, 1883-08-11
The Summit of VT. Hood.

hcN. +. NJ. robertson, VINO recent
ly accompanied pleasure party to
the heights Of Mount Hood, esti-
mates by tie aid Of barOmeters, the
elevation of the summit to be about
1900 feet above sea level. Mount
Hood, like Mount Tacoma, is n gla-
cial formation, and its streams are
described rs similar to those emerg-
ing from our greater mountain /:
Here is discovered the head Of the
Sandy river gliding out Of an i'm
mense snow drift, and in a moment
plunging over a cliff a hundred feet
high. 1t is remarkable how different
the mountain appears when close at
hand as seen from different stand
points. To know the beauty and
grandure us well as the variety of
this great mountain, it should be
studied from every point Of the COM
pass. Now returning to the east
ward few steps new discovery is
made. The glacier scOOping deep
into the middle Of the mountain has
lifted a million tons Of sand, gravel
and rock, and borne them half way
down the mountain side. And now
the water which is ever flowing be-
meath these glaciers is slowly COM
pleting the work Of its fellOw-toiler,
the glacier. At Il distance the earth
looks like the fresh embankment of
railroad, but approaching it you
will find that "Pat" and "John
Chinaman" have never been there,
but the swift rivulets of rushing
water are surely accomplishing the
mighty task, and the result will be
one Of those long ridges which sweep
away for miles toward the base of
the mountain. On the western
slope Of the mountain the glacier is
engaged in titanic task. Here are
tremendous cracks, chasms and crew
ices Of every form and in all direc-
tions. Ice bridge after ice bridge
was crossed, until it was unsafe to
go farther. In one place a mighty
cube of ice, an acre in extent per-
haps, had been heaved from its bed
and stood partly on edge. The force
required to lift such a weight is ap-
palling. Far down through the deep
fissures Of hard green ice could be
heard the rush of waters. While
stood and wondered, again and again
l heard a croaking sound beneath.
1t was the slow but irresistible
motion Of the mighty ice field down
the mountain side, heaving these
millions Of tons Of ice and snow into
a thousand fantastic forms, while
crevice and cave, grotto and roaring
stream are all around. Six gentle
men and four ladies constitute the
scaling party, which Is doubtless the
largest number which ever stood at
one time upon the lofty summit Of
Mount Hood. The view is described
as sublime. Over the valleys hangs
thick veil Of smoke; but the crests
Of the Cascade range rise above the
mantle of smoke, like pillows above
a calm sea. Further to the north
ward tower the snow clad submits
of Mount Adams, st. IIelens, and
Tacoma; the latter over a hundred
miles away. To the southward rise
Mount Washington, jefferson, the
Three Sisters, and the far away
nights of southern Oregon; all snow
clad and cleaning in the summer
sun, and seeming to float like great
rocks in mid-heaven. The party
spent over two hours on the summit,
in an atmosphere at temperature Of
60 degrees, eating dinner and finding
nice snow water for drinking pur-
poses. They found boxes, hotties,
flags, books, ETC., left by former visit
ors; and after fully satisfying their
curiosity the descent began. On the
way down they stopped at Crater
rock to explore Pluto's cavern, an
immense cave on the north side Of
the rock just mentioned. The cave
Is caused by the vOlcaui, heat Of the
mountain, and is 100 feet deep, 200
feet long, aud rises in a dome, 100
feet high. The vast roof Is arched
over by immense rifters Of ice In the