^ LIBRARY OF CONGRESS.! % — 1 I ChapJ.l^S. % '\i She/f^EA^ I UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. l\ ^^:;cBPi:gQ(;£5^:^ga!^^:;jjj^^;>s^ ^ -^^ ADEIFT IN AMERICA, OB WORK AND ADVENTURE IN THE STATES. By CECIL ROBERTS. WITH AN APPENDIX BY MORLEY ROBERTS. LONDON: LAWRENCE AND BULLEN, 169, NEW BOND STREET, W. 1891. T CONTENTS. PilfTO CriArxEii I. — My New Departure - ... 5 ,, II. — Winter ox Maple River - - . . 31 ,, III. — South to Santa Fe - - - - 50 ,, IV. — Joint ahead and centre rack - . . 70 ,, V. — Off breaks !----- 81 ,, VI. — An up grade - - - - - 96 „ VII. — From the land of sno^^' - - - - 113 ,, VIII. — Hitting the road ... - - 123 „ IX.— On the T. p. 143 ,, X. — Alkali water and " 90 days " - - - 15G ,, XI. — On the trail with horses - - - 17G „ XII. — Beef slough and the Mit-sissirn - - - 194 ,, XIII, — Washington AND " Shanghai" - - 222 ,, XIV.- -The net result ----- 233 APPENDIX, BY Mobley Egberts: Texas animals ...... 239 Sheep and sheep-herding . . - - 242 Tramps 247 Railroad wars ... - ■• 251 American shipmasters ... - - 254 p. 1640. A 2 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER I. My New Departure. I WAS not yet sixteen when I went to sea as an apprentice in the ship SouJcar, 1,304 tons, belonging to Messrs. Shaw, Savill, and Company. During my four years' apprenticeship I was three times at Port Lyttelton, Christchurch, New Zealand, once in Melbourne, thence with coal to Anja Point, Java, which was afterwards destroyed by the great Krakatoa volcanic explosion. We received orders there for Rangoon, and at that port loaded rice for Europe. Leaving England again I went to Port Lyttelton once more, thence to Geelong, and being then out of my time I served as A.B. on the passage home. My next voyage was in the barque Bebington, belonging to the same firm, as second mate. We went to Melbourne, thence to Timaru for orders, which sent us to Valparaiso, again for 6 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. orders, wliicli were now finally for Aiitofogasta, to load saltpetre. Thence we sailed for Queenstown and Hamburg, where I left the Bthington. It was on returning home that my real adventures began, for though I saw enough hard weather and did a great deal of hard work in that five years, it was after all nothing more than comes in the course of learning his profession to every young seaman. And to tell the truth, I was pretty tired of the sea. It did not take me long as a youngster to learn to discount the romance of it, which lies chiefly either in ignorant imagination, or in the memory of some old salt who has forgotten the tough salt horse and weevilly biscuit to remember that ho was then young and strong and able to enjoy himself when he got a rare chance. And apart from all romance there did not seem to be very much in the business. It was not only monotonous but poorly paid. So that is the reason why I made up my mind to go to America and see what could be done there. And if I did not succeed in niakin^ the wind did not happen to be blowing right through it on this occasion, it made on the whole not a bad lodging. There was a rank growth of grass, which was now dead and dried like hay as it stood, in the ditch on either side of the track, so, taking my knife, I soon had a good lot of it cut, and spreading it on the bottom of the culvert, with my bundle as a pillow, I made a much more comfortable bed than I had had the night before, or many times since for that matter. I found my lodging so comfortable that I slept till the sun was well up the next morning. Pulling one of the slabs down that the culvert was lined with, I planted my bundle there and sallied out to see if I could find any work. T asked everywhere that I thought at all likely, but 62 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. it was all the same thing, things were dull, and no work to be had anywhere. I now began to feel rather blue. That evening I got the information from a man I talked with that there was a railroad in course of construction at a place called Council Grove, about 20 miles north of Emporia, and that there was a good chance of getting work. Hearing of nothing else I jumped on the train next morning and went to Council Grove. I had to pay for this journey as there was only one train in the 24 hours, and it went in the daytime. This was another dollar out of my stock, and to use an expression I heard a man make about his own, my pocket-book began to look as if an elephant had stepped on it. On arriving at Council Grove I found I had to walk seven or eight miles to get to the camp. It being then too late to start that day I was forced to spend more money for a lodging in a house, as it was still winter and a cold snap had set in, making it too severe to sleep out of doors. Next morning I started out in company with another man who was on the same lay as myself, and about noon we arrived at the camp. I inquired for the boss, and on finding him, asked for work ; he hired me at once at a dollar and forty cents a day, and informed me that I should have to pay $3 a week for board. He told me I need not go to work that day, but to go down to the camp and have a rest. The camp consisted of a number of tents pitched in a clump of stunted cotton-wood trees, about half a ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 63 mile from where the work was going ou. There were two big tents that served as dining rooms, and a cooking tent, and three or four for sleeping purposes, besides some private ones belonging to men who had their wives and families with them and boarded themselves. The whole place had a very miserable and squalid appearance which at once gave me a fit of the blues that lasted me for the rest of the day. When night came I found out that there was nothing in the shape of bed-clothes in the camp, excepting the private property of the working men, and, as I had none, I stood a good chance of sleeping cold, and certainly should have done so if a man had not taken pity on me and shared his blanket with me. For this kindness I was very thankful, as the night was bitterly cold and the tent draughty ; and although we had a stove there was nothing to burn in it, because the timber round about was private property and none of it could be cut. In the morning we were all roused out before daylight by somebody beating a kerosine tin, and shouting " hash-pile ! " which my bed-fellow informed me was the signal that breakfast was ready, and adding that the first crowd in gets the best show, he kicked the blankets ofi" and jumped up, and I followed his example. No dressing was necessary, as nearly everybody lurned in all standing. We made our way to one of the boarding tents, and were fortunate enough to get in with the first crowd. 64 ADllIFT IN AMERICA. Wliat the second crowd got I cannot say ; what we who wore first had was enough to sicken anyone who was not used to it. It consisted of vile greasy fried pork and soda bread just hot out of the oven, and like putty ; molasses and coffee like mud. But I was hungi'y, and was beginning to learn not to be too particular, so I ate some of the horrible stuff and drank a little coflfee. After breakfast was over we all went down to the work, the boss sending me with a gang of men who were working in a " rock cut," as they called it. It was a place where the ground was rather high, and of a rocky nature, and so a shallow cutting had to be made. My work was loading the waggons with the fragments of rock and stuff got out by the blasting gang. I worked here as long as the job lasted, but that was only a week, for the weather began to get so severe that the contractor decided to " shut down " the work till spring, so everybody was paid off. When my board bill and a few things I had had from the store were taken out of my week's wages, I think it was 90 cents I had to take. Considering it' had cost me about two dollars to get the job and I had worn out as much in clothes and shoe leather, this could scarcely be considered profitable work. Leaving Council Grove, I went back to Emporia poorer by about a dollar than when I had left it, besides having put in a week of as hard and miserable work as ever I did in my life before or ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 65 since. The weather, altlioiigli very cold, was dry, so I took up my quarters in tlie culvert again ; I improved it by stopping- up one end with a lot of stones and rubbish, and so made it quite a com- fortable lodo-ing^. I staved about here for three or four days, eating as little as I could, so as to make the money which I still had last as long as possible. However, be as careful as I would, it went little by little until one fine morning I found myself with just one five-cent piece (or a nickel, as they call it in the States) in my pocket, and no prospect of being able to get any more. As far as I could see there was nothing but starvation in front of me if I could not get some kind of employment. I hung on this five-cent all that day, and starved just to get my hand in. Next day it was too much for jne, and I went up town in the morning determined to spend the five cents in something to cat. Now, the momentous question was what to buy ; what would be the most substantial and satisfying thing I could get. There was not much choice, but I walked about for at least an hour before I could decide on what would be best, and at last determined to take cheese and crackers. I went into a store where a girl served me, and I believe she suspected what was up with me, for she gave me far more than I have ever had since for five cents. In fact, she gave me so much that with economy it lasted me for three meals, and as I only r- 1640. E 66 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. allowed myself one meal a day, that was three days. After I had eaten up the last scrap of my cheese and crackers I began to feel terribly blue ; the idea of beggmg, or " bumming," as it is popularl}^ called out there, went strongly against my stomach, but that or starvation seemed now the onl}^ two things open to me. I stuck out for the whole of that day, but at night as I was going home to my culvert I had to pass a boarding-house that was much frequented by railroad men ; as I passed the door the boss came running out, and calling to me asked if I wanted a job. Of course I said I did, so he told me his second cook, or dish washer, had been suddenly taken sick, and he wanted a man tem- porarily. Of course I jumped at the chance. My wages were to be fifty cents a day and as much grab as I could eat ; this last clause in the agree- ment was what tickled my fancy at that time, and I suggested to the boss that I should like to take a little of it in advance. He readily agreed to this, and said, " Why in thunder, if you were hungry, did you not come and tell me ? You could always have had something to eat"; and he added, when I said that I was ashamed to beg, that I was a " darned fool" any way to go hungry when I could get food for the asking. There was no place for me to sleep on the premises, so the boss used to give me twenty-five cents every night to pay for a bed ; this I put in my pocket, and went to my dry culvert instead. So I ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 67 made seventy-five cents a day instead of only fifty. I was here twelve days altogether, and became quite expert at washing dishes and pots and pans ; in fact, the cook one day told me confidentially that I was a great deal more use to him than the regular man. When I settled up with the boss here I had $9, and I felt quite rich. After this I went out in the country and got a job for a few days husking corn, but wishing to go further west, in the hope of getting more work and a better climate, I watched my chance one day and got on a west- bound freight train. However, the brakesman found me, and because I would not give him any money he put me off* at the first stop, a place called Haughton. This was only what is called a way station. There was nothing but a section house and a long siding, besides the usual offices attached to a small station. I inquired for work here, but was told to go back about two miles and I should find another section house, where I should most likely be able to get work that would be permanent as long as I wished to stay. So being rather disgusted with my poor success at travelling, I made up my mind to take a job if I could get one, and put off" going west till spring. So I set off" back again, and in due course came to the gang. On asking the boss for a job, he said he wanted a man, but the section house had been burned down a few days before, and as he and his E 2 08 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. family and all his gang were living in a barn, lie did not know where he could find room for another. However, on my expressing my willingness to put up with anything, he said I should stay there that night anyhow, and he would see what could be done. It was well on in the afternoon, and as I had not liad anything to eat all day, I was rather hungry ; the section boss (I forget his name) was a very good fellow indeed, and no doubt suspecting that sach was the case, sent me up to the barn where he was camping and told me to ask the old woman for something to eat. I went up and found the place much more comfortable than I had expected it would be. The old woman was about twenty-six or seven I should say, and rather pretty, but when I communicated my business to her, she informed me she was too old to be had by a tale of that kind, but I could have something to eat if I would chop some firewood for her. I said nothing, but took the axe she gave me and went to the wood pile. I had only chopped two or three pieces when she came to the door and said " all right, drop that axe, and come inside and sit down ; I only wanted to see if you would work, I don't believe in feeding- professional bums." As soon as she got me inside the house she assailed me with a shower cf questions and never stopped till she had asked and got an answer to every question she coidd think of. iVpRIFT IN AMERICA. C9 It was now close on dark, and she set about fixing the table for the gang to have supper. This occupation kept her tongue quiet a bit, and pre- sently the men came in and we all sat down to the best meal I had had for a long while ; for, with all her faults, and they were n:any, the boss's wife was a good cook. 70 ADRIFT IX AMERICA, CHAPTER lY. Joint ahead and centre back. After we had eaten our supper, whicli was as I liave said the best I had had for a considerable time, the question of sleeping accommodation came up, and I was shown into the hay loft of the barn which was the sleeping apartment of the whole gang. We were altogether 10 in number. There was a good pile of soft hay at one end, and by pulling this down and spreading the blankets that the boss lent me on it, I very soon made a much more comfortable bed than I had s^ept on for some time. It certainly was better than the culvert though not so private. I was glad to have some place to sleep and work at, for the winter in this country was beginning to get very severe. Kansas, though it seems to be a good way to the south, is rather high up, and knocking about and sleeping in the open air begins at this time of the year to be not only uncomfortable, but even dangerous. It is true the wages for this job were not very large. They ^^ere only a dollar and ten cents a day, and out of this I had to pay three dollars a week for board. But I was glad then to get any- ADRIFT IN AMERICA. >i thing whicli promised to be permanent. I must put the winter in somehow, and though I did not like pick and shovel work, 1 would rather do that than nothing, when nothing meant going without food and sleeping anywhere with a good chance of being frozen to death while doing it ; and fortu- nately those who workei with me were pretty good follows. As soon as breakfast was over in the morning we went out to work. Section work is track repairing ; every line in the United States is divided into divisions of various lengths, but about 150 to 200 miles is the general length of them. Each division is under the supervision of a man who is called a division road master. Every division is again subdivided into sections varying in length from three or four miles up to as much as 10 miles according as the track is easy or difficult to keep in order. The sections are each presided over by a section boss, who has eight or ten labourers under him. The section boss is held responsible for the condition of his own section. I was now in the position of a railroad labourer, and as the boss was a very good fellow he looked over my shortcomings and helped me to learn my work. The work, as I said before, consists in keeping the track in order. In wet weather, when the road-bed is not well ballasted, the joints of the rails are very liable to sink out of the level, and the track to get out of line, and section work consists chiefly in remedying 72 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. these defects, which are technically called low joints and high centres. As the boss gives his orders to his men, the expressions " joint ahead and centre back " are continually in his mouth to indicate to the men the places he wishes raised ; these words are used so much that they have passed into a kind of a by-word, and there is a song in which the refrain is — ■ "Joint ahead and centre Lack And Johnny go oil the car." Though the work was hard and dirty I did not find my position so bad as one might imagine. My greatest trouble here was the children. The boss had married a woman who had been divorced, and besides his own children he had got a whole host of infernal young imps that belonged to his wife's former husband. These little beasts tried all they could to make things as uncomfortable as possible. I never fully realised till this time how really exasperating badly brought up children could be. One Sunday, shortly after my arrival here, I heard the '• Missis'," as we all called her, send one of the younger children out to tell her eldest boy to come to the house, as she wanted him. The message he sent back was " You tell the old woman if she wants me just to keep on wanting, there is a sight better people than her that has had to die wanting." On receiving this message she went to the door and shouted out " All right, my buck, when I get a holt of you, I'll knock the stuflBng clean out of you." ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 73 This was the kind of thing that was going on all the time when any of them were awake. I had only secured myself a place to stay just in time, for the weather began to get worse and worse every day. Snow began to fall, and the thermo- meter was often down to zero, and sometimes below. Every morning we used to go out on the track and do what was possible to be done, which, now the frosts had fairly set in, was not much. How- ever, we tinkered along as best we could, as a day lost meant a day's pay lost and the board bill to be paid just the same. Sometimes, however, the weather was so severe that it was quite impossible to do anything. On these occasions we stayed at home and sat round the fire, one man being sent out to walk over the track and see if there were any broken rails. For this he received his day's pay just the same as if he had been at work with the pick and shovel. All the rails being steel on this line, it was neces;;ary to keep a sharp look-out on them as they will fly just like glass in frosty weather. Several bad railway accidents have happened from this cause. In the majority of cases the snap is so clean that a green hand Avould most likely pass it by without noticing it at all, for it looks hardly more noticeable than a hair laid across the rail. About three weeks after I came to work at this place we were whistled up in the middle of the night 74 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. by the east-bound mail. Tliey liad passed over a broken rail which, to use the popular expression, had nearly " ditched the train." The broken rail was about three miles west of the section house and at the top of a steep grade. Of course we had to turn out at once to repair the damage. The first thing was to go down to the tool-house and put what is called a hand-car on the line and go about half a mile east, to get a new rail from a place where a number of them was kept for such occa- sions as the present. After getting the rail we came back to the tool-house, and taking wbat tools were necessary for the job, we started to the broken rail. Considering the thermometer was 10° below zero and a blinding snowstorm was beating in our face, this was a job of no small magnitude. Shoving the car loaded with a steel rail and a lot of tools up a steep grade under such conditions as I have described is anything but child's play. When we got to work we had to place red lamps each side of us to w^arn anything that might be coming along that the lino was not safe, and it took one man all he could do runn.'ng from one lamp to another and brushing the snow off them so as to allow the light to be seen, even at a very short distance. From the time we left the section house till we got back was about four hours, but during that time I had suffered as much acute agony from the bitter cold and the touching of frozen iron as some more fortunate people are ADRIFT IX AMERICA. 75 called ou to go through in a lifetime. When we got up to the house we were glad to find that the " Missis " was up and had made a big pot of hot cofPee for us. I was more thankful for a cup of that coffee than I should have been for a cupful of twenty dollar gold pieces. We received a day's pay for this job, that being the rule when men are called out at night, even if the job does not last more than half an hour. And in my opinion that four hours' work was worth a month's pay or as much more as a rich man would give to be let off taking his share in it. As a general rule there was much sameness about this section work. It was pick and shovel and tamping bar day in and day out. It was only the conditions of frost and snow under which it often • had to be done that made it a little less monotonous if more painful. One day, when we had decided that the weather was altogether too bad to go out to work, as the thermometer was down 15° below zero and a piercing north-easterly wind blowing, carrying the frozen snow along in clouds, we were sitting round the stove,which we had been carefully nursing till we had it red hot all over and half-way up the pipe ; and as we u ere congratulating ourselves on the warmth, a west-bound coal train pulled up opposite the section house and set his whistle going for all he was worth. Of course we had to go and see what it was the trainmen wanted. 'O ADRIFT IX AMERICA. The conductor met the hoss, as he was going- down to the track, and tokl him that about half- way between our place and Emporia yards they had run over a cow. How the perverse bea^t happened to be on the track beat us all to find out, as cattle at this time of the year are in barns or under shelters that are built especially for the purpose. She had thrown a car oft' in the middle of the train. The rest of the train had kept the track all right, and towing this one car along for a distance of about a quarter of a mile, had raked all the spikes out of the sleepers (or ties, as they are called in the States), and broken the heads off the fish-plate bolts for the whole of that distance. This damage meant a stoppage in all trafiic till it was repaired. We all had to muffle up and start out at once. I do not think that any of the men who were with me will ever forget that day. Although we of course wore the most serviceable mittens that could be got, the frozen iron and steel that we had to be continually handling occasioned me, at least, the most exquisite pain. I felt as if my hands had been severely burnt and then my finger ends been jambed in a door. There was no such thing as shirking at this job, for we were all too anxious to get it over. However, work as hard as we would, it took us nearly all day. This job was really worse than putting in the broken rail, as it lasted much longer and the weather was much colder. The only advantage ADIUFT IN AMERICA. 