San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-09-02
From californla...Yosemlte Valley.

ED. FREE PREss;- To visit Cali
fornia ind not see tho Yosemite Val
lev, would be like witnessing the play
of Hamlet with the character of Ham
let omitted,
The namo is Indian, and means
Big Grizzly Boar, The valley runs
North and South, and ia situated
about tho middle Of the State, not
far FROM the Nevada line, aud some
eighty miles from tho railroad.
Having lived for ton years on the
Austin and San Antonio stage line,
we imagined we know all about stage
life, but must confess we never en-
countorcd fast, reckless driving until
our experience on this journey.
With twenty passengers aboard
II Concord stage, pulled by six horses,
away wo went over tho hills and
down the gorgcs at break-neck
speed.
The precision and accuracy with
which these drivers swing six horses
round sharp curves is simply wonder
full. One driver told us that "stage
driving was m srt and the ambitious
driver delighted to run his steeds
round the narrow passes in order to
show the passengers what a skillful
hand he was with tho ribbons.
Furthermore, no frst-class driver
would cvor disgrace his profession
by handling less than six horses"
At first VIC inclined to the belief
that such characters only existed rs
the heroes of dime novels, but are
now willing to accord them all the
glory that even such an imaginative
writer as Brot Harte has given them.
He has not overdrewn his famous
"Yuba Bill" in his deineatiuns of
the characters, especially the stage
drivers, who infested the mining
camps of this mountainous country.
The greater part OF the journey is
in one of the old mining
belts. In 1850 this whole country
teemed with people; the gold fever
was at its height, and towns that
claimed thousands of people are now
deserted. big Oak Flat" WAS city
of ten thousand inhabitants in 1851,
and to-day the place does not contain
twenty souls. Huge rock stores,
larger than any in San Marcos, with
iron doors and windows, now serve
rs shelter for cattle, and We suppose
could be bought for five dollars-nay,
we dare say their owners arc I'M
known. P0ndcrous mining machin-
cry that must have cost tens OF thou
sands of dollars, lies crumbied by tho
wayside, All these serve to recall
the times when fortunes wore made.
and lost in day. Yes, money is the
root of all evil, but what nob!o
struggle most of the human race
make to obtain q goodly share OF it /!
There were two kinds OF mines in
ibis country: The quartz mine,
yhoro the ore is crushed and smelted |
oy machinery; and placer (surface) |
Mining, where the soil from one to
,wenty feet is washed and by means
If quicksilver the PARTICLES Of gold
link to tho bottom.
The beds of the creeks for miles
looked as if they had been washed
lalf q dozen times, as the ground
IT'LL lay in mounds and ridges as if it
ycro the home OF u colony Of beav-
,rs.
Half the journey passed and we
'ome to the Calaveras grove of big
rees, the largest in the world. The
Dead Giant" is thirty-two feet in
liameter, with a passage way cut
arge enough to admit the stage to
20 through. Further on and We
lrive through the fallen body Of the
Giant of the Forest" for forty feet.
such pity this tree is dead, for it
3 believed to be the highest tree in
he world.
No ono can be found who has ever
cen the tree standing, but scientists
lave estimated its height at 450 feet.
from the part that is LETT.
Tradition tolls US that this tree was
by tribe of Indians,
whose enemies destroyed il in order
o destroy their good luck. There
IRE several groves of these mammoth
rees in this vicinity, but these are
lie largest ones.
On the afternoon of the second
lay tho stage begins u descent OF
5000 feet to the bottom of the valley,
where the hotels are situated. The
Bridal Veil Falls of 900 feet are
passed just as the setting sun pro-
luces rainbow on them. We are
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