The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-25
THE WORLDS WONDERS.
suBLIMrT1Es OF YOSEMITE.

Gus VALLEY AND THE OVERLOOKING NOUN
TAISs.
Occasional Correspondence of the Sentinel
San JOSE, Aug. z, lS74.-At P. NJ, Juue
%, three members of our household,
equipped in light marching order, departed
for Yo Semitic. The delightful breezes of the
bay, that cours down this Santa Clara val
ley every day of the year, carried the dust to
the south as we sped northward, rendering
the outset of our trip faultlessly pleasant.
We were profitably amused with looking
upon the grooming fields of ripening grain,
the burdened orchards of maturing fruit,
and the bronzed mountains that frame this
utilized landscape. Entering the Livermore
valley through a mountain pass, and thence
again through gorge and tunnel, into the
San Joaquin valley, and proceeding to the
southeast, we forShe first time encountered
a sultry summer night in California. Five
hours sleep at Mercid, and our party, now
augmented to six, boarded the stage for
20 miles siege, with the mercury high up in
1.-THE eos, and dust a corresponding depth.
But as past experience had given us an
| abiding faith in the rigid enforcement of
the law of compensation. we possessed our
souls in patience, and stoutly braved alkali
dust, scorching sun and jolting stage. For
all that we could see, the whole world might
mia wheat is king. and the raising of it a
grand monopoly. Farm houses are few and
far between, YOU seldom see fence, and
never grain barn. The wheat is stacked on
the fields till convenient to thresh and sack,
when it Is again piled up in the sacks 20
await the prOpitious time of sale; having at
least four months margin; with no fears of
threatening clouds and damaging rains. No
grass is mown in this entire country the hay
consisting of wheat and barley, cut before
ripening; and horses are grained on barley
instead of oats. As horses are very cheap
and laborers scarce, every man is expected
to manage as large force of machinery.
mustangs, mules and donkeys as possible to
exc out the supply, and one man often drives
six pairs before three heavily loaded wagons
AS the sun descended the western sky, we
began to climb the foot hills of the Sierras,
where. but few years since, men dug hope
fully, ana many times successfully, for gold
and every few miles pretentious towns were
built. But alas! for human hopes. All now
is sickening desolation. Only few disso-
lutte men with poverty stricken families re-
main to tell the tale of blighted prospects. In
one of these towns our driver pointed us to
burial ground containing at least 80 graves,
saying, 'all but one person buried there
died a violent DEATH" Many were vic
Tins of the noted fiend and ban
dit. joaquin Muriatta, some died
in drunken broils and others were lynched
mining, where for miles the eye does not
rest on a single spot that the soil has not
been dug over and carefully searched for the
hidden deposits, and still few Chinese,
Mexicans and Indians, with pan in hand ARE
cleaning in this long since upheaved soil,
satisfied with few bits for a hard days
work. We reachedthe summit of Mt. Chou
chilla,
5000 FEET ABovETHE SEA,
as twilight deepened, with the descent
to make in five and one-half miles, to reach
our destination for the night. A noted driver
Buffalo Bill drew the reins on our six gallant
horses, and at such an exhilarating hight
driver and passengers are alike reckless of
danger. The evening shades softened into
pensive loneliness all that stood out in
rugged grandeur in the sunlight. The air
was dense with the perfume with wild
azalias, and the only sounds disturbing the
never-ceasing murmur of the pine forest,
were the clanking of hoofs and the whirring
of parting waves of air, as we sailed around
sharp curves, and rushed almost with light
ming speed down the grade, making the de-
scent in 20 minutes. The next morning I'M
yelled to us lovely nook known as Clark
& Moore's Ranch, where we mounted mus
tangs 1.-TWO of the ladies in bloomer
and the third in side saddle) and with much
merriment followed our time honored guide
to the mariposa trees, distance of seven
miles. Use all the words in Webster signi-
flying huge, measure and contemplate them,
contrast them with surrounding objects do
what you will to fix their immensely in your
mind, these trees grow instead of lessening
in dimensions the longer you remain. We
ranged our seven houses emile on one side
of the "Grizzly Giant" (the largest standing
tree in the world) 115 feet in circumference,
and one of our number rode out to the
other side, leaving his space unoc-
cupied, but could see neither the
front or rear horse. We lunched
in the shadow of this monster, and
slaked our thirst at the ice-cold spring we'll
ing up from the roots CT near neighbor,
"Gen. Grant," having first mounted the
PROSTATE forest giant and paced his entire
length, ridden into Pluto's chimney, looking
upward to the blue sky, passed on horseback
two abreast with ease through the fallen
monarch, and paid becoming homage TO all
other dignitaries OF this community Of gian 8,
not forgetting the only perfect tree of the en-
tire grove, the Forest Queen. Few words
broke the woodland silence. The only sem
timents that found utterance were the COM
mon regret that such wanton havoc
should have been made by the red men,
with fires and their little 'hatchets,
and our amazement that such an I'M
paralleled forest, should exist more than a
mile above sea level. / thought whilst
standing in the midst of such immensely,
contemplating those prostrata trees, that
must have shaken the everlasting hills
when they fell; is it any wonder that the
Aborigines, holding the secrets of forest,
mountain and plain, in common with the
wild beasts, as cultivated as themselves.
listening with credulous awe to the legends
of untold ages, should indulge mysterious
fancies, that every animate and inanimate
object is the embodiment ola spirit, which is
to them a demon or god. But, farewell!
Mariposa I leave thee with feelings of graft
tudeto him who gave my spirit wings that
may fly for respite to thy solitudes.
Another nights rest at Clark Il Moore's dis
PEELED all WEAKNESS, and at eight in the
morning we were
AGAIN IN THE SADDLE,
with % miles before us to reach Hutch
ing's Hotel in the valley The scenery