There's nothing like such a plunge for thoroughly arousing one and sending the blood quickly coursing through his veins.
Nearby were great beds of brake-ferns, four and five feet high, groves of immense alders, sugar pines, some of which were fully eight feet through and the trunks of which were honeycombed with woodpecker holes.

I saw and heard several woodpeckers at work.

They had red top-knots, and the noise they made echoed through the woods more as if a sledge hammer had struck the tree than the bill of a bird.

How they climb up the trunk of the trees, holding on in a mysterious fashion and moving head up or down, as they desire, with jerky little pulls, bobbing their heads as if emphasizing some remarks they were making to themselves.
And what ideal spots for camping-out we passed, shady trees, nearby meadows, to give abundant feed for the horses, the pure waters of the Rubicon close by, with scenery, trees, flowers, animals, birds--all the glory of nature--surrounding one with objects of delight, interest and study.
One large area was strewn with hundreds of thousands of the big long cones of the sugar pine.

When one wishes to pack and ship home specimens of these and other cones, it is well to soak them in water.
They then close up and carry safely, opening up as before, as they dry out.
Then we passed some giant "wind falls," mainly spruces.