The Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, Ohio) 1853-1861, 1855-10-27
The Valley of the YO-Semity, California,
and its Stunemdous Waterfalls. W

The Mariposa Gaze te has published com
munication from a Mr. J. M. Hutchings,
who visited this valley in company with
Mpssrs. Ayres and Milard, two gentlemen
belonging to- San Fran CISCO and Mr.. Stair !,
of Cuultervile Assuming that these gem
tlcmen are known to the editors of the Mar
iposa Gazette, and that the account is there
lore reliable, we cannot but regard witt
l,onder and admiration the scenery describ-
td The party appears to have started from
an Indian village on the Fresno, with two
Indian guides and the writer says:
" From Mr. Hunts store we kept an east
of-north course up the divide between the
Fresno and Chowchillah valleys; thence
descending towards the south fork of the
Merced river and winding around very
rocky point, we climbed nearly to the ridge
of the middle or main fork Of the Mcrced,
and. descending towards the Yo-S-mity val
lev. came upon high point clear of trees.
whence we had our first view of this singu
lar aud romantic valleys and, as the scene
opened in full view before us, we were al
most sreechless with admira tion at its wild
and sublime grandeur. ,-.e
'HOn the north side stands bold, perpen-
dicular mountui of granite, shaped like an
immense tower Its lofty top is covered
with great pines, that. in the distance, seem
hut shrubs. Our Indian guides called this
,he,' Ca nitan.' 1t measures from the valley
10 its summit about $500 feet.
Just opposite this, on the south side OF
the valley, our attention was attracted by q
magni firent waterfall about 700 feet in hight
II looked lille long broad feather of silver
depending over prccipice; and, as this
frathary tail Of lcupins spray thus hung, q
yIight breeze moved i; from side to side, and
as tie last rays of the setting sun were ting
ing it wilh luiubow hnes, the red would mi9
With the purple, and the purple with The
Yellow, and lie yellow with the green, ant
iha green with the silvery sheen of its viii
tened foam as it danced in space.
Passing further up the valley, we were
struck with the awful grandeur of the i'm
lacusc mountains on either side, some per
pnaicular and some a little sloping, On
looks like lighthouse, another like gian
capi,al Of immense dimensions; all arc sin
guiar, and surmountcd by pines.
:. We crossed the river, and, still advanc
ing up the valley, turned point, and b,for
us was an Understandable sight--a waterfall
2.2OO feet in hight, the highest in the world
Il rushes over cliffs, and, with one bold LEAP
falls 200 feet then a second OF 500 feet
then IA third Of over 800 feet; the three leap
making 1900 feet
?" Standing upon the opposite side of tn
valley and looking at the tall pines below
the great hight Of these falls can at 6 lane
BE- comprehendod.
About ten miles from the lower end {
tie valley there is another fall of not les
,l,an 800 feet. This, with the smaller fal
ard lake, mark the head of the Yo.Semit
valley, which is, therefore. about ten mile
in length and from half to one mile
width Although there is good land enoug
for several farms, it cannot be considers
upon the whole as good farming valley
but spccklcd trout, grouse, and pigeons a
plentiful.'