Creator

John Muir

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Lovely amber sunset and cool after very warm day. Mostly lanky Chinese at work on railroad. A month ago, this train was held up by mounted natives (?) 13 killed by guard of 40 soldiers on train of whom these Apaches were not aware. The last station reached about 7:00 P.M. was Khorkhonte (?) Treeless hills and plains after passing purely [illegible] until 10:00 P.M. August 15th At daybreak dense fog. A few trees looking here and there. At 6:00 A.M. or 6:30, mist rose, fine calm morn. Barometer 2200. Temperature 65. Ground marshy. Soon 7:00 A.M., began to ascend Kingdon mountains by Yolo Pass. At station came to switch back, 2 heavy engines one pulling, other pushing, wheels of drivers slippery occasionally on wet rails. Peaks and ridges with steep well forested slopes, luxuriant undergrowth. Few P. sylvestris, 2 birch the common one, and another like our Mahogany birch, or Cherry birch. Larch like Siberian not Dahourica, and one that seems new. An oak dentotta or Mongolica. Spieaea, ephilobium, geranium, dryas, larkspur, strawberry, tall sedges, grasses etc. Top of Pass 3000 feet. Immense amount or work being done here besides the big tunnel, mostly by Chinese, fine example of glacial sculpture and denudation. Meads moss trends, etc. At foot of switchback on east side enter a beautiful glacial valley, flat meadow, floor 1/4 mile wide, finely obedient in trends running to touch of its many tributary valleys. Some hay cut on meadows. The rock slates metamorphosed and massive here and there (sketched)

Date Original

1903

Source

Original journal dimensions: 9.5 x 16 cm.

Resource Identifier

MuirReel29Journal10P62-63.tif

Publisher

Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

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Keywords

John Muir, journals, drawings, writings, travel, journaling, naturalist

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