THE SPELL OF THE YOSEMITE 



velop and swallow, as it were, any solid object with 

 which it came in contact. If its trunk touched a 

 point of rock, it would put out great oaken lips 

 several inches in extent as if to draw the rock into 

 its maw. If a dry limb was cut or broken off, a foot 

 from the trunk, these thin oaken lips would slowly 

 creep out and envelop it — a sort of Western omni- 

 vorous trait appearing in the trees. 



Whitman refers to "the slumbering and liquid 

 trees." These Yosemite oaks recall his expression 

 more surely than any of our Eastern trees. 



The reader may create for himself a good image 

 of Yosemite by thinking of a section of seven or 

 eight miles of the Hudson River, midway of its 

 course, as emptied of its water and deepened three 

 thousand feet or more, having the sides nearly ver- 

 tical, with snow-white waterfalls fluttering against 

 them here and there, the famous spires and domes 

 planted along the rim, and the landscape of groves 

 and glades, with its still, clear winding river, occupy- 

 ing the bottom. 



IV 



One cannot look upon Yosemite or walk beneath 

 its towering walls without the question arising in 

 his mind. How did all this happen? What were the 

 agents that brought it about? There has been a great 

 geologic drama enacted here; who or what were the 

 star actors? There are two other valleys in this part 

 of the Sierra, Hetch-Hetchy and King's River, that 



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