Letter from John Muir to [James] Murdock, 1902 Mar 22.
Martinez, Cal. March 22, 1902Dear Mr Murdock:Your kind letter & the set of photographs came safely for which I heartily thank you. I am heartily with you in all you say of Scotchmen. Wherever grit & skill & invincible granite determination & principle are required the world cannot do...
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| Language: | English |
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Scholarly Commons
1902
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| Online Access: | https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/muir-correspondence/4630 https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/context/muir-correspondence/article/5646/viewcontent/muir12_0291_let.pdf |
| Summary: | Martinez, Cal. March 22, 1902Dear Mr Murdock:Your kind letter & the set of photographs came safely for which I heartily thank you. I am heartily with you in all you say of Scotchmen. Wherever grit & skill & invincible granite determination & principle are required the world cannot do without them. I'm sorry you did not see the Grand Canon of the Colorado River of the West. What you saw is the gorge of the Arkansas River in the state of Colorado which would make only an insignificant almost unnoticeable side wrinkle in the wall of the great Arizona Canon. There is no more comparison between the two than between the [illegible]rosachs & the Himalayas or your Castle Rock or the Bass & Mt Blane. The Grand Canon is about 220 miles long 5000 to over 6000 feet deep & from 5 to 15 miles wide. A branch railroad runs from the main line of the Santa Fe to the very rim of it. The sculpture of the canon & the colors of it are even02968 more marvellously impressive than its vast size, altogether unrivaled on the face of the globe. So you must just come back & make this trip & the one to Alaska, thus enriching your life & lengthening it. I went to see the Canon two months ago when it had on its winter garb, & the glory of it was unspeakable. I have since been trying to write about it, but it makes all my best words seem silly. It was the Half Dome of Yosemite that Anderson the brave Scotchman climbed by drilling into the rock & inserting eye bolts to rest his feet on. The North Dome is easily accessible from the north side, one has no difficulty in riding a mule to the top of it. Be sure you come again to this side the sea. Your first trip was only a good reconnaissance - I'll be delighted to see you. Sincerely Yours John Muir02968 |
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