, 1867-08-23

stop and let our horses rest. In TWO miles we
had left all the timber aud all signs Of vegetation,
except few flowers, which we found growing
in the rocks as far up as they were bare. Half
mile farther, as the snow was getting soft, we
left most of the horses with the boy and the In
dian. Mr.. Joslyn having previously become sep
arated from the party had returned. At half
past eleven all the horses were left and we pro-
ceeded on foot soon seeing a mountain sheep
on the rocks half a mile above us, some Of the
party undertook TO capture him but be kept at a
respectful distance, eluding the pursuit. At
twelve we were three miles from camp, on a
point of rocks where the view was beautiful and
extensive The Willamette Valley was under
bank of clouds, but that being its normal condi'
ton, of course, we could mot complain. The
smoke from the fires in 1.-THE Blue mountains
obstructed our view in that direction to consd>
erable extent; but to be able to take into one
view, the long range of the Cascade mountains,
as far south as the Oregon line the Canyon City
country the Columbia river up to White Bluffs,
and on till it was lost in the Colville country
not to speak of the Umatilla, John Days, De
Chutes and Klicktat vallies, was richly worth
Mrs Winston, Miss Tanner, and Mr.. Coe turned
back. The rest of the party, Misses Auburt and
johnson, and Messrs johnson, Brooks, Booth and
Eells being bound for the summit, proceeded on
their way, sometimes on ridges of rocks and
sometimes on snow. At half past twelve we found
a small spring of water coming from under the
snow on a rocky ridge, where we lunched. The
sun shone warm and pleasant and the butterflies
fitted gaily around us. Feeling refreshed, we
again continued the ascent, and as we rose high
er the air was colder and the wind stronger. At
half past two Messrs. Brooks and Johnson, and
half an hour later the rest of the party reached
SUMMIT,
which unfortunately was enveloped in a cloud
that appeared to form the northeast side of
the mountain. 1t was freezing cold and the wind
blew a hurricane. The air was light but not
particularly disagreeable. Occasionally as the
clouds broke we caught glimpses of Puget Sound
and to the north Mount Rainier besides lakes and
country which seemed under feet The top
was entirely covered with snow of unknown
depth, and was twenty thirty yards wide by
perhaps a quarter of mile long, running north
east and southwest. One or two hundred feet
below the summit is a large basin half mile
across, containing about hundred acres.
About four hundred feet below the summit the
first rocks were visible, where was a sardine box
containing cards in perfect state of preserves
ton, with the names of party who had ascend
ed the mountain three years before, viz. Rev.
T. Condor, Messrs. W. Stillwell, c. c. and Henry
Coe, aud an Indian by the name Of johnson.
These names were written in pencil, but were as
legble as if written the day before. 1t is difRS
cult to describe our emotions We stood on the
summit, little group,
Cup above the world so high"
1t was not little pride that every one of the
party felt, as these the first ladies that had
ever gained the summit of snow-caPped monn-
tain in either Washington or Oregon. Here,
fourteen thousand feet above the level of the sea,
we sung the Doxology and if any one knows
of "Old Hunkred" having been sung higher than
that. will they please inform with what kind
of a tuning fork it was pitched. After firing u
salute, and shvering sufficiently, at Ten minutes
past three we began
THE DESCENT,
the mode of which, beggars all description. We
skedaddled at a 40 rate some sitting on tin
plates; some wrapped in shawls, and sqme minus
either of these conveyances but we all slid
down hill feet foremost or head foremost, right
side up or wrong side eP, as the case might be,
faster than went up good deal the gentle
men showing much gallantry in assisting the
ladies down hill as circumstances would permit.
As there was no danger, it was a scene of un-
mixed merriment. Hugely jolly was that descent
of Mount Adams; long will it be remembered
by every member of the party and if there are
any who suffer from the blues, such an expedition
can be safely recommended as sure antidote,
at least for the time being. Most of the party
were two and a half hours making the descent,
though one of the gentlemen, Mr.. Brooks, run
away with himself and made it in an hour.
As we dried ourselves by the camp FIRE that
evening, and were RECALLED by good strong cup
of tea, it seemed to us that should sleep more
soundly than ever but what disappointment
awaited us; soon after retiring to rest, nearly
every one of those who had gained the summit
experienced a painful sensation in the ewes
which became severe and was accompanied by
swelling and inflammation. Mr. Eels, who wore
spectacles, was the only exception. Miss John
son, who wore vail, suffered much less than
the others. The discomfort was felt for several
days but gradually diminished. The sight was
somewhat affected, and it was difficult to see
objects clearly as everything appeared to be
blurred. We now turned our faces homeward,
and on the ninth of August descended again to
the summer heat of tbe Columbia, where we
separated, each feeling that we were amply res
paid both in mind and body, for the time we
bad spent in this pleasant and exhiliarating rec
reation. E.
ARRIvED.-Not welcome arrival, by any
means-but a cloud of grasshoppers. They
swarmed into the valley of the Prickly Pear
on the 3lst ult., and are playing sad havoc
with the crops. Mr.. Wilcox, whose ranch
is on the Prickly Pear, at the crossing of