77 we had was the daj light. When we returned to the section house after finishing, we made the discovery that two of the gang had got their feet frozen. This was a serious matter and had to be attended to at once ; the regulation specific was applied in both cases, i.e., rubbing with snow. One of these men was an Irishman, and to do him justice he stood the pain of recovery like a brick, but the other one, who was an Alabama man, roared like a bull and nearly brought the rafters down. I was not surprised at it, as, although I was not actually frozen, the pain I experienced when I began to get warm was such as to make it a very difficult matter for me not to follow his example and yell. However, I contented myself with indulging in a considerable amount of profanity in chorus with the gang, chiefly directed against the luckless cow who had been the unconscious cause of all the trouble. This day's work was about the worst I had while I was on this section. After this the weather seemed to moderate ; there was not so much hard frost for the rest of the winter, and work was much less uncomfortable than it had been. There was one man in the gang, by name Iliram Eamp, quite a young fellow, but about six feet tall, and broad in proportion. What we should have done without him I reallv do not know, as he was 78 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. tlie life of tlie wliole gang. But on one occasion lie came very near being the death of iis all by way of a change. It occiirred thus. — We were working one day at the top of Haiighton grade or incline, which was about two and a half or three miles long, and terminated in a sharp curve where a small trestle bridge crosses Plum Creek. It was evening, and our work being done for that day, we put the hand car on the line, and loading our tools on. we started for home, the boss standing by the brake to prevent the car from gaining too much way. Now it must surely have been the very devil of mischief who put it into Mr. Hiram's head to pick up the oil can and pour a stream of oil on the brake-wheel. No one saw him do it, but the effect beca'.ne at once apparent by the increased velocity with wliich the car shot down the grade, and the inability of the boss to use the brake effectively. Things now looked grave, for if we reached the bottom of the grade going at the rate we should have attained when we got there, it was patent to every one of us that the car must leave the track, which meant that we should all be flung into the dry bed of Plum Creek and dashed to pieces. However, this was not to be, for when we were about three-quarters of the way down, going, I should say, at least 35 or 40 miles an hour, we passed a " low joint" or a "high centre," which- ever the inequality in the track might be ; the ADRIFT IX AMERICA. 79 car left the track witt a bound, and shooting us up in the air, amongst a shower of crowbars, pickaxes, shovels, and other tools, landed us all in the ditch, which fortunately was full of snow, for that was the only thing that saved us. Strange to say, no one was seriously hurt ; there were plenty of bruises and scratches, but nothing of a serious nature. The car was lying bottom up, and was most completely wrecked ; if anyone had happened to fall under it he must have been smashed to pieces. Oj. examining the remains of the car the boss found out what was up, and, knowing Hiram's weakness for larking, he taxed him with it. Hs owned it at once, and said he did it for a lark. " And one," said the boss, " which has nearly cost us all our lives. I'll give you your time when we get to the house, and you can go and lark somewhere else." He did s^et the sack, but was taken on asiain shortly afterwards ; but I think he got too much of a scare to try that trick again. At any rate, he was not likely to play it on me, for spring was now pretty near, and I began to think of going on towards New Mexico. After I had been at work at this Haughton section for a short time, I had sent down to Santa Fe, and had my baggage returned to me, and I now had more on band than it was convenient to carry ; so, not caring to be bothered, I turned as much as I could into money. ^'^' ADRIFT IN AMERICA. I also swapped my rifle to a farmer tliat lived near, getting a Smith and "Wesson revolver and $5 in cash for it. They only pay every month on the sections, and for the time men have put in since the last pay day they have to take what is called a time check, which is only negotiable at the head- quarters of the road ; or if it is too much trouble to go up to head -quarters, the man who is leaving will aell it to the boss for what he will give, which is generally about half what it is worth. As I thought it would now be good weather down south, I determined to start off at once. I took a time check, as I was going up to Topeka anyway. Having to pay board, and losing so much time on account of bad weather, my money did not foot up a great amount. I think $12 was about all I could muster, including what I had on my time check. This was certainly not a great deal to take after about 4r| months of the kind of work I had been at on this section. But it had to do. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER Y. Off Breaks ! I NOW had ail my possessions about me, and they consisted of little else than the clothes I itood upright in. I tramped from the section house into Emporia, where I managed to jump a freight the same night and got right up to Topeka without any trouble. On arriving at Topeka I went to the office and cashed my check, which was for four dollars. I then put up at the house I had been staying at before and began to make inquiries as to the best means of obtaining a " labour pass " down to some part of New Mexico. There happened to be a man staying at the same house, who also wanted to go down there, and as he was a native of the country and knew all the wrinkles, I was very fortunate to fall in with him. I[e introduced me to a man named Jerome Bricker, who was getting a gang of men together to go down to a place called San Marcial in New Mexico. The work was to be fencing the railroad, and the pay $1 60 c. a day, |3 a week to be paid for boarL p, 1G40. F 82 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. He engaged me at once, but as it would be a week before he was ready to start I had all that time on my hands. I at once went down to the boarding-house and paid a week's board which cost ms $5 out of my little stock. I then bought a blanket, after paying for which I was very nearly " busted " again ; but having my immediate wants supplied and having secured a job that would lasrt all the summer if I wanted to stay, I cared little about my financial position being rather a bad one. Having nothing to do but loaf round, I spent all my time wandering about the town and saw at times some peculiarly American sights. It being the spring of the year and the frosts having broken up, Topeka was one vast mud-hole. The town authorities had a kind of a machine like a snow plough on a small scale, but having certain modifications to suit it to the different kind of work it had to perform. With this they were ploughing the mud off" the street car track. There were at least 16 mules hitched to this arrangement and they often got stuck and could not budge a foot. This was in the main street of the town ; Kansas Avenue I believe was the name of it. Some of the smaller streets were mere rivers of liquid mud. During my stay here I witnessed a sight no doubt common enough to the natives, but I had never seen anything like it before. This was what is called an " ice o^orge." The Caw or " Kansas ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 83 River," as it is sometimes called, was in flood, and whirling down in its turbid stream vast quantities of ice together with all sorts of debris known in this country by the name of " flood traah." Some of the sheets of ice were apparently as much as S3veral hundred superficial feet in extent, and from three to four feet in thickness. These huge blocks and slabs of ice were crushing and grinding one over the other, and sometimes shooting up vertically to a height of 15 or 20 feet above the level of the rest and then falling over with a dull crushing sound that gave one a better idea than anything else could of their immense weight. The " gorge " or " jamb " was occasioned by some of these large pieces of ice getting piled in such a manner across the river as to form a sort of barrier or dam which backed the water up to a height of several feet, even above its flood level ; but of course the weight of the backed up water was such that nothing could resist it long. Accord- ingly in about two hours, during which time an immense quantity of ice had accumulated, the "gorge" broke, and the crushing and grinding of the ice as one block leaped over the other and fell with fearful force on the rest, together with the rushing and roaring of the liberated torrent, made a sight which has to be seen to be properly appreciated. Of course the whole volume oP the river was not stopped or the jamb could not have stood it five minutes. r2 84 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. I saw nothing more of great interest while I was here, and to fill up time was hard put to it loafing and holding the sidewalk down as they say there. But in due course the day came round when we were to make a start for New Mexico and our work. It was night when our crowd left Topeka from the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroad depot ; and for this I was not very sorry, as the whole State of Kansas is pretty flat and uninteresting. That night we got over a good deal of ground although the travelling was pretty slow, for the train has to climb all the way from Topeka to the mountains. Though Kansas is flat it is not horizontal, but one long ascent from east to west. Towards the middle of the next day, when a bend in the track enabled us to look west, we could just see far to the north and south the blue line of the Eocky Mountains. At times the condition of the atmo- sphere would blear them out altogether, and at others they were as sharply defined as the teeth of a saw, sometimes of a pale misty blue and again of a deep purple which changed to a sombre grey that looked almost black. They continually varied in colour, but after hours of travel they still appeared the same distance ofi" until nightfall hid them from view. The next morning we were in the " foot hills " climbing up steep grades with a slowness Avhich would have been monotonous and irritating but for the beauty of the scenery. We wound along the ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 85 sides of precipitous mountains and crossed great gulclies on what appeared most slight and airy structures, but which wore I suppose quite service- able trestle bridges. Then we passed through deep cuttings with here and there gaps through which could be seen the mountains rising peak beyond peak and terrace beyond terrace. Sometimes these peaks seemed to fade slowly into the deep blue of the sky, and then they again appeared to once more bury themselves in a low hanging cloud. This was blown aside after awhile to give us a glimpse of some snovr-covered heights that looked like phantoms and made me rub my eyes to see if I had not made a mistake in thinking they were mountains at all. It was in the afternoon of this day that we passed through the Eaton pass and tunnel. The grades here are so heavy that special locomotives are kept on this division to get the trains over the pass. On leaving Trinidad, which is the last division terminus before getting to the Raton mountains, they put a second large engine on behind the train, and with this additional help it crawls up the pass at about a good walking pace. In fact there Avere some horses on the track, and they would pay no attention to the whistle, so the brakesman and conductor got off, and running ahead of the train pelted them out of the way, and then got on again. Going through the cutting which brings down the approach to the tunnel, there are large veins of coal in places two 86 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. or three feet thick, to be seen running through the red earth across which the cutting is made. Aft^r leavino- the Raton Pass we crossed the Glorietta mountains and descended into the Rio Grande bottom, as it is called here, but is better described as the valley of the Rio Grande, which bisects the territory of New Mexico from north to south. It is a broad fertile valley all under cultivation, with a system of irrigation, the water for which is supplied from the Rio Grande, and carried all over the plain by innumerable irrigating ditches or xeqiiias. This ;system of ditches or xequias is kept in order by the agricultural part of the population, who turn out at certain times of the year and, under the guidance of bosses selected for their knowledge and experience of the work, make at hat repairs or alterations are necessary. The population consists chiefly of Mexicans and Pueblo Indians, and mixtures of the two. These Pueblo Indians, very harmless and industrious, are nearly related to the Zuni, or, as most people call them about here, the Montezuma Indians. The Pueblos, or small walled towns that are scattered over this valley, are extremely picturesque, and every one of them that I saw had a small church built of adobes or bricks baked in the sun. These bricks, of which all the native houses are built in this part of the country, although they are spelt " adobes," I always heard them spoken of as •' dobies." ADRIFT IX AMERICA. 87 On tbe evening of tlie day we passed the Eaton mountains we arrived at San Marcial, and as tlie boarding cars had to be fitted up, the cooking appliances put in order, &c., we were sent to an hotel, or what they chose to call one, till these arrangements were completed, which was not till the evening of the following day. I was surprised and not very pleased to find out that the small-pox was making fearful havoc with the country. Whole villages were depopulated in some parts of the surrounding district. The second day after our arrival the railroad doctor came round and vaccinated the whole gang, all but two men, who, refusing to submit to the operation, were at once discharged. All houses that had an inmate sick with the small-pox were draped with strips of yellow and black calico : I do not know whether they were obliged to do it, or whether it was merely a custom of the country. At San Marcial there were very few houses that were not decorated in this manner. But, small-pox or not, we had to get to work, and as there was plenty of material on the spot all ready for us we made a start at once. The job at which I was put first was digging post holes, and as the ground was pretty hard in places, I found it rather a tough job ; but in a day or two I got used to the work, and as the weather was then mild without being hot, I could do quite as mucli as was expected of me. But soon the heat began 88 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. to get greater and greater every day, until I was as mucli too hot as I had been too cold up in Kansas. However, I could put up with that, and would have been able to enjoy myself very Avell if it had not been for the dust and sand storms which were now beginning to be very bad indeed. Although we started work at San Maroial, we only did a little bit there, and then shifted to a place further north called Bernalillo, which was our head-quarters for some time. The first Sunday we were here, I, in company with some others of the gang, made a trip up Sandia or the Melon mountain. Though the sun was scorching in the valley, after about two hours' climbing we began to come to snow and ice in the crevices of the rocks, which had not melted since the winter before, and at last it began to get so cold that I concluded I had gone far enough. As we were going back we struck the railroad track some two miles south of where we were working. Walking along the track we overtook an old Indian (a very fine-looking man he was, too), who informed us in broken English that he was a chief, and that his name was Sandia, the same as the mountain we had just come from. He carried a fine silver-headed Malacca cane on which was engraved " Presented to Sandia by President Lincoln," also a date which I forget. The old fellow seemed immensely proud of it, and carried it stuck through his belt as a Japanese wears a sword. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 89 I shall always remember the time I spent here, as I got an attack of ophthalmia that nearly drove me mad. I have suffered pain in various ways, but nothing I ever experienced drove me so nearly mad as this. The agony was terrible ; for nights and days I never slept, but lay on my back with wet tea leaves bandaged on my eyes. This was the only thing that gave me any relief. I was attended by a doctor from Bernalillo, and one day when I was at the worst I told him that if he could not do something to relieve the pain 1 would blow my brains out, and I meant it too. The cook heard what I said, and was so convinced I was in earnest that she came in and took my revolver away from the head of my bunk. However, that afternoon the doctor can^e back and injected either morphia or cocaine into one of my arms, which operation he repeated several times during the next two or three days. This gave me some rest, and from this time I began to get better, but it was more than two weeks before I conld go to work again, and then I had to wear blue glasses. For a long time my eyes were very weak, and I saw everything double. Our work here was enlivened by frequent rows with the Mexicans through whosa land the railroad passed. These people declared that the railroad company had no right to fence in their land without giving them some compensation ; and I think they had a real grievance, for a piece of land twenty yards wide, and sometimes as much as 90 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. half a mile long, was a considerable slice off a small farm. However, of course we could not help the action of the company, but it was sometimes very hard to make these ignorant peasants understand this. I did not mind the men so much, although some of them were very truculent-looking savages, who, if appearances were anything to judge by, wore fit for anything desperate. These jokers, when thoy saw that they had irritated us to the verge of retaliation, would clear out and leave us alone. But the women were not to be got rid of so easily. There was one place on the job that did not get fenced for a long time just on account of three women— a mother and two daughters. These were the greatest viragoes I ever saw. The first attempt we made to get the fence up they turned out and ordered us ofi*, and as we did not go they pelted us with stones, and as quick as a peg was driven in to mark the position of a post hole one of them would run up and pull it out. One day they were away to town or somewhere, so we got all the post holes sunk ; but next morning, when wc came on the scene, we found that they had filled them all up again during the night. The boss then turned all the gang on to the job and finished it in one day, and got the wire stretched ; after this they left it alone. Passing down this way some five or six months after I noticed that they had demolished the whole ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 91 business, not leaving a single post standing on their land. I was now getting very tired of tliis work, wliich became monotonous after the Mexicans came to the conclusion that they had better leave us alone. So being offered a job to go out to the Moore and Casey Rancli on the Rio d'Acoma, I gave Briclcer notice and left ; but when I had left it appeared that the man who had hired me had no authority from Messrs. Moore and Casey to do anything of the kind, as they had all the help they wanted. So I was once more adrift with next to nothing in my pocket, and this time in a wilder country than ever. However, there was no help for it. I have no doubt that Bricker would have taken me back ao-ain if I had asked him, but I would not. We were then at a place called Albuquerque, which is the largest town in the State of New Mexico. It is made up of the old and new towns, the latter of which is the American quarter, consisting of some stores, hotels, &c., near the railroad depot, while the former part is built of adobe, and is inhabited by Mexicans and half-bred Indians. That the town is pretty advanced as far as modern civilisa- tion goes out in the West is evident from the fact that they were introducing the telephone into it. I was fortunate to get a job at this work, and being a sailor the climbing up the posts to fix the wires came very easy to me. I gave such satisfaction to the boss that he said, when I left after about ten 92 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. days, " If you are ever round this way again and want a job, come to me, for you have picked up the working of this thing a deal quicker than any man I ever had." However, I did not think it likely I should ever trouble him for employment again. The town was as dull as the work, and climbing posts with climbing irons on my feet all day long, and with the bight of a wire in one's hands, was not particularly attractive to me. Besides, I was terribly restless, and never content unless I was going somewhere or other. Men were always talking together, saying this or the other is a good place to go to ; and now most spoke of Colorado. So there I at last determined to go. When I had settled my board bill and bought a new pair of boots I had just 50 cents left, and with this small sum I struck out for the mountains. Jumping an east bound freight at Albuquerque, I managed to hold it down or keep on it till I got to a place called Alameda, where I was spotted by an avaricious " breaky," and because I would not " put up " was put off. Knowing that there wouhi not be another train through that night, and not wishing to be left there till the next day, I got off, walked away, and coming back on the other side of the train, I sneaked on to the cow-catcher, where, under the glare of the head lights, I was secure from observation. In this manner I got up to Wallace, which was as far as I wanted to go on ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 93 this line. Althoiigli I was down enough on brakes- men this journey, and hated some of them badly enough to commit manslaughter, yet I own to thinking all the money they could rake up would not compensate them properly for their work ; for the occupation of a brakesman on a freight train is about one of the hardest, and certainly most dangerous, jobs which I know. I have heard people talking of the danger of a seafaring life and other occupations in connexion with the sea. But no business I ever saw is, to my way of thinking, so hazardous as that of a brakesman. It is no doubt made a great deal worse than it need be by the carelessness, not only of the brakesmen themselves, but of engine drivers and switchmen, and others who work with them ; but whoever it is that makes the blunder, the poor devil of a brakesman is in the place of danger, and as a general thing gets the benefit of it. The fact that no insurance company will insure a brakesman's life speaks volumes for the dangerous nature of the calling. When I was at Emporia, in Kansas, there was a young brakesman had his right arm cut ofi" just above the elbow by the carelessness or ignorance of the man who was driving the yard engine. The brakesman was standing by to couple the cars that the yard engine was backing down on to the rest of the train ; the driver sent them down with such force as to telescope the two cars, the brakesman saw what was going to happen and made a jump out, but though 9^ ADRIFT IN AMERICA. lie escaped with Lis life, lie lost liis arm. I heard that the company gave him something, but what it was I do not know — little enough for the loss of an arm, no doubt, whatever it was. Though dangerous enough in itself a brakesman's job is rendered doubly bad by circumstances of weather. For instance, on a bitterly cold night in winter with a thermometer down to 15 or 20 degrees below zero and a gale of Avind blowing, thei train comes to a steep grade, the engineer whistles for brakes. The brakesman then has to go out and walk perhaps half the length of a long train on a board about 18 inches w^ide, which is covered with snow and ice, and so slippery as to make it a most difficult thing for him to keep his feet. Add to this that the train is in most cases oscillating and jumping about on a rough track; and it will be at once apparent that the man is in a most perilous position, for a fall in siich a case means certain death by being cut to pieces under the train. All the brake handles are of iron, and it is in frosty weather agony to touch them even with heavy gloves on. Frequently the brakesmen are mere boys of 16 or 17 and upwards who have run away from home, this profession standing in the States in much the same position as the sea does in England as employment for runaways. Many of them are frost-bitten every winter, and it is almost impossible to pick up a paper without reading of one or more cases of frightful accidents to some of the poor ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 95 fellows. The danger of the calling seems to have a sort of charm for the youngsters, for there is never any lack of men to fill any job of the kind that becomes vacant, even if the remains of the man that last occupied it have just been gathered up in a wheelbarrow. 