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before any one else； lit the stove； put on the water to boil；
and strolled forth upon the platform to wait till it was
ready。 Silverado would then be still in shadow； the sun
shining on the mountain higher up。 A clean smell of trees； a
smell of the earth at morning； hung in the air。 Regularly；
every day； there was a single bird； not singing； but
awkwardly chirruping among the green madronas； and the sound
was cheerful； natural； and stirring。 It did not hold the
attention； nor interrupt the thread of meditation； like a
blackbird or a nightingale； it was mere woodland prattle； of
which the mind was conscious like a perfume。 The freshness
of these morning seasons remained with me far on into the
day。
As soon as the kettle boiled； I made porridge and coffee； and
that； beyond the literal drawing of water； and the
preparation of kindling； which it would be hyperbolical to
call the hewing of wood； ended my domestic duties for the
day。 Thenceforth my wife laboured single…handed in the
palace； and I lay or wandered on the platform at my own sweet
will。 The little corner near the forge； where we found a
refuge under the madronas from the unsparing early sun； is
indeed connected in my mind with some nightmare encounters
over Euclid； and the Latin Grammar。 These were known as
Sam's lessons。 He was supposed to be the victim and the
sufferer； but here there must have been some misconception；
for whereas I generally retired to bed after one of these
engagements； he was no sooner set free than he dashed up to
the Chinaman's house； where he had installed a printing
press； that great element of civilization； and the sound of
his labours would be faintly audible about the canyon half
the day。
To walk at all was a laborious business； the foot sank and
slid； the boots were cut to pieces； among sharp； uneven；
rolling stones。 When we crossed the platform in any
direction； it was usual to lay a course； following as much as
possible the line of waggon rails。 Thus； if water were to be
drawn； the water…carrier left the house along some tilting
planks that we had laid down； and not laid down very well。
These carried him to that great highroad； the railway； and
the railway served him as far as to the head of the shaft。
But from thence to the spring and back again he made the best
of his unaided way； staggering among the stones； and wading
in low growth of the calcanthus； where the rattlesnakes lay
hissing at his passage。 Yet I liked to draw water。 It was
pleasant to dip the gray metal pail into the clean；
colourless； cool water； pleasant to carry it back； with the
water ripping at the edge； and a broken sunbeam quivering in
the midst。
But the extreme roughness of the walking confined us in
common practice to the platform； and indeed to those parts of
it that were most easily accessible along the line of rails。
The rails came straight forward from the shaft； here and
there overgrown with little green bushes； but still entire；
and still carrying a truck； which it was Sam's delight to
trundle to and fro by the hour with various ladings。 About
midway down the platform； the railroad trended to the right；
leaving our house and coasting along the far side within a
few yards of the madronas and the forge； and not far of the
latter； ended in a sort of platform on the edge of the dump。
There； in old days； the trucks were tipped； and their load
sent thundering down the chute。 There； besides； was the only
spot where we could approach the margin of the dump。
Anywhere else； you took your life in your right hand when you
came within a yard and a half to peer over。 For at any
moment the dump might begin to slide and carry you down and
bury you below its ruins。 Indeed； the neighbourhood of an
old mine is a place beset with dangers。 For as still as
Silverado was； at any moment the report of rotten wood might
tell us that the platform had fallen into the shaft； the dump
might begin to pour into the road below； or a wedge slip in
the great upright seam； and hundreds of tons of mountain bury
the scene of our encampment。
I have already compared the dump to a rampart； built
certainly by some rude people； and for prehistoric wars。 It
was likewise a frontier。 All below was green and woodland；
the tall pines soaring one above another； each with a firm
outline and full spread of bough。 All above was arid； rocky；
and bald。 The great spout of broken mineral； that had dammed
the canyon up； was a creature of man's handiwork； its
material dug out with a pick and powder； and spread by the
service of the tracks。 But nature herself； in that upper
district； seemed to have had an eye to nothing besides
mining； and even the natural hill…side was all sliding gravel
and precarious boulder。 Close at the margin of the well
leaves would decay to skeletons and mummies； which at length
some stronger gust would carry clear of the canyon and
scatter in the subjacent woods。 Even moisture and decaying
vegetable matter could not； with all nature's alchemy；
concoct enough soil to nourish a few poor grasses。 It is the
same； they say； in the neighbourhood of all silver mines； the
nature of that precious rock being stubborn with quartz and
poisonous with cinnabar。 Both were plenty in our Silverado。
The stones sparkled white in the sunshine with quartz； they
were all stained red with cinnabar。 Here； doubtless； came
the Indians of yore to paint their faces for the war…path；
and cinnabar； if I remember rightly； was one of the few
articles of Indian commerce。 Now； Sam had it in his
undisturbed possession； to pound down and slake； and paint
his rude designs with。 But to me it had always a fine
flavour of poetry； compounded out of Indian story and
Hawthornden's allusion：
〃Desire； alas！ I desire a Zeuxis new；
From Indies borrowing gold； from Eastern skies
Most bright cinoper 。 。 。〃
Yet this is but half the picture； our Silverado platform has
another side to it。 Though there was no soil； and scarce a
blade of grass； yet out of these tumbled gravel…heaps and
broken boulders； a flower garden bloomed as at home in a
conservatory。 Calcanthus crept； like a hardy weed； all over
our rough parlour； choking the railway； and pushing forth its
rusty； aromatic cones from between two blocks of shattered
mineral。 Azaleas made a big snow…bed just above the well。
The shoulder of the hill waved white with Mediterranean
heath。 In the crannies of the ledge and about the spurs of
the tall pine； a red flowering stone…plant hung in clusters。
Even the low； thorny chaparral was thick with pea…like
blossom。 Close at the foot of our path nutmegs prospered；
delightful to the sight and smell。 At sunrise； and again
late at night； the scent of the sweet bay trees filled the
canyon； and the down…blowing night wind