The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-19

will ever reach their destination.
MOUNTAIN OF GLASS.
Perhaps nothing was more unlocked
for than q mountain OF glass, rising a
thousand feet above the surrounding
rocks. We werc now in the vicinity oil
extinct volcanoes, aud the glass was due
to the Overlooking Of ono oil them, The
silicon in the granite, and IN the othoI
quartz bearing rocks, had flowed out aud
separated from the Srosser elements, and
CrysLalized into dark green glass, like
that from which bottles are made,
have frequently seen small quantities oil
glass in granite formation; but this
mountain surpassed a billion fold any
thing l had ever seen. 1t was vast
mountain, unmixed with anything else,
except, perhaps, small quantities Of flint
and ieldspar that had refused to melt
and had remained as dross amid the
purCr glass,
To climb over tho mountains Is very
dangerous. Ono is liable TO fall, and be
ruined By the sharp points OF the broken
glass that stand up like knife blades all
over the surface. We made no attempt
to climb the mountain, as 1t was peril.
GUS; and 1t would be turning out Of our
course to do so.. When we read in the
Book OF Revelations OF "sGa Of glass
mingled with fire" We read Of what
might actually once have been seen here,
had there been eyes to look upon 1t.
There was day when this mountain
WIS in molten state, and 1t was min
gled with the fires OF tue volcano that
gave it origin. But the CLASSY sea Is
cold and dead and frozen now, and II
stands, to use q smile, like an iceberg
among the mountain heights. 70
Our way led up the tributary OF the
river, for 1t was easier walking there
than along the ridges Of the mountains
Besides, while there We had water To
drink, but Oh tho barren rocks Of the
mountains above we had none.
We pushed forward with the greatest
possible speed, and at length had fol-
lowed that branch Of the river 10 itl
very source. We climbed over ridge,
aud came down in another tributary OIL
Kings River, aud followed that one on.
ward toward its source. This stream Of
water wound its tortuous course round
points OF mountains and along great
benches Of uplands, and us we drew neal
its fountain springs, we saw that We
were not many miles from the summit
But u few miles made q considerable dis
lance when 1t had TO 10 climbed over a!
we had to climb over that. We hat
thought that the stream would lead III
up 10 the summit OF the mountain, bu
after a long desperate siege oiClimb
ing wo gained an altitude from which
We could see that the top Of the noun
tain was still beyond, and was above
over against the ridge on which we stood
ur TIE sANsJoAQUIN.
We rested awhile, and then set for
ward again, passed over the watershed
that separated Kings River from thu
waters OF the San joaquin. We hat
reached the very head Of the northern
waters Of the Kings River, and as
Judged, We were two hundred milel
from the plains, following tho course o
the river. We were now to leave 1t ant
to follow the San joaquin, which has it
source still to the northeast Of where VI
were.
The way up the San joaquin wal
rough and discouraging, but we allowed
no riggedness to hold us back, or NJ
hardships TO discourage Us. We hopet
10 reach the long.loOked for summit tina
day. 1t was now Sunday, bright ant
lonesome. The sun was well above thu
horizon. We were 10 splendid spirits
although We had breRkiasted on bread
and had drunk from an Ice cold spring
BY 10 o'clock We had reached thu
fountain spring Of the San joaquin river
and the top Of the mountain was no
more than q mile distant. Resting a few
minutes, and drinking from tho spring
we commenced the ascent. This Yves 4
be the last. 1t would lead us to the top
which above Us was In plain view,
number Of sharp, rugged peaks Of gran
Ito, standing In range like the teeth Of
saw. We looked up at them, and fol
that We had conquered the mountains q
last, for success was now certain, unleB
some accident should beiall us. Yet, VI
were not al the top.
We were now walking over snow
from three to ton feet deep. In som,
places II was nearly twenty feet deep.
was packed 30 hard that we walked Of
top Of H. setting our feet carefully les
NO should fall, Where the sun hat
soitened the surface, We had 10 be th
ihOIu careful, for II was slippery there
and several times we fell hard an,
barely escaped being thrown over CllH
that were underit.
TWELVE THOUSAND FERr Or.
Passing round 10 the south side Of tn
mountain we found less snow, and Their