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10 the 1893. seven natural wonders of california....seven natural wonders of california. the...

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  • 10 THE 1893. SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA....SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA. The Yosemite, Death Valley, The Petrified Forest, The Geysers, Mount Shasta, Kings Canyon,
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SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA. The Yosemite, Death Valley, The Petrified Forest, The Geysers, Mount Shasta, Kings Canyon, The Sequoia Gigantea. Scientists and travelers who Have been asked to name Him seven natural wonders or Cali- fornia have '.riven The Call. Hie following list: Yosenitte, Death Valley, the Petrified Forest, Mount Shasta;", the Sequoia Glcaiilea. Kings Canyon and the Geysers. . What mm varied category would \u25a0 lover of natural wonders want? What greater contrast than is here provided? What State or Territory of the Union can show such wonders!? Can any of mem show even a Yosemlte, Jetting alone all the rest? True, i he Yellowstone Talk Is great and the Niagara is nudity, but in California are grouped all those seven marvels of nature enumerated abov \u25a0 ant', many others. THE ONLY YOSEMITE. There are certain i»f 'the seven wonders of California which are , yet comparatively un- known and require detailed description. But me Yosemite Va, ley can hardly be re- garded :is one of these. ItIs the sour of East- ern travelers returning: from the West; It is the nieces or the world's visitors to the Pacific Const; it is or should be the glory ot California herself. Yet, as no man is said to b' a prophet In his own country, so the exquisite beauties and sub- lime grandeur of this unique valley seem to be taken very much on credit, by the average Call- lii: mail. It is the old story; that wiilch we have not we desire; I hat which we have we undervalue. None the less, here in OUT midst is located, n«.t only one of the wonders of the Stale and of the world, but also oue ol our richest sources of natural wealth. Wealth? 1 1 would seem richer In every way than an exhaustible told mine. For does not the great valley, in its most material form ot service, form a main attraction of Eastern and foreign travel, with its attendant gold? Who cm e-ti- m:Uß the value, from a commercial standpoint, of such a majestic •'standing ad?" \\>alih, bio, of national Inspiration for artist, null. or, poei, musician, philosopher and ordi- nary kio')lu!.', snuggling men ana women. John Mulr, Hi© scientist, the most recent authority 011 this "noblo marK for the trav- eler," seems to have drunken deeply of the spirit of lie place. He says: "No temtile made with hands can compare with Yosemlte. Every rock in its walls seem to glow witti life. Some lean back in majestic repose; others, absolutely sheer or nearly so for thousands of feet, advance beyond their companions in thoughtful attitudes, giving welcome to storms and calms alike, seemingly conscious, yel heedless nf everything x.ilns: on about them. Awful in stem. Immovable majesty, how softly these mountain rocks are adorned and how fine and reasyurlng the com- pany they keep— their lest >et In uroves and gay emerald meadow*, their brows in the thin bin- sky. a thousand flower* leaning conlid- tnply nuainst their sdamanice bases, bathed In floods of bnomiUK " water, floods of light, while snow, cloud", wind , avalanches shine ami sing and wreathe about them as the years gn by! Birds, bee*, butterflies and myriads of nameless wines ?ilr the air into music and clva plad animation. Down through the midst fliwn the crystal Merced— EiTer of Mercy— peacefully gliding, i t-flectiiiK lilies and trees and the oniookins; rock«. things frail and fleet- Ine ana types at endurance meeting here and blending in countless forms, as if into this one mountain mansion nature had gathered her choicest treasures, whether great or small, to draw her lovers into close and confiding com* iniiulo!) with her." Mark al?o this lover of nature in his descrip- tion ot hl-i finding of Yosemite: "One shluiug mornlnE at the head of the Pacbeco Pass [lie had started aroot from Oak- land] a laudsrape was displayed that after all my wanderings still appears as the most (11- --\ Inely beautiful and sublime I have ever beheld. "Tnere at my tret lay tbe preat central plal'i of California, level as a lake, thirty or forty miles wwie, four hundred lons, one rich funed bed of gohien oomposi'se. And alone tlie east- ern -Line of this la-e of told rose the mlgh'y Sierra, im:es in beifcbt. In massive, tranquil prandenr, so glorlontlv colored and so rkdiant thai it «eemed n«t clothed with llgnr, but wltolly coiiuios'd of it, like the wall of some celestial city. A long the iop and extending a good way down wns n rich pearl-gray belt ot enow; then a he!t nf btu^ and dai X purple, marking tin- ex- tension of the forests, and stretching along the !ia*i» of the range a broad belt of lose-pui pie nt.ere lay tlie miners' sold and the ope:i root- biil gardens— all tlie colors smoothly blendlne, inaklnc a trail of light clear as crystal and in- effaDly Sin*', yel firm as adamant. '•Then ii seemen to me the Sietra wall of Yovtiinie Miould be called, not the Nevada or Bimwy lUnee. but the BaDge of Lictit "And still, after years in the mUUt ot It, re- joicing and wonderiug, seeing the glorious floods of li^lit i hat till ll— the sunbursts nf morning along the momuain peak*, the broad noonday radiance on the crystal rocks, the flush of the alpenglow and the thousand dash- Ing waterfalls with their marvelous abundance <>r Irl-ed spray— lt still seems to me a range of li^'ht." Tlie observant and aitlsiic traveler tells bow lii< "lanae of light, " In its lencth of 500 mile!", wiillh of 70 miles aud height of from 7000 to ir>,ooo feet, "Is fiinowed with canyons to a depth of from 2000 to 5000 feet, iv which once mass with three gables fronting the vailev . one j above the other, tlie topmost nearly 4000 feet , Inch. They were named -for three brothers j rartined here during the Indian war, sous of Tt-naya. the old Yosemite chief. "On the south wall, opposlde ths Brothers, towers the Sentinel Hoci; to . i height of more than 3000 teet, a telling monument of the icy past; "Sauntering up the valley through meadow and trove. In the company of these majestic locks, which seem to follow us as we advanc i giizlnc. admiring, looking for new . wonders j ahead where all about Is wonderful, the thunder of the Yosemlle Kail is heard, and wlieu we arrive in front of the Sentinel it is revealed. in all Its gloiy from base to summit, - half a mile in height and seeming to gush directly from the Fky. "But even this fall, perhaps the most wonder- ful in the world, cannot at first control our at- tention, for now the wide upper portion of the valley Is displayed to view, with • the North Dome, Royal Arches and Washington Column on our left, <.; lacier Point Rock, with Its mag- nificent .sculpture on our right, and in the mid- dle Tlsslack or Half Dome, the most beautiful and most sublime of all the mountain . rocks about the valley. , It rises In « serene majesty from the fertile level into the sky to a height of 4750 feet. '•Here the valley divides into two branches, the Tenaya, Nevada and Illllouette canyons and valleys, extending back Into the fountains of the high Sierra, with scenery every way worthy the relation they bear t» Yo«emlte." Willingly and with profit, did space permit, could \u25a0 we linger wltu this ma*t rly cicerone In his artistic vagrancy, but bis guidance would line us too far from our tbeme— the Yosemile Valley proper. > Tin there Is the IlMlou'-tte Fall, "one of the most ; beautiful of the Yo«emtle choir." the Mirror Lake, the Dome Cascades, the Tena.va Fall, Mount Waifetn*, ; Cloud's , llest. : Sierra Cathedral, Mount Dana, Mono Lake, Mount I.yell, Big Tublunine Canyon, the Vernal j and Nevada falls, the Little Yosemite, besides the : four' other little Yo»einlie«,~aM of ; which Mr. llulr touches upon la the description under consideration. The famous Yoferalte Valley lies in Marfpom Couuty and as nearly as possible In ihe center of California. It is 150 miles nearly due east elm is one factor Inclining palaeontologists to a belief that the tores! was composed or some \u25a0 cxui:c arboreal specie*. In one place is a large tree crowing between and upon the fragment* of \u25a0\u25a0> log at nek which strike » Hie beholder as an elaborate curiosity or nature, and prepares mm to nuclei stand the existence or these logs fur countless aces. Another famous petrified ' t>pcclmen, "The Pride of the Petrified Forest," a cut or which is presented lieiewith, also shows a sapling grow- ing out of Its hoary length— a veiitable pictuie of "Life In Deatii." The trees are nearly all lying with the tops away from St. Helena Mountain, by which it has teen sought by some theorist* to argue thai they were overwhelm' by lava from that direction. Among the well-known men of science who have visiied Ibis extraordinary natural curios- ity Is Protestor T. C. Marsh. He i-ajs of the posiilcm or the forest: ,"It Is about 2000 feet in height and, is mainly com- posed of metatr.or.'hic rocks of cretaceous age, which are, In places, as we ascertained, over- laid Incontoruiably by later tertiary stiata, consisting ot . llpht-coloreJ coarse sandstone and beds of sti milieu volcanic ashes. "Tills ridse had long been covered. with a dense growth of chaparral, but Just before our visit, a dcs ruclive lire had swept over a poi. tlon of. it, rendering it comparatively easy tv examine a large tract of country which appar- ently had never been explored. "A careful exanim itlou of the locality where the first prostrate trunks had been discovered soon in de it evident that those now on the sur- race had ail been weather d out. of th<? vol- canic tufa and .sandstones which lorm the sum- mit of this portion or the mountain ridge. "Several large ' Mlicifled trees were indeed, subsequently found In the vicinity projecting fioni the side of a steep bluff, which uad par- tially escaped denudation." Other llieoiles exclude lie action or petrify- ing mineral water as unnecessary, and cite the ; discovery of thf Ponreilan petrifactions as Ill- stances of what lava and scoria; can do on occa- sion. 1 bis lemaikable forest, whatever Its orleln. was first brought Into promin nee about 18G4, when^fcuimiel Brannan " was '"running* Hi \u25a0 Callstosii Springs.' - Socu at erwaid It was formally located by a me world. The mud volcanoes and boiling springs of the Colorado Desert are third Iv tlie list. Our particular branch of Pluto's nether kinc- dom is located iv tiie nortbeattern section of Sonoma County, about ona hundred miles north or sin Francisco, sixteen from cioyeid.ile and twenty-six from Ualktoga. The spring* are ou a iraiicii of Pluton Blver, wiiic'i empties Into th \u25a0 l£iis«ian liivir, and llie hulldlnss about Hiem aie li;s>2 feet above 1 lie sea level. ~Ail aiouiid the romantic Dills areclothed with verdure of indigenous flora, iil^inlic oaks and loweiiiiKpities. Indeed, ;i< tl.e visitor a«cends towaid ti ese world-renowned surlngs the nelenborhond appears to be about the last place In the world where one would ex: ect to find a factory uf devast tln^ force in full blast. But at Hie snrliißS are neared thu pulslns throb—puff—puff—js of an engine Is heujd, and a biief space bilnps In view the mysterious Koiaeol this initially extinct volcanic region, Tlie ••pull — pull" irevsously board comes from ttie Steamboat Geyser, tins most noted of ail, making as much noise as a High-pressure, seven-boiler boat, and tending up steam aud sulphurous vapois several hundred f.