roughing it-第31章

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stanchion　supported　shed　in　frontfor　grandeurit　compelled　the　respect
of　the　citizen　and　inspired　the　Indians　with　awe。　　The　newly　arrived
Chief　and　Associate　Justices　of　the　Territory；　and　other　machinery　of　the
government；　were　domiciled　with　less　splendor。　　They　were　boarding　around
privately；　and　had　their　offices　in　their　bedrooms。

The　Secretary　and　I　took　quarters　in　the　〃ranch〃　of　a　worthy　French　lady
by　the　name　of　Bridget　O'Flannigan；　a　camp　follower　of　his　Excellency　the
Governor。　　She　had　known　him　in　his　prosperity　as　commander…in…chief　of
the　Metropolitan　Police　of　New　York；　and　she　would　not　desert　him　in　his
adversity　as　Governor　of　Nevada。

Our　room　was　on　the　lower　floor；　facing　the　plaza；　and　when　we　had　got
our　bed；　a　small　table；　two　chairs；　the　government　fire…proof　safe；　and
the　Unabridged　Dictionary　into　it；　there　was　still　room　enough　left　for　a
visitormay　be　two；　but　not　without　straining　the　walls。　　But　the　walls
could　stand　itat　least　the　partitions　could；　for　they　consisted　simply
of　one　thickness　of　white　〃cotton　domestic〃　stretched　from　corner　to
corner　of　the　room。　　This　was　the　rule　in　Carsonany　other　kind　of
partition　was　the　rare　exception。　　And　if　you　stood　in　a　dark　room　and
your　neighbors　in　the　next　had　lights；　the　shadows　on　your　canvas　told
queer　secrets　sometimes！　　Very　often　these　partitions　were　made　of　old
flour　sacks　basted　together；　and　then　the　difference　between　the　common
herd　and　the　aristocracy　was；　that　the　common　herd　had　unornamented
sacks；　while　the　walls　of　the　aristocrat　were　overpowering　with
rudimental　frescoi。e。；　red　and　blue　mill　brands　on　the　flour　sacks。

Occasionally；　also；　the　better　classes　embellished　their　canvas　by
pasting　pictures　from　Harper's　Weekly　on　them。　　In　many　cases；　too；　the
wealthy　and　the　cultured　rose　to　spittoons　and　other　evidences　of　a
sumptuous　and　luxurious　taste。　　＇Washoe　people　take　a　joke　so　hard　that　I
must　explain　that　the　above　description　was　only　the　rule；　there　were
many　honorable　exceptions　in　Carsonplastered　ceilings　and　houses　that
had　considerable　furniture　in　them。M。　T。＇

We　had　a　carpet　and　a　genuine　queen's…ware　washbowl。　　Consequently　we
were　hated　without　reserve　by　the　other　tenants　of　the　O'Flannigan
〃ranch。〃　　When　we　added　a　painted　oilcloth　window　curtain；　we　simply　took
our　lives　into　our　own　hands。　　To　prevent　bloodshed　I　removed　up　stairs
and　took　up　quarters　with　the　untitled　plebeians　in　one　of　the　fourteen
white　pine　cot…bedsteads　that　stood　in　two　long　ranks　in　the　one　sole
room　of　which　the　second　story　consisted。

It　was　a　jolly　company；　the　fourteen。　　They　were　principally　voluntary
camp…followers　of　the　Governor；　who　had　joined　his　retinue　by　their　own
election　at　New　York　and　San　Francisco　and　came　along；　feeling　that　in
the　scuffle　for　little　territorial　crumbs　and　offices　they　could　not　make
their　condition　more　precarious　than　it　was；　and　might　reasonably　expect
to　make　it　better。　　They　were　popularly　known　as　the　〃Irish　Brigade；〃
though　there　were　only　four　or　five　Irishmen　among　all　the　Governor's
retainers。

His　good…natured　Excellency　was　much　annoyed　at　the　gossip　his　henchmen
createdespecially　when　there　arose　a　rumor　that　they　were　paid
assassins　of　his；　brought　along　to　quietly　reduce　the　democratic　vote
when　desirable！

Mrs。　O'Flannigan　was　boarding　and　lodging　them　at　ten　dollars　a　week
apiece；　and　they　were　cheerfully　giving　their　notes　for　it。　　They　were
perfectly　satisfied；　but　Bridget　presently　found　that　notes　that　could
not　be　discounted　were　but　a　feeble　constitution　for　a　Carson　boarding…
house。　　So　she　began　to　harry　the　Governor　to　find　employment　for　the
〃Brigade。〃　　Her　importunities　and　theirs　together　drove　him　to　a　gentle
desperation　at　last；　and　he　finally　summoned　the　Brigade　to　the　presence。
Then；　said　he：

〃Gentlemen；　I　have　planned　a　lucrative　and　useful　service　for　youa
service　which　will　provide　you　with　recreation　amid　noble　landscapes；　and
afford　you　never　ceasing　opportunities　for　enriching　your　minds　by
observation　and　study。　　I　want　you　to　survey　a　railroad　from　Carson　City
westward　to　a　certain　point！　　When　the　legislature　meets　I　will　have　the
necessary　bill　passed　and　the　remuneration　arranged。〃

