The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1888-08-24

euuuIiuS lOCk SLanQ proudly silent, UNI
rivaled and Interchangeable. For count
less ages the lightning has played over
them: the rain has beaten upon them.
and the wind has striven with them, to
no purpose save to enhance their grand
eur IN the few places where these agen-
cles make any impression.
at daylight the next morning, we
fastened to
MIRROR LAKE.
A delightful walk of less than an hour
brought US to this attracti sheet of
water. In the centre OF a romantic
glen, inclosed by perpendicular cliffs of
granite, and bordered by huge rocks
and tall pines, it nestles, and sleeps, and
dreams. A mountain lake is always
beautiful; but Mirror Lake is a mosaic,
the gem of the valley. Its quiet waters
have purity and loveliness that are de-
cidedly feminine; motionless as pho
tograph, its stiffness is that of repose,
not death. Beneath its surface is seen
a classic, wonderful picture-the mir
rored reflection of the mountains from
foot to summit, with a marvellous per-
spectlve of glens and arbors, receding
All photographs of this mirror SC II ery
are ludicrous cartoons and convey nIy
parody of the sight. The cliffs are
softened, the colors harmonizsd and
rich tone impaired to the whole picture
as seen in the lake; and when the sun
rose through the clear dry atmosI here
with white, dazzling brightness, and
was reflected in the water like the bril-
liant, steady arc OF powerful electric
light: murmur of amaZement escaped
the lips of those who had long since
exhausted their vocabulary in express
sions OF delight at former sights. But
now the picture fades and rippIes broke
the mirror. and we left hurriedly rather
than behold our idol shattered Dy sun
shine and wind. .-
On foot we asce ded the long we'll
made dug-way that leads to the
vERNAL FALLS,
which have also an Indian name signi-
flying sparkling waters.'' They are
400 feet high and lin the writer's judg-
ment) about thirty feet wide. From a
distance the wafer descends with a
slow, graceful movement, which be-
comes more rapid as you approach, till
it is terrific rush when you stand
near.
Without needing the clouds of spray ,
two of US descended the steep bank
covered with ferns and tall grasses, and
finally reached rock almost under the
falling water, where, drenched by the
falling foam, we enjoyed the rare phe-
nomenon of being completely sur
rounded by two rainbows. Continuing
the ascent Of granite powders, rock
stair cases ana wooden ladders for
mile and a half more, we reached the
Nevada Falls-a succession of fails,
cascades and rapids, in delightful COM
blnation, and N one continuous, almost
vertical descent of 600 feet. Like the
Verpal Fall, the Nevada has the whole
volume of the MERGED River to exhibit
in color, cloud aud liquid, and does so
with ample magni6cence. It is SO easy
20 stand on the rough granite rock, that
we all reached the foot of these falls
without difficulty. II was fine sight
to look upward, aud we were easily per-
suRded that this is one of the worlds
grandest cataracts. We noticed that
the water seems to turn and fall in
second direction, bat could scarcely ex-
plain why it does SO, unless it is a hid
den ledge that catches and dlverts it
from its first course.
Returning. We took more notice of
tie river itself, the MERGED, tributary
Ct the San Joaquin. 1t is
A PLAYFUL, SPARKLING STREAM,
RAINING through a maze of trees and
foliage with large powders and messy
banks. The water is cold, clear and
crystalline; our own City Creek family
resembles it in places. But the MERGED
glides, jumps, foams and spins near the
head of the valley, and meanders in
graceful drives lover down, where COM
pletely hidden by the large trees and
bushes, il forms a hundred retreats
more enchanting than the failed homes
of the water nymphs. It added not e
little to the pleasure of our two days liz
Yosemite, that all the members of the
party were lovers of nature. No one
complained of the long walks, and the
ladies frequently led in scaling the
rocks. When anyone discovered some
new phase of beauty, bis triumph
would be enthusiastically enjoyed by
the others.
Perhaps the most interesting of all
the wonders is the
YOSEMITE FALL,
the formation of which is 50 unique
that it has no known counterpart. 1t
is in three sections, the combined
height being 1900 feet-the highest
waterfall in the world. At first the
water falls 1,500 feet in a long, beauti-
full column, that vibrates with the wind
but is not wholly broken into spray.
Then come dashing cataracts for a dis
lance of 600 feet, and a final vertical
plunge of 400 feet. These breaks make
the falls more attractive than if thew