Evening journal., 1888-08-06
scAL!soRNlNs onsAr mouNrAlN.
Going Up TO the Top of the Shasta and
Then Down Arnfn

eoinS Up 70 the Top of the Shasta and
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 az a greater distance IL did not,
however, lose It's supernatural appearance
thereby, but rather gained an effect moro
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 II is the eliminating peak Of the
coast and Sierra ranges, and has an altitude
Of i4,s44 feet. It's glaciers extend for moro
than two miles down its slopes. We sat for
an hour ON the hotel porch trying tofamil-
iarize ourselves with this strange mountain,
hut its unearthly aspect did not change
Cor us
at is terrible to be up theron said Hal.
with almost n shudder. "One is In no dan
ger of forgetting tho experience. As 4 was
following that Lawn ridge this side OF the
DEVILS Thumb, l saw far OH on the snow a
black object about tho size Of my finger,
vriggling and staggering about, falling fat
occasionally and then resumng its fantastic
gyrations. observed it carefully, and dis
covered that the object was foYlSed, and then
Il flashed shrough me that. IL was a man
climbing the glacier. When our party
reached the cleft peak that forms the submit
We were met by o perfect avalanche Of
clouds that tossed and tumbled about, giving
n ghostly indiStinctness to every rhing. We
appeared to be in a world of unreaiitiea poo
pied by shadowy creatures that heightened
and contracted. and flung about then vast,
white wings above the sickening fumes that
steamed up from the Kissing squirting hot
springs at our feet. A momentarv parting
of the clouds showed the sky blue as in
digo, closing down in awful nearness
Through a revolving glare the blood red sun
swung in the frightful purple Of the heavens
Fronting these unaccustomed elements a sol
emn dignity possessed the soul and gave a
conscious feeling Of infnitude Tho loss Of
all familiar landmarks lent an indescribabie
terror to the scene. This dead volcanoes
throat is choked with snow. On it's lev 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 n
horrible death was almost miraculous We
were nearly frozen with the cold, and vet
our mouths were parched and hot as in a des-
ert. sOur hearts throhbed painfully, and we
drow our breath in gnsps.
Before we commenced the descent fiefca
hRtst tore Nhe ulsts aSunder, revealing the
grandest picture we shall ever behold ON
saIth. From the majestic temple we oould
sss hnndreds Of miles Of Kaleidoscope land
snpe Mountains rivers and valleys. with
spurs Of rocky ridges cutting through tawny
farm fields far away; green meadows starred
wish lakes, and billowy ranges running 10
ward the sea, while fifty miles Of densepine
forests SPAWNED the McCloud and Pitt 10
touch the snowy heads Of the sierraa And
Qwegons rich prairies, linked 30 ours bv a
chain Of silver surfaced lakes; to the south.
beyond the mighty Lassen Buttes, we catth
glimpse Of dusky plains, with isles Of
clustering peaks. Three times have seen
all this, and yet feel an irresistible desire 20
go again. In spite of the labor and OK
haustion attending the ascent the vision
from the top Is worth greater sacriilce.n
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 a
radiant mantle fall on Shasta's head from
the departing sun. "And the glory Of the
Lord was like devouring fire on the top Of
the mountln he quoted solcmnly, and within
its reflected light We parted hands. Overland
Monthly.