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CROFUTT’S NEW OVERLAND TOURIST

 

are easily wintered and fattened, finding a ready
market in the mining districts and westward t?
Sacramento and San Francisco.

No. $31 Annex. Nevada Kalls—In orderto
form a proper idea of the superb picture, No. 13,
of the large series, it will be necessary to pre-
mise that the Yo-Semite Valley is an immense

orge, in the western slope of the Sierra Nevada

ountains, about seven miles in length, from}
east to west, and from one-eighth of a mile to two)
miles in width, from north tosouth. The walls
surrounding this mighty chasm are nearly perpen-
dicular, and from 2,090 to 6,000 feet high. The
various streams that find their way into the valley
flow over this tremendous wall on entering. At
the eastern end of the valley proper, it divides
into two canyons, pee still eastward, but
diverging as they mountthe Sierras. Itisthrough
the south one of these canyons, that the main
branch of the Mercede River flows, and on enter-
ing the valley, it makes two leaps. The lower
one, or Vernal Fall, of 450 feet in height, 100 feet
wide, and from three to four feet deep, where it
leaps the square-edged barrier. Continuing up
the canyon for a mile, above the Vernal Fall,
amid the wildest scenery imaginable, and we
reach the Great Nevada Fall, the subject of our
picture. The canyon narrows, in a wedge-like
form, to quite a point, and just at the right of
this vortex is thefall. Itis 900 feet nia 75 feet
wide at the brink, and 130 feet below. Regarded
as to its height, volume, purity of water, and
general surroundings, it is one of the grandest
objects inthe world. The spectator facing the
east will observe on his left the “Cap of Lib-
erty” lifting its rounded summit of smooth and
weather-polished granite, 2,000 above the Fall,
5,000 feet above the valley below, or 9,000 feet
above the sea. To paint in words, in the space
allowed us, the beauties of the fall, the bolder
scenery, the foliage, mosses and ferns, always
moist fromthe spray, and brilliant green in sum-
mer, the roar andrush of the fast-flowing river,
the majestic grandeur of the rocky frame-work,
which towers above and around it,is simply an
impossibility; we shall not try, but refer the
reader’s imagination and judgment with these
statistics to the beautiful picture, which has
been accurately engraved from a faithful photo-
graph. (See ANNEX No. 10.)

No. 32 ANNEX. Pioneer Mail Enter-
prises—CRossINeé THE SIERRAS ON SNOW-SKATES
—The rapid settlement of the. fertile valleys
ying at the eastern base.of the High Sierras of
California, created a want for mail facilities in ad-
vance of regular methods. It is well known, that
previous to the winter of 1854, the fearless settlers
of this isolated inland world were shut out from
communion with the great throbbing heart of civ-
ilization on the outside for three or four months
of every year, by that almost inaccessible and
snow-clad range. Those whose temerity let
events bid defiance to this battle-ground of the
storms, and sought to scaleits snowy ramparts,
too ee entity became snow-blind, or foot-frozen ;
or, still more frequently, lay down to that sleep
which knows no waking—their only mantle the
fast-falling snow.

In this emergency, one brave heart, at least,
was found to dare the perilous task of carrying |.
the United States Mail to those enterprising pio-
neers. It was Mr.John A. Thompson, a Norwe-
gian. Early education and habit had made him
an adept in the use of the snow skate. Without
hesitation, he made a contract with T. J. Matte-
son, of Murphy’s Camp, Calaveras county, to con-
tinue postal service in winter, as well as in sum-

mer, over the route, via the Calaveras grove of
big trees (the only grove then known, to Carson
City, for $200 per month, without regard to the
depth of snow.

ur illustration introduces our heroin propria
persona. It will be seen at a glance that the
snow-skate is totally unlike the Indian, or Cana-
dian snow-shoe—the latter being adapted, mainly,
to a light, loose snow, and level country; and the
former to compact masses, and mountainous dis-
tricts. The ‘shoe,’ moreover, is of slow and la-
borious use; whereas the ‘“‘skate’’ is of exceed-
ingly rapid and exhilarating adaptability—espe-
cially on down grades, when its speed is fre-
quently equal to the ordinary locomotive. The
motion is a slide—not astep. The pole in the
mail carrier’s hand acts as a brake on dowu
grades, and as a propeller up hill.

In Sierra county, California, where snow often
falls to the depth of ten or twelve feet, the snow-
skate is a great favorite, becoming a source of
pleasant recreation, on moon-lit evenings —visits
of from ten to fifteen miles being made after tea,
and returning the same evening. Here, too,
snow-skating forms one of the most popular of
pastimes—racing. A belt, studded and set with
silver, becomes the prize of the successful racer
Sometimes young ladies will challenge gentle-
men toarace for a pocket handkerchief, or a pair
of gloves—which, of course, is always accepted
The accidents which sometimes occur throw no
damper on the sport.

On the second trip of Mr. Thompson, when
nearly on the summit of the Sierra, he sought the
protection of a friendly cabin for the night; when,
upon entering it, he saw the almost lifeless form of
a man with his feet frozen, and without any other
covering than the clothes he wore. His boots
were frozen fast to his feet. He had been lying
in this deplorable condition, alone, for twelve
days, with nothing to save life except raw flour.
Although death would soon have lifted from him
his burden of suffering, he continued hopeful to
the last, that a kind Providence would send the
daring mail carrier,as an angel of mercy, to de-
liver him. Tears started to hiseyes when he told
of the joy of the snow-bound and helpless, as he
heard the muffled, though welcome, sound of
snow-skates. As soon as all necessary assistance
could be rendered, and the man made as comfort-
able as possible, Mr. Thompson, without resting
his weary limbs, started out upon the snowy
waste in search of relief. He did not search in
vain. The simple recital of his story was enough
to thrill his listeners, and to enlist all the volun-
teers necessary to bring the sufterer into safety.
All desirable supplies, and alight sled upon
which to haul him, were soon provided; and,
although heavy snow-storms impeded their way,
they soon became his deliverers.

No. 33 Annex. The Donner Party—
(THustration page 105). Around this beautiful
sheet of water—nestled so closely in the embrace
of these pueeny, mountains, smiling and joyous
in its matchless beauty, as though no dark sorrow
had ever occurred on its shores, or its clear waters
reflected back the wan and haggard face of starva-
tion—is clustered the saddest of memories—a
memory perpetuated by the name of the lake.

In the fall of ’46, a party of emigrants, most
from Illinois, arrived at Truckee River, worn an
wasted from their long and arduous journey.
Among that party was a Mr. Donner, who, with
his family, were seeking the rich bottom lands of
the California rivers, the fame of which had
reached them in their Eastern home. At that
time afew hardy pioneers had settled near Sut-