Urbana union. [volume] (Urbana, Ohio) 1862-1872, 1863-02-04
Asaant q N0ans So, ealiferuia.


A PORTION Of the State Geological Surveys
ing Corps passed through MarysviIls. lately,
and from Professors Whitney and Brewer we
gained some Interesting particulars of the re-
cent ascent and survey of Mount Shasta, made
by the party on the 18th Of September. The
party hailed for the night at the edge. Of the
snoW-the usual camping place. known as
Camp Ross which they found to be 7,626 feet
above the.level Of the sea. At point above
this, or 5000 feet above the sea level. all tim
Der disappears the belt being as sharply de-
fined as in the snow Kne, and rather abrupt
than gradually shading of, as is the case usu-
ally with other. mountains Bot a short dis
tance above the timber, which IS made UP of
trees twenty feet in circumference, not trace
Of timber growth can be found, and at a hight
of9, 900 feet above sea level every tuaee Of
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES, not even zniosc MI
mute alpine fora being diseovezabls ai hight
of 5000 feet all being scene of desolatipn--
ice, snow, rock, and soorias being the only
features Of the scene.
At three o'clock in the morning the. party
left Camp Ross and aryiged 90 the-sunarnit be-
fore noOn5 taking there and at other polnts
many different baroInetrical observations, in
al several hundred being taken to reach the
final results, which give to Mount Shasta
hight of 14-44O feet The day was hazy,
which fact inseFfered with the grand pano-
ranre view which the party hoped to have
seen from the summit bat some very novel
and beautiful phenomenal were observed the
peaks visible from the summit being apparent
y fixed Islands in the sea Of Sapor which HOat@
ed around them. When descending. a earl
GUS effect Of accidental lights" was observed
by the falling beams of sunlight, whiehr p5eFe-
ing through the riffs in the clouds, could be
seen As clearly defined N the an as q single
sun-ray Illuminating a darkeued room the
earth beneath being eheckered, meanwhile,
with the broken sunlight, The party found
large quantities Of The "red snow, spoken Of
by Arctic travellers, which left deep bloOd-red
tracks behind the passengers over it. The
writer Of this saw the same phenomena during
an ascent made in August 1861, bat then
thought it the diseoloration Of -thel sho8Jby
red earih.0P Professor Whitney brought away
some Of this red snow for mierOscop5cexauain-
alton. as r. r. M -fr
It Is a question if Mount Shasta is not the
highest mountain in the United States, as
Mount Hood, Oregon, which otherwise viii
have that proud pre-eminence, has generally
been given at Il, 600 feet, though it has been
given at 16, ,000--guess- work, probably. At
any rate, Mount Shasta, California, Is the
highest mountain in the United States which
has been. Scientifically measured in hight. L
is curious fact, however, that the American
Encyclopedia, the same authority which states
the hight Of Mount Food at 5000 feet, also
puts that Of Mount Shasta at Il, 300 ieet-ihe
closest approximation ever made. Where
.hese figures are derived from is not known,
n this State at least. We shah look with
great interest for the published report Of the
survey of the wonderful mouutsin-
JUS region in the northern part of our State,
If which Mount Shasta is the mighty pedes-
al upon which rest the various mountain
ystem of the North.-llfaJysUi7ls appeal