The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-03-27

the valle'-
~ -. Is the highest in the
lne portion of the granite wall
> which rises opposite the hotel, is more
- three thousand feet high. In a superbly ar
ranged nook or bend, in the precipitous rampant
the cataract is framed. Mr.. Greeley in the account
OF his very hurried September visit to the valley
a year ago, calls it a mere "tape line of water
dropped from the sky. Perhaps it is so toward the
close of the dry season; but as we saw it, the
blended majesty and beauty of it, apart from the
general submties of the Yosemite gorge, would
repay journey OF thousand miles. There was
no deficiency OF water: 1t was powerful stream
thirty feet broad, fresh from the Nevada that
made the plunge from the brow of the awful pre-.
cipice; AID as the valley is only mile in width,
our delightful resting place, on the southery bank
OF the MERGED, in the pass afforded the most IA
vorabe angle for enjoying its exhaustless charm.
Like sheet lightning,
Ever Frightening,
With low melodious thunder,
All day and all night it is drawn,
From the brain of the purple mountain
Which stands in the distance yonder.
The thunder, however, though certainly melo-
dious, is by no means low, as our readers may
imagine, when the measure of the fall is reported
to them. AT the first leap it clears 497 feet; then
it tumbleS down a series of steep stairways 402
feet, and then makes jump to the meadows Els
feet more. The three pitches in full view,
making fall of more than 2 AGO feet.
But it is the upper and highest cataract that is
most wonderful to the eye, well as most musical.
The cliff is so sheer that there is break in the
body of the water during the whole Of its descent of
more than aquarter OF mile. 1t pours in a curve
from the summit of fifteen hundred feet (the height
OF Park street spires, remember to the basin that
boards it but moment for the cascades that fol-
low. And what endless complexities and opulence
OF beauty in the forms and motions of the cataract
1t is comparatively narrow at the top of the prec-
pice, although said, the tide that pours over
is thirty-fve feet broad But it widens as it de-
scends, and curves little side as it widens,
that it shapes itself before it reaches its first
sbowl of granite, into the figure of the comet that
glowed on our sky two years ago. More beautiful
than the comet, however, we can see the substance
of the waery loveliness ever, itself, and ever
pour itself away. Our readers have seen the splen-
did rockets, on the 4th Of July nights that burst
into the serpents Of fire. This cataract seems to
shoot out thousand serpentne heads or knots of
water, which wriggle down through the air, and
expend themselves in mist before half the descent
Is over. Then a new set burst from the body and
sides the fall, with the fortune on the re-
naming distance and thus the most charming fret
work of watery nodules, each trailing its vapory
train for hundred feet MORE is woven all over
the cascade, which swings now and then thirty feet
each way on the mountain side, as if it were pen
dulum of watery lace. Once in a while, too, the
wind manages to get back of the tall, between il
and the cliff, and then it will whir it around and
around for two three hundred feet, as if it were
determined to try the experiment of twisting it to
wiring it dry. We could lie for hours before NJ
Peck's door, never tired in gazing this cataract
but ever hungry for more Of the witcheries of mo
ton and grace that refine and soften its grandeur
FROM PENSACOLA.
The special correspondent of the New Orleans
Delta thus writes to that journal from Warrington
| Navy Yard, Pensacola, on the 18th inst:
Everything in this locality has a dull appear
ance. The troops here, numbering about sever
hundred, are all employed on the batteries If
course of construction on the beach. The batterie!
are superintendent by Col. Forney, late of the Uni
| ted States Army, aided by Capt. VIM. II. James
| late Assistant Engineer in the Navy ward. They
will mount twelve heavy columbiads, that mus
command the bay against any vessel that shoulC
attempt to enter for hostile purposes Two of then
are between Forts McRee and Barrancas; the thrt
one is located betwxt the Navy Yard and thu
| Naval Hospital, east of Fort Barrancas.
Fort McRea has about forty heavy guns mounted
and although the fortress is not considered very
strong one, yet its position is beyond a doubt
very good one, as it commands the ship channel -
The guns are all mounted on the lower tier Cant
O'Hara. with company from Mobile, has charg,
of the Fort, and has work ed vigorously to place
IN its present state of defence.
Fort BaTrancas has over forty guns mounted -
The fortress is considered strong one, but its DO
sltion is not so good as that of McRea. AT tn,
Barrancas Military Barracks are stationed the Eu
faua Rifles, the Wilcox Blues and two other com
panies. Capt. Ben. Lane Posey arrived here OF
| Friday night with company numbering eight,
men-a brave, hearty, daring set of good fghtinS
| men.
All these companies are under the command @
| Gen. Braxt0l Bragg, who mas been appointed tt
this military district. Should it be necessary t.
call upon men, an unlimited number could b
brought here at very short notice.
| The Santa Rosa Florida Guards, commanded b.
Captain Harrison, are stationed at the Marine Bar
| racks, adjoining the Navy Yard; and the Washing
ton Light Infantry are in charge of the magazine
the redoubt north of Fort Barrancas. The Unitet
States steamer Wyaudotte plies daily to the ship
outside, which consist of the frigate Sabine tn,
| steam sloop-of-war Brooklyn, and the sloop-of-wa
! st. Louis. Reported accessions are made daily
but so far there have been no new arrivals
The Navy ard is in charge of Captain Farrand
! the executive during the absence of Captain V
Randolph, at present in Montgomery. The othe
officers are Lieutenant Renshaw Master Piersop
and Samuel H. Gonzales, Storekeeper. Surgeon
Spotswood, lately in charge of the Naval Hospital
is located at present in the yard. The maste
| workmen are the same as during the administra
ton of affairs by the United States Government.
Fort Pickens is in a thorough state Of defence
but Lieutenant Slemmer looks carewOrn and ia
! tigued. He has done everything in his power tt
put all things in order; the boat comes over ever
morning for supplies of fresh meat vegetables, ant
such other necessares as the stores have for sale
boats visit the ships from the village and Pensacola
with bread, meat, oysters, &C., which they sell t
| those on board.
The appearance of things in The villages of War
| rington and oolsey is gloomy, fully one-haf tn
stores closed, the storekeepers having left TO
New Orleans, Mobile, Pensacola and other place:
with their goods and chattels; the residences are
one-balf OF them deserted, the occupants having
left to avoid "Lincon's bombardmen of the pl ace
Indeed, it is remarkable fact that not one of the
old Creole population but has not packed his fur
niture and proceeded some miles into the woods t
avoid the war.
About daylight yesterday morning the flag O
the Confederacy was hosted, for the first time a
Barrancas, and saluted from the fort BY salute o
seven guns