roughing it-第5部分

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the　animal　is；　all　the　time；　the　same　as　if　he　carried　a　jib。　　Now　and
then　he　makes　a　marvelous　spring　with　his　long　legs；　high　over　the
stunted　sage…brush；　and　scores　a　leap　that　would　make　a　horse　envious。
Presently　he　comes　down　to　a　long；　graceful　〃lope；〃　and　shortly　he
mysteriously　disappears。　　He　has　crouched　behind　a　sage…bush；　and　will
sit　there　and　listen　and　tremble　until　you　get　within　six　feet　of　him；
when　he　will　get　under　way　again。　　But　one　must　shoot　at　this　creature
once；　if　he　wishes　to　see　him　throw　his　heart　into　his　heels；　and　do　the
best　he　knows　how。　　He　is　frightened　clear　through；　now；　and　he　lays　his
long　ears　down　on　his　back；　straightens　himself　out　like　a　yard…stick
every　spring　he　makes；　and　scatters　miles　behind　him　with　an　easy
indifference　that　is　enchanting。

Our　party　made　this　specimen　〃hump　himself；〃　as　the　conductor　said。　　The
secretary　started　him　with　a　shot　from　the　Colt；　I　commenced　spitting　at
him　with　my　weapon；　and　all　in　the　same　instant　the　old　〃Allen's〃　whole
broadside　let　go　with　a　rattling　crash；　and　it　is　not　putting　it　too
strong　to　say　that　the　rabbit　was　frantic！　　He　dropped　his　ears；　set　up
his　tail；　and　left　for　San　Francisco　at　a　speed　which　can　only　be
described　as　a　flash　and　a　vanish！　　Long　after　he　was　out　of　sight　we
could　hear　him　whiz。

I　do　not　remember　where　we　first　came　across　〃sage…brush；〃　but　as　I　have
been　speaking　of　it　I　may　as　well　describe　it。

This　is　easily　done；　for　if　the　reader　can　imagine　a　gnarled　and
venerable　live　oak…tree　reduced　to　a　little　shrub　two　feet…high；　with　its
rough　bark；　its　foliage；　its　twisted　boughs；　all　complete；　he　can　picture
the　〃sage…brush〃　exactly。　　Often；　on　lazy　afternoons　in　the　mountains；　I
have　lain　on　the　ground　with　my　face　under　a　sage…bush；　and　entertained
myself　with　fancying　that　the　gnats　among　its　foliage　were　liliputian
birds；　and　that　the　ants　marching　and　countermarching　about　its　base　were
liliputian　flocks　and　herds；　and　myself　some　vast　loafer　from　Brobdignag
waiting　to　catch　a　little　citizen　and　eat　him。

It　is　an　imposing　monarch　of　the　forest　in　exquisite　miniature；　is　the
〃sage…brush。〃　　Its　foliage　is　a　grayish　green；　and　gives　that　tint　to
desert　and　mountain。　　It　smells　like　our　domestic　sage；　and　〃sage…tea〃
made　from　it　taste　like　the　sage…tea　which　all　boys　are　so　well
acquainted　with。　　The　sage…brush　is　a　singularly　hardy　plant；　and　grows
right　in　the　midst　of　deep　sand；　and　among　barren　rocks；　where　nothing
else　in　the　vegetable　world　would　try　to　grow；　except　〃bunch…grass。〃
＇〃Bunch…grass〃　grows　on　the　bleak　mountain…sides　of　Nevada　and
neighboring　territories；　and　offers　excellent　feed　for　stock；　even　in　the
dead　of　winter；　wherever　the　snow　is　blown　aside　and　exposes　it；
notwithstanding　its　unpromising　home；　bunch…grass　is　a　better　and　more
nutritious　diet　for　cattle　and　horses　than　almost　any　other　hay　or　grass
that　is　knownso　stock…men　say。＇　The　sage…bushes　grow　from　three　to
six　or　seven　feet　apart；　all　over　the　mountains　and　deserts　of　the　Far
West；　clear　to　the　borders　of　California。　　There　is　not　a　tree　of　any
kind　in　the　deserts；　for　hundreds　of　milesthere　is　no　vegetation　at　all
in　a　regular　desert；　except　the　sage…brush　and　its　cousin　the
〃greasewood；〃　which　is　so　much　like　the　sage…brush　that　the　difference
amounts　to　little。　　Camp…fires　and　hot　suppers　in　the　deserts　would　be
impossible　but　for　the　friendly　sage…brush。　　Its　trunk　is　as　large　as　a
boy's　wrist　（and　from　that　up　to　a　man's　arm）；　and　its　crooked　branches
are　half　as　large　as　its　trunkall　good；　sound；　hard　wood；　very　like
oak。

