Creator

John Muir

Recipient

Emily [O. Pelton]

Preview

image preview

Transcription

2.The genuine calm of a July morning was now master of all - the river followed on, smooth as a woodland lake, reflecting the full beams of the dreamy light - While out on all the dark foliage which feathered its mountain wall, moved a single h[illegible]. We stood harnessed and half asleep with the settled calm, looking wishfully upon the cool waters, when suddenly the thought struck us "How fine it would be to purchase a boat and sail merrily up the Wisconsin to Portage" We would read and work the oars by turns as our heavy packs would be stowed snugly away beneath the seats and every few miles we would land at an inviting place and gather new spoils - and so in a few minutes we had our effects packed snugly as I have described in a pretty boat, and were joyfully floating on the bo[illegible] of the Father of waters, [illegible] Alas how vain our [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] [illegible] 3.bliss. We reached the mouth of the river Wis and soon our bright faces grow less and less bright till gloomy as a winters day as we paddle with all our might shooting bravely on against the current at the fearful [illegible] ten [illegible] per two hours - at last completely exhausted we give up for the present in despair and are instantly returned to the Mississippi by the coiling current but we were not yet beaten for holding a counsel of war against the bustling stream we determined to "Try Try Again" so landing we procured a pair of boards by a nocessitions act of self [illegible] and proceeded to make two pair of oars - they were nearly made before dark; we found a new camping ground and sought [illegible] with hearts again trimmed with fresh [illegible] but now goodbye for the present. I shall

Location

Fountain Lake [Wisc.]

Date Original

[18]64 Feb 27-Mar 1

Resource Identifier

muir01_0638-let.tif

File Identifier

Reel 01, Image 0638

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The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust.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 4

Keywords

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

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