Letters to a Friend 



Here is, I think, a fair estimate of the cost 

 of the round trip from Stockton, allowing, 

 say, ten days from time of departure from 

 Mariposa till arrival at same point. Stage fare 

 and way expenses to and from Mariposa, say 

 $40.00; saddle horse, $20.00; provisions, cook 

 ing utensils, etc., $15.00; total, direct expense 

 for one person, $75.00. Each additional day 

 spent in the valley would cost about $3 .00. If 

 you and all the members of your company are 

 good riders, and there are among you one or 

 two men practical travelers, and you could pur 

 chase, or hire, horses at a reasonable rate in 

 San Jose or Gilroy, you could cross the Coast 

 Range via the Pacheco Pass or Livermore Val 

 ley, thence direct to the Yosemite across the 

 Joaquin and up the Merced, passing through 

 Hopeton and Snellings. This kind of a trip 

 would be less costly, and you would enjoy it, 

 but unless your company was all composed of 

 the same kind of material it would not answer. 



I hope the Doctor will come too. I want to 

 see him and ask him a great many questions. 

 [57 ] 



