My Firsf Summer 



battle. I have seen fish driven out of the 

 water with less ado than was made in driving 

 these animals into it. Sheep brain must surely 

 be poor stuff. Compare to-day's exhibition 

 with the performances of deer swimming 

 quietly across broad and rapid rivers, and 

 from island to island in seas and lakes; or 

 with dogs, or even with the squirrels that, 

 as the story goes, cross the Mississippi River 

 on selected chips, with tails for sails com- 

 fortably trimmed to the breeze. A sheep 

 can hardly be called an animal; an entire 

 flock is required to make one foolish indi- 

 vidual. 



"July 15. Followed the Mono Trail up 

 the eastern rim of the basin nearly to its sum- 

 mit, then turned off southward to a small 

 shallow valley that extends to the edge of 

 the Yosemite, which we reached about noon, 

 and encamped. After luncheon I made haste 

 to high ground, and from the top of the ridge 

 on the west side of Indian Canon gained 

 the noblest view of the summit peaks I have 

 [ 152 ] 