96 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER VI. An Up Grade. "Wallace was a division terminus, with a round house and machine shops. However, there was nothing of a town there, and I had to expend my last half dollar to get something to eat, for that was the regulation price of a meal, and there was no store to buy anything at at a cheaper rate. There was an old trail crossing the mountains from this place to Santa Fe, and as that city lay in my way I determined to go there. The road was bad, as it had not been used a great deal since the railroad was opened, nor indeed, as far as I could judge, had it ever been, as it was for most of the way merely a bridle path. The track, such as it was, disappeared entirely in places, but there was no danger of missing the way, as there was only the one pass through the mountains, and it was impossible to mistake it. What the distance really was I do not know, as everybody I ever asked about it either did not know or stated it variously. The weather was fine, and the mountain air cool and bracing ; so I might have enjoyed my tramp fairly well if it had not been for the new ADRIFT IN AMEIUCA. 97 boots I had bought in Albuquerque, which now began to hurt my feet dreadfully. The path was broken, and strewn with sharp fragments of rock, which made it quite impossible to walk without boots, or I would have taken them off. After travelling I should think four or five miles, the road suddenly topped a ridge, and then dipped down through a rugged gully into a small sandy plain nearly circular in form, and walled all round by precipitous hills. It was, by a rough guess, about a mile across. I was a bit in doubt as to which way to take, but seeing a gully nearly on the opposite side I concluded that must be the way, and accordingly steered for it. The sand being perfectly smooth and hard here, I pulled my boots offj and so walked a little easier, but not much, for the boots had done their work well, and my feet were already skinned in several places. As I approached the gully I just mentioned, I could see a large stream of water coming down it, foaming in miniature cascades over the rocks and boulders in its course. This rather surprised me, as from the brow of the ridge I had just left I could see all over the valley, but I did not notice a stream of any kind in any part of it. The mystery was explained, however, when I got a bit further along ; for although there was a considerable volume of water in the stream, it no sooner left its rocky bed and struck the sandy plain than it disappeared entirely, leaving only a damp smudge on the sand p. 1640. (x 98 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. about 100 yards across, reminding mc, in a small way, of what I had heard of the Sink of the Humboldt River. As the rocky road commenced again at this point 1 washed my feet and put on my boots. They now hurt me a great deal more than before, and every step I took was painful ; but there was nothing for it Ijut to push on, as the nearest inhabited place was Santa Fe, or to go back again to Wallace. Going back was never much in iny line. So, groaning and cursing my fate, I stumbled and hobbled along all the rest of the day, until late in the evening, after the sun was down, I came out on a part of the road where I could see the city of Santa Fe some two or three miles distant. The sight was a very welcome one to me, for although I had no money, and not the remotest idea of where I was going to earn any, still it was comforting to be near some human beings. It is true I still had my revolver, on which I could have raised some money, but that would only be as a last resource. I was utterly fagged out, not by the walk, which of itself would have been nothing, but by the pain of my feet, which were quite raw and bleeding in several places, and hatl been so for hours ; and, besides, 1 was weak with hunger, having eaten nothing all day. Not caring to go any further that night I selected a spot as sheltered as I could find, and, wrapping myself in my blanket, 1 lay down on the ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 99 ground, and in spite of hunger and pain I soon went to sleep. I had been asleep some time when I was awakened by the howling of the coyotes. Several of these sneaking beasts were prowling roundj some of them being nearly within arm's length of nio when I awoke, but when I started up and shouted at them they scampered off. It was a beautifully clear night, without a breath of wind stirring, and a full moon high in the heavens made it almost as light as day. The dark shadows cast by the cactus bushes and clumps of pinon, amongst which every once in a while could be seen a sneaking coyote trailing his long bushy tail in the sand, gave the landscape quite an eerie appear- ance. Having driven these unwelcome intruders away I rested undisturbed till the sun awakened me in the morning. I now had to make a start for the city. Getting up, I put on my boots, but the pain was most unbearable. During the night the wounds had partially healed, but bringing them again into contact with the hard leather of my boots rubbed off the partially -formed new skin, and occasioned me the most exquisite agony. After two or three attempts and some excusable profanity, I at last started. After going some little distance, I came to a coral, where some Mexican teamsters were feeding their bullocks with cactus boughs, from which they were burning the prickles on a large fire they had there for the purpose. The cattle 100 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. were evidently quite used to this rougli kind of fodder, and ate it eagerly ; wlietlier they ever got anything else I could not say, but they appealed to be strong and well-fed beasts. It was about eight o'clock in the morning when I arrived in Santa Fe, and as I had had nothing to ent since the previous morning, the first thing that struck me was to look for some breakfast. With this idea in my mind, I entered the town, and began to look about to see if there was anything in the shape of work going on, but could see nothing ; in fact, the place seemed to be asleep. Two-thirds of the population, as far as I could judge, consisted of Mexicans, and the only industry that appeared to be going ahead was carrying loads of firewood packed on the back of a small kind of ass, called here " burro." The streets were crowded with these animals, whose load in some cases was nearly as big as the beast which was carrying it. I" was told that in the mountains where the wood is cut, that the " burros " are made to lie down, their load being then placed on their back. One man then takes hold by their nose, and another the tail, and they are hoisted on to their feet. If on any occasion they happen to fall, the same operation has to be repeated. They are, no doubt, hardy animals, and carry a very large load for their size. Seeing no chance of getting any work of an ordinary kind, I went up to a house where I saw ADRIFT IX AMERICA. 1^1 a large stack of uncliopped firewood, and knocking at tlie door, I asked to be allowed to chop some for my breakfast. The boss said, " Well, I keep a man on monthly wages to do that kind of work, but you may go ahead and chop some, and I will give you something to eat." I accordingly took the axe and went to work. I had not been at it more than 10 minutes or so, when the boss went out. As soon as he was away a fine strapping young negress came out of the house, and looking at me, she exclaimed, " Lord sakes ! the poor boy looks as if he was dying. Put that axe right down, and come in and have something to eat." It may be imagined that I was not slow to do as she bade me. She filled me a large basin of water, and giving me a towel, told me to wash my face and hands. I think this wash did quite as much to restore me as the good breakfast which I afterwards got. While I was discussing this meal a very pretty and lady-like woman came into the kitchen (she was the boss's wife), and put me through a series of questions as to my nationality, my paternity, religion, and business out in that part of the world, winding up her interrogations by asking me if I was not very glad to have got away from the power of Queen V^ictoria. She seemed to be incredulous when I informed her that our Queen was not the merciless and powerful tyrant she seemed to suppose, and that, Avith some exceptions, the English people did not at all dislike her. 1^2 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. After finishing my l)reakfast I returned to my job at the wood pile, at which I continued till the boss came home to dinner. He then told me to knock off, and he would take me down to his store in the city, where he had a pile of wood he wished chopped up. After dinner, which I had at this house, I went with my new employer down to his store, where I worked for the rest of the day. After finishing at night, he gave me my supper and a dollar for the work I had done, and showing me a boarding-house, where, he said, T could get a bed for 50 cents, he told me to come to the store at seven o'clock next morning, and he would give me work for a day or two. He said I was not to buy any breakfast in the morning, as I could have some at the store. Being now possessed of a dollar, and having eaten three good meals in one day, I was pretty spry, in spite of my sore feet, which still gave me a good deal of pain. I did not like the idea of squandering half of my newly-acquired wealth on such a luxury as a bed, but not being able to find any suitable camping-place out of doors, I finally decided to invest a quarter in one. I selected a place, which certainly was a low-down looking shanty enough, but was the only place where I could stay for so small a sum as 25 cents. This house, I afterwards found out, was about the rowdiest shop in the town ; indeed I had proof enough of it that night, for I had not been turned ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 103 in long, when a man, wlio went by the name of Cheyenne Charlie, opened the ball by committing an assanlt on the proprietor of the honse, who rejoiced in the name of Pistol Johnny, which he had acquired by his proficiency in the use of that weapon, and his readiness to nso it on the least provocation. On the present occasion his wife prevented l)loodshed by concealing his revolvers ; if she had not done so, there would in all probability have been at least one funeral the next day. After Cheyenne Charley had been ejected from the premises, our friend Pistol Johnny turned himself loose on his wife (who, by the way, was the ngliest woman I ever saw) for hiding his weapons. After soothing his ruffled feelings by abusing her in the vilest terms the English language could supply for the occasion, he armed himself with a double-barrelled shot-gun, and sallied out in pursuit of his enemy ; but the city marshal having by this time heard of the row, he was arrested and locked up before he had got the length of a block. His wife went up to the city hall, or wherever it was that he was locked up, and, on his promising to behave himself, he was allowed out on bail. For this good office his poor wife received a hiding, after which she relieved the monotony of things by keeping up a lugubrious howl for the rest of the night, while her amiable husband drank himself into a state of imbecility, in which condition he went to sleep under the table. i04 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. When I went to the store in the mornmg, I was put to various odd jobs about the place, shiftiug packages and opening them, and stowing away the various contents in their several places and pigeon holes. At this kind of work I was kept for the remainder of the time I was here, which was altogether five days. On the evening of the fifth day the boss called me and said he would not require me any more as he had no further work for me to do. Not having spent anything but a quarter a night for my bed at Pistol Johnny's, I had three dollars and seventy-five cents saved, and felt quite a small capitalist on the strength of it. As I wished to get into Colorado, my road lay north. So striking the trail next morning I started for Espanola, which was the first town, or rather village, for it was nothing more, that lay in my road. Knowing that I should not be able to make the whole distance, which was 26 miles, in one day, I laid out half a dollar in some cheese and bread. I may as well explain here that the distance between Santa F6 and Espanola is not covered by a railway line because there is some clause in the charter of either the Denver and Rio Grande, or the Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe railroads, which forbids the junction of those two roads for a period of years ; it may be joined now but was not at the time I am writing about. I made about half the distance (13 miles) on this day, determining not to overdo the thing, as my ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 105 feet were not yet quite well, after the skinning tliey had got coming over the trail from AYallace. I camped that night in a dry gully, and the coyotes howled dismally, and kept me awake for some time, as they had done in the Santa Fe trail. I was up as soon as the sun in the morning, and after a feed of bread and cheese and a drink of water, some of which I found in a crevice of the rocks, I started again, and this day completed my journey early in the afternoon. When [ arrived at Espanola I made inquiries about trains, though not with any intention of paying my fare, as that was not possible, and found that there were only two a week running on this linCj which is a branch of the Denver and Rio Grande, and joins the main line at a place called Anginita. The distance from Espa- nola to this place is 92 miles, the first 50 to the north being all up hill and very fatiguing. I walked the whole distance, and it took me just five days. I renewed my stock of provender at a place called Tres Piedres, where there is a way station, and the depot agent keeps a small store. I had made inquiries in Espanola as to the water, and was told that it was scarce and at long intervals, so I supplied myself with an old canteen which I bought from a Mexican shepherd for 15 cents. I found it a most useful possession ; in fact I should have been in a hard corner without it, as for the last two days' journey there was absolutely no water to be found along my road. Though I tried for work at every section ion ADRIFT IX AMERICA. house, I conld obtain none ; but I heard most encouraging accounts of work in saw mills and at the mines further north. Wlien I arrived in Anginita, I was at an altitude of about 7,000 feet above sea level ; the weather was very cold at nights, for it was earlj^ summer as yet, and the summers arc always behind in the mountains. There were several sharp frosts, although the month was June. This being the case, I was anxious to obtain some employment, so that I should have some place to stay in, for it was too cold to sleep out with any degree of comfort. The section boss at Anginita told me that men were wanted out at a place called Del Norte, some few miles west of here, so seeing nothing going on in the country that I could take a hand at, I went there, was hired at once, and again became a section hand. The wages here were a dollar and a half a day ; we had to pay four dollars fifty cents for board. I worked at this place for the next two months and a half. Nothing of any interest happened here, but a short distance away, near a place called G-arland, there was a murder. That would have been nothing of itself, as murders are quite common in Colorado ; but this particular case was of particular interest owing to the fact that the victim, a Mexican farmer, was much liked by all who knew him. It appeared that his wife had seen some man whom she liked better than she did her husband. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 107 and tlio two of tlicm made up tlieir minds to re- move him. Accordingly one day, when he was liitching lip his team, tliis strange man shot him with a Colt's revolver, inflicting two Avounds, one through each lung. However, though mortally wounded, he had strength enough left to draw his weapon and inflict a wound on his assailant that necessited the amputation of his right forearm. The farmer lived, I believe, for 48 hours ; how- ever he lived long enough to make it only murder in the second degree, for which reason they did not hang the murderer, but only gave him six years in the penitentiary at Oaiion City. This penitentiary is said to be the most severe in the United States, and a man here told me that to get a term of six or seven years at it was in reality worse than being hanged, as no ordinary man could possibly survive it. " For," said he, "if a man has the constitution of a steer, or of a grizzly bear, the kind of work they put him to there at all seasons of the year will break it down in a very short time." This being the case, perhaps the punishment was severe enough for the crime. And to tell the truth, so far as I have heard, the penitentiaries, or some of them, in the United States are harder than any in the world. I have often spoken to tramps who had been in the houses of correction, and they were horribly afraid of getting there again. Often they will go round a circuit of many miles to escape even the slightest chance of getting put on the 108 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. " rock-pile " as they call it. Policemen, too, in America are very severe and even brutal in the wny they treat men ; and some of the laws in this free country are such as would make Enoflishmen think of a new revolution. 1 found this out afterwards for myself. The woman who was in this case came in for a sentence of two years' imprisonment on account of her share in this transaction. While I was at this place I took it into my head to go down to Denver, and I stayed there for a day or two. It is a fine city with tramcars, theatres, electric lights, and so on, and is situated in a great basin of the mountains. My object in going- there was to see if there was any probability of obtaining any work of a less rough or more lucra- tive nature than that at which I was engagetl, but seeing no likelihood of getting any I returned to my job on the section, where I stayed for another month. About this time I became acquainted with a man who went by the name of Bunk Redman, a Missourian, and he suggested that I and he should go out on the Silverton branch to a place called Durango, where he had been before and where, according to his account, there was plenty of work and good wages. Not liking my present occupation, and being ready by this time for a change, I agreed to go. I sold my time for a dollar less than it was worth to one of the men in the gang and we started out. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 109 On this journey I saw the celebrated Toltec gorge ; I will not attempt to describe it for I could not, it is a thing that must be seen to be under- stood. This much I will say, and that is, that far as I have travelled — and I have travelled a great deal even for this age of quick transit — I never saw it surpassed for rugged grandeur. Arriving at Durango we did not find things quite as glorious as we had anticipated. There certainly was work, but the wages were not very high. Bunk soon procured a job to drive a six-mule team for which he got sixtv dollars a month, but I had to look further, not being up to taking that kind of work. After doing nothing for two days, I at last decided to go to work at the coke ovens : here we worked in eight hour shifts and got $2. 50 c. a shift. Every one on this job boarded where he liked best, there being no boarding establishment attached to the place. I worked here for about two weeks and then left, owing to a dispute I had one clay with the boss. I obtained work the same day in a planing mill at the same wages. I continued at this job most of the rest of the time I remained in Durang'o. During this time some of my chums in Durango organised a hunting expedition, as there was not much to do in town and most of us had been working all the summer and had a few dollars by us. I was invited to join in and go out with them for a few days, of course bearing my share of the expenses and sharing in the profits if there were 110 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. any. A couple of pack-mules were hired to carry our baggage and provisions. I was totally unac- quainted witli the country about here, and was in consequence entirely in the hands of the others of the party, who all knew something about it. There were three besides myself, all young men, and we made a rather jolly party, as the expedition was as much one of pleasure as business, and wo travelled by easy stages, always selecting as comfortable camping places as could be found. On the afternoon of the third day we were camped on the sloping side of a mountain in such a position as to have a clear view down a wide valley which was tolerably clear of scrub. All at once one of the boys, by name Hoskins, said there were some deer in the valley below us. I looked in the direction pointed out, and saw some animals, but could not be certain that they were deer, as the distance was at least 1,000 yards, and they were standing amongst some light scrub. I told Hoskins I was by no means sure that tbey were deer. He only laughed at me, and said that as I had not been in the mountains any time, it was not to be expected I could know anything about the matter — the justice of which remark I was quite ready to acknowledge. " Any way, here goes for a shot at them !" said he, as he took his rifle, and got down comfortably in the back position as if he was at target practice, for he had been in the American army and had qualified as a sharpshooter. Bang ADRIFT IN AMERICA. HI went tlie first shot, but nothing stirred ; he adjusted his sights and fired again, when I saw one of them go down. The other two fellows were standing by and they now urged Hoskins on, saying " Shove in another cartridge, man ! don't move ! You have got the range now and you can get another." He let fly again, with the result that another one came down, but still no movement was perceptible amongst the rest of the herd. Hoskins now sat up with rather a grave look on his face, and said, " Look here, boys, there is something wrong in this, deer do not stand up in a bunch to be shot down that way, I think it would l)e as well to investigate this matter before going any further." Accordingly we all went down to see the game, and were not a little disgusted to find two burros (as they call the Mexican donkey) lying dead, and three more standing round and appearing to be in no way concerned in what was going on. Hoskins and Co. looked pretty foolish about this, but I refrained from saying, " I told you so," which under the circumstances was, I think, rather to my credit. We stayed out for about two weeks altogether, during which time I had my first shot at a big cinnamon bear, and if it had not been for the assistance I got from the otiiers I should in all likelihood have fallen a prey to the savage beast, for I was not up to the business and fired at him when he had the rising ground and a clear run right to where I stood. Tliis would not have mattered much if I had 112 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. given liim a bad wouiul first shot, but I had only cut the hide on his shoulder and hurt him just cnong'h to make him properly savage. I had no idea till now that a bear could travel so fast, but this one was all of 300 yards from me when I fired, and before I could say " knife '' ho was within about 50 yards, and coming sti'aight for me with his mouth open and eyes glaring with rage. I stood there quite stupefied, as the cartridge I had just fired had stuck in my rifle, and jerk as I would on the lever, I could not move it. This mishap would most certainly have cost me my life if it had not happened that Hoskins was in sight all the time, and had seen the thing from the start, and now, with one of the others, came to my assistance with a couple of well-directed shots from behind me, which laid Bruin out just in his hour of triumph. The accident to my rifle was a trifling one in ordinary circumstances, but with such a dano-erous customer as a wounded cinnamon bear to deal with, it would, without the timely assistance I got from my companions, have proved fatal to me. