New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1859-09-24

lie Journey; hoo EiIe' Wy ~
rider. while can barely ride 81 al, not having
spep, FIVE hours on bareback, save m my VISIT "
The Karsss Gold Mines, within the last thirty
Years. But the two gentlemen from Manpo's'
who accompanied and guided Us knew all about the
Journey that We didut-which 10 saying great
desi-so we pressed buOysntly, confidently on.
Hus.ey's Steam saw-Mill, where We mounted
Tor rather i did, for the rest had dane
80 before) marks pretty fairly the dvison
between the Oaks Of the lower and the
FRS Of the higher elevations though the two
of course melt into each other. As we rose grad
ually but steadily, the White scon faded out then
the Black and last the Live Oak, though the
genuinenes. Of this last is disputed, while the Vel
low, Pitch and Sugar Pines, Cedsrs, and balsam
FRS became more numerous and stately till they
at len 9Th had the ground almost wholly to them
selves, save that the Manzanito and other shrubs
(mostly eyergreens also) clustered on nearly every
opening among the trees. There is little or no
precipce or bare rock for miles, and we rose along
the southern face Of the ridge overlooking the
Cholchla Valley, until we seemed to have hail
California spread out before us like map Oar
range of vision extended south to the tute lake,
or immense morass in which the San Joaquin
has its source, and west to the Coast Range,
which alone barred the Pacific Ocean
from our view. Still rising, We wound grad
ually around the peak Of our first mountain
through slight depression or pass, and soon
looked of upon the valley Of the South Fork Of the
MERGED, which opened for miles north and east of
us. On this side, the descent is far sleeper,
and we traversed for miles q mere trace along the
eide Of the mountain, where a misstep must have
landed US at least . thousand feet below. In time,
this too was left behind, and we descended TT
fully and tortuousy the east end Of the noun
tain to the South Fork whereon, sixteen miles from
Hussey's and but FIVE from the Big Trees Of Mari
posas, we halted for rest and food. Before six, we
we're again in the saddle, crossing the fork and
winding up over another mountain northward, with
q precpitous descent of at least two thousand feet
beside US for mile or go. A steep ascent of half
mile carried us over the divide whence we de-
scended very rapidly to Alder Greek, at the north
ern base. Following up this creek over success
sion Of steep pitches, interviewed with more level
patches, we babe sdieu to daylight at "Grizzly
Cat" spot noted for encounters with the mon
arch of our American forests, and thence crossed
ridge to Summit Meadows, succession ofmainly
narrow grassy levels, which wind in and out among
the promontOres of more OF less shattered granite
which make down from the mountain peaks on
either side but pursue q generally eastward direc-
ton to pour their tiny tribute into the Great
90 a1 s;v aio oh iunao
these Mesdows-which were often SO DOGGY as to
require q very nice choice Of footing, across the
generally wooded promontOries which detected the
probably continuous meadow into what seemed to
us many, until We stood at length, about 10
p. NJ, on the brink of the awful abyss and halted
moment to tighten girths and take breath for the
descent
And here let me renew my tribute to the mar
velous bounty and beauty of the forests of this
whole mountain region. The Sierra Nevaias lack
the glorious glaciers, the frequent rains the rich
verdure, the abundant cstaracts of the Alps; but
they far surpass tbem-they surPass any other
mountains ever saw-in the wealth and grace of
their trees. Look down from almost any of their
peaks, and your range Of vision is filed bounded,
satisfied, by what might be termed atempest-tOssed
sea of evergreens filling every upland valley, COW
ering every hillside, browning every peak but
the highest, with their unfading luxuriance. That
l saw during this days travel many hundreds Of
Pines eight feet in diameter with Cedars at least
six feet am conhdent and there were miles
after miles of such and smaller trees of like genus
standing as thick as they could grow. Steep
- To-. all fbaaa M 70 rHnt
above rank, without obstructiDg each Others sua.
shine seem peculiarly favorable to the production
of these serviceable giants. But the Summit
Meadows are peculiar in their heavy fringe Of
Balfam Fir, of all sizes from those barely one
foot high TO those hardly less than two hundred
their branches surrounding them in collars, their
extremites gracefully bent down by the weight Of
Winter SHOWS, making them here, am confident,
the most beautiful trees on earth. The dry prom
ontores which separate these meadows are
also covered with species Of Spruce which is
only less graceful than the FRS aforesaid. never
before enjoyed such tree-feast as on this wear
ing, difficult ride.
Descent into the Yosemite is only practicable
at three points-one near the head Of the valley,
where small stream makes in from the direction
of the main ridge of the Sierra, down which there
is trail from the vicinity of Walker River, Utah
a trail practicable, believe for men on foot
only. The other two lead in near the outlet from
Mariposas and Coulteryille respectively, on oppo-
site banks of the MERGED, and are practicable for
sure footed mules or horses. We, of course, made
our descent by the Msriposas trail, on the south
side of the little river which here escapes from the
famnna Valley hv A canon VI hieh yxatar Alnna can