St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-10-07
snow banks which the sun had not yet

lisk, the professor concluded that he
was content with being 1000 feet
higher than ordinary mOrtals and we
left him behind. That goodbye af-
forwards promised to be one of the
sad ones of our lives,-but | must not
anticipate.
The Doctor and | soon found it was
no child's play that we had attempted.
There was some 500 feet of rock before
us that seemed absolutely unclimbable,
but we knew others had reached the
top before us, and we were determined
to make the attempt. The mountain
is not smooth, solid dome, like so
many of its neighbOrs, but broken and
jagged; otherwise our ascent would
have been impossible. But our pro-
gress was slow. Again and again we
crawled along cracks and jutting edges,
only to find our way barred at the end,
and ourselves compelled to return.
But little by little we forced our way
onward and upward. Often we were
compelled to pull ourselves up by sheer
strength of muscle. Often we could
not get along even so without helping
each other. Had nerve or muscle fail
ed us then, we should have been in a
sorry plight, either for going on or re-
turning. The exertion was perhaps
quite as severe as drawing ones self
up South Dome by the rope, but not so
dangerous, as there were safer places
to rest. At last after a long struggle
we found ourselves in a narrow en-
brasure just wide enough for two to
stand, within 60 feet of the summit.
Back of us was the rugged side up
which we had climbed, in front was a
precipitOus leap of 1000 feet or more,
and between lis and our goal was an
immense lock, over which one could
not climb without ladder. By leap
ing chasm few feet wide, Que might
gain niche which seemed to lead to
the top; but if he missed-the very
thought took ones breath away So
after looking at it few moments with
great reluctance, we turned back.
Still we did not give it up. Once
and again we tried, following Other
cracks, but each time only to come tC
some impossible obstruction within
about fifty feet of the pole which some
one had erected on the top to tantalize
us. Said the Doctor at last, 1--WE must
give it up, the risk is too great" Still
| wanted to try once more, and thi
time | found a place where along q
crazy edge, one might with steady
nerves reach the pole. But single
misstep would send one down thou
sand feet on the rocks below. My
muscles were growing weak from theil
great exertions, and hardly to be trust
ed. My nerves l could no longer alb
solutely rely on. The air was very
light, as we were some ii 800 fee
high, and besides strong gusty winC
was blowing. Should l take the risk
1t was great temptation. The tol
was so very near. was exceedingly
anxious to reach it. After having don,
so much it seemed pity to give VI
defeated. l raised myself up on tn,
ledge. A gust of wind swept past me
"Don't you do it !" shouted the Doctor
from below. l thought of my vow ol
South Dome, and of my mother ava,
off among the Green Mountains. On
thinks of many things in mOmen
like that. did not take another step
Prudence triumphed. did not reacl
the top of Mt. Clark, but am alive t.
tell the reason.
But even though we did not reacl
the summit we were well paid for com
ing. The additional 80 feet wOul'
We were just as well off where w
were, but for the name of the thing
just below us were acres of snow @
untold depth, and a frozen lake, thong
: the almanac told of the middle of July
Far away were mountains innumera
bic, the Sierra Nevada range for NOR
= than hundred miles unfolding ii
magnificent panorama before Ill
There were our old friend Mt. Dan;
! its rival Mt. Lyell, only ten feet lowe
4 and multitudes more. There were til
: valleys of the IllillOnette, and the Mel
D ced, with countless canyons and hi
= lowy hills, some bare and desOlat
= some forest covered, some patched hel
$ and there with snow.
u The gorge of the Little YOsemi
- with its fringe of dOmes was to tt
o westward, and farther on Clouds Res
o South Dome, and a white line Shove
e where the Yosemite fall plunged dow
l. into our valley home.
, But our watches told us it was tin
to be starting homeward. For sever
hours we had been on the rock II
I Professor would be tired of waiting.
~ ALMOST A TRAGEDY.
10 Going back over the snow did n
take So long as the upward climb, al
X we were not long in reaching the pla
s. where we had left our cOmpanio
re That he was not there did not We
v much surprise us, and for some di
in lance we followed his footsteps ov
D. the snow and sand in the direction
h. Pike and the horses. 1t did not see
20 very strange either that when we &