tracks of a rolling stone-第29部分

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ter　and　　accept　the　worse；　I　yielded。

'Very　well　then。　　Make　haste。　　Get　your　traps　together。　　I'll　　look　after　the　horses。'

It　took　more　than　an　hour　before　the　four　mules　were　ready。　　　Like　a　fool；　I　left　Samson　to　tie　the　led　horses　in　a　string；　　while　I　did　the　same　with　the　mules。　　He　started；　leading　the　　horses。　　I　followed　with　the　mule　train　some　minutes　later。　　　Our　troubles　soon　began。　　The　two　spare　horses　were　nearly　as　　wild　as　the　mules。　　I　had　not　got　far　when　I　discerned　　through　the　rain　a　kicking　and　plunging　and　general　　entanglement　of　the　lot　ahead　of　me。　　Samson　had　fastened　the　　horses　together　with　slip　knots；　and　they　were　all　doing　　their　best　to　strangle　one　another　and　themselves。　　To　leave　　the　mules　was　dangerous；　yet　two　men　were　required　to　release　　the　maddened　horses。　　At　last　the　labour　was　accomplished；　　and　once　more　the　van　pushed　on　with　distinct　instructions　as　　to　the　line　of　march；　it　being　now　nearly　dark。　　The　mules　　had　naturally　vanished　in　the　gloom；　and　by　the　time　I　was　　again　in　my　saddle；　Samson　was　…　I　knew　not　where。　　On　and　on　　I　travelled；　far　into　the　night。　　But　failing　to　overtake　my　　companion；　and　taking　for　granted　that　he　had　missed　his　way；　　I　halted　when　I　reached　a　stream；　threw　off　the　packs；　let　　the　animals　loose；　rolled　myself　in　my　blanket；　and　shut　my　　eyes　upon　a　trying　day。

Nothing　happens　but　the　unexpected。　　Daylight　woke　me。　　　Samson；　still　in　his　rugs；　was　but　a　couple　of　hundred　yards　　further　up　the　stream。　　In　the　afternoon　of　the　third　day　we　　fell　in　with　William。　　He　had　cut　himself　a　long　willow　wand　　and　was　fishing　for　trout；　of　which　he　had　caught　several　in　　the　upper　reaches　of　the　Sweetwater。　　He　threw　down　his　rod；　　hastened　to　welcome　our　arrival；　and　at　once　begged　leave　to　　join　us。　　He　was　already　sick　of　solitude。　　He　had　come　　across　Potter　and　Morris；　who　had　left　him　that　morning。　　　They　had　been　visited　by　wolves　in　the　night；　（I　too　had　been　　awakened　by　their　howlings；）　and　poor　William　did　not　relish　　the　thought　of　the　mountains　alone；　with　his　one　little　white　　mule　…　which　he　called　'Cream。'　　He　promised　to　do　his　utmost　　to　help　with　the　packing；　and　'not　cost　us　a　cent。'　　I　did　　not　tell　him　how　my　heart　yearned　towards　him；　and　how　　miserably　my　courage　had　oozed　away　since　we　parted；　but　made　　a　favour　of　his　request；　and　granted　it。　　The　gain；　so　long　　as　it　lasted；　was　incalculable。

The　summit　of　the　South　Pass　is　between　8000　and　9000　feet　　above　the　level　of　the　Gulf　of　Mexico。　　The　Pass　itself　is　　many　miles　broad；　undulating　on　the　surface；　but　not　　abruptly。　　The　peaks　of　the　Wind　River　Chain；　immediately　to　　the　north；　are　covered　with　snow；　and　as　we　gradually　got　　into　the　misty　atmosphere　we　felt　the　cold　severely。　　The　　lariats　…　made　of　raw　hide　…　became　rods　of　ice；　and　the　poor　　animals；　whose　backs　were　masses　of　festering　raws；　suffered　　terribly　from　exposure。　　It　was　interesting　to　come　upon　　proofs　of　the　'divide'　within　a　mile　of　the　most　elevated　　point　in　the　pass。　　From　the　Hudson　to　this　spot；　all　waters　　had　flowed　eastward；　now　suddenly　every　little　rivulet　was　　making　for　the　Pacific。

The　descent　is　as　gradual　as　the　rise。　　On　the　first　day　of　　it　we　lost　two　animals；　a　mule　and　Samson's　spare　horse。　　The　　latter；　never　equal　to　the　heavy　weight　of　its　owner；　could　　go　no　further；　and　the　dreadful　state　of　the　mule's　back　　rendered　packing　a　brutality。　　Morris　and　Potter；　who　passed　　us　a　few　days　later；　told　us　they　had　seen　the　horse　dead；　　and　partially　eaten　by　wolves；　the　mule　they　had　shot　to　put　　it　out　of　its　misery。

