CHAPTER LI.
MINING IN UTAH AND NEVADA. THE MORMONS AND THEIR COUNTRY.
Noisy Neighbors. A Nevada Desperado. The Aristocracy of Austin. My Marriage. Speculation in Mines and Mining Stock. Removal to Sacramento Valley, California. Off for the Gold Regions again. A characteristic Fraud. "Salting" a Mine. The Wellington District. A Description of the Country, and its Animal, Vegetable, and Mineral Products. A Residence in Salt Lake City. Acquaintance with prominent Mormons, and Inquiries into the Nature of their Belief. Mormon Principles and Practices. Salt Lake City and its Surroundings. The Mineral Wealth of Utah. Preparing to Return to the East.
HE sleeping apartment assigned me at Austin was not the most agreeable, being next to a room occupied by some drunken fellows, who kept up a terrible noise nearly all night; and, as I thought that most likely I would
to put up with this sort of thing nearly all the
if I remained in the hotel, I determined to look for lodgings elsewhere. A gentleman to whom I spoke about the matter said, that he knew of a private house where rooms were sometimes to be had, and of fered to go and see if I could obtain accommodation there.
While he was gone, the chambermaid brought from the room next to mine two pairs of pistols, two large knives, and a razor, and informed me that their owner was a noted desperado, called Irish Tom, and that he had killed two men.
I had some curiosity to see this individual, but did not care particularly to make his acquaintance. My curiosity was soon gratified, for he came to the parlor inquiring for his weapons. Instead of being angry with the chambermaid for having taken them from his room to show them to me, he seemed to feel rather complimented that I should feel an interest in them and him. He was a tall, good-looking Irishman, with a very pleasant face, and had as little of the ruffian in his appearance
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