"Since it appears that we make our own heaven here, no doubt we shall have a hand in the heaven of hereafter; and I know what Winnenap's will be like: worth going to if one has leave to live in it according to his liking. It will be tawny gold underfoot, walled up with jacinth and jasper, ribbed with chalcedony, and yet no hymnbook heaven, but the free air and free spaces of Shoshone Land."
This quote contains the essence of Mary Austin's book: Describing nature in great detail, conveying the idea that it is a work of God and creating a connection with heaven, she mixes the observations of a botanist with the religious faith of a romantic.
"Venture to look for some seldom-touched water-hole, and so long as the trails run with your general direction make sure you are right, but if they begin to cross yours at never so slight an angle, to converge toward a point left or right of your objective, no matter what the maps say, or your memory, trust them; they know."
This quote is an invitation to become one with nature and trust its inhabitants. It also emphasizes that the instincts of animals (in this case rabbits) are superior compared to human rational thinking.
"Man is a great blunderer going about in the woods, and there is no other except the bear makes so much noise. [...] There is no scavenger that eats tin cans, and no wild thing leaves a like disfigurement on the forest floor."
This statement criticizes how humans disturb and destroy nature when they go out camping. Again, because they respect nature and because they maintain a balance within the ecosystem, they are portrayed as superior to humans.
"No man can be stronger than his destiny."
Austin says this after recounting the story of the Pocket Hunter, who dreamed of living in England. Eventually, he was lucky enough to go there, but after two years she meets him again in the desert. The quote, therefore, emphasizes that the hunter's fate lies in the desert in Southern California, and that his life is guided by a higher entity who brought him back there.
"As for food, that appears to be chiefly a matter of being willing."
Austen explains that while the desert may look like a hostile environment, there is enough food to survive if one is willing to eat what nature provides. Apart from the obvious berries and seeds, she lists lizards and turtles that the natives eat but her readers may find disgusting.
