roughing it-第16部分
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ranks of white skeletons of mules and oxenmonuments of the huge
emigration of other daysand here and there were up…ended boards or
small piles of stones which the driver said marked the resting…place of
more precious remains。
It was the loneliest land for a grave！ A land given over to the cayote
and the ravenwhich is but another name for desolation and utter
solitude。 On damp； murky nights； these scattered skeletons gave forth a
soft； hideous glow； like very faint spots of moonlight starring the vague
desert。 It was because of the phosphorus in the bones。 But no
scientific explanation could keep a body from shivering when he drifted
by one of those ghostly lights and knew that a skull held it。
At midnight it began to rain； and I never saw anything like itindeed； I
did not even see this； for it was too dark。 We fastened down the
curtains and even caulked them with clothing； but the rain streamed in in
twenty places； nothwithstanding。 There was no escape。 If one moved his
feet out of a stream； he brought his body under one； and if he moved his
body he caught one somewhere else。 If he struggled out of the drenched
blankets and sat up； he was bound to get one down the back of his neck。
Meantime the stage was wandering about a plain with gaping gullies in it；
for the driver could not see an inch before his face nor keep the road；
and the storm pelted so pitilessly that there was no keeping the horses
still。 With the first abatement the conductor turned out with lanterns
to look for the road； and the first dash he made was into a chasm about
fourteen feet deep； his lantern following like a meteor。 As soon as he
touched bottom he sang out frantically：
〃Don't come here！〃
To which the driver； who was looking over the precipice where he had
disappeared； replied； with an injured air： 〃Think I'm a dam fool？〃
The conductor was more than an hour finding the roada matter which
showed us how far we had wandered and what chances we had been taking。
He traced our wheel…tracks to the imminent verge of danger； in two
places。 I have always been glad that we were not killed that night。
I do not know any particular reason； but I have always been glad。
In the morning； the tenth day out； we crossed Green River； a fine； large；
limpid streamstuck in it with the water just up to the top of our mail…
bed； and waited till extra teams were put on to haul us up the steep
bank。 But it was nice cool water； and besides it could not find any
fresh place on us to wet。
At the Green River station we had breakfasthot biscuits； fresh antelope
steaks； and coffeethe only decent meal we tasted between the United
States and Great Salt Lake City； and the only one we were ever really
thankful for。
Think of the monotonous execrableness of the thirty that went before it；
to leave this one simple breakfast looming up in my memory like a shot…
tower after all these years have gone by！
At five P。M。 we reached Fort Bridger； one hundred and seventeen miles
from the South Pass； and one thousand and twenty…five miles from St。
Joseph。 Fifty…two miles further on； near the head of Echo Canyon； we met
sixty United States soldiers from Camp Floyd。 The day before； they had
fired upon three hundred or four hundred Indians； whom they supposed
gathered together for no good purpose。 In the fight that had ensued；
four Indians were captured； and the main body chased four miles； but
nobody killed。 This looked like business。 We had a notion to get out
and join the sixty soldiers； but upon reflecting that there were four
hundred of the Indians； we concluded to go on and join the Indians。
Echo Canyon is twenty miles long。 It was like a long； smooth； narrow
street； with a gradual descending grade； and shut in by enormous
perpendicular walls of coarse conglomerate； four hundred feet high in
many places； and turreted like mediaeval castles。 This was the most
faultless piece of road in the mountains； and the driver said he would
〃let his team out。〃 He did； and if the Pacific express trains whiz
through there now any faster than we did then in the stage…coach； I envy
the passengers the exhilaration of it。 We fairly seemed to pick up our
wheels and flyand the mail matter was lifted up free from everything
and held in solution！ I am not given to exaggeration； and when I say a
thing I mean it。
However； time presses。 At four in the afternoon we arrived on the summit
of Big Mountain； fifteen miles from Salt Lake City； when all the world
was glorified with the setting sun； and the most stupendous panorama of
mountain peaks yet encountered burst on our sight。 We looked out upon
this sublime spectacle from under the arch of a brilliant rainbow！ Even
the overland stage…driver stopped his horses and gazed！
Half an hour or an hour later； we changed horses； and took supper with a
Mormon 〃Destroying Angel。〃
〃Destroying Angels；〃 as I understand it； are Latter…Day Saints who are
set apart by the Church to conduct permanent disappearances of obnoxious
citizens。 I had heard a deal about these Mormon Destroying Angels and
