The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1885-07-02

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Tvseiy ysas ego ssd more tLsss - I
susrhsbls article published in the Aan.
~ Noasl.y called The YOSEMITE Valley,
written by the brilliant young authsI
topoe studens a Barr and Barton Semi
nasyD Fiiz Hugh Ladlov. II wAs charAc
realistically written. full Of graphic word
pictures. and csrtAinly sounded more like
. tale from the Arabian Nights thaa I
sober description Of actual ihings ] re-
member telling Mn DR. wieibsn. q
Manchester. about u and The wsy 10 = hich
abe checked ny raplures ''ws must
take Ludlos's stories eth allowance, abe
said. "he 10 mos. unfortunately an opium
smoker" Ard 10 this marvellous scenery
vas iust the dream Of disorJered brain
did not like 70 DO disillusioned.
Today every reader Of The Journal Who
sees the word Yosemite at The bead Of
my letter knows that the world doesa't
hold such another valley Of wonders. and
that Pilx Hugh Ludlow's magnificent dss.
eriptios vas not overdnwn. We have
been nearly twelve years in CAlifornia but
have hitherto only cast wistful glsnces to-
wards this region Of picture and story
Nov We arc trueiy here.
! despair giving our Vermont friends
any more vivid picture than they nov
have Of this often described valley. but il
il slsays pleasant 10 sec famous places
through The eyes Of friend. Az usual
70 are taking our pleasure in an ecouomi
cal way. We packed iato large strong
covered express wagon. . tent OF the Dio
Lewis pattern. coDical in shape. with
pole 10 the middle. aud twelve feet square
1t the base, made Of heavy white duck;
two small mattresses; dsxen blankets; .
bali dozen pillows; camp stove made Of
sheet iron, wonderfully convenient; . big
tin box Of provisions and = box Of tools,
saw, hammer. hatchsk 10. Then We bar
messed our two trusty horses. packed our
selves in and Jared away into the wilder
ness Is independent as the pstriarchs Of
old.
The first day Of our travel took Us
through the famous Pscheco pass in the
Coast range Of mountains. and We pitched
onr tent ct night fall on the great San
Louis Ranch Of 81 hundred acres. near an
old spanish hostelry, with large old adobe
outbuiIdiugs and the largest grapevine in
California twelve inches in diameter.
The second and third days were spent In
crossing the great San joaquin valley,
part OF which has been made green and
beautiful by vast irrigating ditch, eigh-
ty miles long, extending from Tulare
lake to the region Of Modesto. built by
private enterprise Of firm Of cattle deal
ers who own nearly all the land watered
By this stupendous aquaduct The western
side Of the San joaquin is an arid desert,
and Is il begins 10 rise in the foothills Of
the Sierras is bare, rocky and desolate be.
yond description.
Mr.. Field decided to 60 to Yosemite by
what is called the Mariposa route which
would take Us through the famous Mari
poss grant, the scene Of Trenor W. Parks
end Gen. Fremont's gigantic mining
schemes. The road is not nearly 20 good
- the other modes Of approach TO Yosem-
ite, but attractive 70 Mr.. Field % the
theatre OF those vast operations and thus
associated with the history Of that bril-
liant son Of old Vermont. Trenor W. Park. |
The fith day Of our travel brought rs in
TO this beautiful mountain region. All
that remains. in sight at least, Of the
old mining works are great mounds and
ridges Of reddish gravel, like gigantic
mole hills. In one place forlorn old
Chinaman, bare headed and standing in
cold muddy water was washing patiently |
away with the long abandoned "cradle" OF
The primitive miner We stopped the
horses sud tried to talk with the poor fell
low but without much success. He
showed Us few shining specks Of gold as
the result Of his days toll. and with the
generosity which his race 50 often display, |
offered TO give them to our children.
Don't stay here, John, said the little mis-
sionsry OF our company, too hard work,
too vet, too cold. you grow heap sick. I"
He nodded his old gray head. "Ms 60
Monday" be said. thus ends the great
Mariposa mining scheme. Here and there
: ruinous old quartz mill was seen by the
roadside but blight seems 10 have fallen
upon the whole scsne
Our journey through the Eierras was
picturesque and beautiful. The road
wound through great forests Of oak, pine
aud cedar. with wonderful views opening
continually. The snow crowned peaks OF
the high Sierras lowered before us and
long yistas Of valley and hill stretched
behind us. The most delightful little
brooks continually crossed our road and ran
beside us. clear - crystal and cold Is ice.
Inc cool green canons were fpIi OF sing
ing birds and wild flowers Of rsre beauty
and fragrance grew everywhere. Often the
road wound up steep and apparently
endless hill. and then the descent would
seem nearly ~ long. yet 70 we're really
creeping higher and higher and nightly
W ''pitched oar moving tent little
nearer the sky. The weather was beAuti-
fully clear and warm. onr supplies Of food
md rAimsnt ample for our needs. aud it
really seemed an ideal life Often We
travelled the whole long day without meet
ing single vehicls and scarcely solitary
horsemsu. 1t vas slmost an uninhsbited
county.
At length one pleasant afternoon We
dropped down into the exquisitely beanti.
gul little valley called "i3iC Tree Station. >