[Illustration] THE WRITINGS OF JOHN MUIR Sierra Edition VOLUME II [Illustration: _The Yosemite Falls, Yosemite National Park_] MY FIRST SUMMER IN THE SIERRA BY JOHN MUIR [Illustration] BOSTON AND NEW YORK HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY 1917 COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY JOHN MUIR COPYRIGHT, 1916, BY HOUGHTON MIFFLIN COMPANY ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO THE SIERRA CLUB OF CALIFORNIA FAITHFUL DEFENDER OF THE PEOPLE’S PLAYGROUNDS CONTENTS I. THROUGH THE FOOTHILLS WITH A FLOCK OF SHEEP 3 II. IN CAMP ON THE NORTH FORK OF THE MERCED 32 III. A BREAD FAMINE 75 IV. TO THE HIGH MOUNTAINS 86 V. THE YOSEMITE 115 VI. MOUNT HOFFMAN AND LAKE TENAYA 149 VII. A STRANGE EXPERIENCE 178 VIII. THE MONO TRAIL 195 IX. BLOODY CA—ON AND MONO LAKE 214 X. THE TUOLUMNE CAMP 232 XI. BACK TO THE LOWLANDS 254 INDEX 265 ILLUSTRATIONS THE YOSEMITE FALLS, YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK _Frontispiece_ The total height of the three falls is 2600 feet. The upper fall is about 1600 feet, and the lower about 400 feet. Mr. Muir was probably the only man who ever looked down into the heart of the fall from the narrow ledge of rocks near the top. _From a photograph by Charles S. Olcott_ SHEEP IN THE MOUNTAINS 8 Since the establishment of the Yosemite National Park the pasturing of sheep has not been allowed within its boundaries, and as a result the grasses and wild flowers have recovered very much of their former luxuriance. The flock of sheep here photographed were feeding near Alger Lake on the slope of Blacktop Mountain, at an altitude of about 10,000 feet and just beyond the eastern boundary of the Park. _From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason_ A SILVER FIR, OR RED FIR (_Abies magnifica_) 90 This tree was found in an extensive forest of red fir above the Middle Fork of King’s River. It was estimated to be about 250 feet high. Mr. Muir, on being shown the photograph, remarked that it was one of the finest and most mature specimens of the red fir that he had ever seen. _From a photograph by Herbert W. Gleason_ THE NORTH AND SOUTH DOMES 122