Reading Help Around the world in eighty days Ch.VII-XIII
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` Chapter XXVI `
` `
` IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG AND PARTY TRAVEL BY THE PACIFIC RAILROAD `
` `
` `
` "From ocean to ocean"--so say the Americans; and these four words `
` compose the general designation of the "great trunk line" `
` which crosses the entire width of the United States. `
` The Pacific Railroad is, however, really divided into two distinct lines: `
` the Central Pacific, between San Francisco and Ogden, and the Union Pacific, `
` between Ogden and Omaha. Five main lines connect Omaha with New York. `
` `
` New York and San Francisco are thus united by an uninterrupted metal ribbon, `
` which measures no less than three thousand seven hundred and eighty-six miles. `
` Between Omaha and the Pacific the railway crosses a territory which is still `
` infested by Indians and wild beasts, and a large tract which the Mormons, `
` after they were driven from Illinois in 1845, began to colonise. `
` `
` The journey from New York to San Francisco consumed, formerly, `
` under the most favourable conditions, at least six months. `
` It is now accomplished in seven days. `
` `
` It was in 1862 that, in spite of the Southern Members of Congress, `
` who wished a more southerly route, it was decided to lay the road `
` between the forty-first and forty-second parallels. President Lincoln `
` himself fixed the end of the line at Omaha, in Nebraska. The work was `
` at once commenced, and pursued with true American energy; nor did the `
` rapidity with which it went on injuriously affect its good execution. `
` The road grew, on the prairies, a mile and a half a day. A locomotive, `
` running on the rails laid down the evening before, brought the rails `
` to be laid on the morrow, and advanced upon them as fast as they were `
` put in position. `
` `
` The Pacific Railroad is joined by several branches in Iowa, Kansas, `
` Colorado, and Oregon. On leaving Omaha, it passes along the left bank `
` of the Platte River as far as the junction of its northern branch, `
` follows its southern branch, crosses the Laramie territory and the `
` Wahsatch Mountains, turns the Great Salt Lake, and reaches Salt Lake City, `
` the Mormon capital, plunges into the Tuilla Valley, across the American Desert, `
` Cedar and Humboldt Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and descends, via Sacramento, `
` to the Pacific--its grade, even on the Rocky Mountains, never exceeding `
` one hundred and twelve feet to the mile. `
` `
` Such was the road to be traversed in seven days, which would enable `
` Phileas Fogg--at least, so he hoped--to take the Atlantic steamer `
` at New York on the 11th for Liverpool. `
` `
` The car which he occupied was a sort of long omnibus on eight wheels, `
` and with no compartments in the interior. It was supplied with two rows `
` of seats, perpendicular to the direction of the train on either side `
` of an aisle which conducted to the front and rear platforms. `
` These platforms were found throughout the train, and the passengers `
` were able to pass from one end of the train to the other. `
` It was supplied with saloon cars, balcony cars, restaurants, `
` and smoking-cars; theatre cars alone were wanting, and they will `
` have these some day. `
` `
` Book and news dealers, sellers of edibles, drinkables, and cigars, `
` who seemed to have plenty of customers, were continually circulating `
` in the aisles. `
` `
` The train left Oakland station at six o'clock. It was already night, `
` cold and cheerless, the heavens being overcast with clouds which seemed `
` to threaten snow. The train did not proceed rapidly; counting the stoppages, `
` it did not run more than twenty miles an hour, which was a sufficient speed, `
` however, to enable it to reach Omaha within its designated time. `
` `
` There was but little conversation in the car, and soon many of the passengers `
` were overcome with sleep. Passepartout found himself beside the detective; `
` but he did not talk to him. After recent events, their relations with each `
` other had grown somewhat cold; there could no longer be mutual sympathy or `
` intimacy between them. Fix's manner had not changed; but Passepartout was very `
` reserved, and ready to strangle his former friend on the slightest provocation. `
` `
` Snow began to fall an hour after they started, a fine snow, however, `
` which happily could not obstruct the train; nothing could be seen `
