roughing it-第70部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！






CHAPTER　LVI。

We　rumbled　over　the　plains　and　valleys；　climbed　the　Sierras　to　the
clouds；　and　looked　down　upon　summer…clad　California。　　And　I　will　remark
here；　in　passing；　that　all　scenery　in　California　requires　distance　to
give　it　its　highest　charm。　　The　mountains　are　imposing　in　their　sublimity
and　their　majesty　of　form　and　altitude；　from　any　point　of　viewbut　one
must　have　distance　to　soften　their　ruggedness　and　enrich　their　tintings；
a　Californian　forest　is　best　at　a　little　distance；　for　there　is　a　sad
poverty　of　variety　in　species；　the　trees　being　chiefly　of　one　monotonous
familyredwood；　pine；　spruce；　firand　so；　at　a　near　view　there　is　a
wearisome　sameness　of　attitude　in　their　rigid　arms；　stretched　down　ward
and　outward　in　one　continued　and　reiterated　appeal　to　all　men　to　〃Sh！
don't　say　a　word！you　might　disturb　somebody！〃　　Close　at　hand；　too；
there　is　a　reliefless　and　relentless　smell　of　pitch　and　turpentine；　there
is　a　ceaseless　melancholy　in　their　sighing　and　complaining　foliage；　one
walks　over　a　soundless　carpet　of　beaten　yellow　bark　and　dead　spines　of
the　foliage　till　he　feels　like　a　wandering　spirit　bereft　of　a　footfall；
he　tires　of　the　endless　tufts　of　needles　and　yearns　for　substantial；
shapely　leaves；　he　looks　for　moss　and　grass　to　loll　upon；　and　finds　none；
for　where　there　is　no　bark　there　is　naked　clay　and　dirt；　enemies　to
pensive　musing　and　clean　apparel。　　Often　a　grassy　plain　in　California；　is
what　it　should　be；　but　often；　too；　it　is　best　contemplated　at　a　distance；
because　although　its　grass　blades　are　tall；　they　stand　up　vindictively
straight　and　self…sufficient；　and　are　unsociably　wide　apart；　with
uncomely　spots　of　barren　sand　between。

One　of　the　queerest　things　I　know　of；　is　to　hear　tourists　from　〃the
States〃　go　into　ecstasies　over　the　loveliness　of　〃ever…blooming
California。〃　　And　they　always　do　go　into　that　sort　of　ecstasies。　　But
perhaps　they　would　modify　them　if　they　knew　how　old　Californians；　with
the　memory　full　upon　them　of　the　dust…covered　and　questionable　summer
greens　of　Californian　〃verdure；〃　stand　astonished；　and　filled　with
worshipping　admiration；　in　the　presence　of　the　lavish　richness；　the
brilliant　green；　the　infinite　freshness；　the　spend…thrift　variety　of　form
and　species　and　foliage　that　make　an　Eastern　landscape　a　vision　of
Paradise　itself。　　The　idea　of　a　man　falling　into　raptures　over　grave　and
sombre　California；　when　that　man　has　seen　New　England's　meadow…expanses
and　her　maples；　oaks　and　cathedral…windowed　elms　decked　in　summer　attire；
or　the　opaline　splendors　of　autumn　descending　upon　her　forests；　comes
very　near　being　funnywould　be；　in　fact；　but　that　it　is　so　pathetic。
No　land　with　an　unvarying　climate　can　be　very　beautiful。　　The　tropics　are
not；　for　all　the　sentiment　that　is　wasted　on　them。　　They　seem　beautiful
at　first；　but　sameness　impairs　the　charm　by　and　by。　　Change　is　the
handmaiden　Nature　requires　to　do　her　miracles　with。　　The　land　that　has
four　well…defined　seasons；　cannot　lack　beauty；　or　pall　with　monotony。
Each　season　brings　a　world　of　enjoyment　and　interest　in　the　watching　of
its　unfolding；　its　gradual；　harmonious　development；　its　culminating
gracesand　just　as　one　begins　to　tire　of　it；　it　passes　away　and　a
radical　change　comes；　with　new　witcheries　and　new　glories　in　its　train。
And　I　think　that　to　one　in　sympathy　with　nature；　each　season；　in　its
turn；　seems　the　loveliest。

San　Francisco；　a　truly　fascinating　city　to　live　in；　is　stately　and
handsome　at　a　fair　distance；　but　close　at　hand　one　notes　that　the
architecture　is　mostly　old…fashioned；　many　streets　are　made　up　of
decaying；　smoke…grimed；　wooden　houses；　and　the　barren　sand…hills　toward
the　outskirts　obtrude　themselves　too　prominently。　　Even　the　kindly
climate　is　sometimes　pleasanter　when　read　about　than　personally
experienced；　for　a　lovely；　cloudless　sky　wears　out　its　welcome　by　and　by；
and　then　when　the　longed　for　rain　does　come　it　stays。　　Even　the　playful
earthquake　is　better　contemplated　at　a　dis

However　there　are　varying　opinions　about　that。

The　climate　of　San　Francisco　is　mild　and　singularly　equable。　　The
thermometer　stands　at　about　seventy　degrees　the　year　round。　　It　hardly
changes　at　all。　　You　sleep　under　one　or　two　light　blankets　Summer　and
Winter；　and　never　use　a　mosquito　bar。　　Nobody　ever　wears　Summer　clothing。
You　wear　black　broadclothif　you　have　itin　August　and　January；　just
the　same。　　It　is　no　colder；　and　no　warmer；　in　the　one　month　than　the
other。　　You　do　not　use　overcoats　and　you　do　not　use　fans。　　It　is　as
pleasant　a　climate　as　could　well　be　contrived；　take　it　all　around；　and　is
doubtless　the　most　unvarying　in　the　whole　world。　　The　wind　blows　there　a
good　deal　in　the　summer　months；　but　then　you　can　go　over　to　Oakland；　if
you　choosethree　or　four　miles　awayit　does　not　blow　there。　　It　has
only　snowed　twice　in　San　Francisco　in　nineteen　years；　and　then　it　only
remained　on　the　ground　long　enough　to　astonish　the　children；　and　set　them
to　wondering　what　the　feathery　stuff　was。

