roughing it-第76节
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into the air； an' by George； right in the dead centre of it was old Tom
Quartz a goin' end over end； an' a snortin' an' a sneez'n'； an' a clawin'
an' a reachin' for things like all possessed。 But it warn't no use； you
know； it warn't no use。 An' that was the last we see of him for about
two minutes 'n' a half； an' then all of a sudden it begin to rain rocks
and rubbage； an' directly he come down ker…whop about ten foot off f'm
where we stood Well； I reckon he was p'raps the orneriest lookin' beast
you ever see。 One ear was sot back on his neck； 'n' his tail was stove
up； 'n' his eye…winkers was swinged off； 'n' he was all blacked up with
powder an' smoke； an' all sloppy with mud 'n' slush f'm one end to the
other。
Well sir； it warn't no use to try to apologizewe couldn't say a word。
He took a sort of a disgusted look at hisself； 'n' then he looked at us
an' it was just exactly the same as if he had said'Gents； may be you
think it's smart to take advantage of a cat that 'ain't had no experience
of quartz minin'； but I think different'an' then he turned on his heel
'n' marched off home without ever saying another word。
〃That was jest his style。 An' may be you won't believe it； but after
that you never see a cat so prejudiced agin quartz mining as what he was。
An' by an' bye when he did get to goin' down in the shaft agin； you'd 'a
been astonished at his sagacity。 The minute we'd tetch off a blast 'n'
the fuse'd begin to sizzle； he'd give a look as much as to say： 'Well；
I'll have to git you to excuse me；' an' it was surpris'n' the way he'd
shin out of that hole 'n' go f'r a tree。 Sagacity？ It ain't no name for
it。 'Twas inspiration！〃
I said； 〃Well； Mr。 Baker； his prejudice against quartz…mining was
remarkable； considering how he came by it。 Couldn't you ever cure him of
it？〃
〃Cure him！ No！ When Tom Quartz was sot once； he was always sotand you
might a blowed him up as much as three million times 'n' you'd never a
broken him of his cussed prejudice agin quartz mining。〃
The affection and the pride that lit up Baker's face when he delivered
this tribute to the firmness of his humble friend of other days； will
always be a vivid memory with me。
At the end of two months we had never 〃struck〃 a pocket。 We had panned
up and down the hillsides till they looked plowed like a field； we could
have put in a crop of grain； then； but there would have been no way to
get it to market。 We got many good 〃prospects；〃 but when the gold gave
out in the pan and we dug down； hoping and longing； we found only
emptinessthe pocket that should have been there was as barren as our
own。At last we shouldered our pans and shovels and struck out over the
hills to try new localities。 We prospected around Angel's Camp； in
Calaveras county； during three weeks； but had no success。 Then we
wandered on foot among the mountains； sleeping under the trees at night；
for the weather was mild； but still we remained as centless as the last
rose of summer。 That is a poor joke； but it is in pathetic harmony with
the circumstances； since we were so poor ourselves。 In accordance with
the custom of the country； our door had always stood open and our board
welcome to tramping minersthey drifted along nearly every day； dumped
their paust shovels by the threshold and took 〃pot luck〃 with usand now
on our own tramp we never found cold hospitality。
Our wanderings were wide and in many directions； and now I could give the
reader a vivid description of the Big Trees and the marvels of the Yo
Semitebut what has this reader done to me that I should persecute him？
I will deliver him into the hands of less conscientious tourists and take
his blessing。 Let me be charitable； though I fail in all virtues else。
Note： Some of the phrases in the above are mining technicalities； purely；
and may be a little obscure to the general reader。 In 〃placer diggings〃
the gold is scattered all through the surface dirt； in 〃pocket〃 diggings
it is concentrated in one little spot； in 〃quartz〃 the gold is in a
solid； continuous vein of rock； enclosed between distinct walls of some
other kind of stoneand this is the most laborious and expensive of all
the different kinds of mining。 〃Prospecting〃 is hunting for a 〃placer〃；
〃indications〃 are signs of its presence； 〃panning out〃 refers to the
washing process by which the grains of gold are separated from the dirt；
a 〃prospect〃 is what one finds in the first panful of dirtand its value
determines whether it is a good or a bad prospect； and whether it is
