New-York tribune., 1880-06-27
TEN DAYS IN YOSEMITE.
vTRAMps OVER THE MoIiNTA1N TRA11s

let me dsarm the reader of natural and ustifiable
prejudice to q title which contains the word Yose.
mite, by registering an oath at the outset that
there shall be nc inflictiOn of wor-paiptinoD in
this unvarnished tale of ten delightful days in the
famous valley. No one save genius or an idiot
would attempt to put his impressions of Yosemite
into cold words To all between these two extremes
OF infinite ability and infinite lack of ability the
place ought to be natural reservation of pleasure
upon which literary Indian-t trader should he
allowed to set foct The amount of cheap prose
and still cheaper that owes it's xstence to this
grgndest specimen of natures unadorned handi-
work III the country, Is simply appalling. Every
tenth man and every fifth woman who visits the
Valley, were it only for day, have been moved to
wrcak their enthusiasm on the scenery and their
mother tongue. Eminent lecturers .lave made de-
scrptions of it pcrOratiOns for popular dis
courses, i'll common with Colorado peaks and other
co!gnes of vantage for superb views. These efforts
show ability in the use of synonyms, and certain
affected passion for color tone, and the other shib
boleths of the decorative art school. Upon the
mental retina they produce tho same tumble of
splendid color and splendid confusion that Turner's
HSlave Ship leaves upon the physical eye. And
worse than all else, printed rapture over its fine
views jars the lover of Yosemite like an adver-
tisement of the hotel quack nostrum ut the base
of FL Captain. In fine, description of the place ex
-Cept by one who has shown exceptional ability in
bringing down into words his impressions OF magni-
toent works of nature. is an outrage for which
there is no excuse
About the time last Summer when-as Henry
James says" the Republic enjoys her acutest fit of
self-consciousness," decided to visit Yosemite
Guide books were read with little profit but vast
amusement The funniest was the work of a we'll
known geelogist who put much curious and In
genious scientific theory in still curious and
ingenious English And then the way that man,
from battening on the moor" of statistics, could
lpring at one bound upon the fair mountain of
sentiment and " flint" " writing was a spectacle for
gods to weep over, If gods ever indulge in such
weakness The net result of extensive researches in
manuals was a small card of attitudes of peaks pro-
vided as q sop for the idiot who always yearns to
know the height of mountain In feet inches, and
lines. 1t is like timetable on arailroad train-an
excellent device for answering query and ex-
tinguisling the Querist.
INCIDENTS OF TIE STAGE RIDE.
-Four O'Clock on a sultry July day saw me on the
way to Madeira, a station on the Visalia and Los
Augelos Railroad, where one bade adieu to cars and
conforts This place-which owns a name and
half-dozen shanties barely holding their own on
desolate wind-swept plain-was reached soon after
midnight, but passengers remained in the sleeping
car until morning. Then in the gray dawn we took
greasy breakfast. The start in the Concord coach
was cnlivened by a.woman from Virginia City, with
O student voice and coarse face. She insisted on
having box seat. The artist who occupied one OF
the seats with the driver considerably told her
thai she would be grilled like ham-bonc In two
hours, as it promised to be sweltering hot. She
cared not for broiling, but che wanted that seat.
Finally she was sandwiched between two
burlv miners on the back seat who were bound for
Mammoth City. Every jolt of the stage throughout
the morning found its echo In growl from her.
One of her companions rubbed his chin thoughtfuly
ut dinner, and said, with twinkle In his whiskey-
moistened eye: ~ haint had 80 much fun in
coon's age as to hear the old 'ooman jaw. She'll
give aBible-pounder pnts. She's bottled lightnin'"
The stage ride may be compressed INTO three
words-hot, dusty. weaTisome. Night brought us
to Carks or the Big Tree Station, noted for it's for
lorn situation and it's high prices. The following
morning was spent in visit to the Manposa grove
of big trees and the afternoon in the ride into the
valley. Compensation for all CRIME, dust, and
WEAKNESS is the first view of the valley from In
spiratOn Point, half-mie below the old rock
from which 80 many views are taken. As peak
after peak swings into view. and as the bridal
veil glistens in the waning sunlight. feeling comes
over You that you have found the ideal resting
place at last. supper of fresh mountain trout re-
moves ali doubt and You declare that 1t Is the long
souQht retreat infinitely better than the mosquito
cursed Adirondacks. although the trout do not
rush for you with wide-open jaws, nor the deer
permit playful gymnastics with their tails. But
then nc sensational" Daniel has gone down into
Yosemite and stirred up the beasts.
PLANNING PEDESTRIAN CAMPAIGN.
About the main hotel were grouped several
n,ouutaineers and guides. telling lies with the
gueless charm Of the untutored savage. Hero 1t
0oo1 for f0 nfpPL LyyO
who had prejudice against riding the trails.
We struck hands, and formed compact to do " the
place on foot and despite predictions of our speedy
collapse by tho men who hired out saddle-horses,
we traDipcd over all the trails, without guides saw
everything, and enjoyed ourselves hugely at very
small cost Sightseeing in Yosemite is peculiar.
The valley is walled IN by mountains. and though
Ane views are to he obtained from various parts OF
1t, 10 true idea of distances and heights can be
gained without climbing the trails, which Sig-zag
along the face of the mountains. To ride up and
down these trails is pleasant recreation to one who
Is at homo in the saddle. To climb them on foot
demands no small amount of energy and persist
euce We essayel first the easier trails-those to
Glacier Point and the Vernal and Nevada Falls
and 10y the third day felt equal to moro ambitious
efforts. So We laid siege to South DOme-a peak
which has bad reputation. and which was wholly
inaccessible until few years ago. 1t is shaped
like sugar-loaf sliced in half the smooth fiat side
being toward the valley. The trail winds about
the base makes an immense detOur, and emerges ut
the rear OF the mountain. 1t Is thckly wooded
until 1t approaches the summit. Then trees and
vegetation suddenly disappear nothing is left but
barren rock, looking like great masses of iron
welded together. and scanned by overlapping folds,
which give the mountain crown O close resemblance
10 fhc fank of mammoth Thinoceros.
pERlLoUs CLIMB ON SOUTH DOME.
The summit rises directly from a narrow plateau,
on which place is soon reached where the trip
ends for the lazy OF timid. Tbs path slopes away
on either sde. in long rooftree style. for
thousand feet then falls in sheer prccl-
pice Of three thousand feet tc the valley below.