the dark and bloody deeds they had done； and when I entered this one's
house I had my shudder all ready。 But alas for all our romances； he was
nothing but a loud； profane； offensive； old blackguard！ He was murderous
enough； possibly； to fill the bill of a Destroyer； but would you have any
kind of an Angel devoid of dignity？ Could you abide an Angel in an
unclean shirt and no suspenders？ Could you respect an Angel with a
horse…laugh and a swagger like a buccaneer？
There were other blackguards presentcomrades of this one。 And there
was one person that looked like a gentlemanHeber C。 Kimball's son； tall
and well made； and thirty years old； perhaps。 A lot of slatternly women
flitted hither and thither in a hurry； with coffee…pots； plates of bread；
and other appurtenances to supper； and these were said to be the wives of
the Angelor some of them； at least。 And of course they were； for if
they had been hired 〃help〃 they would not have let an angel from above
storm and swear at them as he did； let alone one from the place this one
hailed from。
This was our first experience of the western 〃peculiar institution；〃 and
it was not very prepossessing。 We did not tarry long to observe it； but
hurried on to the home of the Latter…Day Saints； the stronghold of the
prophets； the capital of the only absolute monarch in AmericaGreat Salt
Lake City。 As the night closed in we took sanctuary in the Salt Lake
House and unpacked our baggage。
CHAPTER XIII。
We had a fine supper； of the freshest meats and fowls and vegetablesa
great variety and as great abundance。 We walked about the streets some；
afterward； and glanced in at shops and stores； and there was fascination
in surreptitiously staring at every creature we took to be a Mormon。
This was fairy…land to us； to all intents and purposesa land of
enchantment； and goblins； and awful mystery。 We felt a curiosity to ask
every child how many mothers it had； and if it could tell them apart； and
we experienced a thrill every time a dwelling…house door opened and shut
as we passed； disclosing a glimpse of human heads and backs and
shouldersfor we so longed to have a good satisfying look at a Mormon
family in all its comprehensive ampleness； disposed in the customary
concentric rings of its home circle。
By and by the Acting Governor of the Territory introduced us to other
〃Gentiles；〃 and we spent a sociable hour with them。 〃Gentiles〃 are
people who are not Mormons。 Our fellow…passenger； Bemis； took care of
himself； during this part of the evening； and did not make an
overpowering success of it； either； for he came into our room in the
hotel about eleven o'clock； full of cheerfulness； and talking loosely；
disjointedly and indiscriminately； and every now and then tugging out a
ragged word by the roots that had more hiccups than syllables in it。
This； together with his hanging his coat on the floor on one side of a
chair； and his vest on the floor on the other side； and piling his pants
on the floor just in front of the same chair； and then comtemplating the
general result with superstitious awe； and finally pronouncing it 〃too
many for him〃 and going to bed with his boots on； led us to fear that
something he had eaten had not agreed with him。
But we knew afterward that it was something he had been drinking。 It was
the exclusively Mormon refresher； 〃valley tan。〃
Valley tan （or； at least； one form of valley tan） is a kind of whisky；
or first cousin to it； is of Mormon invention and manufactured only in
Utah。 Tradition says it is made of （imported） fire and brimstone。 If I
remember rightly no public drinking saloons were allowed in the kingdom
by Brigham Young； and no private drinking permitted among the faithful；
except they confined themselves to 〃valley tan。〃
Next day we strolled about everywhere through the broad； straight； level
streets； and enjoyed the pleasant strangeness of a city of fifteen
thousand inhabitants with no loafers perceptible in it； and no visible
drunkards or noisy people； a limpid stream rippling and dancing through
every street in place of a filthy gutter； block after block of trim
dwellings； built of 〃frame〃 and sunburned bricka great thriving orchard
and garden behind every one of them； apparentlybranches from the street
stream winding and sparkling among the garden beds and fruit treesand a
grand general air of neatness； repair； thrift and comfort； around and
about and over the whole。 And everywhere were workshops； factories； and
all manner of industries； and intent faces and busy hands were to be seen
wherever one looked； and in one's ears was the ceaseless clink of
hammers； the buzz of trade and the contented hum of drums and fly…wheels。
The armorial crest of my own State consisted of two dissolute bears
holding up the head of a dead and gone cask between them and making the
pertinent remark； 〃UNITED； WE STAND（hic！）DIVIDED； WE FALL。〃 It was
always too figurative for the author of this book。 But the Mormon crest
was easy。 And it was simple； unostentatious； and fitted like a glove。
It was a representation of a GOLDEN BEEHIVE； with the
