the uncommercial traveller-第53部分

快捷操作: 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! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！



the　dark；　where　unavoidable　confusion　had　been　caused　by　the　last

arrivals；　and　where　the　confusion　was　increased　by　the　little

preparations　for　dinner　that　were　going　on　in　each　group。　　A　few

women　here　and　there；　had　got　lost；　and　were　laughing　at　it；　and

asking　their　way　to　their　own　people；　or　out　on　deck　again。　　A　few

of　the　poor　children　were　crying；　but　otherwise　the　universal

cheerfulness　was　amazing。　　'We　shall　shake　down　by　to…morrow。'　　'We

shall　come　all　right　in　a　day　or　so。'　　'We　shall　have　more　light　at

sea。'　　Such　phrases　I　heard　everywhere；　as　I　groped　my　way　among

chests　and　barrels　and　beams　and　unstowed　cargo　and　ring…bolts　and

Emigrants；　down　to　the　lower…deck；　and　thence　up　to　the　light　of

day　again；　and　to　my　former　station。



Surely；　an　extraordinary　people　in　their　power　of　self…abstraction！

All　the　former　letter…writers　were　still　writing　calmly；　and　many

more　letter…writers　had　broken　out　in　my　absence。　　A　boy　with　a　bag

of　books　in　his　hand　and　a　slate　under　his　arm；　emerged　from　below；

concentrated　himself　in　my　neighbourhood　（espying　a　convenient

skylight　for　his　purpose）；　and　went　to　work　at　a　sum　as　if　he　were

stone　deaf。　　A　father　and　mother　and　several　young　children；　on　the

main　deck　below　me；　had　formed　a　family　circle　close　to　the　foot　of

the　crowded　restless　gangway；　where　the　children　made　a　nest　for

themselves　in　a　coil　of　rope；　and　the　father　and　mother；　she

suckling　the　youngest；　discussed　family　affairs　as　peaceably　as　if

they　were　in　perfect　retirement。　　I　think　the　most　noticeable

characteristic　in　the　eight　hundred　as　a　mass；　was　their　exemption

from　hurry。



Eight　hundred　what？　　'Geese；　villain？'　　EIGHT　HUNDRED　MORMONS。　　I；

Uncommercial　Traveller　for　the　firm　of　Human　Interest　Brothers；　had

come　aboard　this　Emigrant　Ship　to　see　what　Eight　hundred　Latter…day

Saints　were　like；　and　I　found　them　（to　the　rout　and　overthrow　of

all　my　expectations）　like　what　I　now　describe　with　scrupulous

exactness。



The　Mormon　Agent　who　had　been　active　in　getting　them　together；　and

in　making　the　contract　with　my　friends　the　owners　of　the　ship　to

take　them　as　far　as　New　York　on　their　way　to　the　Great　Salt　Lake；

was　pointed　out　to　me。　　A　compactly…made　handsome　man　in　black；

rather　short；　with　rich　brown　hair　and　beard；　and　clear　bright

eyes。　　From　his　speech；　I　should　set　him　down　as　American。

Probably；　a　man　who　had　'knocked　about　the　world'　pretty　much。　　A

man　with　a　frank　open　manner；　and　unshrinking　look；　withal　a　man　of

great　quickness。　　I　believe　he　was　wholly　ignorant　of　my

Uncommercial　individuality；　and　consequently　of　my　immense

Uncommercial　importance。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　These　are　a　very　fine　set　of　people　you　have　brought

together　here。



MORMON　AGENT。　　Yes；　sir；　they　are　a　VERY　fine　set　of　people。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（looking　about）。　　Indeed；　I　think　it　would　be

difficult　to　find　Eight　hundred　people　together　anywhere　else；　and

find　so　much　beauty　and　so　much　strength　and　capacity　for　work

among　them。



MORMON　AGENT　（not　looking　about；　but　looking　steadily　at

Uncommercial）。　　I　think　so。　…　We　sent　out　about　a　thousand　more；

yes'day；　from　Liverpool。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　You　are　not　going　with　these　emigrants？