` from the windows but a vast, white sheet, against which the smoke `
` of the locomotive had a greyish aspect. `
` `
` At eight o'clock a steward entered the car and announced that `
` the time for going to bed had arrived; and in a few minutes `
` the car was transformed into a dormitory. The backs of the seats `
` were thrown back, bedsteads carefully packed were rolled out by `
` an ingenious system, berths were suddenly improvised, and each traveller `
` had soon at his disposition a comfortable bed, protected from curious eyes `
` by thick curtains. The sheets were clean and the pillows soft. `
` It only remained to go to bed and sleep which everybody did-- `
` while the train sped on across the State of California. `
` `
` The country between San Francisco and Sacramento is not very hilly. `
` The Central Pacific, taking Sacramento for its starting-point, `
` extends eastward to meet the road from Omaha. The line from San Francisco `
` to Sacramento runs in a north-easterly direction, along the American River, `
` which empties into San Pablo Bay. The one hundred and twenty miles between `
` these cities were accomplished in six hours, and towards midnight, while `
` fast asleep, the travellers passed through Sacramento; so that they saw nothing `
` of that important place, the seat of the State government, with its fine quays, `
` its broad streets, its noble hotels, squares, and churches. `
` `
` The train, on leaving Sacramento, and passing the junction, Roclin, Auburn, `
` and Colfax, entered the range of the Sierra Nevada. 'Cisco was reached `
` at seven in the morning; and an hour later the dormitory was transformed `
` into an ordinary car, and the travellers could observe the picturesque `
` beauties of the mountain region through which they were steaming. `
` The railway track wound in and out among the passes, now approaching `
` the mountain-sides, now suspended over precipices, avoiding abrupt angles `
` by bold curves, plunging into narrow defiles, which seemed to have `
` no outlet. The locomotive, its great funnel emitting a weird light, `
` with its sharp bell, and its cow-catcher extended like a spur, `
` mingled its shrieks and bellowings with the noise of torrents and cascades, `
` and twined its smoke among the branches of the gigantic pines. `
` `
` There were few or no bridges or tunnels on the route. The railway `
` turned around the sides of the mountains, and did not attempt to violate `
` nature by taking the shortest cut from one point to another. `
` `
` The train entered the State of Nevada through the Carson Valley `
` about nine o'clock, going always northeasterly; and at midday reached Reno, `
` where there was a delay of twenty minutes for breakfast. `
` `
` From this point the road, running along Humboldt River, `
` passed northward for several miles by its banks; then it `
` turned eastward, and kept by the river until it reached `
` the Humboldt Range, nearly at the extreme eastern limit of Nevada. `
` `
` Having breakfasted, Mr. Fogg and his companions resumed their places `
` in the car, and observed the varied landscape which unfolded itself `
` as they passed along the vast prairies, the mountains lining the horizon, `
` and the creeks, with their frothy, foaming streams. Sometimes a great herd `
` of buffaloes, massing together in the distance, seemed like a moveable dam. `
` These innumerable multitudes of ruminating beasts often form an `
` insurmountable obstacle to the passage of the trains; thousands `
` of them have been seen passing over the track for hours together, `
` in compact ranks. The locomotive is then forced to stop and wait `
` till the road is once more clear. `
` `
` This happened, indeed, to the train in which Mr. Fogg was travelling. `
` About twelve o'clock a troop of ten or twelve thousand head of buffalo `
` encumbered the track. The locomotive, slackening its speed, tried to clear `
` the way with its cow-catcher; but the mass of animals was too great. `
` The buffaloes marched along with a tranquil gait, uttering now and then `
` deafening bellowings. There was no use of interrupting them, for, `
` having taken a particular direction, nothing can moderate and change `
` their course; it is a torrent of living flesh which no dam could contain. `
` `
` The travellers gazed on this curious spectacle from the platforms; `
` but Phileas Fogg, who had the most reason of all to be in a hurry, `
` remained in his seat, and waited philosophically until it should please `
` the buffaloes to get out of the way. `
` `