During　eight　months　of　the　year；　straight　along；　the　skies　are　bright　and
cloudless；　and　never　a　drop　of　rain　falls。　　But　when　the　other　four
months　come　along；　you　will　need　to　go　and　steal　an　umbrella。　　Because
you　will　require　it。　　Not　just　one　day；　but　one　hundred　and　twenty　days
in　hardly　varying　succession。　　When　you　want　to　go　visiting；　or　attend
church；　or　the　theatre；　you　never　look　up　at　the　clouds　to　see　whether　it
is　likely　to　rain　or　notyou　look　at　the　almanac。　　If　it　is　Winter；　it
will　rainand　if　it　is　Summer；　it　won't　rain；　and　you　cannot　help　it。
You　never　need　a　lightning…rod；　because　it　never　thunders　and　it　never
lightens。　　And　after　you　have　listened　for　six　or　eight　weeks；　every
night；　to　the　dismal　monotony　of　those　quiet　rains；　you　will　wish　in　your
heart　the　thunder　would　leap　and　crash　and　roar　along　those　drowsy　skies
once；　and　make　everything　aliveyou　will　wish　the　prisoned　lightnings
would　cleave　the　dull　firmament　asunder　and　light　it　with　a　blinding
glare　for　one　little　instant。　　You　would　give　anything　to　hear　the　old
familiar　thunder　again　and　see　the　lightning　strike　somebody。　　And　along
in　the　Summer；　when　you　have　suffered　about　four　months　of　lustrous；
pitiless　sunshine；　you　are　ready　to　go　down　on　your　knees　and　plead　for
rainhailsnowthunder　and　lightninganything　to　break　the　monotony
you　will　take　an　earthquake；　if　you　cannot　do　any　better。　　And　the
chances　are　that　you'll　get　it；　too。

San　Francisco　is　built　on　sand　hills；　but　they　are　prolific　sand　hills。
They　yield　a　generous　vegetation。　　All　the　rare　flowers　which　people　in
〃the　States〃　rear　with　such　patient　care　in　parlor　flower…pots　and　green…
houses；　flourish　luxuriantly　in　the　open　air　there　all　the　year　round。
Calla　lilies；　all　sorts　of　geraniums；　passion　flowers；　moss　rosesI　do
not　know　the　names　of　a　tenth　part　of　them。　　I　only　know　that　while　New
Yorkers　are　burdened　with　banks　and　drifts　of　snow；　Californians　are
burdened　with　banks　and　drifts　of　flowers；　if　they　only　keep　their　hands
off　and　let　them　grow。　　And　I　have　heard　that　they　have　also　that　rarest
and　most　curious　of　all　the　flowers；　the　beautiful　Espiritu　Santo；　as　the
Spaniards　call　itor　flower　of　the　Holy　Spiritthough　I　thought　it　grew
only　in　Central　Americadown　on　the　Isthmus。　　In　its　cup　is　the
daintiest　little　facsimile　of　a　dove；　as　pure　as　snow。　　The　Spaniards
have　a　superstitious　reverence　for　it。　　The　blossom　has　been　conveyed　to
the　States；　submerged　in　ether；　and　the　bulb　has　been　taken　thither　also；
but　every　attempt　to　make　it　bloom　after　it　arrived；　has　failed。

I　have　elsewhere　spoken　of　the　endless　Winter　of　Mono；　California；　and
but　this　moment　of　the　eternal　Spring　of　San　Francisco。　　Now　if　we　travel
a　hundred　miles　in　a　straight　line；　we　come　to　the　eternal　Summer　of
Sacramento。　　One　never　sees　Summer…clothing　or　mosquitoes　in　San
Franciscobut　they　can　be　found　in　Sacramento。　　Not　always　and
unvaryingly；　but　about　one　hundred　and　forty…three　months　out　of　twelve
years；　perhaps。　　Flowers　bloom　there；　always；　the　reader　can　easily
believepeople　suffer　and　sweat；　and　swear；　morning；　noon　and　night；　and
wear　out　their　stanchest　energies　fanning　themselves。　　It　gets　hot　there；
but　if　you　go　down　to　Fort　Yuma　you　will　find　it　hotter。　　Fort　Yuma　is
probably　the　hottest　place　on　earth。　　The　thermometer　stays　at　one
hundred　and　twenty　in　the　shade　there　all　the　timeexcept　when　it　varies
and　goes　higher。　　It　is　a　U。S。　military　post；　and　its　occupants　get　so
used　to　the　terrific　heat　that　they　suffer　without　it。　　There　is　a
tradition　（attributed　to　John　Phenix　＇It　has　been　purloined　by　fifty
different　scribblers　who　were　too　poor　to　invent　a　fancy　but　not　ashamed
to　steal　one。M。　　T。＇）　that　a　very；　very　wicked　soldier　died　there；
once；　and　of　course；　went　straight　to　the　hottest　corner　of　perdition；
and　the　next　day　he　telegraphed　back　for　his　blankets。　　There　is　no　doubt
about　the　truth　of　this　statementthere　can　be　no　doubt　about　it。　　I
have　seen　the　place　where　that　soldier　used　to　board。　　In　Sacramento　it
is　fiery　Summer　always；　and　you　can　gather　roses；　and　eat　strawberries
and　ice…cream；　and　wear　white　linen　clothes；　and　pant　and