The John Muir Newsletter, Fall 2005
The John Muir pnr h VJ-& r? 5? UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, STOCKTON, CA Volume 15, Number ■ YMJLMQt John Muir's World Tour (part II) Introduction by W. R. Swagerty Director, John Muir Center In the last issue of this newsletter, we introduced John Muir's World Tour of 1903-04. We contin...
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| Summary: | The John Muir pnr h VJ-& r? 5? UNIVERSITY OF THE PACIFIC, STOCKTON, CA Volume 15, Number ■ YMJLMQt John Muir's World Tour (part II) Introduction by W. R. Swagerty Director, John Muir Center In the last issue of this newsletter, we introduced John Muir's World Tour of 1903-04. We continue that story here, told by Muir himself by way of his unpublished journal, a part of the John Muir Papers held by the University of the Pacific's Holt- Atherton Department of Special Collections. Part II begins where Part I ended with Journal # 48 (out of eighty-four extant in the Muir Papers). We print the journals as Linnie Marsh Wolfe transcribed them a half century ago. Where she could not read a word, I have made an earnest effort to decipher what Muir penciled in his small notebook. At times, he inserted lines in between other lines, making it very difficult to read. At other times, he used abbreviations, some of which Wolfe decoded, some of which remain undetermined. Where words are clearly illegible, I have indicated such in brackets. I have made no attempt to provide academic comment on the journal. It is the raw transcript as found in the Muir Papers. We begin on the reverse end of Journal # 48, which has a series of entries out of chronological sequence. Journal # 49 follows and is printed in its entirety, taking Muir and his two companions, arborist Charles Sprague Sargent and his son, Robeson, by train across western Siberia from the Russian city of Rostov on the Don River, July 26, 1903 through Harbin toward Vladivostock on August 15. We include the first few pages of Journal # 50, taking the Muir-Sargent party through Manchuria to the coast on August 21, where he writes, "The sea air reviving. Hope to leave this evening 9:00 P.M. for Kabarovsk." In 1993-1994, the John Muir Newsletter printed "John Muir in Russia " by University of Pacific Professor William H. Breenan. This three-part analysis of Muir's trip across "Old Russia " remains an important piece of Muir scholarship. We offer it to our readers as a reprint for S3, to cover reproduction and postage. *** Tke reverse end of #48 In Regel Nursery, Petersburg - Leoutipodium, Alpiuum, Ende[?J Heuckera sanguinea, Gentiana Burscriana, large yellow pale, 3 toot kigk. Gentiaua listea, D foot kigk, Lrigkt vjellow, mamj flowers in wkorls. Regel and Kisselring: Campanula kumilis, lovekj crowded, multitude of bluebells close to ground. Samara at tke crossing of Volga: Ufa Celyeabinsk, on west and east sides of Urals. Before reacking Urals, clumps of pine run tkrougk. Forest fires destroij kundreds of villages. Ufa prettikj situated on wooded kill. East of Ckekjabinsk tke ground flat for 2000 miles (?) Omsk, 50,000 population. In center of rick agricultural country and pasture. A belt 2000 miles wide of forest to nortk, but fine forest kills to soutk. (Continuedon page 4) page 1 IEY& Birthday /Earth Day 2006 and Annual Meeting Celebrate John Muir's Birthday and Earth Day on April 22, 2006, 10am to 4pm at the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, California. The house and grounds will be alive with music and exhibits about earth-friendly technologies and programs that sustain the environment. Learn about solar power, green building, wildlife conservation, hybrid vehicles, organic gardening, recycling, and much more. Admission to the park is free; food and beverages will be available. Rain or shine, come and follow in the footsteps of John Muir. John Muir Mountain Day Camp In its fourth year, the John Muir Mountain Day Camp, now a program of the John Muir Association, is an outgrowth of the John Muir Festival Center whose aim is to promote and foster Martinez as a world class destination for Arts, Culture and Education. It began as