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 113 CHAPTER VII. From the Land of Snow. It was towardrf the middle of December tliat my partner, Bunk Redman, came in from the country wliere he had been working, haulir.g log>s to a sawmill with a six-mule team, but as the mill was now shut down on account of the severity of the weather he was out of a job. Some little time before this I had received a letter from my brother Morley, in which he informed me that he was coming out to Texas in a short time. As the mill I was working at was then about to shut down, I made up my mind to go down to Texas and see if I could locate myself somewhere so that I could write and let my brother know where ho would find me. Speaking one day to Bunk on this subject, he said, ''if we intend to get out of here this winter we want to make a start as soon as possible, or we shall likely enough be snowed in, as this branch of the road is often snowed up entirely for months at a time ; and although there is not much snow just here the mountain passes must be pretty bad even now." " If that is the case," said Ij " I am going by to night's train, for I have p. 1G40. H IH ADRIFT IX AMERICA. no particular wisli to stay lioro sucking my thumbs for three months." To this Bunk agreed at once, as he had made a pretty good stake, and v^anted to go east for the winter. The train left Durango just before midnight, and as there happened to bo no one but ourselves in the carriage we managed to make ourselves very comfortable, and slept till morning. There had been very little snow on the ground at Durango, but now everything was covered feet deep with it and we were making slow and laborious progress up the divide. There was a snow plough with two engines to it " bucking the snow " (as the expression goes here) in front of us, and we followed in her ■wake with another plough, of course on the engine that was drawing the train. There had been a o-ans; of 50 snow shovellers on the train when we left, or they had been picked up somewhere while I was asleep. These men wei'e employed cutting the snow drifts down at each side of the track to give the snow plough a chance to breali up the masses of it that were piled on the track, and throw it to either side. This gang was increased at every place we came to, for v/herever the train men could pick up a " bum " they did so and gave him a shovel, so that by the time we passed " Chama," which is nearly on the top of the Conejos divide (where we passed the west-bound train), we had in all three locomotives, two snow ploughs, and a gang of 75 snow shovellers to help us along ; and yet for ADRIFT IN AMERICA. Ho some liours it seemed to me, and indeed I think to everj^ono else, that it was doubtful if we should succeed in getting through. However, Ave did manage it, and when we began to descend the other side of the range, the snow, both that which was falling and that which had accumulated on the ground, decreased at every mile, till the track was once more comparatively clear. Henceforward, fair progress was made for the last part of the journey, which ended for me at Anglneta, where the Espanola branch joined the road. This was my way, for I was going down through New Mexico. Here I parted with Bunk Redman, and have never seen him since. I found to my disgust, on making inquiries, that one of the two weekly trains that ran on this branch had gone that afternoon, and there were three days to wait for the next. I at once made up my mind to walk (the distance, as I mentioned before, was 92 miles) ; but it being now late in the afternoon it was no use starting; that night. Going to the solitary boarding-house I asked what would be the charge for supper, bed, and breakfast, and was coolly informed that it would be 1^3. I argued and expostulated with the boss, but to no purpose ; he knew that he had me foul, as they say in fighting, and would nob come back a cent, so I was perforce obliged to pay it. At this piece of barefaced robbery, for it was nothing else, I was very mad, but could not help myself. Next H2 116 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. morning after breakfast, which consisted of rusty pork and black beans with some doughy bread and stinking butter and coffee like muddy water, I started out on my Avalk. There was no need to carry water as there was plenty of snow on the ground, but determining not to be victimised any more by a thief of a boarding-house keeper, I took no food with me, determining to get some at Tres Piedres if I could not manage to procure some at any of the section-houses on the road. I had to walk along the railroad track, as that was the only road as far as I knew, and in any case it would be the neai'est. There was just snow enough on the ground to make it very bad walking indeed ; the ties were covered so that I could not see properly which place to step on. The consequence of this was that I soon began to miss my footing and fall. This kind of thing went on all day, till late in the afternoon I came to the first section-house and asked to be allowed to stay there that night, ofiering to pay for what they gave me. But the only person who was in the house was a vinegary- looking woman, who told me that I could not stay ; she also resolutely refused to give or sell me the smallest scrap of food, and telling me there was another house nine miles further on, she banged the door in my face and I heard her .securing it on the inside. When a man has been travelling over a bad road all day with nothing to eat, it is rather ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 117 Lard lines lo be turned away from shelter and coolly told to go nine miles more, with the possible prospect of being treated the same way when he gets there. However, there was no help for it, so I made another start, cursing every thing on earth, but particularly the inhospitable beast of a woman who was the cause of my trouble. It was now getting dark, and to make things still more unpleasant, the snow began to fall in big soft flakes, and soon there was as heavy a snowstorm as I ever saw. I could not see my hand in front of my face, and the snow being soft, was as bad as rain. Not being able to see, I of course made very poor progress, and, many times missing my footing, I rolled right down the bank into the ditch, which was filled with slushy snow and in some places with water. The consequence of this was that I was soon wet through and bruised from head to foot from my falls amongst the rocks. Tired and aching in every limb, and wet through, I stumbled along, looking for anything in the shape of a light that should guide me to the house I was expecting to see. At last, when I was beginning to think I must have passed it, I saw a faint glimmer of light, and going up to it, I found that it was the other section-house. Now, remembering the reception I had received at the last place, I resolved I would either get what I wanted here or I would inaugurate a funeral either for myself or somebody else ; 1 did not care 118 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. inucli which. So unbuttoning my coat I pulled my six-shooter round handy orer my right hip and knocked at the door. But my warlike preparations were needless, as my reception here was a good as it had been bad at the other place. It was half-past eleven when I arrived, and it must have been about four o'clock when I was turned away from the last place, so it had taken me seven hours and a half to walk nine miles ; this alone should give some idea of the sort of a time I had been having. The man who opened the door to me was the section boss, and a very good fellow indeed he turned out to be. " Come in," said he, *' you look as if you had been having an interesting time; how far have you travelled to-day ? " He then threw some more wood in the stove, and telling me to take all my clothes off, he went out of the room, saying he would go and hunt me up some of his to put on till my own were dry. When he came back with the clothes he remarked that the old woman {i.e. his wife) was in bed, but he would get me something to eat, which he did. While I was eating what he gave me he went out and bringing in an armful of blankets told me to make up a bed by the stove and turn in when I was ready. In the morning I put on my own clothes again, which were now dry. After breakfast I pulled out my pocket-book and asked what I owed, but the boss would take nothing, saying that he was glad ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 119 to be able to do a man a good turn now and then. I told liim of the kind reception I haraornins:, being jogged about so in that wretched waggon. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 16.5 I Lad some supper and went to bed feeling very miserable indeed. The first thing I did next morning was to go to the store and cash the order for ten dollars which my brother had given me when I loft the ranch. I then went and saw the doctor, who told me I had an attack of dropsy, but before I left the place another doctor came in on some business, and after having a look at me he said that I was suffering from a mild form of blood poisoning caused by drinking bad wa,ter. The fact of the matter is I had very little faith in either of them, as I believe that the majority of these western doctors are just apothecaries' assis- tants who have come west with the view of bettering their own condition by killing their fellow men, and really know as much about medicine as a hog does of harmony. However, when the second doctor had gone away, the one I had gone to consult turned to me and said, "It is no use for you to stay in this part of the country, as you will never get well here ; neither I nor anyone else can cure you as long as you stay. The best thing you can do is to keep what money you may have in your pocket, and go east out of this as fast as you can travel. When you get where there is good water and fruit and vegetables to be had you will not need any medicine, you will get well without it." On the whole he was not a bad sort. Most of them would have kept me till I had no more money to give them. I went back to the 166 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. boarding-liouse and lay for a bit thinking of wliat the doctor had told me. I did not like to go as I wished to stay round where my brother was ; however, several people told me that they had known cases like my own which had been cured by leaving the country, tbe general opinion being that it was a sickness caused by the alkali water of Texas. Thinking that it would be best to take the doctor's advice and go east, I wrote a letter to my brother acquainting him with my intentions, and dropping it into the letter-box, I went and settled up at the boarding house, and, after bidding farewell to the Pikes, was then ready for the road. I made up my mind to get away that night if possible. I was wretchedly weak and short-winded, only being able to walk a few yards at a time, having then to sit down and rest. My legs were terribly swollen and ached most horribly. This was not very good shape in which to travel. However, it vas a case of " Root hog or die" and I had made up my mind to beat my way as far as Fort Worth, and then decide whether I should go north or south. I had brought a blanket from the ranch and should have liked to take it with me on my journey, but decided to leave it as I was scarcely able to carry myself, let alone any baggage. I went down to the depot after dark, and catching an east-bound freight, managed to get into an empty box car. The exertion of climbing in caused me the most excruciating agony. But I was so far lucky ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 1G7 that none of the train-men tronblecl me, so that I made the whole oP the journey to Fort Worth without getting out of the car. It was morning when 1 arrived, and not having slept all night, I was about done up. I bought some oranges that I saw, and with a bit of bread and a drink of water, made as good a breakfast as I cared about. Going out of town a little way I found a sheltered spot, so making myself as comfortable as I could, I lay down and went to sleep. It was nearly sundown when I awakeued. I felt better and rather hungry, so striking out for town I bought some more oranges and bread, had supper and started out to see what train would be through Fort Worth that night going my way. for by now I had made up my mind to go north. There was a mail going east some time during the night, and I would have taken my chances on that as far as Dallas if I had been well, but I did not feel up to riding on the top of a Pullman sleeper or underneath on the trucks, and that is about the only way that a passenger train can be held for any distance. I decided to take a freight for it. There were two or three going east and one north. I got put off two of the east-bound ones and at last got away on the one going north on the Missouri Pacific. They sw.tched out the car that I was in at a place called Denton, about half-way to Denison. There were not m-any trains running on this line, 1C8 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. and as most of them passed in the daytime, it was rather a difficult matter to get away. I stayed here two days, and as there was quite a lot of wild raspberries about it did not cost me a great deal for food. On the morning of the third day I was very much better, the swelling and pain had nearly gone out of my legs, but I was still as weak as a rat, and had scarcely any wind at all. About noon this day a train stopped at the depot, and for the sum of a dollar the hind brakesman stowed me away in the tool box under the caboose, as they call the brake van. In this manner I arrived in Denison, having now only one dollar and fifty cents in my possession. Being sick and not fit for hard work, I was now worse off than I had ever been before. I made up my mind not to spend any of my money for lodging, but to save it all for food. This resolve made it necessary for me to hunt up a roost of some kind, for, though the weather was mild, it was often showery, and I needed some kind of shelter. After looking round for some time I found a deserted dug-out, not far from town, and in this place I used to sleep at nights. A dug-out is the name applied to a primitive kind of hut which is buiJt half under ground. The man who intends to build a dug-out casts about him till he finds a suitable place. The place generally selected for the purpose is a sloping bank ; into this bank a square hole is dug and lined with whatever the builder can command for the ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 13 J purpose, sometimes rough lumber is used, but more often small stakes are cut and driven into the floor all round, to keep the earth from falling down. The hole is then roofed over with poles, on which grass or brush is laid as a kind of thatch, this being generally covered with a layer of earth, with a hole left at one end for a chimney. The dug-out is then complete. It is, in a severe climate, about the warmest and best makeshift for a house which can be quickly devised. In the daytime I rambled through the woods eating the wild fruit, and when I was tired I would sit or lie down under the shady trees. I was getting better and stronger every day, and I began to think I should soon be able to work again, when suddenly I was provided with a job in a manner I never dreamed of, and certainly did not wish for, that is to say, I was arrested as a vagrant. As the popular expression went, I got " vagged." I was taken to the lock-up and incarcerated in a beastly box about nine feet square. At one end was a kind of raised platform, on which there was a pile of frouzy blankets. This hole was filthy beyond description, and the smell of it was sickening. In this place I was kept all day till well on in the evening without anything to eat, when I was brought a meal of pork and beans and stale bread. Hungry as I was this feed was of such a character that I scarcely touched it. Next morning I was brought before an official whom they called the 1~0 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. police jiulge, the same thing as we in England should call a magistrate. I was summarily sentenced by this gentleman to ninety days in the chain-gang. There was not the least show of juttico in the whole business ; I was not asked to give any account of myself nor allowed to say a word in my own defence, but was hustled back to gaol, and was decorated with the order of the ball and chain ; that is to say, they rivetted a ring of iron round my left ankle to which was attached a chain about two feet long, carrying at the other end a piece of railroad metal weighing about twenty pounds. Whenever it was necessary for me to move about I had to pick up this piece of metal and carry it about with me. There were eight men in the gang besides myself, most of whom, I have no doubt, richly deserved to be where they were, for a lower or more degraded set of ruffians I never set eyes on. There is a class of men in the United States who make tramping a business, and who never work from year's end to year's end, except when they happen to get collared and put in some chain-gang or other.* For these men the thing is good enough, and they deserve nothing better, but it is rather hard Avhen a man, whose only crime is that he happens to be sick and out of luck, gets treated in the same manner. My evident distress at the position in which I found myself was a great source of amusement to my * Note C. — See Appendixj "Tramps." .ADRIFT IN AMERICA. '71 worthy companions, who were never tired of cutting jokes at my expense. We were taken out every morning under an armed escort, and made to sweep the public streets ; in the afternoon we usually chopped wood for the use of the gaol. Our escort consisted of two policemen, who carried double-barrelled shot-guns. If any one of the gang had attempted to make his escape, I have no doubt he would have been shot like a dog. However, I was so disgusted with my posit' on that I determined to risk anything to get away if I could see the least chance of doing so. The chance I was looking for came in ray way on the morning of the sixth day. On this particular morning we were sweeping up the road close to the railroad. There was a freight making up in the yard, and strings of cars were being run up and down the track close to where we were working. A happy thought struck me. I watched a chance when our guards were not looking my way, and edging close up to the track, I threw my ball over the metal just as a string of cars was coming down towards me. The first wheel that struck the chain jumped and made a great noise, but in a twinkling it was in two pieces, and with a bound I was up between the two cars nearest to me. Pulline one of the end doors open, I jumped in, and fell down like a log, and lay trembling for fear I should be missed before the train got away, and i^earched for, 172 ADRIFT IN AMERICA, in which case I must have been found. However, in a few minutes, which seemed an age to me, the engineer whistled the brakes off, and I could tell by our regular motion that we were fairly off. As soon as I had assured myself that we were out of town I pulled the door open a bit to give me light, and then proceeded to dispose of what remained on my leg of the chain. I could not get it off as I had no tools, so tearing a strip off an old bandana which my brother had given me (he had bought it when working in Hull docks), I made one end of it fast to the end link of the fragment of chain, and pulling it up inside the leg of my trousers, I made it fast round my waist. Though I was not rid of it, this was a very good way of hiding it, though it was very uncomfortable. A small place called Colbert was the first place the train stopped at ; in fact, this is the first stop north of Denison. It is two or three miles north of the Eed River of the south, which marks the boundary of the Indian Territory at this part. Being anxious to get rid of the chain as quickly as possible I got off here, being pretty sure that no trouble would be taken to follow me when it was found that I had got clear away. I walked up the track for some little distance, when I came to a section gang at work. I had a good look at them, and coming to the conclusion that the boss looked a nice sort of fellow I went up to him and asked if he wanted any men. He said no, ha did not ; but if I was hungry I ADraFT IN AMERICA. 1^3 could go with the gang, and have dinner when they went. Seeing that I had not misjudged ray man I told him the fix I was in, and asked if he would lend me a file, " Certainly," said he, " come with me to the tool-house, and we will soon fix that all right." So I went with him, and, getting a file, with a few rubs he cut the clinch ofi" the rivet, and, taking a hammer and punch, knocked it out, and the ring fell o&. I was now clear of all but the memory of the chain-gang, and was very well pleased to be so. As my health was now pretty well restored, I set about looking for a job, but it was uphill work, as all the farmers had their summer help hired, and Avould not want anyone till the haying commenced, which would not be for some time yet. The people were all partly Indians hero, although it could not be detected in a great many of them, as the amount of Indian blood was so small as to make no difi'erence in their appearance. During the remainder of that day I was at six or seven difPerent men, and came at last to the conclusion that it was not much good looking for any work in that part of the country. I was walking away from an old farmer whom I had been asking for a job when I heard someone shouting, and, looking back, I saw young fellow in the regular western cow-boy rig, beckoning to me. I went back, and asked him what he wanted. " Can you cook ? " said he. I told him I never had done any of it, but would try. 174 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. " Well," said he, " there is not mucli to cook ; j'ou can fry bacon and boil coffee, I suppose ?" I said *'yes," I tliongbt I could manage that. "All right," said he, " you will do, and what you do not know we can teach you." He then explained that he belonged to a horse " outfit " that wds travelling north, and he had been deputed to hire a cook if he could get one to go for $20 a month and his board. The " outfit " consisted of Bob Wilson and his brother Jack, who owned the horses, of which there were 500, mostly mares with foals running with them. The man who had hired me, and whose name was John Jefferson Baxter, and a half-breed Indian, who went by the name of Chickasaw Charley, and myself, making in all five men, completed the crowd. It was now late in the day, and as Baxter had got what he wanted, he led the way and we went down to the camp, which was situated on the bank of a creek close to, though hidden from view by a belt of timber. As soon as I arrived I was at once introduced to my duties, and requested to cook supper. Soda bread was one thing that I was told I should have to make, and the materials being given to me I was left alone. Now, I knew about as much about making soda bread as the man in the moon, and I don't know what sort of stuff I should have produced if Baxter, who had been watching me, had not come to the rescue, and showed me -how to set about it. It is very easy to make, and ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 175 after being shown once, I was able to get along all right. Before we turned in the horses were all rounded up, and the saddle horses that were going to be used the next day were cut out and 23icketel with lariats so that there need be no delay in the morning. At this work I was quite new, but my companions were a hearty good-natured set of fellows, and though they laughed and joked at my blunders, did all they could to help me along and teach me what I did not know. John Jefferson Baxter was a type of the real thorough-bred western cow-boy, and deserves describing. In temper he was quiet and would molest no man, but there was a look in his steady grey eye that would at once have told a man of any judgment that he was not a person to be played with. By no means bloodthirsty, though he was always armed to the teeth, yet, if he had just occasion to do so, would not have hesitated a moment in kdling a man. He stood about five feet five or six^ and was broad for that height, and as wiry as a racehorse, with legs slightly bowed from continual riding. lie was dressed in a buckskin shirt and leather breeches, with a broad-brimmed hat on his head and a large pair of Mexican spars on h'.s heels that clanged loudly at every step. Such was John Jefi'erson Baxter, and as good a specimen of his class as could be found in the western country. 