notes by flood and field-第3部分

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〃Never　horsemensometimes　footmen。　　Not　through　rage；　you　know；

but　curiosity。　　They　think　a　man　and　his　horse　are　one；　and　if　they

meet　a　chap　afoot；　they　run　him　down　and　trample　him　under　hoof；　in

the　pursuit　of　knowledge。　　But；〃　adds　George；　〃here's　the　lower

bench　of　the　foothills；　and　here's　Altascar's　corral；　and　that

White　building　you　see　yonder　is　the　casa。〃



A　whitewashed　wall　enclosed　a　court　containing　another　adobe

building；　baked　with　the　solar　beams　of　many　summers。　　Leaving　our

horses　in　the　charge　of　a　few　peons　in　the　courtyard；　who　were

basking　lazily　in　the　sun；　we　entered　a　low　doorway；　where　a　deep

shadow　and　an　agreeable　coolness　fell　upon　us；　as　sudden　and

grateful　as　a　plunge　in　cool　water；　from　its　contrast　with　the

external　glare　and　heat。　　In　the　center　of　a　low…ceiled　apartment

sat　an　old　man　with　a　black…silk　handkerchief　tied　about　his　head；

the　few　gray　hairs　that　escaped　from　its　folds　relieving　his

gamboge…colored　face。　　The　odor　of　CIGARRITOS　was　as　incense　added

to　the　cathedral　gloom　of　the　building。



As　Senor　Altascar　rose　with　well…bred　gravity　to　receive　us；　George

advanced　with　such　a　heightened　color；　and　such　a　blending　of

tenderness　and　respect　in　his　manner；　that　I　was　touched　to　the

heart　by　so　much　devotion　in　the　careless　youth。　　In　fact；　my　eyes

were　still　dazzled　by　the　effect　of　the　outer　sunshine；　and　at

first　I　did　not　see　the　white　teeth　and　black　eyes　of　Pepita；　who

slipped　into　the　corridor　as　we　entered。



It　was　no　pleasant　matter　to　disclose　particulars　of　business　which

would　deprive　the　old　senor　of　the　greater　part　of　that　land　we　had

just　ridden　over；　and　I　did　it　with　great　embarrassment。　　But　he

listened　calmlynot　a　muscle　of　his　dark　face　stirringand　the

smoke　curling　placidly　from　his　lips　showed　his　regular

respiration。　　When　I　had　finished；　he　offered　quietly　to　accompany

us　to　the　line　of　demarcation。　　George　had　meanwhile　disappeared；

but　a　suspicious　conversation　in　broken　Spanish　and　English；　in　the

corridor；　betrayed　his　vicinity。　　When　he　returned　again；　a　little

absent…minded；　the　old　man；　by　far　the　coolest　and　most　self…

possessed　of　the　party；　extinguished　his　black…silk　cap　beneath

that　stiff；　uncomely　sombrero　which　all　native　Californians　affect。

A　serape　thrown　over　his　shoulders　hinted　that　he　was　waiting。

Horses　are　always　ready　saddled　in　Spanish　ranchos；　and　in　half　an

hour　from　the　time　of　our　arrival　we　were　again　〃loping〃　in　the

staring　sunlight。



But　not　as　cheerfully　as　before。　　George　and　myself　were　weighed

down　by　restraint；　and　Altascar　was　gravely　quiet。　　To　break　the

silence；　and　by　way　of　a　consolatory　essay；　I　hinted　to　him　that

there　might　be　further　intervention　or　appeal；　but　the　proffered

oil　and　wine　were　returned　with　a　careless　shrug　of　the　shoulders

and　a　sententious　〃QUE　BUENO？Your　courts　are　always　just。〃



The　Indian　mound　of　the　previous　night's　discovery　was　a　bearing

monument　of　the　new　line；　and　there　we　halted。　　We　were　surprised

