Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1895-08-08
ATRlP TO YOSEMITE VALLEY.
Graphic Picture Of Grand Scenery
Drawn by a Ylnita Boy.

"Ho for Yosemitel" and four of
us college boys echoed the refrain
while raklng up blankets, old
camping clothes, guns, snake
medicine and other necessary
things for a four weeks camping
trip in the Sierra Nevada noun
tains. On the first of June. a few
days after Stanford University
closed, our quartette started from
San Francisco, going as far as
Stockton up the San Joaquin river
on the boat and from there about
thirty miles further on the train to
the foot of the mountains. At the
terminus of the railroad we secur-
ed two burros, or pack mules, on
which to carry our provi sions,
blankets, etc., while We walked to
ne valley from this place and we
sfamped the distance in a week,
taking our time, hunting wherever
we could find game, and fishing
when we reached some cold noun
tain stream where the fly is not
often cast, resting when we were
tired, and enjoying every change
in landscape, mountains, and riv-
ers. We entered the valley one
bright morning aud reached the
camping grounds at noon. Our
tent was pitched just on the bank
of the Merced river that flows
through the valley and under some
sheltering pine trees. The first
afternoon we had delightful rest,
and the next morning we started
out to see the valley, OF part of it.
There is so much to see and say
about the valley that one could
not do it in a week and so l will
not try to do more than give few
Impressions of what | saw.
| had heard of the valley being
Surrounded by great granite walls,
but | was not prepared to appre-
ciate the immensity of these walls,
rising as they do from 1000 to 5000
feet above the valley floor, until
climbed to the summit of one OF
the highest peaks. Looking from
this point down to the valley be-
low it looked like a fairy garden,
or the playground of child, with
its smooth grass-covered floor, its
rank MOSES, ferns and flowers, its
wreath of pine, cypress and live
oak trees, with hotels, cottages,
and Indian huts scattered pictur
esquely about; and flowing obed.
iently down the middle of the val.
ley, the clearest, coldest and most
beautiful river out OF story books
In reality, however, this miniature
valley is about seven miles long
and from one to two miles wide
while the Merced river receives the
water from some half dozen large
falls, and was, while we were there
full to the banks.
| Everybody in the valley has 9
i desire to climb and, of course, oul
| first trip was up one of the hardest
trails to the top of Clouds Rest
passing on our way, Vernal anC
| Nevada falls. 1t was a hard clint
but the view from the top wa:
grand enough to repay US for th,
exertion. Clouds Rest rises 10,
1000 feet above sea level and 600(
feet above the valley. Looking tc
the east we could see the summit
of the Sierras, snow-capped anc
towering still higher, while between
and below US and the summit
| stretched q vast field of snow
broken in places by small valleys
and canons. To the west coulC
be seen range after range Of lowe
mountains, and far away the broaC
San Joaquin valley stretched tC
the Coast Range, whose outlines
were barely discernible in the dis
tance; over all a sort OF blue haz,
hung, which softened the SHARP
outlines of the mountains, ant
showed dark in the valleys.
We next visited Yosemite falli
where the water plunges down il
successive leaps, 2500 feet. Tn
first leap is one of 1900 feet, anC
there are two more of 500 each
One can not appreciate the heigh
OF these falls; he simply looks an,
wonders. You stand at the foot o
the falls and watch the great clout
of spray rising with rainbows, arch
: ing themselves wherever the SUI
shines on it iavorably; they appea
! and disappear, one is formed be
fore your face and the spray
) blown to one side and it is gone
t Then you look at the falling water
: watch it as it comes over the brink
slowly at first, but increasing i
r speed as it descends, until finall
: it plunges with terrific speed int
the seething moss below. Rocket
: like formations of water shoot ia
out from the top, plunge down
ward and burst into millions
: glittering, sparkling water droT
t that are instantly lost in the gre;
:; mass OF descending water. An
the roar! it is loud as the thundC
= of Jove and as unceasing as th
d waters themselves. One listene
10 it and is fascinated; it is speal
# ing of an awful power, it is tellir
: a story. On the door of deser
ed hotel near the foot OF Nevat
fails | saw few lines of very ba
: poetry, but very expressly
il thought. They are as | remen
ber these:
y Nevada. Vernsl, and Bridal Veil
a Are roaring a story "a wonderful tale,
natures greatness
And human vagneness."
- One feels these things but do
not care to try to express then
The roar of the falls is in yor
aars for weeks