These all converged in admirable poise
around from northeast to southeast, welded themselves together into the
main Yosemite Glacier, which, grinding gradually deeper, swept down
through the Valley, receiving small tributaries on its way from the
Indian, Sentinel, and Pohono Canyons; and at length flowed out of the
Valley, and on down the Range in a general westerly direction. At the
time that the tributaries mentioned above were well defined as to their
boundaries, the upper portion of the valley walls, and the highest rocks
about them, such as the Domes, the uppermost of the Three Brothers and
the Sentinel, rose above the surface of the ice. But during the Valley's
earlier history, all its rocks, however lofty, were buried beneath a
continuous sheet, which swept on above and about them like the wind, the
upper portion of the current flowing steadily, while the lower portion
went mazing and swedging down in the crooked and dome-blocked canyons
toward the head of the Valley.
Every glacier of the Sierra fluctuated in width and depth and length,
and consequently in degree of individuality, down to the latest
glacial days. It must, therefore, be borne in mind that the following
description of the Yosemite glaciers applies only to their separate
condition, and to that phase of their separate condition that they
presented toward the close of the glacial period after most of their
work was finished, and all the more telling features of the Valley and
the adjacent region were brought into relief.
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