an educational outreach of the Willows Theatre John Muir Mountain Days musical. The day camp is operated on the grounds of the John Muir National Historic Site in Martinez, California. The Day Camp's goal specifically is to enlighten students to the teachings and legacy of John Muir as well as provide opportunities for expression, creativity and interaction in a safe environment which fosters growth and appreciation for nature and conservation. About Our Staff Camp Director Jill Harcke has 15 years experience as a grade school teacher. Assistant director Susan Barry is a professional artist, who teaches arts and crafts at the camp. Guest teachers are subject to change. In the past, they have included Frank Helling performing as John Muir, Ranger David Blackburn giving a tour of the John Muir home at the John Muir National Historic Site, Dan'l Mclhenny performing songs from the John Muir Tribute CD, Dr. Bonnie Gisel of the LeConte Memorial Lodge as Dr. Nature, Eco-musician Bill Oliver, Children's book author Donnel Rubay, Megan Costello from REI-Concord, and many others. Also, John Muir's grandson and other Muir-Hannsa family members stop by to visit with the campers. All counselors are qualified instructors with extensive experience working with children. Guest teachers are specialists in the area of that day's focus. Some events subject to change. This year: Three Fantastic Weeks: Last week of July, & First two weeks of August, 2006 For Ages 7-12 yrs. Monday through Friday9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. Tuition $200 per participant, per session includes field trip, park admissions, and camp T- shirt! Deposit and Tuition are non refundable after July 1, 2006. Registrations by fax or phone will need to pay application fee and tuition with a credit card .By phone: (925) 798 -1300 • By fax: (925) 676 - 5726 • Email: info@muircamp.org ********************************* ******************* John Muir Association John Muir Conservation Award John Muir advocated the protection of places with particular beauty and wildness and he demonstrated ecological insight by partnering humankind with nature for future generations. Each year the John Muir Association acknowledges individuals, groups, or organizations for their restoration, protection, or conservation efforts. The winners for 2005 were Igor and Shirley Skaredoff. Recognizing their contributions in the restoration of Alhambra Creek through downtown Martinez and beyond. They are leaders in the group, Friends of Alhambra Creek. He and his wife Shirley lead the annual Alhambra Creek clean-up days and are the first to take groups of all ages into the creek and along the Carquinez Strait. Mr. Skaredoff is also active in the broader Watershed Forum, bringing leadership and strong representation to that group. He has been personally involved in mapping sections of the regional watershed and takes regular water samples from the creek to test temperature and salinity for the restoration of steelhead trout upstream. In addition to his work with the Alhambra Creek Restoration and Environmental Education Collaborative (ACREEC), Mr. Skaredoff has been in many classrooms throughout the District presenting lectures and demonstrations. He has been a creative partner in grant-writing, PowerPoint presentations, and public forums. His self-effacing and easy-going manner has encouraged participation by many' people who would not otherwise have gotten involved. Nominations for the 2006 award are now open. Nominations may be submitted until March 31, 2006. Contact the John Muir Association for more information. John Muir Association (JMA) P.O. Box 2433 Martinez, CA 9455 Phone: (925) 229-3857 The John Muir Newsletter Volume 15, Number 4 Fall 200: Published Quarterly by The John Muir Center for Environmental Studies University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211 ♦ STAFF ♦ Director W.R. Swagerty Editor W.R. Swagerty Production Assistant Marilyn Norton Unless otherwise noted, all photographic reproductions are courtesy of the John Muir Papers, Hott-Atherton Department of Special Collections University of the Pacific Libraries. Copyright 