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！
Indian Vengeance
V
〃Those brave old bricks of forty…nine！ What lives they lived！ What deaths they died！ Their ghosts are many。 Let them keep Their vast possessions。 The Piute； The tawny warrior； will dispute No boundary with these 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
… Joaquin Miller。
High water on the American came； usually； when the first warm rains melted the snow on the mountains。
The placer miners toiled at furious pace all during the summer and fall。 The water； then not more than a rivulet； was deflected through flumes from the river bed； so that all the sand of the bars could be put through the sluices。
The men worked till the last possible moment in the narrow river bed； only leaving in time to save their lives； and abandoning everything to the sudden rush of the water。 Their sluices； logs； flumes； water…wheels； all their mining paraphernalia； sometimes even their living outfits； were swept away in the floods。
The river was known to rise from 20 to 60 feet in 24 hours； in its narrow and precipitous walls。
At flood time； then； we often went down to the river through the orchard of big old cherry trees planted by my grandfather； to watch the mass of wreckage rushing by。 Great logs would go down end over end； mining machinery caught in the limbs of uprooted trees； quantities of lumber； and once a miner's bunk with sodden gray blanket and a wet and frantic squirrel upon it。 I worried for days over the fate of that squirrel。
They tell the story of a Chinaman floating down upon a log。
〃Hello； John； where you go？〃 was shouted。 John shook his head； sadly。
〃Me no sabe！ Maybe Saclimento … maybe San Flancisco。 No got time talkee； now。〃
* * * * *
〃Look； the water is up to the top of the old stone pier；〃 said one of the others。
〃Mammy Kate's 'ghost' would have a hard time haunting it now；〃 I laughed。 〃He'd be under twenty feet of water。〃
〃What ghost？〃
〃Why； the tollkeeper's； of the old bridge。 The one who hated the Indians so。〃
〃The Bear River tribe？〃
〃They were Diggers； but I think that nobody knew exactly which ones were guilty。 It was a fine bridge； the first suspension bridge in Placer county。〃
〃It was washed away in the floods during the winter of '61 and '62； wasn't it？〃
〃Yes and they built the new one a mile up the river at Rattlesnake Bar； where it still hangs。〃
〃What about the tollkeeper？〃
Here is the story … with a bit of a prologue。
* * * * *
Captain Ezekiel Merritt； one of the 〃Bear Flag〃 party in Sonoma； came in '49 to try his luck at mining on the Middle Fork of the American。 His party came at last； through a deep canyon to a large bar on which they found among unmistakable evidences of a plundered camp both white man's and Indian's hair。 A great ash heap containing calcined bones was undoubtedly the funeral pyre of white men and red men alike； and some yelling savages upon the upper bluff confirmed the tragedy which Captain Merritt's party had been too late to avert。
They drove the Indians away and Captain Merritt cut into the bark of an alder the name 〃Murderer's Bar；〃 by which the place has been called ever since。
The Merritt party stayed to work the bar。 Before the summer passed the river swarmed with men； some of whom joined forces to make up mining companies。 One of the rules of such a company： 〃Any shareholder getting drunk during the time he should be on duty； shall pay into the common treasury of the company a fine of one ounce of gold dust and shall forfeit all dividends during such time。〃 These fines； in some instances； became so frequent as to cause a total disruption of the company。
The Indians returned to their villages in the hills。 The foothill Indians were not a particularly intelligent lot。 They were Diggers； so named on account of their habits of digging in the ground for roots； and the larva of various insects for food。 Eggs of ants； and the maggots found in wasp's nests were considered great delicacies。
They also ate dried grasshoppers and young clover plants cooked as greens。 They ground acorns and manzanita berries into meal with the stone mortars and pestles so commonly found through the countryside and gathered and stored great caches of pine burrs full of nuts for the winter。 They were not as a rule quarrelsome； but … 。
* * * * *
〃Good morning； Phineas。 I have brought your grub from Auburn； and here is the bill。〃
It was a bright day in June and Phineas Longley； tollkeeper for the new suspension bridge on Whiskey Bar； had had a busy morning。 There was a barbecue that day at the town on the other side； and a stream of people had come down the Whiskey Bar turnpike and crossed the bridge。 It was getting warm and he was tired； and he read the bill gloomily：
〃1 bottle gin； 6。00； 2 lbs。 biscuits； 2。50； 1 ham； 24。00； 1 bottle pickles； 6。00； 4 fathoms rope； 5。00； 1 watermelon； 4。00； 1 tin pan； 16。00； 2 apples； 3。00。〃
Longley stuffed the bill in his pocket； and returned for his noon meal to his log cabin on shore。
It was quite palatial … boasting a real floor made of puncheons； or hewn logs。 A bunk； against the wall； was made of a second log set four feet from the log wall； with a hammock mattress of sacking stuffed with dried bracken stretched between them。 There was the usual huge fireplace of granite rocks used for both warmth and cooking； and a box pantry…cupboard nailed to the wall。
His cup and plate and saucer were of tin； and his cutlery was an iron spoon； a three…tined fork and a hunting dagger。 The dishes had not been washed for weeks。
In warm weather he kept a few things in a small palisade driven in the shallow water at the river 's edge； which was cool the year 'round。
Longley put his raised bread dough in a frying pan； put a second pan on top； raked the ashes off some coals； and started it baking。 A man on horseback； driving two pack animals before him； stopped at the low doorway。
〃Hello； John！ Glad to see you；〃 called Longley。
〃Glad to get here。 Like to sleep in a house again。 Tired of shaking the lizards out of my blankets every morning。〃
〃Ever shake out a rattler？〃
〃Not yet； though they say it's been done more than once。〃
〃You're just in time。 Turn the beasts into the corral。 And then will you just ride back to Kitty Douglas' for me？ She promised me a pie； and I need a new starter for my sour dough （batter）。 By that time everything will be ready to eat。〃
〃You mean the 'Kitty Douglas' of the signs I've just passed？〃 asked John； grinning。
〃Yes。 What were they； today？〃
〃'Fresh pies； by Kitty Douglas；' 'Bread made every day； by Kitty Douglas；' 'New…laid eggs every day； by Kitty Douglas'！〃
〃Kitty's cooking is as fair as the reputation of her house is not。 She charges two dollars for a meal of pork and beans。〃
〃'Tis the regular price everywhere。 I'll be back soon。〃 After the meal John went to； the barbecue； imbibing rather freely of the fire…water barrel and making a night of it。
Heavy travel continued over the bridge all afternoon … a prairie schooner with three oxen； two mules and a bronco pulling it； a prospector in his red flannel undershirt； driving a laden donkey； a hurdy…gurdy troupe on its way to the barbecue； a stage…coach drawn by six half…broken