Preview
Circa Date
circa 1887
Transcription
102
[storm as to cause that killed the sapling & though only about three feet high is probably as old as the present tree, the new one formed upon the old crushed ruin.] Wonderful [the instinct] that [teaches] a side branch [which is] growing out horizontally, forming a portion of on of the level collars that encircle the trunk, of this species Abies Magnifica [Picea Anabilis] [Wonderful the instinct that teaches it to come forward and] should bend upward grow erect & take the place of the lost axis to form [cutout] [thus] Many others, pine [cutout] s firs bear testimony to th…severity of that particular… Trees some of them 50…[ch] [long] high were [thus] bent to…[ ] ground & buried [under the lavish snow bloom] like [tall] grass, whole groves vanishing as if the ground had been cleared not a branch or needle visible until the spring [summer] thaw then the more elastic undamaged specimens rose [rise] again aided by the wind some reaching a nearly erect attitude others remaining more or less bent while those with broken backs endeavored to
103
specialize a side branch below the break & make a leader of it to form a new axis of development It is as if a man whose back was broken or nearly so, & was compelled to go [walk] bent should find a branch backbone [vertebral column] sprouting straight up from below the break [injured portion & rising erect] & gradually developing new arms & shoulders & head [with new head] [allowing] while the old damaged portion of his [the] body [to] died. (Here add from p 100 a grand cloudland, etc) (Trans to beginning of July 22 p 100) A fine specimen of the black tailed deer went bounding past camp this morning [today] a buck with wide spread of antlers showing admirable vigor & grace. Wonderful [is] the beauty strength growth & graceful movements of [strong healthy] animals in [these mountains] wildernesses cared for by Nature only. [Strength of limb never failing in any test of endurance] when out experience with [the] domestic animals would lead to [a] fear that all the so called neglected wild beasts [animals] would degenerate [into worthless ruins.] Yet the upshot of [all] nature’s methods of breeding & [bucking] seems to lead to [is towards] excellence of every sort. [all the feeble dying I suppose. [Deer like all wild animals are as clean, [sweet & fresh as the]
Date Occurred
1869
Resource Identifier
MuirReel31 Notebook07 Img054.jpg
Contributing Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library
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