19S4 Muir-Hanna Trust This Newsletter is printed on recycled paper page 2 CONNECTED TO JOHN MUIR By Michael Wurtz Archivist, Holt-Atherton Special Collections University of the Pacific Library Late last summer I had the opportunity to camp two nights at Cathedral Lakes at the base of Cathedral Peak in Yosemite National Park. The lakes are about a four-mile hike west of Tuolumne Meadows. The skies were mostly clear, but the variable gusts assured no shelter from the cool temperatures. A bit of snow fell on us when we hiked in, and a bear, which we only remember as a big shadow, jostled our bear bins (bear proof food containers) while we slept. With over a year under my belt working with the John Muir 3 Papers at the Holt- ( : |; ' ,w Atherton Special Collections in the University of the Pacific Library, I had a few stories to tell about Muir while we hunched over our dinner of freeze-dried Pad Thai. Nevertheless, the landscape had an every door graciously opened for the poor lonely worshipper." My friend and John Muir stood in the same spot with only 136 years and 3 days between them. When we re-grouped in camp that evening I considered the mountaineer John Muir, who had been "climbing, scrambling, sliding on the peaks around the highest course of the Tuolumne and Merced (rivers)." Then I considered the written John Muir, which is preserved only 30 feet from my desk. I continued reading from My First Summer in the Sierra, "Camped beside a little pool and a group of crinkled dwarf pines; and as I sit by the fire trying to write notes the shallow pool seems fathomless with the infinite , starry heavens in it." The journey of Muir's thoughts from his PI hand in his notebook to its I K, , v published books to the , [\ i print out of Chapter 10 | J i \ i \ ' i from the Sierra Club [' \ i ' : v< 1 website in my hand is a ! | 'I ' reminder of what his ideas ' , ' l [I \ have gone through __^ ] physically. I recommend tgr l' that anyone bring Muir along in whatever form -->>•/'"' i.-.■■■'■ , possible when visiting the John Muir's drawing of Cathedral Peak "looking" Southeast. The reader Park or any place he had effect that went deeper is encouraged t0 remember to bring Muir's writings along when traveling visited and reflected upon. than my anecdotes. jn the high Sierra. (Fiche 5-0266 John Muir Papers, Holt-Atherton Despite the years and I had brought along Special Collections, University of the Pacific Library. Copyright 1984 physical transformation of passages from Chapter Muir-HannaTrust) his wor(is, the enthusiasm 10 of My First Summer is not tempered, "Never in the Sierra that covered the areas we were shall I forget this big, divine day, - the Cathedral exploring. On Saturday, my friends decided to climb and its thousands of cassiope bells, and the Cathedral Peak (a gimpy knee prevented me from joining them). As one of them neared the top, we established contact over the walkie-talkie, and I could follow him with binoculars. I was inspired to read Muir's account of his first trip in 1869 to the peak. "How often I have gazed at it from the tops of hills and ridges, and through openings in the forests on my many short excursions, devoutly wondering, admiring, longing! This I may say is the first time I have been at church in California, led here at last, landscape around them, and this camp in the gray crags above the woods, with its stars and streams and snow." The next day, we returned to Tuolumne Meadows where we could buy gas, really good hamburgers, beer, and Tuolumne Meadows pen and pencil sets for my friends' children. On the ride back to Stockton, I had the spacious back seat where I could spread out a bit and take in another passage from Muir, "Arrived at the main camp at nine o'clock, and soon was sleeping sound as death." page 3 (ContinuedIrom page 1) Dairying etc. Skips come to its wharves from around Nortk Cape and Nova Zernkla and up tke Obi. 1500 Deering reapers sold in a ijear (Nitckevo) "Ceckas". Presently Tomsk, Capital ol Siberia, 82 versts [a verst is a Russian measure ol distance; .66 mile J and tke dead trunks stuck up like klack knuckles in miles and miles and miles ol gorgeous