the last of the plainsmen-第3章

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he　two　drinks　I　would　get　on　the　desert；　so　I　availed　myself　heartily　of　the　opportunity。　The　water　was　full　of　sand；　but　cold　and　gratefully　thirst…quenching。

The　Little　Colorado　seemed　no　more　to　me　than　a　shallow　creek；　I　heard　nothing　sullen　or　menacing　in　its　musical　flow。

〃Doesn't　look　bad；　eh？〃　queried　Emmett；　who　read　my　thought。　〃You'd　be　surprised　to　learn　how　many　men　and　Indians；　horses；　sheep　and　wagons　are　buried　under　that　quicksand。〃

The　secret　was　out；　and　I　wondered　no　more。　At　once　the　stream　and　wet　bars　of　sand　took　on　a　different　color。　I　removed　my　boots；　and　waded　out　to　a　little　bar。　The　sand　seemed　quite　firm；　but　water　oozed　out　around　my　feet；　and　when　I　stepped；　the　whole　bar　shook　like　jelly。　I　pushed　my　foot　through　the　crust；　and　the　cold；　wet　sand　took　hold；　and　tried　to　suck　me　down。

〃How　can　you　ford　this　stream　with　horses？〃　I　asked　Emmett。

〃We　must　take　our　chances；〃　replied　he。　〃We'll　hitch　two　teams　to　one　wagon；　and　run　the　horses。　I've　forded　here　at　worse　stages　than　this。　Once　a　team　got　stuck；　and　I　had　to　leave　it；　another　time　the　water　was　high；　and　washed　me　downstream。

Emmett　sent　his　son　into　the　stream　on　a　mule。　The　rider　lashed　his　mount；　and　plunging；　splashing；　crossed　at　a　pace　near　a　gallop。　He　returned　in　the　same　manner；　and　reported　one　bad　place　near　the　other　side。

Jones　and　I　got　on　the　first　wagon　and　tried　to　coax　up　the　dogs；　but　they　would　not　come。　Emmett　had　to　lash　the　four　horses　to　start　them；　and　other　Mormons　riding　alongside；　yelled　at　them；　and　used　their　whips。　The　wagon　bowled　into　the　water　with　a　tremendous　splash。　We　were　wet　through　before　we　had　gone　twenty　feet。　The　plunging　horses　were　lost　in　yellow　spray；　the　stream　rushed　through　the　wheels；　the　Mormons　yelled。　I　wanted　to　see；　but　was　lost　in　a　veil　of　yellow　mist。　Jones　yelled　in　my　ear；　but　I　could　not　hear　what　he　said。　Once　the　wagon　wheels　struck　a　stone　or　log；　almost　lurching　us　overboard。　A　muddy　splash　blinded　me。　I　cried　out　in　my　excitement；　and　punched　Jones　in　the　back。　Next　moment；　the　keen　exhilaration　of　the　ride　gave　way　to　horror。　We　seemed　to　drag；　and　almost　stop。　Some　one　roared：　〃Horse　down！〃　One　instant　of　painful　suspense；　in　which　imagination　pictured　another　tragedy　added　to　the　record　of　this　deceitful　rivera　moment　filled　with　intense　feeling；　and　sensation　of　splash；　and　yell；　and　fury　of　action；　then　the　three　able　horses　dragged　their　comrade　out　of　the　quicksand。　He　regained　his　feet；　and　plunged　on。　Spurred　by　fear；　the　horses　increased　their　efforts；　and　amid　clouds　of　spray；　galloped　the　remaining　distance　to　the　other　side。

Jones　looked　disgusted。　Like　all　plainsmen；　he　hated　water。　Emmett　and　his　men　calmly　unhitched。　No　trace　of　alarm；　or　even　of　excitement　showed　in　their　bronzed　faces。

〃We　made　that　fine　and　easy；〃　remarked　Emmett。

So　I　sat　down　and　wondered　what　Jones　and　Emmett；　and　these　men　would　consider　really　hazardous。　I　began　to　have　a　feeling　that　I　would　find　out；　that　experience　for　me　was　but　in　its　infancy；　that　far　across　the　desert　the　something　which　had　called　me　would　show　hard；　keen；　perilous　life。　And　I　began　to　think　of　reserve　powers　of　fortitude　and　endurance。

The　other　wagons　were　brought　across　without　mishap；　but　the　dogs　did　not　come　with　them。　Jones　called　and　called。　The　dogs　howled　and　howled。　Finally　I　waded　out　over　the　wet　bars　and　little　streams　to　a　point　several　hundred　yards　nearer　the　dogs。　Moze　was　lying　down；　but　the　others　were　whining　and　howling　in　a　state　of　great　perturbation。　I　called　and　called。　They　answered；　and　even　ran　into　the　water；　but　did　not　start　across。

〃Hyah；　Moze！　hyah；　you　Indian！〃　I　yelled；　losing　my　patience。　〃You've　already　swum　the　Big　Colorado；　and　this　is　only　a　brook。　Come　on！〃