17G ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER XI. On the Trail with Horses. I WAS called up next morning before clayliglit to make breakfast. I was more at home at the job than I had been the night before, and acquitted myself in a very creditable manner. My work, when we were actually travelling, was to drive the waggon. So, after breakfast was over, the boys saddled their horses, I hitched up my team, and we started off for the first day's drive. We used to travel distances which depended to some extent on the location of good camping places, but the average day's work was from 15 to 20 miles, but sometimes a good deal less. To anyone unacquainted with the country, to drive a waggon and pair of horses would seem a very easy matter, but I soon found out it was by no means as simple a thing as I had at first imagined. In the first place the horses I had to drive Avere taken from the herd every day, and I seldom got the same team two days running. The reason of this was that, being grass-fed horses, they were not fit for the work, and one day in the waggon was about all they could stand at a ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 177 time. Not being a professional liorsebreaker, this was rather rough on me, and sometimes I had a nice job mth them. One of their favourite tricks was to turn sharp round and break the pole of the waggon, in which case I had to make another one, or to patch the old one up mitil I came whore 1 could geL one. A pole was an easy thing to replace if we were near any timber. All I had to do was to unhitch the horses and tie them up to the tail of the waggon, go off and hunt up a sapling that would suit my purpose, fell it, dress the branches off, and put it in. Sometimes, when I had a bad team, I had this job two or three times in one day. On the waggon were carried all the goods belonging to the outfit, and a spare waggon-cloth which we used at night for a tent. I had an axe, an auger, a mattock and shovel, and these were the only tools that the outfit could boast. The mattock and shovel I found particularly useful in making roads, a job I often got, as in some places it was quite impossible to get a waggon along without patching up the road (or track, I sliould say, for road there was none). There are three big cattle trails that lead through the territory, called respec- tively the Chisholme, the Kit Carson, and the Great Western trail, but we were on none of the^e, as the boss thought we should get a better show for grass by keeping away from them. Our first camp was near a place called Tishomingo. I heard it was quite a little town, but was not there p. 1G40. M 178 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. to see. This was the first place that we camped for the night, but we stopped for a couple of hours in the middle of the day, and had some dinner. Our first day's drive over, I began to feel quite at home with my new friends, and after the supper things were cleared up, and I had made all the necessary prepai'ations for the following morning, we sat up some time round the camp lire and told yarns, they about western life, cattle herding, Indian fighting, and such things, and I about the great world which they had never seen, about my life in cities, and at sea. I think J astonished them more than they did me ; in fact I believe they thought I was a very great liar, though they had too much politeness to say so. One day was much like another, and we kept on north, following the east bank of the Washita river till we were nearly up to the south fork of the Canadian. When we got to this south fork we experienced our first check. The river was well up, though not in flood. The horses refused to take it, and we could neither drive nor coax them into it for a long time. It was about mid-day when we got there, and we did not get across that night : we tried all ways until it began to get dusk, and the boss then decided to let it stay over till the morning. The next morning we got all ready and crossed with the waggon. We had to unload all things of ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 170 a nature likely to be damaged by water and carry them over one at a time on horseback ; for thougli the river was fordable with care, the water came over the wasff^on bed. If the herd had consisted of horses, or if the mares had not had foals running with them, I think we should have got across without any trouble. The mares, though knowing well enough that they could get across all right, were afraid that their foals would come to grief — at least, that is the view I took of it. When the waggon and all the gear had been safely conveyed across, we had another try to get the horses over, and this time succeeded. I was on this occasion required to do a bit of riding, being provided with a wicked little half- broken broncho pony. This little beast had only one redeeming point of character, and that was a negative one. He did not buck. This was all the fun in the world to the boys, so much so, indeed, that after we had crossed the river, which we now did without much trouble, Jack Wilson offered to drive the waggon for a spell and let me ride, as he said, so that I could have a chance of improving my horsemanship ; but, as I gravely suspected, so that I might furnish diversion for the boys by my lack of it. However this might have been, I was glad of the chance, for I wanted to learn to ride rough horses, and just then anything new was a pleasure, even if I was not quite well. When Jack ,M 2 ISO ADRIFT L\ AMEllICA. gave me his horse first, we had something to do in which my mount was as interested as anyone, and though I found him hard enough to sit as he went after the horses, who tried to double back on us, that was nothing to what he did when he could devote the whole of his attention to me. Perhajis in some ways it would have been more satisfactory to me if he had bucked me off at once and finished the job, for at that time I had had no practice with bucking horses, and must have come off". However, he could not buck, but made up for it very well indeed in other ways. Sometimes he stood on his hind legs until I thought he v*^as going to fall over on me backwards ; then he suddenly came down on all fours and lashed out violently. Next moment he threw up his head and nearly struck me in the face. If he had done so he would have knocked me insensible. Then he put his head down and kicked like a cow, with one hind leg, and caught me a crack on the heel, which made me glad that he was not shod behind. Although he did not do it then, more than once I saw him fairly stand on his forelegs, and kick in this extraordinary way with both hind ones. He broke Jack Wilson's spurs in this way. Of course all the men expected me to come off, but in this respect, at least, they were disappointed, though I was often very near it ; for although the wicked little beast did his utmost to shift me, 1 managed to frustrate his efi'orts. I soon got very tired and sore, but T stuck to the job to ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 181 the end of tlic day, by wliicli time I felt as if 1 had been kicked over every inch of my body, and when I dismounted I could scarcely move. Seeing that I was pretty well used up, Jack said I need not bother to do any cooking, as he would attend to that for this day. So I went and lay down and was very glad of the rest. . The next day I took my place on the waggon, and Ave proceeded as usual, camping early in the afternoon. The weather, which had been up to this time fine, now began to get rainy, and things were not by any means so comfortable as they had been. On some occasions I had great difficulty in lighting a fire, and as the ground began to get soft and muddy, our progress was slow. On one occasion we had to stop for three hours, cutting brush to fill up mud holes before the waggon could be got over the bad place. This kind of thino- went on till we arrived at the north fork of the Canadian river, which we found in flood. It was coming down in a deep, swirling, ugly kind of a fashion, that at once made it apparent that there would be no chance of crossing it for some days at least, even if it started to go down at once. This being the case, there was nothing for it but to wait patiently till we could get over ; so fixing the camp as comfortably as was possible, we prepared to put in the time as best we could, 182 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. The rain liad ceased, and the snn was shining once more, so that we were as comfortable as is usnal in this kind of life. There being no work to do now but to herd the horses and see that none of them got away, all the boys began to turn out their stock of clothes, of which they all had about one change and no more. Soap was produced, and a general wash began. Jeff Baxter produced from some corner a shaving outfit and a pair of scissors, and informed the crowd that he was prepared to act barber to any one who required his services. I at once availed myself of them for my hair was long and ragged, and I had not shaved for a long time. After he had finished with me, and I had had a good wash, I presented quite an altered appearance, so much so indeed that Bob Wilson, who had been out with the horses, when he returned to the camp said, " Why you are quite a young fellow, I thought you were an old devil." We stayed in camp here for five days, by which time the river was down to its usual height, but on trying to make the horses take it they refused again, and this time, do all we could, it was quite impossible to make them. After wasting a day in fruitless efforts to cross, Bob Wilson decided to proceed up stream to where there was another ford, which he said was a great deal easier to cross than this one. It was a long way out of our road or he would have gone there first. We started early next morning, and after a ADRIFT IN AMERICA, 183 long day's journe}'" arrived at tlie ford. Though it was dark, we decided to cross at once as there is always a chance of the river rising again, and it is as well to be on the right side. The crossing was affected this time, though not witliout trouble, as the horses. evinced a most decided dislike to taking the water. The river Avas not at all deep here, so that it was not necessary to unload the waggon. The waggon team was (juite played out this night, and the last part of the journey I had the greatest diflBculty to get them along at all ; in fact, when we got to the river they could go no further. So Jeff Baxter and Chickasaw Charley, who were riding fresh horses, made their lariats fast to the end of the waggon pole, and taking a turn on the horn of their saddles pulled horses, waggon, and all across, and we went into camp on tlie north bank. The country to the north of the Canadian river is more open and less timbered than it is to the southward ; in fact it is more like Kansas. Here we began to find a great difficulty in procuring fuel, sometimes having barely sufficient to do what little cooking was absolutely needful. Here, one day, I became aware that my companions were not what might be termed strictly honest. For some time a strange horse was seen on the outside of the herd, and Baxter said he thought that it was a wild horse, and belonged to no one. So when we went into camp that night the}" went out and caught him. He was a stud, and as fine a horse of his class as 184 ADRIFT L\ AMERICA. I ever Haw. After lassoing him, ho gave a lot of trouble before we finally succeeded in getting him down, when it was discovered that he was branded on the right shoulder. The proper thing to have done in this case was to have let him go at once. However, my friends did not think so, for, .^eeing that the brand was somewhat simikir to one of our own, they at once proceeded to make up the deficiency. I did not like the business, as altering brands is felony ; and, althougli I did not take an active part in the business, if it had ever become known I have no doubt I should have been con- sidered an accessory, and suff'ered with the rest. Their method of doing the business was ingenious and effectual. By means of some small harness rings and scraps of iron, heated, and applied over a wet cloth, they managed to raise the flesh without burning the hair, and so gave the brand an appear- ance of having been put on some time. This, of course, disappears after a while, but would last quite long enough to enable them to get clear away with the horse if any questions had been asked about it, which, however, there were not in this instance. It soon became apparent that this animal had been broken to the saddle, for after a few days he became one of the quietest horses in the herd, and could be caught with little difficulty at any time. A few days after this we had quite an exciting time with a real wild horse. He was a bright ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 185 cliesfcniitj and one of the finest-looking animals I ever saw. One morning lie came up to the herd on a long swinging trot, his head thrown in the air, and his long mane and tail floating out in the sunshine like liquid gold. As he stopped short and snorted, about a hundred yards away, he made as fine a picture as well could be. He was a' high-spirited fellow, for he at once ran into the herd, and challeno-cd fou]- stud-horses chat belonged to us, but, to use a popular western expression " they did not want any of the pie," on seeing which he let go a few vicious kicks at them and then proceeded to take charge of the herd on his own account. Of course we could not suffer that kind of thing, and so Bob "Wilson pulled out his revolver and was going to shoot him. Baxter, however, asked him to stop a bit till he saw if it was possible to catch him. After a little trouble he succeeded in doing so by throwing his lariat over his head. As soon as he felt that lariat on his neck he sprang wildly aAvay, and if Baxter had been riding an ordinary horse, both horse and man would certainly have had a roll on the prairie, if no worse came of it. But the wiry little cow- pony was well up to his work, and bracing himself firmly he met the shock without a wink, and down came the stranger with a crash, and rolled igno- miniously on the prairie, where the little cow-pony took good care to keep him, as every effort he made to rise was baulked by the pony backing off" and keeping the lariat tight. 186 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. This fellow was so wild and vicious that it was not possible for iis to keep him, as we could not spare the time to bother with him. When he was turned loose, however, he had the good sense to clear out and give no more trouble, by which piece of wisdom he certainly saved his life, as if he had stayed round he would have been shot without doubt. The country was now mostly level prairie, dotted over in places by patches of small stunted timber. G.^'here were lots of small creeks to cross, and with some of them we had a great deal of trouble, not so much on account of the amount of water in them as the bad nature of the banks. One place in particular was very bad, the banks were very steep and muddy. Here we met with what might have been a serious accident. I was driving a pair of horses this day neither of which had ever been in harness before. I had had a good deal of trouble with them in the first part of the day, but they had been going very quietly for some time when we got to the bad crossing I am speaking of. I managed to get them down the bank and over the creek, but going up the other side something frightened them and they swerved sharp round, overturning the waggon and all its contents into the creek. Luckily for me I fell clear of the whole affair. If I had fallen under it (and I really cannot say how it was that I did not) T could not have escaped being killed, for it took us all about a ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 187 quarter of a,n hour before we got it righted again, as it had fallen in such an awkward position and the mud was so slippery as to afford no sure foot- hold. The pole was of course broken short off. The horses began to kick and plunge and gave us no end of trouble to unhitch them, but we managed at last to do so. There was not a great deal of water in the creek, which was lucky for us, as if there had been we should in all likelihood have lost a great part of our goods, if not all of them. As it was they were all wet and plastered with mud. This was quite bad enough, as it was late in the day and no chance to dry any blanket that night. Fortu- nately there was no scarcity of fuel just here, so making a good fire, we managed to dry Bome of our things, though the blankets were, of course, too wet to sleep in. HoAvever, we made out as well as we could without them, and were thankful that thiup-s were no worse. Of course the duty of patching up the wreck devolved on me, so while the rest were drying their spare clothes (I had not got any to dry) I went out and cut a new pole for the waggon and put it in. After finishing this job I overhauled the harness and found several little things that had been broken, which in the confusion of the accident had not been noticed before. The night being fine and fuel plentiful, as I have said, we did not put in a very bad night, as I made 188 ADKIFT IN AMERICA. up a roariii.f]^ good fire before I lay down to sleep and the night herders renewed it from time to time till I turned out in the morning to cook breakfast. We liad no sugar to our coffee that morning, the sugar bag having come to grief in tlie accident the previous night ; however, this was a small incon- venience and did not trouble any of us. After a day or two of travelling we came to the Cimarron river, or, as it is sometimes called, the Red Fork of the Arkinsaw. This is really the most dangerous river in the territory to cross, being full of quicksands. Some few weeks before we arrived there there had been two bullock waggons swallowed up, the drivers barely escaping with their lives, but losing everything. The place we w^ere to go over at was called " White's Crossing." It was necessary to exercise great caution to make the crossing successfully, so as to ensure the horses not stopping to drink. They were all watered before we got there, as if horses are thirsty no human power will prevent them from staying in a river, and if they had done so in this case it would most hkely have meant the loss of a great number and perhaps all of them. They were also driven slowly to ensure their not being fatigued. When we arrived at the river the horses Avere rounded up and two of the most trustworthy of the harness horses Avere cut out and put in the wajjgon. When we made a start tlie boss told me ADRIFT IN AMEIUOA. 189 on no account to stop for anything till I got on dry land tlio other side. With this last injunction he gave the signal to the other boys, and we started across, and owing to the careful manner in which the thing had been conducted we arrived at the other side without any accident. Our next camp was at a place called Red Fork; there was a store here but .no village. Here we bought some things we were short of, and got the news, though the only piece of any importance related to a row that had taken place here some few days previous to our arrival between a man named Haughton and Chief Buffalo of the Cheyenne Indians. The row originated thus. Buffalo who was a turbulent mischievous fellow, had demanded of Haughton a toll of 15 ponies before allowing him to pass through his territory with liis herd, which consisted of Mexican ponies or bronchos. Of course Haughton would not agree to this demand, and told Buffalo that though he had no right to any at all, he did not mind giving him two just to save a bother. At this Buffalo became violently abusive and ended by drawing his revolver and snapping it at Haughton, though fortunately it missed fire. This no doubt saved Haughton' s life, as they were within two or three yards of each other. Haughton being a regular border man was of course well skilled in the use of a six-shooter, so without giving Buffalo the chance to fire again he drew his own weapon and shot him 190 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. dead on the spot. The few Indians who had been with Buffalo, on seeing their leader killed, rode away, but returned in a short time with all of the tribe that they could muster up. This of course Haughton had expected, and he had sent one of his men down to a place not far from here called Cantonment where some two or three troops of U.S. cavalry were stationed to acquaint the commanding officer with what had occurred and ask for assistance. In the meantime he retired with the rest of his men to the store, in which they barricaded themselves. Before the soldiers put in an appearance, however, the Indians had run all the horses oif, stolen all the saddles, blankets, harness, provisions, and other property belonging to the outfit, and building a large fire they put the waggon on top of it and burned it up. After this they retired, having done all the mischief they could. When the troops arrived Haughton was arrested and sent under escort to Medicine Lodge, Kansas, where he would have to stand his trial for murder. I have no doubt he was acquitted, but I never heard how the affiair ended. We stayed in camp here for two days, during which time we did some horse trading. Leaving here, the country was very bare of fuel indeed, and Ave had great trouble in securing enough to cook with. The next river we came to was the Salt Fork, which we crossed with no trouble, as there was little water in it. The next few days' travel ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 191 were not marked by any incident wortH mentioning, and in due course we arrived at Cottonwood Springs, whicli is situated just on the borders of Kansas, the camp taking its name from a spring of water and a single cotton-wood tree. It was just about a mile and a half distant from the town of Colwell in Kansas. Here it was the intention of Bob Wilson to make a stay of a week, and try to do some horse trading. As the camp was to be occupied for some time it was resolved to make it as comfortable as pos- sible. The morning after we went into camp here Bob Wilson started off to Colwell, as he said, on business, but in reality to go on a drunk. Before he went he left directions with one of the boys to ditch round the tent, so that in case of any heavy rain we should not have it running in on us. As soon as he was away, however, the man who was entrusted with this job, instead of doing it, just saddled up his horse and went to town on a drunk too ; consequently the tent did not get ditched at all. As luck would have it, the place in which the tent was pitched was a sort of dry gully, a very well-sheltered spot indeed in good weather, but a decidedly bad one in heavy rain, of which we had ample proof before we left it, though then the weather was fine and had been for some time. I was busy all day mending harness and setting things in