"High in the mountains, there were hardly any birds; there were some crows, there were deer, and an occasional bear. The huge redwoods, the silent ones, were everywhere, dwarfing all other trees. It was a magnificent country and utterly peaceful, for no hunting was allowed. Every animal, tree, and flower was protected. Sitting under one of those massive redwoods, one was aware of the history of humanity and the beauty of the earth. A fat red squirrel passed by most elegantly, stopping a few feet away, watching and wondering what you were doing there. The earth was dry, though there was a stream nearby. Not a leaf stirred, and the beauty of silence was among the trees. Going slowly along the narrow path, round the bend was a bear with four cubs as large as big cats. They rushed off to crawl up trees, and the mother faced one without a movement, without a sound. About fifty feet separated us; she was enormous, brown, and prepared. One immediately turned one’s back on her and left. E...