The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-11-03

ward out of the pine woods, dismounted,
and stood upon the rocky precipice of In
spiration Point, and looked down upon Yo-
semitic, rs one from housetop looks down
into the garden. or rather as he would
View the interior of some stupendous roof
less cathedral from the top of one of lis
towering walls In the.distanoe were snow
Streaked mountains Right under us was
the narrow. winding basin of meadow.
grove and shining river, shut in by granite
walls from 1000 10 1000 feet high
walls with immense turreis of bare rock
walls so upright and perfect that an ex-
pert cragsnan can climb out of the valley
only at three or four points
Flinging a pebble from the rock upon
which We stood, and looking over the
brink. saw ii fall more than half a mile
before striking. Glancing diagonally
across the narrow. profound chasnl, i sur
veved an unbroken. seamless wall of gran-
ite, two-thirJl> of mile high. and more
than perpendicular. the top protruding
$50 feet over the base Turning toward
the upper end of the valley, beheld a
half dome of rock. one mile high, and on
IFS summit a solitary. gigantic cedar, ap-
pearing like the merest twi- Originally
a vast granite mountain. IL WAS riyen from
top 10 bottom 10y some ancient convul>ion.
which cleft asunder the everlasting hills
and rent the gre;it globe itself
The measrreleSS. inclosine walls. with
these leading towers and MANY other fur
refs. gray. brown. and white rock. darkly
veined from summit 10 base with .treaks
and ribbons of falling wafer, hills. almost
upright, Yet studded with tenacious frs
and cedar>, and the deep-,lown level floor
of grass, with It's thread OF river and pig
my trees. all burst upon me al once Ma
turc had lifted her curtain 10 reveal The
vast and the infinite. Ii elected no aiiec-
tiveS. no eNciamations. With bewilGer-
ing sense of divine power and human lii
tleness, | could only gaze in silence till
the view strained my brain and pained
my eyes, compelling me 10 turn away and
rest from its oppressive MAGNITUDE.
Riding for two hours. down. down.
among sharp rocks and dizzy zigzag>,
where the five ladies OF our party found If
difficult TO keep in the saddle. and mr-
rowly escaped pitching over their horses
heads, We were in the valley. entering 10y
the Mariposa trail.
Length of Yosemite Valley 9miles
Average width OF Valley, : mile
feet
Average width of Merced river, 90
Hight of Yosemite Falls. 1854
Upper Fall, l,600; Rapids, i3i;
Lower Fall. 600D
Width OF these Falls al upper sum-
nit. in August. ID
Hight of Bridal Vail Fall, qio
Hight of South Fork Fall, 40
Hight of Nernal Fall. $50
Width of Nernal ami Nevada. al
summiiS 30
Hight of Ell Captain Rock. $500
Hight of Three Brothers Rock
(three turreisl 3.431
Hight of North Dome Rock. ;.190
Hight OF Inspiration Point Rock. 5000
Hight OF Cathedral Rocks 1.-TWO
turreisl 5000
Hight of Sentinel Rock, 800
Hight of Mount Colflx. :. 100
Hight of Mount Starr King. i.50o
Hight oi Souih Dome Rock. 5000
Riline up the valley ior ike miles. ra>t
Bridal Vail Fall. Cathedral Rocks and The
Sentinel, We di>momied and established
our headquarters III liutching'>-sa two-
story frame house, with the apartments
bv walls OF .-sufi finish
curtains of white muslin They compel
guests who don't wish TO give magic lam
tern exhibitions 10 extinguish their candles
befote diSrobins. hut afford rarcs. facilities
for general GO rr.sI-isse after every one
has gone 10 bed llu;ching> ami family
have RECALLED H. on lhe i;ii oi Tie land and
the fruit of the water--w,'ai milk and 81
vorv front I'm Winter. tbs. >lli rises here
at o'clock p. m. and SETS two hours Ia
Ter. Then they receive mails and news
from the outside world once a week,
through adventurous Indians who cross
the deep and DANGEROUS SHOWS 10 Coulter
Vile or Maripo>a-
They combine divers and diverse pllr-
suits. Ilutchings l. tavern-keeper and
author; his Illustrate! - Sccn,s oi Wonder
and Curiosity in California i a creliis-
bic and valuable work \ friend visit
ing here for the first time. found Mr..
ilutching> upon the river hank. with one
hand vigorously turning the crank ol a
patent washing machine, AMI with The
other holding the --latest Atlantic Monthly,
in one of lis articles. Only In
dian labor Is ;:ttainahle. If Eastern Ia
dies who suffer constant nlaftyrlom IN re-
Spect of - help" Were compelled to live
on this coast for a few months and en-
plov Cinnamon and Indians in lieu of ser-
want girls, they woull learn who Is wel
Oft
In front OF lIutchine>'s. runs the Mere
ed. fresh from the !Sierr;s. Delightful and
though little chilly fer the
swimmer. il Is 80 perfectly transparent ~
to cheat the eye and legIile beyond his
depth any one attempting TO wade it
Crossing il by a rustic log bridge, We are
in a meadow of tall grass, varierated with
myriid> of wild flowers. including prim-
roses of yellow and crimson, and lily
shaped blossom of exquisite purple, known