Evening star., 1869-09-10

ol inis ' ahcy' uaknincent sugar pines, pitch
pines, frs, and cedars, the Douglas spruce.
graceful willows, the Balm.of- GIlesd poplar,
black oak, and the curious blood aud purple
colored and contorted California shrub, the
MaLzsnIta- All the time within sight of
2 ganuc mile-hgn cliffs, 10 the right OF Us
70 the left Of Us, and in front OF US; some
half in shadow, some wholly In shadow.
aEordisg good contrasts and reliefs 80 on
four miles down the valley, when turn alb
ruptly 70 the left up the mountain side. and
enter upon a series of zig-zags 20 s.make dis.
taLce' as the railroad men say. but which
do not enable Us 20 get up the mountain
without some of the steepest climbing OF our
experience. Cool springs occur at intervals in
the ascent; and a. one of these It will be adj
visaole 10 leave the-mnK, or whatever the
bottle may contain, 10 be refrigerated in readi-
ness for lunch on the return.
"InsPiration Point"
Remember that in this steep climb OF $500
feet We are on the regular MarIposs traIl, one
OF the two routes by which the valley Is acces-
sible. "Inspiration Point" is not on the high
est ground crossed by this trail on its way
over tie mountains, but lis position Is at a
point atordisg a bird's-eye view OF the whole
valley, with more Of the objects OF interest in
the valley embraced IN It than Al any other
place. In so comprehensive a view, and a
the distance, these directs necessarily appear
omewhat dwarfed 10 one who has passed
along their stately fronts in the valley below.
The near features OF the valley, as seen from
"Inspiration Point are FL Captain, on tha
opposite side OF the valley; and on the right The
"BrIdal Veil FALL" which fiutters down into
the Io Semitic 600 feet, swaying IN the wind
after a sort that the Gushers think is like
nothing so much as a white veil, hence The
name.
There is 3 stain down the face OF the opposite
wall OF the valley, showing where another fall
the Virgin Tears, should be. had the water
held out. But the Virgin weeps only in spring
time. The Yo Semitic Fall, (2,6JO feet,) higher
up the valley, is not visible from here, nor are
the Vernal and Nevada Falls; but the great
cliffs are seen in order; the Cathedral Rock"
C2.6eO feet about the valley;l the Three Broth-
ers," 1880 feet;) the obeIisk-shaped Sentinel
Rock, Cj,Oi3 feet;) the rounded mass OF granite
called the North Dome,' (3,56s feet,) and the
inaccessible "Half Dome," a greater wonder
IN most respects than FL Captain, but not 50
imposing in vertical height. Ii bears consider
able resemblance really 10 an immense dome
divided vertically; AM the perfect dome. shaped
mass OF granite opposite II seems 10 hold its
name by some color of right; but what shall be
sand in behalf of the bunkum, OF pamby-namby
names given 10 most OF these grand features of
the valley. The Indian names have in almost
every instance been changed fer the worse
Think OF tackiug the names of ward politicians
county surveyors, and Frisco photographers
TO these eternal mountains, There is Mount
Broderlck' and "G win Peak" and Mount
Starr King" There is sCurtIn Fair and
''Geary Fall and bellows Butte" and
Kings Peak - Whitney. the State
geologIst, gets a mountain 10 has name.
A surveyor styled Hoffman plasters his name
upon the biggest mountain within his reach
Dana, another aspiring surveyor or chain
bearer, InfiIcts his name upon 8 neighboriug
peak. Watkins, the clever San Francisco pho-
tographer, gets cliff, and more deseryedly
than some others. While the mountains are
going, let the best man in the camera line thai
he country can boast, have one.
And the hotel guests are on the mountain
grab-game. One chap takes out a caveat-per
he hotel register-for a cIIf "to be named Ne.
WINS Heights, in honor OF my father, David
Nevins." Another dutiful son states, in the
same official manner, that be has named a hill
" Milton Heights. IN honor OF my father, VIII
liam Il. Milton, Boston, Mass" Some cap
tons fellow writes over these entries
"le Gods to think such witless weights
should with thelr names damn noble heights "
But why pitch into these two young men -
why shouldn't Nevins and Milton have noun
tains as well as the others Il is a wonder
that FL Captain is not Mount Mullins"
And it may be yet. Why is this mountain an
gle "InspIration Point! ?" Il affords sim.
ply a COED birds.eye view OF the valley,
but with its features minimized by the
distance out OF all claims 10 grandeur. Ii
only inspires one 70 rolI stones and
II isn't really steep enough TO be worth q cent
for that. And yet Brace, lin The New Westr)
one OF the fo Semitic Gushers, tells about la
dies coming in by the Mariposa Trail stopping
their mules here 10 faint rapturously as the
scene bursts upon them. And he puts a long
story into the mouth OF q Mariposa guide TO
that effect. Whist nonsense. In the first place
no mountain guide ever told so long a story.
Ii "alnt their STYLE" and especially when
bringing parues IN al night-fsll. There Is no
''sheer precipice three quarters OF a mile deep
under "lnspiration Point wha.eyer there
may be on the opposite-El Captain side OF the
valley, and bat one OF the twenty waterfalls"
en- umeraUed by Braces garrulous guide, is 10 be
seen from the Point" But this is but a speci
men OF the stun written about this valley IN tha
current books OF travel III California. Whit.
ney 5 book is the best ana calmast, but he make
numerous errors "The Stand Point of Silence
Is the namby-pamby name gwen by the Gush-
40
where the view OF the Valley is first obtained |
on that route.
The third day in the valley will be best spent |
by a trip up it TO the Eernal and Nevada Falls
and the Cap OF Liberty. A guide will be needed /
Il the Cap 10 ascended, not otherwise. There /
are circular rainbows and things OF that sort TO 4
be seer there, and the water comes down a good
teal after the complicated fashion IL is said TO
10 at Lodore, but the main service OF the trip
s The opportunity TO get varied views OF the
yreat cliffs. great many days can be spent
n the Yo Semitic satisfactorily, but two or three
will enable one to get very good idsa Of the
yrand features OF the valley. The visitor should
provide himself, or herself, with the piafuast
clothes available, and with no more baggage
han can be carried In a satchel or q small roll
led behind the saddle. Stout shoes, with low
,eels, are essential. Especially warm clothes
ire not needed. At this season of the wear the
weather is very delightful, the days pieasaptlv
warm but never sultry, and the mornings and
venings not so much coeier as to require a
hange OF costume. The charming atmosphere
Il the Yo semitic gives zest TO the enjoyment OF
he wonderful scenery. It would doubtless be
warm here in the summer, as many OF the
sierra valleys are, but there is just that del,.
ate flavor Of the sea breeze coming all the way
lp from the Golden Gate, and tempered i'm its
'assage, that serves 70 give the air an exc uisie
parkle and brillianey.
Let me suggest TO lady travellers to nrov,da