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heavens； blankets； tin signs； sage…brush and shingles a shade lower；
door…mats and buffalo robes lower still； shovels and coal scuttles on the
next grade； glass doors； cats and little children on the next； disrupted
lumber yards； light buggies and wheelbarrows on the next； and down only
thirty or forty feet above ground was a scurrying storm of emigrating
roofs and vacant lots。
It was something to see that much。 I could have seen more； if I could
have kept the dust out of my eyes。
But seriously a Washoe wind is by no means a trifling matter。 It blows
flimsy houses down； lifts shingle roofs occasionally； rolls up tin ones
like sheet music； now and then blows a stage coach over and spills the
passengers； and tradition says the reason there are so many bald people
there； is； that the wind blows the hair off their heads while they are
looking skyward after their hats。 Carson streets seldom look inactive on
Summer afternoons； because there are so many citizens skipping around
their escaping hats； like chambermaids trying to head off a spider。
The 〃Washoe Zephyr〃 （Washoe is a pet nickname for Nevada） is a peculiar
Scriptural wind； in that no man knoweth 〃whence it cometh。〃 That is to
say； where it originates。 It comes right over the mountains from the
West； but when one crosses the ridge he does not find any of it on the
other side！ It probably is manufactured on the mountain…top for the
occasion； and starts from there。 It is a pretty regular wind； in the
summer time。 Its office hours are from two in the afternoon till two the
next morning； and anybody venturing abroad during those twelve hours
needs to allow for the wind or he will bring up a mile or two to leeward
of the point he is aiming at。 And yet the first complaint a Washoe
visitor to San Francisco makes； is that the sea winds blow so； there！
There is a good deal of human nature in that。
We found the state palace of the Governor of Nevada Territory to consist
of a white frame one…story house with two small rooms in it and a
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