Introduction 



In perusing this journal the reader will miss 

 the literary finish which Mr. Muir was accus- 

 tomed to give to his later writings. This fact 

 calls for no excuse. Not only are we dealing 

 here with the earliest product of his pen, but 

 with impressions and observations written down 

 hastily during pauses in his long march. He ap- 

 parently intended to use this raw material at 

 some time for another book. If the record, as 

 it stands, lacks finish and adornment, it also 

 possesses the immediacy and the freshness of 

 first impressions. 



The sources which I have used in preparing 

 this volume are threefold: (i) the original jour- 

 nal, of which the first half contained many in- 

 terlinear revisions and expansions, and a con- 

 siderable number of rough pencil sketches of 

 plants, trees, scenery, and notable adventures; 

 (2) a wide-spaced, typewritten, rough copy of 

 the journal, apparently in large part dictated 

 to a stenographer; it is only slightly revised, 

 and comparison with the original journal shows 

 many significant omissions and additions; (3) 

 [ xzv ] 