order, and at nightfall the boss came 192 ADRIFT LN AMERICA. back, and I could see at once that he was pretty full of liquor ; however, he was quiet enough, and turned in without making any trouble, after giving the boys a liottle of whiskey which he had brought back with him, and which made them sleep very soundly. Some time during the early part of the night I was awakened l^y a clap of thunder, which was followed by rain-drops pattering on the tent. The rain kept on increasing, and in a very short time it was coming down in torrents. All at once I became aware of a damp feeling round my shoulders which soon changed to a decidedly wet one, and I made the discovery that I was lying in a small stream of running water. Just about this time the boss made the same discovery, and rising up witli a roar he exclaimed : '* Damn the man that ditched the tent ! " This exclamation roused the rest. On each one discovering th3 position we were in he gave vent to some strong language, and all hands began to dress as best they could. Everything was confusion and cursing ; the stream steadily increased in volume, and we were faiily washed out of camp. Just as things were at their worst, down came a heavy gust of wind which laid the tent flat and sent us all sprawling and wallow- ing in the mud and water. There was now nothing for it but for each man to grab what he could and make a bolt for the waggon, which was covered with a tilt. This "was done, and in these most inconveniently close quarters ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 193 we passed the rest of the niglit. Thinking to secure the best spot, I was the tirst in ; but before long I wished I was out again, for I was jammed up in a corner and could not move an inch. To improve matters I had something soft and slimy under my head, and could not make out what it was. In the morning, when we got out, I made the pleasant discovery that it was a smashed box of axle-grease, and that the back of my head and neck were plastered with the vile-smelling com- pound. This was my last night at Cottonwood Springs and also with the horse outfit. For some days I had made up my mind that at the first convenient opportunity I would leave, as at times there was some very shady business carried on, such as the brand -altering, which I already described. I did not like to be mixed up with this sort of thing, as it was sure, sooner or later, to end in disaster. Before leaving, however, I felled the cotton-wood from which the place takes its name, and chopped some of it up to make a fire at which I dried my clothes. I had been just a month at this job, and when I told Bob Wilson of my intention to leave, he at once paid me $20, the amount that was due to me. After saying good-bye to my companions, who all wished me good luck, I left the camp and went over to Colwell, where the first thing I did was to write a letter to my brother, telling him where I was and that it was my intention to go north, giving him St. Paul, Minnesota, as an address. p. 1640. N 194 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER XIL Beef Slough and the Mississippi. Afrer leaving Bob Wilson's gang and their rather shady proceedings I was once more entirely free. Knowing that there was a chance of getting sent out on a " labour pass " to almost any part of the States from Kansas City in Missouri, I determined to go there. Besides 1 heard there was a railroad war on and cuttisg of rates."'' This system of labour passes is curious, and in the eastern part of the States at times does away with the necessity for " beating " the railroad. Labour agencies or bureaus are to be found in most of the big cities in the middle States, and I continually saw adver- tisements for labourers for railroad work. All a man has to do is to go in and offer to take the job and pay a fee, which varies according to the distance he goes. But it is rarely over $5, even for more than 1,000 miles. He is then given a ticket and is supposed to go to work when he roaches his destination. Often, however, not one man out of 50 will be left when the place is reached, and if any are left, they mostly want to go further. In fact the system is a bad one for all but the men and the agencies. I do not see that the railroads get much out of it. • Note I). — See Api>cn(lix, Railioiul Wars. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 195 I found on inquiry at Col well that the fare to Kansas City was only $8, so for a change I deter- timed to pay it instead of beating my way as I usually had to. This left me with $12 on which to accomplish the rest of my northward journey if I failed to get a labour pass in Kansas City. It was late in the afternoon Avhen the train started, and I arrived at ray destination early the next morning, which I discovered to be Sunday. For when I was on the trail we never knew one day from the other except by accident. Kansas City was not like some of the far western towns, and there seemed just then very little business going on. Its being Sunday was unfortunate for me, as it meant a whole day's expense and nothing to show for it. However, it could not be helped, so I just spent the day in looking round the city, which in many respects is very fine, as long, at any rate, as it is fair weather. Next morning I was out early and went to all the labour agencies in town, but could get nothing that I wanted. I could have got sent down to New Orleans and several other places south, but I got no offer the way I wanted to go. This being the case, there was nothing for it but to start out and beat my way there; so crossing the river I managed to jump a freight on the Kansas City, St. Jo and Council Bluffs railroad, and got up as far as St. Joseph that same night. For the next week I continued to o^o north with varied luck in the way of trains. N 2 IDG ADRIFT IN AMERICA. On waking up one morning after sleeping in a box- car at- a place called Missouri Valley Junction, I found that my sleeping apartment had been shared with another man. He was a rather handsome young fellow and fairly well dressed, a somewhat unusual thing with people who sleep in box-cars. He was awake and sitting up examining his face and curling a rather fine moustache by the help of a small pocket looking-glass when I awoke. He was the first to speak, and he opened the conversation by remarking that I seemed to be in rather poor circumstances, which fact 1 of course assented to, as it was too obviously the case to make a denial any good, even if I had wished to make one. He then looked very hard at me and said : " Look hero young fellow, if you are not too good to do a little crooked business I can put you in the way of living more comfortably than you seem' to be doing at present." I asked him to explain what he meant by crooked business, for though I knew perfectly well what he meant, I wanted to draw him out and see what kind of proposal it was he meant to make. He then explained that he meant burglary and robbery of all and every kind that promised to be fairly remunerative ; he also went on to explain what it was he wanted me to do. "I do not," said he, " want you to do any of the practical part of the business, for that needs a particular training and knowledge which you do not possess, and so you would be only in the way ; " but what I do want is ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 197 a partner to go into the stores and offices and spot where the " box " is situated (he here explained that by box he meant the safe) and to take note how the windows and doors are fastened, and get a kind of a plan of the place in his head, as all such information is invaluable when the time comes for doing the job. As I let him run on and did not make any objection to what he was saying, he thought that I was quite ready to fall in with his offer of partnership ; and when he put the question to me directly, and noticed that I hesitated, I noticed such a wicked look come into his face that I at once agreed to his proposal, intending to give him the slip that night. Now that it was settled that I was to be his partner, he opened out in good shape, and told me he had served a term of five years in the AVisconsin State prison for blowing open a safe and decamping with the contents. He was a good hand at telling a story, and if he was not a very great liar indeed, must have been through a great many peculiar adventures. He explained to me that it would be necessary to do a bit of burglary on my account at once, so as to fit me out with some new clothes and a supply of money so that I should present a respectable enough appearance to make some excuse for getting into such offices and stores as my new friend had designs on. He showed me his outfit of tools, which he carried inside his coat, which was fitted with a lining of leather in which were a row 198 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. of beckets or small pockets in which he had stuck all sorts of drills and jimmies, and other para- phernalia of his profession. There was also a tube and a small coil of blasting fuse and some pov,'der in a flask which he said were used in " doing up a box " as he termed the operation of blowing open a safe by means of gunpowder or some other explosive. By this time I had made up my mind that this man was rather a dangerous and unde- sirable acquaintance, so that very night I slipped him while he was asleep, and got clear away. When I was once more alone I jumped a " freight " ngain and got up into the south part of Minnesota, near a town called Easton. Here I obtained employment on a farm owned by a man named Cole. I worked here for three weeks, during which time I wrote to my brother, but received no answer, for, as I afterwards found out, he never got my letters. I have worked for many different sorts of men iu my life, but I never came across such a beast of a nigger driver as this fellow Cole ; in fact, if I had not been entirely without money, I would not have worked for him a day. I was ploughing corn, and he would have me up at daybreak, and after I had fed and harnessed my team, if there was five minutes to spare before the breakfast was ready, he would put mo to saw wood with a bucksaw, while he would stand and swear at his wife for not having it ready. He used to allow the horses an hour's spell at dinner time, l)ut I only had half ADRIFT IN AMEllICA. 1 99 au hour, and ho would stand and watch the hands of the clock, and the moment they were at the half hour I had to he at something or other, either the bucksaw again, or else he would have me take a scythe and mow the weeds round the house. After my day's work was over in the corn-field he would get me in the barn on some pretence or other which would end up in my having to turn the handle of the fanning mill while he cleaned wheat to take to the mill or else go to shucking corn till eight or nine o'clock at night. He was a regular tyrant to his poor little wife, and worked her just as hard as he did me, and treated her a great deal worse than I would have allowed him to treat me. For this, as much as his conduct to myself, I very soon got to hate the sight of him ; for if there is one thing that upsets my temper quicker than another it is to see a woman ill-treated, especially if, as in this case, she has done nothing in the world to deserve it. After three weeks of this I could stand it no longer, and told him so, but when we came to settle up he tried to bluff me out of five dollars. I had en^aefed for $20 a month, and having worked three weeks I was, of course, entitled to $15, but he, for a long- time refused to give me more than $10. After a lot of trouble, I managed to get another three out of him, but do all I could he positively refused to come down with the other $2. After a lot of talk about it, seeing there was no chance of getting a proper settlement out of him, as he evidently meant to 200 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. clieat me out of the $2, I lost patience, and picking up an old buggy neck yoke, 1 laid liim out with it ; I was in a passion, and Mt him harder than I intended to. He lay where he fell, and turned quite white, so that I was scared, and for a moment I thought I had killed him. I went into the house, and makino- a bundle of what few thino-s I had, I told his wife he was ill in the barn, and I guessed she had better go after him. However, by the time she had got out there, he had come to, and beyond a sore pate was not much the worse for the crack. When I came out with my bundle he was standing in the barn lot foaming with rage, and when I hove in sight he made a rush for me, but stepping to the wood pile I picked up the axe and told him that if he made it necessary for me to hit him again, not all the surgeons in the States would be able to patch him up. The fellow, who was really a coward, though nearly twice as big as myself, took water at once, and cursing and swear- ing most horribly he went into the house vowing he would have me arrested. However, though I stayed at Easton for two days, I never heard any more of it. i still had the clothes on in which I had left Texas, and they were nearly in rags ; my boots also wanted renewing, so although I had $13 I had to expend nearly all of it in getting some new things. The consequence was that I had not much left to travel with. Leaving Easton I started off to go to ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 201 St. Paul as I was sure that I slioiild find a letter tliero from my brother, and I also had an idea that I would go out to Dakota in tlie fall and do some harvesting and thrashing as I had done before when I worked for Hank Beaver. But in the meanwhile times were hard with me, for work was very scarce, and with the exception of an odd job here and there I got nothing to do. In fact it was slow starvation. Some days I got something to eat and others nothing at all. For the last five days before I got to Minneapolis I had nothing but some green corn which I picked in the fields as I passed them. This was not very nourishing diet and I was getting as weak as a rat. As I was walking up one of the main streets in Minneapolis, feeling, and no doubt looking, very wretched, a man came out of a grain store and asked me if I wanted work. I at once said yes, though at the time I felt doubtful of my ability to do it, as I knew how weak I was after the way I had been living. However, I intended to try, as I must do something or starve to death. He sent me down to a warehouse from which he was takine- a quantity of bagged grain. My job was carrying this stuff (maize it was) on my back from one end of the warehouse to the other, a distance of about 40 yards. There was 120 lbs. in a bag and if I had been in my usual condition the work would have been quite easy to me, but in my then condition of starvation it was as much as I could 202 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. do to stagger along under this weight. However there was nothing for it but to work till I could get the boss to give me some money. I told him I was so hungry that I could hardly Avork, and asked if he would give me some money to buy somethino: to cat. He said he would see about it and then went away. I had been working about three hours and it was very near to dinner time, wlion I fainted, the first and only time in my life I ever did faint. The other men tried to bring me too, but as they could not they sent out for a doctor, and as soon as he saw me he said, as I was told afterwards, " This is a simple enough case, the man is starving, that is what is the matter with him." When the boss, who was really a good sort of fellow, heard about it, he was in a great state of mind, and said, " I did not think you were in that condition, why did you not tell me ? " When I reminded him that I had told him, he said, " Oh, yes, but I had no idea you were as bad as that or I would not have let you work on any account till you were more fit." Of course, after this I got plenty of food, more a good deal than I wanted. I stayed for a few days and worked for this man, and he paid me every night. To save the expense of lodgings I used to sleep in a dry hole I found under a warehouse down by the river. Having now a couple of dollars in my pocket I stayed a day or two in Minneapolis to see if I could not obtain some job that- would be permanent, but could find ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 203 none. So I went to St. Paul, where I found a letter from my brother, in which he said he had come up to Chicago with some cattle from Colorado City but had gone back again, as he had been promised a job to bring some more up for the same man. As he said nothino; definite about whore or when I should bo likely to meet him, and as I was ofi'ered work on a Mississippi steamboat, I determined to take the job and go down the river, trusting to luck to find some better job at some place or other. I began now to care very little what became of me. I had been having such a hard time of it that I was nearly despairing of ever getting anything in the way of a decent employment. I only stayed on this boat until we got to the first landing. The name of the place was Redwing. I found that the work on board was much too heavy for me, and so I walked ashore. On talking to some men I saw on the landing stage, I was told that there was a place called Beef Slough, a few miles further down stream, just over the river from a place called Wabashaw, where the logs that came down the Chippewa River were rafted, and that anyone who went there could get a job at a dollar and a half a day and board. To Wabashaw I accordingly determined to go, and I set ofi" and tramped it down there. Arriving at Wabashaw, I had to get across the river. There was a ferry, but the toll was 10 cents, and I had not got 10 cents to pay. This was a bit of a fix, for the river was too broad to swim- and carry my 204 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. clothes across as well. I could certainly liave swum it easily enough without any clothes, but it would be no good for me to be on the other side with nothing on. I went to the ferryman and told him if he would put me across that if I got work I would pay him when I came back again, but the old curmudgeon would hear of nothing of the kind, at the same time remarking, in a significant manner, that he had seen people like me before. From his look and tone of voice, more than from what ho said, I inferred that he meant to be particularly offensive ; so I walked away and left him. Bat to Beef Slough I was going, whatever stood in the way. On that point I had made up my mind, so, walking back up the river for about a mile, I looked about till I found a piece of plank that was dry and would float. This was not difficult to light on. There is always a lot of wood of all sorts knocking about in this part of the country. Having provided myself with a suitable piece, I took off my clothes, made them up in a tiglit bundle, and securing them on to my little raft, I walked into the river, pushing it in front of me. I was soon out of my depth and had to swim, but the plank bore up my weight easily, and I just went across at a long angle, drifting down with the current. I made a landing about a hundred yards below where the ferrjraan was with his boat. As I dressed myself I could see he was looking at me, but I would not speak to him, and, turning round. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 205 walked off in tlie direction of Beef Slough, where I arrived after about an hour's walk through the woods. This path was very little used, as the usual way of going to Beef Slough was by means of a small steamboat that used to ply between Wabashaw and there. But of this I knew nothinsf at the time, or I might have saved myself the trouble of swimming the river, as the captain of this boat was, as I afterAvards found out, a very good fellow, and would put anyone who wanted to go to the Slough across the river and accept his promise of payment when he had earned it. The first thing that struck me as I began to near the works was the number of men I came across in the woods who were comfortably snoozing upon mossy banks and under the shady trees. I stopped and spoke to one of these fellows, and asked him if there was no work to be had at Beef Slough. *' Yes, plenty," said he, " for those who like to do it, but I am not on that racket. I just sleep till the hash bell goes, and then I go in and eat. Why," said he, as he raised himself up, getting interested in his subject, " there are dozens of men getting fat here, and never doing any work at all. All you have to do is to put a good ' front on,' and waltz in with the crowd ; no one will know but what you are at work, and even if they did, unless it was one of the bosses, they would not say anything." " That is all right," said I, " as long as the fine weather lasts, but when the winter comes on, how are you going to come 206 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. off then ? " " Ob," said he, "I shall be in California by then. I ain't going to stay this side of the mountains to freeze to death in the winter." Leaving this fellow to continue his rest till the next meal time, I went on towards the works, where I arrived in a few minutes. I at once went to the office and asked for a job, and a clerk told me to go down to the race and tell one of the working bosses that I was sent down from the office to get a job, which I did, and was at once put to work pushing logs down a long channel with a pike pole. This was the way in which the logs were conveyed to the place where the rafters were engaged in making the rafts up. This work is done by men who are steadily at work at it all their lives. They are " lumbermen," and can jump on a log and push it about in any way they like, and make it spin round under their feet, and, in fact, are as much at home on a log floating about in the water as anyone else is walking on dry land. To make a rough guess, there were, I should say, something like fifteen hundred men at work at this place, and what number of different jobs there was I am not able to say, but there were a good many. There was a saw mill, a turning mill, and a black- smith's shop, which gave employment to a good number of men apart from those who were actually engaged with the logs and the rafts. As soon as a raft was completed, the crew of the steamboat that was going to tow it down the river took charge of ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 207 it, and the Beef Slough people were nnislied with it. If the steamboat people broke the raft up as soon they took it in tow, they would have to fix it up themselves as best they could. There was not house room for more than about half the men who were employed at this work, and the other half had to find a place to roost where they could. I was fortunate enough to secure a dry corner and a pile of straw in one of the barns. The food was plentiful and of fairly good quality. The work was not hard and the pay a little over the average of wages for this time of the year. Taking all things into consideration, I began to think that I had at last struck a job at which I could stay and make a little stake and be fairly comfortable. However, I soon found out that the reason why the other things were so good was that fever and ague were rampant, and it was quite the exception for a man to stay here for more than a week or two without getting it — in fact, men were coming and going all the time, and few stayed for longer than a week, giving as their reason for leaving the sickness of the place and their fear of getting down with the fever. Seeing so many men getting sick and others leaving, I began to get scared, and after being here for a week, I took a notion to leave, and accordingly did so. There had been some lost time this week and I only had four dollars to take when I went for my money. However, four dollars and health was better than 208 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. forty and a dose of ague that would most likely last me all tlie summer and perhaps kill me, deaths from this cause being by no means an uncommon thing. Amongst the lumbermen who were at work at this place were some queer characters. The follow- ing story was told me one evening of one old fellow, who appeared to be a little cracked, but who, it the story is true, must have had rather more wit than some people gave him credit for. He had been working in one