New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1866-09-17

B The angle OF the mountain we were climbing couIo
pet see; hut there is certainly valley enough ahove
tbe foot Of the BerthCudPass 10 effect rise of 1000
feet which (Yth tunnel three miles in lengtn cut
ting oil 1850 feet OF elevatiOn is all that would DC
necessary.
Mr.. Beard and myself were 50 moved by The breath
less toll Of orr animals that We dsmounted at safe
place and walked In five minutes we were IN a
worse condition than the horses; our knees tottered;
our bodies were drenched with sweat, our eyes am,
,heads giddy and lungs utterly collapsed. Al every
tenth step we were obliged to pause in order to
resthe, and after not than three hundred steps
defed the Society fort be Prevention OF cruelty 70
Animals and mounted again. Il am no light weight,
and therefore it yasCruelty to Man (Which is worse
70 carry one's'self up such steep think we must
have climbed in this style for a mile and hGlf 1t
seemed intermiaable. Then the angle Of ascent fell
off very greatly; the FIJI forest grew thick around Us,
shutting off the view of valley and mountains, and
heaps Of rotten began TO appear nshady places
Where the trail had been shoyeed out Of drifts a
month ago, we now rode over moist earth, between
,drppiBg crumblng walls of snow. Another quarter
of an hour and the sleeps fell back in front, leaving
lovely Alpine meadow, dotted with clumps OF phe'
the vivid green of its turf sprinked with snowy star
flowers aud a'brOok OF icy crystal wndlngthr0ngh H.
was delighted when Mr.. Byers gave the word TO
unsaddle 1t was barely three-quareIs Of mile, ne
said, to the summit of the Pass: whether We-eould
cross was still doubtful matter: and before attempt
ingoit both beasts and men must,be fed. The former
were turned loose TO Craze at will, with their long
larats draggngiafter them; the latter unlocked inc
oups from their buttOnhOles, opened the coee-Dags,
cut therham with hunting knives and partook OF the
biscuits which were not sufficiently sad Inc
water of the brook was so intensely cOldthat it almost
made one scream. Yet Immediately out of and
through grew clusters OLGA flower purely beautl-
full that all cried out with admiration on discover
il. Out of ring of broadly oyate leaves (tnder
the water) rose a straight stem, tweVe 10 nlteeh
inches in hight crowned at the top with cluster OF
dark on-vevet flowers, aboutthe slZe and win
the rich meay bloom of the polyanthus IL iscalled
here the a. Alpine primrose" but know OF neither
cowsp nor primrose that will compare with il. The
OdOr is very peculiar resembling that OF Russia
leather Here is a,treasurefor our florists
> While we took our lunch and rested our bones Mr.
Byers and White discussed the passage of the, moun
tales. Directly in front of MS depressonun tho mr.
clad rdgendicated the summit of the pass, ON either
side OF which bald, snowy peaks rose considerably
above the timber line. Whitehead crossed the range
last week, with drove of % Government horses;
but be had gone considerably TO the norhward oil the
pass in order to avoid the SHOWS. IL was question
whether we should try reopen the old trail, or fol-
low his example and climb the fightful-lOoking steep
on our right to a point beyond the timber Being
green hand, said nothing but felt relieved when
the pass was selected for the SHOWS had been melting
very rapidly, and | was CONVINCED that VIC could
falsly the predictions OF our friends.
The horses were saddIed, the mules repacked, and
we set out upon the uncertain adventure. There was
snow all around us; some drifts, even, lay on the
meadows and even where it had melted, the soil was
snch elastic treacberous bog that we did not ven
ture TO ride. On all sides rs came ruShing'dOwn,
uprooted trees barred the way; pools Of blach mud
had collected It was impossible to follow the TRAIL
although we could trace by the marks of the shoy
els Slowly, in single file, stopping every two mln-
utes to lean upon our horses necks and gasp for
BREATH spGttered with mud and wet with snOwwarer,
climbed through the forest taking heart from the
knowledge that this our last hard pull The trees
rapidly grew thinner, the roaring rhs became noise
less threads Of water the snOwdrifts overapped each
al nd fho ufop cuI
denly Hattened and keen wind blewoyer the sum-
NIT OF the Pass.
Its sharp crest, with not ten yards between the
opposite declivites. Here there was an open space,
covered with bunch grass among the. fields Of snow.
We were just at tho limit of timber, little than
III 900 feet above the sea-leyel. No general panora-
ma of the range IS visible, but there are inclosed
views TO the east and west. Behind MS, sweep OF
bleak, frosty SUBMITS, too near apparently too hard
and sharp to be beautiful. Before US far away over
the deeps Of endless dark green forest grand Alpine
range
A thousand shadow peneiled valleys
And snowy dells in golden air."
Still further 30 or 40 miles behind it, two great
snowy pyramids, evidently beyond the North Park,
and not inferior in hight % Mont Blanc This view
was superior in all the elements of submiiy TO any
thing had seen since entering the mountains. In
the center Of the bare spot where We gathered grew
ranunculus, a blossom Of which transferred TO my
notebook.
Beyond Us, on the Pacific slope, we could see no.
thing but waste Of snow. Our two mounlaneers,
therefore determined to make preliminary eyplora-
ton Plungng into the drifts wherein they sank TO
their thighs at nearly every step, they disappeared
from sight wheswe discussed the chances OF reaching
the Park before night. IL was now O'Clock in the
afternoon. the distance somewhere between ~ and IS
miles, and unknown hardships aud perils on the way
by no means an encouraging prospect! In half an
hour Mr.. Byers and White made their appearance
Very much tagged aud not particularly cheerful. The
~ q Il L. =
horses bride Wesfollowcd keeping the pack mules
near the centre Of the line, aud commenced the
descent
The snow, we soon found, is Of very irregular tex
ture After walking three or four steps on the sur
face We would suddenly plunge into loose melting
mas. mon and horses AOundering together. Il was
necessary to lead by long rein, to avoid the leaps
and struggles of the latter Where the descent was
s,teep, frequently found myself buried nearly TO the
hips and thrown upon my face, with heh0rses head
resting on my back. Now and then rock, log, or
the too OF sharp knollofe resting place ,and
the chance Of shaking off the snow the penetrative
cold of which pierced to ones very marrow In one
place there was q gulf OF snow, overhangnging an
arreWy torrent. clearedsit wth7 leap, and then,
as nv mare prepared to follow, took second leap, TO
give her room to land For moment she hung by
her fore.feet but strong pail the bride brought
her outSof the danger. The dFy, h6rny branches OF
the frs were also to sbe avoided they both stabbed
and tore aud in our headong pluDges 1t was not easy
10 keep out of their way. After nearly mile OF this
travel, when strength, hope and courage were on the
point Of giving ont the drifts diminished and we could
now and thea walk in bog OF black mud, which was
pleasant relief. little further and Mr.. Bycrs au.
nOunced that the trail was found, although not yet
practicable; we must stu break our own way.
Our faces were smartng and our Threats were
parched yet the snow-water which set our teeth on
edge withsits GOODNESS did not seem to quench thirst
in the least We were soon enabled, however, to
mount and throw the burden of fatigue % the horses
After a short but very steep descent, the path was
barred by an mpetuous torrent which was crossed at
ono point by a frail arch Of snow left from drift.
White boldly walked over leading his horse after him;