　less。

However；　one　prophecy　was　verified；　at　any　rate。　　It　was　asserted　by　the
desperadoes　that　one　of　their　brethren　（Joe　McGee；　a　special　policeman）
was　known　to　be　the　conspirator　chosen　by　lot　to　assassinate　Williams；
and　they　also　asserted　that　doom　had　been　pronounced　against　McGee；　and
that　he　would　be　assassinated　in　exactly　the　same　manner　that　had　been
adopted　for　the　destruction　of　Williamsa　prophecy　which　came　true　a
year　later。　　After　twelve　months　of　distress　（for　McGee　saw　a　fancied
assassin　in　every　man　that　approached　him）；　he　made　the　last　of　many
efforts　to　get　out　of　the　country　unwatched。　　He　went　to　Carson　and　sat
down　in　a　saloon　to　wait　for　the　stageit　would　leave　at　four　in　the
morning。　　But　as　the　night　waned　and　the　crowd　thinned；　he　grew　uneasy；
and　told　the　bar…keeper　that　assassins　were　on　his　track。　　The　bar…keeper
told　him　to　stay　in　the　middle　of　the　room；　then；　and　not　go　near　the
door；　or　the　window　by　the　stove。　　But　a　fatal　fascination　seduced　him　to
the　neighborhood　of　the　stove　every　now　and　then；　and　repeatedly　the　bar…
keeper　brought　him　back　to　the　middle　of　the　room　and　warned　him　to
remain　there。　　But　he　could　not。　　At　three　in　the　morning　he　again
returned　to　the　stove　and　sat　down　by　a　stranger。　　Before　the　bar…keeper
could　get　to　him　with　another　warning　whisper；　some　one　outside　fired
through　the　window　and　riddled　McGee's　breast　with　slugs；　killing　him
almost　instantly。　　By　the　same　discharge　the　stranger　at　McGee's　side
also　received　attentions　which　proved　fatal　in　the　course　of　two　or　three
days。




CHAPTER　L。

These　murder　and　jury　statistics　remind　me　of　a　certain　very
extraordinary　trial　and　execution　of　twenty　years　ago；　it　is　a　scrap　of
history　familiar　to　all　old　Californians；　and　worthy　to　be　known　by　other
peoples　of　the　earth　that　love　simple；　straightforward　justice
unencumbered　with　nonsense。　　I　would　apologize　for　this　digression　but
for　the　fact　that　the　information　I　am　about　to　offer　is　apology　enough
in　itself。　　And　since　I　digress　constantly　anyhow；　perhaps　it　is　as　well
to　eschew　apologies　altogether　and　thus　prevent　their　growing　irksome。

Capt。　Ned　Blakelythat　name　will　answer　as　well　as　any　other　fictitious
one　（for　he　was　still　with　the　living　at　last　accounts；　and　may　not
desire　to　be　famous）sailed　ships　out　of　the　harbor　of　San　Francisco　for
many　years。　　He　was　a　stalwart；　warm…hearted；　eagle…eyed　veteran；　who　had
been　a　sailor　nearly　fifty　yearsa　sailor　from　early　boyhood。　　He　was　a
rough；　honest　creature；　full　of　pluck；　and　just　as　full　of　hard…headed
simplicity；　too。　　He　hated　trifling　conventionalities〃business〃　was　the
word；　with　him。　　He　had　all　a　sailor's　vindictiveness　against　the　quips
and　quirks　of　the　law；　and　steadfastly　believed　that　the　first　and　last
aim　and　object　of　the　law　and　lawyers　was　to　defeat　justice。

He　sailed　for　the　Chincha　Islands　in　command　of　a　guano　ship。　　He　had　a
fine　crew；　but　his　negro　mate　was　his　peton　him　he　had　for　years
lavished　his　admiration　and　esteem。　　It　was　Capt。　Ned's　first　voyage　to
the　Chinchas；　but　his　fame　had　gone　before　himthe　fame　of　being　a　man
who　would　fight　at　the　dropping　of　a　handkerchief；　when　imposed　upon；　and
would　stand　no　nonsense。　　It　was　a　fame　well　earned。　　Arrived　in　the
islands；　he　found　that　the　staple　of　conversation　was　the　exploits　of　one
Bill　Noakes；　a　bully；　the　mate　of　a　trading　ship。　　This　man　had　created　a
small　reign　of　terror　there。　　At　nine　o'clock　at　night；　Capt。　Ned；　all
alone；　was　pacing　his　deck　in　the　starlight。　　A　form　ascended　the　side；
and　approached　him。　　Capt。　Ned　said：

〃Who　goes　there？〃

〃I'm　Bill　Noakes；　the　best　man　in　the　islands。〃

〃What　do　you　want　aboard　this　ship？〃

〃I've　heard　of　Capt。　Ned　Blakely；　and　one　of　us　is　a　better　man　than
'totherI'll　know　which；　before　I　go　ashore。〃

〃You've　come　to　the　right　shopI'm　your　man。　　I'll　learn　you　to　come
aboard　this　ship　without　an　invite。〃

He　seized　Noakes；　backed　him　against　the　mainmast；　pounded　his　face　to　a
pulp；　and　then　threw　him　overboard。

Noakes　was　not　convinced。　　He　returned　the　next　night；　got　the　pulp
renewed；　and　went　overboard　head　first；　as　before。

He　was　satisfied。

A　week　after　this；　while　Noakes　was　carousing　with　a　sailor　crowd　on
shore；　at　noonday；　Capt。　Ned's　colored　mate　came　along；　and　Noakes　tried
to　pick　a　quarrel　with　him。　　The　negro　evaded　the　trap；　and　tried　to　get
away。　　Noakes　followed　him　up；　the　negro　began　to　run；　Noakes　fired　on
him　with　a　revolver　and　killed　him。　　Half　a　dozen　sea…captains　witnessed
the　whole　affair。　　Noakes　retreated　to　the　small　after…cabin　of　his　ship；
with　two　other　bullies；　and　gave　out　that　death　would　be　the　portion　of
any　man　that　intruded　there。　　There　was　no　attempt　made　to　follow　the
villains；　there　was　no　disposition　to　do　it；　and　indeed　very　little
thought　of　such　an　enterprise。　　There　were　no　courts　and　no　officers；
there　was　no　government；　the　islands　belonged　to　Peru；　and　Peru　was　far
away；　she　had　no　official　representative　on　the　ground；　and　neither　had
any　other　nation。

However；　Capt。　Ned　was　not　perplexing　his　head　about　such　things。　　They
concerned　him　not。　　He　was　boiling　with　rage　and　furious　for　justice。
At　nine　o'clock　at　night　he　loaded　a　double…barreled　gun　with　slugs；
fished　out　a　pair　of　handcuffs；　got　a　ship's　lantern；　summoned　his
quartermaster；　and　went　ashore。　　He　said：

〃Do　you　see　that　ship　there　at　the　dock？〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

〃It's　the　Venus。〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

〃Youyou　know　me。〃

〃Ay…ay；　sir。〃

〃Very　well；　then。　　Take　the　lantern。　　Carry　it　just　under　your