CONTENTS:

CHAPTER I.
Incidents leading to the Discovery of the Yosemite Valley--Major Savage 
and Savages--Whiskey, Wrangling and War--Skinned Alive--A brisk Fight--
Repulse--Another Fight, and Conflagration ... 1

CHAPTER II.
The Governor of California issues a Proclamation--Formation of the 
Mariposa Battalion--The Origin and Cause of the War--New Material Public 
Documents--A Discussion--Capt. Walker--The Peace Commissioners' Parley and 
the Indians' Pow-wow--The Mysterious Deep Valley--Forward, March! ... 29

CHAPTER III.
March Down the South Fork--Capture of an Indian Village--Hungry Men--An 
able Surgeon--Snow Storms--Visit of Ten-ie-ya, Chief of the Yosemites--
Commander's Dilemma--Unique Manner of Extrication--Approaching the Valley--
First View--Sensations Experienced--A Lofty Flight Brought Down ... 40

CHAPTER IV.
Naming the Valley--Signification and Origin of the Word--Its proper 
Pronunciation: Yo-sem-i-ty--Mr. Hutchings and Yo-Ham-i-te--His Restoration 
of Yo-sem-i-te ... 57

CHAPTER V.
Date of Discovery--First White Visitors--Captain Joe Walker's Statement 
Ten-ie-ya's Cunning--Indian Tradition--A Lying Guide--The Ancient Squaw--
Destroying Indian Stores--Sweat-houses--The Mourner's Toilet--Sentiment 
and Reality--Return to Head-quarters ... 70 

CHAPTER VI.
Out of Provisions--A Hurried Move--Mills where Indians take their Grists, 
and Pots in which they Boil their Food--Advance Movement of Captain Dill--
A Hungry Squad--Enjoyment--Neglect of Duty--Escape of Indians--Following 
their Trail--A Sorrowful Captain--A Mystery made Clear--Duplicity of the 
Chow-chillas--Vow-chester's Good-will Offering--Return of the Fugitives--
Major Savage as Agent and Interpreter ... 92

CHAPTER VII.
Campaign against the Chow-chillas--The Favorite Hunting Ground--A Deer 
Hunt and a Bear Chase --An Accident and an Alarm--A Torch-light Pow-wow--
Indians Discovered--Captain Boling's Speech--Crossing of the San Joaquin--
A Line of Battle, its Disappearance--Capture of Indian Village--Jose Rey's 
Funeral-pyre--Following the Trail--A Dilemma--Sentiment and Applause--
Returning to Camp--Narrow Escape of Captain Boling ... 105

CHAPTER VIII.
A Camp Discussion--War or Police Clubs--Jack Regrets a Lost Opportunity--
Boling's Soothing Syrup--A Scribe Criticises and Apologises--Indian War 
Material and its Manufacture--The Fire-stick and its Sacred Uses--Arrival 
at Head-quarters ... 123

CHAPTER IX.
Starvation Subdues the Chow-chillas, and the Result is Peace--Captain 
Kuykendall's Expeditions--An Attack--Rout and Pursuit--A Wise Conclusion--
Freezing out Indians--A Wild Country--A Terrific View--Yosemite versus 
King's River--Submission of the Indians South of the San Joaquin--Second 
Expedition to Yosemite--Daring Scouts--Capture of Indians--Naming of 
"Three Brothers" ... 135

CHAPTER X.
A General Scout--An Indian Trap--Flying Artillery--A Narrow Escape--A 
Tragic Scene--Fortunes of War--A Scout's Description--Recovery from a 
Sudden Leap--Surrounded by Enemies ... 148 

CHAPTER XI.
Camp Amusements--A Lost Arrow--Escape of a Prisoner--Escape of Anther--
Shooting of the Third--Indian Diplomacy--Taking His Own Medicine--Ten-ie 
ya Captured--Grief over the Death of His Son--Appetite under Adverse 
Circumstances--Poetry Dispelled--Really a Dirty Indian ... 160

CHAPTER XII.
Bears and Other Game--Sickness of Captain Boling--Convalescence and 
Determination--A Guess at Heights--A Tired Doctor and a Used-up Captain--
Surprising an Indian--Know-nothingness, or Native Americanism--A Clue and 
Discovery--A Short-cut to Camp, but an Unpopular Route ... 175

CHAPTER XIII.
The Indian Names--Difficulty of their Interpretation--Circumstances 
Suggesting Names of Vernal, Nevada and Bridal Veil Falls--Mr. Richardson's 
Descriptions of the Falls and Round Rainbow--Py-we-ack Misplaced, and " 
Illiluette " an Absurdity--An English Name Suggested for Too-lool-lo-we-
ack, Pohono and Tote-ack-ah-nu-la--Indian Superstitions and Spiritual 
Views--A Free National Park Desirable--Off on the Trail ... 198