MORMON　AGENT。　　No；　sir。　　I　remain。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　But　you　have　been　in　the　Mormon　Territory？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Yes；　I　left　Utah　about　three　years　ago。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　It　is　surprising　to　me　that　these　people　are　all　so

cheery；　and　make　so　little　of　the　immense　distance　before　them。



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　you　see；　many　of　'em　have　friends　out　at　Utah；

and　many　of　'em　look　forward　to　meeting　friends　on　the　way。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　On　the　way？



MORMON　AGENT。　　This　way　'tis。　　This　ship　lands　'em　in　New　York

City。　　Then　they　go　on　by　rail　right　away　beyond　St。　Louis；　to　that

part　of　the　Banks　of　the　Missouri　where　they　strike　the　Plains。

There；　waggons　from　the　settlement　meet　'em　to　bear　'em　company　on

their　journey　'cross…twelve　hundred　miles　about。　　Industrious

people　who　come　out　to　the　settlement　soon　get　waggons　of　their

own；　and　so　the　friends　of　some　of　these　will　come　down　in　their

own　waggons　to　meet　'em。　　They　look　forward　to　that；　greatly。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　On　their　long　journey　across　the　Desert；　do　you　arm

them？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Mostly　you　would　find　they　have　arms　of　some　kind　or

another　already　with　them。　　Such　as　had　not　arms　we　should　arm

across　the　Plains；　for　the　general　protection　and　defence。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Will　these　waggons　bring　down　any　produce　to　the

Missouri？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　since　the　war　broke　out；　we've　taken　to

growing　cotton；　and　they'll　likely　bring　down　cotton　to　be

exchanged　for　machinery。　　We　want　machinery。　　Also　we　have　taken　to

growing　indigo；　which　is　a　fine　commodity　for　profit。　　It　has　been

found　that　the　climate　on　the　further　side　of　the　Great　Salt　Lake

suits　well　for　raising　indigo。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　I　am　told　that　these　people　now　on　board　are

principally　from　the　South　of　England？



MORMON　AGENT。　　And　from　Wales。　　That's　true。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Do　you　get　many　Scotch？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Not　many。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Highlanders；　for　instance？



MORMON　AGENT。　　No；　not　Highlanders。　　They　ain't　interested　enough

in　universal　brotherhood　and　peace　and　good　will。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　The　old　fighting　blood　is　strong　in　them？



MORMON　AGENT。　　Well；　yes。　　And　besides；　they've　no　faith。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（who　has　been　burning　to　get　at　the　Prophet　Joe　Smith；

and　seems　to　discover　an　opening）。　　Faith　in　…　！



MORMON　AGENT　（far　too　many　for　Uncommercial）。　　Well。　…　In　anything！



Similarly　on　this　same　head；　the　Uncommercial　underwent

discomfiture　from　a　Wiltshire　labourer：　　a　simple；　fresh…coloured

farm…labourer；　of　eight…and…thirty；　who　at　one　time　stood　beside

him　looking　on　at　new　arrivals；　and　with　whom　he　held　this

dialogue：



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Would　you　mind　my　asking　you　what　part　of　the

country　you　come　from？



WILTSHIRE。　　Not　a　bit。　　Theer！　（exultingly）　I've　worked　all　my　life

o'　Salisbury　Plain；　right　under　the　shadder　o'　Stonehenge。　　You

mightn't　think　it；　but　I　haive。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　And　a　pleasant　country　too。



WILTSHIRE。　　Ah！　　'Tis　a　pleasant　country。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　Have　you　any　family　on　board？



WILTSHIRE。　　Two　children；　boy　and　gal。　　I　am　a　widderer；　I　am；　and

I'm　going　out　alonger　my　boy　and　gal。　　That's　my　gal；　and　she's　a

fine　gal　o'　sixteen　（pointing　out　the　girl　who　is　writing　by　the

boat）。　　I'll　go　and　fetch　my　boy。　　I'd　like　to　show　you　my　boy。

（Here　Wiltshire　disappears；　and　presently　comes　back　with　a　big；

shy　boy　of　twelve；　in　a　superabundance　of　boots；　who　is　not　at　all

glad　to　be　presented。）　　He　is　a　fine　boy　too；　and　a　boy　fur　to

work！　　（Boy　having　undutifully　bolted；　Wiltshire　drops　him。）



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　It　must　cost　you　a　great　deal　of　money　to　go　so　far；

