Creator
Wanda [Muir]
Recipient
[Louie Strentzel Muir]
Preview
Transcription
Camp Colby, July 5, 1902Dear Mama:We are spending the day in camp for the first time since we reached here. That is, this is the first whole day we have stayed in camp for there has been so much to see and so many places to go. I have just finished lunch. It consisted of ten biscuits, seven pickles (small) a big plate full of stewed dried apples, some flour and bacon grease gravy and a big dipper full of strong tea without sugar (sugar has given out) and am still living and feeling as happy and healthy as a mountaineer should. And so is Helen although she also ate a lot of ham besides all the things I did. This morning was spent in washing clothes and visiting around camp, and now I am lying on a bank of pine needles under a big yellow pine writing this letter. How I wish that you could be here for it is a fine place to rest and be lazy in as well as to walk in. It is rather dry and dusty as you have no doubt guessed by the looks of this paper, but the weather has been delightful all the time and the grand domes and cliffs, the big trees and the beautiful river more beautiful even than either the Merced or Tuolumne, make it an ideal place to camp. One does not realize how many people are here unless one helps wash dishes or doles out soup to the hungry multitude. There are now nearly two hundred people in the , canyon, rather too many to be in one camp, but still everything is simply marvelous. There never seems to be any rush or hurry, yet all the work of this big camp is done with the regularity and precision of clock work. The three Chinamen who do the cooking never seem particularly busy, yet we ate 57 big loaves of bread yesterday, for one meal we had hard tack...Yesterday evening everyone tried to make as much noise as possible in celebrating the glorious fourth and a terrific racket was the result. Then we had a big bonfire rally, fire crackers, music and a wonderful supper of plum pudding, chocolate cake, nuts, olives, clam chowder, etc. etc. The whole affair must have been a tremendous surprise to the three gray squirrels and the other little animals that play around the camp, and even the echoes that the big rocks sent back had a startled and unnatural sound.05004
Location
Camp Colby [SNP]
Date Original
1902 Jul 5
Source
Original letter dimensions unknown.
Resource Identifier
muir12_0482-trans.tif
File Identifier
Reel 12, Image 0482
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Muir/Hanna Family. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Page Number
Page 1
Keywords
John Muir, correspondence, letters, author, writing, naturalist, California, correspondent, mail, message, post, exchange of letters, missive, notes, epistle
