登陆注册
5380500000021

第21章

There had been no secretary work for him to do, and no provision for payment.He found his profit in studying human nature and in prospecting native resources.He was not interested in mining not yet.With a boy named John Kinney he made an excursion to Lake Bigler--now Tahoe--and located a timber claim, really of great value.They were supposed to build a fence around it, but they were too full of the enjoyment of camp-life to complete it.They put in most of their time wandering through the stately forest or drifting over the transparent lake in a boat left there by lumbermen.They built themselves a brush house, but they did not sleep in it.In 'Roughing It' he writes, "It never occurred to us, for one thing;and, besides, it was built to hold the ground, and that was enough.

We did not wish to strain it."

They were having a glorious time, when their camp-fire got away from them and burned up their claim.His next letter, of which the beginning is missing, describes the fire.

Fragment of a letter to Mrs.Jane Clemens and Mrs.Moffett, in St.Louis:

.....The level ranks of flame were relieved at intervals by the standard-bearers, as we called the tall dead trees, wrapped in fire, and waving their blazing banners a hundred feet in the air.Then we could turn from this scene to the Lake, and see every branch, and leaf, and cataract of flame upon its bank perfectly reflected as in a gleaming, fiery mirror.

The mighty roaring of the conflagration, together with our solitary and somewhat unsafe position (for there was no one within six miles of us,)rendered the scene very impressive.Occasionally, one of us would remove his pipe from his mouth and say, "Superb! magnificent! Beautiful! but-by the Lord God Almighty, if we attempt to sleep in this little patch tonight, we'll never live till morning! for if we don't burn up, we'll certainly suffocate." But he was persuaded to sit up until we felt pretty safe as far as the fire was concerned, and then we turned in, with many misgivings.When we got up in the morning, we found that the fire had burned small pieces of drift wood within six feet of our boat, and had made its way to within 4 or 5 steps of us on the South side.We looked like lava men, covered as we were with ashes, and begrimed with smoke.We were very black in the face, but we soon washed ourselves white again.

John D.Kinney, a Cincinnati boy, and a first-rate fellow, too, who came out with judge Turner, was my comrade.We staid at the Lake four days--I had plenty of fun, for John constantly reminded me of Sam Bowen when we were on our campaign in Missouri.But first and foremost, for Annie's, Mollies, and Pamela's comfort, be it known that I have never been guilty of profane language since I have been in this Territory, and Kinney hardly ever swears.--But sometimes human nature gets the better of him.

On the second day we started to go by land to the lower camp, a distance of three miles, over the mountains, each carrying an axe.I don't think we got lost exactly, but we wandered four hours over the steepest, rockiest and most dangerous piece of country in the world.I couldn't keep from laughing at Kinney's distress, so I kept behind, so that he could not see me.After he would get over a dangerous place, with infinite labor and constant apprehension, he would stop, lean on his axe, and look around, then behind, then ahead, and then drop his head and ruminate awhile.--Then he would draw a long sigh, and say: "Well--could any Billygoat have scaled that place without breaking his --- ---- neck?"And I would reply, "No,--I don't think he could." "No--you don't think he could--" (mimicking me,) "Why don't you curse the infernal place?

You know you want to.--I do, and will curse the --- ---- thieving country as long as I live." Then we would toil on in silence for awhile.

Finally I told him--"Well, John, what if we don't find our way out of this today--we'll know all about the country when we do get out." "Oh stuff--I know enough--and too much about the d---d villainous locality already." Finally, we reached the camp.But as we brought no provisions with us, the first subject that presented itself to us was, how to get back.John swore he wouldn't walk back, so we rolled a drift log apiece into the Lake, and set about making paddles, intending to straddle the logs and paddle ourselves back home sometime or other.But the Lake objected--got stormy, and we had to give it up.So we set out for the only house on this side of the Lake--three miles from there, down the shore.We found the way without any trouble, reached there before sundown, played three games of cribbage, borrowed a dug-out and pulled back six miles to the upper camp.As we had eaten nothing since sunrise, we did not waste time in cooking our supper or in eating it, either.

