We must now leap over a considerable space, not only of distance, but of time, in order to appreciate fully2 the result of Charlie Brooke’s furious letter-writing and amazing powers of persuasion3.
Let the reader try to imagine a wide plateau, dotted with trees and bushes, on one of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, where that mighty4 range begins to slide into union with the great prairies. It commands a view of mingled5 woodland and rolling plain, diversified6 by river and lake, extending to a horizon so faint and far away as to suggest the idea of illimitable space.
Early one morning in spring, five horsemen, emerging from a belt of woodland, galloped7 to the slope that led to the summit of this plateau. Drawing rein8, they began slowly to ascend9. Two of the cavaliers were young, tall, and strong;—two were portly and old, though still hearty10 and vigorous; one, who led them, on a coal-black steed, was a magnificent specimen11 of the backwoodsman, and one, who brought up the rear, was a thin little man, who made up for what he wanted in size by the energy and vigour12 of his action, as, with hand and heel, he urged an unwilling13 horse to keep up with the rest of the party.
Arrived at the summit of the plateau, the leading horseman trotted14 to its eastern edge, and halted as if for the purpose of surveying the position.
“Here we are at last,” he said, to the tallest of his comrades; “Sweetwater Bluff—and the end of our journey!”
“And a most noble end it is!” exclaimed the tall comrade. “Why, Hunky Ben, it far surpasses my expectations and all you have said about it.”
“Most o’ the people I’ve had to guide over this trail have said pretty much the same thing in different words, Mr Brooke,” returned the scout15, dismounting. “Your wife will find plenty o’ subjects here for the paintin’ she’s so fond of.”
“Ay, May will find work here to keep her brushes busy for many a day to come,” replied Charlie, “though I suspect that other matters will claim most of her time at first, for there is nothing but a wilderness16 here yet.”
“You’ve yet to larn, sir, that we don’t take as long to fix up a town hereaway as you do in the old country,” remarked Hunky Ben, as old Jacob Crossley ambled17 up on the staid creature which we have already introduced as Wheelbarrow.
Waving his hand with enthusiasm the old gentleman exclaimed, “Glorious!” Indeed, for a few minutes he sat with glistening18 eyes and heaving chest, quite unable to give vent19 to any other sentiment than “glorious!” This he did at intervals20. His interest in the scene, however, was distracted by the sudden advent21 of Captain Stride, whose horse—a long-legged roan—had an awkward tendency, among other eccentricities22, to advance sideways with a waltzing gait, that greatly disconcerted the mariner23.
“Woa! you brute24. Back your tops’ls, won’t you? I never did see sitch a craft for heavin’ about like a Dutch lugger in a cross sea. She sails side on, no matter where she’s bound for. Forges ahead a’most entirely25 by means of leeway, so to speak. Hallo! woa! Ketch a grip o’ the painter, Dick, an’ hold on till I git off the hurricane deck o’ this walrus—else I’ll be overboard in a—. There—” The captain came to the ground suddenly as he spoke26, without the use of stirrup, and, luckily, without injury.
“Not hurt I hope?” asked Dick Darvall, assisting his brother-salt to rise.
“Not a bit of it, Dick. You see I’m a’most as active as yourself though double your age, if not more. I say, Charlie, this is a pretty look-out. Don’t ’ee think so, Mr Crossley? I was sure that Hunky Ben would find us a pleasant anchorage and safe holding-ground at last, though it did seem as if we was pretty long o’ comin’ to it. Just as we was leavin’ the waggins to ride on in advance I said to my missus—says I—Maggie, you may depend—”
“Hallo! Zook,” cried Charlie, as the little man of the slums came limping up, “what have you done with your horse?”
“Cast ’im loose, sir, an’ gi’n ’im leave of absence as long as ’e pleases. It’s my opinion that some the ’osses o’ the western prairies ain’t quite eekal to some o’ the ’osses I’ve bin27 used to in Rotten Row. Is this the place, Hunky? Well, now,” continued the little man, with flashing eyes, as he looked round on the magnificent scene, “it’ll do. Beats W’itechapel an’ the Parks any ’ow. An’ there’s lots o’ poultry28 about, too!” he added, as a flock of wild ducks went by on whistling wings. “I say, Hunky Ben, w’at’s yon brown things over there by the shores o’ the lake?”
