notes by flood and field-第3节

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don't　know；　takes　five　men　to　look　'em　up　and　keep　run。〃



〃What　are　they　worth？〃



〃About　thirty　dollars　a　head。〃



I　make　a　rapid　calculation；　and　look　my　astonishment　at　the

laughing　George。　　Perhaps　a　recollection　of　the　domestic　economy　of

the　Tryan　household　is　expressed　in　that　look；　for　George　averts

his　eye　and　says；　apologetically：



〃I've　tried　to　get　the　old　man　to　sell　and　build；　but　you　know　he

says　it　ain't　no　use　to　settle　down；　just　yet。　　We　must　keep

movin'。　　In　fact；　he　built　the　shanty　for　that　purpose；　lest　titles

should　fall　through；　and　we'd　have　to　get　up　and　move　stakes

further　down。〃



Suddenly　his　quick　eye　detects　some　unusual　sight　in　a　herd　we　are

passing；　and　with　an　exclamation　he　puts　his　roan　into　the　center

of　the　mass。　　I　follow；　or　rather　Chu　Chu　darts　after　the　roan；　and

in　a　few　moments　we　are　in　the　midst　of　apparently　inextricable

horns　and　hoofs。　　〃TORO！〃　shouts　George；　with　vaquero　enthusiasm；

and　the　band　opens　a　way　for　the　swinging　riata。　　I　can　feel　their

steaming　breaths；　and　their　spume　is　cast　on　Chu　Chu's　quivering

flank。



Wild；　devilish…looking　beasts　are　they；　not　such　shapes　as　Jove

might　have　chosen　to　woo　a　goddess；　nor　such　as　peacefully　range

the　downs　of　Devon；　but　lean　and　hungry　Cassius…like　bovines；

economically　got　up　to　meet　the　exigencies　of　a　six　months'

