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 passengers were only allowed a small quantity of baggage apiece.

There was no Pacific railroad in those fine times of ten or twelve years ago--not a single rail of it.
I only proposed to stay in Nevada three months--I had no thought of staying longer than that.

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

I little thought that I would not see the end of that three-month 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 took shipping at the St.Louis wharf on board a steamboat bound up the Missouri River.
We were six days going from St.Louis to "St.Jo."-- a trip that was so dull, and sleepy, and eventless that it has left no more impression on my memory than if its duration had been six minutes instead of that many days.