[letterhead]December 22 1898My dear Mr Muir.The receipt of your kind letter of the [illegible] inst and of your beautiful book has given me and all of mine great pleasure. We are glad to learn of your safe arrival at your sunny home, and the mountains of California will be a continous source of delight to all of us. Reading the first chapter memories of the Old [Long?] Syne with a flood of pleasant reminces were revived. The grandeur of the scenery of the old mountains, [crapes?] at Truckees [illegible], the [deseend?] of a starved ragged lot of young Eldorado seekers to the foot hills, the establishment of their camp under the shade of the Douglas Oaks and sturdy [Neet?] pines (P. Sabiniana) on the banks of the Yuba River passed in review...