Record of an Early Exploration of Tenaya Canon 277 



describes the trip by steamboat up the Sacramento River to 

 Sacramento. From this point Mr. Ferrell and party continued 

 by stage to Stockton, and then on by stage to Hornitas and 

 Bear Valley. At Bear Valley the party traveled on horseback, 

 although the road even at that early date extended beyond 

 Mariposa. A short distance beyond White and Hatch's Mill 

 the journey was continued over the Chowchilla Trail to Clark's 

 Station (now known as Wawona), on the South Fork of the 

 Merced. The following day a trip to the Mariposa Big Trees 

 was made, and it is of interest to note that on this trip Mr. Fer- 

 rell met Clarence King, of the California Geological Survey. 

 The next morning the party proceeded over the regular trail by 

 Inspiration Point to Hutchings Hotel in Yosemite. 

 Mr. Ferrell's diary continues as follows : 

 "Hutchings, Monday, Oct. 22d : We got up late this morn- 

 ing, had a good breakfast and afterwards started up the valley 

 to Mirror Lake, about four miles off. We reached there be- 

 times and sat down on the banks gazing on the marvelous re- 

 flections of the huge mountains on either side in the water. We 

 spent the whole morning here watching the different phases of 

 scenery, ate lunch, and like great children sailed boats on the 

 lake waters until I concluded to return to the house and fish in 

 the river for trout and write. Mr. J. and the guide, Mr. Steg- 

 man, resolved to go beyond the lake and explore a little. I rode 

 back alone at a good jog on my good mare Kate and fished 

 awhile in the clear crystal water of the river without success, 

 and talked the rest of the time with our landlady until supper, 

 when the boys came. They had wild stories to tell of their ex- 

 plorations in a canon which has never as yet been traversed 

 above some fine falls situated there. Mr. Hutchings tells me 

 they have never been seen and the canon not known. Mr. J. 

 and Mr. S. are determined to go tomorrow and explore fur- 

 ther. 



"Lincoln Canon, Yosemite Valley, Oct. 23d: This morning 

 we had a good early breakfast and consequently a good start 

 and rode off up the valley toward the lake. I turned off to the 

 cabin of an old settler by the name of Xamon' to enquire all 

 about the topography of the locality to which we were bound. 

 I found that he knew nothing about it and wheeled away and 

 rode to the lake, passing by the rocks to an open grassy glade 



