My First Summer 



I could study plants and rocks and scenery 

 as much as I liked, and that he would him- 

 self accompany us to the first main camp 

 and make occasional visits to our higher 

 ones to replenish our store of provisions 

 and see how we prospered. Therefore I 

 concluded to go, though still fearing, when 

 I saw the silly sheep bouncing one by one 

 through the narrow gate of the home cor- 

 ral to be counted, that of the two thousand 

 and fifty many would never return. 



I was fortunate in getting a fine St. Ber- 

 nard dog for a companion. His master, a 

 hunter with whom I was slightly acquaint- 

 ed, came to me as soon as he heard that I 

 was going to spend the summer in the Sierra 

 and begged me to take his favorite dog, 

 Carlo, with me, for he feared that if he 

 were compelled to stay all summer on the 

 plains the fierce heat might be the death of 

 him. " I think I can trust you to be kind to 

 him/' he said, "and I am sure he will be 

 good to you. He knows all about the moun- 

 [6] 



