Year: 1871

Letter from the Yosemite Valley.


YOSEMITE VALLEY, July 3, 1871.


write beneath the shadows of the Sen:i-
nle Rock, with the sound of the Yosemite
Fall in my ears, and with the shining glory
OF the sunlit crags around it bealning almost
TOO forclbly upon my eyes as they lift them.
selves to look across the verdant valley


Here in the heart of this wonderful place the
desire becomes irresistible to share in some
measure with those one leaves behind, the
thoughts such scenes awaken in the mind.
and the pictures which they paint upon the
memory. For each one who looks upon them
there is something (which often written de-
scrIptions have omitted, or of which the i'm
preston is different; and although it is i'm
possible even on the spot to fully comprehend


the srandeur,the beauty and the peculiarity of


this theatre OF Natures mightiest perform.


ance, yet there is much to be said which NAV
convey, even to those who cannot look upon


it, some idea of the manner in which moun.
tain and valley, waterfall and river, lofty peak
and deep ravine, are combined to produce the


whole effect. We entered the valley by way
Of Tamarack Flat, to which the wagon road
has been completed; in fact, the ladies of our
party were the pioneer travellers upon it, and
by especial grace were driven over it and two
miles beyond the Flat to Cascade Creek, thus
essentially shortening the somewhat difficult
ride on horseback. Of the exceeding beauty
of the stage ride from Calaveras Big Trees to
the Valley, we must say nothing, as all our
space and all our words are wanted for the


Yosemite ITSELF So we will descend at once
from the carriage at Cascade Creek. and


mounting our horses join. the gentlemen of
our party, who have ridden from Cranes Flat
seven miles behind. We form respectable
cavalcade, preceded by pack mule with our
luggage, and under the gui1ance of Manuel, a
bright-eyed Mexican lad Of sixteen, who has
already achieved reputation as one of the
best guides in the valley. Our mule is a sa-
gaciousI brute, and has an air at times of
jaunty indifference, both to his load which
bulges out from his lank sides, and the intri.
cate roughnesses of the trail; at others, he
pauses and seems to look back anxiously to
count his followers, Manuel comes next, a
young Centaur with high-heeled boots and
large Mexican spurs, with felt hat 10 which
he gives the grace of sombrero, and with an
utter disregard of ascents or descents as Incl
dents in his career. The costumes of the par
ty have become picturesque through mere
force OF circumstances, one garment left of,
another twisted into some fresh form of adap-
tation. The descent of the mountain is Just


what it ought to be; as rapid, as rocky, as
dangerous, as it is rich in sudden changes of
dense forest, of open glade, of sharp, outlook
ing precipice. Pausing as often as our impa-
tience to feel ourselves fairly in the valley will
allow, We wonder over and admire the
glimpses OF its approaching splendors which


the turns iii the path permit. At last, as the


noon-tide sun grows fierce we reach the level
meadows, and welcome the fresh air from the


Merced river, and the shade of the scattered
oak trees that benevolently screen us from
the sun. Here the great valley is in our full
possession, and every step we take brings us
to some new view of its massive walls. El
CAPTAIN rises on one side with its $500 feet of
uncompromising perpendicular; bastion fit


to stand betwixt heaven and hell; its base
planted amid the deep foundations Fine earth,
its crown plateau for the encampment of a
heavenly host. Opposite we catch sight of
the silvery tissue of the Bridal Veil Fall
swaying in the light breeze, shimmering in
the sunbeams One would like to see the
spirit BRIDE tnar Should wear rnls ven, Ior II


is $40 feet long, and its wearer would have to
bow her head to enter under the portal OF
even those mighty Cathedral Spires" which
now greet our sight. When the bride comes
she shall be led forth by GEL Captain" him
self, and the Cathedral Rocks" shall open


their grand gateway, "The Sentinel" shall
ground his arms as the pageant. passes
through. All fantasies are possible to the
brain Of one who sleeps for night enshrined


in this strange temple. The narrow valley


wears an emerald glow as we ride up its
length, the river CLEANS and ripples over
rocks and sands; one moment placid as a mir
ror, and anon fretting itself over rocks and
the trunks of trees.


The guide points out the SUBMITS before us
as we come near and pass by some of them,
while in the farther distance we behold the
Sentinel. .Dome," the great ''South Dome,"
glimpse of "Cloud's Rest" and so with the
grand procession. yosemite FALL" the Rib
bon Fall, "The Virgins Tears" "The Three
Brothers" each claim long look, though the
heat gets hotter and the riders are weary
Hitching's Hotel, not an elegant affair in it.
self, becomes welcome object to our eyes, as
containing promise of rest and shade. We
dismount and receive bospitable greeting
from the host. Prosaic wants are satisfied
with lunch, a warm bath-for a fine bath
house has been built in the Yosemite-and
clean clothes, and again the spirit and the
imagination are enabled to rise superior to
the flesh, and we can open our inner senses
to the mysterious influences around us. We
sit upon the piazza and watch the constant
foaming leap of the Yosemite Fall before us,
its upper portion springing 1900 from the prec-
ipice opposite, pausing moment on the cliffs
to resume its course for 600 more; another
pause and then a final plunge of 400 feet
which brings it to the rough debris of the


mountains, over which it finds its way into
the Yosemite Creek, a tributary of the Mer-
ced. And of the sweet Merced itself we
would say word, for we have found it very
fair as the morning sunshine has kissed its
breast, or the twilight shadows have crept
over its transparent depths, or the still calmer
moonlight has blessed it with its own tran
guilty. 1t is a stream of no contemplate
dimensions even in midsummer, and is SPAN


net by quito sassA~...a~l h.ideas i.. .hA sssine
it oyerfows its banks in emulation of its
mighty brother the Mississippi,


By entering the Valley upon this side we
have the distinguishing features of its scenery


one after another vividly impressed upon the


mind, so that in leaving it by the other route
we may make of our last general survey


something like the satisfactory contemplation
one gives to the familiar face of friend.-
Three days is the usual time taken by most
tourists for excursions in the valley itself,
though of course there are some who linger


long to enjoy it in detail. We allow ourselves
| five days and then finding our reluctance to


leave it increasing with every hours delay


break off the spell. One pleasant trip is to Mir
ror Lake, three miles up the valley, and over a
comparatively easy trail. The time at which