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ROUGHING IT
By Mark Twain
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PREFATORY.
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 I. My Brother appointed Secretary of Nevada—I Envy His
Prospective Adventures—Am Appointed Private Secretary Under Him—My
Contentment Complete—Packed in One Hour—Dreams and Visions—On the
Missouri River—A Bully Boat