Preview
Circa Date
circa 1887
Transcription
30
[trail] which leads from Coulterville [here] across the range by the Bloody Canyon Pass to the gold mines near the north end of Mono Lake. These mines were reported to be [very] rich when first discovered & a grand rush took place making [the building of this] a trail necessary. But the building was not much [for] scarce a stone or shovelful of earth was moved. Only [the building of] a few small bridges had to be built over streams where fording was not practical on account of the softness of the bottom [the removal of] * sections of fallen trees cut out [& the cutting away of small trees where they grew in] & lanes made through thickets wide enough [too close] to allow the passage of bulky packs.
The woods we passed through [today] are composed almost wholly of Abeis Magnifica [Picea Amabilis] the companion species concolor [grandis] being mostly left behind [for the most part] on account of altitude, while the increasing elevation seems [entirely] grateful to the charming Magnifica [Amabilis]. No words can do anything like justice to this noble tree. At our place [passed today] many had fallen during some heavy rainstorm owning to the loose sandy character of the soil which offered no secure anchorage. This soil is moist [seems to be formed of] decomposed & disintegrated [granite] moraine
31
[Mt Clark illustration cut out]
material. [Our sheep had lively exercise jumping the fallen trunks. Now with weary legs & full paunches they are chewing the cud each with its lamb in perfect grassy peace.] The sheep are lying down on a bare rocky spot such as they like, chewing the cud in grassy peace. Cooking is going on & we are [all] hungry [our] appetites growing [more destructive] keener every day. No lowlander can appreciate [the keenness of] mountain appetite & the facility with which [all kind of gross] heavy food called “grub” is disposed of [disappears] Eating walking resting seem alike [& action are both] delightful [here] & one feels inclined to show lustily on rising in the morning like a [hearty] crowing cock. Sleep & digestion are as [keen &] clear as the [mountain] air.
Date Occurred
1869
Resource Identifier
MuirReel31 Notebook07 Img018.jpg
Contributing Institution
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.
