, 1889-09-19
Night ON Taco,ua's suramit.

q. II. Cove of the Oregon Alpine Club
writes:
ris said that graveyards yawn at mid
night.
Personally this cannot be verified, but
we a.e willing to certify that Mt. Taco
ma yawns at midnight. The night of
Wednesday, August 2i 1850, was spent
by J. Nicol and writer on the very apex
or summit of Mt. Tacoma.
1t was at the end of a series of miscal-
culations as we'll as ut the end Of day,
that found US on the summit with no
arrangements made for remaining all
night. Numerous icy and dangerous
points to be recrossed, as well as u long
distance to our blankets and provisions,
precludcd any possibility of our being
able to reach them before dark, we de
cided in short to try our chances for the
cavcrns existing there. We soon foundu
semi-spherical opening in the side of the
crater from which issued quite Il
volume Of warm steam. Clearing away
the rocks from the sandy bottom and
building q wall about two feet in height
around the outside edge of our proposed
couch, formed quite a respectable den
Into this we crawled. Eating u light
lunch we stretched ourselves on the
warm, wet sand, and being very tired
were soon asleep. During the early part
of the evening the wind arising, wisked
a handful of dry snow from drift some
fifteen feet away. Portions of this strik-
ing against the sides and sloping roof of
our den fell In the shape of Ice water in
to our faces, rudcly awakening us.
Our awakening was not without its
recompensc, however, for we were al
lowed to look upon scene (the equal of
which In novelty, as well as grandeur
and supreme isolation) reserved for few
| ,,,I m, xayt ttnnaa a Iaast nj thnse xxy N
still claim earth as their abode. Cast
| ing our eyes eastward, the twinkling
| elect ric lights of the beautiful cities of
Tacoma and Seattle seemed to vie with
the twinkling stars of the clear heavens
above.
We were now 1t seemed no part OF
earth. 1he three great white domes OF
the mountains appeared to us, standing
as we were on the summit of the highest
| one, to be marbled arches of the castles
of that city flair and far" Of which we
have read. But our elevated musings
were soon brought to an end. Our
clothes, moistened by the wet steam,
teeth We retreated to our den, but few
steps below us, where We were soon
again warm and comfortable. We both
| fell asleep In the course of q half hour.
About IL o. clock We were awakened by
what sounded not unlike u human
/ BrOilfl. ~ Iluu " ueClueu tcnueuCN 10
produce chills up and down tho spinal
nerve. Soon u second moan, apparently
near, broke the ETHEREAL silence. Neither
of us spoke, but both listened intently.
The unearthly groan as of tormented
spirit again gently rent the rarified air.
Our excitement was now intense, not
withstanding that neither OF us were
strong believers in ghosts but we were
certain no human being was within
| twelve miles of U.S.
Altering our position somewhat, the
mystery was partically explained on tn
re-occurrencc of the next gale. A
stronger blast than usual OF hot steam
striking us In the face, revealed to us
that the groaning came from the bowels
of the earth, and who knows but it might
have been the echoes of walls from con
demned sinners in Sheol. Consulting
our watch, showed both hands pointing
at IL o'clock, My companion broke the
silence with the remark, that the 9rave
yards may or may not yawn; Lut Mt
Tacoma yawns at midnight. Our nerves
gradually relaxed and again we slum.
| bered, We arose just rs the morning
su:i, pceping over the eastern horizon,
tinted Tacoma's crest with molten
silver.
Thus ended our night on the summit
of Mt Tacoma, the crowning mountain
| of the Pacific coast.