In the Sierra 



everything for it. Glad, endless work would 

 then be mine tracing the forces that have 

 brought forth its features, its rocks and plants 

 and animals and glorious weather. Beauty 

 beyond thought everywhere, beneath, above, 

 made and being made forever. I gazed and 

 gazed and longed and admired until the dusty 

 sheep and packs were far out of sight, made 

 hurried notes and a sketch, though there was 

 no need 6f either, for the colors and lines 

 and expression of this divine landscape-coun- 

 tenance are so burned into mind and heart 

 they surely can never grow dim. 



The evening of this charmed day is cool, 

 calm, cloudless, and full of a kind of light- 

 ning I have never seen before white glow- 

 ing cloud-shaped masses down among the 

 trees and bushes, like quick-throbbing fire- 

 flies in the Wisconsin meadows rather than 

 the so-called " wild fire/ ' The spreading hairs 

 of the horses' tails and sparks from our blan- 

 kets show how highly charged the air is. 



June 6. - We are now on what may be 

 [ 19] 



