The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-08-18
The YO-hamite Valley of Cali
fOrRala,
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, July l, 1859


- fOrmla.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, July l, 1859.
Editors Of the Independent:
The Yo-ham,te ValLey' as it is called, derived
its name from the Indians, although there is
much dispute as to the true photography and
pronunciation, some insisting on writing it Yo.
semitic. 1t is vast rift in the Sierra through
which flows the MERGED river, beautiful crys.
tai stream which rises high up into the mount
aims Only abont twenty miles of this canon
have yet been explored, but in that distance are
congregated more natural wonders than can
probably elsewhere be found on our continent
at least.
The Valley itself is an astonishing natural Gu
rlosty aside from the cataracts which it contains,
OF which there are not less than sir known to
exist each of which is of itself worth long Jour
nsy to visit, while altogether they reward one
for almost any length of travel or degree of toll
involved in reaching them. AS / have already
said the sides of this valley rise to the average
hight of three thousand feet. everywhere nearly
perpendicular, and In many places entirely SO.
The rocks are of light gray granite, with ever
green trees and shrubs growing in some places
out of the clefts and on the lodges and small
plateaus which occur, while in others nothing is
seen for long distances from top to bottom but
the smooth, unbroken face of the rock.
In one place you may stand in the center of
the canon, and it has the appearance of perfect
and every way complete .amphitheater, about
three-fourths Of mile wide and two miles long,
with no opening for ingress or egress, and steep
and towering sides forbidding ascent or descent.
Here and there rise numerous peaks often of
| tantastica forms and different Nights and to
which names are becoming attached One, on
its fat surface, shows round clock face, wi tn
the hands indicating quarter past six. This is
called the Clock Tower. Two other twin-like
points are called The Brothers. Another, and
most remarkable imposing one, which seems to
stand out as you enter the Valley and lead the
van, has been named LIE Captain. 1t is three
thousand one hundred feet high by measure
ment, of clear unchecked granite, and so per
pendicnlar that a marble dropped from the top,
at the length of mans arm, would strike the
ground without touching the face Of it. Think
of standing at the foot of one huge rock quar-
ter of mile in extent lengthways, and looking
up to its top three thousand one hundred feet
perpendicularly, or seven times the hight of the
pinnacle of St. Peters at Rome Another, and
the highest peak is shaped precisely like dome,
aud rises with..a smooth round ap K if I may
so say,) over four thousand feet. 1t is called The
Dome.
Such is the Valley itself, of many miles in ex
tent, varying from quarter of mile to mile
in width, the bottom level and covered with a
luxuriant growth Of vegetation, grass inter-
spersed with beautiful flowers and the finest Of
mines and other evergreen trees and shrubs, and
the pure, clear sparkling MERGED river winding
its way "at its own sweet wil'' through the
midst. 1t reminded me of the Happy Valley Of
DIR. johnson, in which Russelas, the Prince Of
Abyssinia, was born, and into which there was
but one place ofingresS 1t is the perfect conn.
terpsrt in nature of his idea, except, as friend
suggested to whom spoke of the resemblance,
there could have been no mosquitoes there to
torment the happy inhabitants as they did us in
the Yo-hamite l could not but think, too,what
a place this would be for penal colony or state
prison, setting aside romance and looking only
at utilitarian ends. With two or three points
guarded, no human being once incarcerated
within its rocky mountain walls ever could es'
cape.
But the greatest wonders Of this wonderful To-
cality yet remain to be described, viz: the cat
aracts with which it abounds, The first of these
in order, being at the western end of the Valley
(Which has due east and west direction, tn,
} sun rising at one end and setting at the other,
} is called the Bridal Vail, and happily is it nam
ed. 1t is formed by small river which rushe,
over the preeipice on the south side Of the Val
ley, and falls some FIVE hundred feet perpendic
ularly, and runs at right angles with the MERGED
into which it finally enters. The top Of the rocl
is shelving over the line of the perpendicular