Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 24, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 October 1859 — Mr. Greely’s Experience in the Interior of California. [ARTICLE]

Mr. Greely’s Experience in the Interior of California.

The country papers along the route of Mr. Greely’s travels make merry over personal reminiscences of the philosopher. The following items are from the Mariposa Gatetie: A PHILANTHROPIST ON A HORSE. Hon. Horace Greely left Col. Fremont’s residence, in Bear Valley, Thursday morning of last week, and reached Yo-Semite Valley the same night. He returned via the Big Tree grove, which is a distance of ten miles from the Yo-Semite trail, reaching Bear Valley Saturday night. From Mariposa the party were absent fifty-five hours, of which fourteen were spent in the valley. This is much the quickest trip ever made. Horace, though not by any means an elegant equestrian, posesses two important qualifications for making good time. He sticks to the saddle, or in other words, “hangs on to the crupper,” with one hand, icks his beast energetically with the other, and “ goes it” shaking all over like a jelly. HOW HE EXPRESSED HIS WONDER AT THE 810

TKEES. He was very companionable oil the road, discussing upon light and heavy subjects with easy bluntness and naivete. There is a considerable of a dry comic quality in his composition, which unmistakably sticks out on suitable occasions. A peculiarity was noticeable in his manner of expressing wonder and admiration of the grand scenery oj the valley, big trees, &c.; when anything remarkable appeared to view he would break forth into whistling, which sounded like wind blowing through a knot-hole, or would roar on some “hime” or sort of pot pourn, in which all sorts of words and metres wer<beautifully intermingled, and set to most execrable music, enough to charm the heart of a cat head owl. He had likewise learned to yell or howl in coming across the plains, in a manner that would astonish any aboriginee on this continent to a dead certainty. MEM. OF HIS TRAVELING COSTUME. On one foot he wore a cotton sock, and on the other a woolen one. Boots, number 14, which, not many years ago, cost as much as §2 50. Pepper and salt pants, with the old white coat and hat, completed his entire habiliments, the tout ensemble of which was very striking and antique. The old coat was much dilapidated, and pieces had been cut from in sundry and divers places. The committee that met him St Placerville cut all the buttons off but three, and the YoSemite delegation got the rest, with most of its binding.