Through the Tuolumne Canon 



259 



farewell, and set forth for an afternoon of varied activity. We 

 slid slides, we climbed rock piles, we fought brush, we crawled 

 along cracks and had a thoroughly good time, finally crossing 

 Return Creek on an opportune log bridge and making camp 

 in a fine grove some distance further down the river. 



July 22nd saw us at the head of Muir Gorge soon after 

 nine o'clock. Here we rested on a boulder out in the stream, 

 which gave us a superb view of the sheer walls and rushing 

 water. To reach the further end of the gorge we had to 

 climb a thousand feet up the north bank to the cairn, on the 

 summit of a fine headland. After descending a steep slide, we 

 crossed Rodgers Creek at some distance from the river and 

 followed down its western bank till we came again to the 

 Tuolumne. Here we found an even finer view of the gorge, 

 with the two streams joining in the foreground and the high 

 domes of the cafion rim towering behind. 



We now followed the river again closely and by dint of 

 very strenuous ''hiking" and a final tussle with a thick growth 

 of young cedars, we emerged late in the afternoon in a lovely 

 open meadow of flowers, the upper end of Pate Valley. 



To Eastern eyes, the anachronism of Queen Anne's Lace, 

 columbine and golden-rod, blossoming side by side is startling 

 but none the less delightful, and certainly the quiet meadow 

 was a welcome sight. We crossed it quickly and established 

 our camp near the mouth of Piute Creek. Rancheria Mountain 

 loomed up majestically above us, and close to us were the 

 great black oaks (one thirty-three feet in girth), whose acorns 

 used to attract the Indians to camp under the edge of an 

 overhanging cliff near by. Plere we spent two nights and a 

 lazy pleasant day, enjoying the flowers, the distant views, the 

 interesting Indian picture writings on the cliff and on its flat 

 ledges, the well-worn mortars, each with its pebble pestle for 

 grinding acorns. For diversion we had excellent fishing, rattler 

 hunting, bathing and swapping experiences with the other di- 

 visions of the army as they appeared. Each of us to this 

 day firmly believes that his squad had the most hairbreadth 

 escapes, and the most thrilling adventures — so we are all con- 

 tent. 



Next morning the army divided, most of it returning to the 

 main party by way of Piute Creek. Let us see the lower end of 