CHAPTER XIV.
A Mountain Storm--Delay of Supplies--Clams and Ipecac--Arrival of Train--A 
Cute Indian--Indian Sagacity--A Dangerous Weapon--Capture of Indian 
Village--An Eloquent Chief--Woman's Rights versus Squaw's Wrongs--A 
Disturbed Family--A Magnificent Sunrise--On a Slippery Slope--Sentiment 
and Poetry--Arrival at the Fresno ... 222

CHAPTER XV.
The Flora of the Region of the Yosemite--General Description of the Valley 
and its Principal Points of Interest, with their Heights ... 240 

CHAPTER XVI.
A Trip to Los Angeles--Interview with Colonel McKee--A Night at Colonel 
Fremont's Camp--Management of Cattle by the Colonel's Herdsmen--Back to 
Los Angeles--Specimen Bricks of the Angel City--An Addition to our Party--
Mules versus Bears--Don Vincente--A Silver Mine--Mosquitos--A Dry Bog--
Return to Fresno--Muster out of Battalion--A Proposition ... 257

CHAPTER XVII.
Captain Boling elected Sheriff--Appointment of Indian Agents--Ten-ie-ya 
allowed to Return to Yosemite--Murder of Visitors--Lieut. Moore's 
Expedition and Punishment of Murderers--Gold Discoveries on Eastern Slope 
of Sierras--Report of Expedition, and First Published Notice of Yosemite--
Squatter Sovereignty--Assault upon King's River Reservation--The supposed 
Leader, Harvey Denounced by Major Savage--A Rencounter, and Death of 
Savage--Harvey Liberated by a Friendly Justice--An Astute Superintendent--
A Mass Meeting--A Rival Aspirant--Indians and Indian Policy ... 272

CHAPTER XVIII.
Murder of Starkey--Death of Ten-ie-ya and Extinction of his Band--A few 
Surviving Murderers--An Attempt at Reformation--A Failure and Loss of a 
Mule--Murders of Robert D. Sevil and Robert Smith--Alarm of the People--A 
False Alarm ... 291

CHAPTER XIX.
Engineering and History--Speculation and Discouragement--A New Deal--Wall 
Street--A Primitive Bridge--First Woman in the Yosemite--Lady Visitors 
from Mariposa and Lady Teachers from San Francisco--Measurements of 
Heights--First Houses and their Occupants--A Gay Party and a Glorious 
Feast ... 301

CHAPTER XX.
Golden Theories and Glaciers ... 319

CHAPTER XXI.
Big Trees of California or Sequoia Gigantea--Their Discovery and 
Classification ... 333

CHAPTER XXII.
Statistics--Roads and Accommodations--Chapel and Sunday School--Big Farms 
and Great Resources--A Variety of Products--Long Hoped for Results ... 343

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

I. MAPS ... FRONTISPIECE.
II. PORTRAIT
III. THE YOSEMITE VALLEY ... 13
IV. EL CAPITAN ... 54
V. BRIDAL VEIL FALL ... 59
VI. HALF DOME ... 74
VII. NORTH DOME AND ROYAL ARCHES ... 75
VIII. CATHEDRAL ROCKS ... 77
IX. GLACIER FALL ... 84
X. VERNAL FALL AND ROUND RAINBOW ... 86
XI. NEVADA FALL ... 87
XII. CACHES, OR ACORN STOREHOUSES ... 129
XIII. THREE BROTHERS ... 146
XIV. YOSEMITE FALL ... 166
XV. MIRROR LAKE ... 204
XVI. SENTINEL ROCK ... 213
XVII. THE INDIAN BELLE ... 219
XVIII. LAKE TEN-IE-YA ... 236
XIX. LAKE STARR KING ... 290
XX. BIG TREE ... 333
XXI. RIDING THROUGH A TREE TRUNK ... 325
FIRE STICK ... 134
TUNNELED TREE ... 340



INTRODUCTION.

The book here presented is the result of an attempt to correct existing 
errors relative to the Yosemite Valley. It was originally designed to 
compress the matter in this volume within the limits of a magazine 
article, but this was soon found to be impracticable; and, at the 
suggestion of Gen. C. H. Berry, of Winona, Minnesota, it was decided to 
"write a book."

This, too, proved more difficult than at first appeared.

