Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 12
”
Andmymother:“ThankGod!Andperhapstheywillsellusfood.”
AndintoNephi,throughblood-reddust,withgrindandgrateandjoltandjar,ourgreatwagonsrolled.Adozenscattereddwellingsorshantiescomposedtheplace.Thelandscapewasmuchthesameasthatthroughwhichwehadpassed.Therewerenotrees,onlyscrubgrowthsandsandybareness.Buthereweresignsoftilledfields,withhereandthereafence.Alsotherewaswater.Downthestreamrannocurrent.Thebed,however,wasdamp,withnowandagainawater-holeintowhichthelooseoxenandthesaddle-horsesstampedandplungedtheirmuzzlestotheeyes.Here,too,grewanoccasionalsmallwillow.
“ThatmustbeBillBlack’smilltheytoldusabout,”myfathersaid,pointingoutabuildingtomymother,whoseanxiousnesshaddrawnhertopeeroutoverourshoulders.
Anoldman,withbuckskinshirtandlong,matted,sunburnthair,rodebacktoourwagonandtalkedwithfather.Thesignalwasgiven,andtheheadwagonsofthetrainbegantodeployinacircle.Thegroundfavouredtheevolution,and,fromlongpractice,itwasaccomplishedwithoutahitch,sothatwhenthefortywagonswerefinallyhaltedtheyformedacircle.Allwasbustleandorderlyconfusion.Manywomen,alltired-facedanddustylikemymother,emergedfromthewagons.Alsopouredforthaveryhordeofchildren.
