Title:
Letter from John Muir to [Harry Fielding] Reid, 1891 Feb 26.
Creator:
John Muir
Publisher:
University of the Pacific Library Holt-Atherton Special Collections. Please contact this institution directly to obtain copies
of the images or permission to publish or use them beyond educational purposes.
Contributor:
[Harry Fielding] Reid
Date:
1891 Feb 26
2008
Type:
Text
Format:
Image/jpeg2000
Identifier:
muir07_0098-md-1
Source:
Original letter dimensions: 33 x 21.5 cm.
Language:
eng
Coverage:
Martinez, [Calif]
Rights:
Copyrighted
The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies of images and/or obtain permission
to publish or exhibit them, see
http://library.pacific.edu/ha/forms
Muir-Hanna Trust
1984
Transcription:
(Original in possession of Prof. Harry F. Reid) Martinez, Feb. 26, 1891. My dear Mr. Reid: I am glad to hear that your
icy map and observations are about ready for publication. In what form will your work appear. As soon as published please
send me 1 2 dozen copies with bill for same. I should also like to have copies of all your photographs. How are all your fine
boys,--the chimney architects, I mean. I had hoped some of them would visit me on the way home. Where are you going next
summer? To the Yellowstone? Some grand problems and shows in your line of work await you there. Since coming home I have written
nothing save a slight sketch of the Alaska glaciers for the Northern Pacific R. R. Co. My mind is buried and smothered beneath
a moraine-like mass of business and small cares. Oftentimes wish I was again in my bear bag in the grand solitude, but not
with York. By the way, I had a letter from York giving an account of his trip to the Coast. It was only a confused scrawl,
however, without telling facts. I don't think Captain Carroll ever made a series of soundings on regular lines. In leaving
the glacier on my home trip he indicated the spot where he made the 720 feet sounding. It was considerably to the eastward
of the middle of the inlet and at a distance from the ice-wall of about a hundred yards, according to his estimate. The great
depth of water shows that the retreat of the ice has been comparatively rapid but regular lines of soundings would be required
to give the form of the bottom. Captain Carroll may have done more in this way than I know of, and perhaps you had better
write and find out. I don't know his address, but a letter sent care of Goodall, Perkins Co., San Francisco, would reach him.
I was not surprised to learn from your letter that the glacier had receded a thousand yards since the date of Wright's visit.
For in looking over my 10 and 11 year old notes and skethces I disovered evidence of marked changes, though indefinite. Be
sure to let me know when you come again to this side the continent. Remember me to Mrs. Reid and your chimney boys, and with
many pleasant memories of our icy camp, believe me, Ever truly yours, JOHN MUIR