-et into the air. These vapors, which rise all along the canyon, can De nest seen in the e.niy morning. Later, I lie sun's lays prevent them from belli,; dis- cernible as far above the ground. Almost immediately the explorer falls upon mineral springs, containing strangely flavored wateis of various temperatures, strongly II commended for exernU or internal applica- tion for diverse ailments. Here you may Hud I lie healed enthusiast drenching linn-elf will) lion, alum, acids and sails in different proportions, with, It is said, radical results; and, indeed. It would seem that betoie such n variety of combinations a disorder must !>\u25a0 obstinate in Hie extreme nut to yield with a Rood grace. "Ouo of the most Interesting springs In Geyser Canyon," say« Dr. Winaiow Anderson, "is the dies' caldrnri,' a large, boiling, •ciiculat sDring of over seven feet In diameter and of unfathomable d-uUi. Tub water lias a temp* rut tire of 21- decrees Falnenlieit, and is uuceaMimiy bulimy and bubbling. ,. : ."'I he spring is a Mac \u25a0, sulphurous fluid as black is the i:nty cloak or Hamlet. "As the awe-struck tout ma, 'round about the caldron co' they see, in their Imagination, the solemn ghost of LSnnqtin rising and materializing la t lie lurries of me 'charmed pot,' and with a Mital! streicii of the fancy you!once more see Hie three wiiclies and near their husky voices chatitliiL- the solemn Incantation: ltound atiout the c.'.Mrmi so; In t if ixii.Mi.ii'ii entrails throw Toail th.it under ooMett stone I>«y* mid al£b(i Ims tairty-'ine. S»\e,tt:r'd v mini, sice,! iil;got, lmll tliou first 1' lUj ctiarmoil I ot! bundle, (I it. le, lull i n I trouble; lire buru and calUruu bubble. Fillet of a fenny nhaks In i in- cal Iron boll and inke: .Kve of i:n «t a id tot- of fro;:: Wool of bat ;niI tongue of do?: Adil.ir's fork mitt nilud wnr v's sting; Liz nl's lei and owlet's win", or a cli inn of powerful trouble , !.iK'- a Inli-trntli boll and bubble. i oub!r, di uliln. toil and trouble; lira burn anil caldron bubule. "On analysis this remarkable fum.-iroln, 7 feet in widtn, liiivini: Its source probably hundreds of feet below the anr face,' yields water rich In sodium, calcium and magnesium' sulphates. "Crossing Hie DeTil's Canyon under the same guidance, the ground gets waini under yoOr feet and 1 lie fumes make you think of the here- after as a dO'p ravine is entered," from which hiiilitiß hot steam and gases escape In every direction until the brain 1eels In awe. ;Taxsinjs along inrouiih the ravine, with Hie boiling water tunning at your feet, "you enier 'Proserpine* Grotto,' In which is placed the •Devil's Armchair.', ;Tlm ; latter Is ,a huge bonder, which nature has hollowed out in the shape aud form ot a large parlor chair. -, In this you sit with treat solemnity to make sun- of the. benevoieut friendship of nis ' Satanic Majesty. ':The next point iof Interest Is the Devil's Kitchen, with warning signs of 'danKei' stuck up in eveiy direction.' : •'The country roc k'ls serpentine, sandstone and llniosione. with i^ueou-t deposit* mid m- ciusutions of Mtpaur, soda, clnuabnr, etc, lect in diameter, opening out Ol the side of tlie moutitain wiili a Mice bowlder overhanging it. It is al oiit imlf a mile from Hit- active sprinea in Geyser Canyon. Ine vapor Is emlnc-d with sucb force tnat a lurj;e bunch of brush placed In front of it is Instautly swept away fur many le 1. Hence, by tlif "Hot Acid Sprints," "I.emni:- ade" mid •Devil Oyen" Pltiton River is re- I gained, wh-ie baths have been eteeted. The C.eycer Sprlogx, hoi ;md cold. How d.illy about 100,000 gallons. The .iie.-i covered is I about 4uo hcie"-. Most ol tiie activity, bow- ever, Is e«nflned to the "Devii'a" or Geyser Canyon and comprises about sixiy acres. SHASTA, THE SUPERB. As the eye sweeps the State its survey !» I early arrested by the elevation of Mount Shasta lsolat' d, symmetrical, wish snow-capped 1 peaks towering solemnly among the clouds, ! Khasia presents an aspect o£ unique aud Irre- sMilile intfiest. Moreover, Into tiie composttloa ol this magi- cal fascination undoubtedly a finer element 1 eu'ers lltau mere Bpectaeular wonder. California has almost a uniform width of 200 j miles, and it* chief physical feature Is a great ] central valley, parallel to tlie liend ot the coast. Inclosed by ttte Sierras on the east aud the Crust Kaime. on the west. The southern limit of this valley is near Tejou Pass and the northern near Shasta City, c:ose to which Mount Soasla forms the ciest of the Sienas. The ijreat mountain thus s:tand as our north- ern jiuaiU, a n:ißl:ty sentinel commanding the approach to 1 lie thousand marvels within the I State borders, Aloii"; the line of rallioad between San Fran- I cison aud Oregon it can be seen for 2(JO mile", I and Its grandeur Is one of the first objects to Impress visi on enieilnu the State by the northern route. a uot her claim to distinction vindicited by I Siiasla is a geological one. Toe real birth and abiding glory of California I may be traced 10 l!s volcanic nricln, and this mountain represents a plctuiesque and siiik- I ins triumph of the litanic upheaval which j opened up nature's stoic* of precious minerals j and made the sublime almost a commonplace I in California scenery. The entire ni:i»s of the mountain Is of vol- j canlc oiiyln, iiio base cotisUllnj; of traclntic j lava and the more elevated portion of basaltic I rod;, theie \y.-U\a but little scoria, a<iies or j oilier loose material to be seen, except near the summit, where there H a he ivy bed of volcanic breccia. That tills, however, as well as Hie ad Jncent cone and n, any 01 her peaks scattered ov/ii Hie country to Ihe uoith. Is wholly of vol- canic 01 igiii, h.ivmi; been erupted from a ciater- like oiilice. admits of no doubt. Situate iv llic southwesterly portion of Si«Kl- you County, Mount Shasta reache< an altitude of 14, -141 leet, or nearly three miles. For 4000 or . \u25a0SOOO leet below its sutmilt It U coveted with snow all : i lie year around— this belli;; the only mouautu in Hie State that • re- mains snovvclad lor any considerable ilisi nice below its Miminit t liroii^ttout the entiie year, Lassens Pea , the Djwuieville Halt s and all' the more lofty points in the Sa c losing tn-ir (•now late In the summer, except where it has drifted into deep ravines or lies und^r tuo shadow of dills on their northern slope?. . The base of the inoun.aiii is covered, except on the north, to the huitthtor between 7000 and 8000 tret, with heavy foi eats of sugar aud pitch pine.'. ,; On Its northern slope, owing to the poverty of the soil, the only trees found consist of stunted cedar and oak. ."Scattered through th? higher portion of this timber-belt occur patches of chaparral. which, belim indlcai iv^ of a barren soil, are locally known as the "ilevil's acies." " Up to an altitude of 7000 feet the trees are of the tonal dluien«lou; at 8000 feet forest trees, dlsapji-ar^entlr: ly, a few slu:i:ea and hardy shiubs >UogcllDg for \u25a0 xi»tenceii|i to lh« holcht of about 0000 feet, between which ami th- line of ; perpetual suow scaictily a nuss or lichen Is to 1 c seen. " •" , ; Above the latter point and reaching to an altitude of 12,000 feet the only -inn of life met | with Is a low to in of vegetable of a vermilion color, which, generated ' in aud staining ilia \ sheet of white, distinctly separated from the !daik belt of forest below. Among Hie excursions available In the nelchbo! liooa are those to Horseshoe Bend of the ! JlcCloud River, famous for iti trout tl-lihiv; Castle Cia^'s summit, called . the "Glacier Point" of the not Hi; :Ca -tie. Lake, I3ic Castle Cie k. Hi- Soda and Shasta Soaa Springs, all ofierlng points of interest, however over- ; shadowed by tbe aHsrritva sublimity of their , mighty mouiitalu nelpliljor.' KINQS CANYON. If tlie pi eat Yosemite Valley ranks hicli amnni! the Seven Wonders of California for Its marvelous cenioEic.il tires, hardly less prom- Inetice b longs to lvins< Canyon, which, with all or moi-i than all its rival's crandeur, possesses the additional charm ot compa: novelty. I.i tie was known about this remarkable region until recently Jobn Muir of Cont a Costa County and C. D. i:<)biusou. the Sun i-rancisco aitlst, publtshed its |>ral>e«. It is to these gentlemen's exertions ' that the woiid is in- debted tor this treasure trove. "Whnever invents a new Idea. %> says the philosopher, "is a benefactor to society." Then tin Ice blessed lie who discovers a new country, a new field for wonder, i>ud explora- tion,' a new Yosemit''. imapine': Hie j-railtude of guidebook-wear; mortal toward Ibe discoverers of a land un- noted of Murray, F.ied cker or the übiquitous Cook; a land \u25a0•\u25a0impenetrated', by luueh-eatlus. name-notching riii!l»tines,, where the sole of the foul of uo soap audit has left a deso crating trace. Is there, can there be any such a land in these days of beaten laths? lS\ it is just me secret. You must go a little out of the beaten paths. in the lower portion of Fresno County, In the !vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward of i tne famous Vosemite Valley, extends the Big Kings Kuvi Canyon or King* lliver Yosemite.' : It can be leached from Vlsalla, (any-live miles distant on its southwest side, or by the Kearsaige Pass on the east side of the range.' The canyon Is about ten miles long, ball a •mite wide, and lie ; : stupendous rocks of pur- pll<U gray crautte that form the walls are from Snlilnx, 4000 feet, and tlie Leaning Dome, 3500 feet. "The Snlilnx, terminating In a curious sphinx-like Hi: lire. Is the inchest rock on the south wall ami one of the most lemarkable in the Sierra; while the whole series from Ca- ! thctral lioeks to t lie Leaning Dome at ilia I bead uf the valley is tne highest, inns tlabo- ! n.teiy sculptured and the imo-i beautiful seiles of rocks of :lu' same extern Inany Yosemite In the range. "To the uoithward toward tbf foot of the valley a grand and Impressive rock presents Itself, winch with others or alike appearance, is called the I'allsade*.' Ii la about 8000 feet blub and is tinted so as to look like a mass ol !DUfie slabs set on edpe. This, though slighter | in dimensions \u25a0 and less bold in attitude, mlgbt j lie compared to Ei,Cai>itau In the Yosemite." Traveling along un the valley the next fea- i tmeis Hie Ilt-imii Toweis, separated by tim Ueiinit Canyon from the Three Ileimlis. These Mr. .Mini in hi' description compares to in \u25a0 Three IS: other of Yosemite. "East of the Hermits a stream :ibout the j size of Yo*emi;e Creek enters Hie valley. form- i In^ I lie Booming Cascades. It draws Its sources lii'in I lie southern Moi c- «'f Mount Hutchlus ! and Mount Kellopir, 11.000 and 12,000 feet i high.'