This　appeal　evidently　touched　Moze；　for　he　barked；　and　plunged　in。　He　made　the　water　fly；　and　when　carried　off　his　feet；　breasted　the　current　with　energy　and　power。　He　made　shore　almost　even　with　me；　and　wagged　his　tail。　Not　to　be　outdone；　Jude；　Tige　and　Don　followed　suit；　and　first　one　and　then　another　was　swept　off　his　feet　and　carried　downstream。　They　landed　below　me。　This　left　Ranger；　the　pup；　alone　on　the　other　shore。　Of　all　the　pitiful　yelps　ever　uttered　by　a　frightened　and　lonely　puppy；　his　were　the　most　forlorn　I　had　ever　heard。　Time　after　time　he　plunged　in；　and　with　many　bitter　howls　of　distress；　went　back。　I　kept　calling；　and　at　last；　hoping　to　make　him　come　by　a　show　of　indifference；　I　started　away。　This　broke　his　heart。　Putting　up　his　head；　he　let　out　a　long；　melancholy　wail；　which　for　aught　I　knew　might　have　been　a　prayer；　and　then　consigned　himself　to　the　yellow　current。　Ranger　swam　like　a　boy　learning。　He　seemed　to　be　afraid　to　get　wet。　His　forefeet　were　continually　pawing　the　air　in　front　of　his　nose。　When　he　struck　the　swift　place；　he　went　downstream　like　a　flash；　but　still　kept　swimming　valiantly。　I　tried　to　follow　along　the　sand…bar；　but　found　it　impossible。　I　encouraged　him　by　yelling。　He　drifted　far　below；　stranded　on　an　island；　crossed　it；　and　plunged　in　again；　to　make　shore　almost　out　of　my　sight。　And　when　at　last　I　got　to　dry　sand；　there　was　Ranger；　wet　and　disheveled；　but　consciously　proud　and　happy。

After　lunch　we　entered　upon　the　seventy…mile　stretch　from　the　Little　to　the　Big　Colorado。

Imagination　had　pictured　the　desert　for　me　as　a　vast；　sandy　plain；　flat　and　monotonous。　Reality　showed　me　desolate　mountains　gleaming　bare　in　the　sun；　long　lines　of　red　bluffs；　white　sand　dunes；　and　hills　of　blue　clay；　areas　of　level　groundin　all；　a　many…hued；　boundless　world　in　itself；　wonderful　and　beautiful；　fading　all　around　into　the　purple　haze　of　deceiving　distance。

Thin；　clear；　sweet；　dry；　the　desert　air　carried　a　languor；　a　dreaminess；　tidings　of　far…off　things；　and　an　enthralling　promise。　The　fragrance　of　flowers；　the　beauty　and　grace　of　women；　the　sweetness　of　music；　the　mystery　of　lifeall　seemed　to　float　on　that　promise。　It　was　the　air　breathed　by　the　lotus…eaters；　when　they　dreamed；　and　wandered　no　more。

Beyond　the　Little　Colorado；　we　began　to　climb　again。　The　sand　was　thick；　the　horses　labored；　the　drivers　shielded　their　faces。　The　dogs　began　to　limp　and　lag。　Ranger　had　to　be　taken　into　a　wagon；　and　then；　one　by　one；　all　of　the　other　dogs　except　Moze。　He　refused　to　ride；　and　trotted　along　with　his　head　down。

Far　to　the　front　the　pink　cliffs；　the　ragged　mesas；　the　dark；　volcanic　spurs　of　the　Big　Colorado　stood　up　and　beckoned　us　onward。　But　they　were　a　far　hundred　miles　across　the　shifting　sands；　and　baked　day；　and　ragged　rocks。　Always　in　the　rear　rose　the　San　Francisco　peaks；　cold　and　pure；　startlingly　clear　and　close　in　the　rare　atmosphere。

We　camped　near　another　water　hole；　located　in　a　deep；　yellow…colored　gorge；　crumbling　to　pieces；　a　ruin　of　rock；　and　silent　as　the　grave。　In　the　bottom　of　the　canyon　was　a　pool　of　water；　covered　with　green　scum。　My　thirst　was　effectually　quenched　by　the　mere　sight　of　it。　I　slept　poorly；　and　lay　for　hours　watching　the　great　stars。　The　silence　was　painfully　oppressive。　If　Jones　had　not　begun　to　give　a　respectable　imitation　of　the　exhaust　pipe　on　a　steamboat；　I　should　have　been　compelled　to　shout　aloud；　or　get　up；　but　this　snoring　would　have　dispelled　anything。　The　morning　came　gray　and　cheerless。　I　got　up　stiff　and　sore；　with　a　tongue　like　a　rope。

All　day　long　we　ran　the　gauntlet　of　the　hot；　flying　sand。　Night　came　again；　a　cold；　windy　night。　I　slept　well　until　a　mule　stepped　on　my　bed；　which　was　conducive　to　restlessness。　At　dawn；　cold；　gray　clouds　tried　to　blot　out　the　rosy　east。　I　could　hardly　get　up。　My　lips　were　cracked；　my　tongue　swollen　to　twice　its　natural　size；　my　eyes　smarted　and　burned。　The　barrels　and　kegs　of　water　were　exhausted。　Holes　that　had　been　dug　in　the　dry　sand　of　a　dry　streambed　the　night　before　in　the　morning　yielded　a　scant　supply　of　muddy　alkali　water；　which　went　to　the　horses。

Only　twice　that　day　did　I　rouse　to　anything　resembling　enthusiasm。　We　came　to　a　stretch　of　country　showing　the　wonderful　diversity　of　the　desert　land。　A　long　range　of　beautifully　rounded　clay　stones　bordered　the　trail。　So　symmetrical　were　they　that　I　imagined　them　works　of　sculptors。　Light　blue；　dar