Born in Rochester, New York, in 1824, and carried to Western wilds in 
1833, the writer's opportunities for culture were limited; and in this, 
his first attempt at authorship, he has found that the experiences of 
frontier life are not the best preparations for literary effort. Beside 
this, he had mainly to rely upon his own resources, for nothing could be 
obtained in the archives of California that could aid him. It was not 
deemed just that California should forget the deeds of men who had subdued 
her savages, and discovered her most sublime scenery. Having been a member 
of the "Mariposa Battalion," and with it when the Yosemite was discovered, 
having suggested its name, and named many of the principal objects of 
interest in and near the valley, it seemed a duty that the writer owed his 
comrades and himself, to give the full history of these events. Many of 
the facts incident thereto have already been given to the public by the 
author at various times since 1851, but these have been so mutilated or 
blended with fiction, that a renewed and full statement of facts 
concerning that remarkable locality seems desirable.

While engaged upon this work, the writer was aided by the scientific 
researches of Prof. J. D. Whitney, and by the "acute and helpful 
criticism" of Doctor James M. Cole of Winona, Minnesota.

Since the publication of the second edition of this book, and an article 
from the author's pen in the Century Magazine for September, 1890, 
numerous letters of approval from old comrades have been received, and a 
few dates obtained from old official correspondence that will now be 
introduced.

In addition to what may properly belong to this history, there have been 
introduced a few remarks concerning the habits and character of the 
Indians. This subject is not entirely new, but the opinions expressed are 
the results of many years acquaintance with various tribes, and may be 
useful.

The incidental remarks about game will probably interest some. To the 
author, the study of nature in all its aspects has been interesting.

The author's views regarding the gold deposits and glaciers of the Sierras 
are given simply as suggestions.

His especial efforts have been directed to the placing on record events 
connected with the discovery of the Yosemite, for description of its 
scenery he feels to be impossible. In reverent acknowledgment of this, 
there are submitted as a prologue, some lines written while contemplating 
the grandeur of his subject.


WONDER LAND. 

Hail thee, Yosemite, park of sublimity!
Majesty, peerless and old!
Ye mountains and cliffs, ye valleys and rifts,
Ye cascades and cataracts bold!
None, none can divine the wonders of thine,
When told of the glorious view! 
The wild world of light--from "Beatitude's" height,
Old "Rock Chief,"(*) "El Capitan" true!
Thy head proud and high! white brow to the sky!
Thy features the thunderbolts dare!
Thou o'erlookest the wall would the boldest appal
Who enter Yosemite's "Lair."(**)
Fair "Bridal Veil Fall!" the queen over all,
In beauty and grace intertwined!
Even now from thy height water-rockets of light
Dart away, and seem floating in wind!
And thou, high "Scho-look!" proud "Ah-wah-ne!" invoke
To receive from "Kay-o-pha"(***) a boon!
That flowing from pines, in the region of vines,
May temper the heat of bright noon.
"Nevada" and "Vernal," emblems eternal
Of winter and loveliest Spring,
No language so bold the truth can unfold--
No pen can thee offerings bring!
And yet dare I say, of the cool "Vernal Spray,"
In the flash of the bright sun's power,
I welcome thy "ring,"(****) though a drenching it bring,
The smile of a god's in the shower!
And thou, "Glacier Fall,"(*****) from thy adamant wall,
And winter-bound lakes at thy head--
Thy nymphs never seen, except by the sheen
So fitful from "Mirror Lake's" bed.
Ye North and South Domes,(******) "Ten-ie-ya's" lake homes,
"Cloud's Rest," and high "Tis-sa-ack" lone;
Mute "Sentinel, "Brothers," ye "Starr King," ye others--
Oh! what of the past have ye known?
To you has been given the mission from heaven
To watch through the ages of earth!
Your presence sublime is the chronicled time,
From the æon the world had birth!


(* "Rock Chief," a literal translation of "Tote-ack-ah-noo-la," rendered 
"El Capitan" in Spanish, from the likeness of a man's head upon the wall.)

(** The Yosemites were known as the "Bear tribe." "Ten-ie-ya" was chief.)

(*** "Scho look" is the Indian name for the "High Fall;" "Ah-wah-ne," the 
old name of Valley, and "Kay-o-pha" (the sky), the name of highest or snow-
clad peaks.)

(**** At intervals at the Vernal a round rainbow is formed, perfect as a 
finger-ring.) 

(***** "Glacier Fall," in place of "Too-loo-lo-we-ack.")

(****** "Sentinel Dome" was known to the discoverers as the "South Dome," 
and "Tis sa ack," meaning cleft-rock, as the "Half Dome.") 


[image caption: VIEW OF THE YOSEMITE. Looking up the valley from a height 
of about 1,000 feet above the Merced River, and above sea level 5,000 
feet, giving some faint idea of the beauty, grandeur and magnitude of this 
magnificent work of nature.]