按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ruins of Jericho； he burst forth with something like this：
〃Jack； do you see that range of mountains over yonder that bounds
the Jordan valley？ The mountains of Moab； Jack！ Think of it； my
boythe actual mountains of Moabrenowned in Scripture history！
We are actually standing face to face with those illustrious crags
and peaksand for all we know〃 ＇dropping his voice impressively＇；
〃our eyes may be resting at this very moment upon the spot WHERE
LIES THE MYSTERIOUS GRAVE OF MOSES！ Think of it； Jack！〃
〃Moses who？〃 （falling inflection）。
〃Moses who！ Jack； you ought to be ashamed of yourselfyou ought to
be ashamed of such criminal ignorance。 Why； Moses； the great guide；
soldier； poet； lawgiver of ancient Israel！ Jack； from this spot
where we stand； to Egypt； stretches a fearful desert three hundred
miles in extentand across that desert that wonderful man brought
the children of Israel！guiding them with unfailing sagacity for
forty years over the sandy desolation and among the obstructing
rocks and hills； and landed them at last； safe and sound； within
sight of this very spot； and where we now stand they entered the
Promised Land with anthems of rejoicing！ It was a wonderful；
wonderful thing to do； Jack！ Think of it！〃
〃Forty years？ Only three hundred miles？ Humph！ Ben Holliday would
have fetched them through in thirty…six hours！〃
The boy meant no harm。 He did not know that he had said anything that
was wrong or irreverent。 And so no one scolded him or felt offended with
himand nobody could but some ungenerous spirit incapable of excusing
the heedless blunders of a boy。
At noon on the fifth day out； we arrived at the 〃Crossing of the South
Platte；〃 alias 〃Julesburg；〃 alias 〃Overland City；〃 four hundred and
seventy miles from St。 Josephthe strangest； quaintest； funniest
frontier town that our untraveled eyes had ever stared at and been
astonished with。
CHAPTER VII。
It did seem strange enough to see a town again after what appeared to us
such a long acquaintance with deep； still； almost lifeless and houseless
solitude！ We tumbled out into the busy street feeling like meteoric
people crumbled off the corner of some other world； and wakened up
suddenly in this。 For an hour we took as much interest in Overland City
as if we had never seen a town before。 The reason we had an hour to
spare was because we had to change our stage （for a less sumptuous
affair； called a 〃mud…wagon〃） and transfer our freight of mails。
Presently we got under way again。 We came to the shallow； yellow； muddy
South Platte； with its low banks and its scattering flat sand…bars and
pigmy islandsa melancholy stream straggling through the centre of the
enormous flat plain； and only saved from being impossible to find with
the naked eye by its sentinel rank of scattering trees standing on either
bank。 The Platte was 〃up；〃 they saidwhich made me wish I could see it
when it was down； if it could look any sicker and sorrier。 They said it
was a dangerous stream to cross； now； because its quicksands were liable
to swallow up horses； coach and passengers if an attempt was made to ford
it。 But the mails had to go； and we made the attempt。 Once or twice in
midstream the wheels sunk into the yielding sands so threateningly that
we half believed we had dreaded and avoided the sea all our lives to be
shipwrecked in a 〃mud…wagon〃 in the middle of a desert at last。 But we
dragged through and sped away toward the setting sun。
Next morning； just before dawn； when about five hundred and fifty miles
from St。 Joseph； our mud…wagon broke down。 We were to be delayed five or
six hours； and therefore we took horses； by invitation； and joined a
party who were just starting on a buffalo hunt。 It was noble sport
galloping over the plain in the dewy freshness of the morning； but our
part of the hunt ended in disaster and disgrace； for a wounded buffalo
bull chased the passenger Bemis nearly two miles； and then he forsook his
horse and took to a lone tree。 He was very sullen about the matter for
some twenty…four hours； but at last he began to soften little by little；
and finally he said：
〃Well； it was not funny； and there was no sense in those gawks making
themselves so facetious over it。 I tell you I was angry in earnest for
awhile。 I should have shot that long gangly lubber they called Hank； if
I could have done it without crippling six or seven other peoplebut of
course I couldn't； the old 'Allen's' so confounded comprehensive。 I wish
those loafers had been up in the tree； they wouldn't have wanted to laugh
so。 If I had had a horse worth a centbut no； the minute he saw that
buffalo bull wheel on him and give a bellow； he raised straight up in the
air and stood on his heels。 The saddle began to slip； and I took him
round the neck and laid close to him； and began to pray。 Then he came
down and stood up on the other end awhile； and the bull actually stopped
pawing sand and bellowing to contemplate the inhuman spectacle。
Then the bull made a pass at him and uttered a bellow that sounded
perfectly frightful； it was so close to me； and that seemed to literally
prostrate my horse's reason； and make a raving distracted maniac of him；
and I wish I may die if he didn't stand on his head for a quarter of a
minute and shed tears。 He was absolutely out of his mindhe was； as
sure as truth itself； and he really didn't know what he was doing。 Then
the bull came charging at us； and my horse dropped down on all fours and
took a fresh startand then for the next ten minutes he would actually
throw one hand…spring after another so fast that the bull began to get
unsettled； too； and didn't know where to start inand so he stood there
sneezing； and shovelling dust over his back； and bellowing every now and
then； and thinking he had got a fifteen…hundred dollar circus horse for
breakfast； certain。 Well； I was first out on his neckthe horse's； not
the bull'sand then underneath； and next on his rump； and sometimes head
up； and sometimes heelsbut I tell you it seemed solemn and awful to be
ripping and tearing and carrying on so in the presence of death； as you
might say。 Pretty soon the bull made a snatch for us and brought away
some of my horse's tail （I suppose； but do not know； being pretty busy at
the time）； but something made him hungry for solitude and suggested to
him to get up and hunt for it。
And then you ought to have seen that spider legged old skeleton go！ and
you ought to have seen the bull cut out after him； toohead down； tongue
out； tail up； bellowing like everything； and actually mowing down the
weeds； and tearing up the earth； and boosting up the sand like a
whirlwind！ By George； it was a hot race！ I and the saddle were back on
the rump； and I had the bridle in my teeth and holding on to the pommel
with both hands。 First we left the dogs behind； then we passed a jackass
rabbit； then we overtook a cayote； and were gaining on an antelope when
the rotten girth let go and threw me about thirty yards off to the lef