Creator

John Muir

Preview

image preview

Transcription

8 As well [say] that gap in a [brick] wall was so constructed as that these cans [canyons] were made with fragmentary sides. We smile at the [simplicity] of the old [diviners] who fearful of the effects of geological teachings maintain that fossils were created in the first place in the [fragmentary] condition they are now found yet we claim the same for the fragmentary mountains in effect when we remove the causes of their formation back into what we call chaos. A hundred streams carrying down material for meadows & [ ] soil for other plants, Avalanches trees [etc.] Avalanches of two distinct periods evidence all through the mtns.

9 3 June Very slight frost at night. V [very] warm during the day. At sundown river doubled in volume & muddy. Ascended Mt. Lyell with two companions We all suffered sunburn on face from direct & reflected sunshine. The snow was very nearly continuous from base of the mtn at river camp but was easily traveled being firmly compacted. The heat of day made it soft for a depth of 3 or 4 inches. Very easily descended, on slopes of 35 [degree] There is not yet any promise or beginning of the snow [sculpting] of the surface of the gl [glacier], all seems smooth forming magnificent curves, a few irregularities of surface very superficial seem to have been caused by the slipping of the snow making it unequal in density A few inches on top seems to

Date Original

1873

Source

Original journal dimensions: 10 x 16.5 cm.

Resource Identifier

MuirReel24Journal01P08-09.tif

Publisher

Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library

Rights Management

To view additional information on copyright and related rights of this item, such as to purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission to publish them, click here to view the Holt-Atherton Special Collections policies.

Keywords

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

Share

 
COinS