roughing it-第50章

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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　content　to　endure　the　roughest　life　will　consent　to　take
upon　themselves　the　discomforts　of　such　a　trip。　　On　the　morning　of　our
second　day；　we　traveled　around　to　a　remote　and　particularly　wild　spot　on
the　borders　of　the　Lake；　where　a　stream　of　fresh；　ice…cold　water　entered
it　from　the　mountain　side；　and　then　we　went　regularly　into　camp。　　We
hired　a　large　boat　and　two　shot…guns　from　a　lonely　ranchman　who　lived
some　ten　miles　further　on；　and　made　ready　for　comfort　and　recreation。
We　soon　got　thoroughly　acquainted　with　the　Lake　and　all　its
peculiarities。




CHAPTER　XXXVIII。

Mono　Lake　lies　in　a　lifeless；　treeless；　hideous　desert；　eight　thousand
feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea；　and　is　guarded　by　mountains　two　thousand
feet　higher；　whose　summits　are　always　clothed　in　clouds。　　This　solemn；
silent；　sail…less　seathis　lonely　tenant　of　the　loneliest　spot　on　earth
is　little　graced　with　the　picturesque。　　It　is　an　unpretending　expanse
of　grayish　water；　about　a　hundred　miles　in　circumference；　with　two
islands　in　its　centre；　mere　upheavals　of　rent　and　scorched　and　blistered
lava；　snowed　over　with　gray　banks　and　drifts　of　pumice…stone　and　ashes；
the　winding　sheet　of　the　dead　volcano；　whose　vast　crater　the　lake　has
seized　upon　and　occupied。

The　lake　is　two　hundred　feet　deep；　and　its　sluggish　waters　are　so　strong
with　alkali　that　if　you　only　dip　the　most　hopelessly　soiled　garment　into
them　once　or　twice；　and　wring　it　out；　it　will　be　found　as　clean　as　if　it
had　been　through　the　ablest　of　washerwomen's　hands。　　While　we　camped
there　our　laundry　work　was　easy。　　We　tied　the　week's　washing　astern　of
our　boat；　and　sailed　a　quarter　of　a　mile；　and　the　job　was　complete；　all
to　the　wringing　out。　　If　we　threw　the　water　on　our　heads　and　gave　them　a
rub　or　so；　the　white　lather　would　pile　up　three　inches　high。　　This　water
is　not　good　for　bruised　places　and　abrasions　of　the　skin。　　We　had　a
valuable　dog。　　He　had　raw　places　on　him。　　He　had　more　raw　places　on　him
than　sound　ones。　　He　was　the　rawest　dog　I　almost　ever　saw。　　He　jumped
overboard　one　day　to　get　away　from　the　flies。　　But　it　was　bad　judgment。
In　his　condition；　it　would　have　been　just　as　comfortable　to　jump　into　the
fire。

The　alkali　water　nipped　him　in　all　the　raw　places　simultaneously；　and　he
struck　out　for　the　shore　with　considerable　interest。　　He　yelped　and
barked　and　howled　as　he　wentand　by　the　time　he　got　to　the　shore　there
was　no　bark　to　himfor　he　had　barked　the　bark　all　out　of　his　inside；　and
the　alkali　water　had　cleaned　the　bark　all　off　his　outside；　and　he
probably　wished　he　had　never　embarked　in　any　such　enterprise。　　He　ran
round　and　round　in　a　circle；　and　pawed　　the　earth　and　clawed　the　air；　and
threw　double　somersaults；　sometimes　backward　and　sometimes　forward；　in
the　most　extraordinary　manner。　　He　was　not　a　demonstrative　dog；　as　a
general　thing；　but　rather　of　a　grave　and　serious　turn　of　mind；　and　I
never　saw　him　take　so　much　interest　in　anything　before。　　He　finally
struck　out　over　the　mountains；　at　a　gait　which　we　estimated　at　about　two
hundred　and　fifty　miles　an　hour；　and　he　is　going　yet。　　This　was　about
nine　years　ago。　　We　look　for　what　is　left　of　him　along　here　every　day。

A　white　man　cannot　drink　the　water　of　Mono　Lake；　for　it　is　nearly　pure
lye。　　It　is　said　that　the　Indians　in　the　vicinity　drink　it　sometimes；
though。　　It　is　not　improbable；　for　they　are　among　the　purest　liars　I　ever
saw。　　＇There　will　be　no　additional　charge　for　this　joke；　except　to
parties　requiring　an　explanation　of　it。　　This　joke　has　received　high
commendation　from　some　of　the　ablest　minds　of　the　age。＇

There　are　no　fish　in　Mono　Lakeno　frogs；　no　snakes；　no　polliwigs
nothing；　in　fact；　that　goes　to　make　life　desirable。　　Millions　of　wild
ducks　and　sea…gulls　swim　about　the　surface；　but　no　living　thing　exists
under　the　surface；　except　a　white　feathery　sort　of　worm；　one　half　an　inch
long；　which　looks　like　a　bit　of　white　thread　frayed　out　at　the　sides。　　If
you　dip　up　a　gallon　of　water；　you　will　get　about　fifteen　thousand　of
these。　　They　give　to　the　water　a　sort　of　gra