digious steps " to the broad upper valley bottoms. The 

 flat-floored valley of the Yosemite itself is about seven 

 miles in length, and appears to be guarded by the two 

 enormous portals of El Capitan and the Cathedral Rocks, 

 which advance towards the centre of the valley and there 

 form a decided constriction. Down the Cathedral Rocks 

 the Bridal Veil stream may be seen flowing along a steep 

 thalweg before precipitating itself into the main valley 

 from a point about 800 feet above the Merced. The idea 

 Fig. 3 (•) 



*.— Huge Joint along which Bridal Veil stream has 1: 

 These strong joint planes are common and characteristic of 



B— El Capitan, 3,000 feet above valley. 



C— Talus near El Capitan. 



D -Bridal Veil Falls. 



E— Half Dome, 5,000 feet above valley. 



F— Clouds' Rest (9,980 feet) 6,000 feet above valley. 



G— Direction of Inspiration Point. 