After supper we got out our pipes--built a rousing camp fire in the open air-established a faro bank (an institution of this country,) on our huge flat granite dining table, and bet white beans till one o'clock, when John went to bed.We were up before the sun the next morning, went out on the Lake and caught a fine trout for breakfast.But unfortunately, Ispoilt part of the breakfast.We had coffee and tea boiling on the fire, in coffee-pots and fearing they might not be strong enough, I added more ground coffee, and more tea, but--you know mistakes will happen.--I put the tea in the coffee-pot, and the coffee in the teapot--and if you imagine that they were not villainous mixtures, just try the effect once.

And so Bella is to be married on the 1st of Oct.Well, I send her and her husband my very best wishes, and--I may not be here--but wherever Iam on that night, we'll have a rousing camp-fire and a jollification in honor of the event.

In a day or two we shall probably go to the Lake and build another cabin and fence, and get everything into satisfactory trim before our trip to Esmeralda about the first of November.

同类推荐
  • 东坡诗话

    东坡诗话

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 憨休禅师语录

    憨休禅师语录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 无量寿经会译

    无量寿经会译

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大观茶论

    大观茶论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 韩擒虎话本

    韩擒虎话本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 宛如约

    宛如约

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 赤壁之崛起荆南

    赤壁之崛起荆南

    建安十三年,赤壁之战在即,刘贤重生为零陵郡太守刘度的儿子,“萌将”刑道荣的少主。这一次,荆南军阀将以不一样的姿态,闯入曹孙刘三家争战的漩涡里……。
  • 焰火飞雪

    焰火飞雪

    前世:五岁母亲神秘离开,沈子衿受姑母照拂逐渐长大,莫名其妙的赐婚,之后沈府惨遭血洗;新出现的萧竹是谁?今生:陷入抑郁,好不容易一切有了好转,男友被害。陷入幻境,魂寄前世。你顺手挽起火焰,化作漫天飞雪。——《青灯》
  • 神乱界

    神乱界

    在西游,秦慕凡:“如来,我们打个赌吧!就赌猴子能不能从你手心逃走。”如来:“…………”孙悟空:“…………”在遮天,秦慕凡:“道长,此宝与我有缘。”段德:“…………”秦慕凡:“大帝,你在我这奈何桥闲着也是闲着,不然帮我煮一碗孟婆汤呗!”狠人:“…………”在完美世界,秦慕凡:“我这一拳下去,你会化为灰烬。”黑暗仙帝:“…………”然而在地球,秦慕凡:“好端端的,怎么就玩起了生化危机啊!”将臣:“…………”鬼族:“…………”饕餮:“…………”人类:“…………”
  • 南方麻雀

    南方麻雀

    这学期一开始就不同。那气氛一进教务处就感觉到了。大办公室里本来哄笑不断,隔几个房间都能听见女士们的夸张和招摇,而他一出现声就没了,这令他阴沉的面皮又添了许多僵硬,那感觉就像一块扯不平的台布。仿佛只是一夜之间,他就成了不受欢迎的人。他是来送授课进度表的。小陶说:“您打个电话我上去拿就得了,何必亲自跑?”说着眨眨眼,递过一张纸来。纸上开列着这学期校级领导自报的选修课。人人有份,连党务工作也列出了“十六讲”,当然也包括自己的《汉赋精谈》。不知是谁,用红墨笔给整张纸画了个大问号。
  • A Native's Return, 1945-1988

    A Native's Return, 1945-1988

    The third in a three-volume series, this edition chronicles the life of noted journalist, historian, and author William Shirer-a witness to the rise of the Third Reich. Here, Shirer recounts his return to Berlin after its defeat, his shocking firing by CBS News, and his final visit to Paris sixty years after he first lived there as a cub reporter in the 1920s. It paints a bittersweet picture of his final decades, friends lost to old age, and a changing world.More personal than the first two volumes, this final installment takes an unflinching look at the author's own struggles after World War II-and his vindication after the publication of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, his most acclaimed work. It also provides intimate details of his often-troubled marriage. This book gives readers a surprising and moving account of the last years of a true historian-and an important witness to history.
  • 桃缘兮