` Passepartout was furious at the delay they occasioned, and longed `
` to discharge his arsenal of revolvers upon them. `
` `
` "What a country!" cried he. "Mere cattle stop the trains, and go by `
` in a procession, just as if they were not impeding travel! Parbleu! `
` I should like to know if Mr. Fogg foresaw this mishap in his programme! `
` And here's an engineer who doesn't dare to run the locomotive `
` into this herd of beasts!" `
` `
` The engineer did not try to overcome the obstacle, and he was wise. `
` He would have crushed the first buffaloes, no doubt, with the cow-catcher; `
` but the locomotive, however powerful, would soon have been checked, `
` the train would inevitably have been thrown off the track, `
` and would then have been helpless. `
` `
` The best course was to wait patiently, and regain the lost time `
` by greater speed when the obstacle was removed. The procession `
` of buffaloes lasted three full hours, and it was night before `
` the track was clear. The last ranks of the herd were now passing over `
` the rails, while the first had already disappeared below the southern horizon. `
` `
` It was eight o'clock when the train passed through the defiles `
` of the Humboldt Range, and half-past nine when it penetrated Utah, `
` the region of the Great Salt Lake, the singular colony of the Mormons. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter XXVII `
` `
` IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT UNDERGOES, AT A SPEED OF TWENTY MILES AN HOUR, `
` A COURSE OF MORMON HISTORY `
` `
` `
` During the night of the 5th of December, the train ran south-easterly `
` for about fifty miles; then rose an equal distance in a north-easterly `
` direction, towards the Great Salt Lake. `
` `
` Passepartout, about nine o'clock, went out upon the platform to take the air. `
` The weather was cold, the heavens grey, but it was not snowing. `
` The sun's disc, enlarged by the mist, seemed an enormous ring of gold, `
` and Passepartout was amusing himself by calculating its value `
` in pounds sterling, when he was diverted from this interesting study `
` by a strange-looking personage who made his appearance on the platform. `
` `
` This personage, who had taken the train at Elko, was tall and dark, `
` with black moustache, black stockings, a black silk hat, a black waistcoat, `
`
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter XXVI `
` `
` IN WHICH PHILEAS FOGG AND PARTY TRAVEL BY THE PACIFIC RAILROAD `
` `
` `
` "From ocean to ocean"--so say the Americans; and these four words `
` compose the general designation of the "great trunk line" `
` which crosses the entire width of the United States. `
` The Pacific Railroad is, however, really divided into two distinct lines: `
` the Central Pacific, between San Francisco and Ogden, and the Union Pacific, `
` between Ogden and Omaha. Five main lines connect Omaha with New York. `
` `
` New York and San Francisco are thus united by an uninterrupted metal ribbon, `
` which measures no less than three thousand seven hundred and eighty-six miles. `
` Between Omaha and the Pacific the railway crosses a territory which is still `
` infested by Indians and wild beasts, and a large tract which the Mormons, `
` after they were driven from Illinois in 1845, began to colonise. `
` `
` The journey from New York to San Francisco consumed, formerly, `
` under the most favourable conditions, at least six months. `
` It is now accomplished in seven days. `
` `
` It was in 1862 that, in spite of the Southern Members of Congress, `
` who wished a more southerly route, it was decided to lay the road `
` between the forty-first and forty-second parallels. President Lincoln `
` himself fixed the end of the line at Omaha, in Nebraska. The work was `
` at once commenced, and pursued with true American energy; nor did the `
` rapidity with which it went on injuriously affect its good execution. `
` The road grew, on the prairies, a mile and a half a day. A locomotive, `
` running on the rails laid down the evening before, brought the rails `
` to be laid on the morrow, and advanced upon them as fast as they were `
` put in position. `
` `
` The Pacific Railroad is joined by several branches in Iowa, Kansas, `
` Colorado, and Oregon. On leaving Omaha, it passes along the left bank `
` of the Platte River as far as the junction of its northern branch, `
` follows its southern branch, crosses the Laramie territory and the `
` Wahsatch Mountains, turns the Great Salt Lake, and reaches Salt Lake City, `
