FIELD-DAYS IN CALIFORNIA 



had dubbed him, must go along and have his pic- 

 ture taken with the rest. And go along the old 

 professor did, keeping, to be sure, at a prudent 

 remove from the dizzy edge, though he flattered 

 himself, of course, that only for not choosing to 

 play the fool, he could stand as near it as the 

 next man. This pleasing ceremony done with, I 

 was left to go my own gait, and then my enjoy- 

 ment of the marvelous place began. 



A good-natured and conversable young driver, 

 who had picked me up one day on the road, 

 quizzed me as to what I thought about the origin 

 of the Valley ; and after I had tried to set forth 

 in outline the two principal opinions of geologists 

 upon the subject, not understanding them any 

 too well myself, and not suspecting what a philo- 

 sopher I had to do with, he informed me that 

 he took no stock in either of them. He cared 

 nothing for Whitney or Le Conte or Muir. No 

 subsidence theory or glacial theory for him. He 

 believed that the place was made so to start with, 

 on purpose that people might come from all parts 

 of the world and enjoy it. And to-day, as I moved 

 about the rim of Glacier Point for the first time, 

 I was ready to say with equal positiveness, if with 

 something less of serious intention, — This place 

 was made for prospects. 



If I doubted, I had only to look at the level 

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