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edelweissartificial； I think flowered in abundance； they sported
severely plain flannel shirts； bloomers of an aggressive and unnecessary
cut； and enormous square boots weighing pounds。 The men had on hats
just off the sunbonnet effect； pleated Norfolk jackets； bloomers ditto ditto
to the women； stockings whose tops rolled over innumerable times to help
out the size of that which they should have contained； and also enormous
square boots。 The female children they put in skin…tight blue overalls。
The male children they dressed in bloomers。 Why this should be I cannot
tell you。 All carried toy hatchets with a spike on one end built to
resemble the pictures of alpenstocks。
They looked business…like； trod with an assured air of veterans and a
seeming of experience more extended than it was possible to pack into any
one human life。 We stared at them； our eyes bulging out。 They
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painfully and evidently concealed a curiosity as to our pack…train。 We
wished them good…day； in order to see to what language heaven had fitted
their extraordinary ideas as regards raiment。 They inquired the way to
something or otherI think Sentinel Dome。 We had just arrived； so we
did not know； but in order to show a friendly spirit we blandly pointed out
A way。 It may have led to Sentinel Dome for all I know。 They departed
uttering thanks in human speech。
Now this particular bunch of tourists was evidently staying at the
Glacier Point； and so was fresh。 But in the course of that morning we
descended straight down a drop of； is it four thousand feet？ The trail was
steep and long and without water。 During the descent we passed first and
last probably twoscore of tourists； all on foot。 A good half of them were
delicate women；young； middle…aged； a few gray… haired and evidently
upwards of sixty。 There were also old men； and fat men； and men
otherwise out of condition。 Probably nine out of ten； counting in the
entire outfit； were utterly unaccustomed； when at home where grow street…
cars and hansoms； to even the mildest sort of exercise。 They had come
into the Valley； whose floor is over four thousand feet up； without the
slightest physical preparation for the altitude。 They had submitted to the
fatigue of a long and dusty stage journey。 And then they had merrily
whooped it up at a gait which would have appalled seasoned old stagers
like ourselves。 Those blessed lunatics seemed positively unhappy unless
they climbed up to some new point of view every day。 I have never seen
such a universally tired out； frazzled； vitally exhausted； white…faced；
nervous community in my life as I did during our four days' stay in the
Valley。 Then probably they go away； and take a month to get over it； and
have queer residual impressions of the trip。 I should like to know what
those impressions really are。
Not but that Nature has done everything in her power to oblige them。
The things I am about to say are heresy； but I hold them true。
Yosemite is not as interesting nor as satisfying to me as some of the
other big box canons； like those of the Tehipite； the Kings in its branches；
or the Kaweah。 I will admit that its waterfalls are better。 Otherwise it
possesses no features which are not to be seen in its sister valleys。 And
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there is this difference。 In Yosemite everything is jumbled together；
apparently for the benefit of the tourist with a linen duster and but three
days' time at his disposal。 He can turn from the cliff…headland to the
dome； from the dome to the half dome； to the glacier formation； the
granite slide and all the rest of it； with hardly the necessity of stirring his
feet。 Nature has put samples of all her works here within reach of his
cataloguing vision。 Everything is crowded in together； like a row of
houses in forty…foot lots。 The mere things themselves are here in
profusion and wonder； but the appropriate spacing； the approach； the
surrounding of subordinate detail which should lead in artistic gradation to
the supreme feature these things； which are a real and essential part of
esthetic effect； are lacking utterly for want of room。 The place is not
natural scenery； it is a junk…shop； a storehouse； a sample…room wherein the
elements of natural scenery are to be viewed。 It is not an arrangement of
effects in accordance with the usual laws of landscape； but an abnormality；
a freak of Nature。
All these things are to be found elsewhere。 There are cliffs which to
the naked eye are as grand as El Capitan； domes； half domes； peaks as
noble as any to be seen in the Valley； sheer drops as breath…taking as that
from Glacier Point。 But in other places each of these is led up to
appropriately； and stands the central and satisfying feature to which all
other things look。 Then you journey on from your cliff； or whatever it
happens to be； until； at just the right distance； so that it gains from the
presence of its neighbor without losing from its proximity； a dome or a
pinnacle takes to itself the right of prominence。 I concede the waterfalls；
but in other respects I prefer the sister valleys。
That is not to say that one should not visit Yosemite； nor that one will
be disappointed。 It is grand beyond any possible human belief； and no
one； even a nerve…frazzled tourist； can gaze on it without the strongest
emotion。 Only it is not so intimately satisfying as it should be。 It is a
show。 You do not take it into your heart。 〃Whew！〃 you cry。 〃Isn't that
a wonder！〃 then after a moment； 〃Looks just like the photographs。 Up to
sample。 Now let's go。〃
As we descended the trail； we and the tourists aroused in each other a
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mutual interest。 One husband was trying to encourage his young and
handsome wife to go on。 She was beautifully dressed for the part in a
marvelous； becoming costume of whipcord short skirt； high laced
elkskin boots and the rest of it； but in all her magnificence she had sat
down on the ground； her back to the cliff； her legs across the trail； and was
so tired out that she could hardly muster interest enough to pull them in
out of the way of our horses' hoofs。 The man inquired anxiously of us
how far it was to the top。 Now it was a long distance to the top； but a
longer to the bottom； so we lied a lie that I am sure was immediately
forgiven us； and told them it was only a short climb。 I should have
offered them the use of Bullet； but Bullet had come far enough； and this
was only one of a dozen such cases。 In marked contrast was a jolly
white… haired clergyman of the bishop type who climbed vigorously and
hailed us with a shout。
The horses were decidedly unaccustomed to any such sights； and we
sometimes had our hands full getting them by on the narrow way。 The
trail was safe enough； but it did have an edge； and that edge jumped pretty
straight off。 It was interesting to observe how the tourists acted。 Some
of them were perfect fools； and we had more trouble with them than we
did with the horses。 They could not seem to get the notion into their
heads that all we wanted them to do was to get on the inside and stand still。
About half of them were terrified to death； so that at the crucial moment；
just as a horse was passing them； they