Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-12-06


at iis greatest width, diminishing both to
the North and South TO a mere narrow
pass between the rocky walls. through
whish the Merced river enters aud emer-
yes. winding irrcguiarly through the val
ley near lis eeuter The roll uf the valley
L. ior the most part quite fertile. ss
Prolific vegeiaiion shows. There are sew
erai very promising orchards here, and
many beautiful gardens.
The geologic formation Of this valley
is firsi-elasS problem for scientists. Un-
like the many parallel waier-courses that
find their way down the western slope of
the Sierras, the Merced does not descend
in conformity with the general slope OF
the country, but here, for the distance Of
some six miles, suddenly drops several
thousand feet, a!terward descending IN a
gradual, uniform manner. as in common
with the other rivers of this country.
Scientific men have assigned the origin Of
this valley to several different causes.
Some maintain that it is assure produc-
cd by the bendTg Of the primeva bed OF
rock. Others attribute 1t to that CON-
mon origin Of valleys. erosion. while 9th.
orS insist that il has been caused by sub.
sidence or sudden sinking away of 50
much of the country as now eortituies
the area of the ALPHABETICALLY, to use
an expression current there, that the bot.
tom has fallen out. To myself the first
seems the most satisfactory explanation,
yet there appears 10 be wanting as essen
tial 10 that theory that conformity of the
opposing walls Of rock which ought TO be
found under the hypothesis. Yet this
after all, cannot be held to seriousl,
initiate against the theory, since it is tc
be noticed that the granite composing
these cliffs is unusally soii aud hence liable
to rapid destruction ; 20 that the work oi
the elements through long ages might
have entirely changed the original con
tour Of these rocky walls.
Taking oLr position in the ccDter oI
the valley. We see perpendicular walls o.
rock in every direction, risingto the hight
Ol three or four Thousand feet above the
valley, so that sense OF isolation and
Imprisonment thrills one with a momon
tary terror. Nothing in all nature cat
equal the scene now about US. Europe
has its Gibraltar and Lautcrbrunnen
Asia its stony battlemcnts Of the Daghcs
tan; Africa its roaring torrents Of the
Zambesi and the mysteries oil the Nile
South America its frowning Chimborazo-
but what arc all these compared with Tho
overshadowing splendor of El Capi,a'
and Cathedral Dome, the \ Yosemite FALL
aud Pohono's ever wind .obcying veil, he
gluterino torrents of Nevada and Verna
Falls, the Cap Of Liberty, Royal Arci
and thousand other objects Of equu
grandeur and sublimity crowded here into
one majestic presence within the momen
tary gaze OF the behoder!
To the left, more than a mile away
rises the grey irowning front Of E Capi
tan, over 5000 feet perpendicular; ,
hight so great that our effort to realize i
will be aided by the fact that although
more than a mule distant, in looking to
wards its summit it suhtends much thu
same angle MS would tall steeple vieweC
from across street. On the opposite
side, standing as lofty watch towers, ris,
the Cathedral Rocks to hight of ovel
,hrce Thousand feet. over which pour tn,
waters Of the Bridal Veil Fall. in one lon9
unbroken sheet Of watery foam Of dazz
ling brightness, $40 fec, in hight Moth
ing can exceed the beauty Of these falls
viewed al distance. The water doc!
not seem to tail through this great hight
but merely floats or drags its course along
down the wall Of rock upon which it seem'
to rest Directly in front of you, IN full
view, are the highest waterfalls on the
globe-the Yosemite Fills, which, includ
ing two small breaks, descend through /;
hight of over $500 feet. The first ct the
series has clear desceut of l,6O(
feet. Think of one unbroken fall nearly
eleven times as high as Niagara, or nearly
uiueteen times as high, including th'
whole fall !
Like all objects of unusual extent auC
magnitude, this valley produces in thu
MUD of the behoider such singular i'm
pressionS and indeinable ideas that it il
useless to attempt to convey to others b.
mere description an image OF it. cal
only say that it is one Of those things tina
must be seen ere a correct impression OF i
can be Obtained, have seen many Of thu
firest paintings of these falls, besides
many spleudid photos, neither of which
certainly, can he charged with depar
ture from reality; yet none ofthem have
nor as believe can have, the power tt
represent their subject in all its grandeur
and immensity Trees that rear theil
lofty tops hundreds OF feet in the air seen
but little shrubs growing at the sumTi
aud base of the falls. | noticed one whicf
| was told is l25 feet high; yet | had tt
multiply its hight nearly thirteen times
upon that rocky wall, against the foot ol
which it stood projected as mere shrub
The limits Of our time forbid otner thar
mere glance at the Nevada Fall, where
the entire waters of the Merced plunge
740 feet the Zap of Liberty, a cone-likc
rock rising alone over three thousand
feet the Vernal Fall eith its world Of
beauties the Royal Arch, or the vast
Domes, most pcrilous of ascent, rearing
their solemn heals over four thousanc
feet above the valley. Weeks, nay months
might here be consumed ere satisfactory
view could be obtained of the endless
panorama Of wonders which nature here
spreads before us.