The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-05
scALironNlps GREAT MOUNTAIN.
co,nc In TO the Top Of tho Shasta """
Then Down Again.

Nov that ~, were within fow miles OF
chos.o II did not look so wholly White It's
srous were plowel by many rocky riise'ho'
,,orcon,ih,c a: a greater distance. 1t dld no''
ho,rcvcr lose It's supernatural appearance
,ho-o,,v b,,s -ather gained an effect more
star,linc 10y the sharp contrast OF ia'a rocN
ord s,yeeps OF snow. Shasta was haine" =,
Russian travellers, tho proper deri'a'io" u
tho word being Tchcste, meaning c-asH'
,,,ro II is the eliminating peak OF 'ne
coost and Sierra ranges, and has an ai'itude
os Il A44 fee; Its glaciers extend ior ihoio
,,,, mile down its SLOPES. We sat Ior
on bour ON the hotel porch trying to faiiiii-
;arizc ourselves with this strange mountain
hut its mccarthy aspect did noc chahEo
for Us .,..,, Ill Vol
.;.t. o,,,o., a shuiicr. one Is IN no Gan
cor Of forgetting the experience. Us l vas
sanr,,,;,o that lava ridge this side OF tue
mt ,rhu,,,. | saw far OF on the sno"
tIo,,l. ,,,;sc, about the size OF my iinSer'
,,',;,,oIiu@ and STAGGERING about, tallinS iilV
oooaeiouoIly and then resuining ~ iahtls.ic
e.,,,.o.,o,s Observed It carefully, and DIS
Coed ,hat the object was forkcd, and theh
:. eashod through me that il was man
ol;,,bipo the glacier When orr party
reached The cleft peak that forms the SUBMIT
we were met by a perfect avalanche oi
clouds that tossed and tumpied about, SNlhs
q obostly indstnctness To everything W.
| ,nnearcd TO be in a world OF unreaiiiies' peo.
! ~, hv shadow creatures that heightened
and contracted. and dung about taeir vast
white WINS above the sickening Fumes 'hav
steamed up from the Kissing, squirting ho'
snriugs at or feet. \ momentary parthi-
oe the clouds showed the sky blue as III
d;,o CLOSING, down IN awful nearnesS'
Tbroucb revolving glare the blood red sun
svunc in the frightiul purple Of the heavens
Fronting these ula rCuStouch clements d SUI
omr DIGNITY possessed the soul ana gave
corsciou. feelin.- of in:initdde Inc loaa %
ali familiar landmarks lent an .ndescrlDabl'
go. IA the scene. This dead volcano
,broat * choked with SNOW. On us icy rlu
ono of the ladies slippe1 and fell headlona
o,,or the fearful chasm The guide caught
hor nv one of her feet. Her escape from
horrible death was almost miraculous W.
were nearly frozen with the cold, ana y'
orr months were rarched and hot as III des
! ert Our hearts thro' bel painiuily' ana w
drew our breath in easps.
, "Before we commenced the descent a nero
hast tore tie mis,s asunder. revealing Ia
] crandes, picture we snail ever behold q
. eorth. From the majestic temple we coui
t 500 hundreds Of miles of Kaleidoscope land
$ scone Mountains. rivers and valleys, WI,
. snIrs Of rocky ridges cutting through ta"n
a farm fields far away; green meadows s,arre
: with lakes. aud biilowy ranges running e
( ward the sen. while iifty miles OF dense pm
! forests spaniel tie McCloud and fitt
o touch the SNOWY heads Of the Sierrss. An
d Orecon's rich rrairies, linked 10 ours ~
chain of silver surfaced lakes; to the Sout'
4 bevond the mighty la,,cn Buttes. We cate
g n glimpse 'of lrs,.y plains, Win Isles
a clustering peaL,. Three times l nave SCI
y all this. aud yet feel an irresistible desire
n 90 AGAIN In spite OF the labor and e
70 bons,ion attca ,ias the ascent, the vislo
le from the sop 3. worth a greater sacrifice.
&c We slowly d ,endcd the mountain saH'
e silently toward Mount Shasta until the ih d
:, veninc silver iils smut OF our view. Il
st train was two hours late that night, ana o'
IN turned from bidding Hal good-by we 81"
ne radiant mantle fall on Shasta head iro
10 the departing ,ln And the glory oil I
Is Lord was like devourinS fire on the top
rs the mountm he quoted soiemnly. and WIN
Dl- is reflected -ht we parted handS.-Oyeria
~ ! Monthly