The Sun.
London, England, 1859-01-21 00:00:00

A WONDERFUL VALLEY.

A correspondent in a contemporary says :
During a recent tour in California I paid a visit to
a valley which, in scenic loveliness .and grandeur
is, as far as I can learn, quite unrivalled, and as I
find upon inquiry that even its name is almost en-
tirely unknown in this country, I thought a suc-
cinct account of its wonders might not be without
interest to your readers.
Some years since, when a fierce border warfare
was raging between the Californians and the Indians
all along the range of Sierra Nevada, the inhabit-
ants of Mariposas county, who had formed them-
selves into a battalion for mutual protection, were
much annoyed by heavy losses of cattle, which the
Indians managed to secrete in some part of the
mountains, so well concealed as for months to com-
pletely baffle the most strenuous efforts of their
pursuers. At last they were so much enraged by
these repeated thefts, that they determined to solve
the mystery ; but it was not till about 1850 that a
company of these backwoodsmen at last came upon
the valley of which I am about to speak, and which
had proved so effectual a cache for the "stealings"
of the Indians.

The Yosemite (Bear) Valley is situated in the
beautiful range of the Sierra Nevada, about 240
miles east from San Francisco and about 45 miles
from the nearest village, and the road to it lies
through an almost untouched pine forest, the noble
trees of which, towering to an average height of
250 feet, covered with thick festoo,ns of delicate
lichen, form a delightful shelter from the noonday
heat (which here rises to 120 deg. in the shade.)
After a weary ride amid these lonely wild, the
traveller suddenly emerges from the fOrest, and
finds himself of the brink of a tremendous precipice
in full view of the Yosemite Valley, lying 3,500
feet below him.

The valley is 12 miles long, and about a mile and
a-half wide, and is, in fact, a great chasm shut in
on both sides by granite rocks, which average in
height 3,500 feet. These rocks are on the north
side quite perpendicular, and present an unbroken
face, while on the south they are jagged and dis-
torted, having in consequence a most picturesque
appearance. The most notable rocks in the valley
are Totochanula, 3,600 feet, Loyd, 3,200, the North
Dome, 3,500, and Tesaack, according to the Indian
legend, the Queen of the Valley, which exactly
resembles the vertical section of a dome, is as
upright as a wall, and 4,884 feet high. These rocks
are all solid granite.
Over these walls of stone fall several streams (there
are eight as far as the valley has been explored),
forming waterfalls, which for height and beauty
stand unrivalled. The most remarkable of these,
the Yosemite Fall, comes into the valley on the
north side and falls at one leap 2,355 feet. Over
this in the spring there is a very heavy discharge
of water. Another, the Nevada Fall, over which
the main stream of the Merced river tumbles,
makes a descent of 1,285 feet, and immediately
another of 780 feet. The smallest fall in the valley
is upwards of 600 feet high. All these falls are
worthy of, being descanted upon at length, but I
am unwilling to trespass upon your space, except
for the bare statement of facts.
The bottom of the valley. is filled with n noble
pine forest, as yet untouched by man, and, close at
the foot of the immense Tesaack, there nestles a

lovely little lake, the transparent waters of which,
after passing through the stony portal of the valley,
run down towards the great plains of the San
Joaquin, and soon become defiled with the mud
from the myriads of rockers established on its banks
by miners in search of the precious metal with
which its bed is impregnated.
One or two small shanties were the only dwell.

ingsin the valley when I wa;therel;stJAugu7t,
and but few white people have as yet visited it,
though it is now very justly beginning to be recog-
nised as one of the most remarkable scenes in the
world.
I wish to mention that near the road to this val-

ley I visited a grove of the far-famed Welling-
tonias, or mammoth cypresses, of which there are
about 500. interspersed among numerous others,less

PSICE 4D. STAMPED, SD.

remarkable,• though still very large. The largest
I measured was 39 feet in diameter six feet from
the ground, -and was. at the least more than 400
feet high. Another, which had fallen, and of which
the bark alone remained, formed a tunnel through
which three horsemen could ride abreast.

RTIORM .211EBTLYGS.

MEETING AT PUDSEY.

