, 1872-12-28

GorEes, Forests, Torrents, and TVatcr-
fails Of the Tuo1umnc Canon.

1AAiA Oh the 1u0lumnc Cx1n00s
From the San Francisco Bulletin.
The diadem for scenic grandeur has heretofore
been worn by Yosemite, but the explorations in
the Sierra NeValahave revealed some half-dozen
contestants for that honor. Among these may
be mentioned Mount Shasta, the canon of the
South Fork Of Kings River ION the shadow Of
Mount Whitney,, and the great Tuolumne River
canon. John Muir, the lonely, adventurous ex-
plorer and geologist Of the Yosemite Valley, and
Galen Clark, State Grardian Of that valley, last
toned canon, which Professor Whitney and Clar-
ence King did not enter, the former expressing
Q doubt in his State geological report, whether
it was possible to got into it at all. Mr. Muir
reports that this canon lies about eighteen miles
in an almost dua northerly direction from Yose-
mite Valley. Its beginning OF mouth is below
Hetch-Hetchy Valley, and the main Tuolumne
runs through it. It curves in an unbroken line
for over forty miles, aud runs up to and ends in
the very heart OF the submits Of the upper Sier-
ra Neyada. Tho uneuphoniously named Hotch-
Hetchy Valley constitutes IN: expanded por-
tion Of the great Tuolumne canon, which
properly begins at the eastern end OF
hetchaedtehy and d, has, ;i from thence
o1.s, unbroken vertical walls Of granite, similar
to, but more clear cut, and with much greater
depth, than thoue Of the Yosemite Valley. Yo-
semitic Valley has all average width Of half
milo, and is in one place mile vide; but the
Tuolumne canon has nowhere awidth exceeding
q quarter OF mile, and is in some places much
narrower than that The eTuolumne River, which
runs through it, has twice the width Of the
MERGED. The falls Of the Merced- Yosemite sur
pass those OF the Tuolumne canon in unbroken
volumes of descending wat2r; but, in endless
variety Of cascades and water-shoots, the Tuo-
1uInne cano1 is far superior. The great walls
Of ..tho canon are ecaned by water-worn
fssureB, down which rivers leap, churn, thun-
and expression of sound. There is one water
leap 1900 feet high in the Tuolunne canon, but
it is not unbroken like the Upper Yosemite, and
is in that respect inferior to the latter. The
Upper Yosemite falls are 1,G00 feet high. In the
spring, whom the river is full, TINT fall tumbles
into its great water-worn, rocky bowl with
sound resembling the fall from tho sky of
gigantic caunon-balls on massive and tightly
stretched drums. This sound closely resern-
bles, yet hardly rises to the noisy dignity
noiso produced by tho Tuolunne waterfalls
is as deafening as the loudeet thunder,-a
thunder which is brought directly home to the
ears BY the nar1oMness ana @ vast as depth OF the
facilities it affords for pondcrous echoes. One
of the waterfalls spreads out at first like great
film; fan Of eilvary threaded water, but, after q
descent in this shape Of about 200 feet, it is
pacity, changed in color, shot down q narrow
groove Of rocks, like an arrow Of steam. The
great sculpture marks of glacial action arc
much newer and more easily read in the Tuol-
LQal III LuG C3uOu, 1DI. tu0uEu CAu1O q
valley, it is really a canon Of the Yosemite The
glacial alphabet by which tho history Of the gla-
cial action can be read is worry much blurred in
Yosemite by the subsequent action of rain,
SNOW, sun, winds, and earthquakes; but tin in M the
cial workshop on the submits OF mounts Lyell,
Dana, Gibbs, and Ritter. The glacier on the
latter has length and width Of about half
mile, and depth Of about 800 feet. The gla-
ciers from these mountains. D1r. Muir thinks, ut
one time not only filed the great Tuoiu1nno
canon, but lnvish1y ovoraowed it as river
oferaows it's banks in spring time.
Messrs. Muir and Clark had rough task in
exploring this great canon and it's surroundings.
They were forced to wade rushing, icy torrents,
the sides Of which brushed the foot Of perpen-
dicular rocks OF granite They camped one night
in their ahirt sleeves, and went supperless to
bed. Ono Of the walls mentioned is 1000 feet
high.
Those who have como out Of Yosemite by the
Coultervile trail will remember what q magnif-
cent view OF the Bridal Veil Falls is had from it,
OF all the falls OF tho great valley. The wind
swings them and disarranges their falling folds
and silver threads, just as it would vail of the
most gauzy texture. There are many Of these
the Tuolumno canon. There is q greater
huas. tints, motions, and express
ions in the latter canon than in Yosemite. One
Ima6lueS Inat lie ua8 seen an0 Delr0 all The pos
sible combinations into which water can enter to
awe and delight the eye and charm the ear, af-
ter visit to Yosemite, but Mr. Muir states
that the exploration Of the Tuolumne canon has
revealed innumerablo discoveries in this respect,
even to his eve, which has for years been fa-
miliar With all tho waterfalls Of the Yosemite
region.
it is evident from these and other recent dis
coveries in the Sierra Nevada that there is q
wealth Of wonders there, outside Of and in many
respects far SURPRISING those regions on which
the eyes Of tourists have heretofore rested
Christmas Eye With The RituaIiafa.