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肩書を与える: A Strange Goldfield
Author: Guy Boothby
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eBook No.: 0601571h.html
Language: English
Date first 地位，任命するd:  Jun 2006
Most 最近の update: Nov 2018

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A Strange Goldfield

by

Guy Boothby

Collected in "The Lady of the Island," John Long, London, 1904

This e-調書をとる／予約する 版: 事業／計画（する） Gutenberg Australia, 2018

"The Lady of the Island," John Long, London, 1904, with "A Strange Goldfield"

OF course nine out of every ten intelligent persons will 辞退する to believe that there could be a 穀物 of truth in the story I am now going to tell you. The tenth may have some small 約束 in my veracity, but what I think of his 知能 I am going to keep to myself.

In a 確かな 部分 of a 確かな Australian 植民地 two 鉱夫s, when out prospecting in what was then, as now, one of the dreariest parts of the Island Continent, chanced upon a rich find.

They 適用するd to 政府 for the usual reward, and in いっそう少なく than a month three thousand people were settled on the Field. What privations they had to go through to get there, and the 悲惨s they had to 耐える when they did reach their 旅行's end, have only a remote 耐えるing on this story, but they would make a big 調書をとる／予約する.

I should explain that between Railhead and the Field was a stretch of country some three hundred miles in extent. It was 不正に watered, vilely grassed, and execrably 木材／素質d. What was even worse, a かなりの 部分 of it was made up of red sand, and everybody who has been compelled to travel over that knows what it means. Yet these enthusiastic 探検者s after wealth 押し進めるd on, some on horseback, some in bullock-waggons, but the 大多数 travelled on foot; the 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs, and the 骸骨／概要s of cattle belonging to those who had に先行するd them punctuating the 大勝する, and telling them what they might 推定する／予想する as they 前進するd.

That the Field did not 証明する a success is now a 事柄 of history, but that same history, if you read between the lines, gives one some notion of what the life must have been like while it lasted. The water 供給（する） was 完全に insufficient, 準備／条項s were bad and ruinously expensive; the men themselves were, as a 支配する, the roughest of the rough, while the いっそう少なく said about the 大多数 of the women the better. Then typhoid stepped in and stalked like the Destroying Angel through the （軍の）野営地，陣営. Its inhabitants went 負かす／撃墜する like sheep in a 干ばつ, and for the most part rose no more. Where there had been a lust of gold there was now panic, terror—every man 恐れるd that he might be the next to be attacked, and it was only the knowledge of those terrible three hundred miles that separated them from civilisation that kept many of them on the Field. The most thickly 居住させるd part was now the 共同墓地. Drink was the only solace, and under its 影響（力） such scenes were 制定するd as I dare not 述べる. As they heard of fresh deaths, men shook their 握りこぶしs at Heaven, and 悪口を言う／悪態d the day when they first saw 選ぶ or shovel. Some, bolder than the 残り／休憩（する）, （疑いを）晴らすd out just as they stood; a few 結局 reached civilisation, others 死なせる／死ぬd in the 砂漠. At last the Field was 宣言するd abandoned, and the dead were left to take their last long sleep, undisturbed by the clank of windlass or the blow of 選ぶ.

IT would take too long to tell all the different 推論する／理由s that 連合させるd to draw me out into that 'most distressful country'. Let it 十分である that our party consisted of a young Englishman 指名するd Spicer, a wily old Australian bushman 指名するd Matthews, and myself. We were better off than the unfortunate 鉱夫s, inasmuch as we were travelling with camels, and our outfits were as perfect as money and experience could make them. The man who travels in any other fashion in that country is neither more nor いっそう少なく than a madman. For a month past we had been having a 公正に／かなり rough time of it, and were then on our way south, where we had 推論する／理由 to believe rain had fallen, and, in consequence, grass was plentiful. It was に向かって evening when we （機の）カム out of a gully in the 範囲s and had our first 見解（をとる） of the 砂漠d （軍の）野営地，陣営. We had no idea of its 存在, and for this 推論する／理由 we pulled up our animals and 星／主役にするd at it in 完全にする surprise. Then we 押し進めるd on again, wondering what on earth place we had chanced upon.

'This is all 権利,' said Spicer, with a chuckle. 'We're in luck. Grog shanties and 蓄える／店s, a bath, and perhaps girls.'

I shook my 長，率いる.

'I can't make it out,' I said. 'What's it doing out here?'

Matthews was looking at it under his 手渡す, and, as I knew that he had been out in this direction on a previous occasion, I asked his opinion.

'It （警官の）巡回区域，受持ち区域s me,' he replied; 'but if you ask me what I think I should say it's Gurunya, the Field that was 砂漠d some four or five years 支援する.'

'Look here,' cried Spicer, who was riding a bit on our left, 'what are all these things—墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs, as I'm a living man. Here, let's get out of this. There are hundreds of them and before I know where I am old Polyphemus here will be on his nose.'

What he said was 訂正する—the ground over which we were riding was literally bestrewn with 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs, some of which had rough, tumbledown 長，率いる boards, others 存在 destitute of all adornment. We turned away and moved on over safer ground in the direction of the Field itself.