of the logging camps on the Chippewa River the previous winter, and had provided himself with a good outfit of woollen socks, but ho found that when he happened to get a pair wet and hung them up to dry, they were invariably stolen. He used to growl and swear and kick up a row about it, but could never dis- cover the culprits. This kind of thing went on until at last he came down to his last pair, and getting them wet one day he hung them up by the stove to dry and the next morning they were gone. He said nothing, but on the following morning every man in the camp on turning out found his boot tops cut off. The man who lost the socks was in the same fix as the rest. There was a general row, but as every one had been served alike, it could not be fixed on anyone in particular, though everyone, of course, knew that the man who had lost the socks had done it. For his part he looked on the scene very quietly, and at last remarked, without a smile ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 209 on his face, " It 's an ill wind that blows no one any good. I shall know now who stole the socks." After leaving Eeef Slough, I crossed the river again to AVabashaw, and there I heard that things were booming up at La Crosse and that there was plenty of work to bo got there. This town was in Wisconsin, and I tramped nearly the whole of that distance, getting only one lift of about ton miles in the course of the journey. Ever since leaving Bob Wilson's I had been going down hill and getting more and more miserable. There, at least, I had companions an I plenty of food, even if I was still in poor health. But things got blacker and blacker to me, and although I never quite lost hope all the time I w^as in the States, on this journey I came the nearest to doing so. I walked along in a kind of mist and took very little notice of anything, even though it was fine weather. Perhaps if it had rained I might have ended everything. I had not the grit even to try and board a freight train.. I loafed along the road, trampino- all the while, trying, with no great persistence, to get work, and' starving in a kind of stupor. I suppose I was really ill, for I have never felt like it before or since, though I have often been in just as tight a place Avhen I was well and full of energy. All this journey I had no blankets ; even at Bob Wilson's I slept in some belonging to the outfit, and now I had to lie down on the ground, being glad if I came across anything in the shape of shelter. And it is p. 1640. o 210 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. not encouraging to a sick man to have to sleep in heavy dew without anything but thin and wretched clothes to keep a,ny warmth in him. In this state I at last came to La Crescent on the Iowa side of the Mississippi River and opposite La Crosse. This was a disappointing place ; it was so sleepy and there seemed nothing at all to do there. When I arrived I had a look round, but as I could find nothirg in the shape of a mill or anything else which promised work, I crossed over the river and went into La Crosse. This was exactly the opposite "to the town I had just left, for it was very lively and very busy, indeed, full of saw mills, planing mills, and every kind of mill that is in any way connected with the lumber industry. But although there was plenty of work, there were also plenty of men to do it, and I could not find any place that was short- handed, though I got a promise of work in a few davs from one man. However, not beins^ able to subsist on promises, and being most extremely hungry, I began to cast about for some means of obtaining a dinner. I knew there were lots of cat- fish in ihe river, for I had seen them, but the thing was to catch one. I had no tackle nor the where- withal to buy an}^ Certainly I had a nickel, or a five-cent piece, but that was neither enough to buy dinner with nor enough to buy fishing tackle to go and fish for it. But fortune favoured me, and as I was walking moodily along the river side, won- dering if it would not be as well to give the fishes a ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 211 feed off my own carcase instead of trying to make one off theirs, I stumbled over the very thing I was wishing for, which was a fishing line — not a good one certainly, but good enough for what I wanted. Tiiere were no hooks on it, but I had my nickel and I went to a store and got two hooks. Being now equipped, I went down to the river, and having heard that cat fish were not at all particular in the matter of bait, I dug some worms, of which there were plenty to be had with little trouble. Baiting my hook I threw it into a hole that promised well for a bite. However, after some minutes, feeling no pull I started to haul my line in, but found I was snagged. " My luck again," said I, " hooks and dinner gone at one fell swoop, and not a red cent to buy any more with." Hauling gently, however, first one way and then another, I felt the thing I had hooked first move and then come slowly away. So pulling gently for fear of snapping the line I at last landed it. When I got hold of the thing I found it was an old boot full of mud. Takino' and washinof it I found it was a right foot boot and in fairly good order, much better than mine was, so I tried it on and finding it was a good fit, I put it on and threw my own away. I fished for some time lono;er and at last I cauoht a sroo I sized cat fish. There was no difficulty in cooking it as an old kercsine tin furnished a pot, and lighting a wood fire I soon had it boiling away in o a 212 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. good style. Having no more money than my expended nickel I had to eab my fish without bread ; however, I was too thankful at getting it at all to think much about that. After dinner I went down to the mills again but tliere was no chance of any work, so I lay round the water- side doino- notliinsf but lookinof at the steam boats }3as.sing up and down the river and whatever els3 I could see to interest me. As night drew on I went to the mill where I ha 1 been promised Avork, and striking up an acquaintance with the fireman I got permission to sleep on a pile of sawdust in front of the furnaces. This fireman was English, and on my telling him I was an Englishman he became very friendly and gave me some of his own supper. The next morning I was down by the river side when a skiff* pulled ashore from a raft-boat called the " Iowa " and asked if there was a man there who wanted some work. Althouofh I knew nothing of rafting I jumped for the job at once. This raft was going down to a place called Dubuque in Iowa. These rafts are not really towed as most people understand towing, they are pushed down the river, the steamboat being behind or on the up river side of them. The raft is made in two parts which are lashed side by side, so that by casting them adrift and taking one half at a time the narrow parts of the river can be passed ; it is also necessary to take them apart in going through the numerous bridges that span ADRIFT IX AMERICA. 213 the Upper river. The few da3's I was on this boat I was fairly comfortable and happy ; it belonged to an old man and lie had his wife and family on board with him. When we were o-oino- alono- all right, there was nothing to do, so wo used to sit under the hurricane deck of the steamer and spin yarns. I very soon ingratiated myself with the other men by leaching them to splice rope, an art of Avhicli they knew nothing but which they were very anxious to learn. I was rather surprised to find that they could not splice, as there is a great deal of rope used about a raft which is continually being broken or " carriei away," and great waste results from not having anyone there that can splice it. Sometimes when the raft got broken, as it often did, there was a nasty and (to me who was unacquainted with the work) dangerous job to mend it again. On one occasion, as we were passing near the bank in a narrow part of the river, by some accident either of steering or the current, one corner of the raft struck the bank. Of course the raft was at once broken and the way in which the logs began to slide and jam one over the other was enough to scare a man who was in any danger of getting a crack from anv of them. I and one of the other men were on the raft at the time when this accident happened. I at once saw that it was no use for me to attempt to get back to the boat, as I had not yet learned to stand on a floating log, and the raft had lost its 21 i ADRIFT IN AMERICA. usual firmness as the ropes that bound it together were broken. Seeing how things stood I jumped clean over the side and swam as far out of the mess as I could get, w^hich some of the older rafts- men said was the wisest thing I could have done under the circumstances. It took some hours to repair this damage, but it was fixed at last and we proceeded on our way once mor(>. Everyone of the river boats, whether raft boats or others, is provided with an electric search light, and the effect produced in some reaches when there are five or six boats going down at night is very striking. In some of the more intricate parts of the river and vrhen tlie river is foggy, of course the boats have to bring up at night. We had to stop one night on account of a kind of fly, it resembled the common May fly very closely — if indeed it was not that fly — the air was thick with them and they clustered round the search light in such quantities as to quite obscure it, and it was no use to brush them off. I use the Avord quantities as numbers does not express it properly, for in a few minutes after they first made their appearance they could have been swept up in bushels off the deck im- mediately under where the electric light was situated, and they were trampled to death in thousands on the deck till the planks were so greasy everywhere as to make it impossible to walk without falling, unless we all used the utmost caution. It was like walking on ice. ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 215 On arriving at Dubuque tlie mate left, and the man who came in his place had some chum of his own that he wanted to give a job to, and so I had to leave. The captain told me that if I wi?hed to go up to La Crosse again he would give me a passage, but as I saw nothing to be gained by going there, I thanked him for his offer and said I would stay where I was. My pay amounted to 84, of which I expended two at once in a new pair of shoes, Avhich turned out a very bad investment, as they lasted me but a very little while. Still, I was fortunate at this place, for there was a steamboat here that had been laid up to get new boilers ;. she was just ready, and was going away next day. As I was standing on the bank looking at her, I noticed a man on board making a very clumsy attempt to splice an eye in a large new mooring rope. The mate, who was a fine big fellow, and a very handsome man as well, was standing looking at him, but evidently knew no more about the job than he did. My professional instincts were aroused at once, so going aboard, I walked up to them and said, " If you will allow me, I will show you how to do that job properly. I am a sailor, and understand that kind of work." The man who was at the job looked inquiringly at the mate, who said shortly, " Let him try." I took hold of the rope, and in a few minutes had put in a very creditable splice. This piece of work pleased the mate so much that he said, " I see you understand 216 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. your work, and we have no ' sailor-raan,' so if you want tlio job, you can have it." I thanked him, and of course accepted it at once. The term "sailor-man" may need a word of explanation. On all these river boats most of the men employed are what is termed roustabouts, and are just ordinary labourers who are picked up anywhere, and as often as not leave at the first landing. These have no particular knowledge such as is required of men who sail in ships. But, as there is often some work to be done which requires a small knowledge of sea craft, they always carry one sailor who is called *' the sailor-man," and who, besides being paid $5 a month more than the rest, enjoys certain privileges and immunities, foremost amongst which is that, unless in a case of emer- gency, he is never called on to touch cargo ; and, even if he should be required to help stow it, he does not go on shore and carry it aboard as the roustabouts do. The name of this boat was the " Libby Conger," -and she belonged to fho Diamond line of St. Louis. The mate was a very nice man indeed, that is, to me, although he used to hunt the roustabouts round in good style ; but that, of course, he had to do, or he would have got no work out of them at all. It requires a hard character to control the class of men who work on these boats, as they are, as a rule, the very scum of the country, and would not hesitate a moment to take advantage of a man if they thought ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 217 it would be safe to try it on. During tlie time I was on tliis boat I was as comfortable as I could be in such a place, which is not saying much. All the roustabouts had to sleep where they could find a roost, mostly amongst the cargo on the boiler deck ; but I had a little place underneath the Texas, which is the name oriven to the pilot-house on these boats. It was merely a hole, to get into which I had to crawl on my hands and knees ; but it was quiet and private, which was a great thing. There were two men kept on regularly and called deck hands, whose duty was to see that the cargo was stowed properly, and when it was discharged to be there to see that the roustabouts only took the goods that were to be landed at that particular place. Part of their duty was to *' heave the lead," if we may call it so, when we were passing any shallow places. This operation was accomplished with a long pole, which was marked in spaces about a foot long, alternately red and white. I and these two men used to have our meals together apart from the rest of the crowd. One day, as we were going down a broad straight reach in the river, and there was nothing to do, we were all sitting in the shade on the boiler-deck, when the conversation turned on working in the logging camps. One of the men, who had been engaged at this kind of work for some years, had some rather good stories to tell about what he had seen when he was up there. 218 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. " Yes," said he ; " it is now some years ago — nine or ten, perhaps — when bear was a great deal more plentiful than it is now. T had been working all winter in a camp well np towards the head of the Chippewa River. The bears had evidently been used to live in some of the cabins in the summer season, when no one was ever up there except now and then an occasional hunter ; so when they began to come out of their holes at the end of the winter and early spring-time they often used to pay us a visit, and they have been known to tackle and kill men who happened to come on them unarmed. Bears are mostly pretty harmless animals in the summer and fall, if they are not meddled with, but when they come out first thing in the spring, lean and hungry, they are savage enough. Well, one night when we — that is, myself and two chums — had turned in, and had just put the light out, we heard a shuffling noise outside the door. Before we had made up our minds what it was, something gave the door a bang and sent it off the hinges and laid it in the middle of the floor, letting in a stream of light, for the moon was at the full. From my position in my bunk I could see a largo bear just in the doorway. He stalked right into the cabin, and without paying any attention to any of us proceeded to ransack the place for something to eat. Fortunately for us we were boarding ourselves, and had plenty of stores in the hut ; otherwise, if he had not been able to ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 219 find anything more to liis taste, he would probably have turned liis attention to one of us, which would have been awkward, as there was not a shooting- iron amongst the crowd. However, he reduced our store-locker to a complete wreck, eating what he wanted and spoiling the rest. We were obliged to lie quiet and watch the show until such time as Bruin saw fit to go, as we were quite without arms and so could do no more than resolve that his next visit should not be quite such a success, that is from his point of view. After getting all he wanted he went off and left us to clear the wreck and go to sleep if we could. Next morning I went over to another camp a few miles away to get the loan of some fire-arms, but all I could scrape up was an old muzzle-loading rifle. This was not a very good weapon, but better than none at all ; so after loading it with powder and firing it off to make sure it was all right, I loaded with ball and put it in my bunk. As we had expected, as soon as the light was out and all quiet, the bear put in his appearance again. But we were ready up for him, and had made arrangements to conduct the show ourselves this time ; so when Mr. Bruin was licking out the molasses keg that had been put there on purpose to attract him to a convenient part of the cabin, I leaned out of my bunk and, putting the muzzle of my rifle up against his head, shot him so dead that he never kicked." 220 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. During tbo whole of this trip the weather was beautiful, though at times rather too hot for comfort. The scenery on the river was pretty and varied. At one point there were some rather fine rapids, but they tould be avoided by going through a short canal which had been constructed for the purpose. I was in hopes we should shoot them in the old-fashioned style, as many boats still do, for I rather wanted to see what it was like to shoot rapids in a steamboat. In this, however, I was destined to be disappointed, as we went through the canal. We made a stay of some hours at Rock Island and then crossed over to the city of Devonport, which lies just over the river on the Iowa side. At this place we loaded a tremendous quantity of onions, both in barrels and bags. The levee was stacked up with the same article, and waggons could be seen in all directions loaded with it. One of the roustabouts, a mulatto, informed me that the place was called Onion City by steamboat men, on account of the quantities of this vegetable which were shipped from here. As we went on down the river, one day was like another in almost all respects, stopping here and there to pick up and put down cargo and passengers, and occasionally to " wood up," as taking in fuel was termed. In due course we arrived at St. Louis, which was as far down the river as this boat Avent. Here I left her, having thought the matter over, and seeing ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 221 that I was doing no good for myself — in fact, was going from bad to worse — so I determined to go to some point on tlie east coast and go to sea again. I took my pay, wliicli amounted to $6, and went off to find out liow I could best get down to the east coast. 222 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. CHAPTER XIII. Washington and " Shanghai." That night I crossed the river to East St. fjoiiis or, as it is sometimes called, Illinois City, but finding no train going my way, and being tired, I lay down on some bales of goods that stood on the steamboat levee. Here I fell asleep and being very tired slept sonndly — so soundly in fact that the mosquitoes which came out in full force later on had a regular picnic on me, so that when I awoke in the morning I was in a miserable condition, my face being so swollen that I could scarcely open my eyes. From St. Louis east the whole country is a perfect network of railways, which, though their general direction is east and west, throw off branches in all directions. In consequence of this I was continually getting wrong as I tried to beat my way east, being carried out on these branch lines and having to walk back again ; but after about a week of knocking about I arrived at Indianopolis after passing through Terra Haute and Greencastle, Indiana. From here I was more successful, getting as far as Columbus, Ohio, in one night. A day or two more of kicking about ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 223 brouglit me to Wheeling, Virginia, where I crossed the Ohio River, and proceeded to Pittsburgh. I was stuck at the Manongahela River, and as the old humbug of a ferryman would not put me across, I swam it. I dropped my clothes just before I landed and got them all wet ; indeed I nearly lost some of them. My clothes being wet did not matter a great deal as there was a hot sun shining, so by wringing them out well and hanging them up I soon had them dry enough to put on. At Pittsburg I again crossed the Ohio, which, making a long bend northward from Wheeling, and coming south again, passes between Alleghany City and Pitts- burgh at a small station just outside of Pittsburgh on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad. I jumped on a freight train and made my way to Cumberland, Virginia, from which place I walked to Harper's Ferry, the place so celebrated in the great war. If I had not been hungry and footsore I should no doubt have enjoyed the walk very well, for the scenery was very fine indeed. The railroad bridge crosses the Potomac Eiver at Harper's Ferry, but there is no footway across, consequently it is impossible to get across without going in the train. As I had no money it was not possible for me to pay my fare, and as no freight trains stopped here I did not see how I was to manage. I stayed there for some hours looking for a chance to get over, but could not get one ; so at last in desperation I determined to jump on the next coal train that 224 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. came by, as they ijlowed down on approaching th? bridge, but were still going I should say 10 or 12 miles an hour. The undertaking: was a dangferous one and meant certain death if it failed — death by being cut to pieces under the train. However, cross the river I must and would at any risk ; so bracing myself up when the next train came I jumped, and managed to secure a footing on the iron frame, and held on by the top of the hopper which was higher than my head. These trucks are of a peculiar construction and made on purpo.-e for the conveyance of coal ; in shape they are like round hoppers and they are made of iron. I was in an awkward and dangerous position enough, for with my feet resting on a rim of iron about four inches in Avidth, I was holding on to the rim of the hopper, the top of which overhung the base, so that nearly all my weight was on my arms. In this position T crossed the bridge, the Potomac River dashing and foaming along its rocky bed below me. To have lost my hold was certain destruction, as if I had escaped being cut to pieces by the train, the fall into the liver would have been quite sufficient to kill me. The train pulled up at the other side of the river at a place called Sand Point, where I got off, very glad to be there to get off alive. The conductor came along and after calling me names for risking my life in that foolhardy fashion gave me half a dollar. I thanked him and said " if some one had given me this the other side of the ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 225 river I need not have risked my life to cross it." It was now getting dark so I determined to go no further that night, and found a quiet corner to sleep in, in the round-house as they call the engine sheds. I was sleeping here most comfortably when an old cripple of a watchman came poking round, and finding me, turned me out. This was the first time I was ever turned out of a similar place, and I have often slept in them. Having to turn out of my shelter I went into a lumber yard and slept there for the rest of the night ; it was not cold but I got wet through with the dew. As soon as daylight came in I was up and started to walk east, along the towing-path of the Chesa- peake and Ohio Canal. At a place called Point of Rocks I overtook a canal-boat that was going down to the city of Washington. The captain of this l)oat said that if I chose to take a spell of driving the mules I could go with them and have my food on the boat. This being a much more satisfactory way of travelling than tramping it and hunting for grub, I accepted his offer, and for a day or two became a mule driver. This canal follows the course of the Potomac River, and the scenery is very beautiful. I was very comfortable indeed, having a good pile of hay to sleep on at night, and as much to eat as 1 wanted. The captain of this boat had his wife with him and they were very nice kind people, the other two men who completed the crew of the barge were also good fellows in p. 1G40. 