When　a　party　camps；　the　first　thing　to　be　done　is　to　cut　sage…brush；　and
in　a　few　minutes　there　is　an　opulent　pile　of　it　ready　for　use。　　A　hole　a
foot　wide；　two　feet　deep；　and　two　feet　long；　is　dug；　and　sage…brush
chopped　up　and　burned　in　it　till　it　is　full　to　the　brim　with　glowing
coals。　　Then　the　cooking　begins；　and　there　is　no　smoke；　and　consequently
no　swearing。　　Such　a　fire　will　keep　all　night；　with　very　little
replenishing；　and　it　makes　a　very　sociable　camp…fire；　and　one　around
which　the　most　impossible　reminiscences　sound　plausible；　instructive；　and
profoundly　entertaining。

Sage…brush　is　very　fair　fuel；　but　as　a　vegetable　it　is　a　distinguished
failure。　　Nothing　can　abide　the　taste　of　it　but　the　jackass　and　his
illegitimate　child　the　mule。　　But　their　testimony　to　its　nutritiousness
is　worth　nothing；　for　they　will　eat　pine　knots；　or　anthracite　coal；　or
brass　filings；　or　lead　pipe；　or　old　bottles；　or　anything　that　comes
handy；　and　then　go　off　looking　as　grateful　as　if　they　had　had　oysters　for
dinner。　　Mules　and　donkeys　and　camels　have　appetites　that　anything　will
relieve　temporarily；　but　nothing　satisfy。

In　Syria；　once；　at　the　head…waters　of　the　Jordan；　a　camel　took　charge　of
my　overcoat　while　the　tents　were　being　pitched；　and　examined　it　with　a
critical　eye；　all　over；　with　as　much　interest　as　if　he　had　an　idea　of
getting　one　made　like　it；　and　then；　after　he　was　done　figuring　on　it　as
an　article　of　apparel；　he　began　to　contemplate　it　as　an　article　of　diet。
He　put　his　foot　on　it；　and　lifted　one　of　the　sleeves　out　with　his　teeth；
and　chewed　and　chewed　at　it；　gradually　taking　it　in；　and　all　the　while
opening　and　closing　his　eyes　in　a　kind　of　religious　ecstasy；　as　if　he　had
never　tasted　anything　as　good　as　an　overcoat　before；　in　his　life。　　Then
he　smacked　his　lips　once　or　twice；　and　reached　after　the　other　sleeve。
Next　he　tried　the　velvet　collar；　and　smiled　a　smile　of　such　contentment
that　it　was　plain　to　see　that　he　regarded　that　as　the　daintiest　thing
about　an　overcoat。　　The　tails　went　next；　along　with　some　percussion　caps
and　cough　candy；　and　some　fig…paste　from　Constantinople。　　And　then　my
newspaper　correspondence　dropped　out；　and　he　took　a　chance　in　that
manuscript　letters　written　for　the　home　papers。　　But　he　was　treading　on
dangerous　ground；　now。　　He　began　to　come　across　solid　wisdom　in　those
documents　that　was　rather　weighty　on　his　stomach；　and　occasionally　he
would　take　a　joke　that　would　shake　him　up　till　it　loosened　his　teeth；　it
was　getting　to　be　perilous　times　with　him；　but　he　held　his　grip　with　good
courage　and　hopefully；　till　at　last　he　began　to　stumble　on　statements
that　not　even　a　camel　could　swallow　with　impunity。　　He　began　to　gag　and
gasp；　and　his　eyes　to　stand　out；　and　his　forelegs　to　spread；　and　in　about
a　quarter　of　a　minute　he　fell　over　as　stiff　as　a　carpenter's　work…bench；
and　died　a　death　of　indescribable　agony。　　I　went　and　pulled　the
manuscript　out　of　his　mouth；　and　found　that　the　sensitive　creature　had
choked　to　death　on　one　of　the　mildest　and　gentlest　statements　of　fact
that　I　ever　laid　before　a　trusting　public。