` the Mormon capital, plunges into the Tuilla Valley, across the American Desert, `
` Cedar and Humboldt Mountains, the Sierra Nevada, and descends, via Sacramento, `
` to the Pacific--its grade, even on the Rocky Mountains, never exceeding `
` one hundred and twelve feet to the mile. `
` `
` Such was the road to be traversed in seven days, which would enable `
` Phileas Fogg--at least, so he hoped--to take the Atlantic steamer `
` at New York on the 11th for Liverpool. `
` `
` The car which he occupied was a sort of long omnibus on eight wheels, `
` and with no compartments in the interior. It was supplied with two rows `
` of seats, perpendicular to the direction of the train on either side `
` of an aisle which conducted to the front and rear platforms. `
` These platforms were found throughout the train, and the passengers `
` were able to pass from one end of the train to the other. `
` It was supplied with saloon cars, balcony cars, restaurants, `
` and smoking-cars; theatre cars alone were wanting, and they will `
` have these some day. `
` `
` Book and news dealers, sellers of edibles, drinkables, and cigars, `
` who seemed to have plenty of customers, were continually circulating `
` in the aisles. `
` `
` The train left Oakland station at six o'clock. It was already night, `
` cold and cheerless, the heavens being overcast with clouds which seemed `
` to threaten snow. The train did not proceed rapidly; counting the stoppages, `
` it did not run more than twenty miles an hour, which was a sufficient speed, `
` however, to enable it to reach Omaha within its designated time. `
` `
` There was but little conversation in the car, and soon many of the passengers `
` were overcome with sleep. Passepartout found himself beside the detective; `
` but he did not talk to him. After recent events, their relations with each `
` other had grown somewhat cold; there could no longer be mutual sympathy or `
` intimacy between them. Fix's manner had not changed; but Passepartout was very `
` reserved, and ready to strangle his former friend on the slightest provocation. `
` `
` Snow began to fall an hour after they started, a fine snow, however, `
` which happily could not obstruct the train; nothing could be seen `
` from the windows but a vast, white sheet, against which the smoke `
` of the locomotive had a greyish aspect. `
` `
` At eight o'clock a steward entered the car and announced that `
` the time for going to bed had arrived; and in a few minutes `
` the car was transformed into a dormitory. The backs of the seats `
` were thrown back, bedsteads carefully packed were rolled out by `
` an ingenious system, berths were suddenly improvised, and each traveller `
` had soon at his disposition a comfortable bed, protected from curious eyes `
` by thick curtains. The sheets were clean and the pillows soft. `
` It only remained to go to bed and sleep which everybody did-- `
` while the train sped on across the State of California. `
` `
` The country between San Francisco and Sacramento is not very hilly. `
` The Central Pacific, taking Sacramento for its starting-point, `
` extends eastward to meet the road from Omaha. The line from San Francisco `
` to Sacramento runs in a north-easterly direction, along the American River, `
` which empties into San Pablo Bay. The one hundred and twenty miles between `
` these cities were accomplished in six hours, and towards midnight, while `
` fast asleep, the travellers passed through Sacramento; so that they saw nothing `
` of that important place, the seat of the State government, with its fine quays, `
` its broad streets, its noble hotels, squares, and churches. `
` `
` The train, on leaving Sacramento, and passing the junction, Roclin, Auburn, `
` and Colfax, entered the range of the Sierra Nevada. 'Cisco was reached `
` at seven in the morning; and an hour later the dormitory was transformed `
` into an ordinary car, and the travellers could observe the picturesque `
` beauties of the mountain region through which they were steaming. `
` The railway track wound in and out among the passes, now approaching `
` the mountain-sides, now suspended over precipices, avoiding abrupt angles `
` by bold curves, plunging into narrow defiles, which seemed to have `
` no outlet. The locomotive, its great funnel emitting a weird light, `
` with its sharp bell, and its cow-catcher extended like a spur, `
` mingled its shrieks and bellowings with the noise of torrents and cascades, `
` and twined its smoke among the branches of the gigantic pines. `
` `