imdergrowtk, klood red witk clear vjellow kere and tkere. Ran tkrougk tkis forest lor several davjs and nigkts. It seemed endless. Passengers ran oil into tke woods lor berries or llowers wken tke train stopped at stations. Stersburg, RUSSIA- ovv, RUSSIA A S J MANCHUR.AJ, ,, , (UJSSJA \ . ^'Yokohama, JAPAN -Q Nag Bydarra on sea coast, elevation 1600 feet, fine view and kotel, 40 versts from Sebastopol. [begin Journal #49] July 26th Reacked tke large city Rostov, on tke Don, 15 miles from its moutk on Sea ol Asol at 5 AM. From city, tke first 10 or 15 miles marsky, pasture, tken kay and grain, very fertile bottom land above floods. Our interpreter left us at Rostov. On no part of trip do I look back witk greater pleasure tkan in our little excursion up Kasbek. It was so deligktf ul to feel once more mountain air sifting tkrougk us and kear tke distant roar of torrents and tke near clask and gurgle of falling crystal -water in bouldery, flowery banked ckannels. At 8 AM. we are running tkrougk prairie like expanse of kay and grain skocks and cocks, dotting tke fertile levels far as eye can reack. Not a tree in sigkt for miles except at town and villages. No komesteads. Weatker pleasantly cool and skvj kalf cloudy. No dust since entering tke mountains Irom Tiflis. At 9 AM. pass block of few square miles of planted forest, elm ckiefkj oak and Nigundo, about 15 feet kigk. Like tke strips along tke railroad to fence out drifting snow. Elevation about 600 feet at sea level. Prairie less fertile or more exkausted. Grain and kay skort. 12:50 crossed branck of Don at 10 AM. 200 feet above sea level, and now running along its left bank. Land poorisk, grass and corn and wkeat mostly skort like in parts of Kansas. Tkin cover of glacial drift, bedrock crumbling slates very wide. Terrace banks of streams kereabouts and soutkward skowing copious flood streams of glacial period. 2 PM. 700 feet above sea level, grain ripe, crop better, many cattle. Homes of peasantry wkitewasked and neatly tkatcked witk straw. A good many Dutck windmills. Seldom kave been over 5 or 600 feet all day. Vivid ligktning, skeet sort wkick ligkted all tke landscape witk its fieldss and towns. Many zigzag bolts disckarged tkrougk tke skeet. July 27th Heavy rain last night. At 7 this morning are passing through a level -wheat field bounded by the sky, soil black, fertile, keavy crop. Saw men cradling wkeat. Yesterday saw some few self-raking reapers, labor ckeap. Some trees on landscape edge in black. (Noon) All one wkeatfield except patckes of oats and rye, etc. Some very skort. Saw woman spreading manure today first time. Men eack plowing and narrowing at same time, one man on plow, anotker attacked to karrow, tke man /o/ 1 PM. Witkin 2 kours or so of Moscow. Crops better, mostly ripe. Saw bands of poor men and women going to karvest, all crowded togetker in box cars witk ckildren like cattle. Yet seemed not unhappy. Norway pine and spruce sylvestris and Nordmannia excelsa now common along road, and birch and poplar telling of the north. Today saw three men thrashing grain with Hails. Yesterday saw a man thrashing grain with a span ol horses and a wagon, comfortably seated, ke drove round a circle of 40 to 50 feet diameter. Around Moscow at 4 PM Drove to Slavianski Bazar. Good kotel. July 28th [Moscow] Good rest last night. The 3 weeks Caucasus trip was very kard, very kot, very dirty. From boundary, and I was very weak. Must be tougk tkougk as would probably kave died. Began to mend as soon as struck tke glaciers of Kasbek. Arm now about well. Went to American consul at 10 AM., and to bankers. No letters for me. Mamj for Sargents. Tkey got word tkat Alice kad been operated on for appendicitis and cabled for news about noon. A rephj tkat ske was dong well was received in tke evening of same day. I at same time cabled to Martinez and received reply all well", next morning. Wondrous quick and comforting. Tke first-word since leaving kome. In tke PM. drove to Botanic garden, 6 or 7 miles over bad ill-smelling road. Little of interest. Tke old Minister of Agriculture a good kind man. Also drove tkrougk park planted by Nickolas and tkrougk tke Kremlin. Interesting old towers and very fine view of City from tke walls. 