I　was　about　to　say；　when　diverted　from　my　subject；　that　occasionally　one
finds　sage…bushes　five　or　six　feet　high；　and　with　a　spread　of　branch　and
foliage　in　proportion；　but　two　or　two　and　a　half　feet　is　the　usual
height。




CHAPTER　IV。

As　the　sun　went　down　and　the　evening　chill　came　on；　we　made　preparation
for　bed。　　We　stirred　up　the　hard　leather　letter…sacks；　and　the　knotty
canvas　bags　of　printed　matter　（knotty　and　uneven　because　of　projecting
ends　and　corners　of　magazines；　boxes　and　books）。　　We　stirred　them　up　and
redisposed　them　in　such　a　way　as　to　make　our　bed　as　level　as　possible。
And　we　did　improve　it；　too；　though　after　all　our　work　it　had　an　upheaved
and　billowy　look　about　it；　like　a　little　piece　of　a　stormy　sea。　　Next　we
hunted　up　our　boots　from　odd　nooks　among　the　mail…bags　where　they　had
settled；　and　put　them　on。　　Then　we　got　down　our　coats；　vests；　pantaloons
and　heavy　woolen　shirts；　from　the　arm…loops　where　they　had　been　swinging
all　day；　and　clothed　ourselves　in　themfor；　there　being　no　ladies　either
at　the　stations　or　in　the　coach；　and　the　weather　being　hot；　we　had　looked
to　our　comfort　by　stripping　to　our　underclothing；　at　nine　o'clock　in　the
morning。　　All　things　being　now　ready；　we　stowed　the　uneasy　Dictionary
where　it　would　lie　as　quiet　as　possible；　and　placed　the　water…canteens
and　pistols　where　we　could　find　them　in　the　dark。　　Then　we　smoked　a　final
pipe；　and　swapped　a　final　yarn；　after　which；　we　put　the　pipes；　tobacco
and　bag　of　coin　in　snug　holes　and　caves　among　the　mail…bags；　and　then
fastened　down　the　coach　curtains　all　around；　and　made　the　place　as　〃dark
as　the　inside　of　a　cow；〃　as　the　conductor　phrased　it　in　his　picturesque
way。　　It　was　certainly　as　dark　as　any　place　could　benothing　was　even
dimly　visible　in　it。　　And　finally；　we　rolled　ourselves　up　like　silk…
worms；　each　person　in　his　own　blanket；　and　sank　peacefully　to　sleep。

Whenever　the　stage　stopped　to　change　horses；　we　would　wake　up；　and　try　to
recollect　where　we　wereand　succeedand　in　a　minute　or　two　the　stage
would　be　off　again；　and　we　likewise。　　We　began　to　get　into　country；　now；
threaded　here　and　there　with　little　streams。　　These　had　high；　steep　banks
on　each　side；　and　every　time　we　flew　down　one　bank　and　scrambled　up　the
other；　our　party　inside　got　mixed　somewhat。　　First　we　would　all　be　down
in　a　pile　at　the　forward　end　of　the　stage；　nearly　in　a　sitting　posture；
and　in　a　second　we　would　shoot　to　the　other　end；　and　stand　on　our　heads。
And　we