Such a pitiful sight I never want to see again. The テントs and huts, in 非常に／多数の 事例／患者s, were still standing, while the （人命などを）奪う，主張するs gaped at us on every 味方する like new-made 墓／厳粛／彫る／重大なs. A bullock dray, 天候-worn but still in excellent 条件, stood in the main street outside a grog shanty whose 調印する-board, strange incongruity, bore the 指名する of 'The Killarney Hotel'. Nothing would 控訴 Spicer but that he must dismount and go in to 調査する. He was not long away, and when he returned it was with a 直面する as white as a sheet of paper.

'You never saw such a place,' he almost whispered. 'All I want to do is to get out of it. There's a 骸骨／概要 on the 床に打ち倒す in the 支援する room with an empty rum 瓶／封じ込める と一緒に it.'

He 機動力のある, and, when his beast was on its feet once more, we went on our way. Not one of us was sorry when we had left the last （人命などを）奪う，主張する behind us.

HALF a mile or so from the Field the country begins to rise again. There is also a curious cliff away to the left, and, as it looked like 存在 a likely place to find water, we 解決するd to （軍の）野営地，陣営 there. We were within a hundred yards or so of this cliff when an exclamation from Spicer attracted my attention.

'Look!' he cried. 'What's that?'

I followed the direction in which he was pointing, and, to my surprise, saw the 人物／姿／数字 of a man running as if for his life の中で the 激しく揺するs. I have said the 人物／姿／数字 of a man, but, as a 事柄 of fact, had there been 粗野な人間s in the Australian bush, I should have been inclined to have taken him for one.

'This is a day of surprises,' I said. 'Who can the fellow be? And what makes him 行為／法令／行動する like that?'

We still continued to watch him as he proceeded on his erratic course along the base of the cliff—then he suddenly disappeared.

'Let's get on to （軍の）野営地，陣営,' I said, 'and then we'll go after him and endeavour to settle 事柄s a bit.'

Having selected a place we offsaddled and 用意が出来ている our （軍の）野営地，陣営. By this time it was nearly dark, and it was very evident that, if we 手配中の，お尋ね者 to discover the man we had seen, it would be wise not to 延期する the search too long. We accordingly strolled off in the direction he had taken, keeping a sharp look-out for any 調印する of him. Our search, however, was not successful. The fellow had disappeared without leaving a trace of his どの辺に behind him, and yet we were all 確かな that we had seen him. At length we returned to our （軍の）野営地，陣営 for supper, 完全に mystified. As we ate our meal we discussed the problem and 公約するd that, on the morrow, we would 新たにする the search. Then the 十分な moon rose over the cliff, and the plain すぐに became 井戸／弁護士席-nigh as 有望な as day. I had lit my 麻薬を吸う and was stretching myself out upon my 一面に覆う／毛布s when something induced me to look across at a big 激しく揺する, some half-dozen paces from the 解雇する／砲火／射撃. Peering 一連の会議、交渉／完成する it, and evidently taking an 吸収するing 利益／興味 in our doings, was the most 驚くべき／特命の／臨時の 人物／姿／数字 I have ever beheld. Shouting something to my companions, I sprang to my feet and dashed across at him. He saw me and fled. Old as he 明らかに was, he could run like a jack-rabbit, and, though I have the 評判 of 存在 公正に／かなり quick on my feet, I 設立する that I had all my work 削減（する） out to catch him. Indeed, I am rather doubtful as to whether I should have done so at all had he not tripped and 手段d his length on the ground. Before he could get up I was on him.

'I've got you at last, my friend,' I said. 'Now you just come along 支援する to the （軍の）野営地，陣営, and let us have a look at you.'

In reply he snarled like a dog and I believe would have bitten me had I not held him off. My word, he was a creature, more animal than man, and the reek of him was worse than that of our camels. From what I could tell he must have been about sixty years of age—was below the middle 高さ, had white eyebrows, white hair and a white 耐えるd. He was dressed partly in rags and partly in 肌s, and went barefooted like a 黒人／ボイコット fellow. While I was 精密検査するing him the others （機の）カム up—その結果 we 護衛するd him 支援する to the （軍の）野営地，陣営.

'What wouldn't Barnum give for him?' said Spicer. 'You're a beauty, my friend, and no mistake. What's your 指名する?'

The fellow only grunted in reply—then, seeing the 麻薬を吸うs in our mouths, a curious change （機の）カム over him, and he muttered something that 似ているd 'Give me.'

'Wants a smoke,' interrupted Matthew's. 'Poor beggar's been without for a long time, I reckon. 井戸／弁護士席, I've got an old 麻薬を吸う, so he can have a draw.'

He procured one from his pack saddle, filled it and 手渡すd it to the man, who snatched it greedily and began to puff away at it.

'How long have you been out here?' I asked, when he had squatted himself 負かす／撃墜する と一緒に the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.

'Don't know,' he answered, this time plainly enough.

'Can't you get 支援する?' continued Matthews, who knew the nature of the country on the other 味方する.

'Don't want to,' was the other's laconic reply. 'Stay here.'

I heard Spicer mutter, 'Mad—mad as a March hare.'