. In Avalanche Canyon, dliecily opposite ; tlie Boomini; decades, there Is another chain Lof resounding minor falls, and these two roar across the valley to one another with hearty accord. 1 \u25a0\u25a0\u25a0,- "Above the Booming Cascades and opposite | the Grand Sentinel: stands the North Dome ; 3450 feel high. II is set on a lone bare granita ; ridge, with a vertical front like the Washington ; column in Yosemite. •"A short distance east of the Dome Is Lion ; Kocks, a veiy striking mass as seen from a far vorable standpoint, bin lower than the main I rocks of the Wall, being only about 2000 feet high. "Beyond the Lion and opposite the East Sen- \u25a0 tinel a stream called Copper Creek conies Ciian las down l he valley.' It lakes its rise l:> | ,i cluster or beautiful lakes tiat lie on the lop I of the divide between th« south and middle | forks of KiiiK* Elver to the east ol Mount Kei- ; locg.'i'-K.Tlie bioad. spacious basin, it drains abounds in beautirm tr.ivi-s of spruce and \u25a0 silver fir and unall meadows and Burdens flowed majestic glacier* and In which now How and Bine the biieht Siena rivers." Then he particularizes: "Ihe most famous aud accessible of these canyon valleys, and also the one I hat presents their most striking and sublime feature* on Ihe grandest scale, is me Yo«emite, si ualed o:i the upper waters of li;e Merced at an el valiou of 400'J feet above the level m the sea. "It is about seven miles lone, half a mile to a mile wide and nearly a mile deep and is carved in ihe solid granite Blank ot the range. "The walls of the valley are made ur> of lock", mountains in size, hardly separatad from each other by side canyons and gorge*; and these are so sheer in front and so com- pactly and harmoniously built together on a level floor that th« place, comprehensively seen, louKS like some immense hall or temple lighted from above." So much for mere preliminary description, which, like a far-off glimpse or apt prelude, wheis the appetite for closer aud more appre- ciative encounter. •'From the heighM," says Mr. Mulr, "we at lend h paiii our lirst ucneral view of lbs valley— a view that breaks suddenly upon us in all its glory far and wide and (Jeep; a new revelation In landscape affairs th.it eoes far to make the weakest and meanest spectator rich ana insig- nificant evermore. "Along the curves and zlgzass of the road, all th- way down to the bottom, the valley Is In sight wltti ever-changing view, anil the eye ranee* Tar up over the green pray Door, between the nullity walls, tilts ot the river gleaming here and there, while as we draw nearer we begin to hear the soup; of Hie waters. "Gazing at random, perhaps the first object to gain concentrated attention will be the Bridal Veil, a beautiful waterfall on our right. Its brow, where It first leaps free from the rock«, Is about 000 let above us. and as li sways and swings in the wind with gauzy, sun- sifted spray halt tallin?, half floating, it seems Infinitely gentle and fine, but the hymn it sings tells the solemn power that is hidden ben ath tie soft clothing it wears. "On the other side of Hie valley, opposite the Veil, there is another magnificent fail called the Ittbbon Fall or Virgin's Tears. The 'tears' full from a height of about 3000 feet and are most extravagantly copious when th \u25a0 snow is melting, Coining bluing and roaring with force enough to drive a mils of mills, suggesting ihe 'weeping skies' of cyclones and bin rlcanes. "Just beyond, the glorious 'El CapHan Koek Is seen ilirough the pine eroves messing for- ward beyond the general line o: the wall In mo«t imposing grand It i*3300 feet bleh, a plain, severely \u25a0 simpl--, glaeler-«cu!|>iurPd face (if cranite. the ei'd of one of the most com- pact and entiiiiing of l lie mountain ridge*, standing ibere in supreme height ami breadth, a type of permanence. "Across the valley from here above the Bridal Veil are the picturesque Cathedral Rocks, nearly 2700 feet high, making a noble display of line yet massive sculpture. They are closely related lo V,l Capita having been hewn from the same mountain ridge by the Yosemiu- glacier when the valley was In process of for- mation. "Beyond El Capltan, the next In succession of the. most striking features «if the north wall are the Three Brothers, an immense mountain of Sin Francisco in an air line, the route as traveled, however, being 110 miles longer, 200 miles of this distance being covered by rail and the balance by stage. The valley was originally 'called liv the In- dians "Aliwaluipp," also •'Yohann:< > ," but the name as now written, Yosemite, will ilnubt ess stand, vUs signification being a "full-jirown grizzly bear." It is pronounced as of four syllables, th« accent being on the second. The pilncipal featuies of the Yosemite and tho«'' by which It is distinguished fiom all other known valleys are: First, ilin near approach to vertically of its walls; second, their great height, not 'only absolutely, but as compared with the valley itself; and finally, the very "•mail amount of talus or debris at the base of these gigantic clllts. Elmer \u25a0 tli.*domes »r the waterfalls of the Yosemite or any single one of them even would be MilHclent in any Km ope in country to attract travelers from far and wide. The valley is at present a State possession, Its control being vested in a commission. Con- siderable comment has been excited of late re- garding the last action or neglect of this com- mission, and the possible recession of this unique valley to the paternal Government has become a burning question of Hit* day. The tide of travel to the Yospmite is usually almost cut off In the winter season, but com- mences again with the dwindling ol ihe water- falls, on the Ist of April of each year. THE PETRIFIED FOREST. l.nne ago the surface of California was studded with active volcanoes.- Shasta itself was probably one of the later active craters and the wonderful Geysers are striking effects of those hardly subdued sub- t rranean forces which .were the architects of tie Yost mite and kindred scenery throughout California. Ithas l-een held that the latest volcano in activity was Mount St. Helena, which is sit- uated to the north of the Napa Valley. Not far from the mountain In the days of its eiuptive activity shot up the tiees of a tall foicst, and oue day the mighty shower of ashen fiom Hie belching mouth ol St. Helen's volcano buried the jjieat trunks complel'.ly out of sleht. They were buried in an upright position and almost Immediately the fatal dast-mami sur- rounding Him was cooled oil as It became saturated with water from the bursting forth of springs- an event which the volcanic con- vulsions of those days made extiemely common. The springs irr that locality are all heavily charged with mineral properties, and these straightway procedtd to make of the Im- prisoned forest a iieimanent stone curiosity for futine ages. But future aces might never have discovered the unique cariosity had it not been for some subsequent shock of earthquake, by means of which nature laid the giants of me forest over on their sides and brought them up to within a lew feet of the surface of Hie ground. Such Is the theory of some authorities as to the origin of the Sonoma County petrified forest. It is located on a mountain 1500 feet above the level of the sea, about live miles west of south of Callstoga and near the dividing ridge between N.ipa and Santa Bon valleys. lie road from (_'all>toya to the forest Is picturesquely beautiful. Tbe bills aie coveted with groves of pines, oaks, madronas, rnanzaol- tas aud oilier growth, and as the tourist passes along he cannot but be ntruc* by the ever- changing grace and grandeur of the landscape, 'i lie forest is on the north side of a deep ravine or canyon and covers an area of 200 or 300 roughly measured, It is four miles long and one mile wide—over which are scat- tered the fragments of hundreds of letiilitil trees. Only a portion have as yet been un- earth' d. Tlie trees are from 100 to 150 feet In length and from 2 to 7 feel In diameter, atid are broken up into logs of various tenailis. Judging by what have teen crudely uncov- ered, (be trees show evidence of haviNg been listed with earth am! rock of volcanic formation, which has only been partly washed away by water. The logs bear au exact resemblance to wood, the bark, grain, knots, hollows and excres- cences being shown in unmistakable ieali-in. They are In every state of crystallization, and some beautiful polished specimens have been obtained. Under the microscope the wood appears to be similar to the redwood, but the comparative shortness of the trunk In relation to its diam- Swede, who somehow claimed the name of Chutes Evano. "I enili' d Charlie," as he was called, was quite a character. lie fenced : in ' the property and lived there alone, except for the society of a dog and a goat. He admitted visitors at so much a heart, or slageful, and u-ed to ' irg.ile them with an almost perfectly unintelligible . sclentllls de- scription of the tree*, always winding up by an introduction to his dog and coat. From every scientist who came, alone ho gatheird up fresh scientific term.", which he used haphazard, but with profound belief In their lucidity. The trees were for Uira always "desilcatrd specimens." , He died six or seven years ago, but not before reaping quite a sum of money by his astute pie- emption. The forest Is still In private hands, and nat- urally continues to attract visitors more and more. As an eloquent relic of gigantic forces now at rest, as a messenger as it were of prehistoric limes, idling of strange growths and marvel- ous preservative conditions, this l'tttrlfled For- est must ever t-e class d among the most fas- cinating wonders of the htaie. THE GEYSERS. In contrast with the wonders which reign among the clouds are the celebiated Geysers, which appear to trench on the very borders of the infernal regions themselves. There are very tew geysers in the world, and everywhere they are regarded as peculiar In- teresting centers of attraction. As long as the geysers of Sonoma County exist scientists, world loorists and the curious and health-seeking public will continue to visit them, and they will remain a source of pride ana wealth to the Slate. The word yser Is from the Icelandic "eeysa." meaning "to burst forth violently," and sufficient! v desciibes the effect of the well-known intermittent hot and cold springs. Ueysetsare found in Iceland, until recently In New Zealind. where an earthquake wrought much destiuciiou among the famous terraces in the Island or New Ulster, and In the United States west of the Uockles. Of the later the geysers of Sonoma County come fecund to those at Yellowstone Park, which are cousideied' the most wouoeiful in ana as Mi-' fiimaiolt's. cracks and !!»