In　due　course　we　reached　Fort　Hall；　a　trading　post　of　the　　Hudson's　Bay　Company；　some　200　miles　to　the　north…west　of　the　　South　Pass。　　Sir　George　Simpson；　Chairman　of　that　Company；　　had　given　me　letters；　which　ensured　the　assistance　of　its　　servants。　　It　was　indeed　a　rest　and　a　luxury　to　spend　a　　couple　of　idle　days　here；　and　revive　one's　dim　recollection　　of　fresh　eggs　and　milk。　　But　we　were　already　in　September。　　　Our　animals　were　in　a　deplorable　condition；　and　with　the　　exception　of　a　little　flour；　a　small　supply　of　dried　meat；　　and　a　horse　for　Samson；　Mr。　Grant；　the　trader；　had　nothing　to　　sell　us。　　He　told　us；　moreover；　that　before　we　reached　Fort　　Boise；　their　next　station；　300　miles　further　on；　we　had　to　　traverse　a　great　rocky　desert；　where　we　might　travel　four…　and…twenty　hours　after　leaving　water；　before　we　met　with　it　　again。　　There　was　nothing　for　it　but　to　press　onwards。　　It　　was　too　late　now　to　cross　the　Sierra　Nevada　range；　which　lay　　between　us　and　California；　and　with　the　miserable　equipment　　left　to　us；　it　was　all　we　could　hope　to　do　to　reach　Oregon　　before　the　passage　of　the　Blue　Mountains　was　blocked　by　the　　winter's　snow。

Mr。　Grant's　warnings　were　verified　to　the　foot　of　the　letter。　　　Great　were　our　sufferings；　and　almost　worse　were　those　of　the　　poor　animals；　from　the　want　of　water。　　Then；　too；　unlike　the　　desert　of　Sahara；　where　the　pebbly　sand　affords　a　solid　　footing；　the　soil　here　is　the　calcined　powder　of　volcanic　　debris；　so　fine　that　every　step　in　it　is　up　to　one's　ankles；　　while　clouds　of　it　rose；　choking　the　nostrils；　and　covering　　one　from　head　to　heel。　　Here　is　a　passage　from　my　journal：

'Road　rocky　in　places；　but　generally　deep　in　the　finest　　floury　sand。　　A　strong　and　biting　wind　blew　dead　in　our　　teeth；　smothering　us　in　dust；　which　filled　every　pore。　　　William　presented　such　a　ludicrous　appearance　that　Samson　and　　I　went　into　fits　over　it。　　An　old　felt　hat；　fastened　on　by　a　　red　cotton　handkerchief；　tied　under　his　chin；　partly　hid　his　　lantern…jawed　visage；　this；　naturally　of　a　dolorous　cast；　was　　screwed　into　wrinkled　contortions　by　its　efforts　to　resist　　the　piercing　gale。　　The　dust；　as　white　as　flour；　had　settled　　thick　upon　him；　the　extremity　of　his　nasal　organ　being　the　　only　rosy　spot　left；　its　pearly　drops　lodged　upon　a　chin　　almost　as　prominent。　　His　shoulders　were　shrugged　to　a　level　　with　his　head；　and　his　long　legs　dangled　from　the　back　of　　little　〃Cream〃　till　they　nearly　touched　the　ground。'

We　laughed　at　him；　it　is　true；　but　he　was　so　good…natured；　so　　patient；　so　simple…minded；　and；　now　and　then；　when　he　and　I　　were　alone；　so　sentimental　and　confidential　about　Mary；　and　　the　fortune　he　meant　to　bring　her　back；　that　I　had　a　sort　of　　maternal　liking　for　him；　and　even　a　vicarious　affection　for　　Mary　herself；　the　colour　of　whose　eyes　and　hair　…　nay；　whose　　weight　avoirdupois　…　I　was　now　accurately　acquainted　with。　　　No；　the　honest　fellow　had　not　quite　the　grit　of　a　　'Leatherstocking。'