We then tried to get out of him where he あられ／賞賛するd from, but he had either forgotten or did not understand. Next we 問い合わせd how he managed to live. To this he answered readily enough, 'Carnies.'

Now the carny is a lizard of the iguana type, and eaten raw would be by no means an appetizing dish. Then （機の）カム the question that gives me my 推論する／理由 for telling this story. It was Spicer who put it.

'You must have a lonely time of it out here,' said the latter. 'How do you manage for company?'

'There is the Field,' he said, 'as sociable a Field as you'd find.'

'But the Field's 砂漠d, man,' I put in. 'And has been for years.'

The old fellow shook his 長，率いる.

'As sociable a Field as ever you saw,' he repeated. 'There's Sailor 刑事 and 'Frisco, 刑事 Johnson, Cockney Jim, and half a hundred of them. They're taking it out powerful rich on the Golden South, so I heard when I was 負かす／撃墜する at "The Killarney", a while 支援する.'

IT was plain to us all that the old man was, as Spicer had said, as mad as a hatter. For some minutes he rambled on about the Field, talking rationally enough, I must 自白する that is to say, it would have seemed 合理的な／理性的な enough if we hadn't known the true facts of the 事例／患者. At last he got on to his feet, saving. '井戸／弁護士席, I must be going—they'll be 推定する／予想するing me. It's my 転換 on with Cockney Jim.'

'But you don't work at night,' growled Matthews, from the other 味方する of the 解雇する／砲火／射撃.

'We work always,' the other replied. 'If you don't believe me, come and see for yourselves.'

'I wouldn't go 支援する to that place for anything,' said Spicer.

But I must 自白する that my curiosity had been 誘発するd, and I 決定するd to go, if only to see what this strange creature did when he got there. Matthews decided to …を伴って me, and, not wishing to be left alone, Spicer at length agreed to do the same. Without looking 一連の会議、交渉／完成する, the old fellow led the way across the plain に向かって the Field. Of all the nocturnal excursions I have made in my life, that was certainly the most uncanny. Not once did our guide turn his 長，率いる, but 押し進めるd on at a pace that gave us some trouble to keep up with him. It was only when we （機の）カム to the first （人命などを）奪う，主張する that he paused.

'Listen,' he said, 'and you can hear the （軍の）野営地，陣営 at work. Then you'll believe me.'

We did listen, and as I live we could distinctly hear the 動揺させるing of sluice-boxes and cradles, the groaning of windlasses—in fact, the noise you hear on a goldfield at the busiest hour of the day.

We moved a little closer, and, believe me or not, I 断言する to you I could see, or thought I could see, the shadowy forms of men moving about in that ghostly moonlight. 一方／合間 the 勝利，勝つd sighed across the plain, flapping what remained of the old テントs and giving an 付加 touch of horror to the general desolation. I could hear Spicer's teeth chattering behind me, and, for my own part, I felt as if my 血 were turning to ice.

'That's the （人命などを）奪う，主張する, the Golden South, away to the 権利 there,' said the old man, 'and if you will come along with me, I'll introduce you to my mates.'

But this was an honour we 拒絶する／低下するd, and without hesitation. I wouldn't have gone any その上の の中で those テントs for the wealth of all the Indies.

'I've had enough of this,' said Spicer, and I can tell you I hardly recognised his 発言する／表明する. 'Let's get 支援する to （軍の）野営地，陣営.'

BY this time our guide had left us, and was making his way in the direction he had 示すd.

We could plainly hear him 演説（する）／住所ing imaginary people as he marched along. As for ourselves, we turned about and hurried 支援する to our （軍の）野営地，陣営 as 急速な／放蕩な as we could go.

Once there, the grog 瓶／封じ込める was produced, and never did three men stand more in need of 興奮剤s. Then we 始める，決める to work to find some explanation of what we had seen, or had fancied we saw. But it was impossible. The 勝利，勝つd might have 動揺させるd the old windlasses, but it could not be held accountable for those shadowy grey forms that had moved about の中で the （人命などを）奪う，主張するs.

'I give it up,' said Spicer, at last. 'I know that I never want to see it again. What's more, I 投票（する） that we （疑いを）晴らす out of here to-morrow morning.'

We all agreed, and then retired to our 一面に覆う／毛布s, but for my part I do not mind 自白するing I scarcely slept a wink all night. The thought that that hideous old man might be hanging about the （軍の）野営地，陣営 would alone be 十分な for that.

NEXT morning, as soon as it was light, we breakfasted, but, before we broke （軍の）野営地，陣営, Matthews and I 始める，決める off along the cliff in an 試みる／企てる to discover our 知識 of the previous evening.

Though, however, we searched high and low for 上向きs of an hour, no success rewarded us. By 相互の 同意 we 解決するd not to look for him on the Field. When we returned to Spicer we placed such タバコ and 蓄える／店s as we could spare under the 影をつくる／尾行する of the big 激しく揺する, where the Mystery Man would be likely to see them, then 機動力のある our camels and 再開するd our 旅行, heartily glad to be on our way once more.

Gurunya Goldfield is a place I never 願望（する） to visit again. I don't like its 全住民.

THE END

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