-itir .-mil inelr boiling water* and vatmi«. ?aturated with free sulphurous, •mtnliurlc. hydiocul'>r'c acids and liomc anhydride, all having si rone' dl*> integrating action on the furmiitlon, everything Is, Id ! cons : quenci 1 , r soft ; : and \u25a0 yielding. The hanks and rocks are like clay and sand, easily d Ifloducd'on 5 the tUfChttat touch— hence tli« signs of dancer.-; "This solvent, molten section Is fairly In the mid-t of : a boiling, seething, trembling and smoking Plutonian i"aim. '•The ground antler your feet Is becoming hotter and li;> irr and the sulphurous /tunes and vai oious steam Br i nearly suffocating^ ils- ll)(;to nearly ">')() feet. '•It l« also obseiveil thai all these wonderful subterranean forces exhibit more activity at or near the lull moon.'; . ••As you . proceed along Ihe knob, over .'straight and narrow path,' lt is liierallv and practically lini.oitant that you follow : your ):ui>ie, lent o;ie niNgiep 'hurl you Into that uu- diseovered ooini.ry Iron) whose bouruo no traveler returns.' . "Iniiiiniei able springs and vents and subter- ranean outlets spurt and spout in every diiec- tiou. 'Pluto's I'unchbowl' is a large spring of hot lemonade, containing sulpUutic acids and sulphates. '•The '(Jpyser smoUestack' is a In rue opening from which Issu- volumes of suli>iiui-UUen fumes, which rise into the air for several hun- dred feet, where they condense and (all to the ground as water, sulphur, etc. "Next comes the 'Devil's Canopy' and the 'Geyser Safety-valve.' an Intermittent sc.»ldkii; spring, which ejects streams of boiling wat^r to the lielßht or lifteen feet; then the 'Devil's Pulpit.' a little elevation where his Satanic Majesty (presumably) sues lo direct the work- Ings of his laboratory. "Passing the 'Devil's Gristmill,' with its sub- terranean noises resembling those of a mill engine, me ravine for--, eomnumded by a plateau called 'Lovers' Leap.' "Hence the view of the boilins, seciuluc, roaring, steaming, groaning and bubbling sprint's below is one of unrivaled grandeur. One hundred and slxtv feet below you and nil along the "Devil's Canyon' is one mass of smoking fury,' shrill wliisMas, regularly iuiei- mlltlne polls and jruan-, issuing flora the lu- teiior of the earth, '•This siuhl alone is worth lie whole trip. "To the east is "Lovers' Bel real,' a pleasant oasis in the wilderness of sulphurous cloud-. Here also is 'Temperance Spring,' of cold, clear water, and near It is a fallen o.ik, having a knothole in one of Is liuce blanches known as the •J'ostofflco.' " Ana >o we are led on past the Fire Mountain, with its hundieds of small orifice*. "Alkali Lake," the "Lava Bed*.' 1 the '\u25a0Indian Sweat Bath" to the "Devil's Teakettle." Th4s teakettle spring Is one of the strongest vapor eprlnca on the coast. The 01 idee is three j Inclining at an anule varying from thirty to forty-five decrees. Three days are required to make the journey with comfort and satisfaction. The Cist night Is spent near the line of per- petual mow; the next day is consumed In Coins to the top ot the mountain and returning to the snot left in the ulna, where the sec- ond night is passed, the balance of the descent being made the following day. A pood supply of blankets is required, as the temperature of this night camp generally falls to the freezing point before morning. At an elevation of 13,240 feet a rudely circu- lar and nearly level space occurs., evidently the bottom of an ancient crater, one side of which having broken away, a portion of its rim remains, forming the summit of the mountain, which lifts IlseH 1204 feet above. On this, level atea are a number of orifices from which steam and sulphurous ga^es. con- stantly escape, lie feeble action of this sol- fatara being th only (surviving manifestation of those stupendous foices that piled up the masses that form this extinct volcano. It Is on record that on one occasion at least Hie life of a daring winter explorer was saved i by the warmth of this solfa'ara amid the sur- rounding fatal cold. The thermometer at : midday in summer generally stands below the freezing point on the summit of the mountain. The air about Its top is cold, even In the warmest weather, and. is almost always In brisk circulation, the summit being frequently swept by strong rales thiit keep exposed por- tions of Its sides denuded of snow. The outline of this mountain, from whatever side viewed, pr sent* a Dearly lecular coup, the symmetry of. which Is somewhat marred, when observed from the southwest, By the In- ter» osilii n of I lie side cone nut 2000 fret lower from the main mountain, from which it stands wholly sepanit-d. This lesser peak has been called Shastlua. It has a well-defined crater-cup at its sum- mit, that Is in diameter about ."COO tu> t, or a , space large enough to contain about six b:ocks ' squaie in a elf \u0084 This open crater-mouth Is about 1500 feet deep, and the gigantic bowl of lava In volcanic days gave way in it-> rim on the west side and poured Its red-hot liquid product all over the ! country. The >ky outline of Shasta has a general in- clinatloiwf about 23 degrees on one side and of 31 on the other, while the westerly slope of Sha«lina Inclines at about DC degrtes. A beautiful Impression m taking a farewell look at Mount Shasta is its glistening radiance. For while, as stated, certain exposed and [ rocky lions of the main mountain are de- , uuded of snow, these bare spots disappear when viewed from a dl -lance, the whole sur- face above the mow line seeming an unbroken is about 5000 feet above the sea, are not so perpendicular. as in the Vosemite. but yet rise abruptly. From their brink ou either side the ground still rises In a series of Ice-carved ridges and basins, superbly forested and adorned witu many small lakes and m adows, where bear and deer find grateful homes; while from the head of Hie valley mountains other mountains ! rise beyond In glorious array, everyone of them shining with rock crystals and snow and with a network of streams that glide from lake to lake through a labyrinth of Ice-buinlshed cmyons. The winter snow falls here to a depth of from ten to twenty feet, still in spring and summer i I hello: a Is profuse and varied. The frailest I flowers, blue ana purple and gold, spread their pretty tapestry on every coign of vantage. Once down in the valley a wide plateau pre-ents itself, planted with stitely groves at sugar pine, yellow pine, silver tit, Incense cedar and Kellopg oak. There Is a little underbrush' and many flowers. Up above tower Riant walls 1500 feet, ilslng out of the sloping sides. Three miles up the 'valley on the south side arc the Roaring Falls and Cascades. These are on a large stream caller! Roaring Elver, which lias a downpour nt nearly 500 feet pur mile. The fall, howefW, when the waters arrive nt the valley. Is Insignificant in be Unit as compared with the similarly situated Bridal Veil of the old Yo«emlte. But the river has a I series of cascades above the Fall wlilcll repre- sent the force at a volume of water live times as large as the Bridal Veil CreeK and are wildly i beautiful. Near the fall on the east side are the Cathe- dral Uocks ratlie-r higher than the group of the same name in the Merced Valley, but otherwise i curious')' like. "Nest to Cathedral Koeiis is the group called the Seven Gables, mis-iV'- and solid at the base, but elaboiat iy sculptured alone: 'he top :.nii a considerable dls auce down the fiont into pointed Gothic arches, the highest of which ii about three thousand feet above ; the valley. "•Beyond the (iai>!e group, and sppiratrct j Slightly from it by tie beautiful Avalanche canyon and { cascade", stands the bold anil majestic mass of tin- Grand Sentinel. 3300 feet hUh, with a split vertical fiont presented to the vail y as sheer and nearly as extensive as Hit" trout of the Yo«emlte Half Dome. "Projecting out Into the valley from the ba«B of tl'e sheer front Is the Lower Sentinel, 2400 feet high; and on either side the West and East sentinels, about the same height, forming alto- Igi t her the boldest and most massively sculp* i lured group in the valley. "Th n follow In close succession the Sentinel Cascade, a lace-like strip of water 2000 fee: ilong; the South Tower, 2500 feet high; ilia Bear Cascade, longer and broader than that of i the Sentinel; Cave Dume, 3200 f<:etbH:u; the snow. Rallies this belt to l> \u25a0 known as tie "red "now." Above the fields of this most primitive ve.'e- tiillou l lie cone of I lie niount;ii:i : lifts Itself a gilnerltiK pavilion o( iintnrulshed simw. Such is a general description of ibia grand peak, Wb cli exerts a natural luscinailon tint .never fails upon inouiilalii climb -is and seek- ers after the beautiful, to b.-? w.m in the mai;- nltlrent prospect from its summit. The best s axon for ascending the mountain Is in Hie month oi .In or August. Earlier than July [be snow Is not sufficiently lessened, while toward ll:e end of the summer lite tires' common in th' forest ", till the air with smoke, liiieifeiine wltti aud often com- pletely <i •••tiiivlni!tn« view. The a«cenl Is inrtrte from Hie west side, and until a hclKlit of 12,000 feet Is reached U a> tendi-d with no other difficulty man mat always incident to Hie attenuated condition of the at- mos|)here at similar elevations. Above 12,000 fret the ascent becomes more 1 steep and liUioiiuii-. Hie slope of the mountain 2500 to r.ooo f- et. in freight, while,i lie depth ef the vil'ev below the general >iirfnce ,or tire nioiinta In mass fn in vtliich It has been carved Is considerably more limn a ml •Tims it pears." says Mr. Mulr, ,"lhat this few Yo«fnillH is lmii;er:iiid dr»-i pr, and lies embedded In grander Mountain* than the well- known Yo-emlic of tne Merc d." As In the, latter, infinite charm Is found here In i lie music and animation of mountain htremn*. Kaullke eaxead s, t r embllns frmibeta, s-Aflrl- liir imm)ls peopled with trout hasten to ininuie with the ceiwiai river. But the voluni!, of fall- Ing water is nearly twice as great as that which swell* the Merced. For the aiea of the basins ilr Inert by the streams enteilng this "new" valley Is about 430 square miles and the eieva- ll'<n of the rim of the general basin is from 0000 to upward of 14.000 feet above the sea; while the general basin of the Mereed Valley has an are iof 250 square miles and Its eleva- I tion Is much lower. The walls of the valley, which at the bottom Tow Ting El Capitan. A SAND TORM IN DEA.TH VALLEY. IN THE PETRIFIED FORE-T. Cyclops— Standing Room for E:e;hte3n Horse? inthe Hoi! ow of This Tree. SHASTA, FROM STRAWBERRY VALLF.Y. The Mother of the Forest. KINQS CANYON-LOOKING UP THE VALLEY FROM THE MANT- ZANITA ORCHARD. MAM- 10 THE MOBNING CALL, SAX FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, MAY^ 28, 1893. \" A. Ill I'' 3 \u25a0 f S A

