ButcheredtomakeaRomanholidaysoundswellforthefirstseventeenoreighteenhundredthousandtimesoneseesitinprint，butafterthatitbeginstogrowtiresome。IfinditinallthebooksconcerningRome——andherelatterlyitremindsmeofJudgeOliver。Oliverwasayounglawyer，freshfromtheschools，whohadgoneouttothedesertsofNevadatobeginlife。Hefoundthatcountry，andourwaysoflife，there，inthoseearlydays，differentfromlifeinNewEnglandorParis。Butheputonawoollenshirtandstrappedanavyrevolvertohisperson，tooktothebaconandbeansofthecountry，anddeterminedtodoinNevadaasNevadadid。Oliveracceptedthesituationsocompletelythatalthoughhemusthavesorrowedovermanyofhistrials，henevercomplained——thatis，henevercomplainedbutonce。He，twoothers，andmyself，startedtothenewsilverminesintheHumboldtmountains——hetobeProbateJudgeofHumboldtcounty，andwetomine。Thedistancewastwohundredmiles。Itwasdeadofwinter。
Weboughtatwo—horsewagonandputeighteenhundredpoundsofbacon，flour，beans，blasting—powder，picksandshovelsinit;weboughttwosorry—lookingMexican\"plugs，\"withthehairturnedthewrongwayandmorecornersontheirbodiesthanthereareonthemosqueofOmar;wehitchedupandstarted。
Itwasadreadfultrip。ButOliverdidnotcomplain。Thehorsesdraggedthewagontwomilesfromtownandthengaveout。Thenwethreepushedthewagonsevenmiles，andOlivermovedaheadandpulledthehorsesafterhimbythebits。Wecomplained，butOliverdidnot。Thegroundwasfrozen，anditfrozeourbackswhileweslept;thewindsweptacrossourfacesandfrozeournoses。Oliverdidnotcomplain。Fivedaysofpushingthewagonbydayandfreezingbynightbroughtustothebadpartofthejourney——theFortyMileDesert，ortheGreatAmericanDesert，ifyouplease。Still，thismildest—manneredmanthateverwas，hadnotcomplained。Westartedacrossateightinthemorning，pushingthroughsandthathadnobottom;
toilingalldaylongbythewrecksofathousandwagons，theskeletonsoftenthousandoxen;bywagon—tiresenoughtohooptheWashingtonMonumenttothetop，andox—chainsenoughtogirdleLongIsland;byhumangraves;
withourthroatsparchedalways，withthirst;lipsbleedingfromthealkalidust;hungry，perspiring，andvery，veryweary——sowearythatwhenwedroppedinthesandeveryfiftyyardstorestthehorses，wecouldhardlykeepfromgoingtosleep——nocomplaintsfromOliver:nonethenextmorningatthreeo\'clock，whenwegotacross，tiredtodeath。