In the Sierra 



ing of all Nature's underground mansions. 

 Plenty of sunlight pours into it through the 

 leaves of the four maple trees growing in 

 its mouth, illuminating its clear, calm pool 

 and marble chambers, a charming place, 

 ravishingly beautiful, but the accessible parts 

 of the walls sadly disfigured with names of 

 vandals. 



September 20. The weather still golden 

 and calm, but hot. We are now in the foot- 

 hills, and all the conifers are left behind 

 except the gray Sabine pine. Camped at 

 the Dutch Boy's Ranch, where there are 

 extensive barley fields now showing nothing 

 save dusty stubble. 



September 2 1 . - - A terribly hot, dusty, 

 sun-burned day, and as nothing was to be 

 gained by loitering where the flock could 

 find nothing to eat save thorny twigs and 

 chaparral, we made a long drive, and be- 

 fore sundown reached the home ranch on 

 the yellow San Joaquin plain. 



September 22.- -The sheep were let out 

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