Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-10-25
FHOu THE MISSOURI 10 IHp
PACIFIC.

Concluding Impressions Of Yosemite Valley
Yosemite Falls, Highest in the World-A
Night Under the Cataraet-Bridai Vail Fall
Mirror Lake Vernal FaH-Round Rain
bOU-A Curious Pharmaceutical Fall
Impressions LEFT BY the SeUerdl Catarocts--
Grdndest Scenery on the Globe--Ledring YOs.
mie-FiRal Vier from Inspiration Point.
Correspondence Of Tribune.
CLARK's Rancho, MARIrosA Co California;
Sunday, August Is, 1865
Hutchings' affords a perfect view Of Yosemite
Falls, a mile distant. In April and May, when
melting SHOWS swell the stream to q deep tor
rent. they are grand; but then the valley is half
flooded, rendering one "a demnition moist body. :"
La late summer their creek shriuks to a skele-
ton. and Mr.. Greeley wrote them down a hum
bug. They do look diminutive; not because
they are so small, but because their surround
ings are go great. Anywhere else they would
seem miraculous, just as a cluster OF grapes
weighing a dozen pounds, which excites no won
der IN California would make people doubt their
own sanity in New York. Niagara itself,
monarch Of cataracts, would dwarf in this
valley.
Yet Yosemite is the Hottest waterfall ia the
world. Think OF a cataract-or cascade, If you
choose,-of half a mile with only a single break?
Ii is sixteen times higher than Niagara. Twelve
Bunker Hill monum ents standing upright, one
upon another, would barely reach its summit.
Ossa upon Pelion becomes a tame and meaning
LEES comparison.
We did not climb TO the Rapids and foot of
the Upper Fall; that is difficult, hazardous and
e1hausting. Nor did we 60 to the upper sum
NIT; that requires a circuitous ride OF twenty-five
miles out Of the valley. But we spent much
time at the base of the Lower Fall, in a cul de
sac. with towering walls of dark granite The
basin abounds in rocks-some as large "a 8 me-
dunn dwelling house-whlch have tumbled down
from the top. Spreading my blankets upon one
of these, almost under the Fall, l found It was a
smooth bed, though a little damp from spray,
and spent the night there to see the cataract in
the varying illuminations and shadows of sun
light, twilight, starlight and moonlight.
Much OF the water evsporates or turns TO mist
before reaching the bottom, yet looking up from
under it, the volume seemed great. Six hundred
feet shove me. a body OF ragged, snowy foam
with disheveled tresses rushed over the brink and
came singing down IN sleuder column, swayed 10
and fro by the wind like a long strand OF lace
For four hundred feet the descent is unbroken
then. striking a broad, inclining rock, ike the
roof OF a house, the water spreads over ia
thin, shining, transparent apron, fringed with
delicate gauze-and glides slowly to the bottom
By moonlight the whole looks like a long white
ribbon, hanging against the brown wall, with its
lower end widening and uDrsveled.
Bridal Vail Fall, much higher and narrower,
and softened by a delicate mist which bali hides
it. is a strip of white, futtering foam. which the
wind swings like a silken pendulum. 1t Il
spanned by 4 rainbow, and az some points the
thin. transparent sheet reveals every hue OF the
wall behind il. Before reaching the end OF lis
long descent. a rIl no loager, it is completely
transformed TO spray-the Niobe Of waterfalls
dissolved in tears.
Above Hatchings' he valley breaks into three
canons and the Merced INTO three forks North
Fork passes through Mirror Lake-lhe very soul
OF Transparency. Ii mirrors grass, trees, rocks,
mountains and sky With such perfect and start
ling vividness that you Cannot elieve them una
ges and shadows You fancy the world is
turned upside down. and shrink back from the
lake lest YOU should tumble over the edge into
the inverted dome OF blue s&y.
On the Middle or main Fork Is YeTnal Fall
difficult of access Leaving our horses three
miles from the botel, We climbed for two weary
hours along dizzy shelves aud up sharp rocks,
where the trail rises | 900 feet 70 the mile; pine
WOOD all around Us; at our left. and far below
the river, chatting and roaring in its stony bed
Then We stood At the foot of Vernal Falls. Bri-
dsl Val, aud Yosemite afe on little lateral
creeks; Nernal - the full. swelling torrent of the
MERGED. They creep softly and slowly down, as
Il in pain and hesitation. This rushe. eagerly
over gloomy oro~n rocks. then leaps heAdIong
for more than 800 feet, roaring like q miniature
Niagara.
base. Others OF the party reported many: nv