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Page 1: 10 THE 1893. SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA....SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA. The Yosemite, Death Valley, The Petrified Forest, The Geysers, Mount Shasta, Kings Canyon,

SEVEN NATURAL WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA.The Yosemite, Death Valley,

The Petrified Forest, The Geysers,Mount Shasta, Kings Canyon,

The Sequoia Gigantea.

Scientists and travelers who Have been askedto name Him seven natural wonders or Cali-fornia have '.riven The Call. Hie followinglist:Yosenitte, Death Valley, the Petrified Forest,

Mount Shasta;", the Sequoia Glcaiilea. KingsCanyon and the Geysers.

. What mm varied category would \u25a0 lover ofnatural wonders want? What greater contrastthan is here provided?

What State or Territory of the Union canshow such wonders!? Can any of mem showeven a Yosemlte, Jetting alone all the rest?True, ihe Yellowstone Talk Is great and theNiagara is nudity, but in California aregrouped all those seven marvels of nature

enumerated abov \u25a0 ant', many others.

THE ONLY YOSEMITE.

There are certain i»f 'the seven wonders of

California which are ,yet comparatively un-known and require detailed description.

But me Yosemite Va, ley can hardly be re-

garded :is one of these. ItIs the sour of East-ern travelers returning: from the West; Itisthe nieces or the world's visitors to the PacificConst; it is or should be the glory ot Californiaherself.

Yet, as no man is said to b' a prophet In hisown country, so the exquisite beauties and sub-lime grandeur of this unique valley seem to betaken very much on credit, by the average Call-lii:mail.Itis the old story; that wiilch we have not we

desire; Ihat which we have we undervalue.None the less, here in OUT midst is located,

n«.t only one of the wonders of the Stale and ofthe world, but also oue ol our richest sources ofnatural wealth.

Wealth?11 would seem richer In every way than an

exhaustible told mine. For does not the greatvalley, in its most material form ot service,

form a main attraction of Eastern and foreigntravel, with its attendant gold? Who cm e-ti-

m:Uß the value, from a commercial standpoint,

of such a majestic •'standing ad?"\\>alih, bio, of national Inspiration for artist,

null.or, poei, musician, philosopher and ordi-nary kio')lu!.', snuggling men ana women.

John Mulr, Hi© scientist, the most recentauthority 011 this "noblo marK for the trav-eler," seems to have drunken deeply of thespirit of lie place. He says:

"No temtile made with hands can compare

with Yosemlte. Every rock in its walls seemto glow wittilife. Some lean back in majesticrepose; others, absolutely sheer or nearly sofor thousands of feet, advance beyond theircompanions in thoughtful attitudes, givingwelcome to storms and calms alike, seeminglyconscious, yel heedless nf everything x.ilns: onabout them. Awful in stem. Immovablemajesty, how softly these mountain rocks are

adorned and how fine and reasyurlng the com-pany they keep— their lest >et In uroves andgay emerald meadow*, their brows in the thinbin- sky. a thousand flower* leaning conlid-tnply nuainst their sdamanice bases, bathed

In floods of bnomiUK"water, floods of light,

while snow, cloud", wind ,avalanches shineami sing and wreathe about them as the yearsgn by! Birds, bee*, butterflies and myriads ofnameless wines ?ilr the air into music and clvaplad animation. Down through the midstfliwn the crystal Merced—EiTer of Mercy—peacefully gliding, it-flectiiiK lilies and treesand the oniookins; rock«. things frail and fleet-Ine ana types at endurance meeting here andblending in countless forms, as if into this onemountain mansion nature had gathered herchoicest treasures, whether great or small, todraw her lovers into close and confiding com*iniiulo!)with her."

Mark al?o this lover of nature in his descrip-tion ot hl-i finding of Yosemite:

"One shluiug mornlnE at the head of thePacbeco Pass [lie had started aroot from Oak-land] a laudsrape was displayed that after allmy wanderings still appears as the most (11---\ Inely beautiful and sublime Ihave ever beheld.

"Tnere at my tret lay tbe preat central plal'iof California, level as a lake, thirty or fortymiles wwie, four hundred lons, one rich funedbed of gohien oomposi'se. And alone tlieeast-ern -Line of this la-e of toldrose the mlgh'ySierra, im:es in beifcbt. In massive, tranquilprandenr, so glorlontlv colored and so rkdiantthai it «eemed n«t clothed with llgnr,but wltollycoiiuios'd of it, like the wall of some celestialcity. A long the iop and extending a good waydown wns n rich pearl-gray belt ot enow; thena he!t nf btu^ and dai X purple, marking tin- ex-tension of the forests, and stretching along the!ia*i» of the range a broad belt of lose-pui pient.ere lay tlie miners' sold and the ope:i root-biil gardens— all tlie colors smoothly blendlne,inaklnc a trail of light clear as crystal and in-effaDly Sin*', yel firmas adamant.

'•Then ii seemen to me the Sietra wall ofYovtiinie Miould be called, not the Nevada orBimwy lUnee. but the BaDge of Lictit

"Andstill, after years in the mUUtot It,re-joicing and wonderiug, seeing the gloriousfloods of li^lit ihat till ll—the sunbursts nfmorning along the momuain peak*, the broadnoonday radiance on the crystal rocks, the

flush of the alpenglow and the thousand dash-Ing waterfalls with their marvelous abundance<>r Irl-ed spray— lt still seems to me a range ofli^'ht."

Tlie observant and aitlsiic traveler tells bowlii< "lanae of light,

"Inits lencth of 500 mile!",

wiillhof 70 miles aud height of from 7000 toir>,ooo feet, "Is fiinowed with canyons to adepth of from 2000 to 5000 feet, iv which once

mass with three gables fronting the vailev . one jabove the other, tlie topmost nearly 4000 feet ,Inch. They were named -for three brothers jrartined here during the Indian war, sous ofTt-naya. the old Yosemite chief.

"On the south wall, opposlde ths Brothers,towers the Sentinel Hoci; to .i height of morethan 3000 teet, a telling monument of the icypast;

"Sauntering up the valley through meadowand trove. In the company of these majesticlocks, which seem to follow us as we advanc igiizlnc. admiring, looking for new . wonders jahead where all about Is wonderful, the thunderof the Yosemlle Kail is heard, and wlieu wearrive in front of the Sentinel it is revealed. inall Its gloiy from base to summit, -

half a mileinheight and seeming to gush directly fromthe Fky.

"But even this fall, perhaps the most wonder-ful inthe world, cannot at first control our at-tention, for now the wide upper portion of thevalley Is displayed to view, with • the NorthDome, Royal Arches and Washington Columnon our left, <.;lacier Point Rock, with Its mag-nificent .sculpture on our right, and in the mid-dle Tlsslack or Half Dome, the most beautifuland most sublime of all the mountain . rocksabout the valley. , It rises In« serene majestyfrom the fertile level into the sky to a height of4750 feet.

'•Here the valley divides into two branches,the Tenaya, Nevada and Illllouette canyonsand valleys, extending back Into the fountainsof the high Sierra, with scenery every wayworthy the relation they bear t» Yo«emlte."

Willingly and with profit, did space permit,could \u25a0 we linger wltu this ma*t rly cicerone Inhis artistic vagrancy, but bis guidance wouldline us too far from our tbeme— the YosemileValley proper. >

Tin there Is the IlMlou'-tteFall, "one of themost ;beautiful of the Yo«emtle choir." theMirrorLake, the Dome Cascades, the Tena.vaFall, Mount Waifetn*, ;Cloud's , llest. :SierraCathedral, Mount Dana, Mono Lake, MountI.yell, Big Tublunine Canyon, the Vernal jand Nevada falls, the Little Yosemite, besidesthe :four' other little Yo»einlie«,~aM of;whichMr. llulr touches upon la the descriptionunder consideration.

The famous Yoferalte Valley lies in MarfpomCouuty and as nearly as possible In ihe centerof California. It is 150 miles nearly due east

elm is one factor Inclining palaeontologists to abelief that the tores! was composed or some \u25a0

cxui:c arboreal specie*.

In one place is a large tree crowing betweenand upon the fragment* of \u25a0\u25a0> log at nek whichstrike » Hie beholder as an elaborate curiosityor nature, and prepares mm to nuclei stand theexistence or these logs fur countless aces.

Another famous petrified'

t>pcclmen, "ThePride of the Petrified Forest," a cut or which ispresented lieiewith, also shows a sapling grow-ing out of Its hoary length— a veiitable pictuieof "LifeInDeatii."

The trees are nearly all lying with the topsaway from St. Helena Mountain, by which ithas teen sought by some theorist* to arguethai they were overwhelm' by lava from thatdirection.

Among the well-known men of science whohave visiied Ibis extraordinary natural curios-ityIs Protestor T. C. Marsh.

He i-ajs of the posiilcm or the forest: ,"It Isabout 2000 feet in height and, is mainly com-posed of metatr.or.'hic rocks of cretaceous age,which are, In places, as we ascertained, over-laid Incontoruiably by later tertiary stiata,consisting ot.llpht-coloreJ coarse sandstoneand beds of stimilieu volcanic ashes.

"Tillsridse had long been covered. with adense growth of chaparral, but Just before ourvisit,a dcs ruclive lire had swept over a poi.tlon of. it, rendering it comparatively easy tvexamine a large tract of country which appar-ently had never been explored.

"Acareful exanim itlou of the locality wherethe first prostrate trunks had been discoveredsoon in de it evident that those now on the sur-race had ail been weather d out. of th<? vol-canic tufa and .sandstones which lorm the sum-mit of this portion or the mountain ridge.

"Several large'Mlicifled trees were indeed,

subsequently found In the vicinity projectingfioni the side of a steep bluff, which uad par-tially escaped denudation."

Other llieoiles exclude lie action or petrify-ing mineral water as unnecessary, and cite the

;discovery of thf Ponreilan petrifactions as Ill-stances of what lava and scoria; can do on occa-sion.

1bis lemaikable forest, whatever Its orleln.was first brought Into promin nee about 18G4,when^fcuimiel Brannan

"was '"running* Hi \u25a0

Callstosii Springs.' -Socu at erwaid It was formally located by a

me world. The mud volcanoes and boilingsprings of the Colorado Desert are third Iv tlielist.

Our particular branch of Pluto's nether kinc-dom is located iv tiie nortbeattern section ofSonoma County, about ona hundred miles northor sin Francisco, sixteen from cioyeid.ile andtwenty-six from Ualktoga. The spring* are oua iraiicii of Pluton Blver, wiiic'i empties Intoth \u25a0 l£iis«ian liivir,and llie hulldlnss aboutHiem aie li;s>2 feet above 1 lie sea level.~Ailaiouiid the romantic Dills areclothed withverdure of indigenous flora, iil^inlic oaks andloweiiiiKpities. Indeed, ;i< tl.e visitor a«cendstowaid tiese world-renowned surlngs thenelenborhond appears to be about the last placeIn the world where one would ex: ect to find afactory uf devast tln^ force in fullblast.

But at Hie snrliißS are neared thu pulslnsthrob—puff—puff—jsof an engine Is heujd, anda biief space bilnps In view the mysteriousKoiaeol this initiallyextinct volcanic region,

Tlie ••pull—

pull" irevsously board comesfrom ttie Steamboat Geyser, tins most noted ofail, making as much noise as a High-pressure,seven-boiler boat, and tending up steam audsulphurous vapois several hundred f.-et into theair.

These vapors, which rise all along the canyon,can De nest seen in the e.niy morning. Later,Ilie sun's lays prevent them from belli,; dis-cernible as far above the ground.

