What I suffered in contemplating his happiness, pen cannot describe. And so, when he offeredme, in cold blood, the sublime position of private secretary under him, it appeared to me that theheavens and the earth passed away, and the firmament was rolled together as a scroll!

I had nothingmore to desire. My contentment was complete.At the end of an hour or two I was ready for the journey.

Not much packing up was necessary,because we were going in the overland stage from the Missouri frontier to Nevada, and passengerswere only allowed a small quantity of baggage apiece.

There was no Pacific railroad in those finetimes of ten or twelve years ago-not a single rail of it.

I only proposed to stay in Nevada threemonths-I had no thought of staying longer than that.

I meant to see all I could that was new andstrange, and then hurry home to business.

I little thought that I would not see the end of that threemonth pleasure excursion for six or seven uncommonly long years!I dreamed all night about Indians, deserts, and silver bars, and in due time, next day, we tookshipping at the St.

Louis wharf on board a steamboat bound up the Missouri River.