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back on it till the horse's sides sunk in and he gasped for breathbut
every time the lashings grew tight in one place they loosened in another。
We never did get the load tight all over； but we got it so that it would
do； after a fashion； and then we started； in single file； close order；
and without a word。 It was a dark night。 We kept the middle of the
road； and proceeded in a slow walk past the rows of cabins； and whenever
a miner came to his door I trembled for fear the light would shine on us
an excite curiosity。 But nothing happened。 We began the long winding
ascent of the canyon； toward the 〃divide；〃 and presently the cabins began
to grow infrequent； and the intervals between them wider and wider； and
then I began to breathe tolerably freely and feel less like a thief and a
murderer。 I was in the rear； leading the pack horse。 As the ascent grew
steeper he grew proportionately less satisfied with his cargo； and began
to pull back on his riata occasionally and delay progress。 My comrades
were passing out of sight in the gloom。 I was getting anxious。 I coaxed
and bullied the pack horse till I presently got him into a trot； and then
the tin cups and pans strung about his person frightened him and he ran。
His riata was wound around the pummel of my saddle； and so； as he went by
he dragged me from my horse and the two animals traveled briskly on
without me。 But I was not alonethe loosened cargo tumbled overboard
from the pack horse and fell close to me。 It was abreast of almost the
last cabin。
A miner came out and said：
〃Hello！〃
I was thirty steps from him； and knew he could not see me； it was so very
dark in the shadow of the mountain。 So I lay still。 Another head
appeared in the light of the cabin door； and presently the two men walked
toward me。 They stopped within ten steps of me； and one said：
〃Sh！ Listen。〃
I could not have been in a more distressed state if I had been escaping
justice with a price on my head。 Then the miners appeared to sit down on
a boulder； though I could not see them distinctly enough to be very sure
what they did。 One said：
〃I heard a noise； as plain as I ever heard anything。 It seemed to be
about there〃
A stone whizzed by my head。 I flattened myself out in the dust like a
postage stamp； and thought to myself if he mended his aim ever so little
he would probably hear another noise。 In my heart； now； I execrated
secret expeditions。 I promised myself that this should be my last；
though the Sierras were ribbed with cement veins。 Then one of the men
said：
〃I'll tell you what！ Welch knew what he was talking about when he said
he saw Whiteman to…day。 I heard horsesthat was the noise。 I am going
down to Welch's； right away。〃
They left and I was glad。 I did not care whither they went； so they
went。 I was willing they should visit Welch； and the sooner the better。
As soon as they closed their cabin door my comrades emerged from the
gloom； they had caught the horses and were waiting for a clear coast
again。 We remounted the cargo on the pack horse and got under way； and
as day broke we reached the 〃divide〃 and joined Van Dorn。 Then we
journeyed down into the valley of the Lake； and feeling secure； we halted
to cook breakfast； for we were tired and sleepy and hungry。 Three hours
later the rest of the population filed over the 〃divide〃 in a long
procession； and drifted off out of sight around the borders of the Lake！
Whether or not my accident had produced this result we never knew； but at
least one thing was certainthe secret was out and Whiteman would not
enter upon a search for the cement mine this time。 We were filled with
chagrin。
We held a council and decided to make the best of our misfortune and
enjoy a week's holiday on the borders of the curious Lake。 Mono； it is
sometimes called； and sometimes the 〃Dead Sea of California。〃 It is one
of the strangest freaks of Nature to be found in any land； but it is
hardly ever mentioned in print and very seldom visited； because it lies
away off the usual routes of travel and besides is so difficult to get at
that only men content to endure the roughest life will consent to take
upon themselves the discomforts of such a trip。 On the morning of our
second day； we traveled around to a remote and particularly wild spot on
the borders of the Lake； where a stream of fresh； ice…cold water entered
it from the mountain side； and then we went regularly into camp。 We
hired a large boat and two shot…guns from a lonely ranchman who lived
some ten miles further on； and made ready for comfort and recreation。
We soon got thoroughly acquainted with the Lake and all its
peculiarities。
CHAPTER XXXVIII。
Mono Lake lies in a lifeless； treeless； hideous desert； eight thousand
feet above the level of the sea； and is guarded by mountains two thousand
feet higher； whose summits are always clothed in clouds。 This solemn；
silent； sail…less seathis lonely tenant of the loneliest spot on earth
is little graced with the picturesque。 It is an unpretending expanse
of grayish water； about a hundred miles in circumference； with two
islands in its centre； mere upheavals of rent and scorched and blistered
lava； snowed over with gray banks and drifts of pumice…stone and ashes；
the winding sheet of the dead volcano； whose vast crater the lake has
seized upon and occupied。
The lake is two hundred feet deep； and its sluggish waters are so strong
with alkali that if you only dip the most hopelessly soiled garment into
them once or twice； and wring it out； it will be found as clean as if it
had been through the ablest of washerwomen's hands。 While we camped
there our laundry work was easy。 We tied the week's washing astern of
our boat； and sailed a quarter of a mile； and the job was complete； all
to the wringing out。 If we threw the water on our heads and gave them a
rub or so； the white lather would pile up three inches high。 This water
is not good for bruised places and abrasions of the skin。 We had a
valuable dog。 He had raw places on him。 He had more raw places on him
than sound ones。 He was the rawest dog I almost ever saw。 He jumped
overboard one day to get away from the flies。 But it was bad judgment。
In his condition； it would have been just as comfortable to jump into the
fire。
The alkali water nipped him in all the raw places simultaneously； and he
struck out for the shore with considerable interest。 He yelped and
barked and howled as he wentand by the time he got to the shore there
was no bark to himfor he had barked the bark all out of his inside； and
the alkali water had cleaned the bark all off his outside； and he
probably wished he had never embarked in any such enterprise。 He ran
round and round in a circle； and pawed the earth and clawed the air； and
threw double somersaults； sometimes backward and sometimes forward； in
the most extraordinary manner。 He was not a demonstrative dog； as a
general thing； but rather of a grave and serious turn of mind； and I
never saw him take so much interest in anything before。 He finally
struck out over the mountains； at a gait which we estimated at about two
hundred and fifty miles an hour； and he is going yet。 This was about
nine years ago。 We look for what is left of him along here every day。
A white man cannot drink the water of Mono Lake； for it is nearly pure
lye。 It is said that the Indians in the vicinity drink it sometimes；
though。 It is not improbable； for they are among the purest liars I ever
saw。 ＇There will be no additional charge for this joke； except to
parties requiring an explanation of it。 This joke has received high
commendation from some of the ablest minds of the age。＇
There are no fish in Mono Lakeno frogs； no snakes； no polliwigs
nothing； in fact； that goes to make life desirable。 Millions of wild
ducks and sea…gulls swim about the surface； but no living thing exists
under the surface； except a white feathery sort of worm； one half an inch
long； which looks like a bit of white thread frayed out at the sides。 If
you dip up a gallon of water； you will get about fifteen thousand of
these。 They give to the water a sort of gra