〃What；　a　railroad　over　the　Sierra　Nevada　Mountains？〃

〃Well；　then；　survey　it　eastward　to　a　certain　point！〃

He　converted　them　into　surveyors；　chain…bearers　and　so　on；　and　turned
them　loose　in　the　desert。　　It　was　〃recreation〃　with　a　vengeance！
Recreation　on　foot；　lugging　chains　through　sand　and　sage…brush；　under　a
sultry　sun　and　among　cattle　bones；　cayotes　and　tarantulas。

〃Romantic　adventure〃　could　go　no　further。　　They　surveyed　very　slowly；
very　deliberately；　very　carefully。　　They　returned　every　night　during　the
first　week；　dusty；　footsore；　tired；　and　hungry；　but　very　jolly。　　They
brought　in　great　store　of　prodigious　hairy　spiderstarantulasand
imprisoned　them　in　covered　tumblers　up　stairs　in　the　〃ranch。〃　　After　the
first　week；　they　had　to　camp　on　the　field；　for　they　were　getting　well
eastward。　　They　made　a　good　many　inquiries　as　to　the　location　of　that
indefinite　〃certain　point；〃　but　got　no　information。　　At　last；　to　a
peculiarly　urgent　inquiry　of　〃How　far　eastward？〃　　Governor　Nye
telegraphed　back：

〃To　the　Atlantic　Ocean；　blast　you！and　then　bridge　it　and　go　on！〃

This　brought　back　the　dusty　toilers；　who　sent　in　a　report　and　ceased　from
their　labors。　　The　Governor　was　always　comfortable　about　it；　he　said　Mrs。
O'Flannigan　would　hold　him　for　the　Brigade's　board　anyhow；　and　he
intended　to　get　what　entertainment　he　could　out　of　the　boys；　he　said；
with　his　old…time　pleasant　twinkle；　that　he　meant　to　survey　them　into
Utah　and　then　telegraph　Brigham　to　hang　them　for　trespass！

The　surveyors　brought　back　more　tarantulas　with　them；　and　so　we　had　quite
a　menagerie　arranged　along　the　shelves　of　the　room。　　Some　of　these
spiders　could　straddle　over　a　common　saucer　with　their　hairy；　muscular
legs；　and　when　their　feelings　were　hurt；　or　their　dignity　offended；　they
were　the　wickedest…looking　desperadoes　the　animal　world　can　furnish。
If　their　glass　prison…houses　were　touched　ever　so　lightly　they　were　up
and　spoiling　for　a　fight　in　a　minute。　　Starchy？proud？　　Indeed；　they
would　take　up　a　straw　and　pick　their　teeth　like　a　member　of　Congress。
There　was　as　usual　a　furious　〃zephyr〃　blowing　the　first　night　of　the
brigade's　return；　and　about　midnight　the　roof　of　an　adjoining　stable　blew
off；　and　a　corner　of　it　came　crashing　through　the　side　of　our　ranch。
There　was　a　simultaneous　awakening；　and　a　tumultuous　muster　of　the
brigade　in　the　dark；　and　a　general　tumbling　and　sprawling　over　each　other
in　the　narrow　aisle　between　the　bedrows。　　In　the　midst　of　the　turmoil；
Bob　H　sprung　up　out　of　a　sound　sleep；　and　knocked　down　a　shelf　with
his　head。　　Instantly　he　shouted：

〃Turn　out；　boysthe　tarantulas　is　loose！〃

No　warning　ever　sounded　so　dreadful。　　Nobody　tried；　any　longer；　to　leave
the　room；　lest　he　might　step　on　a　tarantula。　　Every　man　groped　for　a
trunk　or　a　bed；　and　jumped　on　it。　　Then　followed　the　strangest　silencea
silence　of　grisly　suspense　it　was；　toowaiting；　expectancy；　fear。　　It
was　as　dark　as　pitch；　and　one　had　to　imagine　the　spectacle　of　those
fourteen　scant…clad　men　roosting　gingerly　on　trunks　and　beds；　for　not　a
thing　could　be　seen。　　Then　came　occasional　little　interruptions　of　the
silence；　and　one　could　recognize　a　man　and　tell　his　locality　by　his
voice；　or　locate　any　other　sound　a　sufferer　made　by　his　gropings　or
changes　of　position。　　The　occasional　voices　were　not　given　to　much
speakingyou　simply　heard　a　gentle　ejaculation　of　〃Ow！〃　followed　by　a
solid　thump；　and　you　knew　the　gentleman　had　felt　a　hairy　blanket　or
something　touch　his　bare　skin　and　had　skipped　from　a　bed　to　the　floor。
Another　silence。　　Presently　you　would　hear　a　gasping　voice　say：

〃Sususomething's　crawling　up　the　back　of　my　neck！〃

Every　now　and　then　you　could　hear　a　little　subdued　scramble　and　a
sorrowful　〃O　Lord！〃　and　then　you　knew　that　somebody　was　getting　away　from
something　he　took　for　a　tarantula；　and　not　losing　any　time　about　it；
either。　　Directly　a　voice　in　the　corner　rang　out　wild　and