Narrative, glaciers, natives / by John Burroughs, John Muir, and George Bird Grinnell.

  • Burroughs, John, 1837-1921.
Date:
[1910]
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Narrative, glaciers, natives / by John Burroughs, John Muir, and George Bird Grinnell. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    eluded. The nymph was withdrawn into her bower, but had left the door open. This element of mystery and shyness was enhanced by the well hidden rocky basin into which the water fell, and by the curtain of rock which shut it off from our view. Out of this basin the current emerged near at hand and more familiar in a fall of fifty feet or more, whence it took its way to the river in a clear rapid stream. It was as if the goddess had reclothed herself in this hidden rock-screened pool and come forth again in more palpable everyday guise. I hardly expected to see anything in Alaska or anywhere else that would blur or lessen the impression made by those falls, and I did not, and probably never shall. We had hoped that at Portland and Seattle we should get glimpses of the great mountains—Hood, Baker, Rai- nier— but we did not; fog and cloud prevented. A lady living upon the heights at Seattle told me that when a dweller there was out of humor, her neighbors usually ex- cused her by saying, “Well, she has not seen the Olym- pics this morning.” I fancy they are rarely on exhibition to strangers or visitors. THE INLAND PASSAGE. The chapters of our sea voyage and Alaska experiences properly open on the afternoon of May 31st when we find our staterooms in our steamer, the ‘ George W. El- der,’ receive our California contingent, which includes John Muir, and make our final preparations for the trip. The steamer is a large iron ship specially fitted up for our party. Her coal bunkers are full and she is provisioned for a two months’ cruise. We have hunting parties among us that expect to supply us with venison and bear meat, but to be on the safe side we take aboard eleven fat steers, a flock of sheep, chickens, and turkeys, a milch cow, and a span of horses. The horses are to be used to