worth while to tarry there or seek further。
CHAPTER LXII。
After a three months' absence； I found myself in San Francisco again；
without a cent。 When my credit was about exhausted； （for I had become
too mean and lazy； now； to work on a morning paper； and there were no
vacancies on the evening journals；） I was created San Francisco
correspondent of the Enterprise； and at the end of five months I was out
of debt； but my interest in my work was gone； for my correspondence being
a daily one； without rest or respite； I got unspeakably tired of it。
I wanted another change。 The vagabond instinct was strong upon me。
Fortune favored and I got a new berth and a delightful one。 It was to go
down to the Sandwich Islands and write some letters for the Sacramento
Union； an excellent journal and liberal with employees。
We sailed in the propeller Ajax； in the middle of winter。 The almanac
called it winter； distinctly enough； but the weather was a compromise
between spring and summer。 Six days out of port； it became summer
altogether。 We had some thirty passengers； among them a cheerful soul
by the name of Williams； and three sea…worn old whaleship captains going
down to join their vessels。 These latter played euchre in the smoking
room day and night； drank astonishing quantities of raw whisky without
being in the least affected by it； and were the happiest people I think
I ever saw。 And then there was 〃the old Admiral〃 a retired whaleman。
He was a roaring； terrific combination of wind and lightning and thunder；
and earnest； whole…souled profanity。 But nevertheless he was tender…
hearted as a girl。 He was a raving； deafening； devastating typhoon；
laying waste the cowering seas but with an unvexed refuge in the centre
where all comers were safe and at rest。 Nobody could know the 〃Admiral〃
without liking him； and in a sudden and dire emergency I think no friend
of his would know which to chooseto be cursed by him or prayed for by a
less efficient person。
His Title of 〃Admiral〃 was more strictly 〃official〃 than any ever worn by
a naval officer before or since； perhapsfor it was the voluntary
offering of a whole nation； and came direct from the people themselves
without any intermediate red tapethe people of the Sandwich Islands。
It was a title that came to him freighted with affection； and honor； and
appreciation of his unpretending merit。 And in testimony of the
genuineness of the title it was publicly ordained that an exclusive flag
should be devised for him and used solely to welcome his coming and wave
him God…speed in his going。 From that time forth； whenever his ship was
signaled in the offing； or he catted his anchor and stood out to sea；
that ensign streamed from the royal halliards on the parliament house and
the nation lifted their hats to it with spontaneous accord。
Yet he had never fired a gun or fought a battle in his life。 When I knew
him on board the Ajax； he was seventy…two years old and had plowed the
salt water sixty…one of them。 For sixteen years he had gone in and out
of the harbor of Honolulu in command of a whaleship； and for sixteen more
had been captain of a San Francisco and Sandwich Island passenger packet
and had never had an accident or lost a vessel。 The simple natives knew
him for a friend who never failed them； and regarded him as children
regard a father。 It was a dangerous thing to oppress them when the
roaring Admiral was around。
Two years before I knew the Admiral； he had retired from the sea on a
competence； and had sworn a colossal nine…jointed oath that he would
〃never go within smelling distance of the salt water again as long as he
lived。〃 And he had conscientiously kept it。 That is to say； he
considered he had kept it； and it would have been more than dangerous to
suggest to him； even in the gentlest way； that making eleven long sea
voyages； as a passenger； during the two years that had transpired since
he 〃retired；〃 was only keeping the general spirit of it and not the
strict letter。
The Admiral knew only one narrow line of conduct to pursue in any and all
cases where there was a fight； and that was to shoulder his way straight
in without an inquiry as to the rights or the merits of it； and take the
part of the weaker side。And this was the reason why he was always sure
to be present at the trial of any universally execrated criminal to
oppress and intimidate the jury with a vindictive pantomime of what he
would do to them if he ever caught them out of the box。 And this was why
harried cats and outlawed dogs that knew him confidently took sanctuary
under his chair in time of trouble。 In the beginning
