In the Sierra 



been very marked for the last two or three 

 weeks. Perhaps the "zodiacal light." 



September n. Cloudless. Slight frost. 

 Calm. Fairly started down hill, and now 

 are camped at the west end meadows of 

 Lake Tenaya, -- a charming place. Lake 

 smooth as glass, mirroring its miles of gla- 

 cier-polished pavements and bold mountain 

 walls. Find aster still in flower. Here is 

 about the upper limit of the dwarf form 

 of the goldcup oak, eight thousand feet 

 above sea-level, reaching about two thou- 

 sand feet higher than the California black 

 oak (Quercus Calif ornicus}. Lovely evening, 

 the lake reflections after dark marvelously 

 impressive. 



September i 2. -- Cloudless day, all pure 

 sun-gold. Among the magnificent silver firs 

 once more, within two miles of the brink 

 of Yosemite, at the famous Portuguese bear 

 camp. Chaparral of goldcup oak, manza- 

 nita, and ceanothus abundant hereabouts, 

 wanting about the Tuolumne meadows, 

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