- -
A public meting
etin °cr was held at Pudsey, near Leeds,
on Wednesday night, to take into consideration
the subject of Parliatnentary Reform, and consider
the question of Pudsey and the neighbourhood
being made an electoral district to send a member
to Parliament. -Mr. G. linings was called to the
chair. There- was a numerous - attendance.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the meeting, said
that the first subject for their consideration was the
claim of Pudsey to be represented in Parliament.
That claim -might excite a smile on the face of
some, but looking at the population and industry
of the district, he thought it was fair and just.
(Hear.) Their population; according to the last
census, was 11,600, and he thought they had a
strong claim to be represented ; but they were
modest, and proposed to take in the parish of Cal-
verley, which had a population of 24,000; and this
would make their claim still stronger. (Hear.) The
next subject was the necessity of reform. Many
persons considered at the time of the passing of the
Reform Bill that the franchiSe.- might safely have
been extended ; and looking at the-progress which.
had been made•since that time, they must be
osatis •
fled that the franchise ought now to be extended
to
.the masses of the people. But; it was urged
againbt the extension of . the franchise so as to in-
clude all ratepayers, that in the lowest class of rate-
payers there was not that intelligence which ought
to be found amongst persons who
-sought to exercise-
the suffrage. There was a notion also that identity
of opinion was- to be inferred from similarity of
'rating, but they might depend upon it that there
as great a diversity of opinion amongst the £5
. ers as amongst other classes of society, and in
any election that class would display the same feel-
ings and enthusiasm as were to be found amongst
the classes above them. (Hear.) . Not only, how-
ever, did the objectors commit this error, but their
timidity led them to make reflections on the working.
classes, which .they did not deserve. He believed,
however, that this was a groundless fear, and that
the working claSses would exercise the vote as
honestly r s the £lO householders: (Hear, hear.) TheY
would have_ observed that Mr. Bright proposed to
reduce the county franchise to £lO, whilst he Gould
make the franchise. in boroughs a rating one ; but
such an arrangement would be very unfair to places
like Pudsey, because the population of a district like
this was Just- as- well qualified to Vote as the rater
payer's in boroughs. (Hkar.) Nay, he believed even
more so than in densely populated boroughs, (Hear.)
With reference to the qualification of, persons in
this district, he might state that be had' obtained i
return of the members. of the religious societies in
the township; and he found that out of 92 members
there were only 16 voters, and that if Mr. Bright'S
scheme was adopted there 'would only be two'
more. For
.hiniself, he thought that all these men
would exercise tlie suffrage, honestly.- Much had
been said'about education as a necessary qualifica-
tion for the
_Suffrage; but he did not think such
was :the case, , for there were -many -persons
thoroughly up to the.mark in pOlitics who were not
up to the mark in arithmetic or, science. (Hear,
hear.) Expressing his conviction that an extension
of the franchise would promote national order and
prosperity, he concluded by calling upon • ,
The Rev. S. MAusDiN, who moved the first reso-
lution--" That in the opinion of this meeting a
large measure of reform is absolutely required,"-
-which he enforced by an able speech.
Mr. SWANN seconded the motion, Which was
carried. - - . -

The Rev. I. L. HAIGH moved the second resolu-
tion:—" That the franchise, together with the pro_
tection of the ballot, be extended to all persons of
full age and sane mind, not.conVieted of crime, who
are rated to the relief of the poor." If, however, he
could not Obtain all he wanted, he would take as
much as he could get, in the hope that it would
afterwards lead to more. (Hear, hear.) He was
prepared to accept a rating suffrage, meaning by
that all persons liable to pay rates, whether under
the operation of the Small Tenements Act or not.
(Hear.) With that extension of the franchise they
must have the protection of the ballot. (Hear.)
Mr. J. WHITEHEAD seconded the motion. He
spoke, as he said he had voted at Bradford, against
Mr. Bright's proposal to have a £lO franchise in
counties and a rating franchise in boroughs, and re-
ferred to their own township, where one side of the
road was in the borough of Leeds and the other in
the West Riding, as an illustration of the injustice
of such a scheme.

Mr. SWANN moved as an amendment :—" That
the franchise be extended to all persons of age, not
legally ineapacited—in boroughs, to all persons
rated to the poor, and in the counties to £lO
occupiers."

