Page "John Muir" Paragraph 19

During these years in Yosemite, Muir was unmarried, often unemployed, with no prospects for a career, and had " periods of anguish ," writes naturalist author John Tallmadge.

He was sustained by not only the natural environment, but also by reading the essays of naturalist author Ralph Waldo Emerson, who wrote about the very life that Muir was then living.

On excursions into the back country of Yosemite, he traveled alone, carrying " only a tin cup, a handful of tea, a loaf of bread, and a copy of Emerson.

" He usually spent his evenings sitting by a campfire in his overcoat, reading Emerson under the stars.

As the years passed, he became a " fixture in the valley ," respected for his knowledge of natural history, his skill as a guide, and his vivid storytelling.

Visitors to the valley often included scientists, artists, and celebrities, many of whom made a point of meeting with Muir.