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The glacier comes forward in a most [unpasssing] manner of jagged [leaning] slabs and spurs about 200 ft. high above the [water/earth]. Most of the bergs are quite small tumbling in avalanches [by] dusty fragments. The larger ones rise from the project point beneath the water. The fall of the largest from above is a most impressive spectacle. The huge mass pitching forward with easy deliberation ice dust radiating from points against wh [which] it strikes on the way down accompanied by heavy gasping sound. [Then] the tremendous [splash] the spray rising to a height of more than a hundred feet & the thundering sound loud enough to be heard 10 ms [miles]. Sep 3rd Enjoyed a glorious day gloriously glacial. The rain & the clds [clouds] vanished & the sunlight fell free on the road [ ] Merde [Glac] of this greatest of all gls [glaciers] I have yet seen. How it would compare in size with the great [ ] glacier I cannot say, as I was unable at the time of my visit to see it all. But this one was unveiled and it shone in all its glory while I beheld it from a mtn[mountain] 3500 ft. h on its L [lake] bank 5 ms [miles] above the snout. Its huge tribes [tributaries] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] up jagged towers & battlements, black & gray into the sky. Tracing the left margin, I made my way easily finding the ice remarkably good for walking on, though the snout & central portions are so terribly crevassed. At dist [distance] of 3 ms [miles] left the gl [glacier] & ascended a very steep mtn [mountain]. Scarce a spot all the way up when had I fallen, I would not have rolled to the foot. Found the top 1/2 acre or so covered plushed with [tryorit] [longauthus], cass. [sidyis], grasses, willows, etc. A very garden. A [ ] portion of the slopes also green mainly from dwarf willows.
Date Original
1880
Source
Original journal dimensions: 10.5 x 17.5 cm.
Resource Identifier
MuirReel26Journal04P13-14.tif
Publisher
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
Rights Management
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Keywords
John Muir, journals, drawings, writings, travel, journaling, naturalist
