Creator
[John Torrey]
Recipient
John Muir
Transcription
Here he twice entertained us at supper [illegible], as he expected to leave in a few days, he brought out all his reserved nice things, & seemed de- lighted to treat his old friends [in?] his queer retreat! I thank you for remembering me [in margin: 576] when you were on those high moun- tains. That little Botrychium looks peculiar, & I will report on it when I go home. Would that I could have been one of your party when you were in those most interesting regions! I remember with much satisfaction the pleasant & instructive hours that I spent with you in the Valley. Probably Agassiz did not go there, for he was rather poorly when I saw him in San Francisco. [in margin: [Please?]] Excuse my rambling letter. I am shut up in the Hotel, an easterly storm prevailing outside St. Louis, Sept. 28 1872My dear Mr. Muir - Your letter of Aug. 24th was forwarded to me at Denver, & gave me much pleasure. We have been spending a fortnight in the mountain- ous part of Colorado - & are now on our way home. I stop here to spend a day or two with my old friend Dr. Engelmann. Of course I have seized every opportunity of collecting plants. & with considerable success. While on my way from Denver to Georgetown I was asked my name by a fellow passenger in the cars. He said that he asked the question because he thought I must be a botanist from the appearance
of a part of my luggage. He seemed to be pleased when he learned who I was - & I was [underlined: more] pleased, to be informed by him that Dr. Parry was still in the mountains, waiting my arrival! I was assured at Denver that he went with Dr. Gray to Dubuque. Hoping to find Dr. P. at Georgetown - I was disap- pointed - for he was several miles distant - yet I sent in urgent letter for him to come at once, & be with my little party in ascending Gray's Peak, the next day. He did not get my message in time, & we went up by ourselves. It was a bitter cold day & the wind blew almost a hurricane. Soon after startingto come down a furious snow storm commenced - but this lasted only a couple of hours, & it was sun shine again when we reached our hotel! We had given up all hope of seeing Dr. P. - & were making preparations to turn our faces homeward -when he suddenly made his appearance - I agreed to wait two days, & spend the time with him where he had been spending most of the season - viz at the miserable, almost deserted city of Empire! - where I had comfortable comfortable lodgings, in a pleasant family - my daughter being with me. Dr. P. & a young entomological friend had been occupying, as head quarters, for months, a deserted cabin - where the did their own cooking, washing &c00620
St. Louis, Sept. 28, 1872.My dear Mr. Muir:Your letter of Aug. 24th was forwarded to me at Denver, and gave me much pleasure. We have been spending a fortnight in the mountainous part of Colorado, and are now on our way home. I stop here to spend a day or two with my old friend Dr. Engelmann. Of course I have seized every opportunity of collecting plants, and with considerable success. While on my way from Denver to Georgetown I was asked my name by a fellow passenger in the cars. He said that he asked the question because he thought I must be a botanist from the appearance of a part of my luggage. He seemed to be pleased when he learned who I was, and I was more pleased, to be informed by him that that Dr. Parry was still in the mountains, waiting my arrival. I was assured at Denver that he went with Dr. Grey to Dubuque. Hoping to find Dr. P[arry] at Georgetown I was disappointed, for he was several miles distant. Yet I sent an urgent letter for him to come at once and be with my little party in ascending Gray's Peak, the next day. He did not get my message in time, and we went up by ourselves. It was a bitter cold day, and the wind blew almost a hurricane. Soon after starting to come down a furious snowstorm commenced, but this lasted only a couple of hours, and it was sunshine again when we reached our hotel ! We had given up all hope of seeing Dr. P[arry] and were making preparation to turn our faces homeward, when he suddenly made his appearance. I agreed to wait two days and spend the time with him where he had been spending most of the season, viz. at the miserable, almost deserted city of Empire! where I had comfortable lodgings in a pleasant family, my daughter being with me. Dr. P[arry] and a young entomological friend had been occupying, as headquarters, for months, a deserted cabin where they did their own cooking, washing, etc.Here he twice entertained us at supper and, as he expected to leave in a few days, he brought out all his reserved nice things and seemed delighted thus to treat his old friends in his queer retreat!I thank you for remembering me when you were on those high mountains. That little Botrychium looks peculiar, and I will report on it when I go home. Would that I could have been one of your party when you were in those most interesting regions!I remember with much satisfaction the pleasant and instructive hours that I spent with you in the Valley. Probably Agassiz did not go there, for he was rather poorly when I saw him in San Francisco. Excuse my rambling letter. I am shut up in the Hotel, an easterly storm prevailing outside.[JOHN TORREY][Letter contained in folder, marked in Muir's handwriting, "John Torrey on last Yosemite trip."]576
Location
St. Louis, [Missouri]
Circa Date
1872 Sep [28]
Source
Original letter dimensions: 17.5 x 22.5 cm.
Recommended Citation
Torrey, John, "Letter from [John Torrey] to John Muir, 1872 Sep [28]." (1872). John Muir Correspondence (PDFs). 1482.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/1482
Resource Identifier
muir02_0925-let.tif
File Identifier
Reel 02, Image 0925
Collection Identifier
Online finding aid for the microform version of the John Muir Correspondence http://www.oac.cdlib.org/findaid/ark:/13030/kt0w1031nc
Copyright Status
Copyright status unknown
Copyright Statement
Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Owning Institution
Holt-Atherton Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Pages
3 pages
Keywords
Environmentalist, naturalist, travel, conservation, national parks, John Muir, Yosemite, California, history, correspondence, letters
