Спрут: Калифорнийская история

           Menandboysreachingoverthesidesofthecorral,pickedupajackineachhand,holdingthembytheears,whiletworeportersfromSanFranciscopaperstookphotographsofthescene.Thenoisemadebythetensofthousandsofmovingbodieswasasthenoiseofwindinaforest,whilefromthehotandsweatingmassthereroseastrangeodor,penetrating,ammoniacal,savouringofwildlife.

           Onsignal,thekillingbegan.Dogsthathadbeenbroughtthereforthatpurposewhenletintothecorralrefused,ashadbeenhalfexpected,todothework.Theysnuffedcuriouslyatthepile,thenbackedoff,disturbed,perplexed.Butthemenandboys—Portugueseforthemostpart—weremoreeager.AnnixterdrewHilmaaway,and,indeed,mostofthepeoplesetaboutthebarbecueatonce.

           Inthecorral,however,thekillingwentforward.Armedwithaclubineachhand,theyoungfellowsfromGuadalajaraandBonneville,andthefarmboysfromtheranches,leapedovertherailsofthecorral.Theywalkedunsteadilyuponthemyriadofcrowdingbodiesunderfoot,or,asspacewascleared,sankalmostwaistdeepintothemassthatleapedandsquirmedaboutthem.Blindly,furiously,theystruckandstruck.TheAnglo-Saxonspectatorsroundaboutdrewbackindisgust,butthehot,degeneratedbloodofPortuguese,Mexican,andmixedSpaniardboiledupinexcitementatthiswholesaleslaughter.

           Butonlyafewoftheparticipantsofthedrivecaredtolookon.Alltheguestsbetookthemselvessomequarterofamilefartheronintothehills.

           ThepicnicandbarbecueweretobeheldaroundthespringwhereBrodersonCreektookitsrise.