Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1888-11-30
Mount Rainier.

theodore winthrop, VINO viewed
Rainier in 1853, during his Western
travels, gives in "Canoe and Saddle
the most beautiful description evel
written of that noble mountain:
"The range continues dark and
rough, and somewhat unmeaning to
the eye, until it is relieved by Tacoma
rulgo Rainier. We had rounded a
point, and opened Puyallup bay, a
breadth of sheltered calmness, when I,
lifting my sleepy eyelids for dreamy
stare about, Was suddenly aware of a
vast, white shadow in the water.
What cloud, piled massive on the hori-
zon, could cast an image SO sharp in
outline, so full of vigorous detail of
surface? a? No cloud, as my stare, no
longer dreamy, presently discovered
no cloud, but a cloud compeller.
1t was a giant mountain dome of snow,
swelling and seeming to fill the aerial
spheres, as its image displaced the
blue deeps of tranquil water. The
smoky haze of an Oregon August hid
all the length of its lesser ridges, and
based the mighty summit upon uplift-
ing dimness. Only its splendid SHOWS
were visible, high in the unearthly re-
gions of clear, pure MONDAY sky
The shore line drew cincture of pine
across the broad base where it faded
unreal into the midst.
The same dark girth separated the
peak from its reflection, over which my
canoe was now pressing, and sending
wavering swells to shatter the beauti-
full visions before it. Kingly and alone
stood its majesty, without any visible
comrade or consort, though far to the
north and south its brethren and sis
ters dominated their realms, each in
isolated sovereignty, rising above the
pine darkened sierra of the Cascade
mountains, above the stern chasm
where the olumbia-Achilles of
rivers-sweeps short-lived and jubilant
to the sel, above the wales of the Will
lamette and the Umpqua. OF all the
peaks, from California to Frazier river,
this one before me was royalest.
Mount Rainier, christians have dubbed
it, in stupid nomenclature perpetual
ing the name of somebody or nobody.
More melodiously the Siwashes call it
Tacoma. Whatever keen crests and
crags there may be in its rock ana
tony of basalt, snow covers softly with
its bends and sweeping curves. Rainier
under its ermine, is crushed volcanic
dome, or an ancient volcano fallen in,
and perhaps, not yet wholly lifeless
The domes OF snow are statliest. =
y had been following thus for
many hours the blind path, harsh,
darksome and utterly lonely, urging
on with no outlook, encountering no
landmark. At last, as l stormed rag
ged crest, gaining a height that over
topped the frs, and halting there for
painting moments, glanced to see if ]
had achieved mastery as well as posi-
ton. AS looked, somewhat wearily
and drearily, across the solemn surges
Of forest, suddenly above their sombre
green appeared Rainier. Large and
neighborly it stood, so near that every
jewel of its snow fields seemed to send
me a separate ray, yet not so near but
that l could, with one look take III
its whole image, from clear-cut edge
to edge. All around it the dark ever.
green's rose like a ruff, above them the
mountain splendors swelled stateliel
by contrast. Sunlight at noon was
SO refulgent upon the crown, and lay
SO thick and dazzling in hooks and
chasms that the eye sought repose ol
gentler lights, and found it in
shadowed hooks and clefts, where sun.
light entering not delicate mist, an
emanation from the blue sky, had
fallen, and lay sheltered and tremu-
lous, mild substitute for the stronger
glory. The blue haze so wavered
trembled into sunlight, and sunbeams
shot glimmering over snowy Drinks
so like constant avalanche. that ]
might doubt whether this movement
and waver and glimmer, this blending
of mist with noontide flame, were
not drifting smoke and cloud o.
yellow, sulphurous vapor, fleating ovel
some slowly chilling Greater far dowr
in the red crcvices. But if the gian
fires had ever burned under that colo
summit, they had long since gone out
The dome that swelled up passionate
ly had crusted over and fallen in upor
itself, not vigorous enough with in
ternal life to bear up in smooth proper
ton. Where it broke into ruin was NJ
doubt desolate waste, stern, craggy
and riven; but such drear results o
Titanic convulsion the gentle snow
hid from view. Ou
race has never yet come into contac
with great mountains as companions
of daily life, nor felt that daily de
velopment of the finer and more com
prehensive senses, which these sigma
facts of nature compel. 1t is unphil
osophical TO suppose that strong race
developing under the best, stronges
and calmest conditions Of nature, viii
not achieve destiny.
CHINAMEN in New York laugh a
the idea that the exclusion law is keep
ing them out of the country. Th'
only difficulty in the way, they say, i
to raise the $50 necessary to buy thei
way into Canada, from which countr.
they can return to New York easily.
OFFICIAL returns from every count,
in Iowa give Harrison 211 ,592, Cleve
land l79,869: Harrison's plurality
81 1913.