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the dog out。
It was a hard； wearing； toilsome journey； but it had its bright side； for
after each day was done and our wolfish hunger appeased with a hot supper
of fried bacon； bread； molasses and black coffee； the pipe…smoking； song…
singing and yarn…spinning around the evening camp…fire in the still
solitudes of the desert was a happy； care…free sort of recreation that
seemed the very summit and culmination of earthly luxury。
It is a kind of life that has a potent charm for all men； whether city or
country…bred。 We are descended from desert…lounging Arabs； and countless
ages of growth toward perfect civilization have failed to root out of us
the nomadic instinct。 We all confess to a gratified thrill at the
thought of 〃camping out。〃
Once we made twenty…five miles in a day； and once we made forty miles
（through the Great American Desert）； and ten miles beyondfifty in all
in twenty…three hours； without halting to eat； drink or rest。 To stretch
out and go to sleep； even on stony and frozen ground； after pushing a
wagon and two horses fifty miles； is a delight so supreme that for the
moment it almost seems cheap at the price。
We camped two days in the neighborhood of the 〃Sink of the Humboldt。〃
We tried to use the strong alkaline water of the Sink； but it would not
answer。 It was like drinking lye； and not weak lye； either。 It left a
taste in the mouth； bitter and every way execrable； and a burning in the
stomach that was very uncomfortable。 We put molasses in it； but that
helped it very little； we added a pickle； yet the alkali was the
prominent taste and so it was unfit for drinking。
The coffee we made of this water was the meanest compound man has yet
invented。 It was really viler to the taste than the unameliorated water
itself。 Mr。 Ballou； being the architect and builder of the beverage felt
constrained to endorse and uphold it； and so drank half a cup； by little
sips； making shift to praise it faintly the while； but finally threw out
the remainder； and said frankly it was 〃too technical for him。〃
But presently we found a spring of fresh water； convenient； and then；
with nothing to mar our enjoyment； and no stragglers to interrupt it； we
entered into our rest。
CHAPTER XXVIII。
After leaving the Sink； we traveled along the Humboldt river a little
way。 People accustomed to the monster mile…wide Mississippi； grow
accustomed to associating the term 〃river〃 with a high degree of watery
grandeur。 Consequently； such people feel rather disappointed when they
stand on the shores of the Humboldt or the Carson and find that a 〃river〃
in Nevada is a sickly rivulet which is just the counterpart of the Erie
canal in all respects save that the canal is twice as long and four times
as deep。 One of the pleasantest and most invigorating exercises one can
contrive is to run and jump across the Humboldt river till he is
overheated； and then drink it dry。
On the fifteenth day we completed our march of two hundred miles and
entered Unionville； Humboldt county； in the midst of a driving snow…
storm。 Unionville consisted of eleven cabins and a liberty…pole。 Six of
the cabins were strung along one side of a deep canyon； and the other
five faced them。 The rest of the landscape was made up of bleak mountain
walls that rose so high into the sky from both sides of the canyon that
the village was left； as it were； far down in the bottom of a crevice。
It was always daylight on the mountain tops a long time before the
darkness lifted and revealed Unionville。
We built a small； rude cabin in the side of the crevice and roofed it
with canvas； leaving a corner open to serve as a chimney； through which
the cattle used to tumble occasionally； at night； and mash our furniture
and interrupt our sleep。 It was very cold weather and fuel was scarce。
Indians brought brush and bushes several miles on their backs； and when
we could catch a laden Indian it was welland when we could not （which
was the rule； not the exception）； we shivered and bore it。
I confess； without shame； that I expected to find masses of silver lying
all about the ground。 I expected to see it glittering in the sun on the
mountain summits。 I said nothing about this； for some instinct told me
that I might possibly have an exaggerated idea about it； and so if I
betrayed my thought I might bring derision upon myself。 Yet I was as
perfectly satisfied in my own mind as I could be of anything； that I was
going to gather up； in a day or two； or at furthest a week or two； silver
enough to make me satisfactorily wealthyand so my fancy was already
busy with plans for spending this money。 The first opportunity that
offered； I sauntered carelessly away from the cabin； keeping an eye on
the other boys； and stopping and contemplating the sky when they seemed
to be observing me； but as soon as the coast was manifestly clear； I fled
away as guiltily as a thief might have done and never halted till I was
far beyond sight and call。 Then I began my search with a feverish
excitement that was brimful of expectationalmost of certainty。
I crawled about the ground； seizing and examining bits of stone； blowing
the dust from them or rubbing them on my clothes； and then peering at
them with anxious hope。 Presently I found a bright fragment and my heart
bounded！ I hid behind a boulder and polished it and scrutinized it with
a nervous eagerness and a delight that was more pronounced than absolute
certainty itself could have afforded。 The more I examined the fragment
the more I was convinced that I had found the door to fortune。 I marked
the spot and carried away my specimen。 Up and down the rugged mountain
side I searched； with always increasing interest and always augmenting
gratitude that I had come to Humboldt and come in time。 Of all the
experiences of my life； this secret search among the hidden treasures of
silver…land was the nearest to unmarred ecstasy。 It was a delirious
revel。
By and by； in the bed of a shallow rivulet； I found a deposit of shining
yellow scales； and my breath almost forsook me！ A gold mine； and in my
simplicity I had been content with vulgar silver！ I was so excited that
I half believed my overwrought imagination was deceiving me。 Then a fear
came upon me that people might be observing me and would guess my secret。
Moved by this thought； I made a circuit of the place； and ascended a
knoll to reconnoiter。 Solitude。 No creature was near。 Then I returned
to my mine； fortifying myself against possible disappointment； but my
fears were groundlessthe shining scales were still there。 I set about
scooping them out； and for an hour I toiled down the windings of the
stream and robbed its bed。 But at last the descending sun warned me to
give up the quest； and I turned homeward laden with wealth。 As I walked
along I could not help smiling at the thought of my being so excited over
my fragment of silver when a nobler metal was almost under my nose。 In
this little time the former had so fallen in my estimation that once or
twice I was on the point of throwing it away。
The boys were as hungry as usual； but I could eat nothing。 Neither could
I talk。 I was full of dreams and far away。 Their conversation
interrupted the flow of my fancy somewhat； and annoyed me a little； too。
I despised the sordid and commonplace things they talked about。 But as
they proceeded； it began to amuse me。 It grew to be rare fun to hear
them planning their poor little economies and sighing over possible
privations and distresses when a gold mine； all our own； lay within sight
of the cabin and I could point it out at any moment。 Smothered hilarity
began to oppress me； presently。 It was hard to resist the impulse to
burst out with exultation and reveal everything； but I did resist。 I
said within myself that I would filter the great news through my lips
calmly and be serene as a summer morning while I watched its effect in
their faces。 I said：
〃Where have you all been？〃
〃Prospecting。〃
〃What did you find？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Nothing？ What do you think of the country？〃
〃Can't tell； yet；〃 said Mr。 Ballou； who was an old gold miner； and had
likewise had