One　night；　when　we　had　halted　after　dark；　he　went　down　to　a　　gully　（we　were　not　then　in　the　desert）　to　look　for　water　for　　our　tea。　　Samson；　armed　with　the　hatchet；　was　chopping　wood。　　　I　stayed　to　arrange　the　packs；　and　spread　the　blankets。　　　Suddenly　I　heard　a　voice　from　the　bottom　of　the　ravine；　　crying　out；　'Bring　the　guns　for　God's　sake！　　Make　haste！　　　Bring　the　guns！'　　I　rushed　about　in　the　dark；　tumbling　over　　the　saddles；　but　could　nowhere　lay　my　hands　on　a　rifle。　　　Still　the　cry　was　for　'Guns！'　　My　own；　a　muzzle…loader；　was　　discharged；　but　a　rifle　none　the　less。　　Snatching　up　this；　　and　one　of　my　pistols；　which；　by　the　way；　had　fallen　into　the　　river　a　few　hours　before；　I　shouted　for　Samson；　and　ran　　headlong　to　the　rescue。　　Before　I　got　to　the　bottom　of　the　　hill　I　heard　groans；　which　sounded　like　the　last　of　poor　　William。　　I　holloaed　to　know　where　he　was；　and　was　answered　　in　a　voice　that　discovered　nothing　worse　than　terror。

It　appeared　that　he　had　met　a　grizzly　bear　drinking　at　the　　very　spot　where　he　was　about　to　fill　his　can；　that　he　had　　bolted；　and　the　bear　had　pursued　him；　but　that　he　had　　'cobbled　the　bar　with　rocks；'　had　hit　it　in　the　eye；　or　nose；　　he　was　not　sure　which；　and　thus　narrowly　escaped　with　his　　life。　　I　could　not　help　laughing　at　his　story；　though　an　　examination　of　the　place　next　morning　so　far　verified　it；　　that　his　footprints　and　the　bear's　were　clearly　intermingled　　on　the　muddy　shore　of　the　stream。　　To　make　up　for　his　fright；　　he　was　extremely　courageous　when　restored　by　tea　and　a　pipe。　　　'If　we　would　follow　the　trail　with　him；　he'd　go　right　slick　　in　for　her　anyhow。　　If　his　rifle　didn't　shoot　plum；　he'd　a　　bowie　as　'ud　rise　her　hide；　and　no　mistake。　　He'd　be　darn'd　　if　he　didn't　make　meat　of　that　bar　in　the　morning。'



CHAPTER　XXV



WE　were　now　steering　by　compass。　　Our　course　was　nearly　　north…west。　　This　we　kept；　as　well　as　the　formation　of　the　　country　and　the　watercourses　would　permit。　　After　striking　　the　great　Shoshone；　or　Snake　River；　which　eventually　becomes　　the　Columbia；　we　had　to　follow　its　banks　in　a　southerly　　direction。　　These　are　often　supported　by　basaltic　columns　　several　hundred　feet　in　height。　　Where　that　was　the　case；　　though　close　to　water；　we　suffered　most　from　want　of　it。　　And　　cold　as　were　the　nights　…　it　was　the　middle　of　September　…　　the　sun　was　intensely　hot。　　Every　day；　every　mile；　we　were　　hoping　for　a　change　…　not　merely　for　access　to　the　water；　but　　that　we　might　again　pursue　our　westerly　course。　　The　scenery　　was　sometimes　very　striking。　　The　river　hereabouts　varies　　from　one　hundred　to　nearly　three　hundred　yards　in　width；　　sometimes　rushing　through　narrow　gorges；　sometimes　descending　　in　continuous　rapids；　sometimes　spread　out　in　smooth　shallow　　reaches。　　It　was　for　one　of　these　that　we　were　in　search；　for　　only　at　such　points　was　the　river　passable。

It　was　night…time　when　we　came　to　one　of　the　great　falls。　　We　　were　able　here　to　get　at　water；　and　having　halted　through　the　　day；　on　account　of　the　heat；　kept　on　while　our　animals　were　　refreshed。　　We　had　to　ascend　the　banks　again；　and　wind　along　　the　brink　of　the　precipice。　　From　this　the　view　was　　magnificent。　　The　moon　shone　brightly　upon　the　dancing　waves　　hundreds　of　feet　below　us；　and　upon　the　rapids　which　extended　　as　far　as　we　could　see。　　The　deep　shade　of　the　high　cliffs　　contrasted　in　its　impenetrable　darkness　with　the　brilliancy　　of　the　silvery　foam。　　The　vast　plain　which　we　overlooked；　　fading　in　the　soft　light；　rose　gradually　into　a　low　range　of　　distant　hills。　　The　incessant　roar　of　the　rapids；　and　the　　desert　stillness　of　all　else　around；　though　they　lulled　one's　　senses；　yet　awed