Mariposa Democrat., 1857-07-23


pendicular sides. And thus commencing will
small objects, it slowly and gradually arrive
at contemplation of some particular height
and finally meditates upon their combine'
grandeur, blended in one universal harmony
of perfect sublimity. Thus we rode along
glancing from summit to summit of towering
rocks, until proceeding for about mile and I
half up stream, we came opposite the falls o
what has been inappropriately called the Gas
cade of the Rainbow. We say this not to re
| fleet upon the Judgment of the gentlemen who
has ventured t. bestow this fanciful name upor
one OF the most attractive cascades of the Val
ley. But inasmuch as the falls in the Valley
are never Of the magnitude Of a cateract, and
all reflect rainbows at certain hours of the day,
the name might be promiscuously applied tc
all the cascades separately This fall of water
is nearly opposite to the famous giant Of the
Valley, FL Captain The stream of water
which supplies it, rises in the ridge of noun
tains that divides the South from the Main
Fork Of the Merced River, and is one Of the
latter's tributaries. The volume Of water run
ming over the precipice will average, in sum.
mer, about three cubic feet per second, and is
precipitated in an unbroken sheet of spray,
and without an opposing obstacle, to depth
of 92S feet below, where the stream untes
with the river, after running through narrow
channel for distance of three hundred yards.
Viewed from any quarter or point of the hor-
lion, this cascade is very attractive. To our
mind, it resembled cambria veil, of ample
folds, Of the finest texture, the purest white
ness, and fringed with silver fleece or silken
floss. Sitting beside the cherry trees, at some
fifty yards from the falls, we were singulary
struck with the graceful motion of the water
in its descent, when pressed by the breeze.
Its foldings and unfoldngs-its wavings and its
twistings-its contractings and expandings-
possess an irresistibly attractive fascination,
beyond any object on which We have ever
gazed, and one, too from which the eyes are
drawn with the greatest reluctance. At night
when our trip recurs to our mind, we muse on
its loveliness, until we again hear the noise Of
its waters in their fall, and see the rainbows
that follow its wanderings through the air, in
its downward search for the earth and the
Valley. We make bold to call it the Bridal
Veil; and those who may have the felicity to
witness the stream floating in the embrace of
the morning breeze, will acknowledge the re-
semblance, and perhaps pardon the liberty we
have taken in attempting to apply so poetical
a name to this Queen Of the Valley Nearly
opposite to the Bridal Veil stands the Monarch
of the Vale, the FL Captain of the Yosemite
Tribe. II is the terminus Of ridge of noun
tains, standing out in bold relief, with perpen-
dicular front, and rising to an elevation of 300
feet above the level Of the river that roars at
his base. His stern and prominent front is
the first to greet the eye Of the visitor. He
almost seemed to frown on us as we passed
near his base and on bis bleached and rugged
visage the last beams of the setting sun lnger
with affectonate warmth. This monster of
rocks stands on the left-hand side fthe Valley
as you 60 up the stream; and adjoining him
looms up with broad, oval top, the Signal
Rock, on which the yosemites lit their signal
fires in the hou, of danger. The FL Captain
projects flrther out towards the middle of the
valley thgn any of his kindred, and eclipses
all of them for huge proportions and lofty bear
ing, and is some three hundred feet higher than
the Signal Rock Opposite the Signal Rock
stand three sharp-ponted peaks, almost in the
position of "a Triangle They are jagged, and
change their shape and location when viewed
from different points. They are the Three
Brothers; and further up the Valley, beyond
them, and slightly thrown back or in the rear
of the Brothers, are the Twins or Two Sisters,
They cannot be mistaken, for though, when
looking down through the Valley, they seem
as a single rock, yet when nearly fronting them
they present two sharp projecting points, and
are worthy of attention from the great resem-
blance they bear to each other.
The Yosemite Falls now make their appear
ance on the left-hand side of the Valley as you
follow up the stream while directly opposite
these Falls stands the Pyramid Rock, which
when seen from distance, is shaped and
squared like pyramid, but when viewed from
its front, presents fiat, smooth surface. AT
the base of this huge monster stands board
house, of Is by 90 feet in length, with
out floor or chimney. Near this house we
stopped for the night, and prepared our sup
per, which we ate with hearty good relish; I;
and after tracing the dim white line of the Yo-
semitic Falls, which front the house on the North,
and bowing in silent reverence to the Pyramid
on the South, we clossd our eyes for the night,
and joyfully greeted the morning, which, when
we awoke, was cheek by jowl with our friend
FL Captain.
Our breakfast was soon finished, when mount
ing our horses, we crossed over to the north
bank Of the river, and after pacing along
through the luxuriant fern leaves, and elastic
meadow grass, for the distance of from four to
e,o hundrod ,,ords vva arrived at the foot OF