John Muir on Pipes

[deathmetal]

The meal finished, the dogs were fed, the smokers smoked by the fire, and under the influences of fullness and tobacco the calm that settled on their faces seemed almost divine, something like the mellow meditative glow portrayed on the countenances of saints. Then suddenly, as if awakening from a dream, each with a sigh or a grunt knocked the ashes out of his pipe, yawned, gazed at the fire a few moments, said, “Well, I believe I’ll turn in,” and straightway vanished beneath his blankets. The fire smouldered and flickered an hour or two longer; the stars shone brighter; coons, coyotes, and owls stirred the silence here and there, while crickets and hylas made a cheerful, continuous music, so fitting and full that it seemed a part of the very body of the night.
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/john_muir_writings/my_first_summer_in_the_sierra/chapter_1.html

 

[7ach]

Nice find

 

[nevadablue]

Yes, thanks! There is a PDF of the whole thing here...
http://www.yosemite.ca.us/john_muir_writings/my_first_summer_in_the_sierra/my_first_summer_in_the_sierra.pdf

 

[woodsroad]

Wonderful.

 

[mso489]

Pipe was standard equipment, what you took when you went to live outdoors, and kept at home for those times. John Muir, the great conservationist.

 

[deathmetal]

He was/is a hero. I am rather fond of writers that make nature such an inspired part of their work.