The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-08-06

mite has spread far and wide while
until recently Hetch Hetchy remained
comparatively unknown. 1t is a grand
valley like the Yosemite in the north
west part of the Yosemite park, dis
covered in 1850, the year before the
discovery of Yosemite, when the Dig
ger Indians held possession Of it as a
sort of wheat field and acorn orchard.
After my first visit in the autumn of
1871, | nave always called it the Tuo-
lumne Yosemite, for it is a wonderfully
exact counterpart of the great MERGED
Yosemite not only in its beautiful |
er and sublime rocks and waterfalls,
but in the gardens, groves and
meadows Of it's f1owery, park-like floor.
The floor of the Yosemite is about A.
600 feet above the sea. the Hetch
Hetchy floor about $500; the walls of
both are of gray granite, rise abruptly
out of h howery grass and groves,
are sculptured in the same style and
IN both every rock is a glacial monu-
ment.
Standing bodily out from the south
wall is a s~trikingly picturesque rock
called Diana by the Indians, the outer
most Of a, group $500 feet high, cor
responding with the Cathedral rocks
OF Yosemite. both in relative position
and form. On the opposite side of the
valley, facing Kolana, there is a. coun-
terpart of the Ell Captain Of Yosemite
rising to a height Of 1900 feet, and
over it's massive brow flows a stream
which makes the most graceful fall I
nave ever seen. Its Indian name is
Tueeuiala. From the edge of the cliff
1T is perfectly free in the air for a
thousand feet, then breaks up into a
argged sheet of cascades among the
boulders Of an earthquake talus. 1t
Is in all its glory June, when the
snow is melting fast. but fades and
vanishes toward the end of summer.
The only fall l know Of with which it
may fairly be compared is the Yose-
mite bridal veil; but it excels even
that favorite fall, both in height and
graceful beauty and behavior. Low
landers are apt to suppose that noun
tain streams in their wild career over
cliffs lose control of themselves and
tumble in a noisy chaos of mist and
spray. On the contrary, on no part
of their travels are they more har-
monlous and self-control1ed. Imagine
yourself in Hetch Hetchy on a sunny
day in June standing waist-deep in
grass and flowers, while the great pines
sway dreamily with scarce ~perceptible
motion. Looking northward across the
valley, o. see a plain granite cliff
rising abruptly OF of the gardens and
groves to a height of 1900 feet, and
in front Of 1t T~ueeu1ala burning with
irised sun fire in every fibre. In the
first white outburst of the stream at
the head of the fall there is album
dance of visible energy, but it is speed
lily hushed n concealed in divine re-
pose; and it's tranquil progress to the
base of the cliff is like that Of downy
feathers. Now observe the oneness
and marvellous distinctness of the vari-
n,, -,.- ,.--s u.s. L. ~A-E 49, - III -
the water is woven: they sift and float
from form to form down the face of
that grand gray rock in S o leisurely
and unconfused a manner that o
car examine their texture, and pat
terms, and tones of color as you would
a piece of embroidery. Near the head
the fall you see groups of booming
comet like masses, their solid white
heads separate, their tails like combed
silk interlacing among delicate shad-
ows, W. forming and dissolving, worn
by friction in theig rush through
the air, Most Of these vanish a few
hundred feet below the summit, chang
ing to the varied forms of cloud like
drapery. Near the bottom the width
of the fall has increased from aboutI
twenty-five to a hundred feet. Here 1t
is composed of yet finer tissues, and
Is still without. a trace of disorder
CAkL ~ w GLNS1f r.. GLAAL - a WV VA -E ~ 1
that spirits might wear.
Others Falls and Rock Masses.
So fine a fall might well seem sufd- |
to glorify any valley; but here,
as in Yosemite, nature seems in nowise |
moderate. A short distance to the east
ward of Tueeulala booms and thunders
Wapama, the great Hetch Hetchy fall, |
SO near that you have both of them in
view from the same standpoint 1t is
the counterpart of the Yosemite fall,
but has a much greater volume of
is about 100 feet in height, and
appears to be nearly vertical, though
inclined, and is dashed
into huge outbounding bosses of foam
on projecting shelves and knobs. No
two falls could be more unlike
Tueeulala put in the open sunshine.
descending like thistledown; Wapama
In a Jagged shadowy gorge, roaring
and LAUNDERING, pounding its way with
weight and energy of an avalanche,
Besides this glorious pair there is a
broad, massive fall on the main river,
q short distance above the head of the
Its position is something like
of the Vernal in the Yosemite,
and Its roar as 1t plunges into a surg
Ing trout pool may be heard a long
way, though 1t is only about twenty
feet high. There is also a chain of
magnificent cascades at the head Of
the valley, on a stream that comes in
from the northeast, mostly silvery
plumes like the one between the ver-
nal and Nevada falls OF Yosemite,
ha~lf-sliding, half-leaping on bare gla-
cier- polished granite, covered with
crisp clashing spray in which the sun
beams pour with glorious effect. And
al these a few small streams
over the walls here and there.
from ledge to ledge with bird
ike song and watering many a hidden