My First Summer 



with superb erect gray cones shining with 

 beads of pure balsam. The squirrels are cut- 

 ting them off at a great rate. Bump, bump, 

 I hear them falling, soon to be gathered 

 and stored for winter bread. Those that 

 chance to be left by the industrious har- 

 vesters drop the scales and bracts when 

 fully ripe, and it is fine to see the purple- 

 winged seeds flying in swirling, merry-look- 

 ing flocks seeking their fortunes. The bole 

 and dead limbs of nearly every tree in the 

 main forest-belt are ornamented by con- 

 spicuous tufts and strips of a yellow lichen. 



Camped for the night at Cascade Creek, 

 near the Mono Trail crossing. Manzanita 

 berries now ripe. Cloudiness to-day about 

 .10. The sunset very rich, flaming purple 

 and crimson showing gloriously through 

 the aisles of the woods. 



September 15. - The weather pure gold, 

 cloudiness about .05, white cirrus flecks and 

 pencilings around the horizon. Move two 

 or three miles and camp at Tamarack Flat. 



[ 348 ] 



