THE SEQUOIA 815 



autographs were inscribed in strong, free, flow- 

 ing strokes on the soft bark where they had stood 

 up like cats to stretch their limbs. Using both 

 hands, every claw a pen, the handsome curved 

 lines of their writing take the form of remark- 

 ably regular interlacing pointed arches, produ- 

 cing a truly ornamental effect. I looked and 

 listened, half expecting to see some of the writers 

 alarmed and withdrawing from the unwonted 

 disturbance. Brownie also looked and listened, 

 for mules fear bears instinctively and have a very 

 keen nose for them. When I turned him loose, 

 instead of going to the best grass, he kept 

 cautiously near the camp-fire for protection, but 

 was careful not to step on me. The great starry 

 night passed away in deep peace and the rosy 

 morning sunbeams were searching the grove ere 

 I awoke from a long, blessed sleep. 



The breadth of the Sequoia belt here is about 

 the same as on the north side of the river, ex- 

 tending, rather thin and scattered in some places, 

 among the noble pines from near the main forest 

 belt of the range well back towards the frosty 

 peaks, where most of the trees are growing on 

 moraines but little changed as yet. 



Two days' scramble above Bear Hollow I en- 

 joyed an interesting interview with deer. Soon 

 after sunrise a little company of four came to my 

 camp in a wild garden imbedded in chaparral, 

 and after much cautious observation quietly 



