Bryan daily eagle and pilot. [volume] (Bryan, Tex.) 1909-1918, 1910-04-20

the Yosemite Valley. but none
is complete. nor will pen ever
express In adequate manner
the beauties. the charms. the
grandeur OF so marvellous a place. Of
which one might well say that It is q
terrestrial paradise.
The Yosemite Valley is situated in
the heart Of the Sierra Nevadas. al
most In the middle of the state OF
California. and between the eastern
and western foothills Of the noun
tains. the distance between them be
ing a little more than 100 kilometers
The word Yosemite IL an English
corruption of the Indian expression
"Ajomitai" Chg Gray Bear. which
It 10. supposed was the nickname OF
IN Indian chief. and Is the name ap
piled to tribe that lived In the re
gion stretching eastward from the
valley to the plains. However. the
word was not the name which the
Indians gave the valley. for they called
It "Awahni." which is equivalent tc
the Spanish word canon"
Formerly the valley was inaccessi
BILE for almost half the year. because
the SHOWS In that region fall with sc
much abundance that they completely
obstruct passage over the highway.
At present a railway line goes to
FL Portal. which Is distant only some
twenty kilometers from the valley
this distance being covered by stage
coach over magnificent highway con
strdcted by the federal government
under whose control Is the valley
Thus then have been eliminated the
obstacles which formerly made the
trip SO disagreeable. and that beauti
ful point can be visited at any period
Of the year. The railroad goes from
MERGED to FL Portal. the distance be
tween the two points being IL kilo
meters. more or less. II traverses
the picturesque valley Of the MERGED
river. and crosses II at various points
On reaching the foothills Of the noun
tains the railway follows the course
Of the river. which at times is at a
very great depth below the road and
at others almost on a level with It
The line from FL Portal to the Yose'
mite 10 Travelled. as has already been
said, BY means Of a stage coach, and
Is very comfortable as well as pic
turesQus.
On the way to the valley. still al
some distance. there are presented to
the sight OF the spectators huge rocks
and mountains of the most capricious
forms; one Is like an elephant, farther
on another has the aspect Of a camel;
still another has the form Of castle
and from all these stand out sharply
those called Ell CAPTAIN" THE Sen
tinel." "The Cathedral Spires" and
THE Three Brothers"
As the road ascends the grandeur
and beauty OF the landscape are en-
HANGED; look whatever way one will
he sees foaming rivulets falling from
high rocks; old and mysterious pine.
sigh to the measure of the music o.
the waters: here and there are seer
mountains. gigantic rocks and preci
pices, the contemplation Of which in
spires admiration mingled with awe.
While the mountains constitute tn,
element Of grandeur In the landscape
the streams Of water give It the touci
OF beauty; nothing more picturesqu,
can be conceived than the torrent, tn,
pools, the falls of the MERGED. II
some places II flows sweetly below
leafy trees, in others It rests In placit
pools, that It may precipitate itsel
afterward with vertiginous rapidly
in cascades like nantes OF foam ant
drift OF diamonds. At many points
enormous rocks obstruct the cours,
of the river. fragments Of the tai
rocks that lie on either side Of It
surrounding them or leaping ovel
them, the water follows its indefatig
sble way.
There are no two sights alike; ant
the journey is for the eyes of thu
traveller succession of delight afte
delight, such Is the variety of tn,
landscape.
Finally a presentiment tells thu
traveller that he is near the valley.
little later there presents itself to hi
eye "The Bridal Veil" one Of thu
finest waterfalls Of the valley; farthe
on, at the right. stands out the rocl
Eel Captain" which majestically as
cends to the height Of 1000 meters
and on the left rise elegantly to al
elevation OF 500 meters "The Cattle
dral Spires" these two rocks forminI
what might appropriately be Gale,
the southern door Of the valley. Ono
in Il are discovered the countless mar
wells which It shuts In. such as Wash
ington's Column" rock on the lef
of 700 meters altitude. which shoot
its twilight shadow across the Hal
Dome. whose height is $500 fee
above the level OF the MERGED. "Th'
Sentinel" Is perhaps the greatest ant