rainless　climate；　and　accustomed　to　wrestle　with　the　distracting

wind　and　the　blinding　dust。



〃That's　not　our　brand；〃　says　George；　〃they're　strange　stock；〃　and

he　points　to　what　my　scientific　eye　recognizes　as　the　astrological

sign　of　Venus　deeply　seared　in　the　brown　flanks　of　the　bull　he　is

chasing。　　But　the　herd　are　closing　round　us　with　low　mutterings；

and　George　has　again　recourse　to　the　authoritative　〃TORO；〃　and　with

swinging　riata　divides　the　〃bossy　bucklers〃　on　either　side。　　When

we　are　free；　and　breathing　somewhat　more　easily；　I　venture　to　ask

George　if　they　ever　attack　anyone。



〃Never　horsemensometimes　footmen。　　Not　through　rage；　you　know；

but　curiosity。　　They　think　a　man　and　his　horse　are　one；　and　if　they

meet　a　chap　afoot；　they　run　him　down　and　trample　him　under　hoof；　in

the　pursuit　of　knowledge。　　But；〃　adds　George；　〃here's　the　lower

bench　of　the　foothills；　and　here's　Altascar's　corral；　and　that

White　building　you　see　yonder　is　the　casa。〃



A　whitewashed　wall　enclosed　a　court　containing　another　adobe

building；　baked　with　the　solar　beams　of　many　summers。　　Leaving　our

horses　in　the　charge　of　a　few　peons　in　the　courtyard；　who　were

basking　lazily　in　the　sun；　we　entered　a　low　doorway；　where　a　deep

shadow　and　an　agreeable　coolness　fell　upon　us；　as　sudden　and

grateful　as　a　plunge　in　cool　water；　from　its　contrast　with　the

external　glare　and　heat。　　In　the　center　of　a　low…ceiled　apartment

sat　an　old　man　with　a　black…silk　handkerchief　tied　about　his　head；

the　few　gray　hairs　that　escaped　from　its　folds　relieving　his

gamboge…colored　face。　　The　odor　of　CIGARRITOS　was　as　incense　added

to　the　cathedral　gloom　of　the　building。



As　Senor　Altascar　rose　with　well…bred　gravity　to　receive　us；　George

advanced　with　such　a　heightened　color；　and　such　a　blending　of

tenderness　and　respect　in　his　manner；　that　I　was　touched　to　the

heart　by　so　much　devotion　in　the　careless　youth。　　In　fact；　my　eyes

were　still　dazzled　by　the　effect　of　the　outer　sunshine；　and　at

first　I　did　not　see　the　white　teeth　and　black　eyes　of　Pepita；　who

slipped　into　the　corridor　as　we　entered。



It　was　no　pleasant　matter　to　disclose　particulars　of　business　which

would　deprive　the　old　senor　of　the　greater　part　of　that　land　we　had

just　ridden　over；　and　I　did　it　with　great　embarrassment。　　But　he

listened　calmlynot　a　muscle　of　his　dark　face　stirringand　the

smoke　curling　placidly　from　his　lips　showed　his　regular

respiration。　　When　I　had　finished；　he　offered　quietly　to　accompany

us　to　the　line　of　demarcation。　　George　had　meanwhile　disappeared；

but　a　suspicious　conversation　in　broken　Spanish　and　English；　in　the

corridor；　betrayed　his　vicinity。　　When　he　returned　again；　a　little

absent…minded；　the　old　man；　by　far　the　coolest　and　most　self…

possessed　of　the　party；　extinguished　his　black…silk　cap　beneath

that　stiff；　uncomely　sombrero　which　all　native　Californians　affect。

A　serape　thrown　over　his　shoulders　hinted　that　he　was　waiting。

Horses　are　always　ready　saddled　in　Spanish　ranchos；　and　in　half　an

hour　from　the　time　of　our　arrival　we　were　again　〃loping〃　in　the

staring　sunlight。



But　not　as　cheerfully　as　before。　　George　and　myself　were　weighed

down　by　restraint；　and　Altascar　was　gravely　quiet。　　To　break　the

silence；　and　by　way　of　a　consolatory　essay；　I　hinted　to　him　that

there　might　be　further　intervention　or　appeal；　but　the　proffered

oil　and　wine　were　returned　with　a　careless　shrug　of　the　shoulders

and　a　sententious　〃QUE　BUENO？Your　courts　are　always　just。〃



The　Indian　mound　of　the　previous　night's　discovery　was　a　bearing

monument　of　the　new　line；　and　there　we　halted。　　We　were　surprised

to　find　the　old　man　Tryan　waiting　us。　　For　the　first　time　during

our　interview　the　old　Spaniard　seemed　moved；　and　the　blood　rose　in

his　yellow　cheek。　　I　was　anxious　to　close　the　scene；　and　pointed

out　the　corner　boundaries　as　clearly　as　my　recollection　served。



〃The　deputies　will　be　here　tomorrow　to　run　the　lines　from　this

initial　point；　and　there　will　be　no　further　trouble；　I　believe；

gentlemen。〃



Senor　Altascar　had　dismounted　and　was　gathering　a　few　tufts　of

dried　grass　in　his　hands。　　George　and　I　exchanged　glances。　　He

presently　arose　from　his　stooping　posture；　and　advancing　to　within

a　few　paces　of　Joseph　Tryan；　said；　in　a　voice　broken　with　passion：



〃And　I；　Fernando　Jesus　Maria　Altascar；　put　you　in　possession　of　my

land　in　the　fashion　of　my　country。〃



He　threw　a　sod　to　each　of　the　cardinal　points。



〃I　don't　know　your　courts；　your　judges；　or　your　CORREGIDORES。　　Take

the　LLANO！and　take　this　with　it。　　May　the　drought　seize　your

cattle　till　their　tongues　hang　down　as　long　as　those　of　your　lying

lawyers！　　May　it　be　the　curse　and　torment　of　your　old　age；　as　you

and　yours　have　made　it　of　mine！〃



We　stepped　between　the　principal　actors　in　this　scene；　which　only

the　passion　of　Altascar　made　tragical；　but　Tryan；　with　a　humility

but　ill　concealing　his　triumph；　interrupted：



〃Let　him　curse　on。　　He'll　find　'em　coming　home　to　him　sooner　than

the　cattle　he　has　lost　through　his　sloth　and　pride。　　The　Lord　is　on

the　side　of　the　just；　as　well　as　agin　all　slanderers　and　revilers。〃



Altascar　but　half　guessed　the　meaning　of　the　Missourian；　yet

sufficiently　to　drive　from　his　mind　all　but　the　extravagant　power

of　his　native　invective。



〃Stealer　of　the　Sacrament！　　Open　not！open　not；　I　say；　your　lying；

Judas　lips　to　me！　　Ah！　half…breed；　with　the　soul　of　a　coyote！car…

r…r…ramba！〃



With　his　passion　reverberating　among　the　consonants　like　distant

thunder；　he　laid　his　hand　upon　the　mane　of　his　horse　as　though　it

had　been　the　gray　locks　of　his　adversary；　swung　himself　into　the

saddle　and　galloped　away。



George　turned　to　me：



〃Will　you　go　back　with　us　tonight？〃



I　thought　of　the　cheerless　walls；　the　silent　figures　by　the　fire；

and　the　roaring　wind；　and　hesitated。



〃Well　then；　goodby。〃



〃Goodby；　George。〃



Another　wring　of　the　hands；　and　we　parted。　　I　had　not　ridden　far

when　I　turned　and　looked　back。　　The　wind　had　risen　early　that

afternoon；　and　was　already　sweeping　across　the　plain。　　A　cloud　of

dust　traveled　before　it；　and　a　picturesque　figure　occasionally

emerging　therefrom　was　my　last　indistinct　impression　of　George

Tryan。





PART　IIIN　THE　FLOOD





Three　months　after　the　survey　of　the　Espiritu　Santo　Rancho；　I　was

again　in　the　valley　of　the　Sacramento。　　But　a　general　and　terrible

visitation　had　erased　the　memory　of　that　event　as　completely　as　I

supposed　it　had　obliterated　the　boundary　monuments　I　had　planted。

The　great　flood　of　1861…62　was　at　its　height　when；　obeying　some

indefinite　yearning；　I　took　my　carpetbag　and　embarked　for　the

inundated　valley。



There　was　nothing　to　be　seen　from　the　bright　cabin　windows　of　the

GOLDEN　CITY　but　night　deepening　over　the　water。　　The　only　sound　was

the　pattering　rain；　and　that　had　grown　monotonous　for　the　past　two

weeks；　and　did　not　disturb　the　national　gravity　of　my　countrymen　as

they　silently　sat　around　the　cabin　stove。　　Some　on　errands　of

relief　to　friends　and　relatives　wore　anxious　faces；　and　conversed

soberly　on　the　one　absorbing　topic。　　Others；　like　myself；　attracted

by　curiosity　listened　eagerly　to　newer　details。　　But　with　that

human　disposition　to　seize　upon　any　circumstance　that　might　give

chance　event　the　exaggerated　importance　of　instinct；　I　was　half…

conscious　of　something　more　than　curiosity　as　an　impelling　motive。



The　dripping　of　rain；　the　low　gurgle　of　water；　and　a　leaden　sky

greeted　us　the　next　morning　as　we　lay　beside　the　half…submerged

le