In the Sierra 



peaks, all of them granite like the Cathe- 

 dral, sparkling with crystals, feldspar, 

 quartz, hornblende, mica, tourmaline. Had 

 a rather difficult walk and creep across an 

 immense snow and ice cliff which gradually 

 increased in steepness as I advanced until it 

 was almost impassable. Slipped on a danger- 

 ous place, but managed to stop by digging 

 my heels into the thawing surface just on the 

 brink of a yawning ice gulf. Camped beside 

 a little pool and a group of crinkled dwarf 

 pines ; and as I sit by the fire trying to write 

 notes the shallow pool seems fathomless with 

 the infinite starry heavens in it, while the 

 onlooking rocks and trees, tiny shrubs and 

 daisies and sedges, brought forward in the 

 fire-glow, seem full of thought as if about to 

 speak aloud and tell all their wild stories. A 

 marvelously impressive meeting in which 

 every one has something worth while to tell. 

 And beyond the fire-beams out in the solemn 

 darkness, how impressive is the music of a 

 choir of rills singing their way down from 



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