The Slower Road

Continuing on from where we left off yesterday …

“It must be nearly six o’clock, a little later I am in the town and making my way to a pump at which I stopped to water my cattle. Leaving them, I went around the town until I came to a house with the sign ‘Hotel.’ I did not like the looks of it so went on and inquired for a first-class hotel.

“I was told to keep on down this street, turn to my first right, go on, turn to my left, and keep on and I will come to the best hotel in town. I went as directed, and on reaching the hotel inquired for the proprietor. A lady came in answer. ‘Madam, I inquired for the proprietor, are you the proprietor?’ ‘I am, sir, what can I do for you?’ ‘I am traveling with a horse, carriage, and cow; she is a fine-looking cow and fresh in milk. She has not been milked this morning and I would like to exchange the milk for something to eat.’ ‘Where is your cow? I would like to look at her,’ said she. ‘Just around the hotel, will you step there or shall I bring her here?’ I asked. ‘I will step around with you,’ said the landlady.

“She went with me and saw the cow. ‘My dear sir, what a fine-looking cow! Where have you and that cow come from?’ said the landlady. ‘I have come from Eureka, Humboldt county,’ I answered. ‘I know that place very well; have been there. Have you come from there with that cow?’ asked the landlady. I replied in the affirmative. She commanded me to take the horse and cow to the barn and give them what hay and grain they needed, and invited me in to breakfast as it was waiting. She seated me at table and said: ‘We have beef steak, pork steak, sausage, and boiled eggs, with tea and coffee.’ I took some beef and pork steak with fried potatoes. As I was eating, she questioned me [about my journey]. … Having answered many questions, I left the table and went to feed and milk the cow. Having done so, I carried it in, together with the last night’s milking, which she tested and pronounced good, and I gave it to her.”

Mr. Johnson has traveled quite a distance since we last checked in with him while he was in Ukiah, California. Now, in early August, he’s on the road to Reno …

“On the morning of the 11th, I was up before daylight, being very restless, having omitted to wind up my watch, which had run down; I thought, however, it must be near morning. I gave the cattle* liberty to graze among the grass; made a fire, boiled me some eggs and coffee and ate a hearty breakfast. It was a good early meal, you bet.

“By this time day was beginning to break. My cow I milked twice a day, getting my can full at each milking. [On August 1st, she’d given birth to a calf, which Mr. Johnson sold to a man in Sacramento.] I am fond of milk, but it does not agree with me so I sell it when I can; when I cannot, I give it or throw it away. This I have done many times.

“It is about four a.m., when I start this day’s tramp, and I will make the next town at about seven o’clock.

“I travel around the hills, bluffs, and mountains. My road is good buy very crooked, the road-bed very hard; so hard that the rains do not penetrate, making gullies or washouts. I am in sight of the town, the sun is up in about one hour. …”

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* When referring to his horse and his cow together, Mr. Johnson calls them “cattle.”

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Stay tuned for the rest of this installment of the journey, which I’ll post tomorrow.