Photograph by Foley
HALF DOME (TIS-SA´-ACK). 5,000 Feet.
Named for a woman in Indian mythology who was turned to stone for quarreling with her husband. See "Legend of Tis-sa´-ack."
To-tau-kon-nu´-la was much pleased with his fair visitor, and built a large o´-chum for her and her companions on the summit of the great dome at the east end of the Valley [Half Dome], and this dome still retains her name.
And she tarried there and taught the women of Ah-wah´-nee how to make the beautiful baskets which they still make at the present day; and To-tau-kon-nu´-la visited her daily, and became charmed with her loveliness, and wanted her to remain and be his wife, but she denied him, saying, "I must return to my people," and, when he still persisted, she left her o´-chum in the night and was never seen again. And the love-stricken chieftain forgot his people, and went in search of her, and they waited many moons for his return and mourned his long absence, but they never saw him more.
This was the beginning of a series of calamities which nearly destroyed the great tribe of Ah-wah-nee´-chees. First a great drouth prevailed, and the crops failed, and the streams of water dried up. The deer went wild and wandered away. Then a dark cloud of smoke arose in the East and obscured the sun, so that it gave no heat, and many of the people perished from cold and hunger. Then the earth shook terribly and groaned with great pain, and enormous rocks fell from the walls around Ah-wah´-nee. The great dome called Tis-sa´-ack was burst asunder, and half of it fell into the Valley. A fire burst out of the earth in the East, and the ca´-lah (snow) on the sky mountains was changed to water, which flowed down and formed the Lake Ah-wei´-yah [Mirror Lake]. And all the streams were filled to overflowing, and still the waters rose, and there was a great flood, so that a large part of the Valley became a lake, and many persons were drowned.
After a time the Great Spirit took pity on his children, and the dark cloud of smoke disappeared, the sun warmed the Valley again into new life, and the few people who were left had plenty of food once more.
Many moons afterwards there appeared on the face of the great rock To-tau-kon-nu´-la the figure of a man in a flowing robe, and with one hand extended toward the West, in which direction he appears to be traveling. This figure was interpreted to be the picture of the great lost Chieftain, indicating that he had gone to the "happy hunting grounds" of his ancestors, and it is looked upon with great veneration and awe by the few Indians still living in Yosemite.
At about the same time the face of the beautiful Tis-sa´-ack appeared on the great flat side of the dome which bears her name, and the Indians recognized her by the way in which her dark hair was cut straight across her forehead and fell down at the sides, which was then considered among the Yosemites as the acme of feminine beauty, and is so regarded to this day.
Photograph by Fiske
A BURDEN BEARER.
The women are the principal burden bearers and all loads are carried in large baskets, supported by a band across the forehead.