In the Sierra 



would encounter in traveling from Labrador 

 to Florida. 



The Indians I had met near the head of 

 the canon had camped at the foot of it the 

 night before they made the ascent, and I 

 found their fire still smoking on the side of 

 a small tributary stream near Moraine Lake; 

 and on the edge of what is called the Mono 

 Desert, four or five miles from the lake, I 

 came to a' patch of elymus, or wild rye, 

 growing in magnificent waving clumps six 

 >r eight feet high, bearing heads six to eight 

 inches long. The crop was ripe, and Indian 

 r omen were gathering the grain in baskets 

 >y bending down large handfuls, beating out 

 ie seed, and fanning it in the wind. The 

 grains are about five eighths of an inch long, 

 [ark-colored and sweet. I fancy the bread 

 made from it must be as good as wheat bread. 

 A fine squirrelish employment this wild grain 

 gathering seems, and the women were evi- 

 dently enjoying it, laughing and chattering 

 and looking almost natural, though most In- 

 [ 303 ] 



