The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-09-15

wells that form the wonder, the charm
and the fascination of Yosemite
The entrance TO the valley is from
the lower end, where the overaving
massiveness of El Captain in the north
wall Is balanced by the soft beauty OF
Bridal Veil fall on the south wall The
progress up the valley Is a constant
succession Of majestic views, melting
one into the other, constantly changing
as new points Of view are reached. But
everywhere the dominant note is that
Of height and depth The walls rise |
In vertical imprecsiveness ain they
seem to tower above the world. The
waterfalls drop In sheer descent till
they seem TO measure the very depths. |
1t is height and depth, measured by
the measuring rod Of giant cliff and
sounded by the plummet Of falling wa
ters
who can describe El Captain? AL
solid rock without fault or fissure ris-
ing $500 feet not sheer merely, but
overhanging. commanding the valley
from almost every part of &C. but above
all from the entrance, selling the mind
and the imagination. impressing itself
on the eye and the memory, the dOmin-
ant feature I'm every picture of the val
ley that memory calls up. No wonder
the Indians called it the Great chief
Of the Valley" And at the other end
Of the valle:' the great Half Dome
rising higher still though less com
handing which the Indians called the
Goddess of the Valley" Between
these on both the north and south walls
are eaks and crags and domes, some
sternly rigid, others graceful and SEEM
ingly yielding TO the harmony Of the
picture others passive i'm their subor-
dination TO their more commanding
brethren, ut all filling in TO complete
ness and beauty one Of the most inn
pressive pictures nature has given TO
man. on the north wall, looking up
the valley beyond FL Captain are the
Three Brothers, Eagle Peak, Yosemite
Point, the Royal Arches and the North
Dome on the south wall, looking past
Bridal Veil Falls are Cathedral Rocks,
Cathedral Spires, Sentinel Rock Sen
tinel Dome. Glacier Point and Liberty
Cap. These mark height as the eye
follows the upward span Of the rising
walls, Up, up, ever surprising the nina
with their altitude. In the same way
the waterfalls mark depth as they leap
from the heights that outline against
the sky the contour Of the valley, and
fall and fall in a lowering descent that
seems 10 iengthen out lnterminably so
great Is the distance. The falls are as
individual in their characteristics as
the domes and peaks, less obtrusNe
than the latter they soften and beau
tify the sublimity that would otherwise
be unhaarable.
There Is another view OF Yosemite, or
rather another series OF Views that are
necessary to complete the conception
Of this marvellous work OF nature. That
ia the series Of Views from the accessi-
bic points that surmOunt the walls OF
the valley. Some Of these are from
Eagle Peak, Yosemite Point, the top OF
yosemite Falls whence the waters rush
down 26OO feet Glacier Point ana sen
tinel Dome. As from the floor OF the
valley the dominating sensation Is thht
OF height seemingly with length ana
breadth eliminated, 50 from these
heights the dominating sensation u
that of depth, as one looks down INTO
the valley. but with the added sensation
NJ length and breadth in all their eN-
mansion. as the peaks, lakes glaclerh
and streams of the High Sierras spread
In panoramic beauty before you. Trips
TO some or all these points are par'
Of a visit to Yoseite. They are mace
in safety and comfort by saddle over
trails built and maintained by the Hose'
mite commissioners. The trip TO Ola
cier Point Is considered the one tha'
ought not to be omitted. one tral
TO this point leads past Vernal and Ne
vada falls, and gives, as there IS NJ
other means Of giving, not compre
henslon OF. but an insight into the mys
terv of the creation Of this ABYSS o.
wonders. AT the end Of this trail, TOO
which is not true Of any other, ther'
Is a hospitable hotel where the tree
may rest, and which invites to remain
AZ what is PROBABLY the finest scenic
point above the valley Glacier POINT
From here It is 1850 feet to the floor o
the valley. The whole valley IRON
half Dome and Nevada Falls wher.
Yosemite begins to FL Captain whicl
commands the entrance, lies spread GU
before you. while the upper courses 0
Tenaya Creek to where 1t surrender
its turbulence In Mirror Lakes, ana o
= MERGED River almost from It's source u
where Il marks the beginning OF IN
wonderous gorge in the Nevada Fan
present themselves as in picture
From here the q cent TO Sentinel Dom
whence the sierras open their YER
heart to view, Is easy II the INVITA-
e ton OF that wholesale and hospitabl
Glacier Point Hotel is accepted, yoI
. will have opportunity to see the gor
Reous colors IN which the setting SUI
paints the valley and tie mountain
> that surround It; TO see the shadow
chase eacr other across the valley Tx
gnomes or COLLINS at play land aDoV
D ali. Il the moon is in the right quarter
= OF seeing the valley ba.aed in the moon
! light, of seeing Yosemite Falls in tn
: peculiar beauty that the moonllgh
!, gives It,
OF an altogether different kind Of in
y terest and yet pleasing part Of a tri
TO Yosemite, Is the life in the valley.
is unique community that lives here
: one that Is drawn very largely by shee
y love OF the grandeur and beauty tina
y A. No nna IL allowed 10 angag