Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1891-08-25
CALIFORNIA; GREAT MOUNTAIN.
Going Up to the Top of the Shasta and
Then Down Again.


Going Up to 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
perceptibe at greater distance. 1t did not,
however, lose its supernatural appearances
thereby, but rather gained an effect more
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. 1t is the eliminating peak Of tho
coast and Sierra ranges, and has an altitude
of IA A. feet. Its glaciers extend for more
than two miles down its slopes. We sat for
an hour on the hotel porch trying to famil-
iarize ourselves with this strange mountain,
but its unearthly aspect did not chRnge
for us
at Is terrible to he up therei" said Hal,
with almost a shudder. Zone is In no dan
ger OF forgetting the experience. As was
following that lava ridge this side of the
DEVILS Thumb, saw far off on the snow q
black object about the size Of my finger,
wriggling and staggering about, falling Hat
occasionally and then resuming its fantastic
gyrations, | observed it carefully, and dis
covered that the object was forked, and then
II flashed through me that it was man
climbing the glacier. When our party
reached the cleft peak that forms the summit
We were met by perfect avalanche OF
clouds that tossed and tumbled about, giving
q ghostly indistinctness to everything. We
appeared To be in world of uurealities, pao-
pied 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 momentsry parting
Of the clouds showed the sky blue as in-
aigc closing down in awful nearness.
Through revolving glare the blood red sun
swung In the frightsul purple Of the heavens.
Fronting these unaccustomed elements a sol
emn dignity possessed the soul and gave n
conscious feeling Of infinltude. 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
cue Of the ladies slipped and fell headiong
over the fearful chasm The guide caught
her by one of her feet, Her escape from a
horrible death was almost miraculous. We
were nearly frozen with the cold, and yet
our mouths were parched and hot as In des-
ert. Our hearts throbbed painfully, and we
drew our breath in gasps.
Before we commenced the descent fierce
blnst tore the mists asunder, revealing the
grandest picture we shall ever behold on
earth. From the majestic temple we could
sec hundreds OF miles OF Kaleidoscope land
scape. Mountains, rivers and valleys, with
spurs Of rocky ridges cutting through tawny
farm fields far away; green meadows starred
with lakes, and billowy ranges running to-
ward the sea, while fifty miles OF dense pine
forests SPAWNED the McCloud and Pitt to
touch the snowy heads Of the Sierras And
Oregons rich prairies, linked TO ours by q
chain Of silver surfaced lakes; TO the south,
beyond the mighty Iassen Buttes, we catch
glimpse OF dusky plains, with isles Of
clustering peaks. Three times have seen
all this, and yet I feel an irresistible desire to
80 again. In spite of the labor and ex-
haustion attending the ascent, the vision
from the top is worth greater sacrifice"
We slowly descended the mountain, gazing
silently toward Mount Shasta until the inter-
vening silver frs shut of 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 Ike devouring fire on the top of
the mountT no quoted solemnly, and within
Its reflected light we parted hands. Overland