Weekly Trinity journal., 1871-06-10

work. Unused MS was, the last thousand feet
was II terrible distance to climb, but the reward
was at hand. What glorious sight it was. In
front perpendicular wall 1000 feet sheer fall,
On the right the grim walls of SO Dome, appnr-
emily but stones throw distant, yet thousand
feet above anG II mile away-iu the background
the snowy caps of the Sierras. \ good view of
the valley cannot be obtincd from this peak
We found but one lady card on the summit
Miss Kate McCarty, of Syracuse, n. Y cut II
tree-four inches in diameter-with my jack
knife, strapped it to another tree with baggage
strap aud surplus ends of my suspenders; two
pocket haudkerchicfs sewed together formed one
flag. Long may it wave" etc. found my
self too faiigued to walk down hill. was too
weak to hold back SO we ran or jumped for
nearly all the distance to the bottom
The next day with the lady of our party, |
started for the Yosemite Falls, right opposite
llutchins Hotel, distant one mile. After soaking
in the lower fall, we turned to the right, followed
the foot OF the perpendicular rock for a me to
ravine where the fallen debris enabled us to
climb to the top. This lower ledge is six hun
dred feet high distance from foo: of rock to top
of lower fall, nearly mile. The trail, though
apparently level and barely wide enough to walk
on, is very uneven AMI the ledge ia in places one
hundred feet wide. A man can hardly be fol-
lowed with the naked eye, yet to casual obser.
yer the height seems to be little more than some
of our high buildings. But looking from the
hotel piazza the top of tree seventy five feet
high not an eighth OF II mile distant, seemed to
be in line with the top of a fall mile away
But no unPracticed eye can measure the extent
of bare, bleak rock. After reaching the top
aud dropping from ledge TO ledge, we attaiaed II
position right over the fall, where we could look
down into the abyss below us. Taking my
hand, the lady weut to the slOping verge aud
leaned over to get u better view OF The folming
waters six hundred feet below us. " How |
wish we had rope that you might lie il around
me aud hang me or, was her exclamation AT
point higher up, we Obtained fine view Of
the cataract and lower fall. This il sixteen hun
dred feet high. The water is quite hi III at this
time. From this ledge it is necessary to climb
perpendiculnrly for ten or twelve feet, then four
hundred feet more over II hard trail, much Of it
over bare sloping rock rs steep as the roof of II
house At this point in the trail | struck my
first mt'lesnake. Being iorewarned, at once rec
oguized the rattle, | could not see him so lef
quite sudl> nly As soon as could turn, ''went
for him. just in time 10 see him roll of into II
mhnz 'nta bush ut foot of rock. dilu go far
gfter him. From this point IN exceedingly dini
cult trail through soft, yielding, decomposed
granite leads up several hundred feet to "a ledge
where II fine view can be obtained. so high that
the spray does not trouble one much We deci.
Ged not TO try this last climb as it was already
late. However, we advanced on the level to the
bottom of the great fail, Till it was impossible to
advance another step. We were almost in the
sheet of water, Words cant express it-oer-
tanly shall not try.
But This is only u short account Of what may
be seen and felt. How any one can live for
years in California without visiting Yosemite il
mystery 10 me. How any one, bearing the
reputation of a literary lady az does Olive Logan
can visit Yosemite and go away unsAts6ed aud
discontented Is still more II mystery ! was u
little discouraged on reading her article in the
GataTy last Fall, but am glad TO fud her COM
plants utterly groandless, except rs Ear as her
own disposition and perhaps the character Of
her company rendered the journey unpleasant.
But must leave you here. Want OF time and
space forbid that should say MI would like to
express. But | must say this--go aud see for
yourself. Yours truly, f.. p.
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