Almost immediately the explorer falls uponmineral springs, containing strangely flavoredwateis of various temperatures, stronglyIIcommended for exernU or internal applica-tion for diverse ailments.

Here you may Hud Ilie healed enthusiastdrenching linn-elf will) lion, alum, acids andsails in different proportions, with, It is said,radical results; and, indeed. It would seemthat betoie such n variety of combinations adisorder must !>\u25a0 obstinate in Hie extreme nutto yield with a Rood grace.

"Ouo of the most Interesting springs InGeyser Canyon," say« Dr. Winaiow Anderson,"is the dies' caldrnri,' a large, boiling,

•ciiculat sDring of over seven feet In diameterand of unfathomable d-uUi. Tub water lias atemp* rut tire of 21- decrees Falnenlieit, and isuuceaMimiy bulimy and bubbling. ,.:

."'Ihe spring is a Mac \u25a0, sulphurous fluid asblack is the i:nty cloak or Hamlet.

"As the awe-struck tout ma, 'round about thecaldron co' they see, intheir Imagination, thesolemn ghost of LSnnqtin rising and materializingla tlie lurries of me 'charmed pot,' and with aMital! streicii of the fancy you!once more seeHie three wiiclies and near their husky voiceschatitliiL- the solemn Incantation:

ltound atiout the c.'.Mrmi so;In t ifixii.Mi.ii'iientrails throwToail th.it under ooMett stoneI>«y* mid al£b(i Ims tairty-'ine.S»\e,tt:r'd v mini, sice,! iil;got,lmll tliou first1' lUjctiarmoil Iot!

bundle, (I it. le, lullinItrouble;lire buru and calUruu bubble.

Fillet of a fenny nhaksIniin- cal Iron boll and inke:

.Kve of i:n «t a id tot- of fro;::Wool of bat ;niItongue of do?:Adil.ir's fork mitt nilud wnr v's sting;Liz nl's lei and owlet's win",

or a cli innof powerful trouble ,!.iK'- a Inli-trntliboll and bubble.

ioub!r, di uliln. toil and trouble;lira burn anil caldron bubule.

"On analysis this remarkable fum.-iroln, 7 feetin widtn, liiivini:Its source probably hundredsof feet below the anr face,' yields water rich Insodium, calcium and magnesium' sulphates.

"Crossing Hie DeTil's Canyon under the sameguidance, the ground gets waini under yoOrfeet and 1lie fumes make you think of the here-after as a dO'p ravine is entered," from whichhiiilitiß hot steam and gases escape In everydirection until the brain 1eels In awe.

;Taxsinjs along inrouiih the ravine, with Hieboiling water tunning at your feet,"you enier'Proserpine* Grotto,' In which is placed the•Devil's Armchair.', ;Tlm;latter Is ,a hugebonder, which nature has hollowed out in theshape aud form ot a large parlor chair. -, Inthisyou sit with treat solemnity to make sun- ofthe. benevoieut friendship of nis

'Satanic

Majesty.':The next point iof Interest Is the Devil's

Kitchen, with warning signs of 'danKei' stuckup in eveiy direction.' :

•'The country rock'ls serpentine, sandstoneand llniosione. with i^ueou-t deposit* mid m-ciusutions of Mtpaur, soda, clnuabnr, etc,

lect in diameter, opening out Ol the side of tliemoutitain wiilia Mice bowlder overhanging it.Itis al oiit imlf a mile from Hit- active sprineainGeyser Canyon. Ine vapor Is emlnc-d withsucb force tnat a lurj;e bunch of brush placedIn front of it is Instautly swept away fur manyle 1.

Hence, by tlif"Hot Acid Sprints," "I.emni:-ade" mid •Devil Oyen" Pltiton River is re-

I gained, wh-ie baths have been eteeted.The C.eycer Sprlogx, hoi ;md cold. How d.illy

about 100,000 gallons. The .iie.-i covered isIabout 4uo hcie"-. Most ol tiie activity, bow-

ever, Is e«nflned to the "Devii'a" or GeyserCanyon and comprises about sixiy acres.

SHASTA, THE SUPERB.As the eye sweeps the State its survey !»

I early arrested by the elevation of Mount Shastalsolat' d, symmetrical, wish snow-capped

1 peaks towering solemnly among the clouds,!Khasia presents an aspect o£ unique aud Irre-

sMilile intfiest.Moreover, Into tiie composttloa ol this magi-

cal fascination undoubtedly a finer element1 eu'ers lltau mere Bpectaeular wonder.

California has almost a uniform width of 200j miles, and it*chief physical feature Is a great] central valley, parallel to tlie liend ot thecoast. Inclosed by ttte Sierras on the east audthe Crust Kaime. on the west. The southernlimitof this valley is near Tejou Pass and thenorthern near Shasta City, c:ose to whichMount Soasla forms the ciest of the Sienas.

The ijreat mountain thus s:tand as our north-ern jiuaiU, a n:ißl:ty sentinel commanding theapproach to 1lie thousand marvels within the

IState borders,Aloii";the line of rallioad between San Fran-

I cison aud Oregon it can be seen for 2(JO mile",I and Its grandeur Is one of the first objects to

Impress visi on enieilnu the State by thenorthern route.

auot her claim to distinction vindicited byISiiasla is a geological one.

Toe real birth and abiding glory of CaliforniaImay be traced 10 l!s volcanic nricln, and thismountain represents a plctuiesque and siiik-Iins triumph of the litanic upheaval whichj opened up nature's stoic* of precious minerals

j and made the sublime almost a commonplace

I in California scenery.The entire ni:i»s of the mountain Is of vol-j canlc oiiyln,iiio base cotisUllnj; of traclntic

j lava and the more elevated portion of basalticI rod;, theie \y.-U\a but little scoria, a<iies orj oilier loose material to be seen, except near thesummit, where there Ha he ivy bed of volcanicbreccia. That tills, however, as well as Hie adJncent cone and n,any 01her peaks scatteredov/iiHie country to Ihe uoith. Is whollyof vol-canic 01 igiii,h.ivmi; been erupted from a ciater-like oiilice. admits of no doubt.

Situate iv llicsouthwesterly portion of Si«Kl-you County, Mount Shasta reache< an altitudeof 14,-141 leet, or nearly three miles.

For 4000 or.\u25a0SOOO leet below its sutmilt It Ucoveted with snow all :ilie year around— thisbelli;; the only mouautu in Hie State that • re-mains snovvclad lor any considerable ilisinicebelow its Miminit t liroii^ttout the entiie year,Lassens Pea ,the DjwuievilleHalt s and all'the more lofty points in the Sa c losing tn-ir(•now late In the summer, except where it hasdrifted into deep ravines or lies und^r tuoshadow of dills on their northern slope?.. The base of the inoun.aiii is covered, except

on the north, to the huitthtor between 7000 and8000 tret, with heavy foieats of sugar aud pitchpine.'. ,;

On Its northern slope, owing to the poverty ofthe soil, the only trees found consist of stuntedcedar and oak.."Scattered through th? higher portion of thistimber-belt occur patches ofchaparral. which,belim indlcai iv^ of a barren soil, are locallyknown as the "ilevil's acies."

"

Up to an altitude of 7000 feet the trees are ofthe tonal dluien«lou; at 8000 feet forest trees,dlsapji-ar^entlr: ly, a few slu:i:ea and hardyshiubs >UogcllDg for \u25a0 xi»tenceii|i to lh« holchtof about 0000 feet, between which ami th- lineof;perpetual suow scaictily a nuss or lichen Isto 1c seen.

" •" ,;Above the latter point and reaching to analtitude of 12,000 feet the only -inn of lifemet |with Is a low to in of vegetable of a vermilioncolor, which, generated

'in aud staining ilia

\ sheet of white, distinctly separated from the!daik belt of forest below.

Among Hie excursions available In thenelchbo! liooa are those to Horseshoe Bend of the

! JlcCloud River, famous for iti trout tl-lihiv;Castle Cia^'s summit, called . the "GlacierPoint" of the not Hi;:Ca -tie.Lake, I3ic CastleCie k. Hi- Soda and Shasta Soaa Springs, allofierlng points of interest, however over-

; shadowed by tbe aHsrritva sublimity of their, mighty mouiitalu nelpliljor.'

KINQS CANYON.If tlie pieat Yosemite Valley ranks hicli

amnni! the Seven Wonders of California for Itsmarvelous cenioEic.il tires, hardly less prom-Inetice b longs to lvins< Canyon, which, withall or moi-i than all its rival's crandeur,

possesses the additional charm ot compa:novelty.

I.i tie was known about this remarkableregion until recently Jobn MuirofCont a CostaCounty and C. D. i:<)biusou. the Sun i-ranciscoaitlst, publtshed its |>ral>e«. It is to thesegentlemen's exertions

'that the woiid is in-

debted tor this treasure trove.

"Whnever invents a new Idea. %> says thephilosopher, "is a benefactor to society."

Then tinIce blessed lie who discovers a newcountry, a new field for wonder, i>ud explora-tion,' a new Yosemit''.

imapine': Hie j-railtude of guidebook-wear;mortal toward Ibe discoverers of a land un-noted of Murray, F.ied cker or the übiquitousCook; a land \u25a0•\u25a0impenetrated', by luueh-eatlus.name-notching riii!l»tines,, where the sole ofthe foulof uo soap audit has left a deso cratingtrace.

Is there, can there be any such a land in thesedays of beaten laths?

lS\ it is just me secret. You must go a littleout of the beaten paths.

in the lower portion of Fresno County, In the!vast Sierra wilderness far to the southward ofi tne famous Vosemite Valley, extends the Big

Kings Kuvi Canyon or King*lliver Yosemite.':It can be leached from Vlsalla, (any-live

miles distant on its southwest side, or by theKearsaige Pass on the east side of the range.'

The canyon Is about ten miles long, ball a•mite wide, and lie ;: stupendous rocks of pur-pll<U gray crautte that form the walls are from

Snlilnx, 4000 feet, and tlie Leaning Dome,3500 feet.

"The Snlilnx, terminating In a curioussphinx-like Hi:lire. Is the inchest rock on thesouth wall ami one of the most lemarkable inthe Sierra; while the whole series from Ca-

!thctral lioeks to tlie Leaning Dome at iliaIbead uf the valley is tne highest, inns tlabo-!n.teiy sculptured and the imo-i beautiful seiles

of rocks of :lu' same extern Inany Yosemite Inthe range.

"To the uoithward toward tbf foot of thevalley a grand and Impressive rock presentsItself, winch withothers or alike appearance,is called the I'allsade*.' Iila about 8000 feetblub and is tinted so as to look like a mass ol

!DUfie slabs set on edpe. This, though slighter|in dimensions \u25a0 and less bold in attitude, mlgbtj lie compared to Ei,Cai>itau Inthe Yosemite."

