32 



Sierra Club Bulletin 



tainly his chief characteristic was his intimate converse with 

 nature and passionate love of its beauties; also I believe his 

 marvelous insight into the creative powers of nature, closely 

 interwoven with his deep religious sentiments and beliefs. 



There were published in the New York Evening Mail some 

 verses by Charles L. Edson with which I would close this all 

 too brief tribute : 



John o' the mountains, wonderful John, 

 Is past the summit and traveling on ; 

 The turn of the trail on the mountain side, 

 A smile and "Hail !" where the glaciers slide, 

 A streak of red where the condors ride, 

 And John is over the Great Divide. 



John o' the mountains camps today 



On a level spot by the Milky Way; 



And God is telling him how He rolled 



The smoking earth from the iron mold. 



And hammered the mountains till they were cold. 



And planted the Redwood trees of old. 



And John o' the mountains says : "I knew. 

 And I wanted to grapple the hand o' you ; 

 And now we're sure to be friends and chums 

 ? And camp together till chaos comes." 



