When John Muir, at twenty-nine, left his job as a machinist, he acted with his typical independence by (WALK) to Florida, a distance of about a thousand miles. He chose the (WIDE) ways, as he felt the need to give (ONESELF) to the natural world. He (FEEL) that life was too precious to be devoted to machines. As he later put it, he (CAN BECOME) a millionaire but he chose to become a tramp. And as it turned out, a millionaire's life could not have produced the effect that John Muir's life (HAVE) on the American landscape.
His life (FALL) into a single-developing pattern of devotion to all things natural. Besides independence, endurance and joy (BE) a large part of Muir's character. He could set off a mountain trek with very few belongings and only a little food. (THIS) could last him for weeks of (EXPLORE). Whenever he looked, he saw beauty and felt joy. He felt as if the beauty was evidence of a divine presence.
Muir was one of the (ONE) voices in favour of the wild in a time (KNOW) for the destruction and exploration of nature. He (LIVE) 150 years ago, but groves of sequoia redwood trees still grow because of his love and work.