500 ckurckes witk gilded domes. July 29th At the Consul s again for information, got word from home, and drove to Kremlin, wandered tkrougk Museum, endless jewels, crowns, carriages, vases, and above all guns and otker weapons most wearisome to bekold. A few good pictures. Sauntered tkrougk tke palace, very grand, some truly noble rooms, but tke most interesting of all are tke ancient towers, old lofty, venerable. Tke Catkedral of Ivan tke Terrible, an indescribable mass of bulbous domes in barbaric color and grandeur of metal. July 30th Have been in hotel all day, reading Russian and China. Expect to start on our long journey day after tomorrow. Had the pleasure of visit from 2 Americans page 5 todavj. Professor Berry and kis son, tke former of Nebraska State University, tke latter from German University and a fine botanist. July 31st Reading in room. Had visit from Mr. Ward of Rockester, wko is on kis interminable travels in searck of fossils, meteorites, etc. Any tking tkat will sell well. Has been most everywkere. August 1st Received letter tkis PM. from Mr. Harriman, dated Hotel Netkerlands, New York, June 5tk, witk welcome news of recovery, kad been out driving in park. He sent witk tkis letter a request to all agents and officers of kis 2 steamskip lines to serve us in any way tkey could, etc. Very kind in every way to tkink of me in tke midst of kis dreadful domestic trials, not to mention kis endless business. Tkis letter was sent to Martinez, kad Martinez post ollice mark, July 15tk. London, July 28th, and reached me in Moscow, August 1st. Started about 11 PM. lor Manchuria. Large number ol ladies and gentlemen at the train to see American Courier oil. Found a young man at Hotel -who is from San Francisco. He is on this train - is going to mining region near Tomsk, kas made several journeys over tke railroad before. Is employed by big firm in laying kydraulic pipes in placer mines. Prefers Russian mines to Alaskan on account of ckeapuess of labor - 50 kopeks a day, and ckeapuess of provision, etc., railroad fares and Ireigkts. Bougkt sack of frozen milk for kalf rouble, but 2 cents per pound, etc. Great pleasure to kear Englisk spoken. August 2nd Had good bed, slept prettij -well, rained early tkis morning, is raining now, 10 AM. quite cool. Most of country a wkeat field, rolling kills, dark soil, grain now in tke skock mostly, good crop, belts and blocks of timber, (oak, birck, alder, etc., small) presenting monotony, a few pine, tke asters, bluebells, epilobium, and ferns, etc., make tke place seem truly alpine. Tke aspen (?) Also and willows. A fine young river flows tkrougk tke flat up wkick tke railroad runs a skort distance tken turns to left up a small tributary to elevation 1400 feet. Here a broad upland is partly cultivated, oats and rye not yet ripe, and very skort wkile every open grain spot kowever small, is cut lor kay as in Norway. On tkis upland is a village, apparently old. Belore 5 o clock, tke industrious peasants ■were at work katjing, and kerding cattle. Beyond tkis kail kour or so, tke solid lorest nearly closes on tke track, tken up to 1400 leet, and at 7 o clock ol yesterday s time we are running down tke rigkt (soutk) bank ol wide valley (5 or 6 miles) witk finely moulded mountain sides generally forested, but forests interrupted by little farm clearings, tke tops and upper slopes of tke bounding mountains solid forest. Countless myriads of Pinus sylvestris. Never saw glacial lines more firmly finely drawn, one back of anotker, passing in ckarming gradation of color and distance, lovely peaceful moderate mountains purely wild, in great part wkolly so. 730 AM. Elevation 1100 feet, magnificent mountains on eitker side of borad valley (6 or 8 miles), all forested slopes ckarmingly gentle and simple, keigkt of mountains perkaps about 2000 or 2500 leet at sea level. Tke rock as lar as seen is mostly slates, witk but little strengtk ol structure, alluring glaciers to degrade and sculpture tkem at will. 8:00 AM. Elevation 1300, running up small stream, millions ol pines on kills and mountains all round. Millions, lew above 50 leet kigk. Here it is very strictly erect, unlike tke cultivated. Birck also very abundant, and about tke same size. All open spots in tke woods mowed lor kaxj. Now mostlvj stacked in round piles like rat nests. Tkey make curious marks in tke wild woods. 