Weekly Trinity journal., 1860-07-28
WEAVERvIILE CALIFORNIA, SATURDAY, JULY %. 1860.
ASCENT OF MOUNT "BALLY."

point 10 tue uOfln OI tOWu, kuOWu as - Daily,
for the purpose of witnessing the solar eclipse,
to transpire the following morning. Their ad-
venture is thus described by Mr.. Il. Desty, one of
| the party:
Having previously sent up blankets and pro
visions, with such other creature comforts as our
attendant physician prescribed, the main division
Iof our little army, consisting Of thirteen persons,
took their departure from town on Monday after
noon, the 10th inst, and arrived that evening at
Scoheld's mill, where they camped for the night.
q. At daybreak on Tuesday morning we "piped
hll hands" for the start, and the shaking of ban-
kets, jngling of tins, enquiry for lost packs, and
confusion incident to preparation woke the leth-
,srgie and gave notice of departure We were
soon on our way up the foot hills that base the
lofty summit whose sublime height challenged
our enterprise and drew forth our emulation.
Our road lay along the sides of the mountain,
over the trail used by the beneiactors who fur
nish our city with ice. passing through ecpses
and groves, and avenues of mountain shade
formed by the ajestic cedar, pine and spruce
which cothe the hill sides and reclaim the rug
of every hue met our gaze, while the air redolcnt
with the fumes from these gems of the wilderness,
gratihed the senses and lightcned the packs which
necessity imposed for the " somach's sake
Streams of limpid water, clear and cool as the
gemmed canopy of winters night, crossed our
path at intervals with their inviting ripple and
soothing murmur; the warbe OF birds and irsk-
ing amblc of the squirrel adding no little com
panionship to the solitary charms with which we
were surrounded, while the novelty of the enter
prise, the ambition to witness the world below
from the point of the mountain, the cheerful
company made lively by sallies of wit and natu-
raj mirth drawn out by each new occurrence,
made us forget the asperities of the road and the
toll and labor of the ascent. At 8, a. NJ, we
reached the base near the summit, Ca beautiful
clear sheet of sparkling water of about 8 acres
extent,) and there after three eloquent cheers we
pitched our camp and breakfasted in FORM this
being about the sixth attempt at that interesting
exercise made during the progress of our journey.
The company seemed to enjoy their repast like
vertable mountaineers. Meats, bread, cakes,
cheese, sardines, &C. vanished like phantoms in
a fevered dream. Having fortified and recruited
the physical man by this auxiliary, a division of
our little band progressed to the summit, which
lay Immediately behind and above our camp,
there to build signal fire to notify friends in
town OF our arrival while the remainder of our
party distributed themselves over the country to
explore the undiscovered beauties with which the /
place was surrounded.
At 49, a. m, our number was recruited by five
additional friends who had left town at o'clock
that morning. Having all refreshed ourselves
with a little rest aud paused to admire the beauty
of the landscape, inspected the icchouse, with |
its store Of geld treasure, the placid lake which
like fairy resting on the dark bosom of giant
seemed to whisper that the monster mountain in |
whose embrace we were, was but a portion OF
that world of beauty and pleasure from which
we had wandered on our explorations
At noon detachment of us armed with reso-
luton and good spi'its, started for the highest
peak, distant about two miles, for the purpose of
the scene which lay beyond. Our
journey at first was pleasant enough for a summit
trail, lying sometimes along the Sides then along
the divide and through snow banks which had
'esisted the rays of old "Sol" successfully and
still turned their white bosoms besecchingly for
hat existence which is parted with so reluctantly
by all things in nature. AT about 2, p. m, we
reached the rocks that, piled up in majestic gran
leur, formed the peak, the object Of our perlous
enterprise From this point our journey presen-
ed formidable aspect, involving a series of
progressive difficulties which were truly appall-
ng. Behind us and on either side lay the whole
descent of the mountain stretching into valies
niles below, and to the head waters of the vari-
'us tributaries which supply the distant Trinity,
md in front in castellated magnifcence dame
nature had piled up rocks of gigantic size, till /
heir points seemed to pierce the vault Of heaven
tself. Onward we crept, for our journey from
his point was almost at a snail pace, aud not a
title dangerous at times changing to the smooth
de of table rock, drawing ourselves to its
urface, sliding into crevices, winding through
he interstices, supporting ourselves by the shrub
'ery or swinging from an ACTIVITY, posing our
elves upon some point to leap crevice in whose
mpe depth destruction surely attended u.s. till
very species OF terrible experience in mountain
ravel seemed to exhaust itself. At last, almost
u once, our "noie party gldln8 snake ike over
be smooth surface Of the rocks, found ourselves
lpon a summit in the immediate vicinity of the
main point. The scene which here met our star
led view was sublime in the extreme, Far down
nd almost Immediately beneath Us, lay a valley
lmost covered with snow a string Of four lakes,
whose clear waters sparkled like gems on an ala
'aster BOSOM some still cased in ice, the whole
vailed by semicircle Of turrets Of enduring
granite, perpendicular or projecting over with
IWful threats OF impending DOOM while melting
way on the view extending to the limits of Wis
on, succession of gulches valleys, mountains !.
md plains, scanned by occasional streams and
orrents dashing along on their missions Of use
illness aud labor The scene was such as must
'e witnessed to be appreciated. Mount Shasta,
With its white cap peering through the distance 4
ike the hoary headed sire Of family Of giants