Preview
Circa Date
circa 1887
Transcription
54
fall & the gaze down along the white enthusiastic flood [rushing mass of water] was intensely exciting making in all a most memorable day of days - enjoyment enough to kill if that were possible.
July 16th[15] Trans ahead My enjoyments yesterday afternoon, especially at the head of the falls, were too great for good sleep. [Was too keenly thrilled & stirred yesterday afternoon to sleep much.] I kept starting up last night in a nervous tremor half-awake fancying that the foundation of the good granite mountain we were camped on had given way & was falling into Yosemite Valley with its meadows, rocks & forests. [ the entire mass with trees sheep & all was being launched in one grand avalanche into the Yosemite Valley] In vain I roused myself [to good sober consciousness] to make a new beginning for sound [confiding] sleep, the nerve strain had been too great & again & again I dreamed I was [found myself] rushing [like a comet] through the air above a glorious avalanche of water & rocks. One time springing to my feet I said “This time it is real! [but] all must die & where could mountaineer find a more glorious death” go on from pg 64
55
[We had reached this little sloping valley about noon & while eating luncheon my eyes rested longingly on the high ridge to the eastward wondering what view might be had from its summit. The sheep were at rest in dreamy abandon & I could well be spared to ramble at will. Therefore I made haste to be off to seek the edge of the great valley & if possible gain a close view of the down plunge of Yosemite Creek] # After luncheon I made haste to high ground [I first climbed direct to] from the top of the ridge on the opposite side of Indian Canyon gained the noblest view of the summit peaks I had ever yet enjoyed (see p 53) [and at once found myself in a most overwhelming blaze of Sierra grandeur in perfect light] Nearly all the Upper basin of the Merced was displayed with its sublime domes & canyons[lakes & meadows] dark upsweeping forests & [fountains of snow with] its glorious assemblage of white [Alpine] peaks deep in the sky, every feature glowing [with life] radiating [life and] beauty that poured into all my flesh & bones like heat rays from a fire [thrilled like a fire]. Sunshine [pouring] over all, no breath of wind to stir[ring] the [deep] brooding calm. Never before had I seen so glorious a landscape [beauty like this] so boundless an affluence of sublime mountain beauty [grandeur. Every dome &]
Date Occurred
1869
Resource Identifier
MuirReel31 Notebook07 Img030.jpg
Contributing Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
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