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Show THE WONDERS OF CALIFORNIA. 159 bright rays into the gorge ; the dropping lines of emerald take on a brighter tint, and a rainbow in five concentric rings springs upon the sight. The wind sways back the gauzy column; the penciled rays lose their exact focus; the rainbows break into two, four, eight, an in-finite division of iridic tints, and the whole presents a luminous aure-ole a hundred feet in diameter : another draft of air, and we have a dissolving view ; then a lull, and back swings the fleecy foaming column in two bod-ies, and twice the number of circling rainbows delight the eye. Back comes the Avind, and away swings the watery column, bringing again the double breaking lines of iridic tints ; the eye is relieved by new pris-matic combinations, and the overwrought senses roused to new delight by fresh showers of more brilliant constellations. The stairways about Ver-nal Falls are well arranged, and the steps hewn in the rock afford many favorable points to view the entire fall. Gladly would we have lingered here, but the ap-proach of evening called us away while our en-joyment was still at its height. The hours of rest pass pleasantly at our hotel on the banks of the pellucid Merced. The in-habitants are only second in interest to the valley. In 1862, Mr. J. M. Hutchings walked in, and pre- empted the land where his hotel now stands. Years ago he came in on snow- shoes to see if the valley was habitable in winter, and soon after moved his family in. From May till October all is lively in the valley, then a gloom, born of perfect isolation, settles upon the place; and the few who winter through are as completely cut off as one can imagine. FALLS, TOO feet |