Traveling along un the valley the next fea-i tmeis Hie Ilt-imii Toweis, separated by timUeiinit Canyon from the Three Ileimlis.These Mr. .Mini in hi' description compares toin \u25a0 Three IS:other of Yosemite.

"East of the Hermits a stream :ibout thej size of Yo*emi;e Creek enters Hie valley. form-i In^ Ilie Booming Cascades. Itdraws Itssources

lii'inIlie southern Moic- «'f Mount Hutchlus!and Mount Kellopir, 11.000 and 12,000 feeti high.'. In Avalanche Canyon, dliecily opposite; tlie Boomini; decades, there Is another chainLof resounding minor falls, and these two roar

across the valley to one another with heartyaccord. 1

\u25a0\u25a0\u25a0,-

"Above the Booming Cascades and opposite| the Grand Sentinel: stands the North Dome;3450 feel high. IIis set on a lone bare granita

;ridge, with a vertical front like the Washington;column inYosemite.

•"Ashort distance east of the Dome Is Lion;Kocks, a veiy striking mass as seen from a far

vorable standpoint, bin lower than the mainIrocks of the Wall, being only about 2000 feet

high."Beyond the Lion and opposite the East Sen-

\u25a0 tinel a stream called Copper Creek conies

Ciian las down lhe valley.' It lakes its rise l:>| ,i cluster or beautiful lakes tiat lie on the lop

Iof the divide between th« south and middle| forks of KiiiK*Elver to the east ol Mount Kei-; locg.'i'-K.Tlie bioad. spacious basin, it drains

abounds in beautirm tr.ivi-s of spruce and\u25a0 silver fir and unall meadows and Burdens

flowed majestic glacier* and In which now Howand Bine the biieht Siena rivers."

Then he particularizes: "Ihe most famousaud accessible of these canyon valleys, and alsothe one Ihat presents their most striking andsublime feature* on Ihe grandest scale, is meYo«emite, si ualed o:i the upper waters of li;e

Merced at an el valiou of 400'J feet above thelevel m the sea."Itis about seven miles lone, half a mile to a

mile wide and nearly a mile deep and is carvedin ihe solid granite Blank ot the range.

"The walls of the valley are made ur> oflock", mountains in size, hardly separatad

from each other by side canyons and gorge*;and these are so sheer in front and so com-pactly and harmoniously built together on alevel floor that th« place, comprehensivelyseen, louKS like some immense hall or templelighted from above."

So much for mere preliminary description,which, like a far-off glimpse or apt prelude,wheis the appetite for closer aud more appre-ciative encounter.

•'From the heighM," says Mr. Mulr, "we atlend hpaiii our lirst ucneral view of lbs valley—a view that breaks suddenly upon us in all itsglory far and wide and (Jeep; a new revelation

In landscape affairs th.it eoes far to make theweakest and meanest spectator rich ana insig-nificant evermore.

"Alongthe curves and zlgzass of the road,all th- way down to the bottom, the valley Is Insight wltti ever-changing view, anil the eyeranee* Tar up over the green pray Door,betweenthe nullity walls, tilts ot the river gleaminghere and there, while as we draw nearer webegin to hear the soup; of Hie waters.

"Gazing at random, perhaps the first objectto gain concentrated attention will be theBridal Veil, a beautiful waterfall on our right.Its brow, where It first leaps free from therock«, Is about 000 let above us. and as lisways and swings in the wind with gauzy, sun-sifted spray halt tallin?, half floating, itseems Infinitely gentle and fine, but the hymnitsings tells the solemn power that is hiddenben ath tie soft clothing it wears.

"On the other side of Hie valley, opposite theVeil, there is another magnificent fail calledthe Ittbbon Fall or Virgin's Tears. The 'tears'full from a height of about 3000 feet and aremost extravagantly copious when th \u25a0 snow ismelting, Coining bluing and roaring with forceenough to drive a mils of mills, suggesting ihe'weeping skies' of cyclones and bin rlcanes.

"Just beyond, the glorious 'El CapHan KoekIs seen ilirough the pine eroves messing for-ward beyond the general line o: the wall Inmo«t imposing grand Iti*3300 feet bleh,a plain, severely \u25a0 simpl--, glaeler-«cu!|>iurPdface (ifcranite. the ei'd of one of the most com-pact and entiiiiing of llie mountain ridge*,standing ibere in supreme height ami breadth,a type of permanence.

"Across the valley from here above the BridalVeil are the picturesque Cathedral Rocks,nearly 2700 feet high, making a noble displayof line yet massive sculpture. They are closelyrelated lo V,l Capita having been hewn fromthe same mountain ridge by the Yosemiu-glacier when the valley was Inprocess of for-mation.

"Beyond El Capltan, the next In successionof the. most striking features «if the north wallare the Three Brothers, an immense mountain

of Sin Francisco in an air line, the route astraveled, however, being 110 miles longer, 200miles of this distance being covered by rail andthe balance by stage.

The valley was originally 'called liv the In-dians "Aliwaluipp," also •'Yohann:< >,"but thename as now written, Yosemite, willilnubt essstand, vUs signification being a "full-jirowngrizzly bear." It is pronounced as of foursyllables, th« accent being on the second.

The pilncipal featuies of the Yosemite andtho«'' by which Itis distinguished fiom all otherknown valleys are: First, ilin near approach tovertically of its walls; second, their greatheight, not 'only absolutely, but as comparedwith the valley itself; and finally, the very"•mail amount of talus or debris at the base ofthese gigantic clllts. Elmer \u25a0 tli.*domes »r thewaterfalls of the Yosemite or any single one ofthem even would be MilHclent in any Km opeincountry to attract travelers from far and wide.

The valley is at present a State possession,Itscontrol being vested ina commission. Con-siderable comment has been excited of late re-garding the last action or neglect of this com-mission, and the possible recession of thisunique valley to the paternal Government hasbecome a burning question of Hit*day.

The tide of travel to the Yospmite is usuallyalmost cut off In the winter season, but com-mences again with the dwindling ol ihe water-falls, on the Ist of Aprilof each year.

THE PETRIFIED FOREST.l.nne ago the surface of California was

studded with active volcanoes.-Shasta itself was probably one of the later

active craters and the wonderful Geysers arestriking effects of those hardly subdued sub-t rranean forces which .were the architects oftie Yost mite and kindred scenery throughout

California.Ithas l-een held that the latest volcano in

activity was Mount St. Helena, which is sit-uated to the north of the Napa Valley.

Not far from the mountain In the days of itseiuptive activity shot up the tiees ofa tallfoicst, and oue day the mighty shower of ashenfiom Hie belching mouth olSt. Helen's volcanoburied the jjieat trunks complel'.ly out ofsleht.

They were buried in an upright position andalmost Immediately the fatal dast-mami sur-rounding Him was cooled oil as It becamesaturated with water from the bursting forthof springs- an event which the volcanic con-vulsions of those days made extiemelycommon.

The springs irr that locality are all heavilycharged with mineral properties, and thesestraightway procedtd to make of the Im-prisoned forest a iieimanent stone curiosity forfutine ages.

But future aces might never have discoveredthe unique cariosity had it not been for somesubsequent shock of earthquake, by means ofwhich nature laid the giants of me forest overon their sides and brought them up to withina lew feet of the surface of Hie ground.

Such Is the theory of some authorities as tothe origin of the Sonoma County petrified forest.

It is located on a mountain 1500 feet abovethe level of the sea, about live miles west ofsouth of Callstoga and near the dividing ridgebetween N.ipa and Santa Bon valleys.

lie road from (_'all>toya to the forest Ispicturesquely beautiful. Tbe bills aie covetedwith groves of pines, oaks, madronas, rnanzaol-tas aud oilier growth, and as the tourist passesalong he cannot but be ntruc* by the ever-changing grace and grandeur of the landscape,

'ilie forest is on the north side of a deepravine or canyon and covers an area of200 or300 roughly measured, It is four mileslong and one mile wide—over which are scat-tered the fragments of hundreds of letiilitiltrees. Only a portion have as yet been un-earth' d.

Tlie trees are from 100 to 150 feet In lengthand from 2 to 7 feel In diameter, atid are brokenup into logs of various tenailis.

Judging by what have teen crudely uncov-ered, (be trees show evidence of haviNg been

listed with earth am! rock of volcanicformation, which has only been partly washedaway by water.

The logs bear au exact resemblance to wood,the bark, grain, knots, hollows and excres-cences being shown in unmistakable ieali-in.

They are In every state of crystallization, andsome beautiful polished specimens have beenobtained.

Under the microscope the wood appears to besimilar to the redwood, but the comparative

shortness of the trunk In relation to its diam-

Swede, who somehow claimed the name ofChutes Evano. "Ienili' d Charlie," as he wascalled, was quite a character. lie fenced :in

'

the property and lived there alone, except forthe society of a dog and a goat.

He admitted visitors at so much a heart, orslageful, and u-ed to

'irg.ile them with an

almost perfectly unintelligible . sclentllls de-scription of the tree*, always winding up by anintroduction to his dog and coat.

From every scientist who came, alone hogatheird up fresh scientific term.", which heused haphazard, but with profound belief Intheir lucidity. The trees were for Uira always"desilcatrd specimens." ,

He died six or seven years ago, but not beforereaping quite a sum ofmoney by his astute pie-emption.

The forest Is stillInprivate hands, and nat-urally continues to attract visitors more andmore.

As an eloquent relic of gigantic forces nowat rest, as a messenger as it were of prehistoriclimes, idling of strange growths and marvel-ous preservative conditions, this l'tttrlfled For-est must ever t-e class d among the most fas-cinating wonders of the htaie.

THE GEYSERS.In contrast with the wonders which reign

among the clouds are the celebiated Geysers,which appear to trench on the very borders ofthe infernal regions themselves.

There are very tew geysers in the world, andeverywhere they are regarded as peculiar In-teresting centers of attraction.

As long as the geysers of Sonoma Countyexist scientists, world loorists and the curiousand health-seeking public will continue tovisit them, and they will remain a source ofpride ana wealth to the Slate.

The word yser Is from the Icelandic"eeysa." meaning "to burst forth violently,"and sufficient! v desciibes the effect of thewell-known intermittent hot and cold springs.

Ueysetsare found in Iceland, until recentlyIn New Zealind. where an earthquake wroughtmuch destiuciiou among the famous terracesin the Island or New Ulster, and Inthe UnitedStates west of the Uockles.

