The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-10-16
The Wonders Of the yosemite.

weirdest, widest, grandest and most aw.
fully impressive scenery in tho world.
Once seen, neither time nor circumstance
can efface it from memory. The valley Is
250 miles from San Francisco. IL is
easily reached. II Is like vast excaya-
tion hewed out of the very heart of the
great Nevada mountains. To get into Il
you make steep descent Of 1000 feet
AT every turn the scene changes. The
valley proper Is eight miles long. AT It's
centre it is three miles wide, from which It
tapers to q half mile at each end.
Through the. centre flows the Merced
river, fed by streams that dash in fury
over precipitous rocks into the dale below.
The Falls Of Yosemite, being stream
twenty feet wide and two feet deep when
full, makes its Ai1ss ieap Of 800 feet per.
pendicular over cliff. Thence, ID the
distance Of third Of mile, it makes
terrific cascade Of GIG feet fall, whence BY
final bound of 400 feet il leaps into the
valley. The whole length of the fall Is D.
526 feet. The Bridal Veil FAN Is the first
conspicuous object as you enter the valley,
hemmed in by steep yellow rocks 1000 70
1000 feet high The Cathedral rock Is
huge mass, adorned by slender spires.
Next come The Three Brothers, 1000 feet
high From the summit Of these Is a
splendid view Of the wonders Of nature in
this valley, with the frowning submits Of
the snow-eapped Neyadas in the back
ground. "The Sentinel Rock, 1900 feet
high, has the appearance Of regular
obelisk. ''The dome is over 4,O00 feet
high, nearly circular to the eye, with
regular pitch all around. The grandest
and most impressive object is fthe half
dome. One side is rounded, the other Is
vertical. IL is over AGO feet high, and
geologists declare that one-half Of the
original dome must have been split off and
toppled into the abyss with such force as to
break it up and leave not trace behind.
Isolated and without peer among its
comrades, it stands an everlasting memorial
Of the mighty forces which, in former ages,
have wrought upheayal, excavation, dislo-
cation and destruction on the face Of the
earth Evidently the Yosemite Valley,
with its stupendous surroundings, its awful
chasms, its splintered spires, its bastion-
like masses, It's wall-sided precipiees and
IS confused piles of hewn rock, tossed
about without order and void Of symmetry,
could not have been the slow and measured
work of ages. 1t must have been o quick
earthquake convulsion- and decisive.
We have given only the most prominent
points Of wonderment. Little less TO be
admired are the Washington column and
the royal arches, with the series Of Yaulted
chambers underneath Scattered around
are scores Of smaller cataraets of SURPRISING
beauty, and multitudes of lofty peaks and
cliffs which in any other place would be
wonderful. Lakes innumerable and little
grassy glades are met at every turn In the
deep canons and the leafy forest bordering
the mural sleeps described There the
deer fud fayorite home and huge speek-
led trout abound. Everywhere wild flow
ers are sprinkled over the green. Groves
Of mammoth trees are to be seen few
miles away. In one group are sc, in an
other 427, &c. They are kind Of cedar
tree. Many are one hundred feet in cir
cumfercnce. Most of them have outlived
their usefulness. Their tops are gone,
their branches scattered, and their tenure
of life is evidently precarious. From
measurement Of PROSTATE trunks it is sure
many were 400 feet high, and by counting
the rings e,500 years Is a medium age to
allow, while some count over 5000 years.
Through the hollow Of one PROSTATE tree
at Calayeras horseman can ride mounted.
In other parts Of the State are like trees,
and young ones are growing here and
there. Though peculiar to California, the
seed gerrninates freely all over Europe.
In England they are 10 favor, under the
name Of Wellingtonia gigantea, but in
France they are called yascito. In winter
Yosemite valley is buried in deep snow
and the climate rigorous. Before May
the valley and its aecesses are not ready
for travellers, and late in summer the wa
terfall is much reduced in volume and in
interest, There are good accommodations.
The valley and its wonders are well Illus
trated by score Of photograph engrayings,
soperfectly taken as TO give an excellent
conception Of its varied scenery.