9:10 AM. Today s time, are passing tkrougk a Hat [illegible] tke mountains, in wkick many kandsome spruces are associated witk tke pines and birckes at elevation ol 1150 leet. Tke lorest boundless, endless, etc. Zlatanst, 1350 feet, at 10:00 AM. Picea abies, saw a few larck, and oaks. Tke town seems old — traces of fire in adjacent forest. 11:00 AM. 1600 feet. On rigkt side of broad valley displaying immense breadtk ol lorest, a lew peaks rocking instead ol common rounded low wave crests. Going down grade in series ol daring loops, skarp-eared Larck becoming common. Also noticed abies mountain Picea obovata is tke only spruce seen. Here and tkere a small lake witk pond lilies, white spiraea common. Nearly all tke vast lorest seems virgin; saw long strips in parallel lines cut lor railroad (?) Separated by serried strips ol equal width 12:45 PM. Elevation 1150 leet, boundless lorests. The Pinus sylvestris here and lor miles back branckless to keigkt ol 15 leet. Evidently tke lower limbs were lire- killed to nearhj uniform keigkt, skowing evenness of grass and twig, fret and absence of wind. All tkese pruned trees are plainly fire-blackened at base. We are now passing a large lake wkick lies soutk of tke railroad, 10 miles (?). 6:00 PM. More lakes and swamps and dry marskes. No grain except small patckes of rye now being cut. Tke pines cease at foot of mountains, 500 feet elevation. Tke birck extends far out on account of enduring fire, sprouting Irom root. At 1030 PM. Still extensive patckes ol birck, a lew grain lields, now barometer reads 240 leet above sea level (?). Tke waters ol tke western slope ol Urals kere drain into tke Ob, running a course ol 2000 miles (?) witk fall of 500 leet or less. So most ol tke great rivers flowing to Arctic Ocean kave little lall and are navigable to tkeir sources nearly. August 4th The Ural mountains lairly swarm with forests were from 4:00 this morning to 2:00 this PM. in endless pine, spruce and birch, with some Abies, poplar, willow, Mountain ash, and larch. How much was missed in the night don t know, perkaps nearly kalf. Never before saw mountain range so densely f eatkered and universally covered witk conifer trees. Am told by intelligent mine owner I met on train tkat Pinus Cembra is also common in parts of tke Urals towards Ekaterinburg called cedar by people, and yields famous crop of nuts. Common also about Tomsk and Altai and nortkward (?) August 5th 630 AM. Barometer about 300 feet above sea level. 65 cool, calm, bright daij, cloudless after cloudless nearly lull moon nigkt. Still tke indomitable birck kolds swaxj over a low meadowisk region given ckielly to cattle. Tke peasants are at work kay ing - very little grain in all tkis vast stretck from base of Urals. Birck in belts and clumps, trees about 20 feet kigk kere. Tke open grassy spaces greatly exceed in area tke forest belts. Tkougk tke wkole country in distant views seems forested. 830 AM. Temperature 70 °. Went a few yards from track at small station and gatkered kandful of flowers. Tall ranunculus, silene, pink flowered milfoil, climbing page 7 pea, brigkt pink flowers, long pedicilled in loose panicles of 3 to 8. Flowers 3/4 inck wide across -wings and glows in grass like fire, fine purple comp like liatris, alckemilla, pkantago. Yellow compound ray flowers, many and narrow, dandelion, loxglove, potentilla, mint, polygonum and several tall and umbelliferous plants wkick make brave skow, strawberry abundant berries small now ripe, delicious, bougkt some from girl on platform. All tke roadsides in Russia -wkere I kave been are flowery from tke Crimea to Arctic Ocean. Water standing in ditckes some places tkis morning. Large areas do not appear to kave been planned, -wild prairies islanded witk birck, grass almost every wkere tall enougk lor tke kaymaker. Hay said to be wortk a dollar a ton. Tke brave birck