Letter from John Muir to [Louie Strentzel Muir], 1881 Aug 16.

• Main Author: Muir, John
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Scholarly Commons 1881
• Subjects: John Muir; correspondence; letters; author; writing; naturalist; California; correspondent; mail; message; post; exchange of letters; missive; notes; epistle; Arctic; Plover Bay
• Online Access: https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/12509; https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/jmcl/article/37443/type/native/viewcontent/fullsize.jpg

scarce at all injured by the pounding & grinding she has undergone, & sailing home seems nothing more than crossing San Francisco bay. We have added a large territory to the domain of the United States & amassed a grand lot of knowledge of one sort & another. Now we sail from her tomorrow for Cape [Lisburne?] or if stormy to Plover Bay to cool & repair our rudder wh is a little weak. Thence we will go again around the margin of the main polar pack about Wrangel Land but not into it, & possibly discover a clear way to land upon it again & obtain more of its geography, then leave the arctic about the 10th of Sep’ call at St Michaels & at Oonalaska & then straight home. I shall not write at length now as this is to go down by the Legal Tender who sails in a few days & expects to reach S.F. by the 20th of Sep, but we may reach home nearly as soon as she. I have to dash off a letter for the Bulletin tonight yet, though I ought to go to bed, Not a word of it is yet written. We came poking & feeling our way along this icy shore a few hrs ago through the fog little thinking that a letter from you was just ahead. Then the fog lifted & we saw four whalers at anchor & a strange vessel. When the Captain of the Belvidere shouted “Letters for you Captain” by the Legal Tender” wh was the strange vessel. Our hearts leaped, & a boat was speedily sent along side. I got the letter package & handed them round, & yours love was the very last in the package & dreaded there was none. The Rodgers has not yet been heard from [in margin: Goodbye love I shall soon be home. Love to all. My wee lass-love she] [in margin: One of the whale ships was caught here & crushed in the ice & sunk in 20 minutes a month ago.] https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmcl/37443/thumbnail.jpg