, 1885-04-04

stupcndous clins and Water
fan-surpazsing the Yosemite
lcor. San Francisco Chronicle
The grandeur Of the approach to this won
derful valley it Is impossible to describe.
The formation Of the rock and its fracture
and cleavage are precisely similar to Yo-
semitic. but It is much richer in color, nature
having been more lavish with her mineral
stains upon these walls. There Is evidence
also that a far greater number OF small
water-courses pour their tributs oyer the
walls into the Tuolumne than over the
MEced walls. Gradually, as we crept along
our narrow trail, the rock began 10 assume
a more broken character, and NO could not
help thinking that the formation had an
older look. Certainly nature must have
worked upon more gigantic scale in the
production Of this region than over towards
the watershed of the MERGED, for the whole
country had "a oonvulsod and ragged aspect,
Wilderness OF rock succeeding each other.
Among the number OF trips undertaken in
tho Sierra, we alideclared that none could
approach this for wildness Of character; in
fact, for grandeur OF impression, Hetch.
Hetchy's approach Is far In advance OF Yo-
semitic. After descending some two hours
more we became aware from previous de-
scriptions that the famed valley was shortly
10 come in sight Passing around a morass
that has been the tomb Of many adventur-
Gus cattle in their endeavor TO reach the rich
CRUISES that appear above fts surface so
treacherously green. we came to a wall of
rounded granite some ten feet high, up
which n rude corduroy way was made, about
four feet wide. Coaxing our inexperienced
and unwilling horses over this frail bridge
we stood upon Surprise point and 1000 feet
below lay tho lower valley OF Hetch-Hetchy.
Enunpar tunt. $40 trnnnsafh1a In nofut ~ Ina
preston. The fint impression made by Yo-
semitic is one OF wonderful sublimity; Hstch-
Hetchy's OF supreme beauty. Occupying
the same place relatively In this valley was
an FL Captain, over which swung like a
pendulum the gauzy folds OF the beautiful
Tu-ee-u-la-la fall, swinging its graceful rib
bon over 4 wall Of l 200 feet sheer to strike
upon the debris slope in a shatter OF foam
and smoke and find its way to the bottom,
another ! 900 feet down, as best it could.
Owing 10 the lateness OF the season It was n
wonder there was any water at all, but some
providential showers had filled up Its bed
and a very respectable showing II made In
point Of size.
Close to the upper right-hand corner OF
this FL Captain was a vivid space OF bril-
liantly pale orange rcd. Tn remainder Of
the rock IS OF the prevailing yellow, or buff
white, OF the granite region The similarity
Of form and place OF this rock mass 10 FL
Captain Of Yosemite is remarkable and in
most OF It's extent this wall seemed ALSO
lutely vertical It Is estimated at from
100 to 2,2O0 feet IN height Two succeed
ing points continue the valley around APP
parently TO whit is known as the BELL Tower.
a sugar loaf shaped mountain, which stands
at the rlght-hand side Of this valley, in the
place occupied In Yosemite by the Cathe-
iral rocks and Bridal Ven fall. This grand
mass OF rock Is estimated at 200 feet above
tho river. From this point the valley is
completely shut in and is the most beautiful
spot OF groen meadow, fenced or walled with
rock, that one can conceive.