Transcription:
Belmont Nevada Aug 31st 1878. Dear Mrs Strentzel. I wrote you a note the other day before receiving your letter of the
14th wh reached me this morning. The men are packing up I have only a moment We have been engaged so long southward that we
may not go to Eureka, if not we will make direct to Hamilton the b illegible Dr so kindly sent I will have forwarded. The
fury sun is pouring in first beams across the gray Belmont hills but so long as there is illegible illegible illegible supply
of any kind of water to keep my blood thin flowing it effects me but little. We are all well again or nearly so, I quite.
Our leader still shows traces of fever. The difference between wet dry bulb thermometer is often here 40 or more causing excessive
waste from lungs skin sunless water be constantly supplied ones blood seems to thicken to such an extent that if S illegible
should ask If you prick him will he bleed I should answer, I illegible . Heavens if the juicy grapes had come manner like
from the sky that last thirst night. Farewell we go John Muir Cordially thankfully yrs