This book is merely a personal narrative, and not a pretentious history or a philosophical dissertation. It is a record of several years of variegated vagabondizing, and its object is rather to help the resting reader while away an idle hour than afflict him with metaphysics, or goad him with science. Still, there is information in the volume; information concerning an interesting episode in the history of the Far West, about which no books have been written by persons who were on the ground in person, and saw the happenings of the time with their own eyes. I allude to the rise, growth and culmination of the silver-mining fever in Nevada—a curious episode, in some respects; the only one, of its peculiar kind, that has occurred in the land; and the only one, indeed, that is likely to occur in it.
Yes, take it all around, there is quite a good deal of information in the book. I regret this very much; but really it could not be helped: information appears to stew out of me naturally, like the precious ottar of roses out of the otter. Sometimes it has seemed to me that I would give worlds if I could retain my facts; but it cannot be. The more I calk up the sources, and the tighter I get, the more I leak wisdom. Therefore, I can only claim indulgence at the hands of the reader, not justification.
THE AUTHOR.
CONTENTS.
[CHAPTER LXXI.] Kealakekua Bay—Death of Captain Cook—His Monument—Its Construction—On Board the Schooner
[CHAPTER LXXII.] Young Kanakas in New England—A Temple Built by Ghosts—Female Bathers—I Stood Guard—Women and Whiskey—A Fight for Religion—Arrival of Missionaries
[CHAPTER LXXIII.] Native Canoes—Surf Bathing—A Sanctuary—How Built—The Queen's Rock—Curiosities—Petrified Lava
[CHAPTER LXXIV.] Visit to the Volcano—The Crater—Pillar of Fire—Magnificent Spectacle—A Lake of Fire
[CHAPTER LXXV.] The North Lake—Fountains of Fire—Streams of Burning Lava—Tidal Waves
[CHAPTER LXXVI.] A Reminiscence—Another Horse Story—My Ride with the Retired Milk Horse- -A Picnicing Excursion—Dead Volcano of Holeakala—Comparison with Vesuvius—An Inside View
[CHAPTER LXXVII.] A Curious Character—A Series of Stories—Sad Fate of a Liar—Evidence of Insanity
[CHAPTER LXXVIII.] Return to San Francisco—Ship Amusements—Preparing for Lecturing—Valuable Assistance Secured—My First Attempt—The Audience Carried—"All's Well that Ends Well."
[CHAPTER LXXIX.] Highwaymen—A Predicament—A Huge Joke—Farewell to California—At Home Again—Great Changes. Moral.
[APPENDIX. A.]—Brief Sketch of Mormon History B.—The Mountain Meadows Massacre C.—Concerning a Frightful Assassination that was never Consummated
[CHAPTER LXXI.] Kealakekua Bay—Death of Captain Cook—His Monument—Its Construction—On Board the Schooner
[CHAPTER LXXII.] Young Kanakas in New England—A Temple Built by Ghosts—Female Bathers—I Stood Guard—Women and Whiskey—A Fight for Religion—Arrival of Missionaries
[CHAPTER LXXIII.] Native Canoes—Surf Bathing—A Sanctuary—How Built—The Queen's Rock—Curiosities—Petrified Lava
[CHAPTER LXXIV.] Visit to the Volcano—The Crater—Pillar of Fire—Magnificent Spectacle—A Lake of Fire
[CHAPTER LXXV.] The North Lake—Fountains of Fire—Streams of Burning Lava—Tidal Waves
[CHAPTER LXXVI.] A Reminiscence—Another Horse Story—My Ride with the Retired Milk Horse- -A Picnicing Excursion—Dead Volcano of Holeakala—Comparison with Vesuvius—An Inside View
[CHAPTER LXXVII.] A Curious Character—A Series of Stories—Sad Fate of a Liar—Evidence of Insanity
[CHAPTER LXXVIII.] Return to San Francisco—Ship Amusements—Preparing for Lecturing—Valuable Assistance Secured—My First Attempt—The Audience Carried—"All's Well that Ends Well."
[CHAPTER LXXIX.] Highwaymen—A Predicament—A Huge Joke—Farewell to California—At Home Again—Great Changes. Moral.
[APPENDIX. A.]—Brief Sketch of Mormon History B.—The Mountain Meadows Massacre C.—Concerning a Frightful Assassination that was never Consummated
ILLUSTRATIONS
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272. [KEALAKEKUA BAY AND COOK'S MONUMENT] 273. [THE GHOSTLY BUILDERS] 274. [ON GUARD] 275. [BREAKING THE TABU] 276. [SURF BATHING] 277. [SURF BATHING A FAILURE] 278. [CITY OF REFUGE] 279. [THE QUEEN'S ROCK] 280. [TAIL-PIECE] 281. [THE PILLAR OF FIRE] 282. [THE CRATER] 283. [BROKE THROUGH] 284. [FIRE FOUNTAINS] 285. [LAVA STREAM] 286. [A TIDAL WAVE] 287. [TRIP ON THE MILKY WAY] 288. [A VIEW IN THE TAO VALLEY] 289. [MAGNIFICENT SPORT] 290. [ELEVEN MILES TO SEE] 291. [CHASED BY A STORM] 292. [LEAVING WORK] 293. [TAIL-PIECE] 294. [OUR AMUSEMENTS] 295. [SEVERE CASE OF STAGE FRIGHT] 296. [MY THREE PARQUETTE ALLIES] 297. [SAWYER IN THE CIRCLE] 298. [A PREDICAMENT] 299. [THE BEST OF THE JOKE] 300. [THE END] |