three　strong。



WILTSHIRE。　　A　power　of　money。　　Theer！　　Eight　shillen　a　week；　eight

shillen　a　week；　eight　shillen　a　week；　put　by　out　of　the　week's

wages　for　ever　so　long。



UNCOMMERCIAL。　　I　wonder　how　you　did　it。



WILTSHIRE　（recognising　in　this　a　kindred　spirit）。　　See　theer　now！

I　wonder　how　I　done　it！　　But　what　with　a　bit　o'　subscription　heer；

and　what　with　a　bit　o'　help　theer；　it　were　done　at　last；　though　I

don't　hardly　know　how。　　Then　it　were　unfort'net　for　us；　you　see；　as

we　got　kep'　in　Bristol　so　long　…　nigh　a　fortnight；　it　were　…　on

accounts　of　a　mistake　wi'　Brother　Halliday。　　Swaller'd　up　money；　it

did；　when　we　might　have　come　straight　on。



UNCOMMERCIAL　（delicately　approaching　Joe　Smith）。　　You　are　of　the

Mormon　religion；　of　course？



WILTSHIRE　（confidently）。　　O　yes；　I'm　a　Mormon。　　（Then

reflectively。）　　I'm　a　Mormon。　　（Then；　looking　round　the　ship；

feigns　to　descry　a　particular　friend　in　an　empty　spot；　and　evades

the　Uncommercial　for　evermore。）



After　a　noontide　pause　for　dinner；　during　which　my　Emigrants　were

nearly　all　between…decks；　and　the　Amazon　looked　deserted；　a　general

muster　took　place。　　The　muster　was　for　the　ceremony　of　passing　the

Government　Inspector　and　the　Doctor。　　Those　authorities　held　their

temporary　state　amidships；　by　a　cask　or　two；　and；　knowing　that　the

whole　Eight　hundred　emigrants　must　come　face　to　face　with　them；　I

took　my　station　behind　the　two。　　They　knew　nothing　whatever　of　me；

I　believe；　and　my　testimony　to　the　unpretending　gentleness　and　good

nature　with　which　they　discharged　their　duty；　may　be　of　the　greater

worth。　　There　was　not　the　slightest　flavour　of　the　Circumlocution

Office　about　their　proceedings。



The　emigrants　were　now　all　on　deck。　　They　were　densely　crowded　aft；

and　swarmed　upon　the　poop…deck　like　bees。　　Two　or　three　Mormon

agents　stood　ready　to　hand　them　on　to　the　Inspector；　and　to　hand

them　forward　when　they　had　passed。　　By　what　successful　means；　a

special　aptitude　for　organisation　had　been　infused　into　these

people；　I　am；　of　course；　unable　to　report。　　But　I　know　that；　even

now；　there　was　no　disorder；　hurry；　or　difficulty。



All　being　ready；　the　first　group　are　handed　on。　　That　member　of　the

party　who　is　entrusted　with　the　passenger…ticket　for　the　whole；　has

been　warned　by　one　of　the　agents　to　have　it　ready；　and　here　it　is

in　his　hand。　　In　every　instance　through　the　whole　eight　hundred；

without　an　exception；　this　paper　is　always　ready。



INSPECTOR　（reading　the　ticket）。　　Jessie　Jobson；　Sophronia　Jobson；

Jessie　Jobson　again；　Matilda　Jobson；　William　Jobson；　Jane　Jobson；

Matilda　Jobson　again；　Brigham　Jobson；　Leonardo　Jobson；　and　Orson

Jobson。　　Are　you　all　here？　（glancing　at　the　party；　over　his

spectacles）。



JESSIE　JOBSON　NUMBER　TWO。　　All　here；　sir。



This　group　is　composed　of　an　old　grandfather　and　grandmother；　their

married　son　and　his　wife；　and　THEIR　family　of　children。　　Orson

Jobson　is　a　little　child　asleep　in　his　mother's　arms。　　The　Doctor；

with　a　kind　word　or　s