Daily national Democrat., 1858-09-02
Ascent OF the Rntte.

part of the Yreka Brass Band, and severa
other persons, to attempt the ascent of Mt
Shasta with the brass Instruments of the
Band, the company left Yreka for that pur
pose on Thursday morning last, Aug. 10th.
The company numbered twelve men. VIZ
Prot John Murray, leader of the Band |. G.
Murray, W. |. Maytield, John Garner, A. j.
Starting, Louis Detarre, of the Brass Band .
accompanied by j. w. A. Neal, Robert Nix.
on y. Ill. Purdy, James Hayes, Jesse Robin.
son, and G Collins We fit, ed ourselves out
with provisions and blankets for the camp at
the foot OF the snow, and left the city at day
hight. The morning was mild and clear, and
the ride along the level road through Shasta
valley was the antipodes of the difficult feat
which was to be accomplished on the NOR
row. Some favorite air was played as a
friendly greeting to each and every house we
passed on the way, reaching the head of the
! Valley by noon. After resting half an hour
we drove on slowly over the ridge to the
waters of the Sacramento. arriving at Sullo.
ways at 81 o'clock Here we were welcomed
and Hospitality entertained by the generous
and enterprising proprietor of the Sacra.
mento stage line, Mr.. VIM. Sullc way.-Two
miles further We reached the ranch of Mrs.
Clark, in Strawberry Valley, where We left
our wagon, and received kind and courteous
treatment in the way of directions and being
htted for the mountain.
Leaving Strawberry Valley at 81 o'clock.
we followed a dim trail through a pine forest
about three miles. and then began the ascent
OF the great timbered bench on the south side
! of the mountain. After climbing for an hour
and a.half, we found that we had greatly
underrated the height of this bench. Being
heated and feverish by our ride of forty
miles, the violent exertion created a burning
thirst, and not drop of water was to be OBJ
tained below the line of perpetual snow, far
above us. Tier after tier of tall pines disap
peared below us, as we continued to climb
through the hot sun. our thirst becoming
more intense at every step After reaching
the summit of this bench, it taxed our re
naming strength to the utmost limit to walk
hive miles over Il rolling country where We
found water and made our camp. We had
travelled over fifty miles, and after a hasty
meal sought our blankets completely ex
hausted.
On Friday morning our camp kettle was
full of boiling coffee before day. and we were
ready for the ascent 10y 5 o'clock. After
climring for an hour we were fairly among
the banks Of perpetual snow. and could ap
precate the difficulty of the task before u.s.
All the lengthy and glowing descriptions
that have been written, and all that remain
to be written, have not nor can do justice to
the sublimity, the awful grandeur of the
scenery which here begins to open to view
above, below, and on every side AS We
continued the ascent the sun cast his majestic
heat through clear sky upon our pathway,
Il 81,
perpetual winter The breath of the winter
king was softened, however, and myriads of
torrents were set in motion from the melting
snow, which went leaping and murmuring
through the rock under our feet down the
mountain side, hid from view under the
snow. Ever and anon to our left rocks of
various sizes, loosened by the heat of the sun
from some cliff above, would 20 dnshing bv
with lightning speed, making huge leaps into
the air, and continuing their head long de.
scent until torn into fragments or lost to the
sight far below.
Our company of twelve reached the Red
Bluff, or upper bench of the mountain, in
four hours trom camp, and after resting half
an hour, started over those erial nights for
the summit, which we reached at o'clock.
The instruments being finally carried by their
wearied owners to the top of the highest
peak, the inspiring notes of " Hail columbia"
were soon hoating on the upper air, l6,700
feet above the lev el of the sea, which were
followed in rapid succession by those of
the Star Spangled Banne~," -" Washingtons
March, and Yankee Doodle" The sounds
were low, but clear and distinct As the
last strains of that musical festival above the
clouds died away, three cheers were given
for Shasta Butte, and three times three for
the United States
The heavy smoke and clouds below us
were so thick that we had but limited view
of The surround ng country. But we had
added an item to history y-accomplished what
had never before been attempted, and prob
ably never will be again, and were satisfied.
Our national airs, which whenever heard
awaken emotions of patriotic pride in every
heart throughout the broadest, and happiest,
and greatest domain on earth, were played
by Il full band Oh the summit of the highest
mountain under the widespread dominion of
the stars and stripes.
We made the descent to can D without nc
cident, and all reached Mrs Clark's Ranch in
strawberry Valley for breakfast next morn
ing by 9 o'clock, and Yreka by dark the
same evening, making the trip from this city
to the summit and back in three days, which
we believe is the quickest trip on record 10y
day and a-half Siskiyou Chronicle.
1t would seem from the above that they
assembled to the top of Mt Shasta, but We
are satisfied they never reached the top of
that huge perpendicular shaft Of ice, which
has 4 he mnuntuin for its nedeStal