My First Summer 



about five in diameter, very heavy, and last 

 long after they fall, so that the ground be- 

 neath the trees is covered with them. They 

 make fine resiny, light-giving camp-fires, 

 next to ears of Indian corn the most beau- 

 tiful fuel I 've ever seen. The nuts, the Don 

 tells me, are gathered in large quantities 

 by the Digger Indians for food. They are 

 about as large and hard-shelled as hazel- 

 nuts, food and fire fit for the gods from 

 the same fruit. 



June 5. This morning a few hours after 

 setting out with the crawling sheep-cloud, 

 we gained the summit of the first well-defined 

 bench on the mountain-flank at Pino Blanco. 

 The Sabine pines interest me greatly. They 

 are so airy and strangely palm-like I was 

 eager to sketch them, and was in a fever of 

 excitement without accomplishing much. 

 I managed to halt long enough, however, to 

 make a tolerably fair sketch of Pino Blanco 

 peak from the southwest side, where there 

 is a small field and vineyard irrigated by a 

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