The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1878-07-24

the birds open their throaiS anu pour
forth such thrilling melody that the
woods, the very air, the heart and
, senses all pulsate in unison with The
song.
The soul seems TO break asunder
its earthly moulded bonds and soar
on the grateful song TO God the Max
er, the Mighty Architect of this won
drous temple.
The song is not one sweet, but far
away, like Angels choirs in the vault
ed Heaven, but near you, around
you, in your very soul, you feel as If
the birds held you enchanted, and
YOU almost lose consciousness in the
overpowering melody. Your heart
throbs painfully, and you are strung
/, to highest tension of sublime worship
almost ~insunerable when, with a
mighty laundering echo the waters
again strike the chaldron, and the
song of the birds is husbed.
Thus it goes on ever, and has, for
how long, the Creator alone knows.
Alternate the thunder of the mighty
cataract and the melodious pe1 Of the
birds.
Evenings we spend here generally
in plans far the next day, and in
pleasant conversation, and relating
the davis adventures and mishaps.
Nv third day was planned TO be oc-
cupied in a trip to the NerGal and
Nevada Falls.
There was a large party going up,
but | took Florry, Mr.. Huichings'
little daughter, as my guide and stert-
ed on ahead alone and there seems
to be nothing in that valley or that
p~ertained to it, that that child did
not know and point OFT to me with a
few quantity expressed but poetical
words of appreciation that seemed
singular in so young a child. She is
a rare little wild flower, g perfect
Mariposa tulip.
We kept some distance ahead CT
all. The road turns to East and
right, after leaving the hotel, and
leads along through the trees on the
level bottom of the valley for about
two miles, and affords q iine chance
for a spirited canter if n chooses TO
ride fast, but unfortunately most of
these horses here in the valley have
fallen into the sere and yellow leaf Of
horse-hood, and have left all vain
glorious shows many years behind,
and look upon travelling as vanity,
while going off a l%ugubrious walk Is
not only vaniCy but ve1ation of spirit
also, and they prefer to mediate up
on the yicissitudes of life TO active
occupation.
Meditation is a fine occupation as
a general rule. / like to mediate,
but the majority of people such as
wish to visit the Nevada are decided
" opposed to retrospection on the
horses part, and rudely break in up
on their recollecdons of pleasant days
of colt-hood, when grass and cats
were plenty, and saddles unlhought
of, and by the aid of spurs aid whips
and sundry bowls and cbirrups urge
them into q melancholy trot that
seems to almost %upjoint every several
bone in ones body.
Whenever the horses commence
tro:ting, there is a chorus of ooh
my'sl" "Dear me !" and "0h, stop
my horse Selma, or | shall be shaken
to pieces" and the like but Tulip
and | only smiled contemptuously,
(contemptibly n girl told me after
ward), and road on ahead at IN easy
rocking gallop; for didn't | have
"Bumblefoot," the best horse in the
valley, while Tulip had Pacing Bill.
""
Mr.. H~utcbings has exercised much
ingenuity in giving anne to his
horses, one being called Snoring
Johnny" another "Calaphina," an
other "Scorched-nose Jimmy" anoth-
or "Bung-starter," and so OF, for
over fifty.
Directly VIC commenced the ascent
Of the mountain, and went up a steady
climb of over twenty-five hundred
feet, perpendicular measure, but some
two and a half miles of travelling.
The trail up that mountain is just
wide enough for one horse, NJ more,
and so ell ride in single Gle, and when
there is a large party, one can look
back and see them following zig-zag
fashion, part appearing to be going
one way and part the other, there are
so many turns. The MERGED begins,
as we mount, to run more rapidly and
instead of its usual clear green, it
now foams milky white, as if in an
ger at the distractions, roars angrily
and Kisses out resentment.
The trail winds up through pines,
dog-woods, rocks, ferns, manzanita
and cedar, and the higher u gets,
the louder roars the river.
After toiling an hour, Tulip and |
reached Register rock, where we
rested a while, and then again went
Oh: but now up an ascent that made
it seem as if our horses were climbing
d ladder, until at last, n turn reach
ed, the obstructing bushes and trees
below US, the whole upper portion Of
the valley was before US in one view,
and the great Yosemite Fall lies be-
low US, aud we could see the river
that rushed over the cliffs and formed
it. The sight was absolutely terrific;
for below US the MERGED was but q
white ribbon along the valley, while
we could look down a sheer precipice
of over two thousand feet. If our
horses were 10 trip and fall, no earth
ly power could help US. and n would
be inevitably dashed to pieces. At
FIRST / did not think of this was
too much occupied in looking at and
wondering at the sight; bat all at
once j began 10 feel dizzy, and moth
ing but an indomitable will kept me
from falling from my horse, but | felt
for a few moments as though the
end of all things had now come for
me.
Again we went on, and the trail
went up over places that had seemed
impossible to surmount but a moment
before, and at last, just as it seemed
impossible to ever arrive al the end
Of this tedious journey, tired, dusty
and roasted in the hot sun, a turn in
the trail, and the dazzling beauty Of
the Nevada Fall was in sight. ]