In the Sierra 



been very marked for the last two or three 

 weeks. Perhaps the "zodiacal light.' 3 



September 11. Cloudless. Slight frost. 

 Calm. Fairly started down hill, and now 

 are camped at the west end meadows of 

 Lake Tenaya, a charming place. Lake 

 smooth as glass, mirroring its miles of gla- 

 cier-polished pavements and bold mountain 

 walls. Find aster still in flower. Here is 

 about the upper limit of the dwarf form 

 of the goldcup oak,- -eight thousand feet 

 above sea-level, reaching about two thou- 

 sand feet higher than the California black 

 oak (Quercus Calif ornicus^. Lovely evening, 

 the lake reflections after dark marvelously 

 impressive. 



September 12.- -Cloudless day, all pure 

 sun-gold. Among the magnificent silver firs 

 once more, within two miles of the brink 

 of Yosemite, at the famous Portuguese bear 

 camp. Chaparral of goldcup oak, manza- 

 nita, and ceanothus abundant hereabouts, 

 wanting about the Tuolumne meadows, 



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