Indian Tom goes out of the valley to-morrow. With this I send you “Hetch Hetchy.”
Last year I wrote a description of Hetchy and sent it to Prof. Runkle. Not having heard of it since, I thought it lost in some waste-basket, but to-day I received a Boston letter stating that a Hetch from my pen appeared in the “Boston Transcript” of about March 12th, 1873, which may possibly be the article in question. If so, this present H. H. will be found to contain a page or two of the same, but this is about three times as large and all rewritten, etc. That Tuolumne song of five cantos “Nature loves the Number Five” may perhaps be better out. If you think it unfit for the public, keep it to thyself. I never can keep my pen perfectly sober when it gets into the bounce and hurrah of cascades, but it never has broken into rhyme before.
Love to all and “Fare ye well, my ain Jean.”
The kerchiefs have come from Bentons and a package of books from Doggetts.
Yosemite Valley,
April 19th, 1873.
The bearer of this is my friend Mr. Black, proprietor of Black’s Hotel, Yosemite. He will give you tidings of all our valley affairs.
I sent off a letter and article for you a week ago. I find this literary business very irksome, yet I will try to learn it.
The falls respond gloriously to the ripe sunshine of these days; so do the flowers.
I hope that you will be able to send me word when you will come, so that I may arrange accordingly. Mr. Black will give all particulars of trails, times, etc. If Moores have not gone ranching, send Mr. Black over to their house. It will do her good. I fondly hope she is growing better.
Love to all.