seems like a weed in tke Ilowery prairie. At 6:00 PM. Temperature 84 °. Have been running tkrougk level ratker marsky country all day witk millions ol birck, 20 or 30 leet kigk in usual belts and patckes like islands. Very little grain ol any sort, rye, wkeat, patckes ol buckwkeat and potatoes. Most of country looks like a -wild vast prairie, birck perkaps about 1/10 or less of area, probably less, but now at 11:00 PM. it seems still to stretck on leaving no bare steppe of wkick so muck is said. A beaxitiful effect was made tkis evening at sunset by tke rising of a smootk wkite mist over most of tke ground, keaviest-wkere dampest, nearly all tke country was covered witk smootk, skallow, silvery mud-like water in botk tke birck belts and patckes rose like islands. About 4.00 tkis afternoon, -we crossed tke great Irtisk River, branck of tke Ob, seemed a mile wide and very muddij and sluggish Tke barometer all day about 250 feet above sea level. No use can now be made of it. Omsk on tke Irtisk is large imposing town. August 6th. 430 AM. The same vast grassy prairie, swampy here and there and lakey, but every wkere tke korizon is fringed witk tkis wonderful birck. 630 AM. It seems to be increasing in abundance. Coming close to track snowing flowery openings ol considerable size lor miles. Hall an kour ago, we crossed small river witk marsky borders. Large kerd ol cattle already out witk patient kerdsmen. Tke track being repaired in many swampy spots kereabouts. Forest ol birck kas a poplar kere and tkere, and is becoming more extensive as to tke area it covers compared witk tkat ol tke prairie. Vast amount ol pasturage apparentkj untoucked, eitker by scy tke or cattle. Flowers ol wayside skowy on line geranium abundant kere, and a campanula willows. See large lake oil to nortk. No settlers kereabouts or fields in sigkt. Land rick, grass dense and tall, fires seem to prevent tke birck from taking possession of all tke kuge country. 8:00 AM. of y esterday s time. Temperature 74 °. Barometer 520 feet. Opener region. Birck in smaller patckes and scrubby. Village by a lake, some kay made. Some garden patckes of vegetables. Low range of kills like a stream bank in distance to soutk. We are going up grade, kere is a stream witk visible current and witk dimpling, swelling banks and braes - a marked ckange and relief Irom tke dead lake bottom or sea-bottom levels [illegible] kere and tke Urals. Here too are little fields ol barley and oats still green. Tke driest patckes just turning yellow. No dust tkis morning, rain kere ijesterday or last nigkt. Geranium 3 feet kigk, flowers pale purple, nearly 2 inck diameter and abundant. Tall larkspur or monkskood. Old villages very far apart. Blocks of old tall birck skow tke scrubby areas second growtk. 10:40 local AM. All tke country in sigkt covered witk birck forest, as birck second crop, except small swamps and fields, say, one-tentk of area. About 11:00 AM. Arrive at Ob on large river of same name, about kalf mile wide. Numerous steamers along banks. All about 430 feet. Stop kail kour. As soon as cross river lind ourselves in Pinus sylvestris woods. A good many old picturesque round-keaded trees, a tkick growtk ol tall, younger and inlinite seedlings. Good groves or forests witkin a few minutes walk from station In an kour from station East, tke railroad reackes 700 feet elevation. Trees mostly birck, tke pines kaving been cut. Many old stumps visible and young pines among tke birck. Pinus sylvestris is a wonderful indomitable species. Not a specimen seen after leaving tke foot of tke Urals until kere - able, enduring, so is tke admirable birck. Fine to see kells again, kowever low. Ground dry, scarce at all cultivated. Tke birck muck larger kere and kas been cut so extensively wkat is left make sunny openings. At distance of 3 or 4 miles, tke woods seem continuous and dense. 130 PM. Altitude 500. Deligktful to see real kills. Tkey are covered witk tall grasses good for kay, and birck forest (witk kere and tkere a Pinus sylvestris) keavily tkinned by lire and tke axe. Grass Ilowery. 