gs.earthabides-第14章
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But as the desert was slow to yield before man； so it will be slow to wipe out his traces。 e back in a thousand years； and you will still see the chips of stone scattered through the sand and the long road stretching off to the gap in the kmfelike hills on the horizon。 There will be little rust； and even the iron rails may be there。 As for the copper wires； they are next to immortal。 This is the desert； the wilderness…slow to give； and slow to take away。
For a while the speedometer needle stood at 80； and he drove with the wild joy of freedom； fearless at the thought of a tire blowing out。 Later； he slowed down a little； and began to look around with new interest； his trained geographer's mind focusing upon that drama of man's passing。 In this country； he saw little difference。
When he came to Needles； the gasoline…gauge stood nearly at empty。 Electric power had failed； and the gas…pumps would not work。 With a little search he found a gasoline depot at the edge of town； and filled his tank from one of the drums。 He went on。
Crossing the Colorado River； he entered Arizona； and the road began to rise up among sharp； rocky crags。 Here； at last he saw cattle。 Half a dozen steers and two cows with their calves stood in a draw near the road。 They raised their heads； idly； when he stopped the car to look them over。 These desert' cattle； unless when grazing near the road； scarcely saw a man from one month's end to the other。 Twice a year； the cowboys came out to round them up。 The passing of man would make no difference here； except that actually the herds would breed more rapidly。 After a time； perhaps； they might have troubles with overgrazed range； but before then the long…drawn howl of the lobo wolves would re…echo again through these ravines； and there would be a new means of control…of numbers。 In the end； however； he had no doubt that the cattle and the wolves would strike off some unconscious balance and that the cattle； bereft of man； would continue to thrive。
Farther on； near the old mining…town of Oatman； he saw two burros。 Whether they had merely been wandering about the vicinity of the town at the time of the catastrophe； or whether they had been some that had gone wild； already； he did not know； but they seemed well contented。 He got out of the car； and tried approaching them； but they scampered away； keeping their distance。 Returning to the car he loosed the yapping Princess' ； and she made a wild dash at the two strange animals。 The jack laid down his ears； and charged upon her with lips drawn back from teeth and lashing forefeet。 Princess turned sharply and scuttled to the car and the protection of her man。 The jack； thought Ish； would be more than a match for any wolf； and even a mountain…lion might well regret pressing an attack。
He passed the summit above Oatman； and well down the other side he came for the first time to a partial block in the road。 At some time during the last few days a fierce desert thunderstorm must have swept across this edge of the moun_ tains。 When the water came tearing down the wash； the culvert had plugged and water had streamed across the road； carrying sand。 He got out to investigate。 In ordinary times； a road…crew would soon have been along。 They would have cleared the sand from the road and opened the culvert again； and everything would have been as before。 But now； the culvert remained plugged； and the few inches of sand remained on the road； and when he looked at the lower side of the pavement he saw that the washing water had already cut out half a foot of dirt from under the lower side of the concrete。 Now； at the next storm； still more sand would wash across； and still more dirt would be cut away from the underside。 In a few years the concrete might begin to crack away from where it was undercut； and the sand and gravel would pile up still higher on the road itself。 Now； however； there was no serious question of passability。 He drove the car over the sand。
〃A road is as strong as its weakest link；〃； he thought； wondering how long it would be possible to travel as he was traveling now。 That night he slept again in a bed； helping himself to a place in the best tourist…court in Kingman。
The cattle； the horses； the asses…through thousands of centuries they lived their own lives； and went their own ways in forest and steppe and desert。 Then man grew strong； and for a while he used the cattle； and the horses； and the asses； for other ends。 But after that was finished； they went their own ways again。
Fastened with their stanchions in the long barns； the dairy cattle bawled thirstily for a while and then lay still。 Penned in their paddocks； the long…limbed thoroughbreds died slowly。
But on the ranges； the white…faced Herefords looked out for themselves； and even on the farms； the cattle broke through the fences and wandered fireely。 So too； on the ranges； with the horses and the asses。。。。
The asses seek the desert； as in the ancient days。 They sniff the dry east wind； and gallop on the dusty lake beds； and step daintily on the boulder…strewn hills； with their hard mouths they… eat the thorny bushes。 Their panions are the big…horn sheep。
The horses take the dry open plains。 They eat the green grass of spring； and the grass…seed of summer； and the dry grass of autumn； and in the winter； shaggy…coated； they paw the snow； for the dry grass beneath it。 With them the herds of the pronghorn pasture。
The cattle seek the greener lands and the forests。 In the copses the cows hide the new…born calves until they canfollow the mothers。 The bison are their panions； and their rivals。 The great bulls battle mightily； and in the end； perhaps； the heavier bulls will prevail； and the bison move out over all their old domain。 Then the cattle may be pushed deeper intothe woodland and there find their haven。
Electric power had failed at Kingman； but the water was still running。 The stove in the kitchenette at the tourist…court was supplied from a tank of liquefied gas； and the pressure was at normal。 Since there was no electric refrigeration； he could have neither eggs； nor butter； nor milk。 But he took his time； and after a raid on a store prepared an excellent break…； fast…canned grapefruit； canned sausages； flapjacks； syrup。 He made a large pot of coffee； and had it with sugar and canned milk。 Princess enjoyed her usual can of horsemeat。 After breakfast； to get gasoline； he took the hammer and a cold chisel； and plugged a hole in the tank of a truck。 Setting a five…gallon can beneath the spurt of gasoline； he filled it； and then transferred the gasoline to his own tank。
There were dead bodies in the town； but in the dry Arizona heat they had mummified instead of decaying； and though they were not pretty to look at； they made no assault upon the nostrils。
Beyond Kingman he soon came to where the pact little pifion pines stood evenly spaced across dry rolling country。 Except for the highway； man had left little mark anywhere。 No telephone line followed the road； and often there were no fences…just the rangeland stretching off on both sides； green because of the summer rains； dotted with the little trees。 Actually； he knew that overgrazing had changed the grass and shrubs over all this country； and that with man gone there would now be more changes。 Perhaps； with the slaughter…houses no longer at work； the cattle would bee more numerous than ever； before their predators could increase sufficiently to control their numbers； they might eat the grass to the roots and start gullies and change the whole face of the country。 No； just as likely； he reconsidered； hoof…and…mouth disease would work in across the now open Mexican border； and cattle might almost disappear。 Or perhaps he underestimated the rapidity at which wolves and mountain…lions would multiply。 All he held fairly certain was that in twenty…five or fifty years some kind of moderately stable situation would result and that the land then would steadily get to look more and more like what it had been before the white men came。
On the first two days； he had felt the fear； on the third； he had speeded wildly in reaction。 But today； again in reaction； he felt a great
