Our coachman drove furiously. Rough and smooth, hill and dale, all were alike to him. Now we were driven over one great stone, and then came into collision with another; and as for a drag, going down hill, such a thing was never thought of. The man was doubtless an experienced driver, or at any rate he was a fearless one; but, being ourselves sober-minded persons, unaccustomed to such "go ahead" proceedings, we should have been thankful to take things more quietly; and besides this, desired greatly to reach our journey's end, with no bruises and without broken bones. Through the Lord's kindness, however, we reached Priest's Hotel (on a high hill, twelve miles from Chinese Camp) in safety, where we alighted for the night; and, after a journey of eleven hours and a half, retired immediately to rest. Our room was small, and reminded us of the little apartment we occupied at the Hospice on Mount St. Gothard, Switzerland, but it was comfortable, and not a single mosquito was there to disturb our night's repose. The next morning we rose punctually at 4, and at 5 our journey in another stage waggon, drawn by five horses, was continued. The early morning air was cool and pleasant, and the sky unclouded; but our new driver urged on the horses also to their utmost speed, and, after rattling up and down steep declivities, and galloping along rugged roads, we reached the end of a stage of about 18 miles, and got into another waggon. Our next coachman, happily, was of a different mould, for _he_ conducted us slowly and carefully along. At 12 we reached the dinner station, and at 1 set off again in another waggon, with five fresh horses. At 3 o'clock we alighted at some "Big Trees," the largest of which was 66 feet in circumference, and 420 feet in height; and, through the trunk of a tree partially burned down, a road was being made, wide enough for two carriages side by side to be driven between the outside portions of the stump. After leaving the "Big Trees," our journey was continued, and, having gradually all the morning been going up hill, an elevation of about 8,000 feet above the level of the sea was shortly reached, where much snow lay upon the ground. At about 4 o'clock we began gradually to descend into the Valley; and, as the waggon was slowly driven down hill, the wonders of the great Yosemite (pronounced Yozemitty) at every turn broke in upon us. Stupendous perpendicular precipices, as we advanced, reared their gigantic summits, like enormous walls into the sky; the Bridal Veil Waterfall, with its rainbow hues, looked beautiful; whole ranges of rocky peaks and towering heights were seen; and one Cataract succeeded another, until at last, soon after 6 o'clock, we drove up to Barnard's Hotel, exactly opposite the Falls of the Yosemite.