Year: 1867

fant. Crossing the south branch, tributary of
the Middle Fork of Feather River, and climbing
the steep hill under the invigorating influence of
the morning breeze, took down into the narrow
profound cannon Of Fall River, another tributar y
of Middle Fork, running parallel with South Branch.


Starting with quickened steps down the hill, |
soon reached the river, and after casting explo-
ring look up and down the rapid torrent | came to
the conclusion that the "hell of waters could not
be far off, and involuntarily cast lingering look
back on the snow-white curtains of Paradise, which
had just left up the mountain side. \ little
further and the falls are before me. I will not
attempt description; the theme is too grand, and
not having capacity to do justice to the panorama
before me. Will leave this rocky subject, far as
minute description is concerned, to some more
experienced pen than mine. With your leave,
however, will impose on your many intelligent
readers the burden of few words of introduction
to the falls of Fall River hoping that of them
may. at some future period, enjoy the privilege of
standing face to face with this cataract and read
sermon in these rocks. Looking around for place
from whence to get favorable first view-an inspi
ration pont-a rock on the very brink of the falls
selected and look for the first time into the
dark ehasm below. No exclamation OF surprise
and wonder escaped my lips, but standing awed in
the presence of Natures handy work, my first sen.
saton closely allied to that of terror, as be-
held the water dancing and dashng the per
pendcular primitive ledge. where God notches
his centuries in the eternal rocks, down, down for
hundred feet into the dark gloomy abyss
below.


Standing in solitude, contemplating the majestic
grandeur of the falls, gazing down from the gddy
height until the view bewldered my brain, compel
ing me to turn away from the fascinating scene. |
could not forbear to exclaim with the poet:


There's grandeur in the lightning stroke,


That rives the mountain ash


There's grandeur III the giant oak


And rainbow beauty in the smoke,


Where chrystal waters dash.


To realize fully the sublimity of the falls one
should be present during food, after hard rain
storm. during the melting of the snow in the
mountains, when the body Of water is at least
thousand times greater. Then the tremendous
force Of the torrent is manifested in the seemingly
trembling of the pi Haired rocks beneath your feet,
rs the vast body of water, with lightning swiftness
in its majesty and might, dashes the ledge, rS
ing again into pyramids and spiral columns, as il
strikes the rock bocnd bottom of the abyss below,
forming kissing, boiling cauldron of spray and
foam. Methinks | can see picture of the scene
during food. As you stand gazing or each sue
ceeding bow dancing the falls, strange feel
ing takes possession OF your mind. You feel excl
ted and elevated regenerted, lifted up and borne
onwards-,ouched by breath of the Almghtys
presence-forgetting for the moment that you are
mortal and that your habitation of clay clings with
unconscious tenacity to the friendly rock, keeping
your spirit. which longs TO be free-to sport with
i. l,,- .h, ,oJ hi
its prison walls.


Standing at the falls and locking up stream, the
xigzag course Of the river be traced for about
three miles, after which i, seems to come issuing
out Of a solid mountain, as the hills on either side
close in and shut out from view the rivers course
in the mpenetrable distance.


Looking down stream the hills fall suddenly off
towards Middle Fork The hill on the left rises for
short distance above the level of the falls and the
precpitous side next to fall River is cut out into
frowning battlementS, which masked by huge
oaks and cedars, with here and there dwartsh
looking pine while the right hand bank slopes of
little yet so steep that il would be difficult task
for an expert crsgsman to scale its rugged sides.


From the hills diagoualy across the narrow can
on Of Middle Fork is wall of unbroken seamless
granite. formed something like gbbosity, more
than two thousand feet high, and known by the
name of Bald Rock. As isaw him in the afternoon
sun. with Plu,onian shadow on his breast. sIni-
ling face and crown Of faded foliage on his head,
he looked like Ttsnic giant, speaking of by
gone age of storms aud foods. of earthquakes and
commissions of the day when light dawned over
.be water when the sun for the first time gilded
his brow. and saluted him with ray of Gods own
~ x,r,,ir rsf. .A,I Iva ,pl n
lind path by which to descend into the chasm be
low. before going down almost to Middle Fork,
when began to ascend up along the water course
Of Fall River for the purpose OF viewing the gio-
sies of the falls from below.


Cliaahing over PERCEPTIONS ledSes, stumbling over
rocks and wadiug through deep water, at length
reached the very gates of ErebuS ahssatla hundred
Yards from the falls when hove 10. very mach
exhausted and began estimating damages and pos
sibe bonefts Slowly the conviction forced itself
on ms mind that wading through deep water and
stumbling over rocks was more like work than
cleasare and that sight seeing after ALL like every
human endowment. has its drawbacks. The plain
truth IS found myself both hungry and tired, and
state the fact with becoming resignation TIE
black wall of the falls, indeed, rose in all itS su-
blme grandeur before me, with the water Ike a
silver ribbon coursinC down its centre but ths &c
scription is tame at best personal inspection only
will give correct impression and l advise every
visitor to the falls 10 take trip into the narrow
profound canon below. If some modern Titan
would wish to immortalize his name by a daring
leap better place for that purpose than The ials
of Fall River can hardly be found or, ii lover 5
leaps were now the fashion, they were IN oy-
gone ages, here would they ind place to coo
their passions. One short step over the orink anG
their grief would be drowned in the waters OF oohv
ion-the worlds Lethe-aud forgotten until tneS'
mountains shall rock 10 their foundation, when IN
proclamation rings through space. that they au'
time are no more. Passing back | stood IN a iitfi
meadow an oasis between sterile hills, not yet deS
ecrated by any modern ultraism. fitting place Q
residence for some hermit, whe wants to live With
his own thoughts. among lovely and beaGtiir
uouulain scenes.


As the sun began TO sink beneath the ~esier