Transcription:
18 Hush That s a bear gasulated Black in a gruff bearish undertone Yes said some rough old bruin is sauntering this fine night
seeking some wayside sheep lost from migrating flocks Of course all night sounds otherwise unaccountable are accredited to
bears, On ascending a sloping hillock less than a mile from the first we heard another grunting bear but whether or no daylight
would transform our bears to pigs may well be counted into the story. Past Bawer Cave along a narrow winding trail in deep
shadow so dark had to throw the reins on Browning s neck trust to his skill for I could not see the ground the hillside was
00691 19 steep. A fine bright tributary of the Merced sang far beneath us as we climbed higher higher through the hazels
dogwoods. That fringed the rough black holes of spruces pines We were now nearing the old camping ground of the Pilot Peak
region where I learned to know the large nodding lilies (L pardalium) so abund- -ant along these streams, the groups of alder
shaded cataracts so characteristic of the North Merced Fork Moonlight whitened all the long fluted slopes of the opposite
bank, but we rode in continuous shadow The rush gurgle prolonged a underlined: a a a h of the stream coming up sifting into
the wind was very solemnly impressive. It was here that you first seemed to join me I reached up as Brownie carried me underneath
a Big Douglass Spruce plucked one of its long plumy sprays wh brought you from the Oakland dead