San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-08-23
ecAlIFoRNIA's GREAT MOUNTAIN.
Going Up to the Top of the Shasta and
Then Down Again.

Then Down Again.
Now that we were within a few miles OF
Shasta, it did not look so wholly white. Its
SHOWS were plowed by many rocky ridge, not
perceptible at greater distance. II did not,
however, lose its supernatural appearance
thereby, but rather gained an effect more
startling by the sharp contrast of lava rock
and sweeps Of snow. Shasta was named by
Russian Travellers the proper derivation of
the word being Tcheste, meaning chaste,
pure. IL is the eliminating peak of the
coast and Sierra ranges, and has an altitude
of 14,444 feet. Its glaciers extend for more
than two miles down its slopes We sat for
an hour on the hotel porch trying to famil-
iarize ourselves with this strange mountain,
but its unearthly aspect did not change
for US
at is terrible to be up there!" said Hal,
with almost a shudder. Zone is in no dan
ger of forgetting the experience. As was
following that lava ridge this side of the
DEVILS Thumb, saw far off on the snow
black object about the size of my finger,
wriggling and staggering about, falling fiat
occasionally and then resuming its fantastic
gyrations. observed it carefully and dis
covered that the object was forked, and then
it flashed through me that it was a man
climbing the glacier. When our party
reached the cleft peak that forms the summit
we were met by a perfect avalanche of
clouds that tossed and tumbled about, giving
ghostly indistinctness to everything We
appeared to be in a world of unrealities, peo-
pied by shadowy creatures that heightened
and contracted, and flung about their vast,
white wings above the sickening fumes that
steamed up from the kissing, squirting hot
springs at our feet. A momentary parting
of the clouds showed the sky blue as in
digo, closing down in awful nearness.
Through revolving glare the blood red sun
swung in the frightful purple of the heavens.
Fronting these unaccustomed elements SOL
emn dignity possessed the soul and gave a
conscious feeling of infnitude The loss of
all familiar landmarks lent an indescribable
terror to the scene This dead volcanoes
throat is choked with snow. On its icy rim
one of the ladies slipped and fell headlong
over the fearful chasm. The guide caught
her by one of her feet. Her eScape from a
horrible death was almost miraculous. We
were nearly frozen with the cold, and yet
our mouths were parched and hot as in des-
ert. Our hearts throbbed painfully, and we
drew our breath in gasps.
Before we commenced the descent fierce
blast tore the mists asunder, revealing the
grandest picture we shall ever behold on
earth. From the majestic temple we could
see hundreds of miles Of kaleidoscope land
scape. Mountains, rivers and valleys, with
spurs Of rocky ridges cutting through tawny
farm fields far away; green meadows starred
with lakes, and billowy ranges running to-
ward the sea, while fifty miles Of dense pine
forests spanned the McCloud and Pitt to
touch the snowy heads of the Sierras. And
Oregon's rich prairies, linked to ours by a
chain of silver surfaced lakes; to the south.
beyond the mighty Lassen Buttes, we catch
glimpse of dusky plains, with isles of
clustering peaks. Three times / have seen
all this, and yet feel an irresistible desire to
go again. In spite of the labor and ex-
haustion attending the ascent, the vision
from the top is worth a greater sacrifice"
We slowly descended the mountain, gazing
silently toward Mount Shasta until the inter
vening silver frs shut off our view The
train was two hours late that night, and as |
turned from bidding Hal good-by we saw
radiant mantle fall on Shastas head from
the departing sun. "And the glory of the
Lord was like devouring fire on the top of
the mount" he quoted solemnly, and within
its reflected light we parted hands.-Overland
Monthly.