Ali-. J. HARGREAVES seconded the amendment,
which was lost by a large majority.
After some remarks by Mr. Joseph Walker, in
explanation of Mr. Bright's views on the question
of incorporating populations like that of Pudse in
electoral districts, the motion Was put and carried.
Several other speakers •addressed the meeting,
and resolutions were passed in favour of a more
equal distribution of seats, and triennial parlia-
ments.

Petitions to parliament having been adopted, an
association was formed, and the proceedings ter-
minated.

MEETING AT CARDIFF.

A very respectable and enthusiastic meeting in
favour of a reform in parliament., was held at Car-
diff on Tuesday evening. The Town Hall was
densely crowded, The chair was occupied by John
Batchelor, Esq., a member of the Town Council.
Letters were read from the county members ex-
pressing regret at not being able to attend. Col.
Stuart, M.P. for, the borough, was stated to be on
the continent.

Mr. J. N. CARNE, of Dimlands Castle, moved the
first resolution, stating that while he was strongly
in favour of manhood suffrage, he was willing to
waive his own views in favour of those enunciated
by Mr. Bright in his Bradford speech. At the
same time he considered, that with regard to Car-
diff, which he proposed should continue to send one
member only, Mr. Bright had been led into error
by the census of 1851. The population of Cardiff
had siiee that period increased so much as to be
double in amount, if the suburbs of Roath and
Canton were included.

Subsequently a committee was appointed to
communicate with Mr. Bright on this point.
The resolution, which adopted the alterations in
the franchise proposed by Mr. Bright, was seconded
by Mr C. THOMPSON, and unanimously agreed to.
Mr. E. A. FREEMAN moved a resolution affirming
the necessity of adopting the ballot and a re-distri-
bution of seats, supporting his views by a very
argumentative speech.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. ENSOR,
solicitor, and carried with only one dissentient.
Mr. JOHN BIRD, solicitor, in a brief but effective
speech, proposed the appointment of a committee to
watch the progress of all the proposed reform bills,
which was seconded by Dr. Edwards, and unani-
mously agreed to.

Other addresses were delivered, after which the
Rev. A. TILLY moved a vote of confidence in Mr.
Bright, which was seconded by the Rev. N. THOMAS,
and carried without opposition.

A GAMEKEEPER SIIOT BY A POACIIER.—On
Sunday morning, about 3 o'clock, three keepers in the ser-
vice of the Marquis of Ailsa encountered two poachers,
named Ross and Withers, belonging to Maybole, on the
farm of Park, between Kirkoswald and Tumberry. As the
keepers were some distance from each other, one of them,
named Jones, who was in advance, came first on the
poachers. He had a dog on the string, and was advancing
in order to seize them. When within a few yard; both
the poachers deliberately, and without provocation, levelled
their guns and fired--the one aiming at the dog, the other
at Jones. Each shot took fatal effect. Jones was shot
through the heart. When he received the deadly dis-
charge, he leaped up, exclaiming " Oh I" and then fell life-
less. Another of the keepers, named Nicholson, coming
up, seized Withers, who said, "I'm no caring. I only
shot the dog; but Ross shot the man." Pursuit was given
as soon as possible ' • and two policemen were set to watch
the house of Ross, if possible .to know when he entered.
As daylight approached, the watch was given up. On en-
tering Ross's house they found him in, and his boots
cleanly brushed. He denies all knowledge of the affair.
One of hisloots was taken back to the scene of the tragedy,
and it corresponds exactly with the footprints. Jones, the
keeper, who was shot, has left a wife and three or four of
a family. The two poachers were brought down to Ayr
and lodged in gaol. Ross is known as a notorious poacher.
The sad event has created a great sensation in the district.
—Glasgow Bulletin.
SNOW STORM IN CON STANTINA.—The Algiers
journals state that in the night of the Ist and up to mid-day
of the 2d, a heavy fall of snow took place at Constantino.
At .eight o'clock in the morning of the latter day it was
about three inches thick, but at noon it began to melt. They
add that a battalion of the 70th regiment, on the march
from Bona to Constantino, was caught in a snow storm, rn d
suffered greatly ; also that, from falls of snow, the r oad to
the Setif was almost impracticable, and that to Philippe-
vine was in a pitiable -state... - - .