2:15 PM. 600 leet Altitude. Grand old pines leet lire- blackened, standing near track among birck and lorests page 8 of tkem in massive array on kills a mile or two away. Surely among the most ancient ol their race. At 15 minutes larther a lot ol spruce or Abies or both and more abundant Pine. 230 PM. Still more beautiful woods. Pine noble looking, Abies and birck on ckarming kills, eack tree witk its own skadow. Flowery sunny woods, brigkt day, kere and tkere f lower beds tk[illegiblej undergrowtk. Soil mostly sand, stratification not plain in many places. No bedrock seen in tke cuts. Altitude 700 feet. 6:00 PM. Altitude 900 leet. Magnilicent pines and Abies, compared witk tkose -we kave seen, kail mile from tke track, one of tke pines may be Cembra. Tkey are. Still birck is tke main tree, forming forests nearly pure. As we approack Tomsk station, tke Cembra pine, called cedar kere and Irom wkick tkousands ol tons a tjear ol seeds are gatkered lor lood becomes common, growing witk birck, spruce and lir. It is a very strikingly picturesque tree witk strong outspoken personality, takes many lorms like sugar and Monticola and llexilis, all tkat group ol 5-leaved pines olten Hat on top or -witk long outreacking arms, some densekj dome-skaped, young, airy, leatkery like sugar pine, [sketck] some growing on ■wet almost boggy ground, otkers on sunny kills. Fir and spruce abundant also near station Taiy a, but eastward about dark 9:00 PM. Tke ground is again given up to tke wonderful birck mostly. In moonligkt at 10:00 PM. can still see tke pine spreading its arms above tke birckes. August 7th 430 AM. P. cembra, spruce and birch still with us. A lew open meadowy spots, people at -work belore 6 o clock, women mow, split wood, plow, etc. Yet seem able lor tke karvest work. 6:00 AM Yesterday s time. Have just crossed line stream, probably a branck ol Yenesei. 7:00 Local time today AM. Have just left Atckinsk wkere kad tea. Botk Cembra and sylvestris witk birck, and tkink I saw larck. Spruce common and good-sized poplars. A great deal ol kay, little grain. Dark cloudy morning. Temperature 65°. Elevation about 1200 leet, probably too kigk. Yesterday kad keavy rain towards eveniing, and magnilicent wkole double rainbow. Met Mr. Brown at Taiga (Tomsk station) Sargent s Iriend, came 200 miles Irom mining claim in Altai lootkills to meet us (in 28 kours) in wagon and take us to kis place lor a good time, making all arrangements lor relays ol korses. 01 course, was sorely disappointed wken Mr. Sargent senior decided it was too lar and would take too long. Young Sargent also disappointed. I leel sorry to see suck eager kospitality loiled. Told ol tke game, blackcock, grouse, deer Maral (elk) etc., and a steamer trip on Yenesei wkere are blulls like tkose on Hudson, tke most beautiful and picturesque part ol Siberia, etc. 7:30 AM. Raining. Larck now abundant, trees great size and picturesque. 75 leet kigk (?) Spruce and Abies. A line lorest extending lar to korizon, kills and dales and streams. Like an Alaskan morning. 10:00 AM. AtKomckong. Barometer 1100, rainy. Cembra growing in ground -wkere water is standing witkin a loot ol surlace, witk spruce and larck. Tke . country is keavily covered witk clay and sand rougkly or evenly stratilied, and cut into banks, ridges,' kogbacks' like tkose aroxmd Georgian Bay, Canada, parts ol Alaska, Puget Sound, etc. Tke wask Irom receding glacial ice-skeet in region wkere no resisting rock witk delinite determining cleavage, lew quartz pebbles? 10:30 kave just passed bedrock exposure, crumbling clay slates. Wkatever tke size ol Iragments Irom suck rocks, tkey are speedily reduced to clay and sand by tke weatker and glacial streams, tke same material in tke Steppes. Ckeliabinsk 784 Kurgan 259 Petropavlovsk 474 Omsk 329 Kainsk 495 Kolyvan 405 Maryinsk 476 911 divide Atckinsk 710 1474 Krasnoyarsk 697 1575 Nijni-Udinsk 1467 2352 Irkutsk 1479 Verkne-Udinsk 1781 3665 Ckita 2281 Nerckinsk 1502 1250 PM. In abroad Hat valley mostly treeless, rounded bluffy banks bare on nortk. Mountains witk afar peaks, 100 versts [a verst is a Rus https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmn/1079/thumbnail.jpg |
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