In the Sierra 



and liverworts ; watching the busy ants and 

 beetles and other small people at work and 

 play like squirrels and bears in a forest; 

 studying the formation of lakes and meadows, 

 moraines, mountain sculpture ; making small 

 beginnings in these directions, charmed by 

 the serene beauty of everything. 



The day has been extra cloudy, though 

 bright on the whole, for the clouds were 

 brighter than common. Clouds about .15, 

 which in Switzerland would be considered 

 extra clear. Probably more free sunshine falls 

 on this majestic range than on any other in 

 the world I 've ever seen or heard of. It has 

 the brightest weather, brightest glacier-pol- 

 ished rocks, the greatest abundance of irised 

 spray from its glorious waterfalls, the bright- 

 est forests of silver firs and silver pines, more 

 star-shine, moonshine, and perhaps more crys- 

 tal-shine than any other mountain chain, and 

 its countless mirror lakes, having more light 

 poured into them, glow and spangle most. 

 And how glorious the shining after the short 



