Crusoe's island . the solid earth—three hundred human beingsin a tinder-box not bigger than a first-class hen-coop!But they were sorry-looking sleepers as they came fortheach morning, swearing at the evil genius who had di-rected them to this miserable spot—every man a dollarand a pound of flesh poorer. I saw some, who perhapswere short of means, take surreptitious naps against theposts and walls in the bar-room, while they ostensiblyprofessed to be mere spectators. In truth, wherever I turned there was much to confirmthe forebodings with which I had entered the DevilsGate. The deep pits on th
Crusoe's island . the solid earth—three hundred human beingsin a tinder-box not bigger than a first-class hen-coop!But they were sorry-looking sleepers as they came fortheach morning, swearing at the evil genius who had di-rected them to this miserable spot—every man a dollarand a pound of flesh poorer. I saw some, who perhapswere short of means, take surreptitious naps against theposts and walls in the bar-room, while they ostensiblyprofessed to be mere spectators. In truth, wherever I turned there was much to confirmthe forebodings with which I had entered the DevilsGate. The deep pits on the hill-sides; the blasted andbarren appearance of the whole country; the unsight-ly hodge-podge of a town; the horrible confusion oftongues ; the roaring, raving drunkards at the bar-rooms,swilling fiery liquids from morning till night; the flaringand flaunting gambling-saloons, filled with desperadoesof the vilest sort; the ceaseless torrent of imprecationsthat shocked the ear on every side; the mad specula-. GOLD niLL. 380 A PEEP AT WASHOE. tions and feverish thirst for gain—all combined to giveme a forcible impression of the unhallowed character ofthe place. What dreadful savage is that ? I asked, as a ferocious-looking monster in human shape stalked through thecrowd. Is it—can it be the — ? No ; thats only a mur-derer. He shot three men a few weeks ago, and willprobably shoot another before night. And this agedand decrepit man, his thin locks floating around his hag-gard and unshaved face, and matted with filth ? Thats
Size: 1799px × 1389px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade, booksubjectminesandmineralresources