to　find　the　old　man　Tryan　waiting　us。　　For　the　first　time　during

our　interview　the　old　Spaniard　seemed　moved；　and　the　blood　rose　in

his　yellow　cheek。　　I　was　anxious　to　close　the　scene；　and　pointed

out　the　corner　boundaries　as　clearly　as　my　recollection　served。



〃The　deputies　will　be　here　tomorrow　to　run　the　lines　from　this

initial　point；　and　there　will　be　no　further　trouble；　I　believe；

gentlemen。〃



Senor　Altascar　had　dismounted　and　was　gathering　a　few　tufts　of

dried　grass　in　his　hands。　　George　and　I　exchanged　glances。　　He

presently　arose　from　his　stooping　posture；　and　advancing　to　within

a　few　paces　of　Joseph　Tryan；　said；　in　a　voice　broken　with　passion：



〃And　I；　Fernando　Jesus　Maria　Altascar；　put　you　in　possession　of　my

land　in　the　fashion　of　my　country。〃



He　threw　a　sod　to　each　of　the　cardinal　points。



〃I　don't　know　your　courts；　your　judges；　or　your　CORREGIDORES。　　Take

the　LLANO！and　take　this　with　it。　　May　the　drought　seize　your

cattle　till　their　tongues　hang　down　as　long　as　those　of　your　lying

lawyers！　　May　it　be　the　curse　and　torment　of　your　old　age；　as　you

and　yours　have　made　it　of　mine！〃



We　stepped　between　the　principal　actors　in　this　scene；　which　only

the　passion　of　Altascar　made　tragical；　but　Tryan；　with　a　humility

but　ill　concealing　his　triumph；　interrupted：



〃Let　him　curse　on。　　He'll　find　'em　coming　home　to　him　sooner　than

the　cattle　he　has　lost　through　his　sloth　and　pride。　　The　Lord　is　on

the　side　of　the　just；　as　well　as　agin　all　slanderers　and　revilers。〃



Altascar　but　half　guessed　the　meaning　of　the　Missourian；　yet

sufficiently　to　drive　from　his　mind　all　but　the　extravagant　power

of　his　native　invective。



〃Stealer　of　the　Sacrament！　　Open　not！open　not；　I　say；　your　lying；

Judas　lips　to　me！　　Ah！　half…breed；　with　the　soul　of　a　coyote！car…

r…r…ramba！〃



With　his　passion　reverberating　among　the　consonants　like　distant

thunder；　he　laid　his　hand　upon　the　mane　of　his　horse　as　though　it

had　been　the　gray　locks　of　his　adversary；　swung　himself　into　the

saddle　and　galloped　away。



George　turned　to　me：



〃Will　you　go　back　with　us　tonight？〃



I　thought　of　the　cheerless　walls；　the　silent　figures　by　the　fire；

and　the　roaring　wind；　and　hesitated。



〃Well　then；　goodby。〃



〃Goodby；　George。〃



Another　wring　of　the　hands；　and　we　parted。　　I　had　not　ridden　far

when　I　turned　and　looked　back。　　The　wind　had　risen　early　that

afternoon；　and　was　already　sweeping　across　the　plain。　　A　cloud　of

dust　traveled　before　it；　and　a　picturesque　figure　occasionally

emerging　therefrom　was　my　last　indistinct　impression　of　George

Tryan。





PART　IIIN　THE　FLOOD





Three　months　after　the　survey　of　the　Espiritu　Santo　Rancho；　I　was

again　in　the　valley　of　the　Sacramento。　　But　a　general　and　terrible

visitation　had　erased　the　memory　of　that　event　as　completely　as　I

supposed　it　had　obliterated　the　boundary　monuments　I　had　planted。

The　great　flood　of　1861…62　was　at　its　height　when；　obeying　some

indefinite　yearning；　I　took　my　carpetbag　and　embarked　for　the

inundated　valley。



There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　from　the　bright　cabin　windows　of　the