Of the later the geysers of Sonoma Countycome fecund to those at Yellowstone Park,which are cousideied' the most wouoeiful in

ana as Mi-' fiimaiolt's. cracks and !!»-itir .-mil

inelr boiling water* and vatmi«. ?aturated withfree sulphurous, •mtnliurlc. hydiocul'>r'c acidsand liomc anhydride, all having si rone' dl*>integrating action on the furmiitlon, everythingIs, Id!cons :quenci1,r soft;:and \u25a0 yielding. Thehanks and rocks are like clay and sand, easilydIfloducd'on 5 the tUfChttat touch— hence tli«signs of dancer.-;

"This solvent, molten section Is fairly In themid-t of :a boiling, seething, trembling andsmoking Plutonian i"aim.

'•The ground antler your feet Is becominghotter and li;> irr and the sulphurous /tunesand vai oious steam Br i nearly suffocating^ ils-ll)(;to nearly ">')() feet.

'•It l« also obseiveil thai all these wonderfulsubterranean forces exhibit more activity at ornear the lullmoon.';. ••As you . proceed along Ihe knob, over.'straight and narrow path,' lt is liierallv andpractically lini.oitant that you follow :your):ui>ie, lent o;ie niNgiep 'hurl you Into that uu-diseovered ooini.ry Iron) whose bouruo notraveler returns.'. "Iniiiinieiable springs and vents and subter-

ranean outlets spurt and spout in every diiec-tiou. 'Pluto's I'unchbowl' is a large spring ofhot lemonade, containing sulpUutic acids andsulphates.

'•The '(Jpyser smoUestack' is a Inrue openingfrom which Issu- volumes of suli>iiui-UUenfumes, which rise into the air for several hun-dred feet, where they condense and (all to theground as water, sulphur, etc.

"Next comes the 'Devil's Canopy' and the'Geyser Safety-valve.' an Intermittent sc.»ldkii;spring, which ejects streams of boiling wat^r tothe lielßht or lifteen feet; then the 'Devil'sPulpit.' a little elevation where his SatanicMajesty (presumably) sues lo direct the work-Ings of his laboratory.

"Passing the 'Devil's Gristmill,' with its sub-terranean noises resembling those of a millengine, me ravine for--, eomnumded by aplateau called 'Lovers' Leap.'

"Hence the view of the boilins, seciuluc,roaring, steaming, groaning and bubblingsprint's below is one of unrivaled grandeur.One hundred and slxtv feet below you and nilalong the "Devil's Canyon' is one mass ofsmoking fury,'shrill wliisMas, regularly iuiei-mlltlne polls and jruan-, issuing flora the lu-teiior of the earth,

'•This siuhl alone is worth lie whole trip."To the east is "Lovers' Bel real,' a pleasant

oasis in the wilderness of sulphurous cloud-.Here also is 'Temperance Spring,' of cold, clearwater, and near It is a fallen o.ik, having aknothole in one of Isliuce blanches known asthe •J'ostofflco.'

"Ana >o we are led on past the Fire Mountain,

with its hundieds of small orifice*. "AlkaliLake," the "Lava Bed*.'1 the '\u25a0Indian SweatBath" to the "Devil's Teakettle."

Th4s teakettle spring Is one of the strongestvapor eprlnca on the coast. The 01 idee is three

j Inclining at an anule varying from thirty toforty-five decrees.

Three days are required to make the journeywithcomfort and satisfaction.

The Cist night Is spent near the line of per-petual mow; the next day is consumed InCoins to the top ot the mountain and returningto the snot left in the ulna, where the sec-ond night is passed, the balance of the descentbeing made the following day.

A pood supply of blankets is required, as thetemperature of this night camp generally fallsto the freezing point before morning.

At an elevation of 13,240 feet a rudely circu-lar and nearly level space occurs., evidentlythe bottom of an ancient crater, one side ofwhich having broken away, a portion of its rimremains, forming the summit of the mountain,which liftsIlseH 1204 feet above.

On this, level atea are a number of orificesfrom which steam and sulphurous ga^es. con-stantly escape, lie feeble action of this sol-fatara being th only (surviving manifestationof those stupendous foices that piled up themasses that form this extinct volcano.ItIs on record that on one occasion at least

Hie life of a daring winter explorer was savediby the warmth of this solfa'ara amid the sur-

rounding fatal cold.The thermometer at : midday in summer

generally stands below the freezing point onthe summit of the mountain.

The air about Its top is cold, even In thewarmest weather, and. is almost always Inbrisk circulation, the summit being frequentlyswept by strong rales thiit keep exposed por-tions of Its sides denuded of snow.

The outline of this mountain, from whateverside viewed, pr sent* a Dearly lecular coup,the symmetry of. which Is somewhat marred,when observed from the southwest, By the In-ter» osilii n ofIlie side cone nut 2000 fret lowerfrom the main mountain, from which it standswholly sepanit-d.

This lesser peak has been called Shastlua.It has a well-defined crater-cup at its sum-

mit, that Is in diameter about ."COO tu> t, or a,space large enough to contain about six b:ocks

'

squaie in a elf \u0084

This open crater-mouth Is about 1500 feetdeep, and the gigantic bowl of lava In volcanicdays gave way in it-> rim on the west side andpoured Its red-hot liquid product all over the

!country.

The >ky outline of Shasta has a general in-clinatloiwf about 23 degrees on one side andof 31 on the other, while the westerly slope ofSha«lina Inclines at about DC degrtes.

A beautiful Impression m taking a farewelllook at Mount Shasta is its glistening radiance.

For while, as stated, certain exposed and[ rocky lions of the main mountain are de-, uuded of snow, these bare spots disappear

when viewed from a dl-lance, the whole sur-face above the mow line seeming an unbroken

is about 5000 feet above the sea, are not soperpendicular. as in the Vosemite. but yet riseabruptly. From their brink ou either side theground still rises In a series of Ice-carved ridgesand basins, superbly forested and adorned witumany small lakes and m adows, where bearand deer find grateful homes; while from thehead of Hie valley mountains other mountains

! rise beyond In glorious array, everyone of themshining with rock crystals and snow and with anetwork of streams that glide from lake to lakethrough a labyrinth of Ice-buinlshed cmyons.

The winter snow falls here to a depth of fromten to twenty feet, still in spring and summer

i Ihello: a Is profuse and varied. The frailestI flowers, blue ana purple and gold, spread their

pretty tapestry on every coign of vantage.Once down in the valley a wide plateau

pre-ents itself, planted with stitely groves atsugar pine, yellow pine, silver tit, Incense cedarand Kellopg oak. There Is a little underbrush'and many flowers. Up above tower Riant walls1500 feet, ilslng out of the sloping sides.

Three miles up the 'valley on the south sidearc the Roaring Falls and Cascades.

These are on a large stream caller! RoaringElver, which lias a downpour nt nearly 500 feetpur mile. The fall, howefW, when the watersarrive nt the valley. Is Insignificant in be Unit ascompared with the similarly situated BridalVeilof the old Yo«emlte. But the river has a

I series of cascades above the Fall wlilcll repre-sent the force at a volume of water live times aslarge as the Bridal Veil CreeK and are wildly

ibeautiful.Near the fall on the east side are the Cathe-

dral Uocks ratlie-r higher than the group of thesame name in the Merced Valley,but otherwise

icurious')' like."Nest to Cathedral Koeiis is the group

called the Seven Gables, mis-iV'- and solid at

the base, but elaboiat iy sculptured alone: 'hetop :.nii a considerable dls auce down thefiont into pointed Gothic arches, the highestof which ii about three thousand feet above

;the valley."•Beyond the (iai>!e group, and sppiratrct

j Slightly from it by tie beautiful Avalanchecanyon and {cascade", stands the bold anilmajestic mass of tin- Grand Sentinel. 3300 feethUh, with a split vertical fiont presented tothe vail y as sheer and nearly as extensive asHit" trout of the Yo«emlte Half Dome.

"Projecting out Into the valley from the ba«Bof tl'e sheer front Is the Lower Sentinel, 2400feet high; and on either side the West and Eastsentinels, about the same height, forming alto-

Igi ther the boldest and most massively sculp*i lured group in the valley.

"Th n follow In close succession the SentinelCascade, a lace-like strip of water 2000 fee:

ilong; the South Tower, 2500 feet high; iliaBear Cascade, longer and broader than that of

i the Sentinel; Cave Dume, 3200 f<:etbH:u; the

snow. Rallies this belt to l> \u25a0 known as tie "red"now."

Above the fields of this most primitive ve.'e-tiilloullie cone of Ilie niount;ii:i :liftsItself agilnerltiK pavilion o( iintnrulshed simw.

Such is a general description of ibia grandpeak, Wb cli exerts a natural luscinailon tint.never fails upon inouiilalii climb -is and seek-ers after the beautiful, to b.-? w.m in the mai;-nltlrent prospect from its summit.

The best s axon for ascending the mountainIs in Hie month oi .In or August.

Earlier than July [be snow Is not sufficientlylessened, while toward ll:e end of the summerlite tires' common in th' forest ", till the airwith smoke, liiieifeiine wltti aud often com-pletely <i •••tiiivlni!tn« view.

The a«cenl Is inrtrte from Hie west side, anduntil a hclKlitof 12,000 feet Is reached Ua>tendi-d with no other difficultyman mat always

incident to Hie attenuated condition of the at-mos|)here at similar elevations.

Above 12,000 fret the ascent becomes more1 steep and liUioiiuii-.Hie slope of the mountain

2500 to r.ooo f- et. in freight, while,ilie depth efthe vil'ev below the general >iirfnce ,or tirenioiinta In mass fn in vtliich It has been carvedIs considerably more limn a ml

•Tims it pears." says Mr. Mulr,,"lhat thisfew Yo«fnillH is lmii;er:iiid dr»-i pr, and lies

embedded In grander Mountain* than the well-known Yo-emlic of tne Merc d."

As In the, latter, infinite charm Is found hereIn ilie music and animation of mountainhtremn*.

Kaullke eaxead s, trembllns frmibeta, s-Aflrl-liirimm)ls peopled with trout hasten to ininuiewith the ceiwiai river. But the voluni!, of fall-Ing water is nearly twice as great as that whichswell* the Merced. For the aiea of the basinsilr Inert by the streams enteilng this "new"valley Is about 430 square miles and the eieva-ll'<n of the rim of the general basin is from0000 to upward of14.000 feet above the sea;while the general basin of the Mereed Valleyhas an are iof 250 square miles and Its eleva-

Ition Is much lower.The walls of the valley, which at the bottom

TowTing El Capitan.

A SAND TORM IN DEA.TH VALLEY.IN THE PETRIFIED FORE-T.

Cyclops— Standing Room for E:e;hte3nHorse? inthe Hoi!ow ofThis Tree.

SHASTA, FROM STRAWBERRY VALLF.Y.

The Mother of the Forest.

KINQS CANYON-LOOKING UP THE VALLEY FROM THE MANT-ZANITA ORCHARD. MAM-

10 THE MOBNING CALL, SAX FRANCISCO, SUNDAY, MAY^ 28, 1893.

\" A.IllI''

3 \u25a0 f

S A

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