“Buffalo,” answered the scout.
“What! wild uns?”
“There’s no tame ones in them diggin’s as I knows on. If there was, they’d soon become wild, you bet.”
“An’ w’at’s yon monster crawlin’ over the farthest plain, like the great sea-serpent?”
“Why, man,” returned the scout, “them’s the waggins. Come, now, let’s to work an’ git the fire lit. The cart wi’ the chuck an’ tents’ll be here in a few minutes, an’ the waggins won’t be long arter ’em.”
“Ay, wi’ the women an’ kids shoutin’ for grub,” added Zook, as he limped after the scout, while the rest of the little band dispersed—some to cut firewood, others to select the best positions for the tents. The waggons29, with a supply of food, arrived soon after under the care of Roaring Bull himself, with two of his cowboys. They were followed by Buttercup, who bestrode, man-fashion, a mustang nearly as black as herself and even more frisky30.
In a wonderfully short time a number of white tents arose on the plateau and several fires blazed, and at all the fires Buttercup laboured with superhuman effect, assisted by the cowboys, to the unbounded admiration31 of Zook, who willingly superintended everything, but did little or nothing. A flat rock on the highest point was chosen for the site of a future block-house or citadel32, and upon this was ere long spread a breakfast on a magnificent scale. It was barely ready when the first waggons arrived and commenced to lumber33 up the ascent34, preceded by two girls on horseback, who waved their hands, and gave vent to vigorous little feminine cheers as they cantered up the slope.
These two were our old friends whom we knew as May Leather and Mary Jackson, but who must now be re-introduced to the reader as Mrs Charlie Brooke and Mrs Dick Darvall. On the same day they had changed their names at the Ranch35 of Roaring Bull, and had come to essay wedded36 life in the far west.
We need hardly say that this was the great experimental emigrant37 party, led by the Reverend William Reeves, who had resolved to found a colony on total abstinence principles, and with as many as possible of the sins of civilisation38 left behind. They found, alas39! that sin is not so easily got rid of; nevertheless, the effort was not altogether fruitless, and Mr Reeves carried with him a sovereign antidote40 for sin in the shape of a godly spirit.
The party was a large one, for there were many men and women of the frontier whose experiences had taught them that life was happier and better in every way without the prevalent vices41 of gambling42 and drinking.
Of course the emigrants43 formed rather a motley band. Among them, besides those of our friends already mentioned, there were our hero’s mother and all the Leather family. Captain Stride’s daughter as well as his “Missus,” and Mr Crossley’s housekeeper44, Mrs Bland45. That good woman, however, had been much subdued46 and rendered harmless by the terrors of the wilderness, to which she had been recently exposed. Miss Molloy was also there, with an enormous supply of knitting needles and several bales of worsted.
Poor Shank Leather was still so much of an invalid47 as to be obliged to travel in a spring cart with his father, but both men were rapidly regaining48 physical strength under the influence of temperance, and spiritual strength under a higher power.
Soon the hammer, axe49, and saw began to resound50 in that lovely western wilderness; the net to sweep its lakes; the hook to invade its rivers; the rifle to crack in the forests, and the plough to open up its virgin51 soil. In less time, almost, than a European would take to wink52, the town of Sweetwater Bluff sprang into being; stores and workshops, a school and a church, grew, up like mushrooms; seed was sown, and everything, in short, was done that is characteristic of the advent of a thriving community. But not a gambling or drinking saloon, or a drop of firewater, was to be found in all the town.
In spite of this, Indians brought their furs to it; trappers came to it for supplies; emigrants turned aside to see and rest in it; and the place soon became noted53 as a flourishing and pre-eminently peaceful spot.