1' 22G ADRIFT IN AMERICA. their way, and I got on very Avell witli tliem. The canal comes to an end before Washington is reached, and the boats are locked out into the river. This is not done in the usual way by a succession of levels, but the boat that iS' going out is put in a large tank, which is then lowered down an inclined plane to the level of the river. This place is con- structed on the same principle as a slip for repairing ships. The boat has then to be towed the remainder of the distance by a steamer. When the boat arrived at her discharging berth the captain gave me a dollar, which was more than I expected, as I had not stipulated for any wages and did not expect any. Being now in a seaport 1 began to look about for a ship, as I intended to go to sea again ; indeed there was not anything else I could do as far as I could see. There were no ocean-going ships here, so after a day's looking round I found a schooner that was in want of a man, and after some haggling as to wages, I agreed to go in her for $25 a month, which sum the captain, who was a regular skinflint, said was far too much. Her cargo was all in and she was ready to go to sea, Savannah, in the State of Georgia, being the port to which she was bound. However, we never reached Savannah, for after getting out of Chesapeake Bay, as we were lying becalmed a distance of about 15 or 20 miles from the land, a steamboat that was bound in ran us down. This occurred in the middle watch, or between midnight and four in the ADRIFT IN AMERICA. 227 morning, and I was below at the time. However, hearing the shouts of those on deck, and feeling the impact, I at once suspected what was up, and running on deck in my shirt I saw that we were sinking fast. Not wishing to be sucked down with her, I ran along the deck to the taffrail and jumping overboard swam as far away as I could get. I was not many yards away, however, when she foundered ; the suck of the water was very strong, and T could feel it pull me back like a strong current. The collision was caused entirely by our own carelessness, as there were no lights out, and I have every reason to believe that the captain, who was in charge of the deck, was asleep. The steamboat people were, to do them justice, remarkably smart in getting a boat in the water and coming to our assistance, and it was owing to this promptitude on their part that no lives were lost. We were seven hands all told, that is, captain, mate, four able seamen, of which I was one, and a boy who was cook and steward, but we were all saved. This under the circumstances was little short of miraculous, as I was the only swimmer in the crowd. I shall not mention the names of these ships nor the persons concerned, as the captain of the schooner is possibly alive, and having made some damaging statements about him (which are, however, quite true), I do not wish to mention names for obvious reasons. The steamboat was bound up to Baltimore, where we were all landed P 2 228 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. next cla,y. I could now pose as a shipwrecked sailor, though I was in reality little the worse for the misadventure, as I had had nothing to lose and not having any wages to take all that remained for me to do was to get another ship as soon as possible. In this destitute condition I met a man who was, I think, a minister of some sort or other, a few hours after I came on shore, and he was very kind to me. On my expressing a wish to go to New York he took me to the railroad depot and bought me a ticket to that place and gave mo a dollar into the bargain. It was early morning when I arrived in New York, and at once I went to work to find a ship. As I was walking about by the East River quays I was accosted by a man who turned out to be a boarding-house runner. I knew quite enough of this class of people to wish to keep clear of them, but my condition was so bad at tliat time that it really seemed as if it could not be any worse. As this man did not seem to be a very bad specimen of his class, and as he promised to get me a good job in a coaster, I went with him to the house he was running for, which was a low den situated in a street off the Bowery. I did not like the look of the place much, but I was as near as may be destitute, having spent tAventy-five cents out of my dollar for some breakfast, so that any kind of shelter with the certainty of food of some sort was an improvement in my condition. I stayed at this place till late in the afternoon, when ADRIFT IS AMERICA. V2 their mintls that I was decidedly dangerous. Another little animal was the cotton-tail rabl)it, so called from the white })atch of fur under the tail, which is as bright as cotton bursting from the pod. I killed one once mon^ by impulse than anything else. It ran from under my feet when I had a knife in my hand. I threw it at the ral)l)it, and to my surprise knocked it over, fi)r I am a very bad shot with that sort of missile. The prairie dogs or marmots were in tens of thousands rountl us, and I used to amuse myself by shooting at one in particular with the rifle. His hole was 100 yards from our camp, and he would come out and sit on his hill every now and again, and then go uibl)ling round at the grass. I shot at him a dozen times, and once cut the ground under his belly, but never killed him. They are extremely hard to get even if shot, for they manage; to run into their burrows somehow, even if mortally wounded. The Texans believe they go back even when quite dead ; but then they are rather credulous, for some of them believe that the rattlesnake lives in friendly terms with the inmates of the burrows. The rattlesnakes were very numerous, for one day I killed seven. The first one I saw threw me into a curious instinctive state of fury, and 1 smashed it into pieces, trend iling all over lik(! a horse who has nearly stepped on a venomous snake. Thos^! 'J\'xans Avho do not beli(!ve in the friendship of snake and prairie dog say that it is possible to make the rattler come out of a hole he has taken refuge in by rolling small pieces of dirt and earth down it. For they assert that the prairie dogs earth up the mouth of the burrow when they know a snake is in it, and the reptih' knows what is al)Out to happen. Of other snakes, theie were the mocassins, water snakes and esteemed very ileadly. It is said that when an Indian is bitten by by one of these he lies down to die, without making any effort to save his life, whereas if a rattlesnake has harmed him, he usually cures himself. Besides these there were the omnipresent garter snakes, and the grey or silver coach whip, both harmless. The APPENDIX. 239 bull suako is said to grow to an enormous size, and is a kind of North American python or boa. About five miles from our camp Avas an old hut, Avliich was occupied by a sheep-herder whom I knew. One night he heard a noise, and looking out of his bunk saw, by the dim light of the fire, an enormous snake crawling out of a hole in the corner of the room. He jumped out of bed and ran outside, and found a stick. He killed it, and it measured nearly 11 feet. It is called Indl snake because it is popularly supposed to bellow, but I never heard it make any noise of such description. On these prairies there are occasionally to be found cougars, commonly called panthers or " painters," although eiToneously. In British Columbia they are called mountain lions, and the same name is applied to them in California, unless they are called California lions. I am informed by a naturalist friend that they are the same species as the South American puma. I knew a man in Colorado city who was a great hunter of these animals, and he had half a dozen hunting tlogs torn and scratched all over their bodies, with ears missing, and one with half a tongue, who had suffered from the teeth and claws of these cougars. He kept one in a cage, which was much too small for it, and I was often tempted to poison it to put an end to its misery. This man had a regular menagerie at the back of his house, consisting of various birds, this cougar, and two bears. These bears are not infrequently to be met with on the prairies, and, while I Avas staying in town one Avas brought in in a wagon. Bruin had been captured by four cowbo}s, who had lassoed and tied it. He weighed about 600 lbs., and was a l)lack bear, for the cinnamon and grizzly do not, I believe, range in open level country. Besides these harmful animals, there were plenty of antelope to be found, if one went to look for them, and the cowardly slinking coyote was often to be seen as one rode across the prairie ; and often in walking I found tortoises, with bright red eyes. These wei-e small, about 6 ins. long. In the creeks were plenty of mud turtles, which are fond of scrambling on to logs to sun themselves. If disturbed they drop into the Avater instantly, giA'ing rise to a saying to express quickness, " like a mud turtle off a log." I have said nothing of bison. Perhaps there are none noAV, but in 1884 there Avere supposed to be still a fcAV on the Llano 240 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. Kstae-ado ur Stakes Plain. I knew one Jiiaii who used to go limiting them every year and usually killed a few. But the last time I saw him he was on a " jamheree," or spree, and killed his unl'oi-tunate horse by tying it up without feeding it or giving it Avater, while he was drinking or drunk, and so he did not make his usual trip. But I imagine there can Ix* few or none left now, and prohabl}- the only representatives of the race are in the ISTational Park. Note B.— SHEEP AND SHEEP-HERDING, p. IGO. With the introduction of fences, which are now coming in with tremendous rapidity, sheep h(>rdiiig as an art is inevitaldy doomed. AViien I knew north-west Texas a few years ago, there was not a fence between the Rio Grande and the north of the Panhandle, but now barbed or plain wire is the rule, and in the pastures it is of course not so necessary to look after the sheep by day and night. In Australia I have not seen those under my charge for a week or more at a time. While there was water in the paddock I never troubled even to hunt them up in the hundred s([uare miles of grey green plain with its rare clumps of dwarf box. If dingoes were reported to be about I kept my e}es open of course, but they were very rare in the Lachlan back blocks, and I was never able to earn the five shillings reward for the tail of this yellow maraud(M-. But in Texas, there are more wild animals, the coyote, the bear, the panther or puma, and it is impossible to leave the sheep entirely to their own devices even in pastures which prevent them wandering. Nevertheless, looking after them on fenced land is very different from being with them daily and hourly, slee[)ing with them at night, following and directing them by dav. Icing all the time wary lest some should ])e divided from the main flock l)y accident, or lest the whole body should spy another sheep- owner's band and rush tumultuously into it. But the new and unaccustomed shepherd on the prairie is apt to give himself much unnecessary trouble. It takes some time to learn that a flock of sheep is like a loosely knit organism which will not .separate or divide if it can help it. It might be compared with a low kind of jelly fish, or even to a sea-anemone, for under fa\ourable conditions of sun and sky it spreads out to feed, leaving APPENDIX. 241 between each of its moinbers what is practicjilly a constant dis- tance. But when the weather changes they come closer together, and any alarm puts them into a compact mass. I have heard a gun tired unexpectedly, and then seen some 2,000 sheep, spreading loosely over an irregular circle about half a mile in diameter, rush for a common centre with infallible instinct. And then they gradually spread out again like that same sea-anemone putting forth its filaments after being touched. The new shepherd, however, is in constant dread lest they should separate and divide so greatly that he will lose control of them. I have walked many useless miles endeavouring to keep a flock within unnatural limits before I discovered that they never went more than a certain distance from the centime. And this distance varied strictly with the numbers. At night time they begin to draw together, and if they are not put in a corral or fold, will at last lie down in a fairly compact mass, remaining quiet, if undisturbed, until the approach of dawn. But if they have had a bad day for feeding, they sometimes get up when the moon rises anil begin to graze. Then the shepherd may wake up, and finding he is alone, have to hunt for them. As they usually feed with their heads up wind, it is not as a rule hard to discover them. If the moon is covered by a cloudy sky they will often camp down again. The hardest days for the shepherd are cold ones, when it blows strongly. For then the sheep travel at a great pace, and will not go quietly until the sun comes out of the grey sky of the chilly norther which perhaps moderates towards noon. But in such weather they do not care to camp at noonday, and instead of spreading they will travel onward and onward. They doubtless feel uncomfortable and restless. After such a day they are uneasy at night, especially when there is a moon. It is my opinion, after experience of both conditions, that unherded sheep do much better than those which are closely looked after. In Australia our percentage of lambs was some- times 10-4, and any squatter would think something wrong if his sheep on the plain yielded less than 90 per cent, increase. But in Texas, where the mothers are watched and helped, the increase is seldom indeed 75 in the 100, much oftener it is 60. I used to wonder whether the losses by wild animals would have equalled the loss of 25 per cent, increase which is, I believe, entirely due to A p. 1640. Q 2-12 ADRIFT IX AMERICA. the Ciuv taken of them. For herding is c.s.sentially a worrying process even when practised by a man who 'understands sheep well. The mothers are never left alone, and must be driven to a corral at night. Consetjuently thev often get separated from their laml'S before they come to know them, and one of the most pitiful things seen by a shepherd is the poor distracted CAve refusing to recognise her own offspring even Avhen it is shown to her. AVe used in such cases to put them together in a little pen during the night hoping that she Avould " own " it bv the morning. But very often she would not, anil then the laml) usually died. If, indeed, it was one of a nu)re sturdy constitution than most, it would refuse to die and became a kind of Ishmael in the flock. The milk which was necessary it took, or tiied to take, fi-om the •ewes who for just a moment might not know a stranger was trying to share the right of her own laml). Such an orphan rarelv grows up, and most of them die (piiekly, as they are knocked about and cruelly used by those who take no intei'est in the disinherited outcast of that selfish ovine society. And yet its real mother is in the flock reconciled to her loss after a few days of suffering. In spite of my brother's very decidedly disinclination to have -anything to do with sheep, they are, like every other animal, very interesting when closely studied. As he says in the text, I spent some years in their society, and knew a little about them. Shortly before he left me on Jones' ranche in North- west Texas a very curious incident occured, which I never could quite satisfactorily explain, for I believe the most serious fright I have ever had in all my life was caused by these same inoffensive, innocent quadrupeds. It was not inflicted on me by a ram, which is occasionally bellicose, but bv ewes Avith their lambs, and I distinctly remend)er being as surprised as if the sky had fallen or something iitterly o})pose(l to all causation had confronted nie. I want to meet a man, even of approved courage, who Avould not be shocked into fair fright by liaving half a dozen ewes suddenly turn and cliai'ge him Avif h the furv of a bullock's nuid onset. Would he not gasp, be stricken dumb, and look wild-eyed at the customary nature about him, just as if they had broken into awful speech ? I imagine he would, for I know that it shook my nerves for an hour afterwards, even though I had bv that time recovered sufficient courage to exiK'riment on them in order to see if the same residt would again follow. I had APPENDIX. 243 Hbont 500 ewo.s ami lanil)s uucUt my c-aic. The day was Avaiin, though the wind was blowing strongly, and when noon approached the flock travelled but slowly towards the place where I wished them to make their mid-day camp. To urge them on I took a long bandanna handkerchief, and flicked the nearest to me with it as I walked behind. As I did so the wind blew it strongly, and it suddenly occurred to me to make a sort of a flag of it in order to see if it would frighten them. I took hold of two corners and held it over my head, so that it might blow out to its full extent. Now, whether it was due to the glaring colour, or the strange attitude, or to the snapping of the outer edge of the handkerchief in the Avind — and I think it was this last — I cannot say, but the hindmost ewes suddenly stopped, turned round, eyed me wildly, iind then half a dozen made a desperate charge, struck me on the legs, threw me over, and fled precipitately as I fell. It was a rever,sal of experience too unexpected ! I lay awhile and looked nt things, exjjecting to see the sun blue at the least, and then I gathered mvself together slowly. In all seriousness I was never .so taken aback in all my life, and I was almost prepared for a ewe's biting me. I remembered the Australian story of the rich squatter catching a man killing one of his sheep. " What are you doing that for ? " he inquired, as a preliminary to requesting his company home until the police could be sent for. The questioned one looked up and answered coolly, though not, I imagine, without a twinkle in his eye. " Kill it ! why am I killing it ? Look here, my friend, I'll kill any man's sheep as bites me." For my part, I gan to rain very hard. It did not cease all day. And my day's work was oidy befun, for it was only ten o'clock then. I went from one office" to another, (luoting one's rates here and another's there, and slowly I dropped the fare to fifty. I had to explain to some of these men that I Avas not a fool, and that I knew what I was doin"-; that if they took me for a " tenderfoot " or a " sucker " they were mistaken. My explanations alway.s had an effect, and down the fare tumbled. At last, about three o'clock, I had got thino-s to a very fine point, and was working two rival offices which stood side by side near the Palace Hotel. One man— Mr. A., whom I knew 252 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. by name, who indeed knew a friend of mine — offered me $45. I .shook my head, and, going next door, Mr. V. gave me a dollar less. It took me half an hour to reduce that again to forty-three ; but at last Mr. A., who was as mueli interested in this little game as if I were a big stake at poker, went suddenly down to 341. I offered to toss him whether it should be §40 or 842. He accepted, and I won the toss. As he made out the ticket, he remarked, almost sadly, " We don't make anything out of this." But he cheered up, and added, " Well, the others don't either." So I got my ticket ; and it was over one of the l)est lines. By that day's work, though I got wet through, covered with mud, and very tired, I saved $32. When on board the east-bound train next day, I got talking with some dozen men who were going east with me, and, naturally enough, we asked each other what fares we had paid. I found they varied greatly, but the average was about 800. One little Jew, a tobacconist, was very proud that his only cost 348. He almost wept when I told him that I beat him by eight whole dollars. Moreover, I reached New York twenty hours before him, for when we parted at Chicago Ave made arrangements to meet in New York, and then I found that he had been obliged to go round into Canada, and lie over all one night, while I had come direct on the Chicago and Alton Avith only two hours' wait at Lima ; so on the whole I do not think I did very badh'. Note E.— AMERICAN SHIPMASTERS, p. 232. It may seem strange to people who are entirely unacquainted with the methods of shipmasters and officers generally in the American mei'cantile marine that a sailor should have such a deadly objection to sail in one of their vessels ; but those who know the hideous brutalities Avhich continually occur on such ships will quite understand the feelings of a man who finds himself on a vessel which would probably have been manned willingly if it had not a bad character among seamen. I have known an American vessel lie six weeks and more off Sandridge, Melbourne, waiting for a crew, which she could not get, although men were very plentiful and the boarding-houses full. There are APPENDIX. 253 some vessels running from New York, &c. round the Horn to San Francisco which have a villainous reputation. The captain of one of these was sentenced to 18 months in the Penitentiary when I was in the great Paciiic port for incredible atrocities practised on his crew. For one thing, he shot repeatedly at men who were up aloft, and hit one of them who was on the main-yard, though not so seriously as to make him quit his hold of the jack- stay. One of the ship's boys was treated with barbarit}- during the whole passage ; thrashed, beaten, starved, and ill-used in the vilest manner; and at last the captain knocked him down and jumped on his face so as to blind him for life. This man went a little too far, and the courts which are always biassed, and very naturally biassed considering their origin, on the side of rich autho- rity, were compelled to do their duty by the uproar that this last incident caused. Yet even after that the people connected with the shipping interests got up petitions and intrigued and wire- pidled for months to get the Grovernor of California to pardon him. Failing in this, they approached the President ; but I am heartily glad their efforts were vain. One of my own shipmates on the Coloma, of Portland, Oregon, was once with a commander of this class, and so bad was his reputation that no one among the crew knew until they Avere under way who the captain was. My mate said, " I was at the wheel when I saw him come up the companion, and, as I had sailed with him before, my blood ran cold when I recognised him. He came straight up to the wheel, stared at me, and asked me, ' Haven't you sailed with me befoi'e ? ' ' Yes, sir,' I answered. Then he grinned, ' Ha, then you know me. When you go forward you tell the men what kind of a captain I am, and tell them that if they behave themselves I'll be a father to 'em.' I knew what his being a father to us meant. However, I didn't see any good in scaring the fellows, so when my trick was over I told them the skipper was a real beauty. Just then there was a roar from the poop, ' Relieve the wheel ;' and the man who had relieved me came staggering forrard with his face smothered in blood. He had let her run off a quarter of a point or so, and the skipper, without saying a word, struck him right between the eyes with the end of his brass telescope, cutting his nose and forehead in great gashes. That was his way of being a father to us, and he kept it up all the passage. The first chance I got I skinned out ! " 254 ADRIFT IN AMERICA. It is true that the Auiorican inereantile marine is not so bad as it was. These things do not occur in all vessels, but even yet they occur so fre(]uently that an English sailor would as a geni'ral rule rather sail with the devil himself than with an A-merieau skipper. "What the state of affairs was some 20 or .33 years ago one can hardly imagine, l)ut it certjiinly was much worse then. Shanghai-ing is not so much practised. There is a story current among seamen, tliough I know not how true it is, that it was checke