    桃缘兮

    他历劫,她下凡,他们结识。羽扇纶巾笑谈间,千军万马我无懈,伪面君子三尺剑,烽火狼烟我敷衍。这一刻的宁静愿是永恒,这一时的陪伴愿是永世……万箭齐发,杀气如麻,以命相博,满目红腥坠血。三分天下,为谁争霸?谁,执我之手,潋我半世癫狂;谁,抚我之面,慰我半世悲伤;谁,吻我之眸,应我半世琉璃;谁,携我之心,融我半世冰霜……只愿为汝蹉跎,人剑梦里冷潇潇,醉剑长萧寒霜雪。把酒言欢,不幸曲终了,一身骄傲,独自醉倒,行看恩怨世间,只愿醉里梦他千百回……
  • 婚非得已

    婚非得已

    这是一场从被诱惑到反诱惑的妖娆小情事…人生的前十八年,她,是权贵圈里茶余饭后的聊资,是平民百姓家用来教育子女的反面教材。论个性:她暴力狂傲,阴狠毒辣;她目中无人、有仇必报、甚至恩将仇报…论外貌:不说天上有人间无,却也是妖娆多姿,让人垂涎欲滴…论家世:她是中央纪委副书记的千金。却是娘疼,爹不爱。一场意外,把她推至风口浪尖;从此,她的人生整个颠覆!滕家的放逐,让她终于学会收敛起自己的锋芒,懂得将骄傲和谨慎并用,隐于茫茫人海之中,掩了一身光华。三年的爱情之路,终于要走向婚姻的殿堂;她以为她的人生即将完美,等来的,却是另一场意外…好不容易撑起的晴天,重新归为一片混沌黑暗…迷茫之中,是谁伸出了一双手?誓要将她拉出伤痛?听说,她又要结婚啦!这可是京城的大事件!就是不知道这回,她那夫君是何方神圣?要说到他,那就比较有来头了…首先,他的父亲是军委总参谋长;母亲是享誉全球的珠宝设计师;他本人更是有口皆碑的杰出青年!目前为北京军区某装甲师师长。于公,他是国家栋梁,指挥着一支威武之师。于私,他是温家骄傲,未做过一件出格之事。但这一次,他突然要娶一个前科不大好,还退过一次婚的女人?更如珠如宝的疼着…世人皆哗然:一株仙草被一坨狗屎给糟蹋了!当然,仙草是他,她是狗屎——可是,据某女说:在他温文尔雅的外表下,藏着一颗衣冠禽兽的心;某女还说:此人擅长演戏,易动情者勿近…小叔语录:当小叔遭遇曼曼前未婚夫,他是这样说的:“那副眼镜是我给摘下的,所以,记住,曼曼,没有任何人值得你为他敛去锋芒!没有任何人值得你鲜血淋漓的拔去自己所有的羽翼!你不缺人宠,从今天开始,我允许你跋扈,允许你任性,允许你张扬!咱不怕把事情闹大,专拣大的闹,我给你撑腰!”‘怕老婆’的小叔,标准的温家三字经:“你不懂?她不让,我目前,归她管。”遭遇‘牵牛花’骚扰的小叔,“有一句名言很适合你——随意攀爬,失足,则成千古恨!”
  • 肥妃在上,爷在下!

    肥妃在上,爷在下!

    穿越第一日,他说,“尹如初!爱我,就用你的手满足我的女人!”于是,她晕沉沉找了根香蕉。穿越第二日,他说,“尹如初!谁给你的胆子敢动我的人!”她想了想,你岳母?第三日……直到有一天,他给她灌了药,然后将她跟一个男人关在一起。--情节虚构,请勿模仿
  • 重生之时尚逆袭记

    重生之时尚逆袭记

    重活一世的顾惜发誓要扬眉吐气。然而这个前浪被一只装纯装可爱装无辜的小白鼠拍死在沙滩上。看前世窝囊的服装设计师华丽逆袭今生。金牌导师倾囊相授,十年磨一剑。顾惜说:我顶着光环,但不是花瓶。“时尚圈争霸,风流人物还看今朝。小小女子坐拥半壁时尚江山,无数帅哥男模从中过,片叶不沾身。