The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-05-17


rock and looking down into the valley be-
low we remain for many minutes almost
enchanted by the scene, until warned by
the setting sun that it il time for us to
retrace our steps.
Ambitious to reach the highest point
overlooking the Valley, We arise early the
next morning and take he trail for Clouds
Rest, fifteen miles distant and 1910 feet
above the sea level. Our route leads US
past the vernal and Nsy6da Falls, of which
we had caught glimpse the previous
evening at Glacier Point With the ex-
ception OF tho Bridal Veil, vernal Fall is
doubtless the most perfect in the list. The
entire volume of the Gerced river here
hows over square cut rock and makes
the plungs OF 100 feet without break.
We take the short cut past the fall, and
although nearly drenehed by the spray,
are simply rewarded by The gorgeous rain
bow which the morning sun presents to our
view. From here We proceed up the canon
past the Nevada Fall, through the Little
Yosemite Valley aud onward, until after
several hours of hard climbing we reach
the summit and are rewarded for our toll
by one of the finest mountain views ever
Witnessed. On every side as far as the eye
can reach, rise the peaks of the sierras;
in the west, beyond Yosemite, crowned
with giant pines; and Id the east, north
and far off to the south, wlEite with fields
of ice and snow. Feeling repaid for our
trip, we return to the hotel, and the next
day being the Sabbath, we rested. "The
groves were Gods first temples, and that
man who can spend Sabbath in the midst
of these mighty evidences Of divine power
and not worship must have forgotten his
God indeed.
Ever since We entered the Valley we had
looked with longing toward the bald
and rounded top of the Half Dome, and ON
Monday we decided to make the ascent.
This is without doubt the most wonderful
formation in the entire region. Rising to
an altitude nearly 5000 feet above the level
OF the Merced river, it appears like giant
sugar loaf, which by some mighty convul-
sion of nature has been split through it's
vertical axis Ind the northwestern half car
ried away. For 250O feet from the summit
the wall Is SO nearly vertical that pebble
Hung out will fall far beyond the base; and
the balance of the distance is q steep slope
OF probably seventy degrees. The trail for
the TN nat ~ 70 t,xln
Clouds Rest; but Mt q point some three
miles above the NevalA Falls it branches
to the left. FROM here to the base of the
dome the ascent is an easy one; but When
the saddle" is reached the climbing
becomes most toilsome. The last 500 feet
OF the ascent is up granite wall inclined
at an angle Of from 40 TO 50 degrees and in
some places worn smooth By tie action Of
the elements. Up.this dizzy steep the am
bilious tourist pulls himself, hand over
hand, by means of rope which has been
attached to the rock. The top is entirely
devoid of vegetation, except two or three
scraggy pines and few lichens that cling
IN the crevices. The view of the Valley ia
better than from Clouds Rest, though the
high Sierras cannot be seen as we'll. The
Cliff on the north side is the most attractive
and there, lying upon the rock, we gaze
down the awful abyss, 5000 feet to the
bottom OF the canon below. Reader, do
you realize what500O feet in height means?
1t means nearly a perpendicular mile. Il
means that you could take the Great Pyra-
mid OF Egypt as base; place upon it st.
Peters church, at Rome; place on that the
Strasburg Cathedral; lift to the top of that
tie Washington monument; on that place
Trinity church and steeple from New York
and crown the whole with the obelisk in
Central Park-a list of some Of the most
wonderful structures ever reared by mans
hand-.and your puny pile would fall hun
dreds OF feet short of reaching half way up
the dizzy height. At the foot of the Half
Dome lies Mirror Lake, a contemptible
puddle, half filled with mud and detritus
from the mountain streams. Its location
is such, however, that at times some fine
views are obtained from its surface. Di-
rectly opposite is the North Dome, the
most perfect specimen of a rounded gran
lts mountain top in all the Sierras. To
the south rises Starr King and all abound
are peaks of greater or less note. But our
time Is limited, and down the rope like |
crab, backward, we return to our hotel and
the next morning take the stage out of the
Valley, at Inspiration Point bidding fare
we'll to the transcendent grandeur and in
comparable majesty Of this wonderful spot. |
The famous book of travels of Marco |
Polo, the Venetian traveller of the thirteenth |
century, tells OF the feathers of monstrous |
African bird known as the roc, and men
tions specimen sent from Madagascar to |
The Great Khan as being ninety spans in !,
length and having quill two spans in CIR
cumference. 1t is supposed by Col. Henry |
Yule that these so-caIled feathers were |
fronds of the rofa palm. The British con-
sui at Zanzibar has lately forwarded to
London four of the mid-ribs of this tree, |
stripped of their leaflets and with their tips
broken off, and they are said to greatly re-
semble enormous feathers from twenty five |
to thirty-fye feet long. This palm, called
IN Central Africa the Devils date, il cred |
ted by Capt r. T. Burton with producing |
the largest leaf known.
Notwithstanding much has been said about I
It may be possible that the matter has never |
seriously claimed your attention. Think Of it |
aou! II, by the use of few bottles of Ayers |
3arsaparllla you avoid the evils of scrofnla and |
transmit healthy constitution to Your Off