GOLDEN　CITY　but　night　deepening　over　the　water。　　The　only　sound　was

the　pattering　rain；　and　that　had　grown　monotonous　for　the　past　two

weeks；　and　did　not　disturb　the　national　gravity　of　my　countrymen　as

they　silently　sat　around　the　cabin　stove。　　Some　on　errands　of

relief　to　friends　and　relatives　wore　anxious　faces；　and　conversed

soberly　on　the　one　absorbing　topic。　　Others；　like　myself；　attracted

by　curiosity　listened　eagerly　to　newer　details。　　But　with　that

human　disposition　to　seize　upon　any　circumstance　that　might　give

chance　event　the　exaggerated　importance　of　instinct；　I　was　half…

conscious　of　something　more　than　curiosity　as　an　impelling　motive。



The　dripping　of　rain；　the　low　gurgle　of　water；　and　a　leaden　sky

greeted　us　the　next　morning　as　we　lay　beside　the　half…submerged

levee　of　Sacramento。　　Here；　however；　the　novelty　of　boats　to　convey

us　to　the　hotels　was　an　appeal　that　was　irresistible。　　I　resigned

myself　to　a　dripping　rubber…cased　mariner　called　〃Joe；〃　and；

wrapping　myself　in　a　shining　cloak　of　the　like　material；　about　as

suggestive　of　warmth　as　court　plaster　might　have　been；　took　my　seat

in　the　stern　sheets　of　his　boat。　　It　was　no　slight　inward　struggle

to　part　from　the　steamer　that　to　most　of　the　passengers　was　the

only　visible　connecting　link　between　us　and　the　dry　and　habitable

earth；　but　we　pulled　away　and　entered　the　city；　stemming　a　rapid

current　as　we　shot　the　levee。



We　glided　up　the　long　level　of　K　Streetonce　a　cheerful；　busy

thoroughfare；　now　distressing　in　its　silent　desolation。　　The　turbid

water　which　seemed　to　meet　the　horizon　edge　before　us　flowed　at

right　angles　in　sluggish　rivers　through　the　streets。　　Nature　had

revenged　herself　on　the　local　taste　by　disarraying　the　regular

rectangles　by　huddling　houses　on　street　corners；　where　they

presented　abrupt　gables　to　the　current；　or　by　capsizing　them　in

compact　ruin。　　Crafts　of　all　kinds　were　gliding　in　and　out　of　low…

arched　doorways。　　The　water　was　over　the　top　of　the　fences

surrounding　well…kept　gardens；　in　the　first　stories　of　hotels　and

private　dwellings；　trailing　its　slime　on　velvet　carpets　as　well　as

roughly　boarded　floors。　　And　a　silence　quite　as　suggestive　as　the

visible　desolation　was　in　the　voiceless　streets　that　no　longer

echoed　to　carriage　wheel　or　footfall。　　The　low　ripple　of　water；　the

occasional　splash　of　oars；　or　the　warning　cry　of　boatmen　were　the

few　signs　of　life　and　habitation。



With　such　scenes　before　my　eyes　and　such　sounds　in　my　ears；　as　I

lie　lazily　in　the　boat；　is　mingled　the　song　of　my　gondolier　who

sings　to　the　music　of　his　oars。　　It　is　not　quite　as　romantic　as　his

brother　of　the　Lido　might　improvise；　but　my　Yankee　〃Giuseppe〃　has

the　advantage　of　earnestness　and　energy；　and　gives　a　graphic

description　of　the　terrors　of　the　past　week　and　of　noble　deeds　of

self…sacrifice　and　devotion；　occasionally　pointing　out　a　balcony

from　which　some　California　Bianca　or　Laura　had　been　snatched；　half…

clothed　and　famished。　　Giuseppe　is　otherwise　peculiar；　and　refuses

the　proffered　fare；　foram　I　not　a　citizen　of　San　Francisco；　which

was　first　to　respond　to　the　suffering　cry　of　Sacramento？　and　is　not

he；　Giuseppe；　a　member　of　the　Howard　Society？　　No！　Giuseppe　is

poor；　but　cannot　take　my　money。　　Still；　if　I　must　spend　it；　there

is　the　Howard　Society；　and　the　women　and　children　without　food　and

clothes　at　the　Agricultural　Hall。



I　thank　the　generous　gondolier；　and　we　go　to　the　Halla　dismal；

bleak　place；　ghastly　with　the　memories　of　last　year's　opulence　and

plenty；　and　here　Giuseppe's　fare　is　swelled　by　the　stranger's　mite。

But　here　Giuseppe　tells　me　of　the　〃Relief　Boat〃　which　leaves　for

the　flooded　district　in　the　interior；　and　here；　profiting　by　the

lesson　he　has　taught　me；