` There were few or no bridges or tunnels on the route. The railway `
` turned around the sides of the mountains, and did not attempt to violate `
` nature by taking the shortest cut from one point to another. `
` `
` The train entered the State of Nevada through the Carson Valley `
` about nine o'clock, going always northeasterly; and at midday reached Reno, `
` where there was a delay of twenty minutes for breakfast. `
` `
` From this point the road, running along Humboldt River, `
` passed northward for several miles by its banks; then it `
` turned eastward, and kept by the river until it reached `
` the Humboldt Range, nearly at the extreme eastern limit of Nevada. `
` `
` Having breakfasted, Mr. Fogg and his companions resumed their places `
` in the car, and observed the varied landscape which unfolded itself `
` as they passed along the vast prairies, the mountains lining the horizon, `
` and the creeks, with their frothy, foaming streams. Sometimes a great herd `
` of buffaloes, massing together in the distance, seemed like a moveable dam. `
` These innumerable multitudes of ruminating beasts often form an `
` insurmountable obstacle to the passage of the trains; thousands `
` of them have been seen passing over the track for hours together, `
` in compact ranks. The locomotive is then forced to stop and wait `
` till the road is once more clear. `
` `
` This happened, indeed, to the train in which Mr. Fogg was travelling. `
` About twelve o'clock a troop of ten or twelve thousand head of buffalo `
` encumbered the track. The locomotive, slackening its speed, tried to clear `
` the way with its cow-catcher; but the mass of animals was too great. `
` The buffaloes marched along with a tranquil gait, uttering now and then `
` deafening bellowings. There was no use of interrupting them, for, `
` having taken a particular direction, nothing can moderate and change `
` their course; it is a torrent of living flesh which no dam could contain. `
` `
` The travellers gazed on this curious spectacle from the platforms; `
` but Phileas Fogg, who had the most reason of all to be in a hurry, `
` remained in his seat, and waited philosophically until it should please `
` the buffaloes to get out of the way. `
` `
` Passepartout was furious at the delay they occasioned, and longed `
` to discharge his arsenal of revolvers upon them. `
` `
` "What a country!" cried he. "Mere cattle stop the trains, and go by `
` in a procession, just as if they were not impeding travel! Parbleu! `
` I should like to know if Mr. Fogg foresaw this mishap in his programme! `
` And here's an engineer who doesn't dare to run the locomotive `
` into this herd of beasts!" `
` `
` The engineer did not try to overcome the obstacle, and he was wise. `
` He would have crushed the first buffaloes, no doubt, with the cow-catcher; `
` but the locomotive, however powerful, would soon have been checked, `
` the train would inevitably have been thrown off the track, `
` and would then have been helpless. `
` `
` The best course was to wait patiently, and regain the lost time `
` by greater speed when the obstacle was removed. The procession `
` of buffaloes lasted three full hours, and it was night before `
` the track was clear. The last ranks of the herd were now passing over `
` the rails, while the first had already disappeared below the southern horizon. `
` `
` It was eight o'clock when the train passed through the defiles `
` of the Humboldt Range, and half-past nine when it penetrated Utah, `
` the region of the Great Salt Lake, the singular colony of the Mormons. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` Chapter XXVII `
` `
` IN WHICH PASSEPARTOUT UNDERGOES, AT A SPEED OF TWENTY MILES AN HOUR, `
` A COURSE OF MORMON HISTORY `
` `
` `
` During the night of the 5th of December, the train ran south-easterly `
` for about fifty miles; then rose an equal distance in a north-easterly `
` direction, towards the Great Salt Lake. `
` `
` Passepartout, about nine o'clock, went out upon the platform to take the air. `
` The weather was cold, the heavens grey, but it was not snowing. `
` The sun's disc, enlarged by the mist, seemed an enormous ring of gold, `
` and Passepartout was amusing himself by calculating its value `
` in pounds sterling, when he was diverted from this interesting study `
` by a strange-looking personage who made his appearance on the platform. `
` `
` This personage, who had taken the train at Elko, was tall and dark, `
` with black moustache, black stockings, a black silk hat, a black waistcoat, `
`