Sierra Journal, Summer of 1869, v. 3, 1869 [ca. 1887], Image 59

136 lichen the tufts mark & cover the dead broken [section cut out] there is also on some sprinkling of the same lichen on ridges of that bark the finest of this forest extends from the slopes of Mt. Hoffmann N of Yosemite valley to a mile or more West of Cascade Creek interrupted partially by the basin of Yosemite Creek. We are camped for the night at Cascade creek near the Mono Trail crossing. Manzanita mostly small & prostrate here. The edible berries now ripe [& eatable] are brown when dry. Cloudiness today about .10. The sunset very much flaming purple & crimson – showed gloriously through the aisles of the woods. 15th) Weather pure gold. Cloudiness about .05 white flecks & pencilings around the horizon. Moved two or three miles & are camped at Tamarac Flat [named from the two leaved pine abundant here around a meadow & which the mountaineers call Tamarac because the slender form of this tree somewhat resembles the Tamarac of the] Eastern states. Wandering in the woods here back of the pines which encircle the meadows I found very noble specimens of the magnificent silver fir. The tallest I found to be 240 feet high & 5 feet in diameter 4 feet from 137 [sketch removed] the ground [the height was roughly measured by triangulation with an instrument whittled with my pocket knife & which had a plummet instead of level. 16th) Crawled slowly 4 or 5 miles today through the glorious forest to Crane Flat where we are camped for the night. Small oaks here of libocedrus & douglas spruce mixed with the firs, sugar pine, [also] yellow pine. Lovely starry night. The tall spiry tree[s] tops relieved in jet black against the sky. I linger by the fire loath to go to bed. 17th) This morning I left the camp early & went down to the northwestward over the Tuolumne divide to a grove of sequoia that I had heard of. They occupy [cover] an area of perhaps less than 50 acres [only a few] but some of the trees are noble colossal old giants [colossal in size] surrounded by magnificent sugar pines. The perfect specimens not burned or broken are singularly regular & symmetrical though not at all conventional showing infinite variety in general unity & harmony. The noble shafts with rich brown purplish fluted bark free of limbs for 150 feet or so delicate are ornamented here & there with rosettes of dense sprays [here & there] The main branches of the oldest trees are crooked & ruggedhttps://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmn-sj3/1058/thumbnail.jp