Creator

[John Muir]

Recipient

[Sarah and David Galloway]

Preview

image preview

Transcription

[2]but they float with an air of [ tardy?] settled sullenness past the black yawning fissures and beetling [illegible] rock [illegible] about but which winter has passed [illegible] ice together with the authoritative looks of the high summer sun just at the darkest of the year before any flowers are over head or any of the rock ferns have [illegible] their precious bundles though the [illegible] is [illegible] with the most terrific, roaring [illegible] gnashing fury. Fierce legions come pouring [illegible] from among an upland [illegible] & lake in irresistible haste through broken gorge & valley gateways. All in [illegible] they march to battle. Clad in [illegible] rise high upon [illegible] [illegible] resisting on- [illegible] & with constant victory year by year gain themselves a wider and a straighter way. Sometimes there is a perpendicular rise (of 20 ft) at the Dells[3]Kilbourn stations is about two miles below the Dells, we went to the riverside & at once began to find new plants. The banks are rocky & romantic for many miles both above & below the Dells On going up the river we were delight- fully opposed & threatened by a great many semigorge ravines running at right angles to the river too steep to cross at every point & much to [sic] long to be avoided if a wish to [ avoid?] them were possible Those [r?] [illegible] are the most perfect. The most heavenly plant conservationis [sic] I ever saw. Thousands of happy flowers are there but ferns & mosses are the favored ones no human language will ever describe them We traveled two miles in eight hours & such scenery-such sweating scrambling climbing & happy hunting & happy finding enjoyed. The last ravine we en-[3]Kilbourn station is about two miles below the Dells, we went to the riverside & at once began to find new plants. The banks are rocky & romantic for many miles both above & [bear the falls?] On going up the river we were delight- fully opposed & threatened by a great many semi gorge [illegible] running at right angles to the river too steep to cross at every point & much to long to be avoided if [illegible] wish to [illegible] them were possible Those [illegible] [rivers?] are the most perfect - the most heavenly plant conversations I ever saw Thousands of happy flowers are there but ferns & mosses are the favored ones no human language will ever describe them We traveled two miles in eight hours & such scenery such [illegible] scrambling climbing & happy hunting & happy findings of [illegible] plant beings we never before enjoyed. The last ravine we en-

Location

[Madison, Wisc]

Date Original

[1863 Jul]

Source

Original letter dimensions: 20.5 x 25.0 cm

Resource Identifier

muir01_0576-let.tif

File Identifier

Reel 01, Image 0576

Copyright Statement

The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, see http://www.pacific.edu/Library/Find/Holt-Atherton-Special-Collections/Fees-and-Forms-.html

Owning Institution

University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.

Copyright Holder

Muir-Hanna Trust

Copyright Date

1984

Page Number

Page 2

Keywords

John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle

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