Letters to a Friend 



another baptism in the sanctuaries of Yosem- 

 ite, whether with companions of like passions 

 or alone. Surely, then, my cup will be full 

 when blessed with such company. 



Last May I made the trip on horseback, go 

 ing by Coulterville and returning by Mariposa. 

 A passable carriage-road reached about twelve 

 miles beyond Coulterville ; the rest of the dis 

 tance to the valley was crossed only by a nar 

 row trail. On the Mariposa route a point is 

 reached twelve or fourteen miles beyond Mari 

 posa by carriages ; the rest of the journey, about 

 forty miles, must be made on horseback. Tour 

 ists are generally advised to go one way and re 

 turn the other, that as much as possible may 

 be seen, but I think that more is seen by going 

 and returning by the same route, because all 

 of the magnitudes of the mountains are so great 

 that unless seen and submitted to a good long 

 time they are not seen or felt at all. 



I think that you had better take the Mari 

 posa route, for the grandest grove of sequoias 

 ever discovered is upon it, and it is much the 

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