St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1888-11-03
ASCENDING A MOUNTAIN

ASCENDING A MOUNTAIN
oeang Up 70 the Top Of Hesnt Shasta ~
TAea Down Again.
Now that we were within Q few miles
Of Shasta, it did not look 90 wholly
white. Its SHOWS were plowed by many
q rocky ridge. not perceptible at q
greater distance. 1t did not, however,
lose its supernatural appearance there
by. but rather gained an effect more
startling by the sharp contrast Of lava
rock and sweeps OF snow. Shasta wa
named by Russian travellers. the proper
derivation Of the word being Tcheste.
meaning chaste. pure. It is the culmin-
ating peak of the coast and Sierra
ranges, and has an altitude Of IA, 444
feet. Its glaciers extend for more than
two miles down its slopes. We sat for
an hour on the hotel porch trying "a
familiarize ourselves with this strange
mountain. but its unearthly aspect did
not change for us.
1T Is terrible to be up there!" said
Hal, with almost q shudder. ''One is
in no danger Of forgetting his expe-
rience. As l was following that lava
ridge this side of the DEVILS Thumb, !
saw far OF on the snow a black object
about the size Of my finger. wriggling
and staggering about, falling fiat occa-
sionally. and then resuming its fantas-
tic gyrations. observed it carefully.
and discovered 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 q
ghostly indistinctness to every thing.
We appeared to be in a world of unre-
alities. peopled 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 indigo. closing down in awful
nearness. Through q revolving glare
the blood-red sun swung in the fright
full purple of the heavens. Fronting
these unaccustomed elements a solemn
dignity possessed the soul ahl.Gave .
conscious feeling Of infinitude. 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 fear
full chasm. The guide caught her by
one Of her feet Her escape from .
death was almost miraculous
We were nearly frozen with the cold.
and yet our mouths were parched and
hot rs in a desert Our hearts throbbed
painfully. and we drew our breath in
gasps.
Before We commenced the descent .
fierce blast tore the mists asunder, re-
vealing the grandest picture We shall
ever behold on this earth. From the
majestic temple we could see hundreds
Of miles Of kaleidoscope landscape.
Mountains, rivers and Valleys with
spurs Of rocky ranges cutting through
tawney farm fields far away; green
meadows starred with lakes. and bill
lOwy ranges running toward 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 . chain Of silver-surfaced lakes; to
the south. beyond the mighty Lassen
Buttes. We catch . glympse Of dusky
plains, with isles Of clustering peaks.
Three times I have seen all this, and
yet feel an irresistible desire to 60
again. In spite Of the labor and ex-
attending the ascent, the vision
from the top is worth greater sacri.
fice."
We slowly descended the mountain.
gazing silently toward Mount Shasta
until the intervening silver frs shut OF
pur view.
The train was two hours late that
night, and as / turned from bidding Hal
good-by We saw q radiant mantle fall
On Shasta's head from the departing sun.
'And the glory of the Lord was like
aevouring fire on the top Of the mount"
he quoted solemnly, and within its re-
iected light we parted hands.-Ousr.
|asd Monthly.