New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-04-12

at shall leave most Of my writing for
the time when l become so old that l
can't climb a mountain" Bronzed by
the tropical sun, with a clear eye and a
light step, he looked as If, in view or
this remark, he might postpone further
literary adventures for a long time But
as a matter of fact, when he left his
home in California about a year ago
and came to New York, he spent two or
three months here working with his
pen. and on being reminded Of this, he
admitted with enthusiasm that new
book of his on the Yosemite would prob
ably come from the publishers this
month.
II was early IN August last year that
he started upon his most recent ex-
ploration. He went then directly to the
basin Of the Amazon River. Recalling
hts experiences. he said:
There I saw the greatest and grand
est Of all rivers and something Of the
greatest of all forests which Is drained
by the Amazon. Here is the greatest OF
all the forests left on the earth. and 1t
will he the last 10 vanish. I went up
into the basin about thousand miles.
stopping at Manaos, and making short
Journeys into the forest from there.
From Rio I went to Santos, further
down on the coast. and went inland at
that point for four or five hundred miles
in search of a species Of tree called the
Araucaria. / found thousands OF acres
Of them in the great forests in the State
OF Parana, Brazil"
The naturalist described the Arauca-
ria, which is n magnificent evergreen
tree with apparently whorled branches
and stiff, fattened, pointed leaves. He
spent three or four weeks in the forest
and then returned TO the port town OF
Paranagua. Thence he sailed to Monte
video and Buenos Ayres, touching at
many interesting ana picturesque ports
along the way. From Buencs Ayres
the explorer crossed the Andes 10 San
tiago. Chilli. Mr.. Muir continued:
From Santiago vent into the forests
TO the south in search Of another eX-
tremeiy interesting tree, the Araucatia
imbricata, or Chill pine, sometimes
called the monkey puzzle from the use
those little animals make of it. 1t
grows sometimes to a height OF LOO feet'
and its cones are eight inches broad and
seven or eight inches long. After very
long search found specimens Of 1t about
200 miles south of Santiago. l found
great many other interesting trees in
tbis vicinity and got views Of the forest
In ooneral. I also made many discov-
cries in the geology Of those regions
Returning 10 Montevideo the naturalist
called for Cape Town, touching at Ten
o,ieo the largest of the Canary Islands.
This trip by steamer occupied nearly
month. From Cape Town. Mr.. Muir
eaid "I struck inland 1,3OO miles north
20 the Victoria Falls on the Zambesi
,,,.,,ted IN gee the falls and the forest
40 that point. searching particularly for
a., poobsb tree. or Adansonia digitata.
,.hicb found In the neighborhood Of
Tho falls The Baobab is one or the
10 rpest trees known, and IS sometimes
.hirtv feet thick through the stem and
| 49,, 10 20 a height Of ~ or so feet. 1t is
= very straight and graceful specimen"
Mr. Muir said that he went up the
victoria Nyanza TO its northern end and
a.onned at several of the palaces along
,,a sbore. with short journeys into tho
-, here and there. He described
,otrv along the lake as wonder
s s"v picturesque and Astounding in thou
sands upon thousands OF various KINDS
81 animals. particularly the antelope
and zebra. The explorer returned to
Mombasa and sailed for Europe by way
Of the Red Sea. He took .s steamer ,,,eF
from Naples to New York de sad that
he intended to return to his nome IN
California in few days