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1
bluff
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| v.虚张声势，用假象骗人；n.虚张声势，欺骗 | |
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2
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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persuasion
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| n.劝说；说服；持有某种信仰的宗派 | |
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mighty
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| adj.强有力的；巨大的 | |
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mingled
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| 混合，混入( mingle的过去式和过去分词 )； 混进，与…交往[联系] | |
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6
diversified
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| adj.多样化的，多种经营的v.使多样化，多样化( diversify的过去式和过去分词 )；进入新的商业领域 | |
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7
galloped
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| （使马）飞奔，奔驰( gallop的过去式和过去分词 )； 快速做[说]某事 | |
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8
rein
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| n.疆绳，统治，支配；vt.以僵绳控制，统治 | |
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9
ascend
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| vi.渐渐上升，升高；vt.攀登，登上 | |
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10
hearty
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| adj.热情友好的；衷心的；尽情的，纵情的 | |
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specimen
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| n.样本，标本 | |
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vigour
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| （=vigor）n.智力，体力，精力 | |
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unwilling
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| adj.不情愿的 | |
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trotted
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| 小跑，急走( trot的过去分词 )； 匆匆忙忙地走 | |
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15
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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16
wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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17
ambled
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| v.（马）缓行( amble的过去式和过去分词 )；从容地走，漫步 | |
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18
glistening
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| adj.闪耀的，反光的v.湿物闪耀，闪亮( glisten的现在分词 ) | |
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19
vent
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| n.通风口，排放口；开衩；vt.表达，发泄 | |
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20
intervals
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| n.[军事]间隔( interval的名词复数 )；间隔时间；[数学]区间；（戏剧、电影或音乐会的）幕间休息 | |
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21
advent
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| n.(重要事件等的)到来，来临 | |
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22
eccentricities
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| n.古怪行为( eccentricity的名词复数 )；反常；怪癖 | |
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23
mariner
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| n.水手号不载人航天探测器，海员，航海者 | |
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brute
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| n.野兽，兽性 | |
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25
entirely
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| ad.全部地，完整地；完全地，彻底地 | |
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26
spoke
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| n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说 | |
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27
bin
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| n.箱柜；vt.放入箱内；[计算机] DOS文件名:二进制目标文件 | |
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28
poultry
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| n.家禽，禽肉 | |
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29
waggons
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| 四轮的运货马车( waggon的名词复数 )； 铁路货车； 小手推车 | |
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30
frisky
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| adj.活泼的，欢闹的；n.活泼，闹着玩；adv.活泼地，闹着玩地 | |
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31
admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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32
citadel
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| n.城堡；堡垒；避难所 | |
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33
lumber
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| n.木材，木料；v.以破旧东西堆满；伐木；笨重移动 | |
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34
ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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ranch
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| n.大牧场，大农场 | |
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36
wedded
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| adj.正式结婚的；渴望…的，执著于…的v.嫁，娶，（与…）结婚( wed的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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37
emigrant
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| adj.移居的，移民的；n.移居外国的人，移民 | |
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38
civilisation
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| n.文明，文化，开化，教化 | |
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39
alas
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| int.唉(表示悲伤、忧愁、恐惧等) | |
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40
antidote
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| n.解毒药，解毒剂 | |
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41
vices
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| 缺陷( vice的名词复数 )； 恶习； 不道德行为； 台钳 | |
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42
gambling
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| n.赌博；投机 | |
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43
emigrants
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| n.（从本国移往他国的）移民( emigrant的名词复数 ) | |
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44
housekeeper
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| n.管理家务的主妇，女管家 | |
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45
bland
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| adj.淡而无味的，温和的，无刺激性的 | |
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46
subdued
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| adj. 屈服的，柔和的，减弱的 动词subdue的过去式和过去分词 | |
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47
invalid
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| n.病人，伤残人；adj.有病的，伤残的；无效的 | |
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48
regaining
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| 复得( regain的现在分词 )； 赢回； 重回； 复至某地 | |
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49
axe
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| n.斧子；v.用斧头砍，削减 | |
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50
resound
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| v.回响 | |
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51
virgin
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| n.处女，未婚女子；adj.未经使用的；未经开发的 | |
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52
wink
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| n.眨眼，使眼色，瞬间；v.眨眼，使眼色，闪烁 | |
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53
noted
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| adj.著名的，知名的 | |
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