Grand Canons of Tuolumne and Merced. 239 



groves into the canon of Conness Creek. Immediately 

 above and below the junction of this stream with the 

 Tuolumne are the first three falls of the wonderful series 

 of stormy cataracts which mark the river's course through 

 this wild rockbound gorge. Below the falls the river 

 flows quietly for a space, between banks lined with min- 

 gled pines and deciduous trees. Here 



"Willows whiten, aspens quiver, 

 Little breezes dusk and shiver 

 Thro' the wave that runs forever 

 By the island in the river 



Flowing down to Camelot." 



Many a legendary city lies at the river's end, for its 

 path is an open highway into the land of dreams. Such 

 a merry, blithesome companion it is, one of the great 

 fellowship of voyagers, akin to the sailing clouds, the 

 flocking birds — vagabonds all. 



Alluring as the river's call was to all our vagabond 

 crew, to those of us who possessed the piscatorial instinct 

 it proved fairly resistless. For more trout were visible, 

 lazily swimming about and provoking the rod, than would 

 have sufliced to feed our lusty band for a month. In 

 spite of the unwritten law that fishing were better post- 

 poned until the day's travel was over, one or two rods 

 came apologetically forth, and for half an hour the happy 

 fishermen wielded a busy arm. 



All this had been mere pleasant dalliance, but soon the 

 real work began. At the foot of the first great cliff a 

 talus-pile, composed of huge blocks of granite inter- 

 spersed with brush, completely filled the canon from wall 

 to river. Here it meant climbing and jumping from 

 rock to rock, or, worse still, fighting our way through 

 masses of stiff manzanita, chinquapin, or azalea, which 

 caught in our packs and clothing and made each step a 

 struggle. We soon had cause to regret our lingering in 

 the easier paths, for sunset drew near and no sign of open 

 country appeared. Coming at last to a spot where the 

 brush was little more than a foot high and where the rocks 



